may let it alone and give better if they can But to return to Demonstration the thing we aim at SECT XII The Demonstration of God Demonstration of God Rom. 1.19 20. is by his Creatures Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them For the Invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead The Demonstration of God's Reward is his Son Joh. 6.45 46. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Not that any man hath seen the Father save he which is of God he hath seen the Father He that believeth on me hath everlasting life Matt. 11.27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom soever the Son will reveal him He that cometh from above is above all Joh. 3.31 c. and what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth He that hath received his Testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto them The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life but the Wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 5.9.10 c He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a Lyar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son If we receive the Witness of Men the Witness of God is greater for this is the Witness of God which he hath testified of his Son And this is the Record that God hath given unto us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor. 5 19. and our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3 3. Joh. 5.22 The Father Judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death into life As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself 1 Joh. 4.14 c. We have seen and do testify that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him So he that hath seen Christ hath seen the Father by Faith and in him all things even the whole Will of God concerning our Salvation We can no more doubt of God then of Christ He that believes Christ believes all we need no more because Christ came from the bosom of the Father therefore we can no more question the one than the other He that believeth God believeth Christ and he that believeth Christ believeth God for Christ and his Father are one Our Knowledge by Faith is as sure every way as our Knowledge by Sense The Mind sees and Feels and tasts as certainly as our Body The one sees and feels and tasts Intellectual beings as fully as the other sees and feels and tasts Corporeal beings He hath lost his Nature that looseth God For God is true as Nature and Nature as God who is the God of Nature All that believe God believe Nature and all that believe Nature rightly believe God And all that deny Nature deny God one is as true as the other The Reason and Judgment believes God the Unreasonable Will denys God We deny immediate Consequences which is unreasonable We cannot deny Principles We can no more disbelieve God that he is than we can disbelieve that we are I Am is as sure of God as we are is sure of us I Am hath sent me to you that are And because I am is therefore we are are by him and are from him and in him in whom we live and move and have our being and from whom through Jesus Christ we hope for an everlasting well being We are Creatures as sure as God is Creator And God is Creator as sure as we are Creatures Relations imply one another and are Members as sure as the other Relations are between two and God is one and we the other So the Father is the Sons and the Son is the Fathers one Relative demonstrates the other This is certain that God is or 't is certain that nothing is Therefore we cannot say that God is not because something is If God is then it follows as certainly that he is God And thence it follows that he is a Rewarder And if he be a Rewarder then there are some to be rewarded So that these Consequences are as sure as the grounds from whence they are taken And if God be a Redward he must be a Reward of those that are good for nothing is Rewardable but what is good And if God be a Reward he is also a punisher And if God be a punisher he must be a punisher of those that are bad for nothing is punishable but what is bad So if there be good there must be bad and if there be bad there must be good And if Angels or Men be good which are Creatures and all other Creatures are very good Then God must be good much more And if Devils and Men be bad then the Devil must be bad much more And if God be a Redeemer he must be a Rewarder in Christ as hath been proved SECT XIII Ob. How shall I know that Sol. Demonstration of Faith in Christ Christ himself hath confirmed it by his Miracles and God gave Testimony of him by a Voice from Heaven and by all his Prophets and Apostles and the Testimony of God is true He did not bear witness of himself Believe him for his works sake Ob. I did not see his Miracles Sol. They that did see them have told us the things which they had seen and heard and handled of the word of life And these things they have written that we might believe and that by believing we might have life And blesse are they that have not seen and yet have believed We believe other men for what they have seen and heard and we never did yet they wrought no Miracle to Create Faith but were honest men and worthy to be believed and that was
dare to be Hypocrites To hurt the World to shame the World to hurt themselves to shame themselves they are quickly gon Their Estates are quickly vanisht their Names rot and their Souls are everlastingly lost Let them go that are such and will be such I will retire from their fellowship and have nothing to do with them for it is in vain They do no good nor never will SECT XIV Agreement in Scripture Truth To come a little closer to the present Subject in Four Points 1. Agreement 2. Morality 3. Judge 4. Liberty 1. Agreement all we agree that the Scriptures are the word of God The Truths therein contained are best exprest in Scripture Language An honest man relates his own Story best in his own words so declaring his own mind that he may best be understood Every wise Testator signifies his mind and pleasure in his Will and Testament without sending his Heir to the Interpretation of Law Opinions for Faith are certain Opinions for Free Grace Free Will Election Predestination Original Sin c. may be too narrow What Controversies were about Easter-day as if Eternal Happiness had wholly depended upon it The like for the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between Alexander Bishop of Alexandria and Arius his Priest and Athanasius The Creed of Christ and his Apostles is sufficient without any more Creeds One Creed 1 Tim. 6.3 c. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsom Words even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according unto godliness he is proud knowing nothing but doting about Questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strifes railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness from such withdraw thy self But thou O man of God flee these things and follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith Love Patience Meekness Fight the good fight of Faith lay hold on Eternal life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses Col. 2.8 Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Tradition of men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and ye are compleat in him which is the head of all Principality and Power The smalness of Christ's and his Apostles writings are full and plain We admit of God but cannot be content unless we dispute about his Nature Power and other Attributes till we are lost in them There is Christian Liberty allowable for Opinions but not for Articles of Faith Faith and Life are most to be regarded Controversies beget Opinions but Faith is only to be contended for The whole Counsel of God is delivered by Revelation and Miracles Believe me that I am in the Father Joh. 14.10.20 and the Father in me or else believe me for the very works sake At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you If I do not the works of my Father believe me not But if I do though ye believe not me Joh. 10.37.38 believe the works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him Joh. 15.24 If I had not done among you the works which no other man did they had not had sin but now have they seen and hated both me and my Father Simon Peter answered and said Mat. 16.11 17. Thou art Christ the Son of the living God And Jesus answered and said unto him Joh. 1.49 Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Jesus said to the blind man healed by him Dost thou believe on the Son of God he answered and said Joh. 9.35 Who is the Lord that I might believe on him And Jesus said unto him Thou hast both seen him and it is he that talketh with thee And he said Lord I believe and he worshipped him Jesus said of the Centurion Mat. 8.10 I have not found so great Faith no not in Israel Jesus said of the Woman of Canan Mat. 15.28 O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Luke 23.42 The Thief on the Cross had great Faith when he said Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom and Christ approved it saying To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise The Jews that heard Peter Act. 2.37 were pricked in their hearts and said Men and Brethren what shall we do And Peter said Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ c. The Gentiles believed and the Holy Ghost fell upon them and they were Baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus The Eunuch upon his desire to Philip was Baptized upon this Condition Act. 20.47 if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayst Act. 8.27 c. and he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God The People said to Christ Act. 17.2 c. What shall we do that we might work the work of God Joh. 6 28. Jesus said This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent Joh. 8.24 If ye believe not on him ye shall die in your sins Act. 16.30 31. The Jaylor said Sirs what must I do to be saved And they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House Ro. 10.9 10 11. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation for the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ 1 Joh. 2.22 He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Hereby know ye the Spirit of God 1 Joh. 4.2 3. Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God and every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh 1 Joh. 4.15 c. is not of God Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Joh. 20.30.31 Many other signs did Jesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Book but these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name These and such like are plain Scriptures and absolutely necessary
and sufficient for Salvation This may quiet all Ob. Of what use then are other Scriptures Sol. From a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and as profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works All Scriptures are equally true but not equally important nor necessary in terminis The Death and Resurrection of Christ are of greater value then the Circumstances of them The Text is of more worth then the Comments Paraphrases and Glosses upon them As long as we believe the main we are safe for other things Errare possum Haereticus esse nolo Aug. Repentance and Faith are the whole Duties of man Every one that doth evil hateth the light Joh. 3.20.21 neither cometh to the light lest his Deeds should be reproved but he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds might be made manifest that they are wrought in God The Kingdom of God consisteth in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost The Kingdom of Christ is within us Joh. 1.12 13. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his name Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of man but of God Of him ye are in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.30 who is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption See the Sermon on the Mount per totum Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy mind Mat. 22.37.38 This is the First and great Commandment And the Second is like unto it Thou shall love thy Neighbour as thy self On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets Joh. 13.34 35 A New Covenant I give unto you That ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another This is my Commandment Joh. 15.12 That ye love one another as I have loved you The hour cometh Joh. 4 21. when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth We have known and believed the love that God hath to us God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and he in him 1 Joh. 4.16 Heb. 10.19 c Having boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus By a new and living way which he hath Consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his Flesh And having a High Priest over the House of God let us draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood Ro 3.25 c. to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God c. One Mediator between God and Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time If any man sin Tim. 2.5 6. we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Joh. 2.1 2. and he is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole World Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me c. He that believeth on him is not condemned Joh. 3.18 but he that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 8.12 I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not work in darkness but shall have the Light of Life Tit. 2.11 The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men c. SECT XV. 2. Morality despised is Christianity Morality Heb. 11.6 They that fear God and work Righteousness are accepted of him They that believe God believe Christ Without Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Ob. Moral Men have no Grace they are many of them in Hell Sol. This is the Language Ro. 2.26 c. of those that pretend to speak the Language of Canan Let us hearken to sound words If the Uncircumcision keep the Righteousness of the Law shall not his Uncircumcision be counted for Circumcision And shall not Uncircumcision which is by Nature if it fulfil the Law Judge thee who by the Letter and Circumcision doth transgress the Law For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outwardly in the Flesh But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God A Moral Man is a Christian by the surer side Speculations Mr. Hobs. Notions Forms are mistaken A good life saved Heathens The Light of Nature is God's Will though it be more highly revealed I must confess I have not yet made the proficiency in the Schools of our Ages as to see why the second Table and the Acts of it are not as properly the part of Religion and Christianity as the Acts and Observations of the First Table If I mistake in this 't is St. James that hath abused me Jam. 1.17 who saith Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the World So the thing which in the new Dialect signifies nothing but Morality and Civility the same in the Language of the Holy Ghost imports true Religion and undefiled Such as we Sow such shall we Reap God will require no more than what he hath given We talk of Special Graces but Sanctification makes the Saints and Self-denial the Christians and he that doth Righteousness is Righteous and he shall live and not die Follow Peace with all men and Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord. â—eb 12.14 Lord I have hoped for thy Salvation and done thy Commandments Christ said â—s 119.164 I must preach the Kingdom of God to other Cities also â—uke 4.43 for therefore am I sent The Kingdom of God is within you â—uke 17.20 The Grace of God