Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	heart_n	son_n	17,006	5	5.6134	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93680	Gods ordinance, the saints priviledge. Discovered and proved in two treatises. The first, the saints interest by Christ in all the priviledges of grace: wherein their right to the use of baptisme, and the Lords supper, even now during the reign of Antichrist, is cleared; and the objections of those that oppose the same, are answered. The second, the peculiar interest of the elect in Christ, and his saving grace: wherein it is proved that Christ hath not presented to his fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all men; but onely for the sinnes of those that doe, or shall believe in him; which are his elect onely: and the objections of those that maintaine the contrary, are also answered. / Both written by John Spilsberie. And the last transcribed, and somewhat enlarged, by Benjamin Coxe. Licensed, entred, and printed according to order.	J. S. (John Spilsbery); Cox, Benjamin, fl. 1646.	1646 (1646)	Wing S4975; Thomason E335_17; ESTC R200803	75,307	89

injoying of our Ordinances for want of a Ministery but to hold fast our true possession and inheritance once delivered into the hand of faith in all our captivitie as Israel of old did Believers now have lost the possession of all Administrations Object 10. for there hath been a cessation for these many yeares both of Ministery Church and Ordinances according to the first Rule and institution of Christ and therefore men are to waite upon God for him to restore the same againe in power and not to take up wayes and ordinances of themselves Believers never lost their right to any truth Answ or ordinance of Christ for they by faith doe or ought to possesse all truth once given unto them 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. 2 Cor. 6.10 Jude 3. And if any depart and forsake their own mercies through unbeliefe they are to returne againe to the same by faith and God prohibits none that believe in his Son the use of his Ordinances ordained by him for their comfort and confirmation of their faith but helpes them on to the same by giving his Spirit for their guide his Word for their rule and himselfe for their warrant who commands them to obey him in all truth that he shall make knowne unto them Men are indeed to waite upon the God of truth for him to discover truth But when he hath not onely made it knowne to them but also revealed truth in them and by the power of it made the heart one with it then men take not up truth of themselves but are taken up by truth into the nature of truth and shall stand by the power of it when such as take up truth of themselves and for their own ends shall lay it downe againe to their own destruction Object 11. God ordained a Ministery in the Gospel which ever was in order first namely Apostles Prophets and Evangelists by whom Churches were planted and other Officers ordained for those Churches well-being This Ministery I confesse and own and therefore I say still Answ that men must come from God with truth and with abilitie to deliver the same for the converting of men to the faith Now when God shall assist his Word with power to bring over mens hearts to believe and obey the same such the Scriptures hold out to be true Messengers sent of Christ declared by their worke as it answers to the Rule And this way men were convinced and Churches planted that now stand under the profession of christ And thus came Churches to be planted and other Officers ordained by those that God made the first instruments to bring on the worke in communion with the rest as to direct and assist them in the same Tit. 1.5 Act. 14.23 The Ministery aforesaid to bring men to the faith Object 12. was attended with the power of miracles as raising the dead healing the sicke casting out devills and the like to confirme their testimony to be of God none of which appeares now whereas there is as much need to confirme the truth of God as ever among so much confusion as now is The like miracles are assigned by Christ ever to attend his Ministery Mark 16.17 and confirmed by the Apostle as an Ordinance of God in his Church Jam. 5.14 15. and the first Principles of Christ Heb. 6.1 2. All which are now wanting that should confirme a true Ministery from God to us Answ That the working of miracles did attend the Ministery of Christ at the first and that to confirme the truth then held forth to be of God this I confesse to be true But that the working of those miracles should be so essentiall to the Ministery that there can be no true Ministery of Christ neither in whole nor in part without working of the said miracles that I deny 1. John the Eaptist was a true Minister and sent of God who did no miracle Joh. 10.41 and yet he was more then a Propher Mat. 11.9 And so was Apollos a true Minister of the new Testament who knew onely the Baptisme of John and no more untill that Aquila and Priscilla had further informed him in Gods way but was never knowne to worke any miracle Act. 18.25 26 28. with a Cor. 3.5 And likewise the scattered Disciples that gathered the Church at Antioch Act. 11.19 20 21. All which were true Ministers of Christ and yet not attended with the foresaid power of working miracles in their Administrations It is a Herods hope to see a miracle Luk. 22.8 And a Pharaohs sign Exod. 7.9 2. Miracles can be no true note of Ministery nor Minister sent of Christ because the working of miracles is that by which false Prophets shall deceive the people Mark 13.22 Rev. 16.14 Rev. 19.20 3. The same miracles that confirmed the truth at the first to be of God stand in equall authoritie together with the same truth as witnesses together for God and against all that oppose untill the coming of Christ without adding more miracles to them any more then of truth to what is written Heb. 2.4 Nothing more is now to be expected then the holy Spirit for to open the Scriptures and inable men to unfold the minde of God in the same and the same Spirit working faith in the hearts of the Elect to believe his own testimony of they mystery of the Fathers love in the Sonne through the word without any other miracle So that if Christ inableth men to understand and to open the Word and God opens the heart and the Spirit workes faith here will need no miracle to bring such to believe Lastly As great miracles are done now as ever to cast out Devills out of mens soules to open the eyes spiritually blind to raise the dead from the death of sinne In a word to bring forth a new creature and offer up the same to God These are the substance of all miracles to such as by experience know them and greater then all as Christ saith Joh. 14.12 And for Christs words Mark 16.17 These signes shall follow them that believe c. These signes are there said to follow such as believe and not such as are sent of Christ to preach the Gospel The words are to be taken either literally or mystically If mystically then all those signes are to be taken in a spirituall sense as to cast out devills by converting of foules to God in preaching of Christ as afore said and to speake with new tongues is in reference to the new creature which being of a new nature he speaks with a new tongue so a new language as he never did before 2 Cor. 5.17 according to these Scriptures Zeph. 3.9 Isai 19.18 35.5 6. And to take up Serpents that is in respect of the great worke of the Gospel by which God will alter and change the Serpent-like nature of men unto a Lamb-like temper of spirit Isai 11.6 9. and the sweet peace God will make for his people with

such Joh. 5.23 And for drinking any deadly thing it shall not hurt such as believe that is if they drinke in at any time false doctrine or errour which in it selfe is poyson and deadly but God of his grace will so provide that it shall not hurt them so as to destroy them but he will recover and preserve them by some way or other Mat. 24.24 Jam. 5.19 20. 1 Cor. 10.13 2 Pet. 2.9 But if the words be to be taken literally then consider whether the faith may not be the same with the signes viz. the faith of miracles which men might have and yet perish Mat. 7.22 23. But grant the faith there spoken of to be faith unto salvation spoken of in the verse aforegoing and the words to be taken literally yet Christ there onely shews how the truth of the Gospel should then be confirmed by signes and miracles but doth not meane that in every age or in that age none should be accounted believers but such as could doe such miracles or shew such signes see 1 Cor. 12.28 29 30. As touching James 5.14 15. the direction there given is still to be observed according as God gives in faith into mens hearts to depend upon the promise there made and such observation of that direction in the exercise of faith will surely be accompanied with the promised successe Neither was it any more in the Apostles dayes for even in that age Saints might and did dye as well as in succeeding ages And for Heb. 6.1 2. there is nothing at all of any miracles but onely of laying on of hands All therefore that hath been objected makes nothing to prove the working of miracles a note to declare a true Ministery of Christ either in whole or in part but rather the contrary now in our dayes And againe it is not to the point in hand what power any persons were attended with but to what power or qualified persons Christ hath confined the dispensing of his Ordinances absolutely so that none but onely such must meddle with the administring of them Either let such as condemne our practise hold us out and confine us to an absolute Rule from the mouth of Christ or else cease to oppose us lest they oppose Christ himselfe and his Saints portion and so at his coming be found in stead of feeding to be smiting of the flocke Luk. 12. As of old at the peoples returne out of temporall Babylon in the type was onely the simple call of God without any miracle even so in the antitype the peoples coming out of spirituall Babylon is onely by the simple call of God without any miracle as Rev. 18.4 The Apostles having a Commission to preach unto all Nations Object 13. Mat. 28.19 yet they were afterwards commanded to stay at Jerusalem untill they had received power from God to execute the same Acts 1. Which power they received Acts 2. Which shews that none can preach the Gospel nor are any to attempt the same without the like power of the holy Ghost for if any might then the Apostles who had their Commission but they must stay for power from God and so must men now This is but the same in effect that I have ever said Answ that if any man goes before he hath a Message from God and power to deliver the same such a one goeth of himselfe unsent but one who hath a Message and abilitie to deliver it God assisting the same with power to effect the worke this now is one truly sent as aforesaid But in a word briefly let us a little minde what this power here is which the Apostles were to waite for as Jerusalem this power was the holy Spirit the comforter the Spirit of truth the promise of the Father as the Scriptures manifest Acts 1.4.8 Luk. 24.49 Act. 2.4.33 Joh. 14.16 17.26 Joh. 7.39 The holy Spirit in respect of his sanctifying power and gifts the comforter in respect of his evidence in the mystery of the Fathers love in which sense he was to supply the place of Christ and was not to come untill Christ was ascended Joh. 14.16 17.26 Joh. 16.7 Joh. 7.39 This holy Spirit and comforter was the promise of the Father received of Christ and is given to all that believe through Grace Joh. 7.38 39. Rom. 8.9.11.14 15 16. Gal. 4.6 Being the holy regenerating Spirit of Grace Joh. 3.5 6. Joh. 1.12 13. 1 Joh. 3.9 The comforter that brings the Fathers love through his Sonnes death to a cold heart Joh. 14.16 Rom. 5.5 The witnesse of all our happinesse and the holy Spirit of promise that seals us up in the Fathers love enabling of us to cry Abba Father 1 Joh. 3.24 5.10 Rom. 8.15 16. Eph. 1.13 14. Gal. 4.6 All which is onely one and the same Spirit not many but onely one and no more 1 Cor. 12.4.11 Eph. 4.4 Whose Ministeriall abilides I shall reduce unto two heads 1. Light and knowledge in the mystery of Christ in the Gospel Eph. 3.3 4 5.6 2. Power or abilitie of utterance to preach and teach the same Act. 2.4 Eph. 6.19 Col. 4.3 Let men strive while they will here is the substance of the Ministeriall power of Christ and according to every mans talent and abilitie he is to labour in this worke Mat. 25.14 15. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man none excepted to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 So that the Message of the holy Spirit is holy and sound doctrine such as tends to bring persons to one unitie of faith and conformitie to the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. Col. 2.2 Eph. 4. And the Messengers are such as the same Spirit stirres up and enableth to deliver the same as aforesaid Such are as it were the eyes and hands and feet of the holy Spirit to call and guide and to goe before and lead on others And as God in Christ hath received these so he doth others brought to him by their Ministery This was the power or promise of the Father that they were to waite for the Spirit to inable them to lay out Christ dead and risen for a foundation to beare up the spirituall house of God and as Lord and King of that Kingdome preached before to be at hand and now exalted at Gods right hand and advanced to the throne of his Father David and to hold him forth among all Nations as the way to life by faith in his death All which could not be preached untill Christ was ascended and the holy Spirit given that must teach the same And this in briefe was the power the Apostles were to waite at Jerusalem for and so is every man now Though the holy Spirit appeared then more fully and richer in his gifts then now he doth yet for the essentialls of truth both for salvation by believing in Jesus Christ and professing him under those honourable titles assigned him by his Father the holy Spirit doth

now for substance appeare the same in his Ministeriall operations as ever he did formerly Though there be much imperfection and weaknesse in the creature this causeth not truth to cease from being truth Otherwise there can be no salvation for any man which is the next thing to be examined Having discovered the way how to know such as come from God to the worke of the Ministery in Christs new Testament which is by their worke as it answers to the word of God which is the Rule of truth I come now to the third particular namely Whether there be salvation now for man and a way or meanes thereunto approved and appointed of God and if there be then what the same is This being the third inquiry about the Saints enjoying the Ordinances of Christs new Testament I answer directly that to me it is out of question there is salvation now for man and meanes to it appointed by God or else none can be sav'd and so every person in the world must perish But in a word note what I meane by salvation and that is for one to be in such an estate here in Grace that the word of God justifies to be attended with glory hereafter as follows 1. To believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God ordained of the Father to be the Saviour of man 1 Joh. 2.22 Mat. 16.16 Act. 8.37 1 Pet. 1.20 2. And that Christ is come and hath suffered in the flesh dyed and risen againe by the power of God and is exalted to be Lord over all 1 Joh. 4.2 Rom. 10.9 Act. 2.32 33.36 Rom. 14.9 3. And that Christ by one offering hath made a free and open way into the presence of his Fathers love the most holy place for all that believe to have free accesse unto the Father by him Heb. 9.12.24 Heb. 10.19 20. Eph. 2.18 3.12 4. And that by his own bloud he hath washed away all the sinnes of his people and presents them to the Father in his own perfection in whom they are all compleat and perfected for ever Rev. 1.5 Joh. 17.21 22 23. Col. 2.9 10. Heb. 10.10 5. That Christ hath not onely by his bloud redeemed a people from death condemnation and the curse for sinne and so the guilt of sinne but also hath redeemed them from among men and from a vaine conversation and traditions of men to an holy confession of him according to that rule and order instituted by him in his last will and Testament sealed with his bloud Rev. 5.9 10. Rev. 14.1 2 3 4. 1 Pet. 1.18 2.9 Eph. 2.13 22. Gal. 1.4 Tit. 2.14 Lastly This truth believed of us is not onely by the Scriptures presented to us and from thence onely learned by us but also made good upon us and revealed in us by the holy Spirit given unto us who hath given us an understanding to know him that is true Rom. 5.5 1 Joh. 5.20 Which Spirit of truth as he brings light and reveales love so by the power of love he subdues sinne mortifying the flesh and brings up the new creature to God and draws forth the heart in love to man And thus in briefe of salvation that is now for man which is a being in the sweet possession of the Fathers love through Christ by faith unto eternall glory Now the meanes approved and appointed of God for this great worke of salvation is also manifest which in generall is the Ministeriall power and operation of the Spirit of God in what instruments soever he pleaseth to appeare and to use them for that work who is limited to none but commonly doth great things by weake and despised meanes that the crowne and glory might rest on his own head as 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. And yet there is the same meanes now to bring men to God in truth and for substance which hath been formerly 1. For wee have now the holy Scriptures of God which are to us in the place and stead of the personall presence both of Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16.31 and Christ and his Apostles if God please to speake to us by them as he did to his people of old by the other Who being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 2. Wee heaving this blessed word of truth to reade search and studie and Gods blessing being the same to us as to his people formerly he being the same God still and Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 wee may therefore expect and doe enjoy the same effect with them which is to understand the minde of Christ concerning us in the same 3. We have the same Spirit who enables men to preach Christ crucified which though to some a stumbling blocke and to others foolishnesse yet to many appeares to be the power of God by which they are brought to believe in Jesus Christ for eternall life and glory And thus we have the same Gospel the same faith the same Christ and so the same way to salvation as they formerly had and these meanes doth God appoint and approve and blesse for the effecting of this great worke of salvation to us now as well as unto others before us that we together with them may be provoked to praise and magnisie the great Name of so gracious a God that hath done such great things for us to keepe himselfe a Name and witnesse in the earth But some demand of us Quest Whether that the Ordinance of preaching the Gospel be now afoot for to bring men to life according to Christs Commission Mat. 28.19 20. There be some that strive against the Ordinances of God Answ by putting nice distinctions in the word Preaching to beare the simple hearted in hand of some great matter therein to be minded and that in the Originall thinking that every one is not able to deale with them there But if we were minded to cavill wee might demand of them how they know that to be the Originall or the some copie Christ and his Apostles did speak or write But we seriously demand whether we may not as well depend upon that translation in our own tongue by the helpe of the Spirit of God to know the minde of Christ in things absolutely necessary for faith and life as they upon the Originall seeing that their Originall and our translation hold forth the same Gospel of Jesus Christ They make as if none could ever preach the Gospel but only such as had and have the same measure of the gifts of the Spirit that the Apostles themselves had and yet they are at a stand about Philip Act. 8. and confesse that he did preach in the proper signification of the word But for my part I freely grant them thus much that no man can truly preach the Gospel but he that hath the same Spirit of God that the Apostles had And so I come to answer their demand briefly thus 1. As preaching is to deliver a Message received of the Lord as

in the use of the Supper to shew the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 Is not then the word of the new Testament concerning the use of the Ordinances of the new Testament now in force Let us take good heed that we doe not diminish from the word of Christ nor make voyd the same Deut. 4.2 Rev. 22.19 Psal 119.126 And so I passe to the ext inquiry which is this Whether the new Testament whereof Christ is the Mediator Qu. 5. be not of equall authoritie with the old Testament whereof Moses was the Mediator to command obedience and holds not forth a rule for the same as the old Testament did This will appeare to be an undeniable truth that the authoritie of the new Testament is equall with if not above the authoritie of the old Testament 1. The instituter and Law-giver of the new Testament is of equall power and authoritie with the instituter of the old being the Sonne of God who is Lord over all Heb. 1. Rom. 10.12 James 2.1 2. The Mediator of the new Testament is higher and of greater authoritie then the Mediator of the old Testament Heb. 3.1 6. 3. The whole state Lawes and Ordinances of the new Testament are of a higher and more heavenly nature then the state and Ordinances of the old Testament Heb. 9.2 Cor. 3. Heb. 12. and given with greater authoritie and therefore the neglect of obedience thereunto is by the holy Spirit laid under the greater punishment Heb. 2.1 4. Heb. 12.25 4. The old Testament was confirmed by the bloud and death of Buls Goats and the like but the new Testament is confirmed by the bloud and death of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God the Lord of life and therefore of greater authoritie then the old Hereby it is manifest that the authoritie of the new Testament is equall with if not above the authoritie of the old Testament to command obedience And touching the rule of the same obedience this is cleare also being of the same nature with the Word or Testament it selfe for that which commands a thing shews also what it commands That command by which a mans wayes shall be tryed judged justified or condemned that is the rule given by God of mans obedience unto him and this is the word of Christ as he is the great Prophet of the new Testament and consequently the Scriptures of the same new Testament Act. 3.22.23 Mat. 28.20 Christ thus commanding obedience with authoritie in the new Testament and holding forth the rule thereof in the same dispenseth neither with things nor time nor persons Act 17.30.31 Heb. 2.1 2 3. Heb. 12.25 The new Testament requires obedience onely of such as are under the same Object 15 The Gospel that declares the authoritie Answ and government of Christ is sent out into all the world and holds up him to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings before all Nations and commands and requires obedience and subjection of all without exception and makes neither age time person gift nor qualification the condition of mans obedience to the Gospel and subjection to his Crowne If all in generall are to obey the Gospel Object 16. then all that come at the outward call are to be admitted to fellowship and communion All that may be judged to come in obedience and faith are to be admitted to fellowship and communion And all ought to come and submit and tender themselves and their service that their Lord and King might receive them who doth not receive any but such as come in faith neither did he otherwise intend in the call but to sever between the good and the bad Matth. 25.6 7.10 11 12. Mat. 13 48. For though many are called yet few are chosen Mat. 20.16 And it is one thing to command subjection and another thing to bid a man immediately and directly to believe he shall be saved By refusing subjection unto Christ men pull upon themselves heavie judgements and dreadfull destruction and this their destruction shall be from the power and just sentence of Christ Mat. 11.23 Mat. 23.34 35.37 38. 1 Cor. 10.5 11. Heb. 3.17 18. Isai 60.12 2 Thes 1.8 9. The Lord Christ hath a Lordly right and power in and over all creatures and though the same doth not yet fully appeare in the effects of it yet in due time it shall Heb. 2.8 with Rev. 11.15.17 In the meane time Christ the Lord demands his right of all men and will judge the disobedient for their disloyaltie to him Jude 15. Luk. 19.27 Yea he requires all both persons states and powers to be under subjection who also shall acknowledge him to be Lord to the glory of God the Father who subdued all things under him Psal 72.8 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 15.24 25. Phil. 2.9 10 11. Thus the holy Scriptures hold forth Christs power and dominion and call for subjection to the same of all persons without exception Psal 2.12 And when Kings and Nations shall acknowledge this and submit themselves thereunto then shall they fit downe in peace one with another and learne to warre no more Isai 2.4 Zech. 9.10 And so shall be delivered from those many heavie miseries and destructions which they suffer one from another for their rejecting and opposing the Scepter of Christ their Lord and King as the Jewes of old did And whereas some conceive that Christs kingly office to rule and command is of no larger extent then his Priestly office to redeeme and to save from sinne and wrath I doe believe that Christ by his kingly power commands and rules over both Angels and Devils and all his enemies for whom he was never a Priest to redeeme them and save them from sinne As David a type of Christ was in some respect King onely of Israel and yet in the exercise of his kingly power for Israels good commanded rules over many heathen Nations and Kingdomes so Christ is indeed in some sense and in some respect King of his own peculiar people only who onely are they that obey him willingly and sincerely and over whom he reignes for their eternall good to make them Kings reigning with him and yet in the exercise of his kingly power for their good he rules with might over all the world and justly punisheth all the disobedience of the whole world And now I come to consider of the last enquiery thus Whether Christ requires not a publick confession of him Qu. 6. by all that believe in him and if he doe then what the same is and the Rule for it Now that Christ requires a publick confession of him by all such as believe in him is so cleare in the Scriptures that I suppose none that believe the Scriptures will deny it Mat. 10.32 33. Joh. 12.42 43. Rom. 10.9 10. 1 Joh. 4.2 3. But for the more full clearing of this truth two things must be minded 1. What we meane by believing in Christ 2. What by confession of Christ

expected some opposition considering how a carnall heart and the large and flesh-pleasing doctrine falsly called Gospel which we now oppose doe easily agree and close together as experience also maketh manifest But in as much as Caiaphas now spake not of himselfe but being high Priest that yeare did prophesie we shall certainly find nothing against us in his speech The saying of Caiaphas was this Tee know nothing at all nor consider that it is expedient for us that is for us Jewes for the Nation of the Jewes that one man should dye for the people and that the whole Nation perish not Hereupon John gives this note He prophesied that Jesus should dye for that Nation c. The dying of Jesus for that nation was his dying for the redemption of all the children of God of that Nation yea of all the children of God wheresoever scattered abroad of what Nation soever they were of all which children of God that Nation in the separation thereof from the rest of the world to be a peculiar people unto God had hitherto been an appointed type For so John further explaines it in vers 52. And not for that Nation onely but that be should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad This onely holds forth that Jesus was to present unto the justice of God his Father a satisfaction for the sins of all the children of God of what nation soever and that hereby their salvation should be effected So it confirmes the same truth that wee maintaine But yet our adversaries seeme confident that by the words of our Saviour in Matth. 12.31 32. 16 Object From Mat. 12.31 32. answered they shall prove that all sins against the Law considered as sinnes against the Law are forgiven to all men and consequently that Christ hath presented a satisfaction to his Fathers justice for the sins of all men Let us therefore with all seriousnesse and in the feare of the Lord consider that place also and diligently mind both what is said and also what is truly to be said concerning it The words of our Saviour there are thus rendred All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men And whosoever speaketh a word against the Sonne of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Here let these things be considered 1. Whereas our adversaries find fault with the last translation in the former part of vers 31. contending that the words ought there to be thus rendred Every sin and blasphemie I have already * Pag. 43. proved that the word All or Every doth sometimes signifie onely some of all sorts or of every sort 2. Whereas they bring this place to prove the forgiving of all sins against the Law to all men but not of any sins against the Gospel which they acknowledge not to be forgiven to all men let it be minded that Christ here speakes of sins against the Gospel as well as of sins against the Law unlesse it be no sin against the Gospel to speake against Christ 3. Observe that Christ doth not here say every sin and blasphemie is forgiven unto men and whosoever speaketh against the Son of man it is forgiven him But he speakes with manifest and expresse reference unto time to come It shall be forgiven Even as he saith of the blasphemy against the holy Spirit with reference to the same time to come It shall not be forgiven neither in this world neither in the world to come But by the doctrine of our adversaries every sin and blasphemy that they understand to be here so spoken of is already forgiven to all men yea and they would have this place to seeme to prove it I suppose they will say that Christ did here thus speake of the time to come because he had not yet suffered for mens sinnes But this reason is insufficient For though Christ had not yet actually suffered yet his sufferings were already accepted of the Father and so effectuall for the putting away of the sins of all those that were partakers of him see Dan. 9.19 1 Sam. 12.13 Matth. 9.2 And this saying of Christ in Matth. 12.31 32. doth as well belong to the time after his passion as to that particular time in which Christ so spake it as also appeares in 1 Tim. 1.13 compared with Heb. 10.26 27. and 1 Joh. 5.16 4. Whereas our adversaries conceive or take it for granted that the sin against the holy Spirit here spoken of which shall never be forgiven is nothing else but finall unbeliefe in this also they doe greatly erre For they which doe fall into this sin doe fall into it in their life-time yea sometimes long before their death Thus it was with those Pharisees that had now committed this sinne see Matth. 12.24 25. with vers 31 32. and Mark 3.22.28 29 30. This also appeares in Heb. 6.4 5 6. and Heb. 10.26 27 28 29. Moreover there are multitudes yea millions of unbelievers that goe to eternall destruction without committing this sin And here I conceive it will neither be impertinent nor unprofitable to shew what this sin is This sin against the holy spirit is the sin of those that wittingly and wilfully oppose with odious blasphemies the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ himselfe as he is the author and subject of his Gospel 1. This sin is an opposing and rejecting of the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ and of Jesus Christ himselfe as he is the author and subject of his Gospel Therefore the committers of this sin are not onely said to fall away but also to crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and to put him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 Yea they are said to tread underfoot the Son of God and to count his bloud an unholy thing and to doe despite unto the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 2. This sin is not committed ignorantly but against a great and cleare light of knowledge 1 Tim. 1.13 Heb. 6.4 Heb. 10.26 Mat. 21.38 3. This sin is not committed through infirmitie but wilfully in the exercise of a full and setled malice even against Christ not onely knowne but also minded to be Christ and against his Gospel both knowne and minded to be his Gospel and against the commands and invitations of the Spirit of grace though knowne and minded to be his commands and invitations and accordingly this Devilish malice caries on the sinner to abominable blasphemies and makes him alwayes to hate all thoughts of repentance though he expect nothing but fiery indignation All this is to be seene by the light of these places of Scripture viz. Heb. 6.6 and Heb. 10.26 27.29 And this sin is called The sin or blasphemie against the holy Spirit because it is so committed against the worke of the

in vers 1. and 4. Neither the coherence or context neither yet the matter will suffer us to understand it otherwayes For whosoever they are for whom Christ gave himselfe a ransome the same are certainly redeemed from destruction and shall for ever be saved For where a ransome is paid and accepted for any the ransomed is thereby freed and made safe Exod. 21.30 Exod. 30 12.-15 Psal 49.7 Jer. 31.11 12. And the everlasting salvation of the ransomed of the Lord is clearly held forth in Isai 35.9 10. and 51.10 11. Hos 13.14 with 1 Cor. 15.54 55. Therefore these AB for whom Christ gave himselfe a ransome are onely as aforesaid men of all orders and degrees even those many spoken of in Mat. 20.28 Mark 10.45 Those whom Christ hath redeemed to God by his bloud out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Revel 5.9 It follows To be testified in due time compare this with 1 Pet. 1.20 21. but was manifest in these last times for you who by him doe believe c. Consider also how the words there aforegoing doe declare that they which are ransomed or redeemed with the bloud of Christ are redeemed from their vaine convensation 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Yea Christ gave himselfe for them that he might redeeme them from all iniquitie and purfie them unto himselfe a peculiar people Tit. 2.14 And this is the summe of the gospels testimony concerning Christ that being made perfect be became the another of eternall salvation not to all persons in the world but unto all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 having given himselfe for them Ephes 5.25 26. Thus this Scripture is so farre from being full and strong against us that it doth not oppose us in any thing Now becanse the objection from this Scripture seemes to our adversaries to be backed and strengthened by the saying of Peter in 2 Pet. 2.1 therefore that place shall next be looked into 2 Pet. 2.1 There shall be false teachers among you 5. Object From 2 Pet. 2. 1. answered who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction We grant the persons here spoken of to be Reprobates but minde that though the Lord be here said to have bought them yet it is not said that he gave himselfe a ransome for them Between these two there is a great difference The Lord Christ hath authoritie and power given unto him of the Father over all men see Psal 2.8 9. Yea over all creatures Heb. 2.7 8. over the Angels in heaven 1 Pet. 3.22 And the Devils that hate him are yet under his power In the exercise of this power and authoritie he shall at the last day judge all both men and Angels Joh. 5.27 Acts 17.31 Then every knee shall bow to him of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and every tongue shall confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord Isai 45.23 Phil. 2.9 10 11. This Lordship the man Christ hath obtalned by his death Phil. 2.8 9. In that by his death he hath obtained his kingly power and authoritie over his Church and consequently this power and authoritie over all that as King of his Church he may use it to his Churches good Ephes 1.20 21 22 23. and the Church may enjoy the glorious benefit of it see Revel 2.26 27. 1 Cor. 6.2 3. Psal 1 49.6 7 8 9. Dan. 7.27 The Father also being pleased thus to shew his gracious approving and accepting of Christs dying for his Church even by giving him this power and authoritie over all for his Churches good In this sense and in this sort Christ hath bought all creatures yet it doth not follow nor is it true that Christ hath given himselfe a ransome for all creatures or presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all creatures We are put in mind that the Lord having bought these sinners this was a great aggravation of their sin in denying him We acknowledge this to be true But let it be considered 1. In what fort they did deny Christ 2. How their being bought by Christ was an aggravation of this their sin 1. They did not deny Christ openly saying expresly that Jesus was not the Christ for they brought in their damnable heresies privily and made merchandise of Christians with fained words 2 Pet. 2.1.3 and were admitted to their love-feasts Jude 12. But their denying of him was like unto that which Paul spake of in Tis. 1.16 being rebellion against his commands 2. It was a great aggravation of their sin of rebellion that they denyed the Lord that bought them 1. Because Christ having bought them had power and authoritie to command them therefore they ought to have obeyed him and not to have rebelled against him 2. It was for the present very beneficiall unto them that Christ had so bought them For Christ in the exercise of that power and dominion over the world which by his death he hath obtained conferres upon men all the benefits that they receive It was therefore an aggravation of their sin that they did rebell against such a benefactour 3. Christ having obtained by his death this dominion over all for the good of those that believe in him the consideration of his being the Lord that hath so bought all should perswade sinners to believe in him This therefore was an aggravation of their sin of unbeliefe and disobedience 4. Thus the Apostle did also reprove their madnesse in rebelling against the Lord that bought them who therefore could not want power to punish them Now although the Lord in that sense and in that sort that we have taken notice of hath bought these yet will he truly say unto them in the day of judgement I never knew you Mat. 7.23 A sixth objection is presented to us from Heb. 2.9 That be by the gract of God should taste death for every man 6. Object From Heb. 2. 9. answered Whereto I thus returne answer 1. I deny not but have already declared that every man without exception of any doth in this life receive benefit by the death of Christ And what Christ effecteth by his death the same was intended both by the Father and by Christ 2. I am informed that the word man is not here expressed in the Greeke Text but supp●yed by the translators Whereupon I would have it to be considered whether they might not as well have supplyed the word Son because of that which follows in vers 10. For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings 3. Though we here reade for every man yet considering what here follows in vers 10. and what went before in Chap. 1.13 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation I conceive by every man we

may here understand onely every son or which is all one every man that shall be an heire of salvation This I am the more confirmed in by that which follows in vers 11. 17. where they for whose sake Christ tooke part of flesh and bloud and consequently for whose salvation he tasted death are declared to be brethren of Christ and children given to Christ of the Father I am also the more confident of this because of these words by the grace of God in the place objected to us it being certaine that the Elect and onely they are the object of that grace of God whereby wee are saved Thus I can discerne no strength at all in any objection to be made against us from this place Some endeavour to make a seventh objection from 1 Tim. 4.10 7. Object From 1 Tim 4. 19. answered we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all man specially of them that believe But the shewing of the true meaning of the place may save them the labour of making their objection The Scripture speakes of a twofold salvation 1. A salvation temporall of which you may reade in these places Psal 106.8.10 Nebem 9.17 Mat. 8.25 Touching this salvation God is the Saviour of all men Yea he preserveth man and beast Psal 36.6 2. Eternall salvation And this God hath prepared for his owne people and for none other saving them by his Son Jesus Christ from sin and eternall destruction To these he gives to believe in Jesus Christ that they may be saved by him according to the promise of the Gospel Thus he is the Saviour of all men specially of them that believe And thus there remaines no objection to be made against us from this place Another place from which an objection is made against us 8. Object From Heb. 10. 29. answered is Heb. 10.29 Of bow much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under-foot the Son of God and bath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing c. This is cleare that by the bloud of the Covenant is here meant the bloud of Jesus Christ which he himselfe calls the bloud of the new Testament or Covenant Mark 14.24 But who is the person that is here said to be sanctified with this bloud Our adversaries say The sinner here spoken of But his sinner is not in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 He is not made partaker of Christ Heb. 3.14 He is not sprinkled with his bloud 1 Pet. 1.2 How then is he sanctified with his bloud Those that are sanctified with this bloud of Christ by one offering Christ hath perfected them for ever Heb. 10.14 Therefore they are saved eternally It is not therefore the sinner that perisheth but Jesus Christ himselfe spoken of by the name of the Son of God in the words immediately afore-going who is here declared to have been sanctified with this bloud There is a sanctifying of Christ spoken of in Joh. 10.36 That was the Fathers setting him apart to the office of Mediatour That is not the sanctifying here spoken of But that you may rightly understand the sanctifying here spoken of you must remember that Christ did beare our sinnes 1 Pet. 2.24 Yea the Father did lay on him our iniquitie Isai 53.6 And so he was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 Now that our sin might neither returne upon us nor still lie upon him it was necessary that he should purge it away from himselfe This he did by himselfe Heb. 1.3 by his bloud Revel 1.5 Doing this he sanctified himselfe with his own bloud and had he not done this he had not sanctified us with his bloud as the Scriptures declare him to have done Heb. 13.12 Therefore when he was neare to his Passion in which he was to doe this worke he said to his Father concerning his Disciples For their sakes or for them as some understanding the Greeke tongue doe say the words may be rendred that is for their good I sanctifie my selfe Joh. 17.19 As this interpretation seemes to be genuine and proper and no way forced so it fully agrees with the Apostles scope which was to hold forth the excellency of the bloud of Christ that so he might also shew their odious sin that count it an unholy thing And the excellency of the bloud of Christ could not be more clearly declared then by shewing that Jesus Christ when he was made sin for us all our sinne then lying upon him was sanctified by his own bloud Thus this Scripture being truly understood and so made to agree with other Scriptures makes nothing at all against us The next place of Scripture objected to us by our adversaries 9. Object From Heb. ● 15 answer that we will now consider is Heb. 9.15 from which they endeavour to inferre that Christ hath freed all men from their sinnes against the first Testament and consequently from their sins against the Law considered as sinnes against the Law And if Christ have freed all men from their sinnes against the Law considered as sinnes against the Law then he hath presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all men The words in that place of Scripture are these And for this cause he is the Mediatour of the new Testament that by meanes of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternall inheritance Here these things are to be considered 1. By the first Testament is not here meant any covenant made with Adam or any Testament given to Adam before his fall but the legall and typicall Covenant and Testament made with Israel and given to Israel in the dayes of Moses as appeares in the words following viz. in vers 16 17 18 19 20. compared with Exod. 24.3 4 5 6 7 8 9. see also Heb. 8.6 7 8 9. 2. The Apostles scope here is to shew that the believing Jewes were freed from their sinnes against the first Testament not by the bloud of bulls and of goats or any such like thing offered according to the Law of Moses but by the death of Christ This appeares in this Chap. in vers 9.12.13 and in Chap. 10. vers 1.4 5.8 9 10 11. And here note by the way that these words once for all in Heb. 10.10 doe not signifie once for all men as some have ignorantly conceived but once and no more 3. The restriction of this to believers appeares plainly in the words of the Scripture objected if men had eyes to see it It appeares likewise clearly in the verse afore-going Also in vers 24. compared with Chap. 7.25 Also in Chap. 7.25 Also in chap. 10.10.14 15 16 17. And that unbelievers under the Law were not redeemed from their sins against the Law is manifest in Rom. 2.12 where it is said that they shall be judged by the Law 4. As it hath been already