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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89271	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.	Moore, Thomas, Senior.	1656 (1656)	Wing M2593B; ESTC R231372	616,621	754

the Truth of the Gospel preached to and Covenant made with Abraham abode still and was more fully preached by the Apostles but that manner of preaching with Baptism and Ordinances delivered by them though heavenly in respect of the former and will be in force till the visible appearing of Jesus Christ but then be shaken when still the Truth of the Gospel and Everlasting Covenant will abide for ever to be enjoyed by sight Now then when all the means appointed for Abraham to be the Father of such a Seed ceaseth and no more brought in by believing but by sight nor living by Faith but by sight such are not in respect of any conversion in Scripture-phrase called Abraham's Seed but I conceive they more properly may be called The Seed or the Children of Christ and of his glorified Saints brought in and living by fight not needeth any Covenant to be farther or again made with such as are brought in by and live in the light of this being brought in to enjoy their part in it in their first conversion And if any conceive they may be called The Seed's Seed or his Seed's Seed and so under that Promise to the Seed of Abraham Isa 59 2● Deut. 30.5 Isa 65.15 16. Jer. 3.16 17 18. I will multiply thee above thy Fathers I hinder it not however this I know The People of God as well as their worship shall then be called by a new Name so that in this is no let or hinderance to that said That the Covenant shall be made to all the spiritual Seed brought in or become of the Seed from the beginning to the ending of the Ministration of the Gospel Isa 41.20 21. 69 7 8. by it to them all together at once yea it will be a great wonder to great admiration to see a Nation born at once and such an infinite Company of Saints presented to them and yet when the Mountain of the Lord's House is thus exalted and the Lord appears in his Glory and the Children of the Resurrection ruling and flying about when the Spirit and the Bride in the presence of the Bridegroom Rev. 22.17 Isa 2.2 3 5. Micah 4.1 2 3 Isa 66.12 Psal 110.3 when Light and Law so proceed out of Sion the Inhabitants of the Nations hearing will say one to another Come and so go together to the House of the Lord without any other Ministration So that then is promised to be the greatest Conversion and more numerous then ever before though all of them brought in by and living in the performance of the Covenant at once so made with the whole Seed and not made over again but continuing and it is enough for all so converted to be under this blessed Government after their Conversion enjoying the happiness of it Rev. 20.9 15. Mat. 25.46 and so escape that great destruction and second death and have eternal Life when the Serpent and all his Seed are cast into the lake of fire which is the second death And so we see who the persons are III. What that is that is to be done in the manner of making this Covenant is fully and sweetly expressed in this Jer. 31.33 34. affirmed also in other places of Scripture let them be considered CHAP. 9. Of the things to be done in making this Covenant see the Text. I. I Will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Jer. 31.33 Ezek 36.25 26 27. This exprest in other words when having clensed them from all their filth he saith A new heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them Deut. 30.5 6. Of which Moses spake saying And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the Land which thy Fathers possessed and thou shalt possess it and he will do thee good and multiply thee above thy Fathers and the Lord thy God well circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy Soul that thou maist live And so by Jeremiah again I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever Jer. 32.39 40. all dayes And I will make an ever lasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them from after them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So that in all the places we may see That then all sin and sinning shall be removed and a perfect Righteousness framed in them and strength to walk constantly therein and by this we may note the difference between this and the first Fruits of it given in to Believers by the first coming of Christ given for a Covenant as namely That this now-given is but a first Fruits and earnest of that promised which is the Harvest to be waited for also That this given was Rom 8.23 Eph. 1.14 Rom. 11.11 26. 2 Cor. 3.3 Rev. 21.1 8. Zach. 12.10 and yet is chiefly received by the Gentiles but that promised chiefly by the whole House of Israel the natural Seed of Abraham become the spiritual Seed this given is mediately in the Ministration of his Servants that promised is immediately by his own presence this given many Israelites shall have their return into their own Land that promised at the visible appearance of Chrift Rom. 11. this given is to all Believers though Israel be in dispersion that promised not till Israel dwell in their own Land many of those that receive this given may yet through weakness be puft up for one against another but in receiving that promised is no more pride nor envy of one against another 1 Cor. 4.7 Isa 11.13 Phil. 3.2 13. Zach. 12.8 Mat. 2.4 Act. 20.30 Rev. 2 3. Isa 60.21 Jo●l 3.17 Zach. 14.21 Rom. 8.17 Isa 60.18 19 21. The best of those that receive this given do not here attain to perfection the least of those that receive that promised are perfect In the Assemblies of those that receive this given were and still are found some among them unsound and some decaying and some falling off but those that receive that promised the people in that whole Assembly be all righteous and no more decaying or falling off Those that receive this given are here still under the Cross and Combatants but those that receive that promised are freed from all Sufferings and Temptation and are Conquerors enjoying the Inheritance This given is received now by one and then by another and by all by degrees but that promised is received at once by all together Israel and Judah and all Believers of all Nations together So though this given be a first Fruits of the

so saith yea all quoted and the rest are against it 2. In this Purpose of glorifying his Son and shewing forth his Glory through him he purposed also to do both in this by creating by him an infinite or numberless company of Angels or heavenly Spirits all holy and good to attend on and minister to this his Son Heb. 1.4 6 7. Psal 104.4 and so to serve and glorifie God in serving and glorifying his Son whom only he had exalted glorified with equality to himself and to endue them with fitness and ability for this service and to free them from any seducing Tempter without them Job 38.7 Psal 9.7 Luk. 20.36 to turn them aside from it and in their rejoycing in him and acknowledge him their supreme Lord rejoycing in his Exaltation and well-pleasedness with their own place and service of him to establish them by his Son as his Sons for ever But if any of them contented not themselves with this their place and service Job 1.6 2.1 Jude 6. See Part 1. chap. 11. but aspired to a likeness and equality with God as was peculiar to his first-begotten Son then to cast them down for ever and reserve them in chains of darkness to the judgement of the great Day All which according to his Purpose he hath done 3. In this Purpose of glorifying his Son and shewing forth his glory through him he also purposed to create by him the Heaven and Earth and a VVorld of Creatures for Mankinde and so to create Man righteous c. for his Glory and the good of Mankinde as hath been shewn 4. See Part 1. chap. 9. In foresight of Man's Fall and Misery thereby he purposed still the shining forth of his Glory through his Son in working by him a Redemption and Restauration for Mankinde and a New Creation for all that by his Glory shined through should believe on him and that he should be the Judge of all See Part 1. ch 12 13. as hath been foreshewn And of the Purpose of God as new last mentioned and the Purposes included in it it is that comes within the compass of this Discourse and of no other for in consideration of this Purpose and Purposes included in it we shall meet with all that is revealed for us to know concerning the Purposes of God about Eternal Salvation for Mankinde or the Eternal Damnation of any of them And yet before we proceed it is needful to observe and minde well a few Cautions to prevent Mistakes CHAP. 2. Of some Cautions to be heeded to prevent Mistakes THat we distinguish between Foreknowledge Caution I. and Purpose or Decree By Foreknowledge I mean not fore-owning or pre-approbation in which sense the word is frequently used in Scripture but knowing before foreseeing or prescience In which sense the word is commonly used among ordinary people and sometime some word also bearing that sense used in Scripture and such foreknowing I mean Reply If any say Nothing could have any being life strength and ability of motion and action for God to foresee if God had not forepurposed and did not according to his purpose give and preserve the same Answer If it be meant of created beings and such life and power of moving and acting as is in Creatures then this is very true but if it be meant of all the demeanor of those beings and their various movings and actings in and with that power of acting and moving which God hath given them then this is not true Doubtless God did foresee how Jerusalem would abuse all that Life Beauty Ezek. 16.2 27. Riches and Ornaments he gave them but he did not will purpose or decree they should so abuse them though he purposed how to deal with them for it yea he expresly sa it They did both chuse such ways and do such abominations as he not onely not commanded them Isa 66.4 Jer. 19.5 32.35 but as came not into his Minde which can be no less then not purposed by him So surely God foresaw when he purposed to make the first Adam and to give him that life and power of moving and acting which he did and that Furniture he furnished him with how he would abuse his power and Furniture and sin against God but God never willed purposed or moved him so to sin Jam. 1.13 much less approved he should so do yea according to his purppose he afforded him sufficient means by heeding which he might have been preserved And farther he would not withstand and hinder him and so onely permitted but decreed not his Fall yet in foreseeing it he purposed to shew forth the Glory of his Goodness more in provision of a fit remedy for restoring of Mankinde of which Purposes we are to treat And indeed he said well that said God is so good that he would never suffer evil to be if he knew not how to work good out of it So that Foresight is one thing and Purpose another Reply If any reply But then God foreseeing these miscarriages did decree to permit the same Answer I answer If this be put in if Men by the means used by him to keep them from sinning would not be so kept back from sinning but notwithstanding all helps to preserve will transgress then I will confess the saying true else not though I finde not the Scripture anywhere calling such permissions decrees nor do such decrees if in such sense they may be so called come within the compass of such purposes as we have before us to treat of And so let this first Caution be heeded That the Purposes of God we are to treat of Caution II. are his Purposes of Eternal Salvation and of Eternal Damnation and not of such Purposes of God concerning Men as being verily fulfilled et even of those persons on whom they are fulfilled some may be Eternally saved and some may be Eternally damned so as the fulfilling of such Purposes neither necessitates the persons on whom they are fulfiled to be Eternally saved nor to be Eternally damned they being fulfilled both on the righteous and the wicked as for some instance 1. As God hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men for to dwell on all the face of the Earth so did he also purpose and in his Purpose determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their Habitation Act. 17.26 27. and this with a gracious end and tendency for their good also in his way yet in this Purpose onely those and all those in all times ages and Nations of the World that fear him should be accepted of him Act. 10.35 so that though purposed and according to purpose some be Kings and Magistrates som● Subjects some Rich some Poor and all in a gracious tendency that they might seek and acknowledge the Lord in these condition some of all sorts have been found in every of these conditions seeking and fearing God and so walking

same Spirit and Covenant yet there is as much difference between this given and that promised as between a handful or first Fruits of the Corn and the whole fulness of the Harvest which is in this making of the Covenant now treated of in which it appears they shall all be made sinless and righteous perfect in the love of God and one another compleat in all true holiness II. And I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 30.22 32.38 Ezek. 11.20 Exod. 3 4 6 20. Psal 120. And this appears in that which went before in verse 32. and several places to be spoken emphatically to be understood in a higher sense and after a more eminent manner then ever before for he was their God and they his people when they were afflicted in Egypt and in more manifestation when they were in the Wilderness and still more appearingly when they were setled in Canaan and his Worship setled among them and of these remaining while Jeremiah prophesied among them and still more manifestly in special manner Rom. 9.24 25 26. he is our God who believe in Christ and receive of the first Fruits of the Spirit and we his people but here is cleerly more implied to be done after those dayes and here and elsewhere exprest as namely That he will multiply his wonders among them and his favours on them so as he will make himself known to all Nations to be their God Ezek. 36.36 37.28 Isa 60.14 Ezek. 37.26 27. and make them known to all Nations to be his peculiar People when the Heathen shall know That he is the Lord and That he doth sanctifie and build Israel and shall acknowledge them The City of the Lord The Sion of the holy one of Israel yea he will set his Sanctuary in the middest of them for evermere yea he saith My Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people And so he hath opened his own meaning And what this Sanctuary and Tabernacle is and from whence it comes and where it shall be he hath told us viz. Jesus Christ The Son of God The Son of Man The Man in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwels bodily he that is in the Father and the Father in him he is the Temple and Sanctuary and no other like the old Temple or new formed Church-Governments under the Gospel in this City for the Lord God Almighty Rev. 21.22 Ezek. 37.22 24 25. 34.23 24 30. and the Lamb are the Temple of it and he the Son of David shall sit on the Throne and be the mighty King and Governour among them and Christ also coming with his Saints those that in Spirit are now in Heaven the Jerusalem that is now above these shall come with their Lord and Master down from Heaven and receiving their Bodies glorified the great City the Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God having the Glory of God upon her Of which it is said I saw the holy City Rev. 21.2 3. new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying The Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them their God Thus we have it cleerly opened so that these Saints this spiritual Seed Dan. 7.14 27. Ezek. 48.35 See Part 2. chap. 18. shall be Princes among the people and sit upon Thrones with Christ raign with him And all the Kingdoms under the whole heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High and all nations shall serve him and the name of the City shall be from that day The Lord is there Thus will God be with them their God and they shall be his people Thus owned by him III. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them Jer. 31.34 saith the Lord. To know the Lord is both to understand and know That he is Jehovah and that he is infinite in Wisdom Power Goodness c. and to know that is acknowledge Jer. 9 24. Joh. 17.3 love and adore him as the Lord as he doth discover himself such a one in and by his Son Christ and thus to know the Lord every Man except Jesus the Son of God that hath lived or doth live upon this Earth in their several Ages have needed and do need to be taught this knowledge and it is the part of every Man Exod. 18.16 Deut. 4.34 39. 6.11 7.9 Joh 5 27. 11.16 1 Chron. 28.9 according to his understanding and Faith to teach and receive teaching from his Brother saying Know the Lord. But because in respect of some this is confest of all I forbear further proof onely because some conceit established Believers past this need since Christ came I shall consider the place alledged for it which is 1 Joh. 2.20 27. Ye have an unction from the holy One and ye know all things The anoynting which ye have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as that anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no●ly and even as it hath taught you you shall abide in him This place being a sweet needful instructing Truth crosseth nothing here foresaid for the Apostle speaks here of a first fruits of that promised spiritually dispensed Jer. 31.34 Heb. 8.6 10.1 Joh. 5.20 Rom. 8.22 23 24 25. Heb. 11. 13 40. Heb. 11.1 and not of the Harvest as a pears in his former after-Discourse for as he that receiveth Christ receiveth all things with him but still according to his receiving either by spiritual discerning and believing or by open sight and enjoyment so he that knoweth Christ knoweth all things but still according to the manner of his knowing either through a Glass dimly by Faith or else in open view seeing as he is seen Paul confesseth the first to be now in this life but the later 1 Cor. 13.12 1 Joh. 3.1 2. at the time we are speaking of and so this Apostle confesseth the former to be now but the later not to be enjoyed till the time of the visible appearance of Christ And so he saith not Ye need not that any Man teach you saying Know the Lord for that anoynting teacheth you of all things but that he saith is Ye need not that any man teach you 1 Joh. 2.27 but as that anoynting teacheth you of all things c. that is as the Spirit in the Testimony of Christ in that Doctrine of Christ in which he hath helped you to believe in Christ and by that Doctrine teacheth you of all things do ye

2 Cor. 4.5 6 7. Isa 42 1-10 Act. 5.31 was from hearing and beholding Christ the Son and so as the Lord gave to every man by his Spirit writ his Epistle in their heart If any desire farther honour to himself Iohn disowns it Christ forbids it the Apostles disclaim it so no wrong done in the quotation yet for giving this Honour to Christ as that glorious Object by vertue of his Oblation and by vertue of his Intercession also thereby such a full flowing Fountain of Life and Prince giving Repentance and Remission of sins that through him discovered and by him the Beholders of him are brought to believe I am not onely blamed but charged to learn this of the old Serpent 2. I answer I have learned to give this Honour to Christ from God the Father that saith Isa 42.1 2 7. 49.7 9. 55.4 5. Isa 61.1 2 3 4. Joh. 5.19 20 25 27. Eph. 2.8 Col. 2.12 Act. 5.31 Isa 55.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 3.4 5 6. He hath put his Spirit on Christ for that end That he should call and open the eyes of the blinde and cause such as foreknew him not to come in to him I have learned from Jesus Christ That he was anointed and filled with Spirit to that end and That the Father and he are one and That the Father doth nothing but the Son doth the same And this honour the Father hath given to the Son That all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father and Faith being the Gife of God and the Operation of God it is verily The Gift of Christ and the Operation of Christ yea He is Author and finisher Alpha and Omega in this work also yea I have learned it from the Holy Spirit both in the Testimony born by the Prophets and Apostles and for a plain express Answer 3. I am learned by the Spirit in the Gospel not only Tobelieve in Christ and on Christ as Mr. Owen saith but also as the Medium of both In the Name and on the Name of Christ yea and also in express words That all that rightly believe it is by Christ 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for you Vers 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God So that to give this Honour to Christ and his Oblation and Intercession That it is by him that men believe in God 1 Cor. 12.2 and so to confess him Lord is by the Holy Ghost though many dare say It 's from the Serpent because it exalts not them in the place of Christ as Rabbies But enough of this nor will I take notice here to answer any more such stuff in that Book of Mr. Owen's it having been fairly answered by a learned and godly Brother But in his pretended Answer to Mr. Iohn Goodwin the Book I minded that occasioned this Discourse he saith Pag. 217. Sect. 3. That Christ interceded for his Elect for whom he died that they may believe which he saith is denied by those he opposeth which both Saying and Aspersion he might have forborn for those he opposeth do hold as firmly as himself and more cleerly according to the Scriptures That Christ intercedeth in a peculiar and special manner for his Elect and chosen Ones that approach to God by him yea even for Believing and Faith in that sense that Believing is taken for abiding Believing and more firmly Believing and for Faith as Faith is taken for Confirmation and Perseverance in the Faith 1 Joh. 5.13 as is shewn in this fore-written Yea more than Mr. Owen can yet be brought to confess even That Christ in act or undertaking died for them before they were elect and That there was not any in him to lay aside the Heavenly Glory and die and rise and offer the Oblation in him and so to be the Mediator in and with him for then there would not have been that room for Imputation or Application to them nor could deserved Grace have been so freely bestowed But he did all this alone and in that respect is the Root and Fountain of Election also so that the Elect are beholding to the Oblation and Intercession of Christ for Election as well as for Faith yea and they believe That Christ interceded for these men also that they might believe but that was before they were personally Elect and so then not for them as they were Elect which then was not nor were they such but as they were Men of the World and Transgressors that means might be extended to them and they so brought to believe 2 Thes 2.13 and in this believing of the Truth chosen through the Sanctification of the Spirit which is God's Way And so Election in some sense a Fruit of Faith but Faith in the beginning of it and first coming into it is not in a proper sense a Fruit of Election yea furely we believe That all the Elect are a holy and peculiar people 2 Pet. 2.5 9. called out of Darkness into his marvelous Light and all of them that yet live on this Earth to shew forth his Praises now as those for whom he especially intercedeth That they may be kept Psa 102.17 23. that when all the Just shall be raised we may all more fully shew forth his Praises together but we dare not entertain vain fancies and dreams to vent them among the Rebellious as if some of them might even now while Rebellious be God's Elect for ought any man knoweth because the plain Sayings of Scripture are against this as hath been plentifully shewn and for that which we believe also and so for the Mediation of Christ in general for all men and more especially for Believers already shewed The third Branch of the Testimony of Christ CHAP. 16 Of the coming again of Christ and the manner thereof FOr the coming again of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it being one part of the Testimony of Christ it is needful also to be known and believed it being also of the very Object of Faith set forth in the Gospel to be believed so as without believing it no Man's Faith is compleat and entire in respect of the Object of Faith or Doctrine of the Gospel to be believed yet before I proceed in treating of it it is good to consider what manner of coming it is that is here spoken of because divers comings are spoken of in the Scripture though never but of two personal and bodily comings The first called His coming in the Flesh in Abasements to suffer and overcome in sufferings and so to offer the acceptable Sacrifice and so to make the Atonement obtain Redemption receive Spirit in the Man and sit on the right hand of God as the Mediator and great High-Priest and Prophet and King to send forth Spirit to Men

any reply That Christ himself as he was the Son of Man and Minister of the Gospel did not as then so know it as to make it known that is it was not as yet given him to reveal This is not denied And if it be farther replied That after his Ascension it was given him to reveal Rev. 1.1 2. and he sent and signified it to his servant John I answer This is true also That then was given him a more full Revelation for opening the things to come contained in the Scriptures Luk. 24.26 27 44 45. than that which he had formerly opened to them in which also the Holy Ghost instructed them Joh. 14.26 15.26 16.13 14 15. Rom. 16.25 26. 1 Joh. 2.27 even about the same things But now indeed he gives to John a more full Revelation visionally with some more particulars explicated as touching the Gentiles of those very things then was before as to the other Apostles by the Spirit in which still it was the Office of the Holy Ghost even by and with the Scriptures forewritten to teach and enable them to teach yea the very hour or day natural or prophetical that is for a year in ordinary account is not so declared or set down that one can certainly know it so as to say and miss not the very hour or day or year in which our Lord will visibly come and not before or after it Whence himself in that Revelation also saith Behold I come as a thief Rev. 16.15 Mat. 24.42 43 45. Mar. 13.35 37. Luk. 21.34 35 36. blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest c. And this also of good usefulness for us that we may be alwayes watchful and prepared waiting and looking for his coming that in his coming we may be found well-doing And yet though the precise hour or day natural or prophetical be not of us fore-known yet this we may certainly know first That it will certainly be and secondly That it is nigh at hand yea many wayes evidenced to be nigh even at the doors And this will cleerly appear if we consider these three things in his coming 1. His coming to particular Men in taking away their natural lives 2. His coming in hastning and bringing forth or ordering those works by his providence that are to be accomplished before his personal and visible appearance 3. His personal and visible appearance it self in that manner and to those ends before-shewn It in every sense and consideration will appear nigh it cannot be far off For 1. When any Man dies and gives up the Ghost it is to that Man and so to every Man in the Day of his natural Death in respect of his eternal welfare or wo Eccl. 9.10 11.3 Joh. 5.28 29. the very same as if Christ did then personally come for in what estate of Faith or Unbelief in peace with God or enmity against him and so as in well-doing or evil-doing a Man is found when he gives up the Ghost in the same shall he be found and appear in the Resurrection of the Dead and so dealt with by Jesus Christ in his personal appearance when at his voice the Dead are raised Eccles 3.21 12.7 Rev. 6.9 Luk. 16.22 2 Cor. 5.8 Phil. 1.23 1 Pet. 3.19 Rom. 14.12 2 Cor. 5.10 Eccles 9.5 6. when any dies the Spirit goes to God that gave it and if dying in Faith or gracious Estate it is put under the Altar or wings of Christ in Heaven sometime called Abraham's bosome now the Altar or presence of Christ but if dying in unbelief or disobedient state the Spirit is put in Prison till the great and final Judgement and in the Resurrection of the Bodies the Spirits shall be united again every one to his own Body and appear before the Judgement-Seat of Christ the Body all the time till then being dead and turned to dust it knoweth nothing is sensible of nothing and so an hour a day a yeer or a thousand yeers is all one to them and not so much or so long as an hour to a living Man so that his coming in this respect is nigh and alwayes hath been to every Man in their several ages for of that day and hour knoweth no Man certainly till it come but long it cannot be so that in this respect it is needful to be alwayes ready 2. By his discernable though not visibly personal appearance in bringing to pass and ordering those things that must be done before his personal and bodily coming and which being all done he will certainly and without tarrying come and by which as they are in doing and come to pass he wills us to take notice That his coming draws nigh and is at the doors Mat. 24 4-30 Mar. 13 5-26 Luk. 21 8-27 and that is such things as these the hearing and seeing wars neer or where we live and hearing the rumours of Wars afar off Famines Pestilences Earth quakes then Persecutions and killing such as believe in Christ and live to him and false Prophets arising and deceiving many then the decay of the love of many that have been believers and betraying their Brethren then some saying Here is Christ or There is Christ and some saying I am Christ And in all this the security or carelesness of the world not minding any coming of his in Judgements or in Person but giving up themselves to follow their worldly affairs and then some strange shakings both of Heaven and Earth of Churches and States and strange Apparitions in Sun and Moon and Stars These things with the Gospel preached over all the world were to come to pass and so did before the end in the destruction of Jerusalem And after that they were all to come to pass and so be done over again before the end of the World in the coming of Christ who when all these things are fully done and come to pass will suddenly come and appear as himself hath foretold us And our Saviour also bids us When we see these things come to pass to know that his coming is nigh even at the doors and warns Believers not to be troubled when they see these things come to pass but to list up their heads for the nigh-drawing of their Redemption And of these things the Apostles in their writings and in the Revelation also gives us warning All which things have in the several Ages since been fulfilling and now apparently to be seen in an high degree almost all and every of them come to pass so that the Day is hastening and nigh at hand that by viewing these things we may take notice of it and so be prepared patiently waiting for his coming Behold he cometh He cometh quickly 3. His personal and visible appearance and coming again Rom. 11.25 with Luk. 3.8 Rev. 2.21 Gen. 15.16 Rev. 14.15 18. spoken of is to be when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in that is when they have had

as the Chief the King of Righteousness and King of Peace c. And Christ knew all and needed not this Revelation Heb. 7 1-25 Ioh. 1.18 1 Ioh. 2.20 but was one with the Father in revealing and he in and by whom it was revealed he being greater than all the Blesser and Anoynter c. But I shall consider what of the same Testimony of Christ fore-revealed and taught was now more fully revealed to these three Abraham Isaac and Jacob and this was 1. That whereas the Nations were now multiplied and divided and many Men and Families in them all it was hard to know in whose Loyns the promised Seed Christ according to the Flesh was and so out of which Family or Man for there were many even of Sem his Posterity also Christ should come This was now immediately revealed by God himself to Abraham saying In thee shall all Families of the Earth be blessed And In thee explicated to be meant Gen. 12.3 Gen. 22.18 Gen. 26.4 Gen. 28.14 Gal. 3.13 14 16 26 29. In thy Seed and so to Isaac after And again the same in both Expressions to Jacob. And this Seed in the personality of the Man as the Root and Fountain of blessing affirmed to be Christ and in the multiplicity and union in enjoyment of the blessing in him to be all that unfeignedly believe in Christ 2. That in this Seed which is Christ all the Nations Gen. 22.18 26.4 12.3 28.14 yea all the Families of the Earth shall be blessed which can be no less than that there is blessing prepared and given in him for all Nations that in minding of and believing in him they might receive it according to that Isa 45.22 and 49.6 Act. 13.47 1 Joh. 5.11 12. and 2.2 and also That in believing on his Name every of them so believing do receive and shall participate of the blessing according to that Joh. 1.12 and 3.16 and also that there is a time coming in which all the ends of the World shall remember and turn unto the Lord and worship before him and sing unto him according to that Psal 22.27 and 66.4 and 86.9 3. That for multiplying of this spiritual Seed in bringing Men into union with Christ Gen. 13.16 17.6 12 13. Exod. 12.48 Deut. 1.10 11. 10.22 he told Abraham That he would multiply to him a Natural Seed a great Company that should come forth of his Bowels and others by gracious providence or proselyting be put into and made of his Family that so out of much or many People a spiritual Seed may be drawn according to that Act. 18.10 4. That God by his blessing and Spirit in the means he would afford him Gen. 15.5 Rom. 4.13 14 18. Isa 53.8 Rom. 8.16 17. Ioh. 17.21 22. Gen. 12.3 28 15. would multiply to him a spiritual Seed in such number that no Man shall be able to number them and that all this spiritual Seed shall in all their encrease and numerousness be one Seed still yea so spiritually one that Christ and those spiritually united to him are joynt-Heirs and in a measure alike beloved of God with the same Love so that God will bless them that bless this Seed and curse them that curse it either in the Head or Members 5. That whoever of any the Sons of Men do in hearing and believing this preparation of Blessing and Life God hath made for us Gen. 15.5 6. Rom. 4.13 14 16 18 22 23 24 26. Gal. 3.6 7 9 26 29. and given us in Christ so minde it that they are thereby led to believe in him for the Promise of Eternal Life and the Inheritance which is yet to come so walking as strangers on the Earth in that Faith and Hope it shall be imputed to them for Righteousness and so they counted of the spiritual Seed 6. That Abraham Isaac and Jacob with the Man Jesus Christ Gen. 13.15 17. 19.18 26.3 28.13 1 Chron 16.16 17 18. Psa 105.8 9 10 11. Heb. 11.9 Isa 65.17 Gal. 3.8 16. and all his spiritual Seed shall one day enjoy in a heavenly pure peaceable and joyful manner all that very Land much enlarged which Abraham saw and had Liberty to and did walk in the length and breadth of it and sojourned with Isaac and Jacob therein and so the Holy Ghost teacheth us to understand it but then it will be renewed and so a new Heaven and a new Earth And so was Christ revealed and the Gospel preached to Abraham Isaac and Jacob these three Fathers And it was confirmed in Christ to them by a free absolute and everlasting Covenant immediately made with them by God that gave to them an outward Covenant in the Flesh as a sign of the Righteousness of the same Faith for them to testifie with also to others of which remains to be spoken in treating of the Covenants And for the way of making the Gospel thus revealed known to others to draw them in to God it was even all that mentioned in the first Revelation and the farther Teaching of this revealed Explication with the Promises and Covenant made for which God did chuse and approve of these three primely yea first and chiefly Abraham and after and with him Isaac and Jacob who though his Sons yet were with him the Fathers naturally of all Israel and spiritually of the faithful among them and in all Nations following They the first that received and taught and walked in the Faith of the Gospel and Covenant as thus explicately revealed and come forth And they besides the former helps they had in common with all that feared the Lord as forementioned were yet more abundantly furnished 1. By God his immediate speaking to them and making this Everlasting and sure Covenant fore-confirmed in Christ personally with them for themselves and their Seed Whence he is said to make his Covenant with Abraham and to remember his Covenant made with Abraham Isaac Gen. 17.1 8. Psal 105.8 11. 1 Chron. 16.15 16 17 18. Lev. 26.42 Psal 25.14 and Jacob confirmed with an Oath to them for them and their Seed for an Everlasting Covenant to them and their Seed And the Children of Israel willed to remember the Covenant so made with those three And God in promising to do the People god saith He will remember for them his Covenant made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob with the residue of his Seed No mention yet that it was or is though one day in performance it shall be personally made with them but onely the same shewn to them And enabling them as Abraham's Seed to believe his performance for Abraham's sake and no otherwise was this Covenant made with any that is made known to us till it was with David more explicitely in respect of the Kingdom but to these three it was so made and they thereby so abundantly furnished to teach it 2. They were marvelously and supernaturally enlightned in the

at his coming will be compleatly fulfilled as according to all this vision Nathan spake to David yea God spake the same in vision to David Psal 89. 1 Chron. 17.15 Psa 89.19 20 29 30 37. how he would exalt him and there brings in Christ under his Name as he had before done to Abraham and shews how he will beat down his Foes and make him higher than the Kings of the Earth how his Seed shall indure for ever and his Throne as the dayes of Heaven yet here in this Life if his Children forsake God's Law and walk not in his Statutes he will visit their Transgressions with the Rod and their iniquity with stripes but his mercy he will never take from him nor suffer his faithfulness to fail his Covenant he will not break c. once he hath sworn c. he shall have his Seed still and his Seed shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sun before him it shall be established for ever 2 Sam. 23.3 4 5. and of this he speaketh Psal 132.11 18 and also in 2 Sam. 23.1 5. where mentioning the Ruler what a one he shall be and the excellency of his Raign David confesseth his house in his own personal Raign was not so with God nor in his natural Race did the Lord make it so to grow yet saith he He hath made an everlasting Covenant with me he saith not with my house as then it was but with me ordered in all things and sure and professeth for himself this is all my salvation and all my desire And David by the Spirit filled with the Knowledge of this Kingdom of Christ God did still by inspiration of his Spirit reveal to him and he by that Spirit spake of Christ the Anoynted the true David and Solomon the Son of David the Son of God the great King of him he saw and foretold The great opposition and raging conspiracies that would be against him in his first coming in the flesh Psal 2.1 2 3. Act. 4.25 and spiritual evidencing thereof to draw men in to him and this by Jews Gentiles Rulers and People The great sufferings that he should undergo by great and small Psal 22.7 18. 69.12 21. their laughing scoffing shaking the head at him piercing his hands and feet parting his Garments giving him Gall and Vineger to drink c. The Treason of Judas Psal 41.9 109.2 3 4 8. Act. 1.20 one of his chosen Apostles and the overthrow of that Traitor that rewarded evil for good His Death and Resurrection Psal 16.8 9 10 11. Act. 2.31 and 13.33 His doing the whole will of God and so ascending to Heaven Psal 40.7 8 9 10. 110.1 68.11 18 20. Heb. 10.5 6 14. Act. 2.33 and offering the acceptable Sacrifice and then sitting at the right hand of God receiving immeasurable fulness of Spirit in the Man and for Men and so extending thereof to the rebellions that he might dwell with them and to that end raising up many Preachers to declare his Name c. His coming again Psal 2.6 9. 149.4 9. and sitting upon his Throne and raigning and the coming of his Saints to raign with him and the great overthrow he and they all shall give to all the worldly Powers that stand against him and then the flourishing Estate of his Kingdom in Jerusalem and over all the Earth and this largely in the last Psalm which he sung and committed to the Church Psal 72.1 16. and most probable at the same time with that 2 Sam. 23.1 5. Yea Psal 102.16 the time of this his building up Sion and raigning to be even then when he shall appear in his glory All this and much more with the gracious requirings and operations of this Grace believed was revealed to David and he being filled furnished with the Holy Spirit hath declared the same and left it upon record in the Book of Psalms and so I leave it and the residue for such as desire the same to read there And so there was now a great explicite and cleer Revelation in which also was opened and interpreted to them the meaning of and the Truth typed by their Sacrifices and other figures and shadows yet it pleased God still to give more revelation of Christ and to explicate the Testimony in particulars more CHAP. 5. Of the fifth Revelation of Christ and the things of Christ IT pleased God by his holy Spirit to be still revealing Christ and the things of Christ in and to the following Prophets 1 Pet. 1.11 12. 2 Pet. 1.20 Luk. 1.70 Act. 26.22 and by them to Israel and Judah and that so fully both of his first coming and second coming that there is nothing of the things of Christ as then to come but it was revealed to and by them as to instance some 1. The Messenger that should go before his face or in his presence to prepare the way before him Mal. 3.1 Mat. 11.10 Isa 40.3 8. Joh. 1.16 20 23 29. Mar. 1.2 3. and the Doctrine in crying down all flesh and exalting the word of the Lord by which he should do it and the sudden coming of the Lord on the appearance of this Messenger which is now evidenced to be John Baptist. 2. His own first coming and living among men his Ministery Sufferings Victory and Works in each particular Isa 9.6 Luk. 2.11 Jer. 23.22 Gal. 4.4 Isa 7.14 Mat. 1.23 Isa 11.1 Luk. 1.27 c. Mic. 5.2 Mat. 2.5 Ioh. 7.42 Jer. 31.25 Mat. 2.16 17 18. Isa 61.1 2 3. Luk. 4.18 Psal 69.9 Ioh. 2.14 17. as to say a little his birth into the world of a woman a Virgin of the House and Seed of David his birth in Bethlem-Ephratah in Judah yea his flight into and return out of Egypt Hosea 11.1 Mat. 2.15 and the slaughter of Rachel's Children on that occasion in Bethlem His return to Nazareth and manner of living among men Isa 53.2 3 4. Mat. 2.23 Luk. 2.51 Joh. 1.46 7.52 Mar. 6.3 His Ministery his Miracles and Patience Isa 42.1 8. Mat. 12.1 18. His Parables Psal 49.1 4. 78.2 Mat. 13.35 His Zeal for purging the Temple Zach. 11.12 13. Mat. 26.15 27.3 9. Isa 53.7 8 10 11 12. Isa 7.14 Mat. 1.23 His Meekness and riding on an Ass and a Colt the Fole of an Ass Zach. 9.9 Mat. 21.1 10. His being sold for thirty pence the scattering of his Disciples from him Zach. 13.7 Mat. 26.31 56. His being scourged and crucified between two Thieves Isa 50.6 53.12 Mat. 27.26 38. Yea his Death Burial and Resurrection and his Sacrifice offered his being filled with knowledge and his Mediation on that account or by vertue thereof yea his being God-Man in one Person Emmanuel God with us 3. That in respect of all this which he hath suffered and done Isaiah 28.16 1 Pet. 2.5 6. 2 Cor. 5.19 1 Cor. 3.11 Act. 4.11 Isa 49.6 45.22 1 Joh.

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

man of all Nations in all the World where-ever they come and this as a Word of Truth and so to set forth this second publick Man the spiritual Man the Lord the quickning Spirit as he on whom God hath executed the Judgement that was due to Mankinde for their sins as fallen in whom their Nature is restored the Nature of Man being united and married unto God in the Person of his Son and so a great Feast of fatness even the sure mercies of David prepared in him is Mankinde perfect again as in a publick Man having in him forgiveness pardon peace wisdom righteousness eternal Life so verily that in believing in him they may receive it 1 Ioh. 5.10 11 12. 2 Cor. 2.17 3.12 4.2 and be partakers of it and so is he to be set forth without any Cloak or equivocation plainly to every Man appealing to their consciences in the sight of God and that Jesus is so and as such a one to be held forth to all that every one may behold him as he in whom there is healing for them to be received in believing is plain in our Saviour's own personal Testimony a Ioh. 3.14 15. and the Testimony of his Spirit in his Apostles b Rom. 3.24 25 26. 2 Cor. 5. 14 19 21. Col. 1.28 and this to this end that by this Men might be reconciled to God c 2 Cor. 5.20 And this hope given the Servants of Christ in such elevation of Christ that he will confirm their words and manifest their Testimony true so that all Men shall be drawn thereby even by Christ testified unto him d Joh. 12.32 such as in this day of grace believe this Testimony of him it shall be the power of God unto Salvation in them and work effectually in them uniting and conforming them to Christ so as they shall by degrees and in due season enjoy all this revealed blessedness e Mat. 10.40 Rom. 1.16 1 Thes 2.13 2 Pet. 1.1 10. And such as persist in refusing and rebelling against the Light extended shall by the same Spirit that breatheth in the Gospel be at the last day convinced f Joh. 16.7 8 9 10 11. and come before Christ and bow to him and confess him Lord to the glory of God g Phil. 2.10 11. and shall confess the Truth of the Testimony his Servants delivered and them to be the Servants of the Lord which in the dayes of his patience they despised and opposed h Isa 60.14 Rev. 3.9 and all before the final sentence be executed on them for God that frustrateth the tokens of the lyars and maketh diviners mad that turneth wise Men backward and maketh their knowledge foolishness doth and will confirm the Word of his Servants and perform the counsel of his Messengers i Isa 44.25 26. And to both parts of this said he hath given us his Oath That all shall come before him k Isa 45.22 23 24. And thus was the mystery of Christ revealed by himself in his own personal Ministration Part 1. ch 6. in which also as he uttered many Parables so he opened them all to his Disciples to teach them openly and whereas the Disciples did not yet cleerly understand all this Revelation of Christ so taught to them before Christ had suffered and risen from the dead therefore Christ after his Resurrection appeared to them and taught the same again to them and then expounded Moses and the Prophets and in order opened in all the Scriptures unto them the things concerning himself also opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures l Luk. 24.26 27 45 46 47. yet because all was not yet acted by Christ as well as taught by him that was to be in the mystery held forth in their Ministration for Christ his body though then risen was not as then ascended and glorified m Joh. 20.17 and so the fulness of understanding of the whole mystery by the Holy Ghost not yet given n Joh. 7.39 16.7 therefore they were yet to wait for further divine Power even the holy Ghost to be given them to open cleerly this Revelation to them and to help them to witness it which Christ promised them and did perform it after his ascension o Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.4 CHAP. 9. Of the third way of our Saviour's Revelation and manifestation of himself to the first witnesses of his Resurrection OUr Saviour according to his Promise did within a few dayes after his Ascension by vertue and as a fruit of his Ascension and Sacrifice offered and accepted and his Mediation begun he did send and shed forth and pour upon and in them the Holy Ghost in an audible sensible Act. 2.2 3 4 c. and visible shape both resting upon them and supernaturally and inwardly filling them by which Holy Spirit he brought again to their minde and gave them to understand all his fore-Revelation and sayings to them and shewed the things of himself and the Father so leading them into all Truth and making known to them the whole counsel of God in things pertaining to Eternal Life to be taught till his coming again enduing them with power motion and fitness to witness of him and giving them the gift of tongues to speak to every Man in his own Language wherein he was born so abundantly was the Revelation of the mystery of Christ by the Spirit made known to them and yet that we may rightly understand what the Holy Ghost is that was thus given unto them it is good to consider what in Revelation of Christ from the beginning and now by himself is given us to understand and that is that it is something that was never before this so given no not as then while John was baptizing Mar. 1.8 Joh. 7.38 39. Joh. 14.16 16.7 Act. 5.3 4. 1 Ioh. 5.7 Gen. 1.2 Psal 33.6 139.1 11. nor yet while Christ himself was personally ministring here on Earth nor could be given till he left the World in that body of his and went to the Father so that it cannot be meant properly of the essence and being of the Holy Ghost which is one and the same with the Father and the Son the same God by whom the Heaven and the Earth was made and all the Hosts of them for in this respect he fills heaven and Earth and is everywhere present and alwayes was so that in respect of essence he is not said to be sent or proceeding from the Father and Son or descending being ever one in and with both but onely in respect of person or manner of existence in and operation of that one divine essence but it must be meant of some forth-coming of the divine power from the Father by Christ yet in this also it cannot be meant of such forth-coming in breathings and operations as tend to the supportation of the old Creation Joh 26.12 13. Psa 104.29 30. in

spiritual Gifts and Vertue to witness the Testimony of Christ still in all this time And as God forsook Shilo where his Tabernacle was in Canaan first pitched for the wickedness thereof Jer. 7.12 and returned his Tabernacle no more thither Rev. 12.1 so God may reject this outward Court in which his Sanctuary once was and his Glory shined in it and for the wickedness of it never beautifie it with his true Sanctuary again but preserve his true Sanctuary by his Word and Spirit till Christ come Rev. 11 19. and the Holy Ones beneath and the Holy Ones above do meet and the false Prophet be slain and the Church become a Kingdom which whether hinted in leaving out the Name of the outward Court Heb. 9. I will not say but onely that the placing helps in Government among such Temporary things as came in afterward may afford these instructions to us and so leave it to each man as Light of Truth perswades But for the Gospel and these spiritual Gifts given from Heaven that they have already been abundantly confirmed by Miracles and they so divinely recorded as is enough to confirm Faith and no need of doing them over again is that affirmed and proved and yet to make it more cleer and evident we have it expresly testified 4. By the Apostles own words to the Hebrews when having set forth the excellency of Christ as in Testimony of him set forth and then exhorted them to diligent heed taking thereto Heb. 1. 2.1 2 3 4. he admonishing them saith How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was after confirmed unto us by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost according to his own will So that the Gospel hath been confirmed above all that the Law of Moses was and as the Miracles confirming that was no more to be iterated after the Law was once taught setled and confirmed but those remembred with the Law yea the Prophets that came after endeavouring to move them to deviate from that Law with Signs and Wonders Deut. 13. were not to be believed or hearkned to so we are now warned for these times that false Prophets false Christs and Antichrists will come with signs and wonders to deceive and draw credit to their false Doctrine with Mat. 24.24 Mar. 12.22 2 Thes 2.10 So that which we are now to heed is the Word of the Testimony of Christ in which is testified Jesus to be The Christ the Apostles and first Witnesses to have declared his Minde even the Gospel according to the Revelation of the Mystery and the spiritual gifts with which they went forth and the Gospel revealing all this to be taught and left upon record by them Mat. 24.14 Rom. 10.18 the sound whereof went through the whole World before the first Witnesses all of them left the World And it was and hath been setled in many Churches in divers parts of the World and sufficiently confirmed with Signs Wonders Miracles and miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghost already and they also written that we might believe And thus have I shewn according to this last and fullest Revelation of Christ who were chosen in and by him the first Instruments for laying the Foundation and beginning the building on it and so to set this glorious Ministration on foot and how plentifully they were furnished Now it is needful also to shew the Furniture of the following Witnesses that are of the same society and house and to carry on this Ministration to the same end till the return and personal appearing of Jesus Christ CHAP. 15. Of the Furniture of the following Witnesses till Christ come again WHo are the chosen of God in Christ to be Part 3. c. 11. and so are these Witnesses to carry on this blessed business till Christ come again is already before shewn and that they are such as through belief of his Grace in the Testimony of Christ delivered by the Apostles are by his Spirit built on Christ and so come unto Mount Sion Heb. 12.22 2 24. and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect and to Jesus thn Mediator of the New Covenant c. and so have fellowship with the Prophets 1 Joh. 1.3 Eph. 2.19 22. Isa 59.20 21. Phil. 2.15.16 Heb. 3.6 1 Tim. 3.15 and Apostles and so with the Father and the Son being now fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God build upon the Foundation c. having the same Word and Spirit in their Heart and in their Mouth which the Apostles had these are to hold forth the Word of Life c. as hath been shewn for these are the House of God and of Christ the Church of the living God the Pillar and Ground of Truth So that 1. Isa 43.10 Act. 13.47 As a Pillar was used for a Witness of Peace Gen. 31.51 52. so these are God's Witnesses to the World of Christ being his salvation to the ends of the Earth to open the eyes of the blinde c. 2. Isa 43.10 11. 1 Joh. 2.2 2 Cor. 5.19 Rom. 3.25 1 Tim. 1.16 Heb. 12.1 As the Pillar of the Cloud was a Testimony of God's presence and a Guide to Israel Exod. 13. so these are God's Witnesses and Holders forth of his presence and propitiatoriness to the World as Preachers and Patterns that they might repent and come in to follow him God spake to his People in a cloudy Pillar Psal 97.7 8. and through the same Pillar looked upon the Egyptians and troubled them Exod. 14.24 and so by and through these God speaks unto the World 2 Cor. 5.20 and manifesteth the savour of his knowledge through them 2 Cor. 2.14 17. which proves a savour of Life unto Life in them that in believing receive it and a savor of death unto them that oppose and rebel against it 3. As a Pillar the word is sometimes used to express some chief ones as Gal. 2.9 so whereas God hath testified his goodness in that rumour of the Gospel proclaimed in Paradise and in his works of Creation and Providence and after by Types and Prophesies and after by the Fore-runner of his Son Eph 3.3 4 5 6 9 10. 1 Pet. 1.11 12. 1 Tim. 3.16 and had Instruments suitable to each for Ministration yet when his Son is manifest as come in the Flesh who is the Brightness of his Glory and chief Testimony of his goodness so in that respect the Ministers that thus hold him forth they are the chief and such are these and the Church now 4. A Pillar is used for an upholder

fore-included and mentioned namely That 5. For all this good purposed for and to Believers he hath so ordered his Purpose in his Counsels Joh. 1.13 Rom. 9.6 7 8 9 10 11 11.4 5 6 that it shall take place for effecting and communicating all this rich free and spiritual Goodness not according to Man's natural or first birth of what Family or Man soever born or by what Name in respect of that birth soever called nor according to the Dignities or Degrees or Estates conferred on Men in this World nor according to the Learning Wisdom or Workings of Men of what sort soever but according to the Election of Grace that is as his free and rich Grace in Christ being discovered gains in to believe and in being heeded and believed doth chuse or elect that is sever from the manners and fellowship of the World and unite and bring into oneness fellowship and conformity with Christ and so with his And this is that assured to Abraham That in his Seed all the Families of the Earth should be blessed so as there is blessing in Christ for all Nations and Families and that blessing truely held forth for all in the Gospel given him to preach as is foreshewed so that any of all the Families of the Earth however bounded or different in their earthy or natural Births Habitations Prerogatives Names or Works may in beholding this Grace of God in Christ as displayed be brought in to believe in Christ and so receive of the blessing that fore-was in him for them and so in views and heeding the Grace seen and believed be by it elected chosen out of the Worlds Fellowship and State into union and Fellowship Conformity with Christ Joh. 1.12 13 3.3 5. 2 Thes 2.13 14. 1 Pet. 1.2 and so to enjoy the Priviledges of the Elect. And so the Children of Ishmael or Esau or any Nations of the VVorld in beholding this Grace in Christ as displayed in the Gospel may come in to believe and therein to the service of Christ that is now come forth of Jacob and abiding in believing that electing Grace be through the belief of it elected And this the Apostle renders as the proof of the Righteousness of God and the Immutability of his Purpose Rom. 9.5 6 11 13 14 24 25 30 31 32 33 10.1 2 3 4 in taking the Gospel from the Children of Jacob that heeded not this electing Grace but strove to attain by their works and giving it in a sort to the Children of Esau the Gentiles that in the Gospel-Call imbraced it and yet affirms this cast-off Israel in returning to view and imbrace the same shall also be again received Rom. 11.23 So that the Purpose of God remains firm That his Purpose of all these good things pertaining to Eternal Life shall stand take place come to pass Rom. 9.11 11.5 6 7 not according to Men's works but according to the Election of grace is that is heeded and takes place and goes on in the Believers as is shewn in the Cautions in the beginning of this Discourse of Purposes and needs not be repeated again And yet because of the stumbling of some by some different Phrases and Terms in which these Purposes and this Election of Grace is set forth I shall a little farther treat of them in another way namely by considering that famous place to which every Dissenter from us in this resorts to ground his Opinion on in this business of the Purposes of God in Rom. 8.28 29 30. let us mind what is there said CHAP. 6. Of Romans 8.28 ANd we know Rom. 8.28 that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to purpose Verse 17 18 The Apostle had before intimated a certainty of the sufferings of those that are the Sons of God by Faith and yet comforting them with the greatness of the Glory to be revealed he also intimately admonisheth them to patience of Hope from the consideration both of the expectation of the Creature now subject to vanity 19 21 22 23 24 25 till that glorious Day of the Manifestation of the Sons of God whose deliverance is earnestly expected and waited for and also of the Adoption that is the Redemption of the Body together with the fulness or harvest of the Spirit then certainly expected and till then to be waited for yea he secretly stirreth them up more abundantly to this patience of Hope by the Grace of God in affording them an enjoyment of the first Fruits of the Spirit and to this also opens the way of their safety and preservation and the certainty of it in that way that is by hope even hope for that not yet seen or enjoyed but onely patiently and confidently waited for and because besides the afflictions befallen them they are yet but weak and though God be a God hearing Prayers 26 27 28 yet they know not how to pray as they ought he comforts them with this That the Spirit they receive in belief of the Gospel helpeth them c. and now against all afflictions oppositions and temptations he gives them this farther great consolation All things work together for good to them that long God God is good and doth good and his tender mercies are over all his works and they work from him for good Psal 1.4.5.8 9 Rom. 2.4 Job 33.13 24 even to lead Men to Repentance and so doth his chastisements likewise But to them that believe not and so love not God Psa 69.21 25 109.2 6 Rom. 11.9 but return him hatred for love those things work not so in them to the same end but that which was their welfare turneth to them into a snare But to them that love God all things work together for good Let this be well heeded That the Apostle doth not say Psal 109.4 5 To all that God hath loved or loveth for some that he hath loved or loves have rewarded him hatred for his love Nor doth he say To all for whom Christ hath died and offered himself a sacrifice for some of these tread him under foot deny him that bought them Heb. 10.29 2 Pet. 2.1 Pro. 1.24 Jer. 6.16 30 Heb. 4.1 2 Mat. 22.16 Nor doth he say to all That by gracious means or Ministration of the Gospel he hath called or calleth for some such rebelliously refuse and many not mixing the VVord with Faith are not yet chosen much less doth he say To a Company under a secret Purpose the greatest number of whom cannot yet be known Nor doth he say That all things work together for good to any because they love God as if that were the deserving cause which is but the way and frame of the Heart in which things so work But he saith To them that love God and mark that he speaks it not as a peculiar thing revealed to and so known by him and some

a pattern he is set forth to them in which as he is glorified so God is glorified in and by him so that predestination here cannot be a predestination of Men to be saved for whom Christ should die and suffer to save them for he then should not be the first-born in such a predestination scarce so the first in order but here he is the first in the choise predestination call justification and glorification and so in the whole pattern above all in excellency and they First believing and chosen in him and then predestinated to be conformed to him that therein he may be the chief and first-born among many Brethren And so we have the meaning in the Apostle's Description Secondly Let all these things in the words be considered as the Apostle here proposeth to the Believers according to his wonted manner the examples of such as had gone before them in the Faith to comfort and encourage them to service and suffering and through sufferings to wait for glory in which examples he also sets forth Christ as the chief to behold and conform to they when chosen were predestinated and then called to it and also justified and glorified and there is no change in God we may be sure believing in him 1 Tim. 1.16 he will even so deal in the same manner with us they are patterns for us that believe And so the Apostle giving a definition of Faith and a description of it and the marvellous effects of it in the whole Chapter Heb. 11.1 vers 13.2 sets forth a Catalogue of the great things done and suffered and their victory and certainty of the promises encourageth them having such a cloud of witnesses Heb. 12.1 2 to lay aside every c. and to run with patience the race set before them but above all looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who c. and so likewise James Take Jam. 5.10 11. my Brethren the Prophets c. for an example of suffering afflection and of patience behold we count them happy which endure ye have heard of the patience of Job and ye have seen the end of the Lord. 1 Pet. 2.5 So that as the purpose and promise of the Lord is They that trust in him shall not be confounded so these examples of his dealing with his beloved Ones Psal 9.10 34.22 Psal 22.4 5 is as a cord let down from Heaven to draw and hold us to trust in him at all times yea this exercise of Faith the Spirit leads Believers to and upholds and fills them with pleas in greatest distresses and that the Apostle propounds examples here of such as have finished their course appears in that the whole here said in 29 and 30 verses in the preterfect Tense not a word of that doing or to be done but all done Hath predestinated called justified glorified and thus taken the whole business is yet more plain And so I proceed 3. To shew what the Calling is that is here meant that foresaid hath done it already It is not the Call of unbelievers and sinners to repent and believe for Christ was never so called and though in that Call Believers are brought in to him yet it 's a following work of grace to conform to him so that the Call here is the Call of those that are Believers to such services and suffering and imitation of Christ in both as that both in the Call and the services of love and suffering they are conformed to him as is already shewn Moreover whom he did predestinate them also he called Rom. 8.30 There hath not been any of those that have been called according to purpose and loved God and were approved of him but as he hath predestinated them so also moreover and besides he hath called them forth to these services and sufferings and so to conformity with Christ therein and he is the same God still and keeps the same course still with all Believers and Lovers of him yet may we be confident and rejoyce in him in all for 4. Whom he called them also he justified The Justification here meant Rom. 4.5 3.25 is farther then simply a Justification of the ungodly believing in Christ and so receiving remission of sins past even such a Justification as in which the justified are conformed to Christ in his justification and what that was is express in the place of the Prophet Isa 50.7 8 9 Isa 43.2 Neh. 13.14 Heb. 11.4 2 Cor. 8.12 6.8 Rev. 12.11 Psal 44.17 18 Rom. 8.36 37 Isa 41.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 37 40 to which the Apostle alludes in this Chapter which Justification includes in it Help and Assistance in all services and sufferings even when they pass through fire and water that they shall not be overthrown or harmed and however condemned and defamed by Men yet he will accept and justifie their services and sufferings and approve of and justifie them believing in him when and while they are exercised in these services and sufferings yea he give them victory so as they shall overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their Testimony yea he hath alwayes done this to his Saints he called hereto he hath justified them and not onely so but Whom he justified Joh. 17.1 Heb. 12.2 Psal 44.17 18 c. Isa 52.2 Rev. 14.13 6.9 10 11. 2 Cor. 5.8 Phil. 1.23 3.20 them he also glorified He hath glorified his Son in the Nature of Man that suffered and finished the work he gave him to do so as he is glorified at his right hand he hath glorified the Saints that followed him with the glory of victory their Bodies at rest in hope and their Spirits with the Lord enjoying glorious rejoycing in the sight of his glorified body and happiness in his presence with infallible assurance of having their glory compleated on Soul and Body at his coming in the Resurrection of the Just and so hath he done to all his Saints before and so will do still and for ever And thus by this Rom. 8.28 29.30 we are led to understand the Purposes of God to be even such and the same that have been set forth in this fourth Part of the Treatise if we consider in the whole three Verses the next two things forenamed it more appears that is 5. What the end and scope of the Apostle here is and that appears plainly 1. Ch. 7.4 7 8.1 4 5 6 12 13 14 To stir them up to abide firm in the Faith and to minde the things of the Spirit and walk after the Spirit in love-services 2. Vers 17 18 23 24 To comfort and support them in the afflictions that came upon them while they walked after the Spirit in the Faith that worketh by love and so encourage them to patience and constancy in the induring of their afflictions persevering in faith and love yea even 3. To lead them to triumphing

1.22 23. 9.6 Mar. 1.15 Act. 3.26 26 18. Joh. 2.8 Pro. 1.24 Joh. 3.19 Psal 85.8 Heb. 3.7 Jam. 1.21 1 Pet. 2.1 2.3 Jam. 1.25 Act. 15.9 and according to the Purpose in Election For first this saving Grace of God in Christ in its appearance teacheth and requireth every one to whom it is tendered in the Call To submit to his convincements and turn at his reproofs and so turn from iniquity And if any stubbornly refuse they lose their own mercies their own souls and those that begin to hearken and in believing to taste somthing of the graciousness of the Lord it warns also to turn no more to folly but to be still casting off all superfluity of naughtiness and to receive with meekness the ingrafted word that so they may come more upon him and be built on him And such as thus receive his gracious words in believing on him he will purifie from all their iniquities Joh. 3.14 15 16 17 18. Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. 3.3 4 5 6 7. and unite and conform them to himself And so this last sentence shews That this whole Verse agrees with our Saviour's Description of the Will of God and the Foundation he hath set forth and owned and with the Affirmation of the Oblation of Christ and the end thereof and the Teachings and the Efficacies thereof and so with all those holy Cautions and Warnings to take heed of refusing and of back-sliding or of liftning to seducing Spirits And all runs even with the scope of the Apostle and all the precedent and following Verses and the whole current of the Scripture affirming Christ the onely and sure Foundation whereas the affirming of an eternal Purpose and Election of some certain persons of fallen Mankinde to be eternally saved is cross to this Text and all Scripture to be laid as the Foundation though some sometime leave out the words having this Seal that the other following words might be taken for the Foundation Mr. O. p. 77. and then call it The Foundation of God's unchangeable Purpose and Love yet if a Man would say By purpose is meant that purposed I would take it in the most favourable sense Suppose some honest and learned Jew before Christ came in the Flesh should have affirmed God's Purpose of sending forth his Son Christ to die and rise and offer the acceptable Sacrifice and so to be the Saviour of the World that whoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Suppose I say he should have taught this Purpose of God to be the Foundation he had something miscarried in Expression for the Foundation purposed and promised was the Seed of the Woman to break the Serpent's Head the Seed of Abraham in whom is blessing for all Nations a Man to be the Rock and God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth and though he was not then come forth and so not laid as now he is yet he was held forth though afar off in the Promise to be looked to and by reason of the agreement between the Father and him and in his undertaking he was so vertuous and efficacious that he was a sure Foundation so as in beholding him and resting on him as yet to come Heb. 11.13 14 40. such Believers were safe And so they seeing it afar off were perswaded and embraced and lived and died in the Faith and shall receive the Promise of the Inheritance together with us and so the Foundation was the thing purposed and waited for then So that here were a little mistake in this honest Jews Expression yet this mistake might have been tolerable because the Foundation was as then no farther laid but as held forth in the Promise and Revelation of the Purpose of God And so to take the Promise and Purpose therein revealed including the belief of him promised for the Foundation had not been dangerous but safe where farther Light was not come forth But now the Purpose is manifest to be come forth into act Act. 2. 13.32 33. 10.11 Rom. 1.1 5. 1 Cor. 3.11 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. and the Foundation according to Purpose laid the promise fulfilled and Christ that took Man's Nature and died for their sins is risen and manifestly declared to be the Foundation Now to slight over this open and manifest laid and sealed Foundation and to cloke it with making the Purpose of God the Foundation to be built on as if the Foundation purposed were not laid or not manifest is not less then an intimate denial of Christ being come in the Flesh 1 Joh. 4.3 and too neer the Spirit of Antichrist Therefore it is to be desired That Men would acknowledge and call him The Foundation that is so and not avoid it by calling the Purpose the Foundation and yet to call that the Purpose of God which is not and make it the Foundation also is much worse consider that also CHAP. 11. Of a devised Purpose by some called The Purpose of God and counted The Foundation SOme have conceived and are ready to affirm this for the Purpose of God namely That from Eternity before the Foundation of the World God did decree and purpose eternall to save a certain number of persons of fallen Mankinde and eternally to damne all the rest of Mankinde and in this Purpose to elect as a peculiar people to himself all and onely those he so purposed to save and to reprobate all the rest And also That in this Purpose he purposed to give his own Son to take Man's Nature therein to die and rise and offer Sacrifice for all these elect and no other and to purchase for them Repentance Faith and Eternal Life and for no other so that these elect shall infallibly have it all and none but they And That the residue of Men by the Soveraignty and Power of God shall have their lives given them and preserved for a time that living they may by sin deserve this Damnation they were fore-purposed and ordained to before it be executed that so whatever the Purpose was the Execution may be just yea Gospel preached to many of them and some lower works of the Spirit vouchsafed them yea Faith attained by many of them and holiness true in its kinde yea profession and doing worthily from which if they fall the greater their condemnation if they abide and die in that Faith yet they must be damned the Death of Christ and his Gospel and all means extended to call and lead them to Repentance and Faith had nothing really in Truth for their Salvation but to leave them without excuse and aggravate their condemnation All belonging to eternal Salvation is onely for those Sons of Adam that were eternally purposed and elected to be eternally saved and in that Purpose Christ given to die for them that they might be saved through him And this eternal Purpose of God some make the foundation on which whosoever is built shall not miscarry and no

of living Waters Psa 36.9 Jer. 17.13 Mal. 4.2 Col. 2.3 9. Joh. 1.16 of Light Life and Spirit the Sun of Righteousness in whom all Light Life and quickning is in whom the fulness of the Spirit of life is and from whom it flows and so those that through Grace believe on him receive of his fulness and see light in his light and so in beholding of and believing in him the same Spirit that is in him floweth into them Joh. 3.6 and effecteth the minde and disposition of Christ in them which is also called Spirit in which respect Christ is said to dwell in them and the Holy Spirit is said to dwell in them who as proceeding from Christ and remaining in him so he entreth their hearts and worketh this new Spirit or disposition in them and by his light and operations dwelleth in it and so in them and this Spirit effected in them and dwelling in them they have derivatively from Christ and it cannot be had divided from him but they believing in him Eph. 3.16 17. have it of and from him and him within and by it and so they have him and this Spirit of and from him in their hearts by Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 2 Tim. 1.7 1 Ioh. 4.4 and it is in them a Spirit of Faith the Spirit of Power of Love and of a sound minde and this Spirit dwelling in them is greater and stronger then the Devil that is in the World so that they may full readily mix the Promises with Faith 1 Ioh. 5.4 5. yea and believing in the Son of God overcome the World their Faith being their Victory whereby they overcome And thus we have seen the Promises to Believers in their spiritual frames and exercises are many the Promises to them abiding in the Faith given them are many the Promises that they may abide many and the helps for their abiding many and all gracious from the Almighty God of Truth through the Mediator to Believers to whom Faith is given that they may and whoever as they may mix the Promises with Faith and so accepteth the Grace given may have the Assurance of Faith even for his perseverance in which the following Promises will be still farther helpful also let them be considered CHAP. 5. Of the Promises to be fulfilled to Believers after this Life THe fourth sort of Promises are those which are to be performed to Believers when they have lived and died in the Faith when their Battel is fought their Race run and so they have finished their Course and kept the Faith and so overcome The Promises to be then performed to them be great precious and of three sorts 1. Such as are to be performed to them at their death as all shall but such as survive at the coming of the Lord to whom such Promises not needful nor suffer they loss 2. Such as are to be performed at the Resurrection of the Just in the personal coming of the Lord. 3. Such as are to be performed when Christ delivers up the Kingdom to God the Father and so God is All in all I shall according to what I finde hint somewhat of each I. For the Promises that shall be performed to Believers at their death 1. They shall rest from their labours sorrows Rev. 14.13 Isa 26.20 21. 57.2 Ioh. 3.17 18. Zach. 9.11 12. 1 Thes 4.14 Ioh 17.13 16. 19.25 27. combates with temptations being kept as in Chambers of safety till the indignation in which the inhabitants of the earth shall be punished have gone over them all yea they shall enter into peace their bodies resting in the earth in their several places as in beds of peace and though in respect of the enjoyment of the great hope their bodies be as Prisoners yet are they at rest and free from all trouble and fear and so Prisoners of hope that sleep in Jesus and shall be raised at his coming to see him and come with him so it is a blessed sleep and rest 2. Their Spirits or Souls shall walk in their uprightness in the presence of Christ their Righteousness and under his Wings Isa 52.2 Rev. 6.9 10 11. Phil. 1.21 23. 2 Cor. 5.1 2 6 7 8. as the Altar of safety and solace enjoying a more full sight of the Person of the Lord Jesus and being nigher and having more full fellowship with greater rejoycings in him and with him and with the Spirits of just Men made perfect of which they now are then ever they did or could have enjoyed Heb. 6.12 15. 4.3 4 10. while they were in mortal bodies in which respect as touching their Souls they may be said to inherit the Promises to enter into rest and in both these respects the day of their death is better to them then the day of their birth was 3. Their works do follow them Rev. 14.13 Ioh. 15.16 2 Pet. 1.15 1 Tim. 6.14 2 Ioh. 8. 1 Thes 2.19 20. 2 Cor. 10.15 16. Heb. 11.4 12.1 that which through Faith working by love they have done in their preaching the Testimony of Christ their works of mercy their prayers their sufferings and constancy therein in bearing witness to the Truth and against Antichrist have not only had their fruits for holding forth the Faith and winning in others to God in their life-time but in the efficacy of the Truth witnessed by them in preaching and suffering in answer of their prayers and the memory of their good examples their fruits shall remain yea also multiply and encrease upon their account after their decease II. For the Promises to be performed to them at the coming of the Lord Jesus in and at the Resurrection of the Just they are of great and glorious things as to instance some of them 1. Their Bodies shall be raised again not corruptible 1 Cor. 15 23 42 45 52. 1 Thes 4.16 Phil. 3.21 Mat. 22.30 weak and mortal as before they had been but incorruptible powerful immortal and glorious at the very coming of Christ yea so as they shall be as the Angels of God though not Angels and Spirits onely Mar. 15.25 Luk. 20.35 36 Rom. 8.23 yet as the Angels and spiritual equal to the Angels for impossibility of dying or falling for strength agility swiftness of motion in ascending or descending and moving every way Thus shall their bodies be raised and united to and possessed of their own perfect Souls or Spirits for ever being both moved and carried about by the divine power 2. 1 Thes 4.17 Isa 9.4 5 6. 11.4 30.27 28 60.12 Zach. 14.5 2 Pet. 3.7 See Part 2 ch 17. Being so raised and made spiritual and glorious in Soul and Body they shall in a moment ascend and meet the Lord in the Air and so be ever with him yea come along with him to that great Battel in which shall be no carnal Sword no confusion no garments of any Saints rolled in blood and yet the

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.

they were chosen and filled with the joy of the Holy Ghost it gives us cleerly to understand and minde I. The abundance and power of Spirit that went forth in this Word Act. 10.43 ●● 19 21. when so despised by great Ones and preached by traduced Ministers to the hearts of all such as attentively heard it II. The unfeignedness and effectualness of the Faith in the very beginning 1 Thes 1.4 5 6. 2.13 14. and at once wrought in such as received the word when it was so despised and opposed III. The evidencing the effectualness of their Calling and Election in the beginning 2 Thes 2.13 14. and so in this season such abundance of Grace given and received at the first and not only so but at the first also so shewing forth it self as was not at all times nor to all usual now no feigned Believer now none that believed and were not yet made upright and free nay none here that staggered but all so believing as ordinarily others came to by degrees but such a Blessing as might encourage Ministers of the Gospel to hold forth the Word of Life in all times of opposition Now I leave the sense of the place to every one that believeth the Gospel to understand as he is helped to conceive knowing that all will meet in one and preserve from stumbling and wresting if Gospel-Purposes and Promises be heeded yet I shall mention a little farther use of them CHAP. 7. Of some usefulness concerning those to whom Promises belong THe knowledge of the Purposes of God and so of the Promises which are Revealers of the Purposes in the three several Heads forementioned will lead us to see to whom the Promises belong and to whom and in what order they may be proclaimed preached and applied without any doubt or equivocation or cloak for an evasion as the Promises under the first Head declared as fulfilled to be held forth to all Men for good yea though they believe not yet to affirm them true and good and done for them that they might believe and the Promises under the second Head held forth to all Men as true and good Act. 13.32 39 47 48. even for them so as they have yet an Interest in them and he will perform if in performance of them their eyes are opened c. they do in seeing see c. they shall be saved brought out of darkness into light and so enabled to believe and in believing receive Remission of sins Life Justification and so these of both sorts may be thus affirmed as Truth to all Men to every Man to sinners yea to sinners as sinners and they hereby beseeched to repent 2 Cor. 5.14 15 19 20 21. 6.1 2. believe and be reconciled to God with assurance of Blessing in their believing Acceptance of and yielding up to this Grace praying them to receive it on that Ground But the Promises as under the third Head though to be preached to sinners and in the hearing of sinners to allure them to become Believers yet not to be applied to any unbelievers as that in which they have an Interest though in believing they might come to have an Interest But these Promises are in respect of having Interest to be applied onely to Believers and though to them as yet also in some sense sinners yet not to them as sinners onely but as also Believers and in Christ and Heirs of which enough hath been said and more needs not but onely a word to shew the mistakes of some that would cut off all the Promises of God from appertaining to any but The Elect The spiritual Seed alleadging there is an Israel and an Israel a People and a People and all that are of Israel are not Israel that 's not the spiritual Seed but the Children of the Promise are counted for the Seed All which is very true but the inference is very false That all the Promises pertaining to life pertain to are made and belong onely to this choise Israel and spiritual Seed and not to the residue of Israel and people for Paul speaking of Israel including them that stood out for whom he was in great sorrow Rom. 9.2 9. saith That to them were committed the Oracles of God That they are Israeclites to whom pertaineth the Adoption and the Glory and the giving of the Law and the Covenants and the Promises nor doth he say That those to whom the Promises are made are counted for the Seed for then there needed no being born by or of the Promises to make them so And Isaac the Son of the Promise was conceived and born of a Promise yea a Promise made to Abraham before he had any being and believed by Abraham and Sarah so the Promise is surely confirmed in Christ and believed by the Church and held forth in the Gospel even for and to sinners and when in performance of the Promises under the second Head the eyes and ears of Men are opened some in seeing see not c. and so are not born of the Promise yet those that in seeing see the Promise becomes effectual in them and they are born of it and being born they see their benefit in it Compare Rom. 9.1 9. with Gal. 4.23 26 28 31 and Interest in that Promise to the hope whereof they are born as Isaac also did and were there no Promise made for and to sinners as sinners even such as are not yet Children of the Promise that by the Promise believed and held forth by the Church they might be won in conceived and born of the Promise how should the free-Woman come to have any more Children which certainly she shall True it is Men may be said to be Children of the Prophets and so of the Apostles and so of Abraham and so of the Church and so of the Covenant and Promises God hath made with the Fathers and the Church Act. 2.39 3.19 25 13.26 38 39 46 Rom. 10.1 2 3. while they are nurtured and brought up under the Doctrine Law and Ordinances given by them and continue in that Profession but then so was all the Israel or Jews that yet were unbelievers when Paul wrote yea cleerly distinct from true Proselytes and Fearers of God and charged with putting away eternal life from themselves and in this sense as all Israel under that Tuition so all Christians under Gospel-Ministration and Ordinances are such Children and Promises belong to them and are to be preached to them and yet still those that are born of the Promise are the Children of the Promise that are the spiritual Seed and counted for the Seed and have the Promises to preach to others which known what they are will direct in the preaching them And by that hath been said of the Testimony of Christ in his Oblation Mediation and coming again and of the Purposes of God concerning Christ and concerning Mankinde fallen and concerning Believers and lastly

other Churches yea doth not the Apostle profess himself not to be without Law to God but under the Law to Christ and doth not the opposition of these two Laws that of Moses and this of Christ in Rom. 8.2 3 4. suit and agree in one with the terms of those two Covenants mentioned Heb. 8.2 6 7 8. and so mentioned as the two Testaments that of the Letter and that of the Spirit the Old and the New in 2 Cor. 3.5 14. and it being a Law of Faith Love Liberty requiring nothing but what it giveth and inclineth to and giving pardon for all weaknesses accepting the will for the deed Surely those that believe his great Love and Faithfulness will confess his Truth Mat. 11.30 1 Joh. 5.3 and say That his yoke is easie and his burthen light and his commandments are not grievous And more I need not say to shew there are Engagements on both parts in the New Testament or what the New Testament is even that Obligation or Covenant made with Believers in and upon the Dispensation of the first Fruits of the everlasting Covenant to them and grounded on the death and sacrifice of Christ and the love of God commended therethrough which known and believed effecteth Faith in him and love to brethren and both obligeth and moveth and affordeth Grace to live by Faith and walk in Love and so to wait for all his Promises and not be offended And surely such as know and taste this Grace will not count harsh nor take offence at or evade as not spoken to them but count good needful and profitable for them whose standing is by Faith that worketh through Love even all those caveats given against departing and all those Exhortations to abiding given in the Gospel nor can they be displeasing or hurtful to any or hindring their Faith and Consolation in Christ that do believe Christ to have died for the ungodly and by his Grace commended to them therethrough to have called them and enabling them to believe and so given them the Spirit of Faith Love Power and a sound minde when he made this Covenant with them In which also is assured assistance from him forgiveness of their failings on confession of their sins and turning to him forgiveness and healing of their backslidings he also by vertue of his own Blood remaining the Mediator of this Testament for them and the Dispensor also to them affording them in all this To ask what they will in his Name Psal 138.8 Phil. 1.5 6. 2 Tim. 4.18 and he will do it yea if it be even to perfect all that concerneth them never forsaking the work of his own Hands but perfecting his begun-good work and delivering them from every evil way and so bring them to his Kingdom Who but those that desire Liberty for the Flesh can desire a better Liberty and Consolation then this or a greater for sure other Liberty to frail Men cannot be good and of the Covenants made I know no more then these already declared and Christ given for a Covenant and this New Covenant thus given by him to Believers the choise of all as made but yet as to be made there is still more or greater CHAP. 4. Of the Everlasting Covenant as remaining to be made IT is evident That the Covenant remaining to be made is no other but a new manner of making of the same everlasting Covenant that was made with and confirmed in Christ at the beginning for him and his spiritual Seed and after declared as confirmed in Christ to Abraham and so immediately made with him and Isaac and Jacob for them and their Seed which should be of the same Seed still and afterward in respect of the King and Kingdom so also made with David for him and his Seed which should be of the same Seed still and so because this Covenant was first opened to and made with Abraham it is called God's Covenant made with Abraham and because it was after in like manner made with Isaac and Jacob Abraham's Sons and so every of all those three being the Fathers of all Israel therefore it is called The Covenant of their Fathers and because in respect of the Kingdom it was after also so made with David it is sometimes called The Covenant made with David and this Covenant still called The everlasting Covenant and The Covenant of the Fathers which was made to these Fathers for them and for their Seed to wait for the performance thereof by Faith the first Testamental Covenant given in the beginning of a literal performance was for nurture of the Seed till Christ came and then to be shaken and pass away and the Second or New Testamental Covenant given in the Dispensation of the spiritual first Fruits of the everlasting Covenant to nurture Sons for walking in Faith and Love till they come to the Inheritance when the fulness of the Everlasting Covenant will be performed to Soul and Body both when though the first Fruits abide in the Harvest Rom. 8.24 1 Cor. 13.9 10 11 12 13. Heb. 12.26 27. yet the Obligation in respect of living and waiting by Faith and use of suitable outward Ordinances will be shaken and pass away also in the coming in of that fulness so that the Everlasting Covenant in the fulness and compleatness of it is that which is waited for and remaineth to be made not to be waited for by Faith in carnal observances as till Christ came nor with the first Fruits of the Spirit to wait for the fulness by Faith in use of spiritual Ordinances as since the giving of Christ for a Covenant to his coming again but to be made in and by a compleat performance of it as all that is said in the Promise of making it doth evidence And of this making the Everlasting Covenant foremade with Abraham for him and his Seed then with him and all his Seed in performance I am now to treat and though in the Revelation of it and Promises of it it be foreshewn yet as it is insured in the Promise as a Covenant to be made I will note a few things about it that are cleerly set forth in the Scripture as 1. The Time when it is to be made 2. The Persons with whom it is to be made and 3. What is to be done in this manner of making it all included and not darkly but cleerly intimated and exprest in that known place Jer. 31.33 Jer. 31.33 34. But this the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother 34 saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and

onely on that about which the contest pretends on one side to be and he puts it into two sorts of Faith or that Saints are said to believe and to be holy really and in the Truth of the thing it self The first sort of Believers that have Faith and holiness true in its kinde Page 10. Sect. 17. Hab. 41 1 Sam. 10.10 2 Pet. 2.20 1 King 21.27 2 Chron. 7.10 Mat. 17.3 4. 13.20 Mat. 6.20 2 King 10.16 Hos 6.4 he saith Are such as having received sundry common Gists and Graces of the Spirit as illumination of the minde change of affections and thence amendment of Life with sorrow of the world legal repentance temporary Faith and the like which are all true and real in their kinde and do thereby become vessels in the great house of God being changed as to their use not in their nature continuing wood and stone still though hewed and turned to be serviceable vessels and on that account are frequently termed Saints and Believers On such as these there is a lower and in some subordinate work of the Spirit effectually producing in and upon the faculties of the Soul somewhat that is true good and useful in it self Joh 6.34 Act. 25.28 Mat. 7.26 27. Rev. 3.1 Mar. 4.16 answering in some likeness and suitableness of operation to the great work of regeneration the which faileth not There is in them light love joy faith zeal obedience c. all true in their kinde which makes many of them do worthily in their generation howbeit they attain not to the Faith of God's Elect neither doth Christ live in them nor is the life which they lead by the Faith of the Son of God So far he Though this description of Faith and Saints be not in any Scripture-Expression or Terms Isa 28.12 13. or according to any Scripture-Description but rather like unto that reproved by it yet here is granted a Faith and Holiness true in its kinde that hath in it illumination change of effection amendment of life light love joy faith zeal all effected by the Spirit from which he yieldeth a Man may fall And if that be true he after saith That a man may abide with constancy to the death in this Faith through sufferings surely then it being none of the Faith of God's Elect c. and they wood still c. they must needs perish And were it not better to let such a Faith alone when so great danger in falling away and yet no Salvation but eternal perishing though they continue even through sufferings and die in it But I will not meddle with the controversie but onely the stating the Question And so this Faith acknowledged true in its kinde and of the Spirit 's operation I shall consider three things in it 1. That mentioned here which may be mis-conceived by some and those things which are no part of Faith or Holiness true in its kinde of the Spirits operation 2. I shall acknowledge that which is so to be so indeed 3. I shall consider Heb. 6.1 8. whence all his proofs seem to be fetched CHAP. 2. Of things that may be misconceived and things no part of Faith 1. I Suppose himself by common Gifts and Graces of the Spirit Exod. 31. 35. Isa 28.26 29. Isa 3.2 3. means something higher and more special then that Light Understanding and Skill in Arts for working curious Works given to our Types or those given to Men to fit them for Husbandry or those Gifts given for strengthening a Nation to some Men as Wisdom Prudence c. for the Mighty Joh. 1.9 Joh 35.10 11. Ioh. 1.4 5 9. Rom. 2.4 and Captains of War Judges Prophets Counsellors cunning Artificers and cloquent Orators or onely that common Light wherewith he enlightens every Man that cometh into the World and gives them more understanding then the Beasts or Fowls All which are indeed gracious Gifts given to Men through Christ and for his sake and to gracious ends also having their tendency to lead Men to Repentance yet for these things as the Gospel is now come forth Men are not frequently called Believers and Saints and the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit given in his Testimony of Christ in the Ministration of the Gospel to make him known and call to and unite to him in believing are of a higher Nature even the lowest of them This being his Work Ioh. 15.26 27. 16.7 15. Act. 5.32 14.3 and that of which we speak or we speak nothing at all in this business As for that quoted 1 Sam. 10 11. it doth not prove That Saul had the Gift of Prophesie any more then one that hath no Gift of singing yet coming where some are sweetly singing is taken with the melody and carried on with them to sing or by some extraordinary occasion or motion led to sing a Verse or two tuneably and yet hath neither skill nor ability to do it again at any other times can be said to have the Gift though on such an occasion the act of singing so that Saul did sometimes on an extraordinary occasion and by an extraordinary Motion Prophesie yea and some of his Servants also is true and so by some operations of the Spirit they had an act of Prophesying I believe because it is so written and also 1 Sam. 10.10 11. 19.20 21 23. that they were among the Prophets but that he or they were Prophets and had received the Gift of Prophesie so as to have it I believe not because it is not so written and however this place is not to our business onely this I have noted to avoid mistakes about the Gifts and Graces here meant II. For sorrow of the World that is not according to God it hath no-tendency to any gracious quickning or that Light Love Joy c. but aptly worketh Death 2 Cor. 7.9 10. Grief for worldly shame poverty straights or loss of Honour c. leads to murmuring and evil fruits and so to trouble and estrangement from God and so to death and so is evil one of the lusts of the flesh which though in Believers often anoying them yet resisted by the Spirit of Grace Let no man say when he is tempted to evil Gal. 5.17 Jam. 1.13 16 17. Isa 5.20 21. moved to sorrow of the World I am tempted of God This is one of the lower Works of his Spirit one of the common Graces I have received from him do not so erre do not so dishonour God and his Spirit as if he were the Father of darkness and such evil Gifts came in the flowing of the Spirit from him through Christ not call darkness light and light darkness a sorrow will be in the working of the Spirit but that will be a sorrow according to God suitable to the Grace made known effecting it But this worldly sorrow or sorrow of the World is no part of it hath no union with it and so no part

their Nature that is rather to be applied to those forementioned to be excluded mentioned in his 402 page then to these mentioned in stating the Question for if by Nature he mean as Men are naturally Gentiles and so not of Abraham's Family and so not naturally under the Hope of that Covenant made with him then I suppose he will confess these to be changed in Nature Mat. 28.19 Rom. 11.24 Eph. 2.11 12 13. in being by the Gospel brought into Abraham's Family If by Nature he mean a change in the Minde Will and Affection and so in the disposition and inclination himself hath confest this of these 1 Ioh. 5.1 If by Nature he mean some beginning of the Divine Birth opposed to the Humane then those that believe that Jesus is the Christ are so far born of God and himself confesseth they have somewhat produced in all the faculties of their Soul by the Spirit subordinate to like and suitable to the great Work of Regeneration Luk. 20.36 Rom. 8.23 Phil. 3.13 13 21. and that is not compleat till the Resurrection from the Dead And so if by Nature he mean the Nature of Man that is yet mortal to be made immortal the best Saints have it not yet but do wait for it to be compleated in the Resurrection which these he confesseth pag. 423. hope for And this I add As he hath professed himself not to mean ceremonial or seeming Holiness so I confess Rom. 1.7 8. 1 Cor. 1.1 9. 6.2 11. Eph. 1.1 13. Phil. 1.1 6. That in the Scripture since Christ his Ascension into Heaven none are called Believers and Saints upon account of any Faith and profession of Faith that is not saving and such as in which Men continuing Col. 1.2 4 22 23. they shall undoubtedly be saved as is foreshewn Part 4. Chap. 4. and Chap. 5. And thus I have according to his own Rule onely taken away those things which cannot be in the Faith and Holiness that is true in its kinde CHAP. 3. Of those things that are right and good in this description of the Faith and Holiness that is true in its kinde IN this Description of Faith and Holiness these things are very good and true 1. That the thing they are enlightned in convinced by and so believe Rev. 19.10 Gal. 1.7 8 9. 2 Tim. 1.13 2.2 it is the Truth proposed and preached to them page 423. Chap. 17. Now if it be the Truth it can be no other nor less then the Testimony of Christ and if called Truths they can be no other then the sayings in and according to that Testimony as namely That Jesus is The Christ The Son of the living God The Saviour of the World that he came into the World to save sinners that he died for our sins and rose for our justification and gave himself a Ransome for all and is the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World that Repentance and Forgiveness of sins is preached to them in his Name that this Word is nigh to them that they might believe and even therefore preached to them that they might obey in believing and so be reconciled to God and be saved and that he is at hand in this day of gracious Declaration to succour them and that whoever believeth in him shall not perish but receive Forgiveness of sins and so be saved and have eternal life and that he ever liveth to intercede for them that come to God by him being able to save them to the utmost and that he will come again and receive them to himself and judge his and their Enemies c. These and such-like and none contrary to these are the Sayings of Truth and so in and with these Sayings the Oblation and Intercession and coming again of Christ and therein so far the Purposes and Promises and Covenants of God have been proposed and preached to them as is largely shewn in this Treatise if they have had Gospel-Preachers which is taken as granted in this business and this Gospel the Truth and Sayings of Truth that they are convicted by enlightned in and believe so in this we agree their Faith in respect of the Truth the Object believed is right 2. That this their Faith is not of their acquiring got by their strife and reasoning but by the Truth preached to them Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 1.21 2 Thes 1.10 and the work of the Holy Spirit therein witnessing of Christ illuminating their Mindes and working upon their Hearts so framing them to assent to and be perswaded of the Truth and Goodness of the Testimony and so to believe and in this we agree with Truth this believing and so this Faith is right 3. That the Spirit is in this Grace believed so effectually working in all the Powers of the Soul Rom. 1.16 1 Thes 2.13 1.5 that he frames them to inward sorrow for their former Unbelief and Rebellions against so gracious a God and Repentance for their former evil Thoughts Affections and Wayes and so changeth their Affections and produceth in them Faith and Confidence in God and hope of eternal Life and so springs up love joy zeal and ravishing consolation In all which it appears a lively Faith and in this we agree with the Truth This Faith is right true and living 4. That these inward operations of the Spirit lead to 2 Tim. 2.2 1 Iam. 2.18 25. and bring forth amendment of Life Obedience to and Profession of the Faith and walking with God in which they become Vessels in the House of God that do worthily in their Generations which none can do but such as are purged and made fit for the Master's use And this demonstrates and justifies the Truth and Goodness of their Faith and so right and good 5. That all this Faith Zeal Obedience and Profession is not counterfeit but true in its kinde the kinde can be no other but that which is suitable to Christ the Object the Spirit the Worker and the Gospel the Instrument for there is not another Jesus nor another Spirit nor another Gospel true in its kinde either for object of Faith or begetting Faith and these Believers are affirmed to be no Hypocrites in the proper sense of the word 1 Pet. 2.1 2 3. as for some hypocrisie to be by Grace resisting and casting out this may be found in the best of Saints on earth 6. That these Believers may abide to the death yea give their Bodie to be burned and die with rejoycing in this Faith To all which I assent If any say Mr. Owen saith not thus I answer If he speak of the Gospel of Christ and the Belief and Obedience and Profession thereof he hath said no less then all this by many and plain expressions as may be seen in his stating the Question and going over it again page 10. and 423. nor is here any thing put by and taken out but according to his own direction and rule

growth and establishment in this Faith not to another faith 3 And were made partakers of the Holy Ghost This as suted to the principle of the Doctrin of Baptisms declares its own meaning to bee not only of those vertues and springs of love joy peace c. Gal. 5.22 effected by the Holy Ghost in the spirit of Beleevers but also together therewith certain spiritual gifts Eph. 4.7 and operations for usefulnesse whereof to every Beleever is given some in some measure And so these in being baptized in to the death of Christ by all the mediums with water word afflictions and spirit extended to them they did also partake of the vertue of his resurrection so as they were also therein indued with such spirituall gifts as whereby they were inabled in exercise of faith and love to speak spiritually in prayer and praises to God and spiritually and profitably in instruction admonition exhortation and consolation to men as appears in comparing the Promise Act. 2.38 39. and 11 15 16 17. and Rom. 6.4 5 6. with the performance to beleevers 1 Cor. 1.4 5 6 7. And not to every one the same usefull gifts or the same measure in the gifts given but to some one to some another to some more to some less Ephe. 4.7.8 12 14 15 16. 1 Cor. 12.2 4 5 6 7 11. 2 Pet. 1.8 2 Tim. 2.21 Rom. 12.3 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Col. 2.18 1 Tim. 3.6 And so to every one some according to the measure of the gift of Christ in and with which they were fitted to bee fruitfull and in exercise of the same in faith and love according to their measure and the divine vertues in them they should neither bee barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of Christ but Vessels serviceable for their Masters use in the House of God Whence Beleevers are directed in all their speaking and use of spirituall gifts To keep this Rule in going forth according to the proportion of faith given them and the measure of spirituall gifts givenand received by them 1 Cor. 12.7 1 5 6 7. 1 Thes 5.8 He that by any other acquired knowledge or learning presumeth to speak besides or beyond this Rule is like to fall into the condemnation of the Devill that was not content with his place These spirituall gifts being given to profit withall and tending to open and confirm the Testimony of Christ And as of the Romanes ability through these gifts Rom. 15.14 15. so of these Hebrews Hee was perswaded they were also and not like the fallen ones that had deprived themselves thereof but these retainings were capable of that hee indeavoured even to lead them to farther usefulness and fruitfullness They were made partakers of the Holy Ghost 4 Vers 5. And have tasted of the good word of God And this also suited to the Principle of laying on of hands shews its own meaning to be Mat. 7.7 11. Ioh. 16.23 24. that whereas God by his Son had graciously promised to hear their prayers put forth in the name of his Son and to give them his good Spirit and every good thing they should and did so ask of him And this in speciall manner for things of neerest and greatest concernment When two or three of them did assemble together in his name and desired any favour of him Mat. 18.19 20 Hee will bee in the midst of them and it shall bee done in Heaven for them They had tasted that is found sweetness and refreshing in experiments of his truth mercy and goodness in answering their prayers Psal 65.2.4 18.6 7. 10 3.1-10 and manifesting his gracious presence in the assemblie of his people in performing his promises when they have prayed and in confidence lift up hands to him and sometime in that confidence Act. 21 24-3● as a testimony of it laid hands on parties prayed for And so have had experience of the graciousness of the Lord in his pity towards them and of his truth in his promises and of his infinite love power and faithfullness in hearing of prayers and so not executing deserved threats but freely performing his promises of good whence called the good Word unto them And how this doth comfort sweeten enlarge and oblige the heart to cleave to God and continually to love and call on him Psal 17.4 and keep to the assemblie of the Saints is fully professed by the Prophet in the whole 116 Psalm and else where And in this was set out the greatness of Solomons sin 1 King ●1 9 That hee departed from following the Lord that had in such evident manner appeared to him twice And this shews the greatness of the sin of those fallen in forsaking the assemblies of the Saints Heb. 10.25 26. and crucifying to themselves him from whom they had tasted so much of his graciousness in performing his promises and hearing the prayers and blessing the assemblies of Beleevers And therein shews the great incouragement and obligation these Hebrews had to continue in their faith Heb. 10.19 20 22 23 24 25. and fellowship and approaching to God and provoking one another to love and good works having had so many experiments of the graciousness of the Lord. His drift being to stir them up more hereto in that hee hath farther to say to them who have tasted of the good Word of God Heb. 6.5 and of the powers of the World to come This Word being in the Plurall Number The powers of the World to come doth sute this sentence to the two last Principles That is the Doctrin of the Resurrection of the dead and of eternall Judgement Both being grounded on the Resurrection of Christ and his comming again and both the Resurrection of the dead which is first and the eternall Judgement which follows that Resurrection appertaining to and to be done not in the time of the World that now is but in the World to come at and after the visible appearing of Jesus Christ so that of the powers in the Doctrin of both these and the spirituall efficacies of both these in that Doctrin beleeved and of the power of the Spirit that in that Doctrin doth in some measure present or shew them to the view of faith and assertain their being really done in the due time of these powers of both these hee speaketh and of the same say they have tasted that is they have discerned savoured relished and experimented the efficaciousness of the Divine Power by which these shall bee effected 1. In their new birth even when they were dead in sins Ephes 1.19 20. 2 4 5 6. Rom. 7.9.24 25. cast by the sentence of the Law when sin accused and all their righteousness failed and dispair of all hope in themselves ceised on them And while they were in so great blindness and death The Power of this grace in the Doctrin of Christ raised from the dead 2 Tim. 1.7 8. Rom. 7.6

8 10 11. and being the raiser of men quickened and enlived them 2. In receiving from Christ into their heart an inward living Principle or Spirit of Faith and Life Gal. 5.22 23 24. That without an outward enforcement from law or fears or thoughts of acquiring self-advantages doth from the grace beleeved and hope received spring up love joy childelike affections 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10. 2 Tim. 4.17 18 and so lead to serve in newnesse of spirit and life 3 Since they were quickened in beleeving In raising them out of great deaths Phil. 3.9.14 Heb. 11.25 26. Psal 37. in distresses and temptations in which all seen hopes of help were removed and so far the sentence of death was passed on them yet hee delivered and consolated them 4 In enabling them with willingness to bee conformed to Christ in his death and so to pass through deaths for Christs sake and to bear with patience the wrongs and oppressions of the wicked knowing the certainty of the Resurrection and of eternall Judgement 5 In elivating the Affections to things above Col. 3.1.4 1 Thes 1.10 Tit. 2.14 where Christ is And so moving to hope and long and wait for the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ and the blessed hope and inheritance then to bee given by him in the resurrection of the just as is shewn in opening the two last Principles Now then put all said in these first five verses together of the Principles with the spirituall operations And minde how Jesus Christ in his oblation is the foundation of all and the oracles of God in discovery of that foundation And those oracles the teacher of these Principles and the holy Spirit of God in this teaching the enlightener of the mind and worker of these Principles in the heart and there through building the Beleever on the same foundation from whence all these flow and so having effected in them repentance from dead works faith towards God and such tasks of the heavenly gift conforming to Christ in his death enduing with spirituall vertues and gifts affording experience of Gods graciousness in performing his Promises with a principle of life in the beginning of confidence to live to God and wait for the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ Surely surely in all this is set forth True Faith and Holiness of the right kind even saving and justifying and here set forth in a great degree and measure also And this the very same-faith that was in these Hebrews to whom this Epistle was written whom he owneth as holy Brethren And yet notwithstanding all this Hee by the same Spirit warneth them to flye all those evills that indanger to departing from this faith and such Principles in which they were fastened on such a foundation where they had so great salvation and such a blessed hope and so warns them of the great danger in case of forgetfullness Heb. 2.1 2 3. Heb. 3.6 7 12 13 14 16-19 Heb. 4.1 and neglect of so great salvaation And to avoid that danger by holding fast the rejoycing of hope and beginning of confidence begot in them firm to the end And to hear his voice and beware of the deceitfullness of sin and departing through unbelief And setteth before them the examples of those that through unbelief did not enter the ripicall rest and craveth leave to fear least any of them should seem to come short of entring the true rest Heb. 5.11 12. Chap. 6.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 10.25 26 29. Jer. 2.21 22. 1 Ioh. 2 -19 chap. 6.9 10. And these holy Brethren also hee reproves for their dulness and unprofitableness And then minding them of the foundation laid among them and the Oracles of God thereby to them and the Principles they taught which these also had received with the lively operations of the Holy Ghost therein experimented also by them And then hee secretly intimates to them as if some so far brought as they were yet for want of heedfullness to this great salvation were seduced by the Tempter And had wilfully and wickedly departed from this faith and therein from the foundation Oracles and Principles which Apostates hee puts here in the third person Those and they because when fallen away they are no longer of this number And because hee doth not judge nor will sentence any of them to bee such yea hee was better perswaded of them and yet proposeth those as terrible examples to warn them And so the application by way of warning and admonition and even to fear such things as cause such danger is even to Beleevers and that both in the first person wee chap. 2.1.3 10.26 12.25 and also in the second person to them chap. 3 7-13.15 4.1 5.11 12. 12.25 And this the usuall language of Scripture in like cases of departure and the danger thereof Rom. 8.13 1 Cor. 15.12 Gal. 1.6 4.11 5.4 2 Pet. 3.17 And so this great danger being proposed as a warning I shall consider the two next points propounded in these verses CHAP. XI Heb. 6.4 6 7 8. FOr it is impossible for those who were once enlightened c. Heb. 6.4.6 If they fall away to renew them again unto Repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God a fresh and put him to an open shame In which words for shewing the impossibility of renewing such And the reason thereof I shall consider what the Text offers 1 The persons that have and do so highly sin as to renew them is impossible 1 They are not such as do and alwayes hitherto have lived in ignorance and unbeleef and so in prophaneness Ioh. 3.14 16. Act. 13.38 3 47. Rom. 16.26 c. for to such the Gospell declaring the foundation and sounding forth the oracles of God may bee hopefully and is to bee preached to them to bring them from darkness to light 2 They are not such as having heard of the foundation Joh. 2.9 Luk. 24.26 46 Act. 4.18 26. 1 Cor. 15.12 13-23 do beleeve it to bee and yet are not instructed in or acquainted with the oracles of God as in particular related part 2. chap. 10. page 94. 95. for to such as these they are to bee and may bee hopefully taught and opened 3 They are not such Ioh. 8.30 31 -36. 12.42 43-47 2 Cor. 5.20.21 6.1 2. as having heard and beleeved the Testimonies of the Gospel concerning the foundation and Oracles of God And are not yet so prevailed with to heed and yeild up thereto as by spirituall light and evidence to have those forementioned Principles framed in them only have their knowledge and faith in understanding and notion These are to bee and may hopefully by the word of grace bee pressed thereto 4 They are not such 1 Cor. 15. Gal. 3. 4 5. Iude 19 20 21. as being brought as far as the farthest of these yea with some spirituall operations having a tendancy towards the

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

but turning aside and departing from him they lose their principle and wither that remaineth in Christ from whom they are departed and cannot be retained and found abiding and dwelling in any but by or in beleeving on him so as departing through unbeleef Rom. 11.22 Heb. 3.13.6 14. Rom. 7.2.5 8.2 Prov. 13.13 14 6.21 22 23 14.26 27 brings loss and perishing but in beleeving on him the dwelling in the heart of this principle is enjoyed he is the fountain and he that beleeveth on him receiveth from him The law of Grace which as it comes from him and his Spirit in it is called a fountain of life And so the fear of the Lord effected thereby even the faith in and love of adoration and acknowledgement of God in Christ is a fountain of life and this upon the account of Christ the fountain from whom the streams bearing his name do flow And in beleeving on whom they are received and do operate in the beleever even all those principles mentioned Heb. 6.1 2 5. All which run in one living principle which because of its springing and living efficacies is called a Spring or Well of living waters in which from Christ beleevers act in bringing forth the motions of the Spirit Joh 4.10 14. 7.37.38 39 Psal 68.27 Phil. 4.13 Ioh. 15.4.8 Yet the beleevers being still men and having in them another cross inclination abiding to molest them they need still those admonitions Jam. 3.8 9 10 11 12. Rom. 8 5-13 Gal. 6.8 Heb. 3.13 12.15 17 c. 4 That the spiritual Acts Works and Duties be here rightly understood and distinguished and considered that we confound not the workings of God in the beleever inabling and moving him to work with the workings of the beleever in and through the workings of God Ro. 12.1 2 5. Phil. 2.1 2 12. for so all the exhortations given and obedience called for and disobedience reproved will be made void and null and that we may rightly understand view the place quoted Philip. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in you both to Will and to Do even of his good pleasure He in the former verse intreated them as he did the Romans even by that done by Christ and that now in him and flowing from him in them As they had alwayes obeyed not as in his presence onely but now much more in his absence so now saith he to them Work out your own salvation with fear and prembling 1 Ioh. 5.12 Ioh. 1.12 Minde the words he saith not Work for or to get salvation Nor speaks he onely of salvation as it is by and in Christ wrought for them but of that as it is by Spirit in the Gospel applyed to and by faith received in them and so it is their own Christ and that which is his is made theirs 1 Cor. 1.30 3.22 23. Rom. 5.1 2 3-5 Tit. 4-4 7 Tit. 2.11 12 13. and in beleeving this they are saved or have this salvation working within them like as is said in verse 12. And this salvation within them is teaching and working in them with motions To deny ungodliness and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and wait for the blessed hope c. Gal. 5.22 23. Col. 3.9 10 12 13. 1 Thess 5.11 20. Rom. 6.16.19 12.1 2. Gal. 5.16 25. Eph. 4.21.25 5.1 2. Col. 3.9.12 And therein stirring them up to live by faith in God and so to love joy peace patience meekness c. To bowels of mercy kindness c. And so to pray to and praise God to exhort one another c. Now all these are the works of God in his grace bringing salvation And as these mercies of God in this salvation given you works within you so do ye obey yeeld up your selves as servants to righteousness Sow to the Spirit And so work out your own salvation with fear and trembling For it is God which worketh in you It is he which gave his Son for you and made him known to you and so inabled you by him to beleeve in God and so forgave your sins and filled you with this consolation of Christ and comfort of his own love and fellowship of the Spirit which by the same Spirit in the operations of this grace moveth you To Will to live by faith to deny ungodliness c. to live soberly c. to pray c. to shew mercy c. And to Do He doth not say It is God that willeth in you that beleeveth prayeth c. Neither doth he say in any other sense than as expressed by giving light motion or power to Will and to Do That God hath given and wrought the will and the deed But it is he that worketh in you both to Will and to Do of his good will or pleasure so as still to Will and to Do is the beleevers work which he cannot do of himself yer in this gracious season by this preventing grace light motion and divine power of God working within him he may both will and do if he yeeld up to this grace and herein is his obedience which being with a willing minde is accepted according to that he hath And in murmuring and withdrawing from this and so grieving the Spirit and sowing to the flesh is his disobedience that he will be reproved and chastened for And so in this saying is a great and forcible motive and encouragement to obedience it is God that in the operations of this salvation worketh in you to Will and to D● yea he d●th it of good will So that entertaining his motions and yeelding up according to his strength given into you sowing to the Spirit in willing and doing according to his motions by his strength afforded you have God on your si●e his favour and strength is with you to accept defend assist bless and follow on with more grace and you shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal 6.8 And here is a forcible admonition against disobedience It is God that by these operations worketh in you c. If you sleight refuse turn away and disobey Psal 8.11 Heb. 12.25 Eph. 4.30 1 Thess 4.8 5.19 you sleight and refuse God you turn away from God that speaks from heaven and disobey God and grieve and resist his Spirit and so endanger your selves c. Whence suitable to all this follows that exhortation vers 14 15 16. Do all things without murmurings c. Suitable to all said to the Hebrews and like this the other quotation 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently This appears to be an exhortation to stir them up to such love not an affirmation that it would infallibly so be in and with them but an exhortation that it might so be and that neither in vain

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

by Christ that bought them and had the right to dispose of them even to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost and Instruments for him to use And thereby he shewed the heinousness of their sin if they defiled their bodies with fornication and made or abused The members of Christ to be one with and the members of an harlot Rom. 12.1.2 And so on this ground exhorted them to demean their bodies sutable to the purchase made by Christ and to the relation they now stood in with Christ and to the purity and holiness of the Spirit God had given them having upon the very same ground forewarned them That if any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy 1 Cor. 3.16 17 18. intreating them not to be deceived c. and how doth the Spirit dwell in such for ever then yet after this he both reproveth warneth and exhorteth on the very same ground 2 Cor. 6.15 16.17 18 7.1 2. assuring them from the promises of God of the Spirits continuing and dwelling in them in their yeelding up to his teachings and therefore calls upon them for that even like as to the Hebrews chap. 6. I marvel this was quoted here to such an end which makes for that he opposeth Rom. 5.5 speaks of the operations of Grace beleeved not in some peculiar kinde of but in all true beleevers and so of that which hope in the exercise of faith doth Rom. 5.1 2 3 4 5. because of the love of God shed abroad in the heart of beleevers by the holy Ghost given unto them but not a word of the impossibility of any of the Saints by any ill requitals to deprive themselves of that love again and so of that holy Spirit yea he rather warns them to beware of that in the 6. and 8. Chapters following suitable to the warning given the Hebrews chap. 2. 3 4. 6. 1 Joh. 4.4.13 and those that follow speaks of the Spirit in beleevers a thing denied by none but not a word about the infallibility of his ever abiding unless as the former places directing to that in which it may so be but it may be these are quoted for proofs of that which follows in this Concernment which is no part of that contended for or against unless it be to countenance the distinction of two kinds of faith preferring one before another And so I will consider it CHAP. XX. Of the second part of the third Concernment HE saith Vpon the account of which inhabitation of the Spirit of Christ in them they have union with him that is one and the same Spirit dwelling in him the head and them the members Surely this may be truly said of all beleevers that abide in the faith of Christ during the time of their abiding in the faith and so of the faith as mentioned Heb. 6.1 2 4 5. yea the mixtures by him put in which are no parts of faith being taken out as they consist not with the rest even that first kinde of faith set forth by himself who hath not yet produced a better but even the same clad with some unjustifiable expressions so that this saying is true of all true beleevers or that in truth beleeve the testimony of Christ search the Scripture This I hope being granted of all that beleeve the Gospel of Christ that there are not two Spirits in Christ to procced from him to work faith in men and dwell in beleevers but onely one holy Spirit that is in the Father and in the Son the Spirit of the Father and of the Son sent by the Son from the Father and by the Father through the Son and in the name or Gospel of the Son one and the same holy Spirit And so where ever the Father and Son is he is and where ever he is the Father and Son is there with and by him Now minde what the Scripture saith Christ saith Mat. 10 40. Joh. 13.20 Mat 10.41 42. Luke 10.16 1 Joh. 4.6 Rev. 19.10 2 Cor. 5.19 20 Joh. 15.16 27. Act. 5.32 2 Thess 2.8 10 Hee that receiveth you receiveth me And he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me And this also spoken of his sending to preach the Gospel And though this in respect of his gracious acceptation and interpretation be true to all that for his sake receive such as beleeve in him yet it is principally meant of receiving his message by and from them And so he that hath the testimony of Jesus hath the Spirit of Prophesie And the holy Spirit witnesseth together with and in that testimony And Christ will in his time come again to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that beleeve because the Apostles testimony was received by them in the dayes of his patience while it was preached to them so that whoever in hearty beleeving receiveth this testimony It is Spirit and life to him Joh. 6.63 Rom. 1.16 1 Thess 2.13 Joh. 15.4 5 7. 1 Joh 1.3 2.24 yea the power of God to salvation to him and worketh effectually in him And as they abide in this word they abide in Christ and as this word abideth in them Christ by his Spirit abideth in them And they have fellowship with the Father and the Son and continue in both and that is his dwelling in them And so of the Galatians of whom Paul was sore afraid yet he doubteth not to affirm of them Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Gal 4.6 7 8 9. c. and yee have known God or rather are known of him And so 1 Joh. 44.13 speaketh in the very same language not of any peculiar kinde of Spirit that is in Christ and flows from him into some peculiar kinde of true beleevers but of that one holy Spirit which is in Christ and his efficacies which also in a measure is in all true beleevers And so verse 4. he salth 1 Joh. 4.4 Yee are born of God or of God and have overcome them that is the evil spirits in the world because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world where the opposition is not of beleevers to beleevers but of beleevers to the world and this he after expresseth both by the effects and the beleevers in whom it is saying What soever is born of God over cometh the world 1 Joh 5.4 5. And who is he that overcometh the world but he that beleeveth that Jesus is the Son of God this being our victory whereby we overcome the world even our faith So that all the way here is but one spirit and one faith Gal 4.9 1 Cor 8.3 1 Ioh 4.6 7.12 And these beleevers marked out by the same terms with others Hee that knoweth God that loves God and loveth his brother these saith he Are of God born of God and God dwelleth in them And to demonstrate who these are he saith

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

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