Application to Men in extension of the Fruits and efficacies to and in Men as to Mens discerning and enjoying the vertne and efficacy of the Mediation and Intercession is first though the Mediation be by vertue of the Oblation first offered to God yet the Mediation fore-running the making of it known and being that which procures the making known the Oblation and vertue of it unto Men and also it is through his Intercession and Dispensation according thereto that the efficaciousness of the Oblation is found in Men yet the efficacy with and in Men is various and in and with no mortal Man so full and compleat as with God and this appears cleerly in the Mediation and Intercession of Christ who there-through prevailing with God procureth and extendeth forth the knowledge of his Oblation and vertue thereof with God for Men in all that he hath suffered and done for us in the Nature of Man and in the means used towards us in the Declaration of his Word and in Ordinances Mercies Chastisements and Motions of Spirit in Convincements and Allurements to break Man off his purpose and subdue him to self-denial and so bring him in to believe on Christ and so to Peace and Life and also herein discovering the Father's Love and rich Grace and gracious Ends in giving him and accepting his Oblation and making him the Mediator and now for his Mediation extending so much patience and so many means all sanctified by his Blood to draw Men from their own ovil designs and wayes in sins or righteousness of their own to receive his Grace and Favour And in this Fruit of his Intercession by vertue of his Oblation he being the Man the Word that was made Flesh and shed his Blood and by vertue thereof is now through these means sprinkling it and his Father being that Fountain of Love and living Waters that sent him and hath filled him with himself his Face shining in his It in all appears not only that his Mediation and Intecession is excellent but also That this Love of the Father in giving him and his Oblation offered and Mediation by vertue thereof and the procuring the extention of the Fruits of God's Love therethrough is the Water and Blood by which he came and the way in which the Spirit beareth witness of him and so also the Water and Spirit of which Believers are born And hence also it is That all those means extended to Men in the Love of God as procured by the Intercession of Christ by vertue of his Oblation to so gracious an end they are the Cords of a Man proceeding from the Man Christ and suited to the needs and capacities of Men to whom extended Hos 11.3 4. With Isa 32.2 3. Joh 33 1-7 13-29 and such as will verily draw Men in to him if not presumptuously resisted and they are also the bands of Love that come from the free-Love of God our Saviour and to gracious Ends for the good of them to whom extended in these being the extention of the Call the spreading of the Curtains the means for the New Birth All which things in this Chapter are shewn and proved before in the 6 and 7 and 8 and 9 and 10 Chapter of this Part 2. Oh presumptuous Transgressors that conspire against the Lord and his anointed saying Psa 2.3 4. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us Ah foolish and brutish Pastors that do disgrace these Cords Jer. 10.20 21. Cant. 1.3 Joh. 6.44 45. Col. 3.19 Psa 118.17 86.11 12. and spoil the Church of them Oh blessed they that in these drawings learn of the Father and come to Christ for such shall then finde the benefit of his special Intercession in the same Cords of a Man and Bands of Love to unite them to Christ and so to God in Christ for ever so conforming them to Christ and consolating them in him And so if we well weigh the Mediation and Intercession of Christ by vertue of his Oblation Job 1.29 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 9.15 we may perceive how all things are upheld by him and how excellent and prevalent his Mediation is for the good of Men that they might become Believers and Saints and for the good of Saints that they may enjoy the Promises and receive the promised Inheritance And so the Mediation of Christ is for such as are yet unbelievers that they might believe and for Believers that they may persevere in Faith to the Inheritance and by the Grace here-through extended He is Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End in the work of Grace and so the Author Captain and Finisher of Faith and so he mediating for all Men doth also therein and therewith more especially mediate and intercede for Believers his chosen ones that go to God by him CHAP. 15. An Answer to some Aspersions cast on the Professors of this Truth I Having in a former Treatise written That God so loved the world that he gave and sent forth his Son to be the Saviour of the world and That he sends forth his Servants to bear witness of his Son that all men through him might believe And quoting to the later Sentence Joh. 1.7 and 17.21 23. Mr. Owen was pleased to fault me for giving this Honour to Christ that any should by him believe and to fault my quotation of Joh. 1.7 thereto and saith It is my Sophistry learned of the old Serpent thus to apply this to the Son of God the Light witnessed to and saith We are said to believe in Christ and on Christ but not by him 1. I answer To take that Joh. 1.7 That Iohn was sent forth from God and came to bear witness of the light that all men through him that is Joh. 3.26 27 30 31 32-36 5.35 36 Act. 1.5 22. 10.41 42. 18.26 28. through Iohn might believe and not through the light witnessed by Iohn would be a very small All when a witnessing-Light of that true Light so out-shining the Light of Iohn's Ministration came in so suddenly upon it though witnessing still to the same Light that Iohn's Ministration is over And if Mr. Owen feared any disgrace to the Servants Ministration and so to himself hereby it was a causless fear and not occasioned by this quotation of the place which denieth not at all Iohn to be the Minister by whom all those to whom his Line reached that believed did believe even as the Apostles were Ministers by whom the Believers in their Ministration were brought to believe they ministred the Epistle and held forth and witness Christ the Light therein Joh. 3.14 15. and for any farther thing they disclaim it and for that cause witnessed of him and held forth and exalted him that men beholding him might through him believe and be healed But the believing of any Joh. 6.40 1 Cor. 3.4 5 6. 4.1 2 Cor. 3.3 18 Joh. 3 26-36 Mat. 23.8 9 10.
bload of his cross and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross having slain the enmity thereby or in himself and came and preached peace Col. 1.20 so the Father's will is having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile c. Again Col. 2.14 it 's said of him Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his cross And so there is no more sins to be imputed to Christ or counted upon his score he hath done all of them away by one Sacrifice and made the peace and caused it to be preached that Men might believe it 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20 21. Rom. 5.11 and in believing be reconciled in their hearts to God and so peace effected in them 2. If we also consider of a Reconciliation and so of a purging away of sins that by vertue of this Heb. 2.17 Eph. 5.26 27. Heb. 9.14 compleated in and by himself with God he as the High-Priest after and by vertue of the Sacrifice offered Atonement and Purgation once made in the holy of holies is still continually making for the people Then we shall also finde that there are sins of another Nature and against another Obligation then that Men fell under in and through the first Adam even such as the Law under which Mankinde was fallen did not charge upon Christ directly and they in the committing are every Man 's own sins that doth them as sins against Mercy and Grace extended through a Mediator who by vertue of the Peace he by his Blood and Sacrifice hath made Joh. 1.4 5 7 8 9 10 11. Prov. 1.23 24-36 Jer. 6.16 17. Rom. 2.4 Jer. 13.27 Joh. 13.10 11. Joh. 1.10 11 29. Heb. 2.17 7.27 9.7 extendeth light and means towards them as not minding the light that shineth forth from the Life that is in him not owning him in all the preservation he giveth nor believing or receiving him by all the choice means he useth and so not turning at his reproofs nor hearkning to his Call and Voice but hardning their hearts against the same and so refusing to be made clean walk on according the lusts and wayes of their own hearts and all these and all of this Nature are called The sins of the world and The sins of the people and The errors of the people And Jesus Christ did on the foresight of what through Man's weakness and Satan's malice would be found in Men make provision for Propitiation Reconciliation and Pardon in respect of those sins also in that one Oblation and Sacrifice of his his Blood and Sufferings being the Blood and Sufferings not only of an innocent and just Man but of that Man that was the Son of God Act. 20.28 Joh. 3.16 Heb. 9.14 in which sense his Blood is called The blood of God and His laying down his life And so Jesus Christ offering himself by the Eternal Spirit a Sacrifice to God the Divine Nature did so sanctifie and dignifie this Sacrifice that it is of infinite value and vertue for taking away all sins and so though in his interposing he did not take those sins upon him as his which before his undertaking were neither in being nor in a possibility of being so to satisfie for and discharge as that they should never be imputed to those for whom he suffered nor they condemned for them as he did for the former sorts of sins yet he did so far bear them and offered himself in Sacrifice to God for them as he might have full power to forgive them and so such fulness of vertue in his Blood and Oblation and Propitiation made thereby as to propitiate and speak Peace in its sprinkling being made known to Men in the evidences of the Fruits thereof 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 7.24 25. 8.1 9.15 and for this business he remaineth a continual Mediator between God and Men and an High-Priest ever living to intercede for all that come to God by him and in this work we have to consider that it is done ministerially and spiritually to Men in the former for taking away the former sins and making Peace as he he had to deal with God for Men so he did it by his material Blood shedding and his material Body raised and offered in Sacrifice to God But now as he is a spiritual Man in dealing with Men he doth this business spiritually in Ministration of the Gospel making known the vertue of his Blood and Sacrifice and by his Spirit so sprinkling it on the Hearts of Men to wash and reconcile them to God thereby and so in a daily taking away these following sins and renewing c. and this was also figured in the continual bearing of the sins of the people by the typical High-Priests and Priest â—â—covery of mystâ—â—ous deceits p. 6 7 28. Heb. 9. Discourse of the prâ—câ—ous blood of Christ c. 4. p. 21 22 23. 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20 21. Mar. 2.10 Luk. 5.24 Act. 5.31 32 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. as hath been shewn at large in another Treatise and by their Purifications by sprinkling as hath been shewn at large in another Treatise And this hath Jesus Christ by his Oblation also procured to do himself in Person one while did minister the Word of Reconciliation but now he hath left that to his Servants and the extention of Spirit therein is his own work still and suitable to all this he said The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins And so the Apostles in their Teâ—imony and the Holy Ghost in the same witness That God hath exalted him to give repentance and remission of sins c. In which respect by vertue of his Oblation once offered he so ministring is called The Mediator between God and Man for such an end and The Lamb of God Joh. 1.10 11 19. not only that hath taken away the sins of Mankinde as fallen in A dam but that taketh that is in this present time in a continual act still doing away the sin or sins of the world even Men in worldly fellowship c. and even Believers also are said to come to the Blood of sprinking Heb. 12.24 that not only hath spoken but speaketh c. and he that believeth in Christ according to Gospel-Testimony knoweth both Heb. 10.2 That all sins in view and consideration preceding Christ his undertaking are so taken away by his Oblation to God that he hath no more charge in Conscience for them and also that there is such vertue in that Blood and Sacrifice of his that being believed and received as he makes it known it will take away in such sprinkling all following sins and purge the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God whence he is said to be set forth a Fountain Heb. 9.14 Zach. 13.1 Heb. 10.18 19 21 22 23. 1 Joh.
knowledge of it in their believing so that Abraham saw the Day of Christ Joh. 8.56 and rejoyced and we may suppose the same of Isaac and Jacob though our Saviour had not occasion then from the Jews words to mention them so that they were abundantly fitted to preach this Faith and Covenant unto others 3. They had also an outward Ordinance called Circumcision as a sign and seal of the Righteousness of the Faith they had received Gen. 17 9-14 18.18 19. Deut. 30.6 Rom. 4.11 12 15. and were to teach that they might so witness the Truth and disciple their Children born of them and by gracious providence brought under their tuition and government and so teach them to attend on God in his way who in such attention would in due season circumcise their hearts that thus they might be the Fathers of all that believe 4. They were enabled by Faith to walk as strangers in this very promised Land Act. 7.4 5. Heb. 11.9.16 not building Cities in it nor having of their own the possession of a foot onely a burying-place bought with their money yet did they believe to enjoy that very Land according to the promise and by the preparation of it for them and Promise of it and Gift of God to them believed they did wait and look for it in which Faith they both lived and died believing That they should be raised again and possess in due season And so as Abraham at first in the Faith of the Gospel as set forth in the first Revelation went at God's Call into that Country not knowing whither Heb. 11.8 till he came there even by Faith so he lived and walked in that Land by Faith as farther enlarged according to the Revelation explicated to him in that Promise given him again and again Gen. 12.2 3. 13.15 15.4 5 6. 16.16 Gen. 21.5 Gen. 25.26 And after the Covenant was made with him he lived and walked in that Land by Faith enlarged according to it for one yeer himself and after with Isaac all his dayes and he with Isaac and Isaac with him lived in this Faith all the dayes of Abraham and Isaac was sixty yeers old when Jacob was born with whom he then lived in that Faith all his dayes and Jacob that was with him and after him lived in that Faith with his Sons was an hundred and thirty yeers old when he stood before Pharaoh in Egypt Gen. 47.9 So that their sojourning in the Land of Promise or promised Land which they are one day to possess was one hundred ninety and one yeers after the Covenant made In which time they taught the Faith thus enlarged to their Children and them so to live in it which remained with the spiritual Seed But after Israel was come into Egypt they began quickly to be defiled with the Idolatries of Egypt and then they sojourned not in the Land of Promise as their Fathers did but in the Land of Egypt four hundred and thirty yeers Exod. 12.40 41. Gal. 3.17 18. of which four hundred and thirty yeers after the Fathers living in the Faith of the Covenant one hundred ninety one yeers the Apostle speaketh for so long it was still confirming to them and they in being so furnished have taught the same CHAP. 3. Of the third Revelation of Christ and way of making him known THe next Revelation of Christ was in Moses time Heb. 1.1 and it was both immediately to Moses and mediately by him to Israel and this was in divers manners and at divers times or by divers parcels as to say 1. By divers types shadows and figures immediately appointed by God to Moses for the people Heb. 8.5 9.23 10.1 and mediately by him to the people as to instance 1. Heb. 7.27 9.7 12 22. The way by which Christ should make Peace and Atonement for the sins of Men that he might have them into his dispose This was figured out by Beasts slain and offered to God in Sacrifice for sin and the High-Priest entring into the Holy of Holies once in the yeer to make Atonement for all Israel as Christ was by his death and bloodshedding for our sins and offering himself a Sacrifice to God entering into Heaven by his own Blood to make the Atonement and obtain eternal Redemption 2. The way how he communicateth unto Men this Peace and Atonement Heb. 9.13 14. 12.24 Rev. 1.5 and Redemption and maketh them partakers of the benefit thereof in the extention of his Grace and Spirit making it known with the Fruits thereof gaining in to believe and so sprinkling the vertue of his Blood and Sacrifice on their Heart and Conscience thereby washing and comforting them this figured by sprinkling the Blood and the Water of Purification on them with a Bunch of Hyssop Psal 51 7. Whence that Prayer Purge me with Hyssop c. 3. Heb. 7.25 10.2 19 20 22. Eph. 2.17 18. The way how people may come to and partake of the benefit of all this Grace in him and by him dispensed namely by looking to him attending his Voice approaching to God by him through his Sacrifice and Propitiation made yield to and receiving in by Faith his Blood sprinkling and Water of Purification so drawing nigh to God by him this figured by their so looking to and approaching to the Tabernacle and observing those Rites aforenamed 4. That Christ is wonderfully filled with Power Spirit and Authority and all riches of Grace to be all to us and work all in us for Peace Purity Union and Communion with God he having our Nature in a personal Body in which he hath by Sacrifice made the Atonement and the fulness of the Godhead now dwelling in him bodily Joh. 2.19 Col. 2.3 9. Joh. 2.19 Joh. 5.20 Joh. 14.6 1 Pet. 2.3 4 5. 2 Cor. 6 16. Heb. 3.6 Heb. 8 5. He is the Tabernacle Temple or House of God in whom are all the Treasures of Wisdom and Understanding in whom dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily in and through whom only God is to be worshipped and such a House he is that all that believing in him are united to him and worship God in him are made of the same spiritual Tabernacle Temple or House This figured by their Tabernacle or Temple made according to the pattern given of God and the Enjoynment of them to come and worship there looking towards it He is also the Altar on which all Prayers and spiritual Sacrifices are to be offered up to God Heb. 13.10 11-15 1 Pet. 2.5 This was figured by that one Altar to which their Sacrifices were to be brought and upon it to be offered and on no other He is the Propitiation the Covering or Mercy-Seat Rom. 3.25 1 Ioh. 2.2 Joh. 1.18 Heb. 9.5 where all the Righteousness in Mercies and forgiveness and the Oracles of God are to be met withal This figured by the Mercy-Seat they
this that in due time he will in that body of his personally come again and receive them to himself and then take his great power and raign and they shall raign with him nor need they be deceived about this his coming Mat. 25.32.46 Joh. 5.28 29. for it shall be so personal open and visible that every eye shall see him and when he doth sit upon the Throne of his glory then shall all Nations be gathered before him and having raised all the dead will separate those that have believed in him and lived to him from those that have rebelled against him setting the one on his right hand and the other on his left hand and then judge and give sentence on both and the righteous that are on the right hand shall go into everlasting joy and the wicked that are on the left hand shall go into everlasting Fire there to be tormented for ever and that all that believe on him may with patience and comfort wait till that day come he taught and assured them that he would not leave them as Orphans comfortless Ioh. 14.16 17 18 26. but by his word and Spirit in that word he with them and in them and by that Spirit both minde them of Joh. 16.13 14 15. 15.4 7. 1 Pet. 1.5 Joh. 14.6 10.9 14.9 10. and teach them the words that he had fore-given them and also so take of the things of Christ and shew to them that he should present him glorious to them and lead them into all truth that by Faith well-pleasedness in him they may be made fruitful and preserved to the inheritance and that he thus discovered is the door and way of access to the Father and entrance into the Church yea the Father is in him and he in the Father and all that is the Father's is his so that in seeing and having him they see and have the Father also and that he is the Truth and the Life in whom they have Wisdom Righteousness 1.3 Sanctification and Redemption Covenant quickning and all spiritual Riches and Life yea he is such a sure Rock that whoever is found in believing built on him Mat. 16.18 1 Pet. 2.3 4 5. the gates of Hell shall not prevail against him his Flesh even his Body as given for the Life of the World is Bread of Life and Meat indeed and his Blood as having confirmed the New Testament is Drink indeed Joh. 6.51 58 63. 15.10 17.24 and what Spirit or Soul of Man soever eateth and drinketh hereof shall never die but have everlasting Life his words are Spirit and Life and as the Father hath loved him even so hath he loved those that believe in him and will come again and receive them to himself that where he is they may be also So that in all this is a blessed clear great gracious and glorious Revelation of Jesus Christ in his own personal teachings Yet to free them from mistakes and inform them cleerly how by him this blessed and saving work shall be carried an end till his coming again that there may be a spiritual Seed encreased and preserved to him till then he instructed them how Men and Women should be brought in to God namely John 3.14 15. Tit. 2.3 Mar. 16.25 Rom. 16.26 that He even Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the World as thus manifested to them must be by them so made known to others yea lifted up and made manifest by preaching his word he had taught them and this to all Men all Nations and in and about this right preaching manifestation elevation declaration and tenders of Christ he taught them much and many things as appears plainly by his own sayings to them and theirs which they learned of him as to instance some of them 1. That it be Jesus that be lifted up and exalted as the Christ Joh. 8.14 15. Luk. 24.47 43. Joh. 15.26 Rom. 1.1 5. 16.25 26. 1 Cor. 22. 3.10 11. 2 Cor. 4.5 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. 5.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Isa 49.6 the Son of the living God the Propitiation for our sins he in whom God is well-pleased who by vertue of his death is the Lord of all the onely Rock and Refuge in whom whoever believeth shall receive forgiveness of sins this Jesus the He and not the works of the Law not any order or sort of men not any dreams or devices nor any personal endowments or gifts nor any internal Lights and Operations but onely Jesus Christ to be the Lord the Foundation the He in whom all Peace Righteousness and Eternal Life is prepared of God for us and given us of God in him even in Jesus Christ that in believing in him we may receive it and have it And this is plain in comparing his sayings and theirs 2. Joh. 3.16 17. 1 Joh. 4.9 10 14. Rom. 5.6 7 8 9 10. Tit. 3.4 5. 2 Cor. 5.14 15 19 21. That both this gift of Christ the Saviour of the World and the setting him forth and tendering him in the Gospel is and is to be affirmed a fruit and witness of the love of God to the world to Mankinde even sinners and ungodly ones and the love Grace and good-will of God here-through commended and tendered to them that they might repent and believe and in believing receive remission of sins and eternal Life and this is plain in comparing his sayings and theirs according to that prophesied Psa 36.6 7 8. 145.8 9. Isa 55.4 3. That the end and purpose of God in this gift of Christ and so setting him forth Joh. 3.17 Luk. 9.56 Mat. 18.11 Joh. 12.47 Isa 42.6 7 8. 49.6 8 9. 55.4 5. 63.1 2 3. Act. 3.26 14.15 26.17 18. Joh. 12.35 36 46. 9.5 Joh. 1.4 7 8 9. and making him known and witnessing and commending his love through him and so the end of Christ his first coming and Ministration and of his continuing the same Ministration of the Gospel in which he is still sent held forth and tendered to men till his personal coming again is that the world might be saved yea sinners and the chief sinners that the eyes of the blinde might be opened c. and men brought in to believe and so turned from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God that so they may receive Remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith that is in Jesus Christ and this is plain in the sayings of Christ by himself and by his Spirit in the Prophets and by his Spirit in the sayings of those that learned it of him whence he saith of his Ministration that while he is in the world he is the Light of the World and so before was and in the Ministration of his chosen Witnesses will be till his coming again Mat. 5.13 14 15 16. whence his Servants as Ministers of the Gospel are also called
I might shew how Christ is here the chief Master Doctor and Rabbi and the Prophets and Apostles the Masters of this Assembly the Scriptures the Library the Testimony of Jesus the Original the Holy Spirit therein the Interpreter the way of Learning and coming to knowledge is Attention and believing the Fellows and Collegiates are all that are built upon Jesus and so one in this spiritual house the pupils are all that like or desire to learn the Doctrine of the Gospel though yet hardly believing or weak and unstable in the Faith or believing the Truth of the Gospel and professing it but not so prevailed with by it as to be united to Christ and framed to his Minde so as to have his word in their heart these not yet to be Teachers but Learners but the residue all Teachers according to the measure of Faith and Gifts given them and their acts are Fellowship in the Gospel and to those acts the World may come also to hear And all the Ministers God approveth and sendeth forth to minister Gospel to the World they are brought up in and sent forth of this University being Members thereof as is proved in that already said and yet I would add one proof more even from the Prayer of our Saviour for these in John 17. where having prayed for the fitness furniture and blessing on the ministration of those immediately called chosen taught and set forth by himself he proceedeth in that Prayer saying Joh. 17.6 7 8 9 11 14 15 16 17 18 19 vers 20. Neither do I pray for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word which is no other but his own word he received of the Father and gave to them and so it is through their Ministration of the word and so the same word and as ministred and recorded by these first VVitnesses who were immediately sent forth by him with this Ministration for the Obedience of Faith among all Nations and for all that believe through their word He prayeth Vers 21. That they all he saith not some onely or the chief Officers they shall chuse but the unfeigned Believers even they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us VVhich cannot be meant of the Essence of God because he speaketh of Ministration nor is it meant onely of being one in him by the Spirit of Faith relying on him though this be included yea the union of the Father and Son in will for Ministration and of the Father in the Son and the Son in the Father and so the union between them is more then so yea I may say there is such an union between them as is higher then we can conceive and incommunicable also though the benefit of it be communicable but the union here meant appears by that foregoing and this following with the scope of the business to be the union of the Spirit for Ministration as the Father was and is one and of one minde in Christ that he should make peace by his blood and then preach peace that Men might believe and that in preaching peace he should speak his words that he gave him and seek his ends for glorifying him in displaying and extending Salvation to Men and eternally saving believing Men. So Christ was one in and with the Father in all this and in the same love with the same design did both make peace by his Blood and preach peace in the same words and for the same end the Father gave them to him and so are they one in the same love and design for the good of Mankinde in this Ministration of peace-preaching to bring Men in to believe and to preserve Believers to eternal Life And now having committed the Ministry of Reconciliation by peace-preaching to his first VVitnesses and prayed for and begun to frame them into union with him in this design he prayeth therewith for all that unfeignedly believe on him through their word and so are united to him by Faith and Love that they may be framed by the same Spirit of Faith to his minde and so be one in the Father and him in the same love and the same design for carrying forth this Ministration as he did and to the same ends though through like sufferings as he did and as the first VVitnesses did that so we may be one together with them and all one in the Father and the Son in this love and design pursued in the same way for Ministration And this to be the union meant appears also in the next words which are That the world that is such as yet believe not may believe that thou hast sent me which can be no less Vers 21. then that through their Ministration carried forth in such love and union of Spirit and way such as yet believe not may believe c. And this to be the meaning the next words shew Vers 22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them which is not the glory he had with the Father before the world was and with which he is now glorified at the Father's right hand for that was not then as yet given to him as he was Man but to be given him on the finishing his whole work for suffering and overcoming death and his own immediate personal Ministration and his Ascension into Heaven and offering up the acceptable sacrifice and then was that glory given him so that of this glory he speaketh not but of the glory of the Ministration given him immediately of the Father which was a more great and glorious Ministration then ever before given to Moses or any of the Priests or Prophets or John Baptist and so it 's called the glorious Gospel And this Ministration with commission with power and authority and Spirit he received immediately from the Father and so gave it as immediately to the first VVitnesses and now here mediately through the belief of their Gospel unto all unfeigned Believers in every age that through their word believe to them and all them our Saviour gives this glory of the commission power and authority for Ministration Vers 22. and that to these ends both that they may be one even as we are one in that union forementioned and so Vers 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one I in them The Nature of all Mankinde is in me in which I have died their Death and suffered the Curse that was due for their sins and made peace for them by my Blood and offered the acceptable Sacrifice and obtained eternal Redemption and received in the Nature of Man Remission of sins and fulness of Spirit Grace Truth and Eternal Life for Men that in believing Men might receive me and in receiving me receive it all And now these believing though not by my immediate personal Ministration yet by my mediate Ministration through the
An Explicite DECLARATION OF The Testimony OF CHRIST According to the plain Sayings of the Gospel And therein Of the PURPOSES PROMISES and COVENANTS of God as by GOSPEL declared With A Consideration of a QUESTION stated about FAITH By Thomas Moore Senior Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope Printed at London by J. C. for Livâ—â—el Chapman at the Crown in Popes head alley 1656. To such as believe the Testimony of CHRIST GOD having given to all men an object of Faith Act. 17.31 Rom. 16.26 Mar. 16.15 Jam. 1.18 Rom. 10.10 15. 4.5 22 25. and commanded it to be made known by the Scriptures preached to all Nations for the obedience of Faith and that believing it which is begot thereby and closeth therewith so as to rest thereon for that promised being therefore by him called Faith and to such Believers Faith imputed for Righteousness So as it is verily true Heb. 11.6 Eph. 2.17 18. Act. 10.43 13.38 39. Rom. 5.1 2 3 5. Heb. 11.2 Act. 18.26 9.15 Rom. 11.20 Eph. 2.8 1 Cor. 15.1 4. 2 Thess 1.10 1 Job 5.10 By Faith we come and approach to God by Faith we receive remission of sins by Faith we are justified and approved of God by Faith we receive the vertues of the Sacrifice and Blood of Christ by Faith we are sanctified and conformed to the minde of Christ by Faith we stand and are saved by Faith we receive the Testimony of Christ and so come to have that Testimony and therein the holy Spirit testifying and Christ testified of and the Father that is in Christ dwelling in our heart by Faith Eph. 3.17 Gal. 3.26 Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 1.13 1 Joh. 5.4 5. Heb. 11. all 1 Pet. 1.5 so as by Faith we are the Sons of God and in all trials and temptations by Faith we live yea by Faith we have the victory over the flesh the world and the devil and by Faith may be enabled to do worthily in our generations and be constant in all services of love enduring through all sufferings till we die in the Faith and so in the Resurrection shall receive the kingdom for we are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation I therefore am perswaded it is our best service and fruit of love Jude 20.3 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Eph. 4.4 5. to edifie one another in this most holy Faith yea and to contend for it also against the opposers of it and know this Faith to be one and that there is but one Faith that is Faith indeed though in time past I have conceited divers kindes of Faith and now lately meeting with a Question stated in which are asserted two kindes of Faith each true and real in its kinde by M. John Owen in his Book entituled The Doctrine of the Saints perseverance I was mov'd in my heart to consider the same and to answer some Expressions of his yet leaving the handling of the Controversie to those more fit to whom it may appertain acknowledging all for Truth in his Book that is found in the Testimony of Christ and stands with the Rule proposed by himself also and refuse the rest according to his own counsel direction wherein I have endeavored by plain Testimony and sayings of Scripture to set forth the true Faith in the object of it and Grace of believing with its efficacies and so to encourage men to believe and believers to persevere I desire the plain Testimony of Scripture may be believed and so far as any of us are by the Spirit therein brought to acknowledg Christ and desire the exaltation of his Name and winning in of others thereto and encrease and growth of grace in believers let us keep this unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace that so in all our other differing apprehensions and expressions we may so contend for what the Scripture saith that whatever absurdity thereby we seem to cast upon any expressions of one another it may be without judging or despising of one another taking opposed expressions as consequences of misconception in the fancy and not fruits of the principle of grace in such as acknowledge Jesus the Lord nor judging them graceless or having no principle of grace because of such an expression that so we may do all things in charity seeking the edification of one another and so I hope if any be otherwise minded God will reveal the same to them onely whereto we have attained let us walk by the same rule of Faith and Love and believe what Scripture testifieth and not be waved from that the Scriptures being able to make us wise unto salvation through Faith that is in Jesus Christ And so committing my self and labour to the Lord 's gracious good pleasure and to Believers to be tried and received or refused as they are found to be agreeing or disagreeing with the plain sayings of the Testimony of Christ I rest Wittlesey Oct. 12. 1655. A well-willer of all that love the Lord Jesus Christ Thomas Moore The Contents of the Treatise in seven Parts PART I. An Introduction to the Testimony of Christ Chap. 1. A Direction to discern Truth from Error pag. 1. Chap. 2. Evidences of the Truth and plainness of the Testimony pag. 4. Chap. 3. Of the enmity of Flesh and Satan and their way of opposing pag. 9. Chap. 4. An Assay to remove the Objections of those that pretend Spirit and Inspiration Where what meant by Christ what by Scripture what by Letter and what by Spirit pag. 11. Chap. 5. An Answer to such as seek to trouble by words pag. 20. Chap. 6. Answer to such as pretend Scripture to trouble with pag. 26. Chap. 7. A Conclusion with the consent of a learned man pag. 32. Chap. 8. An Assay to direct the weak to finde the Testimony of Christ in the plain sayings thereof pag. 34. Chap. 9. Of the Creation of Mankinde in the first Adam pag. 41. Chap. 10. Of the fall and misery of him and Mankinde pag. 44. Chap. 11. Of the immutability of God notwithstanding pag. 49. Chap. 12. Of the remedilesness in Mankinde fallen to help himself and the wonderfulness of help in another pag. 55. Chap. 13. Of the similitudes and dissimilitudes between the first now old and the new Creation pag. 60. PART II. A declaration of the testimony of Christ in the branches of it Chap. 1. Of the Testimony of Christ who what a one and whence pag. 67. The first Branch Chap. 2. Of the Oblation of Christ pag. 73. Chap. 3. What that was which was offered up in Sacrifice pag. 75. Chap. 4. Who it was that offered up this Sacrifice pag. 76. Chap. 5. To whom be offered this Sacrifice pag. 83. Chap. 6. For whom and in whose behalf he offered it pag. 86. Chap. 7. For what Christ offered this Sacrifice for men viz. To make
sprung out of the Earth n Psal 85.11 Then he ascended in that very body which died and was raised again and by the Eternal Spirit offered himself a spotless Sacrifice to God and with the Vertue of his own Blood entred the holy of holies and so made peace and obtained Eternal Redemption o Act. 1.9 10 11. Heb. 8.3 4. 10.10 12. 9.12 14. And God also for this hath exalted him p Phil. 2.10 11. and taken up his well-pleasedness in him and set him on his right hand q Mat. 17.5 Heb. 8.1 10.12 and released and given over all Mankinde to him for his dispose and made him Lord of all r Rom. 14.9 Act. 2.34 36. 10.36 and Head of the Church s Col. 1.18 19. and filled him with the immeasurable fulness of the Holy Ghost to preach the Gospel and call sinners and open the eyes of the blinde c. to draw Men to himself that believing on him they might be his Church and he so confer his own Priviledges on them t Isa 42.1 8. 61.1 4. Joh. 1.12 Phil. 2.10 11. Act. 17.30 31. and that he may raise all Men from the first death that he died for them and bring them before him to be judged by him according to the Gospel Rom. 2.16 and 14.9 12. 2 Cor. 5.10 And thus also hath God testified of him and set him forth the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World u 1 John 2.2 for Men to receive Remission of sins through Faith in his Blood and so to bring them in to God w Rom. 3.25 Act. 10.43 26.18 And thus is he perfect in himself the second and last publick Man the Lord from Heaven the spiritual Man the quickning Spirit in whom the Nature of Man is restored and married to the Divine Nature in the person of the Son of God in which is rich Provision of pardon peace wisdom righteousness holiness redemption and eternal life all to be enjoyed in coming in by his call to believe on him x 1 Cor. 15.44 45 46 47. Mat. 22.1 4. Prov. 9.1 6. Col. 2.9 10. 1.28 1 Cor. 1.30 and such a one is the Man Christ God-Man God with us in our Nature for us y Mat. 1.23 glorified with the Father 's own self as the publick Man with the Glory he had with the Father before the World was which for a while he laid aside for our sakes that in his re-assuming it again we believing on him might come to partake of glory with him z Joh. 17.4 5 9. Col. 3.4 And this is an higher business than that Gen. 1.26 27. 2.7 if not as high as that which was unlawfully aspired to by some Angels and the first Man and this is the Christ nor can there be any Election in him or Belief on him but as he is such a one and so to be considered as such a publick Man the new and spiritual Man 3. In the first Creation the first publick Man had all Mankinde in him in his loyns to come naturally by descent from him and so sinned in his sinning according to that account and language Heb. 7.9 10. and so he stood in the room or stead of none and undertook for none but those that were in him and Naturally to descend from him and so Naturally his own and Naturally interessed they in him and he in them and he Naturally obliged to them But in the new Creation the Son of God the Word that was made Flesh and the second publick Man before considered as his work done in his own Body and he in that Body glorified he had none of Mankinde in him none his Friends or Brethren and peculiar Ones in and with him to lay aside such Glory as he had with the Father before the World was to be supernaturally made Flesh as he was and to offer the propitiatory sacrifice as he did no not in him as there must have been according to that language Heb. 7.9 10. if there had been any such in him nor did he interpose to stand in the room and stead and undertake to abase himself and overcome Death and offer the propitiatory Sacrifice for himself or any his peculiar Friends that were in him and loved him but for the first Man and his Natural Race that were not only out of him sinners and enemies to him as he undertook for them but are also found such when he first calleth or beginneth to work on them a Rom. 5.6 8. 1 Pet. 3.18 1 Tim. 1.15 Mat. 9.13 Luk. 5.32 so that his love his undertaking and all his grace and obligations to Men are unspeakable gracious great and free Nor hath he any other to make his seed but such as are first the seed and of the seed of the first Man him 1 Cor. 15.46 49. Jam. 1.18 Eph. 2.4 10. 2 Cor. 5 17. and those that come forth of him and bear his Image are they from among whom and of whom by a spiritual way he brings in to himself and makes them new Creatures 4. In the first Creation 1 Joh 3 5. Phil. 2 6-10 Jer. 50.4 5 6. Joh. 17.4 6 7. Psal 68.18 the first Mans work and business was easie but to dress the Garden order the Creatures and forbear eating of one of the Trees in the Garden and so to keep sin out of the World which yet he did not But in the new Creation the second Man had a great painful and mighty work to do to undergo abasement in shame and suffering to offer an invaluable Sacrifice to take away sin appease wrath make an Atonement overcome Death and the Devil to purchase an Inheritance and receive Spirit in the Man to send forth even to the rebellious that the Lord might dwell among them c. which also he hath faithfully and fully done 5. In the first Creation Gen. 1.1 Psal 33.6 75.3 2 Pet. 3 5-7 10 11 12. Rom. 8. 19 20 21. Rev. 21 1-5 the Heaven and the Earth was made of no pre-existing matter or being onely the Word of the Lord gave the very being thereto but in the new Creation it is of the old Heaven and Earth dissolved melted and overturned and then made new new created to as good and better estate than at the first 6. The old Creation was finished in six dayes Gen. 1. 2.1 2. Exod. 20.11 Isa 65.12 19. 2 Pet. 3 3-15 Rom. 8.19 20 21. each day consisting of evening and morning consisting of twenty four hours and the Rest Sabbath of the Lord on the seventh day But the new Creation is longer before it be finished and brought forth in its full perfection to open view it 's likely as many thousands of yeers as the first was of dayes it being the whole time of the supportation and decaying of the old And such Dissimilitudes is shewn in Scripture to be between the first and now old Creation and
this writing collected and on the Margent quoted the Sayings of the Gospel in the Testimony of Christ will appear plain bearing forth their own import and sense and the Testimony of Christ being known all Truth being included in it and flowing from it we shall by that be led into all Truth and so far as is for us meet and profitable understand what we read in the Scriptures so far as to discern Truth from Error in all Doctrines and Sayings brought unto us I shall therefore proceed in the next part according to the Scripture assaying to declare the Testimony of Christ An Explicite Declaration of the Testimony of Christ c. PART II. CHAP. I. Of the Testimony of Christ THe Testimony of Christ is that Testimony and Witness and Doctrine of Christ 1. Which God the Father hath by his Holy Spirit immediately first given of Christ Gen. 3.15 22.18 Act. 3.18 24. Luk. 1.70 1 Pet. 1.11 12. as the promised Seed and he in whom all Nations shall be blessed after mediately by his Spirit in Moses all the following Prophets concerning his coming and suffering and the Glory that should follow and after all this immediately to John Baptist both who he was and what a one he is and how well-pleased he is in him a Mat. 3.17 and after that mediately by his Spirit in and by John Baptist that he is the Christ upon whom the Spirit resteth full of Grace and Truth by whom it comes and that he is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world and that he that believeth on him hath Eternal Life b Joh. 1.16 17 29-34 3 27-36 and after this immediately to three of the Apostles and first Witnesses of Christ c Mat. 17.5 2 Pet. 1.17 18. and mediately likewise before by types d Heb. 8.5 and Angels and by Zacharias e Luk. 1.32 33 67-79 2.11 30-34 and old Simeon as also in his own Ministration by the mighty works done by him in his Name John 5.36 14.10 11. 2. Joh. 3.16 17. 5 17-30 6 27-69 10. 12.50 Which Jesus Christ himself received from the Father and testified in his Ministration unto Men which also he did explicate and give unto his Apostles and first Witnesses to testifie and witness Luk. 24.25 26 27 44 45 46 47 48. Joh. 15.15 27. 17.6 7 8. Act. 1.8 3. Joh. 14.26 15.26 16 7-15 Act. 5.32 Eph. 3.5 1 Joh. 1.1 2. 2 Tim. 1.10 Which the Holy Ghost did witness to and in and by the Apostles and first Witnesses with the cleer opening and revelation of the Mystery formerly hidden till Christ had opened the holy of holies offered the acceptable Sacrifice and sate down on the right Hand of God and sending forth the Holy Ghost and by the Gospel in his Testimony opening the door to immortality and eternal life 4. Act. 5.32 13 25-39 Rom. 1 1-5 16.25 26. Which also the Apostles and first VVitnesses have by the same Holy Spirit testified witnessed preached written and recorded according to the revelation of the Mystery Ephes 3.3 4. Phil. 3.1 whence the whole Scripture is said to testifie of Christ John 5.39 of which more is said Part 1. Chap. 1 2. And this Testimony VVitness and Record is called the Record and VVitness of God and of Christ and of the Spirit f 1 Joh. 5.6 7 8 9 10. Joh. 3.33 1 Cor. 1.6 Rev. 1 2. 20.4 2 Tim. 1.8 and it is also called the Testimony Record VVitness and VVord of the Apostles and first VVitnesses of Christ because they bare it forth and left it upon record g 2 Thes 1.10 Joh. 17.20 and because it is of Christ by Christ and according to the appointment of Christ by his Apostles opening the things of Christ it is called the Doctrine of Christ h 2 Joh. 9. and in every respect it is one and the same the Testimony of Jesus Christ i Rev. 19.10 and in this Testimony so cleerly come forth is Jesus Christ plainly set forth who he is what a one he is whence he is what he became what he hath done and is become what he doth and for whom what he will do for some and who they be and what he will do against others and who they be how the good to be enjoyed and the peril to be avoided and all this is full and plain in the Testimony 1. VVho he is and that is not Adam Seth Enoch and so none of the Prophets before John Baptist nor was Iohn Baptist the Christ nor any of the Apostles or VVitnesses that followed k Luk 3 Joh. 1. 1 Pet. 1.11 12. 2 Cor. 4.5 nor is it the Church or any Society of Men though such as do indeed bear his Name though they be of his mystical Body as resembled by a King whose Body is the Commonwealth or a General whose Body is the Army or a Major whose Body is the Corporation yet are not the Commons the King or chief Magistrate nor is the Army the General nor the Corporation the Major and so Mat. 23.8 1 Cor. 8.6 Col. 1.18 Eph. 1.22 23. though the Head and Body be one yet the Body is not the Head so the Church is not the Head the Husband the Lord the King of Saints the Christ but the person of Christ is all that and none but he so that the Church Col. 1.15 21.26 27. 2 Cor. 13.3 5. 1 Joh. 3.24 Rom. 1.18 2 Cor. 4.5 though one with Christ is not the Christ nor is it any inward Frame or spiritual Light or Disposition in the Heart of the Reliever though this being right as flowing from him and effected in such as are believing on him is even the Spirit of Christ by which he is in them and dwelleth in them yet is not this the Christ the person of Christ But Jesus that very Jesus and no other but he that was born of a Virgin espoused to one Joseph a Carpenter Mat. 1 2 c. Luk. 2 3 c. and born in the time of Caesar Augustus when Herod was King of Iudea and in Bethlem in an Inn and Stable in that Inn and circumcised the eighth day and his name called Jesus who was carried into Egypt and returned again to Nazareth in Galilee and there lived a time and after was baptized of Iohn in Iordan and then went about preaching the Gospel and working Miracles called Disciples and chose Apostles suffered and was crucified under Pontius Pilate died was buried and rose again in the same Body and appeared often to his Disciples who saw and heard and felt him and received commandments from him and then he blessed them Act. 1 2 3. and ascended up to Heaven in that Body of his and fate down on the right hand of God Mat. 16.16 Joh. 6 69. and sent down the Holy Ghost to his
12.9 10. to be a speaking against and blaspheming the Holy Ghost in that evidence he gives of Christ and the power and goodness of God in and through him and so it is a willing persisting in contempt and refusal of this Grace in the Mediator when evidenced by the Holy Ghost and so rising up in opposition against his Testimony and strife till he hath finished his Testimony and strife with them for till then the Mediator is mediating for them with God and striving with them by his good Spirit so as in all their sinnings against him though they grieve and sin against the Holy Spirit yet there is forgiveness with him and so hope while he by his Spirit in means is striving with them yea if that be all the dayes of a Man's Life though to all it will not be so But when a Man hath wilfully despited this Holy Spirit after Light and so long and often that he is wholly taken away and the Man given up to Satan and so become of the Serpentine seed then is there no more forgiveness after because there is no other Sacrifice for him and this he hath utterly renounced and this sin is found in such according to the means and light in the means with which the Holy Spirit had been testifying to them and striving with them as may be seen by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent in which sin Prov. 1 24-31 Jer. 6.16.30 Ezâ—k 24.12 13 14. Heb. 10.29 according to the light and power extended to Men in the means less or more is the most high degree against the Father in contemning and ill requiting his love and graciousness and treading under foot his Son whom he hath sent and been giving to them and the highest degree of sinning against the Mediator the Man Christ in counting as common and prophane that precious Blood and sacrifice of his with which they were bought and so given into his dispose to shew favour to and some in some measure sanctified and the highest degree of sinning against the Holy Spirit in his gracious tenders of Grace to them And it is most properly called The sin against the Holy Ghost because the goodness of God in the first Creation was manifested without a Mediator to Man in innocency and so no need of this sanctifying work while Man was naturally holy and the Goodness of God in the Redemption wrought for Men though manifested in works of mercy through a Mediator yet Men so blinde and weak that they come not in thereby through the Mediator unto God therefore God out of his abundant Grace stretcheth forth his Hand by sending through Christ the Mediator and in his Name the Holy Spirit in the means he useth to enlighten the Mindes and move at the Hearts of Men that they might see believe and so turn and after some of their resistings reneweth his strife with more light and power yea if they yeild not then with some reproofs and chastisements And if after all this they sin against light and willingly persist despiting till they have wholly despited the love of the Father discovered by the Spirit in the Blood of Christ and the Blood and Sacrifice of Christ by which Peace was made for them and by and with which the Spirit hath been working on them and herein despited all the Light and Reproof and gracious Allurements and Bands of Love by the Holy Spirit streamed on them to bring them in to God Heb. 10.29 6.6 and so persisting till given up this proves a third sort and degree of sinning for which there is no sacrifice yea which contemneth the sacrifice in which is help for all sins of both the former sorts yea for all but this casting it off Fourthly and lastly These forementioned two sorts of sins so offered for by Jesus Christ as is said appears by the Scripture-Declaration how and in what manner and for what manner of sins and sinning God doth reprove charge and condemn Men either to Correction Judgements or Eternal Condemnation which since Christ undertaking and his Oblation considered we shall never finde to be for fins simply as fallen in Adam nor yet simply for their natural and necessitated weaknesses and swervings having no remedy afforded them to help much less because Christ died not for them or used no sufficiency of mean toward them by which they might have received help yea the manner of God's proceeding with Men witnesseth That Christ died for them and hath discharged the first debt for them and used means in good will and for good to them whence he saith Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with them And so proceedeth in charging with Sin Reproof and Condemnation Prov. 1 24-31 9.12 Isa 1 2-15 5 4-8 Ezck. 24.13 Icr. 6 16-30 Mat. 23.37 Ioh. 3.19 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and none regarded ye would none of my counsel ye despised all my reproof ye refuse to hearken ye harden your hearts c. I would and ye would not And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light Which is another manner of Charge and Condemnation and for another manner of sinning putting under another manner of guilt than as Men fell in Adam And these are every way directly Men's own sins for which there is cleansing and pardon to be received in and through Christ till the Grace of his Oblation testified by the Holy Spirit be wholly despited but these things are shewn before and will be more in the after-Discourse only I have been thus large to shew that Christ offered his Oblation both to take away the sins Mankinde was fallen into and to procure authority and fitness to take away the following evils found in Men by offering it to God and for the making that known and taking away the following evils by application of the vertue of his Oblation to Men of which in his Intercession And yet farther to shew for what he gave himself for us it was 3. That by this Sacrifice so offered he might become the Lord of of all Men and Saviour of the World that so he may rightfully dispose of them and use such means to make known his Death and Sacrifice and the Ends and Vertues of the same to them as he being one with his Father in his will and design pleaseth and so to reprove and comfort Rom. 14.9.12 Psa 2.6 7 8 9. or abase and exalt accordingly as he pleaseth and this is express For to this end he died and rose and revived that he might be the Lord both of the dead and the living c. 2 Cor. 5.15 answerable to the promise made to him by the Father on that account and so it is said He died for all that they which lived each in their several ages should not kenceforth from the making this known to them though before they did live
them and extending to some Revelation Demonstration and making known his minde and goodness to them and also dealing with Men from and for God in opening their Eyes and moving their Hearts to turn to God and look to him and be saved and again still dealing with God for Men for patience pardon and means still to be extended to them that so they might come to Repentance and Faith and that he in his Father's way may freely give it to them By which means and in which patience he is striving with Men in opening their Eyes and moving at their Hearts that they might believe and so from the prevalency of his Mediation by vertue of his Oblation he is giving them Faith and Repentance and such a Mediator he is for all Men yea so set to be of his Father and hath himself accepted to perform this Office also and is furnished for it with the vertue of his Oblation and Immeasurable fulness of the Holy Ghost being faithful able and constant in performance and so in respect of his receiving from the Father and so from God dealing with the people calling and making known God's minde being full of Spirit Love and Faithfulness he calls enlightens moves and so strives with all 2 Isa 42 1-7 45.22 49.6 8. 55.5 61.1 2 3. Joh. 1.4 5 7 8 9 10 11. Rom. 2.4 5. as hath been foreshewn a. And whereas men closing their Eyes which he hath opened c. not owning and receiving his reachings and motions which is the sin of the world he yet by vertue of his Blood and Oblation once offered so intercedes with God as to procure such forgiveness that they are not cut off presently for these transgressions but that longer time and patience and more mercies and means be extended towards them and farther strife with his Spirit that they might yet repent believe and be saved A gracious Mediator intimated to us in the Parable of the Vine-dresser Luk. 13.8 9. Lord let it alone this yeer also till I dig about it and dress it and if it bear fruit well if not then after c. If any say This is meant of the Church the Vineyard of the Iews I answer However meant it is spoken of particular Trees therein of some of which our Saviour saith Ye are of this World Joh. 8.23 Joh. 1.29 but it is plain express by Iohn Baptist Behold the Lamb of God which taketh or beareth away the sins of the world In which it appeareth evidently he speaketh of more than the Atonement and Purgation made and so of the sins taken away from before the Face of God at once by that one Oblation of his once offered yea he speaketh of a continued act by vertue of his Oblation in Mediation he taketh that is spoken of a present and continued business he taketh or beareth away the sin of the world that is his Office and his continued work That he is faithful in doing and how he doth it was long before prophesied Isa 53.12 He poured out his soul unto death and he was numbred with transgressors and he bare the sins of many And then speaking of another and farther business done by vertue of the former he faith also And made intercession for the transgressors A little of which we may see fulfilled in Christ's praying for them that crucified him Father forgive them they know not what they do Luk. 23.34 And this Prayer of his was answered yea in as full a sense and farther degree than that of Amos and they so forgiven this great Transgression that they were not presently cut off Amos 7.2 3 4 5 6. Luk. 24.47 Act. 2.38 3.26 5.31 32. but patience and forbearance and more and greater means extended and used towards them yea the Gospel after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ first preached to them and Remission of sins c. according to Christ his Order so rendered and given to them And many of them did believe and receive the same And in like manner he procured patience and long-suffering for other great Transgressors even for the same gracious end That they might repent 2 Pet. 3.9 Rev. 2.21 2 Pet. 3â—â—5 whence we are willed to account That the long-suffering of the Lord is salvation Yea we are instructed into the knowledge of this Mediation of Christ by the Types of old the Truth of all being fulfilled and found in Christ Heb. 9.28 For Christ was once offered to bear the sins of man and unto them that look for him he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation It is evident in this place That more is here spoken of and meant than bearing of sins in his Oblation-offering 2 Pet. 2 24. Col. 2.14 Rom. 4.25 Heb. 9.14 1 Ioh. 2.1 Rom. 6.9 for those he bare in his Sufferings and Death and nailed them to his Cross so as he did them all away in his Resurrection and then by the eternal Spirit offered himself a spotless Sacrifice to God in the Heavens nor can there be any more sin so imputed to him or so born by him he is just and can die no more but his bearing sins now is his taking them away and keeping the punishment of them off from us And this was also figured to us in the two Goats one slain for a sin-offering figuring out the Atonement made by the Death of Christ the other a living Goat Levit. 16.9 10 20 21 22. 1 Cor. 15.17 Rom. 4.25 over whom was confess'd all the iniquity of the Children of Israel and he bare them away into a Land of separation where no man dwelt to be charged with them So figuring out the Resurrection of Christ for our Justification and bearing away our sins the forgiveness whereof men perceive and receive in confessing and believing on him and yet a farther bearing away of sins was here typed 1 Joh. 1.7 9. in that it was of sins confessed after the Atonement was made over the live Goat that carried them away c. But I will not urge that but come to that which is more full and plain for this purpose Aaron the High-Priest did bear the names and the Judgement of the Children of Israel Exod. 28.29 30. when he went into the holy place continually and he with his Sons the Priests were to bear the iniquity of the Congregation to make Atonement for them before the Lord Levit. 10.17 and this was besides the Atonement made in the holy of holies once in the yeer And what bearing of iniquity this was may be cleer to us not that the iniquity of the people was imputed to the Priests and confess'd over their heads and they to suffer the judgement and punishment due to the peoples sins and to be offered in Sacrifice for them not so But as skilfull Hebricians say The word signifies and the Greeks translates so to bear and take away yea Numb 18.1 2
3.4 5 6 7. read and consider the place and see it is the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man it 's not said Joh. 3.16 his special and peculiar Love to some Elect but the pity and love of God to Man-ward that in its appearing saved us not according to works of righteousness which we have done it neither appeared or saveth by any thing in us or done by us Rom. 3.9 25. 5.6 8 9 10. 2 Cor. 5.20 Eph. 2.16 17. in which we were better than others but according to his mercy that is his Love commended to sinners in his giving Christ to die and make peace for them by his Blood when we were Enemies and causing it to appear to us while we were such and no better than others he saved us that is reconciled our hearts and converted us to himself and this saving by the washing of Regeneration that is the vertue and efficaciousness of the Blood and Oblation of Christ by means of his Mediation made known to us and his Love there-through streaming Rom. 5 1-5 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Thes 2.13 Heb. 9.14 being by the Holy Ghost set home to the Heart and so also by the renewing of the Holy Ghost who in such discovery as is said sprinkleth the Blood of Christ in the Heart and thereby speaketh peace and createth or reneweth a new Disposition or Spirit in the Heart Rom. 3.22 24 25 26 27. 4.5 23 24 25. 5 1-11 Which washing of Repentance and renewing of the Holy Ghost he by vertue of his Oblation once offered and his Intercession continued the Divine Love appearing there-through shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord that we being justified by his Grace now mark the last end in which his coming again is intimated we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life 1 Joh. 4.9.10 Thus doth the Love of God to Mankinde appearing through the Oblation of Christ lead to see and enjoy the Ends and Vertues of his Oblation and therein the Benefit of his Mediation and Intercession and therewith and thereby the Hope of the Inheritance and Eternal Life in the coming again of Christ so precious is the word of the beginning of Christ to lead into all that follows to be known of him 2. Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. read the place and minde The Grace of God Tit. 3.4 2 Cor. 3.18 Phil. 3.7 8. which is the same with the kindeness and Love of God to Man-ward saving to all men or bringing Salvation to all Men hath appeared so as in its appearing and saving Operations it teacheth us here is the benefit of his Mediation in extending the Vertues of his Oblation that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world now mark the last looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ And all this large Grace appearing in such saving tendency with such teachings and fitness for prevalency therein grounded and bottomed upon the Word of the beginning of Christ vers 14. Who gave himself for us c. with which I began this Discourse of the Oblation Intercession and coming again of Christ and with the same I for this Part end In all that is said of the Testimony of Christ in every Branch and of all together it appears That this Testimony is a Doctrine according to godliness and hath its natural tendency to godliness effecting it in all cordial Believers of it and also that this Testimony of Jesus is The Spirit of Prophesie The Original of all right Understanding The true and so best Enlightner Teacher School-Master and Director to all right understanding and speaking And ignorance and unbelief of this Testimony or any Branch of it specially the first is the cause of all error and mistakes about Scriptures And by this Testimony minded we may discern what true Faith is what the Object what the Medium discovering what the Believing is and how it worketh But I forbear to proceed farther in those things till I have first minded the degrees of the Revelation of Christ in this Testimony of him and how it was revealed evidenced and so made known and taught by degrees till the whole was cleerly manifested to be so now taught and believed An Explicite Declaration of the Testimony of Christ c. PART III. CHAP. I. Of the first Revelation of Christ and Way of making him known THE first Revelation of Jesus Christ was in Paradise thus Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel In which according to Explication since is observed 1. That the first Promulgation of the Gospel as it was immediate from and by God himself so it was done in the denouncing the Curse on the Serpent and his Seed yea Gen. 3.1.14 15. in some measure on the Serpent that was the Devil's Instrument and its Seed but in full and specially on the Devil the old Serpent with his Angels Rev. 12.9 20.2 8.13 9.12 11 14-18 and those by his Temptations become of him and so his Seed even as the compleating of the Exaltation of Christ and those that are his Seed is declared in the denouncing and bringing in the last and great Wo upon the Inhabiters of the Earth which are the Seed of this old Serpent 2. Gen. 3.16 17. Rom. 5.18 Heb. 9.27 That the Seed of the Woman is also so exprest that it may have a double sense one a more remote sense in which it may be carried to all that come of her by a natural conception before whom in the Promise Hope was set and of and from among whom the two Seeds more directly spoken of are and will be drawn And the other sense proper and nigher and that both principal full Gen. 3.15 Psal 49.7 8. Isa 7.14 Mat. 1.22 23. Luk. 1.30 34 35. Gal. 4.4 Mat. 1.1 Rom. 1.3 Gal. 3.16 1 Joh. 3.5 8. Heb. 2.14 and most cleer and direct and that is the Lord Jesus Christ for he saith It shall bruise thy head It was not thus The Woman nor any of her Seed by natural conception which are every way as much the Seed of Adam the Man as of the Woman of which no Man can redeem his Brother or give to God a Ransome for him But it was He even Jesus that was conceived in the Wombe and born of a Woman and a Virgin in a supernatural way without the help or use of Man which Virgin was of the Seed of Abraham and David to whom also the Promise was explicated and so he was the Seed of David of Abraham of the Woman the promised Seed even he that in due time was manifested to take away sins and destroy the works of the Devil And the Holy Ghost hath given us
sins and delivery from death and truth in receit of and enjoyment of true righteousness peace quickning purity heavenly riches came by Jesus Christ even in all times past and so now more fully and cleerly doth so as though he came after John yet he is preserred before him yea he was before him so as now he is come John and all the residue of Believers then and since even we of his fulness have received and Grace for Grace for the Grace of God in Christ by vertue of his Sacrifice which God hath graciously accepted of him for us we receive the Grace of Faith to believe and therein remission of sins and so Grace for Grace yea this and so one to make us meet to receive another and that to make us meet to receive more still and so Grace for Grace plentifully one heaped upon another Tit. 3.3 4 5 6 7. Col. 1.12 13. Joh. 1.15 16 17. Act. 26.18 yea as Moses had a Law of Works to nurture the people towards Grace so we a Doctrine of Grace and Law of Grace to teach and lead people to partake of Grace 4. That this Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God the sin-offering and the true passover which by vertue of his sacrifice mediating taketh or beareth away the sin of the world Job 1.29 36. Col. 2.14 15. Eph. 2.12 13 16 17. Rom. 5.18 that by his own death and sacrifice offered takes and now hath taken sin out of the way removed the contradictions that were in the mid-way between God and the world of Mankinde and made peace that it may be preached to them and that by vertue of his blood and sacrifice Isa 53.12 1 Tim. 2.4 Rom. 2.4 Rom. 3.24 25 26. 1 Joh. 3.2 Gen. 22.18 Act. 10.43 Rom. 4.5 Mat. 3.2 11. hath fulness fitness authority and readiness to take sin out of the consciences and nature of Men and by his Mediation procures forbearance patience and mercies to sinners to lead them to repentance being he and onely he set forth for that end the propitiation for the sins of the world in whom there is blessing for all Nations and that by spiritual application of his Blood he doth so take sin away from all that in believing come to him for it and that he is neer at hand to set up his spiritual Kingdom the fore-runner of his Davidical Kingdom 5. That the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hands Joh. 3.34 35 36. and immeasurably filled him with the Spirit so that whoever believeth in him hath everlasting life and be that believeth not on him the wrath of God abideth on him This Doctrine was John filled with to teach And with this Doctrine he was to throw down the Momtains exalt the Valleys Joh. 14.18 29 33. Mat. 3. Mar. 1. Luk. 3. cry down all Flesh and exalt the Word of the Lord and so to call Men to Repentance and to Faith in Christ and so to newness of life assuring them that Christ would baptize them with the holy Ghost and as a witness of the Truth of this Doctrine and that Christ was at hand and shortly to be manifested to Israel he did baptize with water unto repentance and so discipled all that came to him and refused it not Yet did he not in the beginning of his Ministration point out which of all the Sons of Men was that Man that is the Christ so he shewed not which was the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ till he was especially fitted and directed and commissionated for that also by the direction of the holy Spirit by communication with Jesus Christ himself Joh. 1.33 34. Mat. 3.13 17. Mar. 1.9 10.11 Luk. 3.21 22. and seeing the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting on him and hearing the voice of the Father from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And so was he furnished to know and declare the person of Christ as distinct from all others and who he was And then he did most plainly point out the Man Jesus Joh. 1.29 35 36. 3.30 36. the Son of the Virgin with confession that not himself and so no other Man but that very Man Jesus was the He the Christ the Lamb of God the King of Israel the Bridegroom the Son of God he even this very Jesus he pointed to and affirmed to the be very he and so exhorted his Hearers to behold him even Jesus and to follow him cleave to him and exalt him And in this his Ministration he was greater than all the Prophets that were before him Mat. 11.10 11. though less than any of his Lord's first Witnesses of his Resurrection that were to come after him and although in the exercise of his Ministration he was but for the House of Israel who if they had received him as he came in the Spirit and Power of Elias they would then have received Jesus Christ also and so they might have enjoyed the Gospel of the Kingdom and have continued in their own Land till his coming again to raign and then John Baptist had been all the Elias they should have needed and the coming of Elias mentioned Mal. 4. it would have been needful onely for the ten Tribes of Israel formerly cast off but they refusing came to be cast off also and so its needful for them And in this Ministration Mat. 11.13 14 15. 17.11 12. 23.37 according to this Revelation all the former helps in and under all the former Revelations and Ministrations still remained and all for the good of Men specially the house of Israel CHAP. 7. Of the seventh Revelation and the last that shall be of Christ till his own return and personal and visible appearing THe next Revelation of Jesus Christ and the last that is to be carried an end for usefulness by teaching and use of such outward Ordinances as now even until his personal appearance when all such means shall cease and the eternal Sabbath be Isa 42.1 61.1 2 3 4. Joh. 12.49 50. Heb. 1.1 2. 2.4 and this Revelation was by the Father to the Son even to the Man Jesus Christ his Elect upon whom he hath put his Spirit and by Jesus Christ to his Disciples God by his divine power bearing witness thereto and confirming the same and this Revelation by Jesus Christ was of the same things fore-revealed to and by the Prophets but now more fully and cleerly manifested with the mystery more abundantly opened and this his Revelation was in a threefold manner or by three distinct wayes or means 1. By manifestation of himself and all that appertained to him to do in his first coming by demonstrating the same in the very act visibly c. 2. By his personal and bodily Ministration in a vocal and audible teaching the Gospel and the Testimony of himself in the Prophets and explicating it 3. By pouring on his witnesses and
filling them with the holy Ghost 1. Of the first way of the Manifestation of Christ by himself Jesus Christ was manifested and did manifest himself in the very acting and sensible demonstration in himself of all those things fore-told concerning him to be done in upon and by him in his first coming as to say his immediate coming on the appearing of his Messenger and fore-runner and so his conception and birth having the very nature of Man born of a Virgin that never knew Man that was of the Seed of David Abraham Noah Adam born in Bethlem altogether sinless yet having the weaknesses and infirmities of Man's Nature his flight into Egypt while Rachels Children were slain his return to Nazareth and being called a Nazarite his Baptism with the Testimony of God concerning him his fasting temptations victories his poverty and mean life among men his travellings preaching cures miracles his calling Disciples and chusing Apostles and seventy and sending them forth to preach his being persecuted by the High-Priests and Priests Scribes and Pharisees his being betrayed by one of his called Disciples and chosen Apostles the scattering of the rest from him his agony and bloody sweat his being arraigned condemned scorned and crucified between two thieves the souldiers giving him vineger and gall and parting his raiment his bitter cry on the cross his committing his Spirit to God and so his giving up the Ghost and dying and so his death and his burial by two rich Men laid in a rich Man's tombe in which never any man before lay his Resurrection the third day and so victory over death his appearing to his Disciples after his Resurrection being seen and heard and felt by them and giving commandments and commission to them and blessing them ascended up in their sight to heaven testified by an Angel that he even the very same Jesus shall so come again as they saw him go up into heaven his being received and set on the right hand of God and his sending forth the holy Ghost with plenty of spiritual gifts testifying the certainty of his coming again in glory a glimpse whereof three of them had fore-seen in his transfiguration so that he appeared to be and to have suffered and done and shed abroad all that God by the mouth of his Prophets had spoken of him concerning his first coming so that he hath now fully come in the flesh and done all this work and is not now a dying and doing it or so to do it over again he hath finished the work given him to do at his first coming in his own person on earth and in and by him is fulfilled all that the Prophets spake concerning the first coming of Christ so as in no other ever was or will be so that this Jesus is the Christ and hath been thus manifested and so manifested himself to be and this manifestation given in his first appearing to the first Witnesses of his Resurrection for all that should after believe on him that it was manifested by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 1.10 Joh. 2.11 1 Pet. 1.20 21. Joh. 1.1 2 3. Act. 10.41 42. in doing all this is expresly affirmed that it was so manifested for all that 〈◊〉 by the discovery of him and his spiritual operation believe is also expresly affirmed that it was manifested to these first witnesses in this manner who both heard and saw and handled him is expresly also affirmed and that they declared that we might believe and the things that were by the Prophets so foretold and written of him as hath been foreshewn being so fulfilled and manifested in him Act. 13. 17.2 3. 18.28 Rom. 16.26 Luk. 1.1 2 3 4. Joh. 20.31 they did according to the commandment of the everlasting God make known him to be the Christ and make him known according to the revelation of the mystery by the Scriptures of the Prophets and have written and professed to write these things that we might know the certainty of them and so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that in believing we might have life through his Name and according to all this Jesus himself witnessed and affirmed also the Truth of John's Testimony concerning him and how by the works done by him and by voice from Heaven Joh. 5.33 36 37 39. the Father did bear witness of him and how the Spirit in the Scripture did bear witness of him and that eternal life is in him And this the first way of Jesus Christ revealing and manifesting himself to his first witnesses CHAP. 8. 2. Of the second way of our Saviour's revealing and manifesting of himself and the things of him to his first witnesses of it IEfus Christ besides this actual manifestation did also in his performance and bodily ministration vocally and audibly teach the Gospel according to the revelation of the mystery to the first trusters in him and witnesses of him after his resurrection and so he taught them 1. That he is the Massiah the great Prophet and high-Priest and King of Israel the Son of God and the Son of David Mat. 16.16 20. Mar. 8.27 Luk. 9.20 Joh. 1.41 49. 4.25 26 42. 6.69 the Christ the Saviour of the World spoken of by all the Prophets 2. That for estecting his business in all his Offices that he may be manifested to be such a one and thereby have a Seed saved and justified by him to serve him Isa 53.10 11 12. Psa 68.18 21. 2.1 9. and to enjoy the Kingdom with him and Nations for him and them to raign over he must first suffer and die and rise again and ascend into heaven and receive the fulness of the Spirit in the Man and send forth of the same to Men that Repentance and Remission of sins may be preached in his Name to all Nations and so he on rightful terms judge all according to that fore-written of him and therefore from that time that he had instructed them that he was the Christ Mat. 16.21 Mar. 8.31 Luk. 9.22 Luk. 9.29 30 31. Mat. 17.12 Mar. 9.12 Mat. 20.18 19. Luk. 9.44 the Son of the living God the Saviour of the World he then began to shew and teach them that he must go unto Ierusalem and suffer many things of the Elders and chief-Priests and Scribes and be rejected of them and be killed and the third day rise again yea this was spoken of between Christ and Moses and Elias in their hearing when he was in his transfiguration before them and after on that occasion by himself to them and often after on other occasions yea he teacheth them a reason of the necessity of it namely for taking away sin and overcoming death and so having an innumerable generation according to that said Hebrews 9.22 2.14 Isaiah 53.6.7 8. and so he taught saying Verily verily Joh. 12.24 I say unto you except a corn of wheat
put him to death and they did it wickedly and with wicked hands but God raised him and so he will us by him if we follow him through sufferings to the enjoyment of glory In respect of the first end of his death for satisfaction and propitiation making and of the second end for confirming the New Testament the death of Christ was vertuous and efficacious with the Father upon and from his first undertaking and accepting to do it and having accepted it it was vertuous in dispensations through him towards men whence he is called Rev. 13 8. The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world and upon the account of the vertue thereof all that believed from the beginning of the World Joh. 1.4 5 7 11 12. Rom. 1.16 17 20. 2.4 5 11. Prov. 1.23 33. were saved by this Grace in and through him and all that rebelled against Light and Grace were damned on the same account for rebelling against the Light and Grace extended through him It is an ignorant demand of some Did Christ die for those in Heaven or for those in Hell before his death for his acceptance and undertaking was vertuous from the first and from the beginning and God's proceedings with men through him on that account of his death in due time to be acted and so to the two first ends vertuous and efficacious from the beginning before the actual accomplishing of it but for the last end of his death to bear witness of the truth and give his personal example to follow the same cannot be so affirmed True it is He suffered and was slain in his members and spiritual Seed from the beginning of the World even beginning at Abel Mat. 23.34 35. Rom. 6.9 Rev. 1.18 Col. 1.24 Luk. 10.16 Act. 9.4 5. and so on in those which followed till his own personal coming as our Saviour taught and though himself in his own personal body have now once died and risen and is alive for evermore and can die no more yet in his members and spiritual seed on Earth he is suffering and dying still such his love to them and union with them he counteth these as his own sufferings these examples of the Saints through Faith passing through and overcoming in these sufferings are very useful for us and speaking examples to us to be beheld and minded of us but our Saviour's own personal example was not so before his actual sufferings accomplished as now it is in beholding of which as set forth in the Gospl we may see both more into the vertues and ends and efficacies of his death than before could be seen and his example therein also which could not so be beheld of men Heb. 11. 12.1 2. Jam. 5.10 11. Mat. 5.12 10.13 14 15. Joh. 15.20 21. before his actual accomplishment of it so that in him we have the beginning and foundation of life and strength the motive pattern and example also to follow him and therefore now to look to him and to the other examples also through him and to him in and above all the other and this our Saviour plainly taught his first witnesses 3. Our Saviour having instructed his first witnesses thus about his death and resurrection and the things done by him therein Joh. 12.8 13.3 15.6 28. and so the end of his first personal coming into the World to do and teach all these things he then also instructed them about his leaving the World and going again now in that personal body of his to the Father and this to present himself in that body with the vertue of his blood to obtain eternal redemption of the nature of Man in himself Heb. 10.5 10. 9.12 Rom. 14.7 8 9. Joh. 17.2 Psa 68.18 20. Joh. 16.7 15. and so to have all men into his dispose that he may dispense to them and deal with them according to the Father's will which also is his will and so to receive the immeasurable fulness of the holy Ghost in the Man to send forth even to the rebellious to convince them and to believers to lead them into all Truth Ioh. 17.26 Heb. 12.24 1 Pet. 1 2. Joh. 13.8 15.3 Joh. 14.16 17 26. 16.13 14 15 Eph. 2.5 6. Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.1 Ioh. 14 20 21.24 and so to make known still farther his Father's Name and therein sprinkle the vertue of his blood upon the hearts and consciences of believers and herewith enduing them with his Spirit to be with and in them a Teacher Advocate and Comforter to minde them of his words enable them to prize trust in him and approach to God by him and pray in his Name and so to prepare them mansions that having all fulness in him they might have their rejoycing hope converse and dwelling with him in Heaven by Faith and that in one mindedness with God and Christ in his design Gal. 4.26 Heb. 12.22 23. 1 Ioh. 1.2 3. 2 Cor. 5.8 Rev. 6.9 Heb. 12.22 23. Eph. 2.19 22. 2 Cor. 7.3 Phil. 1.7 1 Thes 2.17 in believing and walking in the Truth breathed forth from Jerusalem that is above they might have in Spirit a dwelling and fellowship with the Prophets and Apostles and Spirits of just Men made perfect that are in and with Christ and under the Altar and also through the efficacy of his Spirit in their Ministration they may have a spiritual dwelling in the hearts of such as living in this World have their conversation in Heaven and fellowship in the Gospel with them And last of all according to the Spirits preparation of them and fruitfulness in and by them enlargedness in his Kingdom which is reserved in Heaven for them Col. 1.5 1 Thes 2.19 20. 2 Joh. 8. 2 Pet 1.11 Joh. 14 2. Heb. 8.1 6. 9.4 1 Tim. 2. â— 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Heb. 7.25 9.15 to be given them at his coming all which he assures them he is now preparing in the Heavens for them yea he is now there in Heaven appearing at the right Hand of God before God for us mediating between God and Men and advocating and interceding in special manner for Believers that come to God by him and so as in that he did in his own Body he made peace wrought and obtained Redemption with God for Men and obtained the Power of extending the vertues thereof in these spiritual efficacies to Men so by these efficacious makings known and application of the same to Men he draweth Mâ—n to himself and worketh Redemption in Believers and preserveth them to the Inheritance all which our Saviour taught to his first Witnesses And moreover 4. Having thus instructed them about his bodily absence from them and how much it is for their benefit because of the buâ—ness he is in Heaven doing with God for them and from God by his Spirit with them Joh. 14.3 Mat. 19.28 29 Rev. 11.17.18 Mat. 24.27 30. he also assures them of and instructs them in
upholding and ordering and garnishing the Heaven and Earth and Creatures therein for the good of Mankinde and enduing Men with understanding and skill for Husbandry and disposing the Fruits of the Earth Deut. 28.26 29. Exod. 31.3 35.31 and for curious Arts and Works or for War Physick Laws and Government of a Commonwealth c. though these be all Mercies to lead to Repentance for these were extended before Christ carried the Nature of Man into Heaven no nor yet is meant simply of a discovery of the Minde and Grace of God through Christ Heb. 11.6 Gen. 6.3 Act. 14.17 Rom. 3.2 9.5 Joh. 1.7 29. striving with Men to bring them in to God for this also was from the beginning yea and some brought in to believe thereby from the rumour of the Gospel in Paradise delivered and the works of Creation and Providence and yet more abundantly to Israel in Types Promises and Prophesies and yet more in John Baptist's Ministration yea the Holy Ghost in such means to enlighten and teach hath not onely been alwayes in the Church but some have been wonderfully filled with him he signified in and to the Prophets 1 Pet. 1.11 2 Pet. 1.21 Act. 28.25 Luk. 1.41 46 67. 2.25 26. and they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost spake by them and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost and Mary and Zacharias and the Holy Ghost was upon old Simeon and revealed Christ to him and the same may be said of divers others so that though no other Spirit be promised yet some farther Discovery and Operation of the Spirit which was not as yet given is evident to be meant here by the giving the Holy Ghost If any think that his coming like a mighty and rushing winde and sitting on them in the likeness of fiery Tongues and giving them to speak with divers Tongues is that which was promised he is not deceived in that for it was included in the promises as to the first Witnesses but it was neither the whole nor the main in the Promise but an over-plus and addition to the main Joh. 7.37 38 39. 17.20 21. Act. 2.39 the promise being that which however with more abundance to them yet in the Testimony given them it appertained to all that through that Testimony believe in Christ and this appears to be such a giving of the Holy Ghost as never was before in 1. A more full and cleer Revelation of Christ 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11. Joh. 5.39 Heb. 1.1 Rom. 16.25 Eph. 3.3 9. and things of Christ that lay hid in the bowels of the Scriptures then ever was before all being in this Testimony opened so far as is to be known till his own personal coming again so as the full of the Holy Ghosts Testimony of Christ is come forth opened which was not so before 2. A more free and cleer manifestation of the Lord Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Col. 1.25 26 27. Joh. 7.37 38 39. as having compleated the Sacrifice and being filled with Spirit and the Father's Face and Minde appearing in him not through Types and Prophecies but in a cleer Demonstration of him in the Gospel as the Object of Faith and Allurer not with servitude in a Law of Works but with Freedom to believe in him and therein to receive more free and abundant spiritual Operations and spiritual gifts then ever before 3. A larger Freedom for all Gentiles as Jews without difference Eph. 3.3 4 9. Gal. 3.28 Eph. 1.8 9 10. all every or any one in believing the Testimony to receive the gracious Priviledges and in all this he abounded to the first Witnesses in all Wisdom and Prudence making known to them the mystery of his will for the dispensation of these last times 4. That this Testimony of Christ in which all parts of the Testimony fore-given by Inspirations Types Prophecies Joh. 15.26 14.26 16.13 15. Joh. 3.16 Rom. 1.16 2 Cor. 3.6 7 c. Visions Dreams was opened being fully and cleerly given forth by the Holy Ghost witnessing of Christ this Testimony being a birth of the Spirit and the Medium in which the Spirit worketh and his own Testimony it also beareth his Name and he that believing receiveth it receiveth him and shall experiment this Light and Operations And that this is meant by the giving of the Holy Ghost fore-promised now performed by Christ appears both in the Promises and Performance and the Scriptures quoted and also by the Apostles Affirmation that as the Promises of Christ concerning it Psal 68.18 20. Act. 2.33 Eph. 4.8 11. Act. 2.17 18. so the Prophesies of the Prophet concerning his pouring forth his Spirit both for convincing the rebellious and leading Believers into all Truth and also the efficaciousness of the Spirit for making known the Mind of Christ and his Operations for and in Prophesie Vision Dreams had all a fulfilling in this given to them so full a Testimony cleer Revelation with such Divine Illumination and Operation was given to these first Witnesses that by that Testimony Christ and the things of Christ might be made known that Men might believe and so come in to Christ And this the last and fullest Revelation of Christ and no other but the cleer knowledge of this to be looked for till he do personally and visibly come again But now for the way of making this known to the Sons of Men and carrying it an end we have that also shewn us in this Revelation these three wayes given to them In which we have three things to note first The prime Medium or Way of making it known and the chosen Instruments to use that Medium to make it known and also the Furniture wherewith they are furnished to make it known that Men may come to know Christ thus revealed and so be saved reconciled and brought to God by Christ Of which see what the Scripture saith CHAP. 10. Of the prime Medium or Way of making Christ known according to the Revelation of the Mystery to bring Men to God by Christ THis way of making Christ known for so gracious an end so cleerly it is manifest to be preaching this Word Testimony or Gospel as it is now come forth Mar. 1.15 Act. 10.42 2 Tim. 4.2 Tit. 1.3 and such a manner of Preaching as never was before Christ his coming in the Flesh and suffering on the Cross and having been put to death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit and now alive in that Body for evermore and by vertue of his Cross and death by which he made our Peace and by vertue whereof he still mediateth for us and by vertue whereof he worketh in Believers and so will have his Cross and sufferings remembred imbraced and professed till his coming again so 1 Cor. 1.18 20. 2.1 2. as the preaching of him now as it is called the preaching of Christ so it is called also the
preaching of the Cross and so the preaching of Jesus Christ and him crucified and so it must be a preaching suitable thereto and the means to make Christ known according to this Revelation is preaching such a preaching as in which he is lift up as shewn in the eighth Chapter before and in the Scripture we may finde it farther thus set forth that is 1. That it must be preaching Joh. 12.38 Rom. 10.16 1 Pet. 1.12 Joh. 17.6 7. 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. Act. 13.32 33. 26.27 Rom. 3.25 26. 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3 4 5. Act. 5.42 18.26 28.23 31. 1 Tim. 2.7 Act. 20 21. 2 Cor. 5.10 11 14 19 20. that is in Scripture Language proclaiming and reporting Jesus to be the Christ and therewith the things done by him declaring with manifestation and making plain the things reported and therewith so teaching and expounding the same that the ends vertues and excellencies of Christ and his Cross and the things of Christ with his requirings and promises may appear and be made known and evidencing and testifying the Truth of all so taught by the Scriptures according to the Commandment of God Rom. 1.1 5. 16.25 26. Act. 18.25 28. 17.2 3. 26.22 23. And from Christ the things of God in Christ thus declared taught 2 Tim. 3.16 Tit. 2.15 and testified to perswade Men to Repentance and Faith and so to be reconciled to God and then live to him and to press this with Reproofs Instructions Beseechings and Consolations as need is and in this manner to exalt and tender the Grace of Christ as aforesaid is preaching yea that preaching that according to the minde of God is to be used 2. This preaching must also be with plain and understandable words 2 Col. 2.17 3.12 4.1 2. 2 Pet. 1.15 16. not in dark Parables and Allegories but with such simplicity and plainness that they may appeal to every Man's conscience in the sight of God with all sincerity without any cloak of covetousness craft or guile As for Christ before his Ascension preaching many things in Parables it hath been fore-answered Part 1. ch 6. Mat. 10.27 28. and shewn how he opened all to his Disciples and charged them to teach the same openly and plainly so that the mystery of Christ as opened by Christ is by his Servants to be plainly preached now without fear of Man and so as in plain words so in such language and terms Act. 2.6 8. 1 Cor. 14.6 7 19. Rev. 19.10 1 Cor. 14.3 1 Joh. 3.20 21 27 28. 1 Cor. 1.1 2. Gen. 3.15 1 Joh. 3.5 8. as the Hearers do know and understand so the Holy Spirit given them did at first give them to speak to every Man in his own language and so they used to speak in words understandable to the Hearers They are now taught that the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophesie the original spring and Leader to all right speaking for Edification in knowing him all things are known and other knowledge and teaching then according to what is taught by the Spirits witnessing of him is not needful The knowledge of the first Report of the Gospel is in knowing him as now testified cleerly understood whereas those that by humane Wisdom think to know that first saying without this help given run into many mistakes yea all that the Fathers had in Visions and Dreams Act. 2.18 19 20 21. is met with in this Testimony of Christ now given by the Spirit yea all that the Heaven and Earth with his Works therein do witness is seen most cleerly in Christ Psal 19.1 6. Rom. 10.18 Isa 42.6 2 Cor. 1.20 Col. 2.17 Heb. 7 8 9 10. Col. 3.11 as set forth in this Testimony and by him made apparent to be more cleerly seen in them yea the Covenant made with Abraham it is to be seen and met with in him and all that was figured by Sacrifices and all other Types the Truth is in him and to be seen and known in him so that now Christ is all and in all and so in this Doctrine and Testimony And therefore he and the things of him are plainly to be preached and that in a known language and understandable words being alike holy and sanctified to declare the Gospel with and so alike fit to express God's Minde to us as is before shewn Part 1. ch 5. and for us to express our Minde to God in praying to him And so the Apostles writing to the Church at Rome Rom. 8.25 Gal. 4.6 where also both Jews and Greeks were shews how the Spirit breatheth in both languages Abba Father and so to another Church and so they spake with all plainness of Speech in things needful to be known for Faith and good Manners and so is the Gospel to be plainly preached in understandable words 3. This preaching of the Gospel now must neither be with the wisdom of words 1 Cor. 1.17 18 19 20. 2.1 2 3 4 5. which the Spirit of Wisdom that is in the Princes of this World for Learning or the Wisdom of Man teacheth or in such manner as to draw applause to the Preacher or to receive that said for his excellency in Learning and arguing in Rhetorical perswasions Nor must this preaching be with Fables and endless Genealogies 1 Tim. 4.7 6.20 Tit. 3.9 Col. 2.8 1 Cor. 1.19 20 17 23. 2.1 4 12. or opposition of Science falsly so called nor with Philosophical Subtilties Reasons and Depths after the Fashion of humanely-learned wise Men nor with Artificial and framed Eloquence and Rhetorical Perswasions according to Man's Art nor yet with pretences of great Light intruding into things they have not seen in the Testimony there being in that no Revelation of it Rom. 12.3 Col. 2.18 Gal. 1.10 1 Thes 2.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 14.6 19 28. and so beyond the measure of Faith given though covered with great pretences and shews of Humility nor by tempering their Doctrine to the humours of Men to please them and get applause from them nor with using quaint words or words of a strange language not understood If a strange Tongue inspired were to be silenced where it was not of the Hearers understood how much more that which is acquired by study 1 Cor. 2.4 5. Rom. 16.26 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Tit. 2.15 1 Pet. 4.11 1 Cor. 3.18 Rom. 1.1 5. all these things are to be avoided in this preaching and the preaching to be with Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit in the Testimony he hath given of Christ in the Scripture and so with all Power and Authority as the very Oracles of God and all this plain-speaking to Men not for Men to exercise their Wisdom to imagine a Riddle and study for a mysterious sense but for the obedience of Faith that Men as Fools in their own wisdom may be wise in credit-giving to this Testimony and so believe and obey in
according to the purpose of him that worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will Mark how he concludes and approves the purpose of God to be such and his predestination of them according to his purpose even from his works in them that God having so chosen and blessed and furnished them-above all his former Servants and put them in this Ministration for such a Dispensation and confirmed it with such Blessings he working nothing at randome but all things according to the counsel of his own will This is an evidence that such was God's purpose and according to his purpose did he predestinate us to all this to this end Vers 12. Eph. 1.12 That we we so elected and furnished according as we were predestinated that we should to be the praise of his glory we in our Ministration in this Dispensation setting forth his glorious rich Grace in and through Christ as never was before should lay the Foundation and deliver the Doctrine and Dispensation in which the Glory of his Grace shall be displayed to the end of the World so that we now in our personal doctrinal delivery and Dispensation and we after in the same Doctrine and Dispensation delivered and recorded by us held forth in the Ministration of those that believe through our word in which our Fruit still remaineth and encreaseth that so we should be to the praise of his glory even we who first trusted in Christ and so were Eye-witnesses of him and had our Gospel immediately from him in which he puts a distinction between the first Witnesses that first trusted in Christ and the believing Ephesians that also trusted in him after they had heard the Word from the first Witnesses Vers 13 14 c. of which Believers he affirms graciously but short of what he affirmed of the first Witnesses putting a remarkable difference in respect of the measure of the Furniture between himself with those spoken of and these he speaketh and writeth unto So that the whole Series of all the things affirmed from vers 3. to vers 12. will agree to none but the Apostles and first Witnesses of Christ to none of the Servants of God before Christ carried our Nature into Heaven nor fully in all and every of the things affirmed scarce to any since their times but to all them all that is said doth fully agree and in the Text is expresly affirmed of them Vers 12. which doth abundantly testifie the Truth and Goodness of the Gospel delivered by them who were so abundantly furnished with such a full and cleer Revelation of Christ which they received so immediately from himself whom they also saw and being so filled with his Spirit have according to his purpose left the same on record for us Ephes 3.3 4. Phil. 3.1 2 Tim. 1.13 2.2 2 Pet. 3.2 Rev. 22.18 19. who have the same Gospel and Dispensation a revealed by them to believe and declare as we have it mediately from them and not to gape after another immediate Revelation of it to us but to take it as in believing we may by the Spirit come to know it in and by their writings and so Blessing Election and Furniture with the Predestination according to his purpose for such a gracious end for these last times here set forth speaks good to and for all the Sons of Men to whom it comes that they might believe and sweet Consolation to all Believers and the wresting of Election and Predestination here spoken of to mean a certain set Company of Men severed from the residue of Men that they and onely they shall be eternally saved that were thus absolutely predestinated thereto before the Foundation of the World and these onely and all these thus chosen and blessed as Ephes 1.3 4. sure there is not one word in the whole Text or elsewhere expressing or importing such a sence as this But there are many things in the Text against such a sense and that will not admit it as appears in that said over and beside the expression of this Company to be the first Trusters in Christ and speaking of them distinctly from after-Trusters changing the person from those spoke of to those spoken to with some difference in that affirmed of either yea this sense pretended in the Face of it compared with the Text would cut off all the Fathers from Adam to Noah and all the Believers in their times and all from Noah to Abraham and all from Abraham to Moses and all from Moses to David and from him to John Baptist from being of the number of the Elect and predestinate to Eternal Life for the things here affirmed of these Elect and predestinated cannot be affirmed of those from the beginning no not of John Baptist himself yea and by that Trial few Believers since will ever come to finde themselves of this elect Company beside this pretended sense pleaded for weakens and denies the evidence of good and credit this place affords to the Gospel-Dispensation and darkens the light of the whole Text so cleerly shewing and intended to shew forth the excellency of the Gospel as now revealed and the heavenly and rich Furniture of the Apostles and first Witnesses to deliver it and the Gospel and Dispensation recorded by them to be the Dispensation for these last times and all this according to the purpose of God so were they furnished and in the Gospel recorded they are in Spirit with all this Furniture with us now But as this Furniture was in a sort common to all the first Witnesses so they had also a Furniture of spiritual gifts in which was difference some one some another some more some less Let us view these also CHAP. 13. Of the Furniture of spiritual gifts the first witnesses had as in Ephes 4. EPhes 4.7.13 Ephes 4.7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Wherefore he saith 8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men 9 10 11 And then there is an inference read vers 9 10. and then he saith And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ 12 13. till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature or age of the fulness of Christ In these words are many things affirmed and taught both shewing their rich and plentiful furniture of spiritual gifts and worthy our observing 1. That these gifts as here mentioned were never so given to the Servants of Christ in this manner Ephes 4.9 10. Psal 68.18 19 20. Act. 2.2 6 16 21 33. before his personal Death and Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven in that personal Body of his that
and stay and so the Truth is the upholder and stay of the Church and the giver of Authority to it and not the Church the stay of and Authority-giver to the Truth yet even in this respect also as Christ is the Head of the Church and his Truth and Spirit and he thereby an Indweller in the Church so they in holding forth the Truth are instrumental upholders of it Act. 9.15 2 Tim 4.7 Mat. 5.14 and maintainers of the Faith to the World and so the Light of the World and in respect of some in the outward Court that turn the Grace of God into wantonness pervert the Gospel deceive the World and labour to beguile Believers in turning them from the Faith These are the Keepers of the Faith by teaching it and opposing and fighting with the sword of the Spirit against their prophaness and errors and so maintaining the Faith against their falshoods And in all these senses the Church that are these Witnesses 2 Tim. 4.1 7. 2 Cor. 10.4 5 6. Jude 3 4. is the Pillar of Truth and yet more fully in one sense more including all the former in it This Church is the Pillar and Ground of Truth taking in as is given us both the words that is to say 5. As they were of old to write the Commandments and Statutes of the Lord upon the door-posts of their house Deut. 6.9 11.20 and their gates as the Ten words were written in Tables of stone that they might be seen and read and as some say The Prophets did hang or fasten their written Prophesies upon one of the Pillars in the Temple as is the use of the chief Magistrate to have his Proclamation fastned on some noted post or pillar in the Market-place where all the Country may take notice of it and read it so these are the Church or House and so that post and pillar the Table or Ground in and upon whom the Truth is so written that all may read it though some with likement and some with dislike as the Apostle hath plainly affirmed saying to the Church Ye are our Epistle written in our hearts seen and read of all Men forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone as the Law of old was but in the fleshly Tables of the heart in which there is a performance spiritually by Christ of that said to the Prophet of old Write the Vision Feb. 2.2 and make it plain upon Tables Isa 29 11 12. that he may run that readeth it and being taken with that read he may read to others even that Vision of All and others may read it on him And this writing is the very work of Christ by his Spirit in Ministery of the Gospel We never read that Christ did personally in his own Body write any part of the Scripture that work he left for his Servants by his Spirit to do yet once we finde that he wrote with his Finger on the ground as not regarding his Tempters Joh. 8.6 yet what he wrote is not said but to say the Apostle alludeth to that I dare not nor yet will I say it was an intimate Instruction of his own work so freely to write by his Finger which oft signifieth his Spirit his Epistle in the ground of the heart of his unworthy ones but this I may say in treating of his spiritual writing To allude to this is no error But however it cleerly appears this Society and Church spoken of is the Pillar and ground of Truth where Truth is written and holden forth to be read 1 Tim. 3.16 yea even the Truth that is the Mysterie of godliness that great Mystery God was manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit c. And so these unfeigned Believers united to Christ having his word as delivered by his Apostles in their heart be his Witnesses now and the Ministers he hath chosen for this Ministration to minister according to the grace and gifts given them none presuming beyond these are the holy City and Sanctuary of his building and the Ministers of the things thereof Rev. 11.1 2 3. to whom he gives Spirit and Power that they may witness him even to the World and among these is the true Altar even in this Temple and these are the Worshippers thereat and because of the Gospel in their hearts and there through some portion of these forementioned spiritual gifts by which they witness him hold forth the word of life with their tongues therefore their tongue is said to be as choice silver and their lips to feed many Prov. 10.21 22. Pro. 15 10. Psa 35.28 71.24 119.172 51.31 1 Thes 1.8 1 Cor. 3.3 18. Gal. 5.22 23. their tongue useth knowledge aright and speaks of God's righteousness and praise all the day yea even so as sinners may be converted to him and so from them the word of God soundeth forth And also by the same Spirit in the Gospel their hearts being framed to the minde and design of Christ they so have a Christ-like Spirit springing up Love Joy Peace c. which leadeth them to walk in Faith and Love in Holiness and Mercy Mat. 5.16 c. So that also hereby they do witness of him and hold forth the word of Life also in their conversation in good works and holy profession whence the Fruit of the Righteous is called A Tree of Life Prov. 11.30 Ezek. 47.12 Rev. 22.2 2 Cor. 9.2 and a way of winning Souls yea their Fruit is for Meat and their Leaf for Medicine so their Conversation winneth and their Zeal provoketh many and because the Spirit of Glory resteth on them 1 Pet. 4.10 11 14. and giveth them power to glorifie God in witnessing both these wayes though through sufferings Therefore in respect of their twofold witnessing and holding forth the word of Life to glorifie God and do good to Men convincing by Truth and comforting with Truth and confuting falshood Rev. 11 4. They are also called the two Witnesses that witness yea that witness the Truth on God's part against the Man of sin and God of the World and the two Olive-Trees that bring forth that good Fruit whence the good Oyl runneth and the two Candlesticks that hold forth the true Light that shineth so that every way it appears that these unfeigned Believers united to Christ in him by Faith and he in them by Word Spirit are his chosen Ones to bring forth Fruit his Ministers for carrying an end the Ministration of this last Revelation of Christ till he come again these are the Temple of God the House of God the Church of God I need not to use worldly terms else I might shew how these are the Achademah or School University and Colledge in which are all the Scholars that are taught of God And
the Gospel having that also to testifie withal And so that none go beyond the proportion of Faith dealt to him even that which he is without taking it on trust from others Rom. 12.3 4 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 12.4 5 6 12. enabled to see and understand in the Gospel so as verily thereby to believe and that his venting be not in imitation of other Men's Gifts and Administrations but according to the Manifestation of the Spirit and Grace given him freely operating and leading him forth and not straining beyond that 3. For giving this honour to no Man on Earth how learned soever or in what Office soever or of what parts excellency Mat. 23.9 10. Isa 8.20 2 Thes 5.20 21. Col. 2.8 18. Gal. 1.6 7 8. Rom. 3.4 1 Cor. 7.23 Gal. 1.10 2 Cor. 4.5 6. 1 Joh. 4.6 or appearing godliness soever as to make count or call him our Rabbi Master or Teacher so as to take any matter of Faith on trust from him for Truth or to be waved from the belief of or holding forth the Truth of the plain-sayings of Christ in the Gospel out of fear to make such a one a liar or to temper our Doctrine and delivery so as it may suit with any cross sayings of his yea to give this honour of taking this upon trust to none but God and Christ Mat. 23.8 and so to him for his sake taking it from his Prophets and Apostles by whom in the Record left by them he speaks to us still And that none desire or take this honour to himself but let God and Christ by his Spirit in the Gospel delivered and recorded by his first Witnesses be our Father Rabbi and Master for Faith and Love and all holy walking and we as Brethren 4. For keeping the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Eph. 4.2 3. 1 Cor. 4.6 7. 12.4 11. Phil. 2.3 4 5. that we be not any of us puft up with the excellency of our own Gifts or Administrations nor discontent at the meanness thereof in respect of others nor despise or discountenance others for their meanness therein but acknowledging God and Christ in all and in love preferring one another Rom. 14.32 21. 15.1 4. that we judge not despise not one another for difference in some outward things through the knowledge or want of the knowledge of our Liberty in Christ nor trouble the weak Brethren with doubtful disputations But with all lowliness and meekness with all long-suffering forbearing one another in love Eph. 4.2 3 4. 1 Cor. 1.6 10 Phil. 3.14 1â— endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Gospel-Love and design forementioned in the bond of peace that we may all speak the same thing in the Testimony of Christ confirmed among us and if in any thing any of us be otherwise minded to wait for God in the Ministration to reveal the same to him nevertheless to walk by the same Rule of faith and love according to that we have attained and so minde the same thing that there be no divisions among us so shall all men know us to be Christ's Disciples Joh. 13.35 5. For keeping cleer and fair the Name and Truth that is written upon us 1 Tim. 6.11 12 13 14. Tit. 2.10 Phil. 2.27 Col. 3.17 1 Cor. 10.31 that we follow after Righteousness Holiness Purity Mercy good Works and flie all Pride Wrath Malice Coverousness Fraud Lying Uncleanness Intemperancy c. that we do not blur or deface the Name and Writing that is upon us but adorning the Gospel we profess doing all things heartily as to the Lord in the Name of Christ to the glory of God and good of Men. 6. 1 Cor. 16.14 2 Cor. 5.14 1 Cor. 13. 1 Cor. 8.1 2 3. 14.1 2 5 12. For the profiting in speaking and walking that it may take place with and be edifying to others to see that all our speakings and doings be done in charity with the love and bowels of Christ moving us with desire of the good of others without which all Knowledge Faith Gifts Works or Sufferings will not avail us in this profiting and so in desire of spiritual gifts that we desire them not for our own applause or exaltation but for the edifying of the Church and that in this desire also we do more earnestly desire and follow after charity And these with such-like are the constant and abiding helps given in the Gospel for Believers which in living by Faith they may alwayes have and use and so be preserved from erring in Doctrine Ministration or Manners so that here is a sufficient gracious helpfulness and Furniture always needful and always at hand for all times till Christ come again yet in respect of some occasions there is yet needful to them some other helps as order and helps in Government with which they are also furnished in this Revelation of Christ in the Gospel CHAP. 16. Of the helps in respect of occasions which are given these witnesses FOr the encrease and multitudes of Believers and Professors of the Faith brought in by this Ministration because their Societies and Assemblies may come to be both many and many of them great and numerous and because their employments in this World be many and various and because many brought in to believe the Report of the Gospel to be a Truth are not yet by it convinced of their own unbelievingness vileness and the emptiness of their own righteousness Joh. 2.23 24. 8.31 36. vileness and the emptiness of their own righteousness and some though convinced yet not prevailingly wrought upon to be through-hearted in cleaving and submitting to Christ to have all their life in him and live to him though in abiding in this belief of the Truth and attending this Ministery of it it will save them and work them up to the Truth that will make them free both which though Attenders and of the outward Society yet not the true Sanctuary and so to be Learners and not the Teachers yea it may be also some in some measure unfeignedly believing and yet Novices newly come to the Faith 1 Tim. 3.6 may be ready to speak beyond the proportion of Faith given them yea and it may so be that some feigned and dissembling ones yea and disorderly ones also may creep into the outward profession and so be of this Society in profession and so the outward Court though while such not in nor of the Sanctuary and holy Place of which hath before been spoken and by reason of this if help be not had disorder and confusion will be found in and blemishes besal the whole Society but for remedy hereof there are helps afforded One for Constancy and that is order in speaking in the Assembly that but one speak at once and the rest be silent and so two or three may speak one after another so it be in order and after while time and silence is may
confidence in Christ and the great love of God in delivering him for us and making him known to us Vers 35 39 that they might confidently rejoyce and glory in the midst of all their sufferings and to help them in these was the Apostle's end and not to lead their thoughts to conceit a certain company of Adam's Sons as such beheld decreed to be eternally saved and the rest to be eternally damned and few of either sort known no word in his writing to such an end yea the puzzelling the thoughts with such a conceit would be cross to his end which was to edifie in Faith Love and Love-services with consolation in sufferings 6. For the way the Apostle takes to accomplish his end Ch. 1.1 2 3 4 5 16. 3.22 25 28. 4.5 24 25. 5 6 11 12 18. 6 7. it is cleer to be That as he had before declared the Foundation and the Medium of coming to and on it and so being united with it and accepted through it and exhorted to suitable walking so here he proceeds to help them to sound consolation in afflictions 1. By shewing who are the true Sons of God V. 14 15 16 28. and Heirs with Christ unfeigned Believers even them that love God and are the Called according to purpose 2. V. 14 15 17 18 29 30 By shewing them the way of God's dealing with all his called Ones whom he approved as his Sons and Lovers of him he ordains them to conformity to the Image of his Son in services and sufferings and in that way to glory and calling them thereto doth justifie and will glorifie so that in all this God is on their side and for their good 3. He also mindes them of the priviledges of the Son of God V. 14 17 18 29 30. the prime elect predestinate called and justified and glorified the way through which he hath gone and will bring them to the enjoyment of his own priviledges through the same way 4. Rom. 4.6 21 22 23. 8.14 18 29 30 31. He mindes them of the examples of those lovers of God that were of the Called according to purpose how they being approved were even thus predestinate and called and justified and glorified and having finished their course so happily are set forth as patterns and examples to instruct and incourage us that we in the same way may following his Call expect the same justification and glorification God being ever the same of one minde 5. Directing them especially and above all to minde Jesus and the greatness of God's love in delivering him up for us all V. 32 33 34 c. and the special and choise communication of his love in making known and so giving his Son to us that believing in him he is surely ours he that died and so satisfied for our sin yea rather is risen and so our Righteousness and filled with Spirit in our Nature ever living to intercede to take away our sins by vertue of his blood and to communicate of his Spirit to us Now God in giving us him will with him and so in and through him certainly give us all things freely and in receiving and abiding in him we shall receive Oh inestimable love who shall separate us from this love c Thus doth he lead them to triumphing confidence without any the least denying or eclipsing the great love of God to Mankinde Tit. 3.4 5 6 7. 2 Tim. 2.9 10 or shutting the door to or darkning the light of life and immortality opened and brought to light by the Gospel or working the weakest Believer with thoughts of secret purposes yea so he holds forth the Love Grace and Minde of God in the whole business as is fit to draw in unbelievers to believe and the weakest Believer to come in believing into that number And so the Purposes of God are one and the same agreeing with the whole Gospel preached by him As for Objections against it they are most answered already in former Sayings and answer of some of Mr. Owens Expressions See part 1. c. 11. and yet to remove that which if let alone may occasion some to stumble I shall consider in this one more Expression of Mr. Owen's CHAP. 8. A Consideration of the Purpose of God as expressed by Mr. Owen pag. 168. GOd's Eternal Purpose of saving some Mr. Owen in and by the Mediation of Christ that Mediation being interposed between the Purpose of God and the accomplishment of the things purposed by the Fruits of the one the Mediator cause of the other This act of his will the Scripture knows by no other Name then that of Election Adoption or the Purpose of God according to Election or the purpose of his will in Christ Jesus Thus far Mr. Owen and I shall desire to acknowledge all the Truth I can finde in his Sayings and by Scripture to remove the rest He saith God's Eternal Purpose of saving some in and by the Mediation of Christ c. Saving some he expresseth not what some or of what kinde the some is if it be meant of his fallen Creatures it 's acknowledged so far true for both Angels and Mankinde was fallen and he purposed no way of saving for the fallen Angels there is no contest about that but if by some be meant some of Mankinde and no way to discriminate them that it may be known who then is there no door to life opened for any man to come in at nor Gospel that can be preached as Truth to and for them while unbelievers to bring them in to believe If any conceit it is some elect Ones that cannot be for it is meant of all them no gainsaying But his Expressions elsewhere shew it to be meant of Mankinde Some of them for as for any elect in Christ before Adam's fall to be fallen in his fall is but a humane device and tradition nothing in the Testimony of Christ for it but all against it or That there are any elect Ones in Christ that according as they are elected are not also begun to be saved and so far holy and beloved is another humane device and tradition without and beside and contrary to the Scripture as hath been plainly shewn So that of necessity by the word some as by other Expressions he would be understood is meant some of all Mankinde fallen but then what some shall we conceive for all Mankinde were once made righteous and so beheld and loved in one publick Man who was both Male and Female so that all Mankinde was alike righteous and alike loved as righteous in this one publick Man then but this first publick Man both Male and Female sinned and so fell under sin and death and all Mankinde in him and must needs have perished in that sin and death they were fallen under if God had not provided a Saviour to interpose Now was not all Mankinde alike fallen alike viewed and alike under
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
God are Yea and Amen and now he is given and set forth in the Gospel to us for Light Law Covenant Promise and witness of God's Love to us This the Testimony and the in-giving of a particular word an inferiour Testimony and not so usual now yet God tendering us in our infancy vouchsafing such speaking Inspirations to us for good to draw us to look more to his Son to rest on him if we sit down and take up our rest in these speakings short of him we shall turn that which was for our welfare into a snare but of this he hath mercifully forewarned us in making known to us That without his bloodshedding there could have been no Remission for us and without the same in the vertue of it sprinkled upon our hearts there can be no forgiveness received by us and that he himself as he was crucified for our sins and is risen in our Nature just for our justification and is now at the right hand of God appearing in our Nature for us even so he and he only is the object held forth for healing and life the Revealer of the Father's Minde the only Foundation to rest on and Bread of Life to feed on and so herein hath warned us of this and all the former deceits for as Paul to some miscarrying said of himself 1 Cor. 1.13 Was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the Name of Paul so it may be said Was any of your Works of righteousness or was your brokenness mortification vivification and performances or was an inspiration to you and receit by you crucified and made a curse for you did any of these die for your sins and rise for your justification and give the ransom and sacrifice for you or were or could you according to the commission of Christ be baptized in the Name of any of these Surely no therefore none of these can be your bottom or foundation to rest on nor the true Bread of life for you to feed on Nor will you say The eternal Purpose of God and his Election was made sin and a curse for you and so crucified dead and buried for you and raised and offered in sacrifice for you and so not the first thing appearing the bottom and foundation to rest on the real Bread of life to feed on but Christ onely who did all this according to Purpose being God's Elect c. and hath not God discovered his love to us and his unwillingness that we should perish and his readiness to receive retain help and save us by giving us these warnings and helping us with such things to awe and terrifie the flesh and to resist all Doctrines and Spirits of Delusion And is there not in the same warnings given 2 Cor. 15.1 2 15. Ezek. 18. 33.1 9 10 11 19. Joh. 15.1 2 15 an intimate and sure Promise That if we according to the light and strength he giveth us avoid these lets and pull-backs he will follow on with more Grace and enable us in believing to mix the Promises with Faith See the Scriptures and so these Warnings are one good Help Another is II. Instruction to the business of mixing the word with Faith Isa 55.2 3 4. that so we may live indeed by Faith and that is by eating that which is good and letting our Soul delight it self in fatness so we shall be verily fed with the sure mercies of David In which Instruction we have three things explained by Christ for our Help 1. That it is good and fatness meat ready prepared nothing of our provision Prov. 9.1 2 3 4 5 6. Mat. 22.1 2 3 4. Luk. 14.17 Isa 55.1 2 3. Joh. 6.27 29 32. that hath any blemish or want in it nor onely a Purpose and Promise of something to be done but a real business and heavenly substance prepared and according to Purpose and Promise fulfilled a Sacrifice that was slain and the blood shed and the Sacrifice offered to God and so Peace made Redemption obtained Spirit received and Promises confirmed by his Blood and so in this bread of life and wine mingled all provided ready and set sorth and all even the worst of sinners called to it and have liberty to come and all comers freely to eat of this good and fatness 2. 1 Cor. 15.1 4. Rom. 4.25 1 Tim. 2.5 6. Col. 1.23 24. Heb. 9.12 14. 10.5 10. Ioh. 6.27 33 35 48 50 51. Joh. 18.37 Mat. 26.28 Heb. 9.15 16 17. Prov. 9.2 5. Joh. 6.51 53 54 55 56 67. That Jesus Christ himself as he was wounded for our transgressions died for our sins and rose for our justification and offered up himself a spotless sacrifice to God for us and so redeemed us from the curse of the Law obtained eternal Redemption and is now alive for ever in our Nature appearing before God for us to present us in that Body of his c. so he is the very bread of life and his flesh is meat indeed And as by his sufferings and blood-shedding he did both witness the Truth and confirm the New Testament of precious Promises and being risen and ascended ever liveth a Mediator of this New Testament by vertue of his blood That the Called may receive c. so his blood is drink indeed and this tender of it wine mingled And this in Christ is the provision given us to feed on all other things beside tendered by any or conceived by us to be sed on for life are in that respect vanity and deceit and unless we do eat of this flesh of Christ and drink of his blood there will be no life in us but in feeding on this we shall live for ever 3. That the manner of our eating that which is good and fatness in feeding on him Joh. 6.27 29 33 51. is not onely in believing him the Saviour sent of God and sealed by God to give eternal life but also that in this believing we believe him the Saviour of the World that gave his flesh for the life of the World and giveth life unto the World and so in exercise of this Faith eat or feed on him by minding and serious confidering believing resting and taking our well-pleasedness and satisfying in him his flesh his body that was broken and died for our sins and is riseh for our justification and offered up a sacrifice to God for us in that he hath done all this for the sins of the World for Mankinde sinners enemies and so hath made an Atonement and redeemed them from the curse of the Law and procured all Mankinde into his dispose Joh. 6.33 1.4 5. Rom. 5.18 Rom. 2.4 Joh. 1.5 8 9. Eccles 9.4 so that by him their lives are prolonged and God will neither now nor hereafter judge them by that Law nor cause them to perish for ever in that death they fell under in that first Adam which judgement and death Christ hath undergone and overcome for them
Heb. 11.25 26 27 it will cause all services sufferings for Christ to appear but a little matter to be born yea it will lead to count sufferings for Christ greater riches then all the treasures of this World and strengthen them to endure as seeing him that is visible in which while these Promises are believingly viewed 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. our afflictions will work for us a far more exceeding weight of glory yea should temptation come so fiercely as to dazle the eye Psa 116.3 11. 31.22 23 24 56.4 10 11. or daunt the courage of our believing so as we fainted in the exercise of our Faith yet the minding of these Promises sealed by him that shed his Blood for us would make us cry to him in that fainting and he would hear us and help us comfort and enable us to comfort our selves in his word And will they not then allure and help to perseverance Surely Yes And thus I have briefly hinted the Promises of God through Christ to Mankinde to Mankinde believing to Believers in each condition and to them and Promises to be received after this life which heartily believed it would lead to cleanse from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 1.1 5.1 1 Joh. 2.24 25. and to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord it would lead to perseverance and to cause to long and wait for our House from Heaven In all which we see That the Promises of God and the Purposes of God and the Testimony of God concerning Christ are all one and the same Doctrine declare the same thing the same minde of God by diversity of expressions setting forth and closing together in one and the same Truth and so as the knowledge usefulness of and in any one will be found the same of and in each and every one yet I to evidence this will a little go over what hath already been shewn in usefulness of the Testimony of Christ and of the Purposes to shew how we are taught the same in the Promises and how the knowledge of them as hath been set forth is helpful to us in many things CHAP. 6. How this knowledge of the Promises is instructive to us about understanding some Sayings of Scripture 1. THis will help us to understand that saying 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature c. It is evident That in this and the former Verse Rom. 1.1 2 3 4 5. Eph. 1.2 4 5 11. Act. 26.18 Peter was declaring the Furniture given him by God for his Ministration as was Paul's course oft in beginning of his Epistles and both his Furniture and Mission for the same end that Paul had his and so in the former Verse he tells us That the divine Power of Christ Joh. 15.26 27. Act. 1.4.5 Luk. 24.4 Joh. 5.25 11.25 26. and so of God in and through Christ which was the Holy Ghost inspiring them with the Testimony of Christ hath given unto them all things pertaining unto life and godliness To life that is to forgiveness quickning and life and being enlivened to godliness to right worshipping of God and living to him an = d uniting and conforming to him 2 Pet. 1.1 2. and all this he saith the divine Power gave them through the knowledge of him that is in the Testimony of the Righteousness of God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 1 Pet. 1.20 21. 2 Thes 2.14 2 Cor. 5.18 19. which the divine Power shined into their hearts in the face of Jesus Christ who hath saith he called us by glory and vertue or to glory and vertue whereby or by which divine Power and Spirit in the knowledge of Christ according to the Testimony put in our hearts are given to us that is for Ministration and to minister with exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ministred by us and heard and believed by you you might be Partakers of the divine Nature that you in hearing might believe and in believing being convinced and brought out of darkness might receive the light and so believing in Christ have Fellowship with and partake of the divine Nature and so the Promises here appears to be the same with Gospel-Testimony and the several Heads or Branches of Promises forementioned Consider it well 1. For fallen Man the Seed of the first Adam that are under sin and death that they may attain to life and godliness receive forgiveness and be accepted into favour and become of the spiritual Seed c. Needful it is That in that Nature of Man sin be condemned and punished blood shed death and curse suffered and overcome in the same Nature risen just ascended and offered to God a Sacrifice so as Aronement be made Redemption obtained Spirit and Eternal Life received in the Man to send forth that Men might believe Act. 13.31 32 33 38 39. Joh. 1.45 and that whoever believeth on him may receive forgiveness and life And such a Saviour God from the beginning promised to Mankinde and after more explicately to Abraham and by the Prophets and Jesus Christ that died and rose c. is this very Promise fulfilled as God hath now fulfilled this Promise in raising him from the dead Luk. 1.69 70 Joh. 14.6 Eph. 2.17 Rom. 3.25 1 Cor. 3.11 1 Pet. 1.21 25. Joh. 6.48 Isa 42.1 c. and so set him forth in the Gospel and this Jesus so set forth is the Way of approach to God The Propitiation for sins The Foundation The immortal Seed The Bread of Life The Elect of God The First-begotten and First-born Son of God that all that believe in him may through him approach to God receive forgiveness be united to and built on Christ and so become of the same seed born of God a Son of God by vertue of the Death and Resurrection of and union with the Son of God And this fulfilled Promise Joh. 3.14 15. Act. 2. 3.9 26. 13.38 39 and so the Promises under this first Head or Branch of Promises of things done are exceeding great and precious and to be held forth as the Promises of God fulfilled that in believing Men might be begotten by and born of the Word or Promise so that to conceive or suggest to any another Seed an elect Company for whom this Seed should come and die is altogether erronious there is but one blessed Seed in which blessing is and that is the Seed of the Woman of Abraham in which is blessing Gal. 3.16 26. And this Seed was not a People for Christ to die for but it is Christ dead and risen and by his communicative vertue all those that through Grace are brought in to him and united to him as such a Seed to bring Men in therefore to be of this Seed this Promise fulfilled in him is to be preached 1 Cor.
ascended to Heaven and offered the acceptable Sacrifice and obtained eternal Redemption and so is the Propitiation for our sins and Grace is onely by him And Truth that is fulfilling of the Promises he being immeasurably filled with the Holy Ghost in our Nature and the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily he is The Temple of God the High-Priest The Laver of Regeneration the Altar the Sacrifice The Propitiatory The Oracle c. the Truth of all figured by those is in him and so by him and had in having him and this vertuous from the beginning and so even then though in a more hidden way Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. But now he hath come and done his first Work this mystery is manifested and the Spirit hath testified of him and this Testimony is Spirit and Life by which such as are led to believe in Christ do meet with Truth and so are said to worship him in Spirit this gracious Law opposed to that of Works and Types and in Truth acknowledging the Truth in Christ and meeting with him in believing on him as having done his first work for them Job 4.21 22 24. 1 Joh. 5.19 20. and now about the other in them and so they worship God in and through him and that they might thus do God hath done and provided all this in his Son and so made him known And so upon this account of Christ his being so full of Grace and Truth and having been so manifested also in the Nature of Man John Baptist in respect of himself and the first witnesses renders it in these words Joh. 1.14 16 17 vers 17. as the ground of that he affirmed vers 16. For of his fulness have we all received Grace for Grace other profitable senses of this noted before I onely now note this That as Moses received a Law of works and shadows to nurture the people Par. 3. ch 4. that in judging themselves for their sins by one part of the Law and looking to Christ that was to come in their use of the Types the other part of the Law they might through Christ receive Grace as all that so looked did but he having come hath abounded farther to us and we have of him received Grace a Gospel of Grace with a Law of Grace and a Spirit of Grace discovering the Atonement made and forgiveness in the Blood of Christ and Truth fulfilled in him so by the Grace of God in that Cross of Christ he suffered to shew Men the vileness of their sins the vanity of their Righteousness and yet through the same Cross to shew them the great Love Righteousness and Propitiousness of God the pardon of their sins in the Blood of Christ and the fulness of Love and Spirit in Christ to draw them in to believe assuring them in believing they shall receive forgiveness c. and so we have Grace that we may receive and declare Grace and God hath engaged himself that he will so witness of Christ Isa 42.1 8. 55.5 Joh. 3.15 16. Rom. 10.9 10 13 15. Act. 15.9 10 11. Gal. 5.6 1 Joh. 3.23 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. 1 Ioh 1.7 9. and he shall so far proceed with Men where the Gospel comes that they shall have their eyes opened that they may see and believe and hath also engaged himself to all that where the Gospel comes do according to the Light and Power he giveth believe on him he will save pardon and enlive them and write his Law in their Hearts And this Faith working Love he putteth no farther burden or yoke on any but to believe him and love one another and he will preserve them through Faith to the Inheritance and if they fail confess their failing and through the Mediator they shall be forgiven and cleansed And thus far the New Testament is and is to be held forth to all that live under the Gospel and all the baptized in the Name of the Lord have set their Hands to this Engagement and may live in hope of having it personally made with them but yet the personal making of this New Testament with Believers is yet a farther business see how that is exprest in Scripture also 2 Cor. 3.3 Tea are manifestly declared the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of Stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart It is express throughout this Chapter That the Apostle speaks here of the New Testament opposed to the Old Testament and so likewise it is evident here That in preaching the Gospel as now come forth they did also therein minister the New Testament 1 Cor. 1.6 7. and so it is here also evident That when Men in believing the Testimony of Christ in the Gospel come to believe on Christ then they receive the New Testament and how they receive it and what it is see here 1. Phil. 3.3 7 8 9 In believing on Christ the Grace believed breaketh the stoniness of the Heart and taketh down the pride and stoutness of it and humbleth and melteth it and enamoreth it with Christ and so makes the Heart fleshy tender flexible fit to receive his Sayings Teachings and Impressions And then 2. His making the New Covenant with them is begun by writing his Minde Heb. 8.10 2 Cor. 4.13 2 Tim. 1.7 his Design his Epistle by his own Spirit in their so prepared Heart giving into their Heart the Spirit of Faith of Love of Power and of a sound Minde so that they have in them a new Heart a new Spirit a new Man an inward living Principle derived from the Fountain in which they believe inclining them to love God and their Brother and to live by Faith and walk in Love and so to seek the farthering of his design in seeking the Honour of God in the Salvation of Men and the Prosperity of his Church so looking and waiting for the coming of the Lord the Spirit herein springing up Love Rom. 8.28 Joy Peace c. And this is a Dispensation of a spiritual first Fruits of the everlasting Covenant made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and no otherwise made with any since excepting David about the Kingdom but in such a begun-performance But then minding the words and the Apostles scope in this place with other places speaking of the same business and we shall see That 3. In this Dispensation of Grace by his Spirit there is made a double Engagement on the part of Christ and on the part of the Believers in which respect it is rightly called a New Testament in opposition to the Old Testament given by Moses which also in this Dispensation is written not with Ink as the Old Testament was nor in Tables of Stone as one part of that was nor in Leaves of Parchment or any such thing as another part of that was but even in their Heart that is That Jesus Christ will
follow them Joh. 14.16 17 26. 16.13 15. Joh. 15.4 11. Gal. 5.5 6. in sending his Spirit to teach lead comfort and guide them as hath been shewn in his Purposes and Promises and on their part that they abide in him and so walk in Faith that worketh by Love waiting through the Spirit for the Righteousness of God in all these Promises by Faith In which living by Faith they shall be daily nourished with the Grace Strength and Goodness of the Divine Nature in Christ and so to walk in Love which will fulfil all the Righteousness the Law requires of them and also on their parts in case by any Forgetfulness or Temptation 1 Joh. 1.7 9. they fail in the exercise of their Faith and Love and so be drawn aside to serve some lusts of the flesh that they then confess their sins and crave pardon and healing in his Name and he for his part engageeth to heal them and so to keep them through Faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in the last times and for help of their weakness he hath afforded them his Ordinances to attend Mat. 28.20 Joh. 13 14 15 16. 1 Joh. 1.9 1 Ioh. 3.23 1 Ioh. 4.21 Joh. 14.21 Prov. 3 4 6. in which he hath promised to meet with them and bless them all these things are shewn before in the Purposes and Promises The Engagements on Christs part are seen in his Promises of Spirit Healing and the Engagements on Believers parts seen in his command to them affirming such as are his to have his commands in them and these commands they are That Christ in the Name of Wisdom chargeth his Sons to keep in the middest of their Heart And so we may see in these three foresaid points what the New Testament is nor can any thing here required be grievous to any that are in this New Testamental Covenant For 4. Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. There is therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit What Consolation is this for such as through believing the Testimony of Christ are brought from under the bondage of the Law and Old Covenant Rom. 7.1 2 4 6. Gal. 5.16 17 18. Rom. 7.14 17 20. into this New Covenant with Christ to bring forth fruit to God and serve in newness of Spirit though they have flesh in them which lusts against the Spirit and much trouble thereby so as many infirmities be found in them and some failings yet if they allow not the same and so yield not to walk after the flesh make not that their Way and Trade but walk after that is allow like and yield up themselves to live sow to and walk after the Spirit the Law of Grace proceeding from the Testimony of Christ believed in their heart if according to the Light Strength and Motion given into their Hearts from this Spirit they do delight in the Law of God and desire and will to walk in it and so yield themselves to walk their wants and weaknesses which they would not are not charged on them there is no reproof no condemnation from God from Law from Conscience that shall wound them nothing that shall break their peace none to them And this the Apostle delivers positively as very Truth and then sets to his Seal rendering his own experience of the same Truth for he also had his flesh his carnality his Law in the Members rebelling against the Law of his Minde and so both disabling him from doing all that good he would and carrying him as a Captive to the Law of sin which discovered his sinfulness and of Death sentencing him to death the beholding of which caused a cry yet believing on Christ he saw and found deliverance so that this Law discovering sin and sentenced to death had not power to fasten its condemnation on him For saith he the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death Rom. 8.2 As if he should have said Though it discover sin in me and sentence death upon me yet it cannot fasten on me to condemn me for I looking to Jesus Christ that hath suffered and made peace for sinners in believing on him The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath made me free Joh. 8.36 c. And this also he builds on the true and sure Foundation that is laid open for all and gives a general Rule saying vers 3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh Rom. 8.3 the Law given by Moses discovering sin and sentencing to death was in it self good and holy and promised life on performance but could not give it because of the weakness of flesh so as Men could neither satisfie in performance nor yet in suffering the punishment but they would have perished in it but God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh and for sin or because of sin or by making him a Sacrifice for sin condemned sin in the flesh even executed judgement on the flesh or Nature of Mankinde that sinned in the person of his own Son as the publick Man in the room of Mankinde and that to this farther end that the righteousness of the Law the life it promised and could not give us and the righteous affections and love services it required not affording strength to bring them forth might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.4 us that believe in Christ and so are in him having received Remission of sins and Spirit with a new inclination that it might by degrees be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh that is delight not in and approve the Wisdom Righteousness Confidence Affections and Lusts of the flesh which were all condemned and crucified in Christ his being condemned and crucified upon the cross for us so that we make not this flesh our Lord and rule and our way to walk after it but after the Spirit In eyeing and believing in this Blood and Cross of Christ and accepting it Rom. 3.25 4.5 23 24. 5.5 8 10. so believing on him of whom the Spirit testifieth admiring the Grace the Spirit commendeth therethrough and according to the Light and Grace thereby given in the inward Man delighting in this Law of God Law of Grace of Faith of Liberty the Law of the Spirit of life and so taking it as our Rule do will incline and yield to make that our trade to walk therein Jam. 1.25 2.12 Rom. 6.14 1 Joh. 1.7 Rom. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.1 13. Gal. 5.13 16 18. 6.8 1 Cor. 9.21 we shall receive forgiveness of sins and healing of victory over them and have assistance and encrease of life and so no condemnation Is not this the language of the Spirit in the Apostle to the Romans and to the Galatians and
so abide in that and receive the Testimony and teachings of that by all that teach you as that anointing teacheth you But saith he If there come any unto you 2 Joh. 10. 1 Joh. 2.18 26. Gal. 1.7 8 9. and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house nor bid him God-speed And this Counsel on the same ground given in this place to warn against Seducers And so Paul to the same purpose saith Though we or an Angel from heaven preach unto you other or besides that we have preached unto you c. Again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed And John's saying to be thus understood is cleer by comparing two sayings of Paul speaking by the same Spirit * 1 Cor. 15.1 4. 2 Cor. 11.2 3 4. yea in John's own exhortation a 1 Joh. 2.28 and professed end of his writing which was still to teach them as this anoynting teacheth from Chap. 2. to Chap. 5.13 And so Peter and the residue of the Apostles 2 Pet. 1.12 13. 2 Cor. 3.3 1 Thes 5.11 14. Heb. 3.13 1 Thes 4.18 1 Pet. 4.11 Rom. 12.3 were in this manner diligent to teach Believers that knew the Truth and were established in the Truth yea Christ his anoynting is affirmed to be in such Ministration and all Believers exhorted daily to teach and exhort one another yet still according to this anoynting with the words of the Gospel in which the Spirit testifieth of Christ and according to the proportion of Faith as God hath dealt to every Man So that this place is of excellent use in all teachings and receiving of teaching But when that time comes and that is done of which Jeremiah speaks here 1 Cor. 13.12 1 Joh. 3.2.1 Cor. 4.5 Then they shall see Face to Face and know as they are known yea see Jesus as he is then will be open the hidden things of darkness and then not some of the choise onely but all the Seed even from the least of them to the greatest of them shall know the Lord so that Tongues Prophecying and Knowledge by such Mediums as now shall be useless 1 Cor. 13.8 Col. 3.4 1 Joh. 3.2 and such teachings cease then but we shall all know the Lord by an immediate sight of the Lord which will make us to be like him Such so full and so cleer Knowledge to be given then IV. For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more This is cleer to be such a forgiveness Jer. 31.34 as in which all sin is wholly taken away and they presented altogether spotless before him such a degree of Forgiveness Justification and Sanctification and Freedom as no Man attaineth in this Life In which daily Forgiveness is needed 1 Joh. 1.6 7 8 9 10. Eph. 5.25 26 27. Col. 1.22 23. Act. 3.19 1 Cor. 1.8 But this is that spotlesness which Christ by his Blood sprinkling commending his Father's Love there through in Gospelministring by his Mediation sending forth Spirit in his Word to work on the Heart is now about to fit his Seed for and bring them to and it shall be compleated at that very Day of his coming when also that which follows will be performed with it namely That he will remember their sin no more Whatever Forgiveness God extendeth to Men yea though into their Consciences yet while any sorrow shame pain weakness or oppression lieth on them there is some remembrance of sin for how good and gracious ends soever and while any good promised for Soul or Body is withheld there is some remembrance of sin how advantagious soever it be made yea as long as the Bodies of the Saints are in the dust there is some remembrance of sin But here from this time shall be no remembrance of sin their sins shall be remembred no more which includeth and assureth them That God will wipe away then all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death Rev. 21.4 7.15 16 17. Jer. 31.12 Isa 60.17 18 19 20. 11.6 9. Isa 65.17 18 19. Rom. 8.21 22. Isa 9.6 7. 11.4 5. Psal 72. Isa 60 65 66. neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away and so they shall not have any violence injustice or oppression in their Government nor suffer violence from any nor shall there be contention or strife among the Creatures with them any more nor any pollution in the Air or Earth or any thing that grows out of it but the whole Creation the Heaven and Earth made new for them Their Government and Commonwealth shall be altogether peaceable righteous and flourishing the Earth abundantly fruitful and all Nations bringing their Glory to them and they enjoying and filled with all happiness for evermore everlasting joy upon them as is before shewn in the Promises Part 5. Chap. 5. and Part 2. Chap. 10 13. And this the everlasting Covenant which was made in promise to Abraham Isaac Jacob and David and declared by the Prophets and Apostles who shall in that day be also with them when this shall be made in performance to all the spiritual Seed so as they all shall then triumphingly confess As we have heard Psal 48.8 so we have seen in the City of the Lord of Hosts in the City of our God God will establish it for ever and so filled with Rejoycings they breath forth Hallelujahs Nothing more full and plain in Scripture then these things therefore let the Rule and Consent in it be here remembred and this the Hope we are called to by the Gospel and are interested in Par. 1. ch 7. 2 Thes 2.14 Gal. 3.29 in believing in Christ so that Prayer is good for us That God would grant to us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Christ that we may see what the Hope of his Calling is which is to all engaged in this Covenant and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints a little in this discovered and what the exceeding greatness of his power c. which will bring all to pass CHAP. 10. Of some usefulness of this Discovery of the Covenants IN what hath been shewn we may see if we search and read the Scriptures pointed unto That the Gospel of God and the Testimony of Christ therein is according to the Covenants of God and the Opener thereof and also That the Testimony of Christ The Purposes of God The Promises of God and The Covenants of God agree in one and the same The Revelations of Christ shew forth the Testimony of Christ which is the Key of Knowledge The Testimony of Christ declareth The Purpose of God from his Purpose The Promises of things purposed and as purposed flow and to assure the Promises the Covenants are suitably made so as in the Testimony of Christ
Hebrews was neither acquired nor humane notions and motions but the work of the holy spirit affording spiritual operations 2 That those that fall away from Christ when they have so known him it is impossible to renew them c. 3 The reason of that impossibility 1 For the first of these It is evidenced in so many operations of the Spirit as hee had formerly mentioned principles Vers 4 5 And so hee saith who were once that is those fallen if any such should bee among them which he will not say are but where-ever they are they once were as those written to are and not only were seeing they retain it they are 1 They were inlightened whence hee bids them call to remembrance the former days in which they were illuminated Psal 36.9 John 1.9 12 Eph. 5.14 Psal 19.8 119.130 Prov. 6.23 2 Pet. 1.19 2 Cor. 4.6 Eph. 1.17 18 5 13 Iohn 16.7 8 9 10 11 Prov. 1.23 Acts 26.18 1 Pet. 2.9 Chap. 10.32 The Scripture shews the fountain of this light and inlightening to be Christ in the appearance and discovery of whom Gods gracious mind appears the medium and instrument bringing it and opening the eyes Is the Testimony of Christ the Gospel the command or word of grace the light entering that which openeth the understanding enlighteneth the heart and enableth it to discern Is the holy Spirit comming forth from Christ in and through the Gospel with divine and supernaturall light and inspiration to the mind and heart The first effect of this inlightening is convincement of sin of righteousnesse and judgement c. And where any receive this reproof and by the light and strength of it turn to the Lord repentance from dead works is wrought and such are brought out of darknesse into his marvellous light And so lively and evangelicall and effecatious was their repentance with such spiritual illumination from Christ by his spirit with his word 2 And have tasted of the heavenly gift the fallen had and these writ too both had and in some measure still did though through their dulnesse the edge of their appetite and liveliness of relishing in their Pallate had some abatement whence the Apostles discovery of fears Chap. 3 4 5 6. and setting forth such danger and giving such warning are intermixt to quicken up the same again for they have tasted and have yet an appetite to be quickened Now the word Tasting in this businesse appears to bee both eating feeding savouring and relishing and discerning the goodness and pleasantnesse of that is eaten or tasted And so the word Tasting in Natural things is put for eating and feeding 2 Sam. 3.35 Jonah 3.7 And for discerning and relishing 2 Sam. 19.35 Iob. 6 6. and 12 11. Ioh. 2.9 10. And so for spirituals when the words of God are received into and laid up in the heart as food They prove sweeter than honey to the taste Job 23.12 Psal 119. 103 104. 34.8 Cant. 2.3 whence when men are exhorted to make tryal of the goodnesse of the Lord by trusting in him they are bidden to taste and see that the Lord is gracious And the Church professeth his fruit sweet unto her taste c. of which tasting Peter speaketh 1 Pet. 2.2 3. and so this Apostle here for there is no other sence of tasting in this businesse given us in Scripture For the thing tasted that is in some measure eat and drunk of and the sweet savour relished that is expresse to be the heavenly gift The same by which that principle called faith towards God was affected and with which it closed and that is no other but Christ The oblation of Christ the flesh and blood of Christ Jesus Christ as he hath suffered for our sinnes and offered himself a sacrifice to God for us and so filled with spirit to send forth to us and in the Gospel set forth the propitiation for our sins wisdome Iohn 6.35 48 50 51. 3 16 17. 4 10 Isa 9.6 Acts 3.26 Gal. 3.1 Iohn 6.32 Rom. 8.32 Iohn 1.12 1 Iohn 5.11 12 Iohn 6.51 52.64 righteousnesse sanctification and redemption for us and the mediator between God and us so hee so as the true bread of life which came down from heaven and which God so graciously and for so gracious an end hath given the gift of God the heavenly gift And which in the Ministery of the Gospel hee sendeth tendereth and giveth yea and no other giveth hee for any to feed on but this true bread of life And in giving him will with him give all things that are good and in beleeving on his name hee is received and in with and from himself and in exercise of faith in receiving the grace that flows through him and so resting on him and taking latislying 1 Pet. 2.2 3 4 5 and well preasednesse in him And in that he hath done and is become and doth and will do men do eat of his flesh and drink of his blood And so tasting the graciousnesse of the Lord are by him more inlived and bunt upon him And such the tasting here meant of the heavenly gift Gal. 4.15 5 2 4. 2 Pet. 1.9 by which that principle of faith towards God was wrought in exercise of which faith also is still the tasting of the heavenly gift As for those fallen away they did once taste of the heavenly gift and then it was precious to them and of high esteem with them Iohn 6.29 37 47 51 54 56 58. though now having crucified it it is of no effect with them And our Saviour saith not he that once came that once beleeved that hath once eaten but he that commeth that beleeveth that eateth as speaking of a present and continued act Heb. 3.1.6 7 13 14 15 1 Pet. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 which was not in those fallen ones But in those writ too it was they did still in some measure eat and so taste and relish for they had the rejoycing of hope and the beginning of confidence which they are exhorted in beleeving still to hold fast even on like ground as Peter exhorted those new born babes that tasted To whom he wrote And so the principle of faith towards God Being produced through the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ which is manifested in and through the oblation of Christ and being also built upon Christ the foundation accompanied with such spiritual operation affording such tastes of goodnesse in the heavenly gift It is for the kind of it 2 Pet. 1.1 2 3 4 5 9 10 the same precious faith the Apostles had And so Peter affirms it to the Beleevers giving them the same warning in case of the losse of those tastes and relishings which the Apostle doth here so the faith the same of the same kind I say not of the same degree and measure for growth and establishment yea the drift of the Apostle was to lead them to farther
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
the Son of God afresh and putting him to an open shame And so when fallen from such a Faith by the Oracles of God fastened on such a foundation and affording such Principles They have trodden under foot the Son of God and have counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified as an unholy thing 10.29 and have done despite unto the Spirit of Grace These are Briars and Thorns and these not repenting but continuing thus crucifying Christ c. even themselves are Briars and Thorns nigh to cursing being rejected and their end to bee burned And this justly and deservedly 2 Sam. 23.6 7. Because of the truths goodness and riches of the Faith taught by such divine Oracles and brought on such a foundation affording such Principles sweet experiences and blessed hope all so watered from Heaven as in which others brought forth meet fruits but they rewarding evil for good have so foulely departed and continue contemning and bring forth Briars and Thorns Psol 109 2-29 till they become Briars and Thorns So that even in this Demonstration of the equity justness and holiness of Gods proceeding The Faith they fell from and that others abiding in are found fruitfull and exhorted to abide appears to bee true and of the right kind And in the fourth and fifth verses Chap. 6.9 10 11 12. the spirituality and livingness of it set forth sutably to the Principles But now I must return to view what is said against this Faith as set forth Heb. 6.4 5. Yea even by him that hath acknowledged the Faith and Holiness for which hee quotes this place really true in its kind wrought by the Spirit effectually working effectually in all the powers of their souls c. So as they become thereby Vessels in the great house of God c. which is in part already answered but I shall view what is farther said CHAP. XII Of some sayings of Mr. Owens against this Faith c. 1 HEE saith of such Beleevers and Saints as here spoken of See the Answer to this Pag. 375.376 Heb. 6.4.5 They are changed as to their use not in their Nature continuing stone and wood still though hewed and turned to the serviceableness of Vessels So his saying But this is to bee heeded that as the saying is without proof So the Question is not what they were before this faith and holiness was wrought in them nor what they are when they are departed from this faith and holiness But what they are in whom this faith and holiness is and they abiding in it and that they are wood and stone in some sense is granted according to that is said The Righteous shall flourish like the Palm Tree Hee shall grow like the Cedar in Lebanon And so they are called Trees of Righteousness Psal 92.12 13. Isa 61.3 4. 1 Pet. 2.3 4 5 9. and those that tasting the graciousness of the Lord come to him as to a living stone are built on him as lively stones c. but this is far from Mr. Owens meaning But if hee allude to that 1 Cor. 3.12 If any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones all which are good sure Wood Hay Stubble all which are combustible yet here is something doubtfull among many viz. whether by these bee meant Doctrins or Persons most probable Doctrins because the builder may bee saved when his labour and opinions is by fire burned But however this comes not up to our business for wee treat not of a faith and holiness builded upon the foundation by the ministry of a man only and a man miscarrying also But of the Faith builded by the enlightening and operation of the unerring Spirit of the Lord which is not mistaken in his building nor are Wood Hay Stubble as distinct from true Saints any where in Scripture called Saints and beleevers nor doth the Spirit of Christ build such on Christ and leave them such And for his other Metaphor 2 Tim. 2 20 21. Though in a great house there are Vessels not only of Gold and of Silver but also of Wood and of earth some to honour and some to dishonour Yet they are all for use And those of the most costly mettal may some of them bee for some dishonourable use for the Master and those of the meanest mettall may some of them bee for honourable use both for the Master and servants But now in the application wee have no Vessels mentioned meet for the Masters use operated by the Spirit to do worthily in their Generations as Mr. Owen confesseth these may and many of them do but such as by the grace received purge themselves from the Apostates and their wayes and so are by grace sanctified and made meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work so that his saying is not countenanced in this place And if any should as I when by tradition I held it have sometime done ground this assertion upon some parabolical and proverbial speeches as those in Prov. 26.11 2 Pet. 2.21 22. Hee knoweth that parables run not on all four and that Proverbs and Metaphors are not to answer that set out by them in every similitude and hee that wrings the Nose too hard causeth blood to follow for in grounding such an assertion on such metaphoricall and proverbiall speeches wee shall plead for wicked men and extenuate their sin and impute some blame to the Almighty For when it is said of them These Iude 10. 2 Pet. 2.12 13 14 15. as naturall bruit beasts made to bee taken and destroyed speak evil of the things they understand not c. If these men had never understood more than the beasts and had alwayes been so brutish and even made to bee destroyed Iob 35.10 11. Prov. 1 24-32 Psal 49.12.20 Mat. 16.26 Prov. 26.11 then had not their sin been so great as it was Nor which befalleth not to the beasts their judgement in eternall damnation so just But God having given them understanding above the beasts and they not heeding to make use of it became as the beasts that perish and so loose their own souls So the Dog that turneth to his vomit was never rid of his doggish ignorance and nature Nor the Sow that being washed walloweth in the mire was never freed from her swinish ignorance and nature And so though their doing so bee filthy and loathsome yet some pity and not so great torment to bee executed on them But for these inlightened in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And having the holy Commandement delivered to them with such Principles effected in them in knowledge of him that forbids holy things to bee given to Dogs and Swine Mat. 7.6 And through the operations of the Spriit in that knowledge to have escaped the pollutions that are in the World through lusts which was that they might have partaken of the divine Nature to bee so foolish as to
make themselves again as the Dog and as the Sow How great is their sin and how just their Judgement And as for their disposition hee confesseth that was once changed so that the sin here mentioned suits that falling away mentioned in Heb. 6.4.6 without any impeachment to the goodnesse of the Faith such have fallen from 2 Pet. 2.20 1.4 the excellency whereof condemneth their falling 2. But hee saith again though their faith holinesse light love joy zeal obedience bee all true in their kind and many of them do worthily and yet they attain not to the Faith of Gods Elect neither doth Christ live in them nor is the life which they lead by the Faith of the Son of God so hee Marke here that this is not to bee understood of them as before they came to the Faith Nor yet of them as after they are departed from the Faith but of them as and while the Faith is in them and they abide in it And hee eonfesseth their faith really true in its kind Pages 217 218. And it s before proved there is but one kind of Faith that is really true set forth in the Scripture And that very Faith also set forth in Heb. 6.1 2 3 4 5. Nor are wee treating of a worldly or humane faith or a faith begotten by humane strift but of a Faith effected by the Spirit of God and built on Jesus Christ that is the Foundation and the heavenly gift of which they have tasted Mat. 3.17 12 18. Isa 42.1 And is not Jesus Christ the Son of God in whom hee is well pleased And so Gods Elect Doth the Gospel hold forth and call to any other or doth the holy Spirit witness of glorifie and draw to beleeve in any other but Jesus Christ Doth not every good and perfect giving come down from the Father of lights who enlived them and quickened up all these Principles in them if not Christ by his Spirit what is that which was once so precious that the Apostates after departure crucifie to themselves tread under foot c. Is it not Christ the Son of God his blood even the blood of the Covenant and his Spirit even the Spirit of Grace which they so despite Yea if it were not so their sin and danger had not been so great and there would bee more hope of their recovery again It were better for us to forbear such rash assertions and glorifie God in keeping to the expressions of Scripture concerning Faith and the operations of Grace although some bee departed from it as is forenoted I planted thee a hoble Vine Ier 2.21 27 31. and such of you as are fallen from grace yee were called to liberty Gal. 5.2 3.4 Gal. 5. 1. 3 4 5. yea were called into the grace of Christ yee received the spirit of Adoption yee did run well c. So as wee fault the backsliders from such faith to aggravate their sin and fault not the faith to extenuate their sin which is more or less vile according to the excellency or meanness of the faith departed from But Mr. Owen hath yet more sayings to impeach this Faith as 3 In pag. 423. Hee calleth it an inferiour work of the Holy Ghost causing a great alteration or change c. when the persons bee not regenerated or made new Creatures c. It had been good hee had explicated the meaning of his terms for it s already proved the compleating of the work of Regeneration and making new Creatures is in the Resurrection of the just and that the first fruits is in begetting us by his word to beleeve in his Son But that the Holy Ghost operateth more or less in giving the Testimony of Christ working repentance from dead works and faith towards God to work any change or alteration like Regeneration that is not it according to the measure and degrees of his working none that know God and Christ or the Spirit according to Gospell declaration will beleeve that many fain and pretend what they are not that many resist his operations that many are not yet prevailed with to beleeve on him Is true But these are not charged with this forementioned great sin of departing from the Faith but only for disobedience to the Faith and the Servants of God may both use means and wait with patience and hope when God will give these repentance for they are not come to this impossibility of the fallen ones treated of who when fallen from so great grace and operations of the Spirit It will not bee found a true excuse to say there was but some inferiour work of the Spirit vouchsafed us Ier. 2.5.21.31 Isa 5 4.5-7 to work something like regeneration which was not it when God shall say wherin was I wanting what could have been done more c. but yet more is said by Mr. Owen Pag. 4 26 6. 4 Pag. 124. Every person under these works formerly mentioned and partakers of this light gifts and knowledge c. Bee capacitated for the sin against the Holy Ghost Surely to use such an expression by way of derogation from the Truth goodness and gracious ends and tendancy of the works of the Holy Ghost in inlightening men in the knowledge of Christ and bringing in to beleeve in him and thereby working in all the powers and faculties of their soul such change c. as to say as I hope hee will not say men are thereby capacitated to sin against the Holy Ghost is very great presumption and of dangerous consequence without some better explanation For might not some reply and say All manner of sin and Blasphemy shall bee forgiven unto men But the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall never bee forgiven And so it is lesse dangerous to abide in ignorance rudeness and prophaneness and neglect of all Ordinances then by attending them to come to this knowledge of Christ Faith change gifts c. without which wee are out of the danger of so great sinning but in having such faith c. wee are capacitated so to sin which yet would bee a false plea even for those charged with such a sin Mark 3.28.30 who were short of those wee treat of much more for these yet thus much will bee granted If God had not made the Angels holy and set them in so glorious an habitation they could not have sinned so highly in leaving their habitation but the goodness of God in so making and furnishing them did capacitate them to have abiden in which abiding they might have been established And their own wilfull aspiring capacitated and occasioned their falling If God had not made the first publick man righteous hee couldnot have fallen from it as hee did But the Righteousness in which God made him and the furniture wherewith hee endued him did capacitate him to have abiden in his integrity And his forgetting the word of the Lord and listening to Satans temptation did capacitate
submitting to the righteousness of God and so are not in respect of the prevalency of grace discovered the right called ones yet others in minding that grace discovered are prevailed with to let go all thoughts of confidence in their own righteousness c. and to beleeve in Jesus that they may live in him and to him Are not these the called according to purpose And when in beleeving in Christ on this manner through illumination of the Holy Ghost and tastes of the heavenly gift c. Repentance from dead works and faith toward God is effected c. Are not such in some measure called according to purpose Quickned Born again and spiritually regenerated united to Christ justified and sanctified by the Spirit Who that confesseth God to be true will deny this so that these two Reasons are vain Reason 3. The persons intended here be compared to Briars and Thorns Answ The persons intended here as having and so abiding in these principles upon this foundation and so with these inlightnings tastes of the heavenly gift c. Are verily the holy Brethren partakers of the heavenly Call even the very Hebrews to whom he wrote the persons supposed expressed to be such as do not abide and enjoy these things but are departed and fallen from these things and are now crucifying Christ afresh to themselves they bringing forth such Briars and Thorns are become Briars and Thorns which before they were not nor are any that abide in the faith they are fallen from so called and these fallen upon the very account of their crucifying c. are compared to and with their evil fruits called Briars and Thorns this is plain in the Text and so this Reason though once it was mine is very vain and false for its end and unbeseeming understanding men though weaklings may bee gulled with it as I have been Reason 4. Things that accompany salvation be better things than any in the persons mentioned were to bee found vers 9. We are perswaded better things of you c. Answ Here he speaks of things distinct from the persons though in them Now minde Better things Better than which for the Apostle had mentioned divers sorts of things as he had mentioned Jesus Christ the foundation and the Oracles of God from the foundation teaching those principles to build men thereby on Christ Surely the love of God in the gift of his Son The Son of God given The blood of Jesus Christ that confirmed the Covenant The Spirit of the Father and the Son that witnesseth of Christ and calleth to him and breatheth forth these Oracles to teach these principles and build on Christ Sure this Heb. 10.29 or these things are all holy heavenly rich precious invaluable things not onely accompanying but giving and working salvation though some do tread them underfoot c. which is an evil thing So that sure hee means not better things than these But then here is mentioned also the effects of the word and of the holy Spirit in and with the word in the hearts of beleevers as Repentance from dead works and faith towards God c. with Illumination tasting of the heavenly gift c. Phil 2.12 13 14 15 16. Surely these are also precious things not onely accompanying salvation but even parts of the salvation begun in them and working in them effecting those things to be brought forth which are to accompany it though some murmure and harden their hearts Heb 3.7 15.16 1 Thess 5.19 and so are disobedient and quench and despite the Spirit which is an evil thing and sure he meaneth not better things than these But here are two sorts of things more mentioned that is Heb 3.6 14 13 1 2 4 6.8 9 10. first Abiding in their faith confidence and love And so hearkning to his voyce bringing forth the fruits of faith and love as hath been fore-shewn according to the seed sown in the heart and the refreshings by the rain often drunk in and of these he expresseth himself to men vers 9.10 And these be not better things then the salvation wrought in them as by which they bring them forth but better than the other sort which secondly he names by some supposed to bring forth that is a departing from Christ through an evil heart of unbeleef and so falling from all this salvation and efficacies thereof extended and then crucifying the Son of God afresh and putting him to an open shame And notwithstanding the same seed sown and the same rain oft drunk in yet bring forth Briars and Thorns which accompany not salvation of which hee mentioneth no persons among them that he cahrgeth withall but only by a supposition sheweth the danger even to these Hebrews if any should so do Chap. 2.1 2 3 3.7.18 4.1 15.12 6 4 6 8 9. And having so often warned them before and reproved their dulness And now in his supposition set forth before them the hainousness of the sin and danger of such departing and falling away comparing such transgression and transgressors to Briars and Thorns whose end is to be burned he mollifies the harshness of his sentence in respect of them and saith We are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though we thus speak which plainly shews the better things to be better than Thorns and Briars which tended to damnation and it shews also that his speech in the warning given was directed to them else they needed not to have been mollified with Though we thus speak surely none would fancy the Apostle to warn the Hebrews by speaking at such a rate as this There is a rock of stability on which who ever once beleeveth and so is can no more fall off not sin not Satan not world though at such and such a rate they listen to them and fall into sueh and such a measure of unbeleevingness and sinning yet they cannot fall off And you are upon that Rock c. Hold fast therefore your confidence Take heed lest any of you fall through an evil heart of unbeleef And give us leave to fear lest any of you come short for there is an unstable rock on which not you but some others are built And they that are built on that rock of instablility if they abide they perish if they fall they can no more rise how fond were this But the foundaion here mentioned is stable nor will the holy Spirit build any upon an unstable foundation nor fill the heart with false light or deceivable works What deceitful illusions such conceits may produce I forbear to name though this Reason be fit for them Reason 5. The persons intended by the Apostle were such as had need to be taught again the first principles c. Unskilful in the word of righteousness c. distinguished from them to whom the promises are c. Chap. 6 9 10 14. Answ This is a very harsh sad and
faith yet they cannot be saved That first mentioned faith flowing from such an election and purpose of God concerning their persons is the faith of Gods elect This I say Paul never taught nor is there any one line in Scripture to affirm it the Spirit of God leads no man so to beleeve or speak it is quite and directly cross to his Testimony as is shewn at large Part. 2. Chap. 9. Page 87 88 89. Part. 4. Chap. 10. 11. So that the faith here commended is the same with that Heb. 6.4 5. And as for Rom. 8.28 how it speaks the same thing and not a word for this reproved fancy is shewn before at large See Part. 4. Chap. 6 7 8. And so likewise is that Act. 13.48 in Part. 5. Chap. 6. Page 317 318. So that Eph. 1 4. is likewise shewn to make nothing for it Part. 3. Chap. 12. Page 221. And that 1 Pet. 1.2 3 4 5. speaks not of an eternal purpose of God concerning some certain persons of Adams sons in a decree to elect and eternally save them but of the manner of the election of such as were already actually elected viz. That it was through the sanctification of the Spirit unto the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus 2 Thess 2.13 exprest elsewhere The beleef of the truth in which that sprinkling is received This election being according to the fore-knowledge or fore-approbation of God who hath fore-appointed and approved this way for electing and choosing such as beleeve his Testimony as is at large shewn on Rom. 8.28 Part. 4. Chap. 6. 7. 8. So that this Concernment hath gained nothing for any other kinde of faith than that he confest at first true in its kinde I would he had not cast it by CHAP. XVI Of his second Concernment 1. HE saith for the manner of their obtaining this precious faith it is by Gods giving to them that holy Spirit c. In this I shall note three things in which it is pretended to be not only peculiar but of another and better kinde than the former true in its kinde 1. Hee saith It is by giving that Holy Spirit of his whereby he raised Jesus from the dead to raise them from their death in sin to quicken them unto newness of life In this first saying we have two things to note in the manner of true beleevers obtaining faith viz. First What God gives unto them and that is that same holy Spirit of his by which hee raised Jesus from the dead And secondly The end for which God gives this holy Spirit to them and that is to raise them from their death in sin to quicken them unto newness of life both which are very true and will by all true beleevers be so confessed yet the asserting it as a peculiar manner of obtaining faith that is of a better kinde than that mentioned Heb. 6.4 5. and another manner of obtaining also and leaving out something needful in this business to be mentioned is blame-worthy For 1 God for calling any to the faith doth not send forth or give any other spirit nor is there any other spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son than that holy Spirit by which he raised Jesus from the dead This Spirit is called his Holy Spirit the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of Grace 1 Pet. 3.19 20. Act 7.51 By this Spirit Christ preached in the ministration of Noah and of the Prophets whence those that resisted his inlightnings and teachings in those ministrations are said to have been disobedient to and have resisted the Holy Ghost And now more abundantly since the sufferings and ascention of Christ he doth in the ministration of the Gospel inlighten call convince c. whence those that shut their eyes and refuse and despise are said to despise God 1 Thes 4.7 8. Heb. 10.29 And they that after they have received the knowledge of the truth do willingly tread under foot the Son of God and count the blood of the Covenant as an unholy thing are said to have done despite to the Spirit of Grace i.e. If it had not been the holy Spirit they had resisted their sin had not been so grievous It is not good to devise pleas for wicked men to extenuate their sin And though there be a Spirit of truth and a spirit of error yet truth is one and the Spirit of truth is one 1 Joh 4 1-6 1 Cor. 12.4.11 2 Cor. 11.4.13.14 15. 1 Cor 12.2 3. though his gifts be divers and the Spirit of truth cometh onely from God and Christ And no other spirit but error is divers and many and the spirit of error is manifold and various and proceedeth not from God but from the Devil Nor can any man attain any true kinde of faith but by the Holy Ghost yea that faith mentioned Heb. 6.1 2 4 5. was attained by the illumination of the Holy Ghost and they were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And to ascribe to the Spirit the working of a faith of Christ dying and by his blood having made peace such as shall cause light love joy and fill the soul with such hope of eternal life as shall ravish the heart of a man and inwardly and outwardly change him And yet that Christ dyed not for that man or that there is no eternal life in him for that man nor truth or reality in Gods intentions to give it him Oh! yee heavens be astonished and let the earth tremble at this that any should say thus of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of truth or that God should have two Spirits one to work this faith which yet cannot be true in any kinde and a better Spirit to work a better kinde of faith His Spirit is one and holy and all his operations to bring any to beleeve like himself true real holy and of the right and saving kinde though many resist and some depart So that this line of truth was in this business not well brought forth seeing it was to oppose another line of truth and to obscure the truth of the holy Spirits operations 2. The object discovered and medium used by the Holy Ghost for bringing any to this faith and effecting this end mentioned is here sleighted and left out That is Christ and him crueified as set forth in the Gospel for sinners to look to and beleeve in For this is certain first That this holy Spirit testifieth of Christ witnesseth of his death resurrection sacrifice exalteth and glorifieth him as the Son of God the Saviour of the world Joh. 15.26 16 7 8-15 Act. 5.31 32. the Prince and Saviour that giveth repentance and remission of sins to Israel and is a light to the Gentiles and Gods salvation to the ends of the earth And that whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. 2 2. 2.6 9 10 14.16 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 This Jesus and
kinde he pleadeth for many may go without that assurance all their dayes hee onely undertakes to prove notwithstanding it shall so bee for ever Now let his quotations be viewed to see what they say for one beleever more than another for the Spirits abiding with them for ever Joh. 14.16.26 in vers 16. Ioh 14.16.26 15.26 16 7. Luke 24.49 Our Saviour tells his Apostles and first witnesses that were to carry forth the testimony of him to the world after his Ascention That he after he was gone from them in bodily presence would yet be an Intercessor with the Father for them And the Father in his Name and so he from the Father would send them another Advocate or Comforter Let the words be well minded he faith not Another Spirit no he mindes them of that that it is the same Spirit of truth Joh. 14.17 Mat 16.16 17. Joh. 17.6 7 8. which they knew by which the Father in his ministration made him known to them to be the Christ and had given them to beleeve on him in which he did also stil even now he was with them dwell with them So that it is not one spirit opposed to another spirit but one Advocate or Comforter in respect of the manner of advocation and comforting opposed to another God had been formerly even by the Spirit of Christ Heb. 1.1 2. 7 8 9 10. 2 Cor. 3 7-14 teaching his minde by parcels to them and leading them to look to Christ and so to worship him by types shadows and carnal ordinances which were to be removed and now to these in the personal ministration of himself in his bodily presence in which he had been even so an Advocate and Comforter to them Psal 63.18 Act. 2.33 Rom. 16.25 Joh. 16.7 7.39 1 Joh. 2.1 But he was not alwayes so to abide with them nor was the excellency fulness and mystery of either his oblation or mediation and advocation to be clearly opened and made known till he had finished his suffering work and cast off mortality and overcome death and ascended in his body immortal into heaven and offered the acceptable sacrifice and received the fulness of the Holy Ghost in that nature of man to send forth for that full discovery of himself and the Fathers minde in him and then hee would so send forth this Holy Spirit himself remaining with the Father the Advocate still to discover him and so the Fathers mind in him and so and therein to be an Advocate and Comforter to them even so and such as never was before as is shewn in the eighth and ninth Chapters of the third part of this Treatise about the revelation of Christ and so he opens it vers 26. Joh. 15.15 17.6 7 8. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you For he had made known his Fathers Counsel and Name unto them and given them his words And this holy Spirit of truth in his coming shal guide them into all truth Eph. 1.8 9. by taking of the things of him and shewing them and glorifying him c. So as they shall have the fulness of the testimony in all wisdome and understanding to minister Oh blessed Advocate and Comforter And yet this not all but as the next quotation Joh. 15.26 He shall testifie of him in them to them and through their ministrations so as they also shall bear witness Act. 5.31 32. Act. 1.21 22 10 34.42 1 Cor. 9 1. 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. because they have been with him from the beginning even ear and eye witnesses of his person and ministration and miracles and sufferings and death and resurrection and assent to heaven And this Advocate and Comforter both the Doctrine of the Gospel by him so opened and the ministration of it he taught and lead them in And his power and presence in that Doctrine so ministred should not be as the Mosaical Law to pass away and give place to another ministration nor as the ministration of John nor his ministration in his bodily weakness 2 Cor. 3 3-18 Joh. 5.35 36 14.12 13. Eph. 1 3-10 See part 3. chap. 12. to be over-shined by a more clear ministration but this shall be the last ministration and abide till his own coming again and so her shall be in them in their doctrine and ministration for ever So as to all beleevers here is given certainty of truth goodness and immutability of the Gospel delivered by the Apostles and of the presence of the Spirit in such ministration thereof as left upon record by them to the end of the world And as for the promise and hope given in these promises to beleevers of this Doctrine for the Spirit in their hearts abiding in them for ever Note 1 It is great Joh. 17.20 21-23 7.37 38 39. 14 17. our Saviour having prayed for the same blessing for them also and promised the same but that is not to some peculiar kinde of beleevers but to all that beleeve on him not beleevers opposed to beleevers but beleevers opposed to the world that lieth in unbeleef as is exprest 2 That the manner of the assuring is abiding in them for ever is by our Saviours own explication to be in their abiding in him Joh. 15.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. in that faith love and confidence in him which the Spirit hath wrought and worketh in them and his word that which he hath helped them to understand and by which he teacheth and comforteth them abiding in them This also express So that by there quotations we are lead to hold fast our first faith that Heb. 6. Rom. 8.10 11. The Apostle both admonishing exhorting instructing and comforting in such a manner as telling them how it was with them if Christ be in them and how it should be with them if the Spirit of Christ did dwell in them and so not affirming what would bee for ever but warning and directing that it might be I marvel this should be quoted for this assertion it so suiting to that by him opposed 1 Cor. 6.19 The Apostle tells them that beleeve and surely had such illumination and participation of the Holy Ghost as mentioned Heb. 6.4 5. That their body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost in them c. Their body may be taken either for their personal bodies which were the vessels and instruments in and with which they were to be given up as servants of righteousness unto God Rom. 6.19 or by body may be meant their society in which Truth was and God to be worshipped and therefore to be kept holy 1 Cor. 5.6 7 8. and undefiled Now the Apostle minding them of this That their body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost or rather secretly reproves them for their neglect of minding what their body was consecrated to in the heavenly call
but for the present The Spirit is life for righteousness sake yet the body is dead because of sin yea and something savouring of death is also in and troubling their souls But through the law of the Spirit of life in Christ as they in beleeving walk after the Spirit they are made free and enlived from the sentence and fear of death and filled with the promise and hope of life which comfort in so great love of God enlives us in love of the brethren And 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life 1 Joh. 4.7 16. 3 6 9 5.2 because we love the brethren c. We that are born of God that have beleeved the love wherewith God hath loved us and so abide in Christ keeping his commands of faith and love We know we are passed from being judged by our works according to the law which sentenceth to death into the gracious acceptance and favour of God in Christ and so into the liberty and life of Christ and enjoyment of his gracious Spirit which brings forth this fruit of love which whoever hath not abideth in death And this is true of all abiding in the faith without difference Eph. 2 2-5 and Col. 2.13 Speak of that quickning Act. 10.43 Joh. 3.16 18 36. which is through beleeving in Christ in which remission of sins and hope of eternal life is begun to be received which all true beleevers receive without difference though not in like fulness in every beleever And on that ground Rom. 6.11.13 8 9. Are exhortations to persevere walking in faith and love Secondly From darkness to light This is true though that quoted Act. 26.18 doth but shew the end of Gods sending the Gospel to be ministred to men Mat 4 13-16 without difference of any to whom it is so sent which where it comes light springs up And Eph. 5.8 shews what beleevers without difference are in the Lord Eph. 5.8.9 15. since called and inabled to beleeve and that pressed as a motive to abide and persevere walking in the light And 1 Thess 5.4 5. shews that beleevers are not in darkness of ignorance and unbeleef and how efficacious the light of truth beleeved was in them They were born of it They were he saith not some but all the children of light c. From whence he presseth an exhortation Not to sleep as others but to walk 〈…〉 c. And Col. 1.13 Is a blessing of God in giving him thanks for having delivered them he faith not from all darkness but from the power of darkness Col. 1.12 13.23 24. and having translated them into the Kingdome that is the spiritual Kingdome or government and interest in and hope of that promised Kingdome of the Son of his love for which cause he presseth their abiding and continuance And 1 Pet. 2.9 shews That Gods elect and chosen people are such as he hath called out of darkness into his marvellous light to shew forth his praises And what this light is 2 Cor. 4.6 and where it shineth is plain to be in the face of Christ Gods prime Elect. And this is true in a measure of all unfained beleevers let them minde this That conceit an elect company before the appointment of Christ to dye to be given him to dye for and demonstrate what they are and reconcile them into one condition with these Thirdly From an universal habit of uncleanness unto holiness In a begun inclination and through all the powers a tendency thereto that there may be a proceeding to perfection in holiness this is true But Ezek. 36.25 speaketh directly of the Jews when he hath returned them to their own land And as in reference to a first fruits in beleevers in this life Ezek 36.24 25 26 27-37 Eph. 5.23 26 27. It speaks of that God will do to them after he hath called them to beleeve in Christ And so of a continued business on and in beleevers till it be compleat for which he will be sought of them And 1 Cor. 6 11. speaks of a work begun and so in the beginnings of it done in them In the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And this given as a ground both to reprove some evils and uncleanness in them 1 Cor 6. 1 9 11 2 20. and to warn them from sinning and to stir them up by the same Name and Spirit to press on to further holiness And Tit. 3.5 shews the manner of this work and by what means and to what end it is done and so the beginning and proceeding but shews not the accomplishment as yet to be in them And Heb. 10.22 is not an affirmation of what is attained but an exhortation to use the right way for having a continual increase of renued holiness Heb. 10 12-18 19 20 24 25 12 12 14. upon that very ground of what we have in Christ and have begun to receive and may be daily receiving from him that so in holding last our confidence and profession we may follow after holiness Fourthly From a state of enmity stubboruness rebellion c. into a state of love obedience and delight This is no other but in change of an expression what was confessed to be in the first kinde of beleevers and Saints And indeed it is true of both alike for both so far as true are one Rom. 6.11 speaks of that done and compleated in Christ and not yet in us but by degrees and in due season to be done Rom. 6.11 12 13 14. And that laid as the ground in beleeving on him both to reckon our selves after him and in that account yeeld up our selves to live to him in which that will be verified of us that is said from vers 17 22. and so it plainly appears to be understood Eph. 2.12 13. Speaks of that state of Gentilism enstrangement to God all we Gentiles were in before Christ came in the flesh and offered up the acceptable Sacrifice and the priviledges confirmed before to the Jewish Nation were set open to the Gentiles Chap 3 3-6-9 and they made nigh by the blood of Christ that made peace broke down the partition wall slew the enmity c. and came and preached peace by which peace preached in his Name all that beleeve in him have access by one Spirit to the Father that is clear Col. 1.21 Speaks of the enmity in their mindes and of the efficacie of the Death and Sacrifice of Christ and peace made thereby and Gods love there-through appearing displayed and beleeved how it reconciled them to God And that to this end Col. 1.4 5.20 Tit. 3.4 5. Rom 5.8 10. Eph. 5.25 26 27. Col. 23 24. Heb. 8.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10. Heb. 12.22 23 24 25 26. To present them in the body of his flesh through death holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight if they continued in the faith
in the mediums begetting faith examples from vers 8. to 31. of the adding to the medium the written word and prophesies and faith begotten thereby Examples from vers 32.37 and then the most clear and full discovery in and through Christ the Author and finisher of faith Chap. 12.2 And yet all the way but one faith and for the nature and property of this faith he saith It is the substance or ground or representation or confidence of things â—oâ—ed for The evidence argument or proof of things not seen 1 The evidences and testimony given from God 1 Joh. â— 9 Rom. 1.18 19 20 10 21. Joh. 3.19 2 Thess 2.10 Rom. 10.6 8 9 hath in it and brings with it such light power demonstration and evidence of truth and goodness as is fit and able to open the eyes to discern the manifestation and to gain credit and beleeve yea there is more in it to gain beleef then in the testimony of any men to gain beleef to things of men affirmed by them yea if men do not close their eyes harden their heart unrighteously hold and detain and refuse its operations it will draw to beleeve and so save and for that end it comes nigh to the mouth and the heart of man 2 This Testimony evidence 1 Joh. 5.10 1.1 2 3 Rom. 1.16 1 Thes 2.13 Rom. 5 1-5 Phil. 2.1 2 and demonstration of God beleeved and so received hee that beleeveth hath the Testimony and evidence in himself and in or with that Testimony Christ by his divine presence in the vertue of his oblation and in that the Father in his love streaming in the heart and so this word or Testimony beleeved worketh savingly and powerfully in the heart yea it drinks in of the influences of Christ from the right hand of God and carries the heart and spirit in and makes things absent and to come as present in their vertue solace and comfort to the heart they having the word and Testimony of Almighty God his power truth mercy faithfulnesse his son as a witnesse of all This is ground sufficient for all they hope for and evidence enough for them to beleeve and declare to others the truth of those things that are not seen about Creation Redemption the person of the Redeemer and what he hath done doth and will do the resurrection of the dead the new heaven and new earth c. So Faith is not such a thing as hee that hath it is left to build his Faith on mans Testimony and to have a Ministery all his life long to tell him whether his faith bee right or no though Ministery is profitable for his growth and fruitfulnesse but Faith hath its evidence in it self And this the Apostie proves by many demonstrations in such as had it as 1 That God approves and bears witnesse to such Heb. 11.1 2.3 4 5 7 2 That it opens mysteries to them and gives them understanding in things not seen with the eye nor comprehended by reason 3 It stregthens and encourages to approach to God 4 It inables them to walk with God yea to do and suffer great things and to wait with assurance of enjoying a Kingdome in his season yea so evidencing and powerful is Faith When Gods spake in divers manners or by parâ—â—â—â— how much more now hee speaks by and through his Son as set forth in the Gospel And if any desire a Discription of this beleeving Loe it is all expresse in Heb. 11.13 and plain in three words 1 A discerning according to the demonstration of his goodnesse to look to mind encline the ear and so a discerning 2 A perswasion or credit giving not reasoning against but beleeving his testimony as true and good 3 An imbracing it when it s beleeved with all acceptance and delight that is true beleeving and the grace of God so beleeved operateth in the heart and life as followeth in ver 13 14 15 16. But these things are all shown at large before yea so as the object of Faith is so set forth in Scripture that all might beleeve and such assurance given to beleevers as may encourage both to beleeve and persevere beleeving to help the reader whereto I leave him to consider what is writ in the Treatise and desire that what the scripture plainly saith and in the plain sayings of the Gospel affirmeth may in their own plain import and simplicity of asseveration bee received Pag. 26. in 2 Epistle p. 8 yea Mr. Owen consenteth in this also besides all his sayings forementioned saying 〈◊〉 in his Epistle to the learned that which wee account our wisdome and learning may if too rigorously attended bee our Folly when wee think to sharpen the reason of the Scripture wee may straighten the efficacy of the spirit of it It s often times more effectual in its own liberty then when restrained to our methods of arguing and the weapons of it keener in their own soft breathings then when sharpned in the Forge of Aristotle And or of Ramus either There is a way of perswasion and conviction in the Scriptures that is more Divine and sublime than to bee reduced to any rules of Art that men can reach unto God in his word instructs men to make them wise unto salvation Sillogismes are not doubtlesse the only way of making men wise with humane wisdome much lesse divine so far he If hee should or have warved from his own rule hee can not but bee willing in that to bee refused so that with consent wee all say what is written how readest thou Beleeve the scripture And the Lord in mercy make us ready and constant in imbracing the Truth in his sayings as prayeth the unworthiest of all his people Thomas Moor FINIS
VVord recorded by my first Witnesses that received it immediately from me they in believing come in to me receiving my words they receive me So that I by my word and in that by my Spirit with all the heavenly riches and treasures I am filled with in their Nature am thus spiritually in them and pray that I may so be still and more abundantly Vers 23. 23. And thou in me the Father is in the Son and all that is the Fathers is the Sons so that as he that in believing receiveth the Gospel doth receive Christ therein and he that receiveth Christ receiveth the Father and so from both that Holy Spirit that uniteth both to Father and Son and frameth to oneness of minde love and design and so for that farther end also here exprest that being made perfect in one and so in this unity of Spirit in love and design their design may prosper in this That the world may know that thou hast sent me the Saviour of the World and that the World through me might be saved and so that I am the Christ and that thou hast loved them these that believe in me and in love minister Gospel to them in my Name as thou hast loved me Which if any one come to know and believe what a one Christ is and how he loves and approves them and their Ministration who also are as patterns to them this will draw them also to believe and be pulling them out of the VVorld into the Church Joh. 4.10 1 Cor. 2.8 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3 4. Joh. 17.24 The next Petition is for glory to be conferred on them after their Ministration the hope whereof is an encouragement and support to them in their Ministration through all sufferings And by all this our Saviour gives us to understand both who be his chosen Ministers and also what their Furniture is and the same that appears in our Saviour's Prayer is to be seen likewise in the practice and counsel of the Apostles who were so filled with and guided by the Holy Spirit as to be unerring both in delivery of their Doctrine and direction for the Ministration 2 Tim. 1.13 Gal. 1.8 2 Tim. 3.4 4.5 1 Cor. 11.2 23. 2 Tim. 1.14 1 Tim. 6.20 so as it is well done of their followers to keep both Gospel and Ministration as they delivered the same and they committed the Gospel and things thereof to such as were known to be faithful and endued with the Holy Ghost and charged them to commit the same to faithful Men not limiting it to outward Officers though in such an Epistle as was most needful to name them 2 Tim. 2.2 if such a thing had been intended but to faithful Men whether such Officers or no. But more need not be said of this enough is shewn before proving these the spiritual House the royal Priesthood the chosen Generation his chosen Ministers to shew forth his praises But yet a word or two more to make plain the Furniture those following Ministers have and in this Revelation of Christ we shall also finde that for Furniture 1. They have the VVord or Gospel discovering Christ Joh. 14 21 22 23. 1 Joh. 2.14 24. Isa 59.21 2 Joh. 2. Eph. 3.17 Heb. 12.22 Isa 78.16 46.13 1 Pet. 2.6 Isa 40.9 and so Christ in that Gospel in their heart and so are come to Sion and so are of Sion and the Foundation is laid in Sion that is Christ as set forth in the Gospel for Sion to hold forth to others the same Foundation that they may come in and be built thereon yea this word hath come from Sion Jerusalem that is above and is the Mother of us all Joel 2.23 Gal. 4.26 and is in the Heart Fellowship and Ministration of Sion that part of it which though in heart and Spirit above Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.1 yet in Sion hath God taken up his rest and will abundantly bless her Psa 132.13 14 15. Joel 3.21 Psa 77.2 he dwelleth there yea the Lord loveth the Gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob besides And so we may say This Ministration more then all that fore-went it So that the word of Truth of Life and Salvation is here as in the outward record so in the understanding and heart and floweth forth from hence as a first fruits of that Isa 2.3 Mic. 4.2 2 They in believing and imbracing this word have with it the Holy Spirit Isa 59.21 Rom. 8 9 10. 1 Joh. 2.20 3.24 Eph. 4.7 2 Cor. 12.4 7 11. Jer. 30.17 Isa 35.2 3. Cant. 6.8 9. Cant. 1.7 8. effecting the Spirit and Minde of Christ in them all and in some good measure enduing them with all the first mentioned spiritual gifts among them to every one some though not to all and every one alike Thus are they furnished And this may be truely said of Sion whom no Man seeketh after they are in worldly appearance made so like their Lord and there are so many Concubines though this Beloved be but one and the onely one of her Mother that for discerning her that prayer is needful Shew me where thou feedest c. and the direction there given needful and to such as do discern it it may be said as Psal 48.12 13 14. But now because these following VVitnesses that part of Sion yet below have not the Gospel and these spiritual gifts so immediately from Christ and so not in so full a measure as that they are alwayes infallibly freed from erring in every particular thing altogether in delivery of Doctrine and Ministration as the first witnesses were but as they have received their Doctrine and Ministration mediately in belief of and receiving the Doctrine and Gospel as delivered by them that are Sion now above so their preservation from error in Doctrine and Ministration is mediate likewise Prov. 6.20 23. 1 Tim. 4.15 16. 2 Tim. 3.14 17. Col. 3.16 even in heeding the Gospel received from God and Christ by them and delivered by them to us and so both the Commandment of our Father and the Law of our Mother in one to be imbraced and kept by us and so we are directed and commanded and promise of guidance given us therein And so 3. Rom. 1.16 1 Thes 2.13 They are furnished with Matter Rules Directions and Cautions in this Doctrine of the Gospel as delivered and recorded by the Apostles and which they also in believing it have in their hearts savingly working And this helpful 1. For speaking right and wholesome words in Faith and Love and to edification Pro. 22.20 21. Eccles 12.10 11. learning and comfort Rev. 19.10 2 Tim. 1.13 1 Cor. 4.6 and 14.3 2. 1 Cor. 4.6 Prov. 22.21 Rom. 15.4 Col. 2 18. For keeping measure and due order in our speakings that upon no pretence or presumption of Learning Parts Invention or Office we presume to speak of things we have not seen in the word of
a Law of Liberty that a Law of Sin and Death this of Righteousness and Life that a Law of Letter this of Grace and Spirit that a Ministration of Sin of Condemnation of Death this a Ministration of Righteousness of Justification and Life And that Jesus Christ is given for a Law in this sense to give this gracious Law and Testament is cleerly exprest A Law shall proceed from me Isa 51.4 42.1 4. 8.16 20. c. And he shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles And the Istes shall wait for his Law And Binde up the Testimony seal the Law among my Disciples I think none that believe the Gospel deny this but we do not all agree what this Law or New Testamental Covenant is 1. Some say It is the Gospel and in this saying there is Truth Gen. 12.3 Gal. 3.8 for it is good News which was promised and is discovered in the Gospel but the Gospel was preached to Abraham before the everlasting Covenant was made with him and he and Isaac and Jacob after the making of the everlasting Covenant sojourned in the Faith thereof a hundred ninty one yeers in the Land of Promise and after that the Children of Israel sojourned four hundred thirty yeers in Egypt before the giving of the Testament given by Moses under which the Gospel was preached also Heb. 8.13 and did not make that Testament old or decayed as the coming in of the New Testament doth so though Truth be in this saying yet it answers not the Question at all What New Testament is 2. Some say The New Testament is the Gospel as now declared since Jesus Christ came in the flesh and died and rose and offered the acceptable Sacrifice and sent forth the Holy Ghost Surely they that then preached him to come and do all this preached Gospel yet was the first Testament a distinct thing then besides this And so those that now preach him come and having done all this preach good and true Gospel yet the New Testament may yet be some farther distinct thing then yet mentioned in it though I confess this saying hath much Truth in it and more tending to satisfaction then the former Isa 42.6 8.16 but yet it satisfieth not because of that said before and because all here mentioned is preached in his being a Light to the Gentiles and that is somewhat peculiar to be for a Covenant of the People besides the everlasting Covenant as to be made in compleat performance is mentioned in the Gospel also so that there is more in the Gospel then New Testament though all in the Gospel as now come forth is to be preached under the New Testament as the Gospel was before preached under the old So this saying shews not what the New Testament is to any satisfying 3. Some say The everlasting Covenant made with Abraham now the old Covenant that shadowed it is taken away by the coming of Christ and that so cleerly opened in the Gospel that is therefore called The New Testament This hath much Truth in it and comes nigh to satisfying leaving room for Faith without Mosaical Observances to lay hold on this Covenant as confirmed in Christ to Abraham Heb. 8.6 10.19 and to wait for the making of that Covenant in performance to all the Seed And this might seem to be grounded on Heb. 8 But when I consider That the Holy Ghost speaks there of Laws Heb. 8.10 10.16 and saith I will put my Laws into their minde and write them upon their hearts whereas the Prophet mentions but one Law Iâ—r 31.23 saying I will put my Law in their inward parts c. this gives me to conceive a twofold performance of that Jer. 31.33 34. one spiritual onely to the Sons of God by Faith in and by the first coming of Christ the other literal and spiritual both on Soul and Body at the second coming of Christ of which the Prophet more especially speaketh including the former and so leaving room for a New Testamental Covenant to come in and remain from the first coming of Christ to the second in stead of that old faulted Covenant Ier. 31.32 And the Apostle speaking there more especially of the first coming of Christ and things done thereby including the second coming and things to be then done he speaks of both Laws the first whereof is the New Testament as shall after be shewn and doth here also in this That the Prophet expresly and the Apostle inclusively speaks of a time yet to come saying After those dayes that is Ier. 31.8 31 32. Heb. 8.10 when God hath brought both Israel and Judah together into their own Land and converted them Besides here is that mentioned that shall be but is not done to any Believer in this life nor fully will till it be done to them all together at that day as so to know him as they shall teach no more every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know him note this well from the least of them to the greatest of them and what time that is the Apostle tells us and he so forgives iniquity as he will remember their sins no more no 1 Cor. 13 9 10. 1 Iob. 3.2 Ier. 31.33 34. Heb. 8.11 12. not by any corruption abiding in them or any weakness on them in Soul or Body any pain hunger thirst mortality or death as the Spirit explicates it to us Rev. 21.3 4. so that not onely the New Testament but somewhat more even the whole everlasting Covenant as made with Abraham and David is in Heb. 8.10 11. which Covenant being made and lived in so long before the first Testament did not make that Testament old no nor yet the renewing of it to David so that cleerness of satisfying is not yet in this saying and yet truely this everlasting Covenant made with Abraham and renewed to David signed with Circumcision the literal fulfilling as typical both for the Inheritance and King being over the spiritual fulfilling begun by Christ compleated in him manifested and extended by him and the first Fruits received and receiving by the spiritual Seed Rom. 8.23 24 25. 1 Pet. 1.3 9. and the Harvest and full of the Covenant in Soul and Body is that we wait for so that this very Covenant is the Flower of our Hope and it is confirmed in Christ begun to be performed in and by him and given in him and he given for a Covenant and in believing in him and receiving him it is by Faith received and Hope of real receit enjoyed a blessed Hope If any say But the outward Sign and Seal of the Truth of this Covenant to testifie withal which Abraham had is wanting to us I answer That typical fulfillings of the Covenant are over and Circumcision as it was a Seal so it was a Type and Figure also Blood being shed in it and what it did typisie and figure forth the
Spirit and Truth figured is found in the Circumcision Sufferings and Death of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.3 4 7 8 9. Col. 2.9 10 11 12. which Spirit and Truth is so in Christ that whoever believeth in him is interested in the same and it is become his and he receiveth the Circumcision made without Hands even that of the Spirit taking him off from all confidence in the Flesh that he may rejoyce in Christ onely as compleat in him and so that Jesus is the Christ That he had put an end to all bloody Ordinances and Sacrifices for sin That he hath made purgation for our sins to purge us with and then sate down on the Right-Hand of God and the everlasting Covenant firm in him and he filled with Spirit to dispense and so set forth the Saviour of the World and Propitiation for the sins of the whole World that whoever believeth in him may not perish but have everlasting Life and so his part in this everlasting Covenant Compare Gen. 17.9 10 11 12 13. Exod. 12.48 49. with Mat. 28.18 19 20. Act. 16.33 Col. 2.11 12. for all this we have an outward Sign and Testimony more significant easie and free then Circumcision was even Baptism c. to be put on all that accept this Gospel on them and all under their Tuition as a Sign given from Christ to testifie not the Truth of the Repentance and believing of such as are baptized but the Truth of the Faith Gospel and Covenant taught and so disciple into Abraham's Family to be the Scholars of Christ who needeth not as humane School-Masters to have his Scholars bring their capacities and fitness with them for he even giveth that also and as Circumcision and the Passeover were Ordinances of the Gospel in which Christ to come in the flesh was preached and both before the first Testament and yet when that given were both used under it so Baptism and the Supper of the Lord are both Ordinances of the Gospel in which Christ is preached as already come in the flesh and to come in Glory Rom. 3.27 8.2 Iam. 2.8 12. and both instituted before the New Testament was given from Mount Sion yet now both used under it But the new Testament it self will verily appear to be something distinct even that Law of Faith of Life of Liberty for nurturing Sons and in which Believers are to walk in this Life So that yet in this saying we are not satisfied 3. Some say That the New Testament is Christ his Dispensation of a spiritual first Fruits of the everlasting Covenant into the Hearts and Minde of the Believers in putting in by his Spirit his gracious Word into their Heart and so enlivening and operating in them as to unite and conform them to himself and so lead them to the Inheritance This saying is Truth and fully proved in Heb. 8.6 10. and 10.15 16. agreeing with 2 Cor. 3.3 and doth more satisfie according to Scripture then all or any of the former and in this I long rested as if it were the whole of the Truth as indeed it is a part and the chief part of it and that which according to the New Covenant in his present Ministration he dispenseth and in that respect also is rightly said to be given for a Covenant And in this Dispensation given a New Testament is given which what that is I will assay to finde out and delare CHAP. 7. Of the New Testamental Covenant what it is THe New Testament is that Rule and Order agreed on between the Father and the Son in the councel of God both for Christ his Dispensation and the Believers Receit and Perseverance to which the Covenant hath Engagements on both parts as that given by Moses had though not the like Engagements for these two Testaments are one opposed to the other and by comparing the one with the other in their Agreements and Differences and the excellency of the New above the Old as declared in Scripture and the Scripture-Expressions of the New I conceive we may come to the cleerest and fullest satisfaction to know indeed what the New Testament is 1. They were both given by God by and in the Hands of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 20. Heb. 9.15 3.1 6. Rom. 7 10 13. Gal. 2.19 21. 3.21 22. 2 Cor. 3.6 11. Gal. 4.24 25 26 17. Heb. 12.18.22 Deut. 5.23 Gal. 3.17 18 19 25. Heb. 3.2 4 5 6 10. Exod. 20.1 2. Psal 81.10 Act. 26.18 Col. 1.12 13. but not both by one and the same Mediator the one the Servant the other the Son they were both ordain'd to life and so had the same end but not to effect it in the same way but the one preparing by terrifying and killing the other extending it by consolation quickning they were both given on and from a great Mountain but not the same Mountain but the one Mount Sinai gendring to Bondage the other Mount Sion giving to Freedom they both were given after the Covenant made with Abraham and so distinct Covenants made besides that and that by Moses first being no part of the Covenant made with Abraham but only subservient to it and this by Christ after that by Moses and so no part of that yet having in it the quintessence of the Covenant first made with Mankind through Christ and the first Fruits of the Covenant made with Abraham they were both made with a People redeemed not onely redeemed in a publick Man from perishing in the first death as all men were but also called and redeemed in their own persons out of great bondage and servitude to be led to Rest or Canaan yet not both alike the one out of an Egyptian worldly and bodily bondage to go to an Earthy Rest or Canaan the other out of a spiritual bondage in the darkness and pollutions of this World and the powerful Dominion of Satan to be led to an heavenly Inheritance Rest and Glory they were both given for nurture and tutoridge of Sons Gal. 4.1 8 21 31. having both their Directions and Requirings yet not both alike but the one to tutor as a School Master though Sons yet under some bondage like Servants suitably directing to and requiring Works the other to tutor as Sons in the Father's House and Presence with Freedom and its requirings not like the other of obedience in works in the strength they had not putting in new strength to do but of the use of Faith and Love given Gal. 5.6 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Phil. 2.12 13. Deut. 4.1 31.5 6. Rom. 10.5 Joh. 7.37 38 39. Heb. 8.2 6. Heb. 9.12 13 14 15 17 18 22. Exod. 32. 34. Deut. all affording in all its requirings strength for the exercise of them they both had their Promises annexed but not both like Promises the one of an earthy Inheritance with promise of Presence and Assistance in the way upon their keeping his Commandments given in doing them the