his Being and for the further probation of this truth I shall come to the Confession of the Sonne who doth acknowledge the Father to be above all when he saith I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent And all things are given unto me of my Father Mat. 11. 25. 27. in doing nothing but by his Fathers appointment Luke 22. 29. and when he said Father into thy hands I commit my spirit Luke 23. 46. as also confessing that the Father sent him John 5. 36 37. doing nothing of himself but as he was taught of the Father John 8. 28. And thus you see the confession of Christ that he did nothing of himself but the Father that sent him gave him a Commandement what he should say and teach as you may see John 12. 49. 50. and when he said Loe I come to do thy will O God And thus you see the Sonne doth acknowledâ—â— the Father to be the onely true God And now I shall come to the testimony of the Apostles to confirme this truth in theâ—â— saying That Jesus when you have Crucified 〈◊〉 God raised up Acts 2. 23 24. and God the Father hath raised up Jesus whereof we are â—â—â—nesses Acts 2. 32. and in doing their 〈◊〉 works in the name of Jesus whom God hath raised up Acts 4. 10. and the God of our Fathers hath raised up Jesus whom ye flew and hanged upon a tree Acts 5. 30. And the Apoâ—â—e doth declare that to confesse the truth of this Doctrine is the way to salvation Rom. 10. 9. And thus the Apostles do acknowledge the Father to be the onely true God saying There are Gods many and Lords many but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is but one God even the Father of whom 〈◊〉 all things 2 Cor. 8. 5 6. And then you have the confession of the Prophets and Christ and his Apostles that the Father is the onely true God which to know is life eternall And now I shall come to the third thing Thirdly It is life eternall to know the Father as he is the God of all being from whom all things do proceed and therefore there is 〈◊〉 like the Father amongst the Gods so wonderfull in power and in glory Exodus 15. 1â— For the Father is greater then all Gods 〈◊〉 in the thing wherein they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is above 〈◊〉 Exodus 18. 11. and therefore there is no God in Heaven nor in earth that can do according to his works nor according to his might as you may see Deut. 4. 24. being Lord of Heaven above and earth beneath and there is none else Deut. 4. 39. All Nations whom thou hast made shall worship thee for thou art God alone Psa 86. 9. 10. In his hands are the deep places of the earth and his hands formed the dry land the Sea is his and he made it and the height and the strength of the Hills is his also Psa 95. 3 4 5. To him alone that doth great wonders who by his wisdom made the Heavens and stretched out the Earth above the waters and that made the great lights of Heaven which is the God of Gods and his mercy endureth for ever as you may see 136. Psa Who is the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel that dwelleth between the Cherubiâ—â— thou art God even thou alone of all the Kingdoms of the earth thou hast made Heaven and earth Isa 37. 16. and before him there was no God formed neither shall there be after him Isa 43. 10. For thus saith the Lord I am the Lord and there is none else for there is no God besides â—â— I girded thee thou hast not known me thou they may know from the rising and from the West that there is none besides â—â— I was the Lord and there is none else 45. Isâ— 5 6 7. And thus he is the true God he is the living God and an everlasting King Jer. 10. 10. that maketh the earth to tremble and the Nations shal not be able to abide his indignation the Gods that have not made the Heavens the Earth shall even perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens and so we have all one father for one God hath created us Mal. 1. 10. and thus you see that the Prophets do acknowledge the Father to be the God of all Being And now I shall shew you the testimony of Christ and his Apostles when Christ saith I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth Mat. 11. 25. and all things are delivered unto me of my Father ver 27. and my Father is greater then I John 14. 28. and my Father is greater then all and I have kept my Fathers commands and abide in his love John 15. 10. and so you see the acknowledgement of the Sonne And now I shall come to his Apostles who do declare that God the Father 〈◊〉 Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and much power for the Father was with him whereof they were Witnesses Acts 10. 48 49. that God the Father made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all things therein Acts 14. 15. ch 17. 14. being Lord of Heaven and Earth and al things therein and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 11. 31. For though there be that are called Gods as there be Gods many and Lords many yet to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 5. 6. And thus you see that the Prophets and Christ and his Apostles do acknowledge that God the Father is the onely true God even the God of all Being and thus to know the Father is eternall life And now I shall come to speak of the Son for it is life eternall to know the Sonne as to know the Father the Sonne being the great Prophet of God and the greatest of all the Prophets and the greatest of the sons of men and above all men and Angels next unto God himself and thus to know the Son is eternall life 1. To know him in the promise being promised of long before he came by the Father himself that as he made a Covenant of works with the first Adam he would make a Covenant of grace with the second Adam which should be perfected at the coming of the Some that the love of the Father might be known to all the world the which love and grace was to be declared by the Sonne the chief Prophet of God who was to reveal the mind of God to all men in opening the Fountain of Gods love and mercy and for that cause he was much desired of before he came being the Sonne of the Fathers love in declaring the salvation of God of which salvation the Prophets have enquired searched diligently who Prophecyed of the grace to come searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before of the sufferings of Christ
Crowning him with Thornes and doing him all the disgrace that they could who was led as a sheep to the slaughter and did stand up to maintain the Doctrine that he delivered 〈◊〉 the mouth of the Father to his death that it might appear to all the word that that he had delivered was truth and for to indicate his doctrine he was ready to lay down his life and was ready to seale the truth with his bloud and as the first Covenant was sealed and confirmed with the bloud 〈◊〉 â—uls and of goats even so he 〈◊〉 willing â—â—d ready to seal and confirme the Covenant of grace and glory with his own bloud and so the bloud of Christ is called the bloud of the Testament Covenant or Will of God â—â—d thus to know the Lord Jesus Christ iâ—â—â—â—rnall life Seventhly it is life eternall to know Christ in his resurrection from death to life so he became the more glorious in that he conqueâ—â—d all his enemies and destroyed those that thought to have destroyed him for he said unto death I will be thy death and he conquered the grave and he said unto the grave give up he overcame sin the world and the devill for he loosed the powers of darknesse and he conquered principalities powers and made a shew of it openly Colos 2. Yea he conquered proud flesh to the terrour of all â—is enemies and thus Jesus Christ rose from death to life and was more famous in his suffering then before in loosing the pains of death Acts 2. 24. for it was impossible that it should be holden of it the Father having before promised That he would not leave his soule in grave nor suffer his holy one to see curruption Psal 16. 10. being the first fruits of them that sleep and a sure evidence of the resurrection of the dead being raised up by the mighty power of God that as Christ was raised up so also shall we by the same spirit who raised up Jesus who is gloriously ascended up into heaven as a fore-runner for us for he that was made a â—little lower then the Angels is crowned with glory and honour so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confesse him yea those that pierced him being made the Judge both of the quick and the dead to the joy and salvation of his friends and to the destruction of his enemies and thus to know him is eternall life Eightly To know him as he is God is eternall life for when he had done the will of the Father had so gloriously confirmed the Gospell by his suffering and confirmed the truth with his bloud when that heavenly naâ—ure was made subject to anger when 〈◊〉 sweat water and bloud making strong cries and supplications with tears unto him that was able to deliver him and was heard in the thing that he desired and when he said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and when he said Father into thy hands I commit my spirit and so he suffered as a lamb without spot and blemish in fulfilling all the prophesies that the Prophets prophesied of him to fulfill the Scriptures and the mind of the Father when he said O Father not my will but thine be done that he might accomplish all that was written of him to do that thereby he might finish the glorious work of the Gospell and establish an everlasting Covenant sealing and confirming it with his own bloud being the bloud of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 10. 29. chap. 13. 20. and for all those heavenly acts of the Son the Father raises him from the dead For he was raised up by the mighty power of God as the God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Acts 2. 24. 32. chap. 3 13. 15. chap. 5. 33. 31. And thus you see the Father raises him from the dead in a glorious manner and makes him a God and gives all power into his hands as you may see Mat. 28. 18. and so the Son is God by office being the great and chiefe officer of God in being made heir of all things Heb. 1. 1. 2. and this was prophesied as in the Psal 110. 1. where the Prophet saith The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool Now Davids Lord was Christ and Christs Lord was God as doth appear in Heb. 1. where the Father saith Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son and again When he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith and let all the Angels worship him And of the Angels he saith who maketh his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire but of the Son he saith Thy-throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy Kingdom for thou hast loved righteousnes and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse above thy fellowes and thus the Father hath exalted him above the Gods saying Sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool Psal 110. 1. For God the Father hath made him the God of all things and so the Father calls him the everlasting Father the Prince of peace and hath put the Government upon him and of his Government there shall be no end for God the Father will perform this Esay 9. 6. 7. The Spirit of God the Father being upon him that he might judge the righteous in mercy and the wicked in judgement Esay 11. 4. And thus the Father hath crowned him with glory and honour for it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell for he is the fulnesse of the Godhead the Father having made him God of all things both in heaven and earth and now the Son is to rule till he have put all things under his feet Now the last enemy is death for he hath put all things under his feet but the Son shall subdue and conquer death and shall reign till he hath put down all rule and all authority and power and then cometh the end when he shall deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father and be subject to him that so God the Father may be all in all things 1 Cor. 15. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. And thus you see that God the Father hath given all things to the Son and hath made him a God till the end of all things till all enemies are conquered by the Son and then shall he give up the Kingdome to the Father again and be subject to him that God the Father may be all in all and thus to know Christ is eternall life Now the use that I make of all this is this It sheweth the great exceeding love of the Father to us in revealing his mind and will to a
man as we are and that this man Christ should be so gloriously exalted by God the Father to be the chiefe in his Councell to declare his mind to the world and that thereby the world might be reconciled to God by the man Christ in preaching mercy to us by a man as we are and in making a man to be a Mediatour between him and us to raise him gloriously from the dead and to give all power into his hands and to make him Lord of heaven and earth to set him at his right hand in glory and to center all mercy and judgement in the Son what greater favour could the Father of mercies shew us which is a sure testimony of our rising from the dead and of our glorification with him at the last day And in the next place I shall endeavour to reconcile some Scriptures that seem to contradict the truth of this Doctrine and the first is in Ge◠1. 26. Let us make man to the which I reply That there the Father speaks of his Word or Spirit by which he made all things For the Spirit of God moved upon the waters the witnesse of two is true as Deut. 17. 6. John 8. 17. And so the Spirit of God in the Scripture is distinct from God as in many places he might speak of the Angels as being familiar with him whereby they might shew their acceptance of that work being the great Counsell of heaven for he could not speak of the Son as in being at that time neither could he really be before he had a being or else the Father might speak in a two-fold relation when he spake of man to wit of the work of creation and redemption and so he might speak of the Son but any otherwise he could not Another Scripture is in John 1. 1. 2. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and God was that word To the which I reply That in the beginning implies a tearm of time but God was before all time and that word was with God and so it was before it came from him for the word is the mind of God and came from the heart of God and was the power of God for by his word he made all things 〈◊〉 that sense it might be called God for 〈◊〉 a common name in Scripture as Idols are called Gods and men are called Gods as being of note and fame and the word being of that power might be called God though it come from the Father who is the God of all Gods And another Scripture is before Abraham was I am And to that I reply that Christ was before Abraham First he was before him in the promise And secondly he was before him in Gods account for God did account of his Son before Abraham and therefore Christ might well say before Abraham was I am being the Son of God himself And another Scripture is I and my Father are one which is true indeed that the Father and the Son are one both in mind and Doctrine the Son delivering the mind of the Father as I have shewed before but else the Son saith the Father is greater then I and I came to do the work of him that sent me Now another Scripture is this that he being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God and the express Image of the Fathers person and this is true indeed that the Son is said to be the form or likeness Picture or Image of the Fathers Person but you will not say that the Image or Picture of a man is the man for the express Image or Picture of a man is but his form and so Christ is the Image of his Fathers Person that is God by Office but not the Father himself and so the Son is the Image and the Father is the substance from whom all things do proceed being the essence of all things and the originall of all being And thus in a word as time would permit me I have endeavoured to give unto the Father that which is his and also to the Son that which is his the Son being the chief in the Court of the Fathers Majesty I shal desire to honour the Son who is so highly honoured of the Father for it became the Father of whom are all things by whom are al things to make the Captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings Heb. 2. 8. 10. Thou hast put all things under his feete in subjection for in that he put all things under him he hath left nothing that is not put under him but now we see not as yet all things put under him Heb. 2. 8. 10. CHAP. V. Of Heaven NOw I shall endeavour to speak of Heaven for that will be the glorious Heaven to arive at at the last day Now the Kingdom of Heaven is called another world when Christ saith neither in this World nor in the World to come and so it is another World for that is a heavenly World and this a earthly that World injoyes the presence of God and this the back parts that World injoyes the substance and this injoyes the shadow that is a World of spirit and this a World of flesh that a World of goodness this a World of wickedness that is a continuing World and this a fading World that is a World and Kingdom not made with hands but eternall in the Heavens And now I shall speak as plainly as I can a word or two of Heaven and first what Heaven is 1. Heaven is a place of glory where the face and presence of God is and where those glorious Angels are and all the heavenly Host above all created Heavens where God the Father was from all eternity and for the probation of this you shal have Dan. 7. 9. 10. Where the Father is called the ancient of dayes being indeed before all time and his Throne prescribed with that glorious heavenly Host that doth attend him for he is the high and lofty one that Inhabits eternity and dwelleth in the highest Heavens for thus saith the wise Solomon If Israel pray heare thou in Heaven thy dwelling-place 1 Kings 8. 39. 43. and Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Foot-stooll and Christ saith that in Heaven the Angells do alwayes behold the face and presence of his Father which is in Heaven Mat. 18. 10. and also the Sonne is entred into the very Heaven of glory it self Heb. 9. 24. there to remain till he come at the last day And now I shall shew you reasons that there is a Heaven 1. Reason Is from Gods eternal Being before all time he must be somewhere and his glory must be somewhere even in Heaven a place not made with hands 2 Cor. 5 2. a place of glory before all time and before these visible Heavens and Earth were created he was in glory whereby it doth appear there is a Heaven 2. Reason When he came to create the visible
because thou strivest so against it and therein thou discoverest thy Hipocrisie that thou art a dissembling Hipocrite in striving against a visible way because thou knowest there is one and yet thou sayest there is not what dost thou strive for then if there be no visible worship thou needest not strive for that which is not whereby thou bewrayest thy Hipocrisie 5. If there be no visible worship then to what purpose are the Scriptures set forth then they wil be of no use if there be no visible worship then we may cast them away as of no use then we might walke as we list and say there was no prescript for us to walke by but every one might walke according to the desires of their owne hearts and might say they were led by the Spirit though they acted all manner of wickednesse and none could reprove those visible walkings if there were not a visible way set forth and this is the day thou wouldest have thou Son of Belial that thou mightest set up the waies of wickednesse thou wouldest have the Scriptures of no use and yet thou canst make some use of them thy selfe like the Devill for his owne ends thou canst use it as a cloake to hide the Serpent thou wouldest make the Scripture to hold out disobedience and not obedience whereby thy visible disobedience doth appeare that thou art in the gall of bitternesse 6. Whether is not this to fly in the face of Christ and his Apostles to make them contemptible to all the world and to condemne them of insufficiency as not being able to set forth a way to all the world which they were to follow in after Ages and to challenge them of weaknesse that what they have set forth is not sufficient neither to save those that walke in that way noâ— to condemne those that disobey that way and that those persons were not able to set forth so holy a way but there might be a holier and a better way and that it is but low and carnall and not fit to be walked in but for those that are low and carnall and fit for babes and not for men but such as are in a low dispensation and what dost thou now thou Serpent but cast dirt in the face of Christ and his Apostles thou thinkest not their way good enough for thee thou countest Christ and his Apostles to have walked in a carnall way they were not Spirituall enough for thee their way thou thinkest was but low and therefore thou thinkest thou cast finde a better but where wilt thou finde it thou shewest thy selfe now to be a fine proud Angel thou passest a proud Pharisee for thou art nearer thy Father the Devill for thou art a holy Angel of disobedience thy holinesse lyes in denying a visible worship thy holinesse lyes in disobedience and this is the holinesse of a Serpent 7. Thou sayest there was a worship but there is none now there was a visible worship once in the dayes of the Apostles but that was to continue but till that Age and what is thy reason for that Is there not as much need in this Age of a visible worship as then are we more holy then they if there was a visible worship then why not now did God intend that former Ages should serve him and these latter Ages should disobey him Have we not as much need in this Age to worship him as in any other Age if there was a visible worship then why not now is this Age any better then former Ages or have we any priviledges more then other Ages except God intend to exempt us from worshipping of him there is the same way for us to walke by as the Apostles of Christ walked in which they have set forth to us and to all the world to walke by that thereby they might be happy that walke therein as they were happy that walkt therein but thou needest it not for thou thinkest thou art holy enough thou art fed up with high conceits of thy selfe thou wilt not worship God now but thou wilt worship the Devill now thou wouldest eate the forbidden fruit to be a god but when thou eatest thou art a Devill thou wilt rather obey the Serpent then God but thou wilt have a Serpents reward 8. If there be not a visible way now how shall I know thee from the Serpent thou mayest say thou art a Saint but thou mayest be a Devill for the Devill can transforme himselfe into an Angell of Light he can say he is holy when he is wicked he can say he is in light when he is in darknesse he can say he is in the height of godlinesse when he is in the height of ungodlinesse he can say he is an Angell when he is a Devill â— and so mayest thou if there be no way to try thee if we may not try thy way thou walkest in by the Word thou maist then frame any worship to thy selfe and say it is right thou wouldest breake the yoke of worship that thou mightest run at randome thou art aweary of order thou wouldest be in confusion thou art striving to leave the straight way that thou mightest run thy owne crooked wayes and therefore thou wouldest have no visible worship that thou mightest make a way of thine own inventing and thus thou art changing thy shape thou canst change thy selfe every yeare like the Serpent and then thou art a new creature of thine owne making for thou hast more knowledge then grace thou art a Serpent to deceive with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse and lying signes and wonders with thy false visions and dreames to take men in thy snares and to make them more like the Serpent then thy selfe thou goest about like a roaring Lion to take thy Prey and to teare in peices thou art a Woolfe to scatter the Flock and a Fox to devoure the Lambes but thou art a Hogge in the Garden for thou delightest to roote up the sweet flowers to satisfie thy swinish nature thou art not a dumbe but a barking Curre but thou art one of the worser sort for thou wilt fawne and bite and yet thou sayest thou art a Saint but thy black conditions doth bewray thee and makes thee appeare like a Devill thou put'st on a Lions skinne upon an Asse but the braying of the Asse will bewray thee but some perhaps may thinke I jeere to the which I reply it is no jeere but a mystery to the Lovers of Mysteries that are able to beare strong meat for there is no potion but they can let downe they are of a strong digestion thou art for no worship and yet canst swallow downe any worship there is no way to try sayest thou how then shall we know thee what thou art we shall not trust thee farre if we may not try thee thou art the more to be suspected if thou wilt not be tryed thou sayest there is no rule to try thee by but the Devill is a Lyar
covenant Now the parties covenanting are the Father and Son for the Father strikes a covenant with the Son that he should teach all men and to do his will in declaring glad tidings to all the sonnes and daughters of men and to manifest his love to the world as you may see John 3. 16. so that if they do imbrace the grace and mercy offered them they may live and this doth appear by the words of the Father himselfe that this is truth for he saith As I live I will not the death of a sinner but that he live Ezek. 18. 32. and doth manifest the same in Isai 49. 6. where he saith That it was a small or light thing that Christ should be his servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the desolations of Israel but I will also give thee a light to the Gentiles and thou shalt be my salvation to the end of the earth to establish the earth and to cause to inherit the desolate heritages that thou maist say to the prisoners come forth and to them that are in darknesse shew your selves Isai 19. 6. 8. 9. And thus you see the Engagement of the Father For it is good and acceptable in his sight that he will have all 〈◊〉 to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2. 3. 4. and consulteth not that any man should perish but that all men should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. And for this end the Father hath inabled the Son with all sufficiency being full of grace and truth and giving all power into his hands whereby he might be the better inabled to do the same and thus the Father frees himselfe in giving all sufficient power unto the Son whereby he might teach all men and to performe the Covenant on his part and thus you see the incomprehensible love of the Father that he should engage himselfe thus unto the world that he would send his Son to be a Teacher to all the world so that this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light And so it doth appear that the Father is not wanting on his part to give light unto the Son that the Son might not be wanting on his part to give light to the world And then in the next place the Son strikes a covenant with the Father for these are the parties covenanting as you may see 1 Tim. 2. â— For there is one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus who is called the â—â—gel of the Covenant And the Mediatour between God and man who strikes a covenant with the Father saying Lo I come to do thy will O God for thus it is written of me in the volume of thy book to do thy will O God Heb. 10. 1. And so the Son covenants with the Father to do his will For I came to do the will of him that sent me and to declare his mind to the world and so he teaches all men as he himselfe doth declare when he saith When I am ascended I will draw all men unto me John 12. 32. And these are the words of Christ who was never wanting to fulfill his word for he drawes all men as you shall see First By the Works of creation As the heavens declare the glory of God and the earth sheweth forth his handy-worke day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night teacheth knowledge and there is no place where their voyce is not heard for their line is gone through the whole earth and their words unto the end of the world Psam 19. 1. 2. 3. and thus you see Christ drawes all men by the works of creation every creature indeed being a Gospel-Teacher Col. 1. 23. For that which may be known of God is manifest in them even the eternall power of God and the Godhead so that they are left without excuse Rom. 1. 19. 20. so that Christ drawes all men by the workes of creation which are as a naturall eye to see the Sun Secondly Christ drawes all men by Gospel-manifestation and therefore the Gospell is to â—e preached to all Nations Mat. 28. and thâ—â—ery creature Marke 16. And they have not obeyed the Gospel is not for want of hearing for the sound of the Gospel is gone through the earth and their words unto the end of the world Rom. 10. 18. The Gospell being preached to every or in every creature as you may see Col. 1. 29. and therefore Christ himselfe doth declare that the Gospell must be preached to all the world as you may see Mat. 24. 14. for a witnesse to all the world before the end shall come And thus Christ is not wanting to preach the Gospell For as by the sinne of one man death came upon all men to judgement even so by the righteousnesse of one the free-gift came upon all men to justification of life Rom. 5. 19. For this is the command of God that all men should believe in the Son he that doth not maketh God a lyer because he believes not the record that God gave of his Son 1 John 5. 10. And thus you may see that Christ is not wanting on his part to teach all men For this was the end of his coming that all men through him might believe Thirdly He drawes all men by the spirits revelation which was prophesied of before that he would poure out of his spirit upon all flesh Joel 2. 28. and that all flesh should see the salvation of God Mat. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 that grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching them Tit. 2 11. so that all men through him might believe John 1. 7. For he is the light of the world and the true light that lightens every man that cometh into the world John 1. 9. And thus he hath promised to do unto the worst of men as to the simple ones and such as delight in their scorning yea unto fools that hate knowledge and would have poured his spirit upon them had not they rejected it as you may see Prov. 1. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. saying Vnto you Oh men do I call and my voice is to the sonnes of men but seeing I have called and you have refused I will also refuse you saith the Lord. And thus you see the truth of this thing now will you say that Christ is wanting to teach any man the way to salvation whereby he might be saved and if he be you will lay the fault in him which he doth deny saying This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and they love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill and will not come to the light John 3. 19. 20. And thus I have shewed you how Christ doth performe his part of the covenant in a word or two which is to teach all men whereby they might believe and imbrace the Gospell and lay hold of eternall life
take these words to be without any condition to the which I reply that the words shall and will are both in the future tence and are both conditionall words as the Lord said to Israel thou shalt have no other Gods but me and thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve now if this word had bin without any condition then they should never have chosen other Gods nor have fallen from the worship of God but you see they worshipped other Gods therefore it doth appear that the word shall is a conditional word Again the Lord said to Israel ye shall keep my Sabboths now if this word shall were without any conditioÌ„ then they should never have broken the Sabboth but they broke the Sabboth therefore it doth appear that the word shall is not without any condition and then the Lord said unto Israel you shall walk in all the wayes that I have commanded as you may see Deut. 15. 33. Now if this word shall had been without any condition then they should never have disobeyed the Commands but we see they did and therefore the word shall is a conditional word and so they shal be my people is but a conditional word that is this if they imbrace my grace mercy they shall be my people and if not they shall not be my people and for the other word I will be their God and also the word will is a conditionall word as doth appear for as I live saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner now if there were no condition in this word will then all men should be saved and Christ saith when I am ascended I will draw all men now if there be no condition in the word will then all men shall be drawn and he will that all men should be saved and he will not that any man should perish 1 Tim. 2. 2 Pet. 3. now if the word will be without any condition then all men shall be saved and no man should perish but all that disobey the Gospel shall perish 2 Thes 1. therefore you see that the words shall will are conditional therefore the covenant of grace is a conditional Covenant for as I have shewed Repentance and Faith are the conditions of the Covenant without the which none shall be saved and therein the first and second Covenant agree and now I shall shew in a word or two wherein they differ The first Covenant is old and the second Covenant is new and therein they differ the first the Law of the letter the second the Law of the spirit the first was written and ingraven in Tables of stone the second is written and ingraved in the fleshly Tables of the heart the first a Law of death the second a Law of life the first a Law of bondage the second a Law of liberty the first a wounding Law the second a healing Law the first a naturall Law the second a spirituall Law the first a Law of types the second a Law of substance the first was to be done away the second is to continue the first a Law of earthly blessings the second a Law of spiritual blessings the first is to a natural death and the second to a spirituall death the first was to stand for a time and the second is to stand for ever And thus I have spoken a word or two of both the Covenants so far as time would give me leave and the Lord give the Reader understanding and moderation CHAP. IIII. of the Father and the Sonne ANd in the next place I shall speak of the Father and the Sonne and I shall begin with the words of the Son wherein he doth exalt the Father and desires him to glorifie his Sonne that the Sonne also glorfie thee John 17. 1. and so the Son exalts the Father and tells that this is life eternall to know the Father to be the onely true God and the Sonne whom he hath sent verse 2. and from these words I shall indeavour to speak a word or two of the Father the Son first I shall speak of the Father that from these words To know thee the onely true God from these wordes you have the onenesse of God set forth to be the onely God of all Being from whom proceedeth all things as the Son doth acknowledge in this verse for the Father is the God of all Gods and therefore he is the true God and is the first God and shall be the last God and therefore I shall endeavour to speak of the Father who is the escence or being of all things and so to know him is eternall life and therefore I shall speak a word or two how to know the Father and that in these three wayes First To know him in his Titles as there are many Titles whereby he is known he is called Elohim the Almighties or Almighty power and he is called Elohim somtimes Eloah the Almighty and in short Ell mighty and Eloah hath affinity with Alah he adjured but we are to know that Jehovah Elohim was the Creator onely Gen. 2. 4. Isa 44. 24 and he is also called Jehovah this is his proper name He that is that was and that will be it cometh of Havah he was He is also called Adâ—â—â— which is Gods name of sustentation and Dominâ—â—â—â— and El Elion the mighty the high he is also called Shaddai Almighty or Alsufficient he is called Ehejich aâ—her Ehejeh I am that I am or I will be that I will be And thus to know him in his Titles is life eternall and many Titles more he hath which I have 〈◊〉 time to name Secondly To know the Father as he is one God is life eternall and that he is the alone God the Scriptures do abundantly declare that he is the God of the spirits of all flesh as Numb 27. 16. for he is the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. for he is the first God and there is none besides him Deut. 4. 35. for the Father is the God of Gods and the Lord of Lords and a great God that is no respecter of persons Deut. 16. 17. and there is no God with him Deut. 32. 39. for among the Gods there is no God like the Father for he is God alone Psa 86. 8. 10 and therefore he is above all Gods Psa 95. 3. for he is called the God of Gods Psa 136. 2. and he is the first God and the last God Isa 44. 6. For thus saith the Lord Is there any God besides me No I know not any verse 8. And therefore the Father saith I am the Lord and there is none else and there is no God besides not Isaiah 45. 5. And therefore he saith 〈◊〉 member the dayes of old for I am God and there is none else I am God and there is none like me Isa 46. 9. And thus you see the Father is before all Gods and God alone in respect of
and this is the aggravation of all that there will be no end of their sorrow no time of releasment no more hope of mercy no more offers of grace never to look for any releasment no ease of their punishment no comfort in their sorrow no hope of ever having liberty or to come out of those torments but shall abide the wrath of God for ever so long as God is God so long shall his wrath be out against sin and sinners even for ever and ever Then will the Lord show how great an enemy he is to sin and all those that joyn with sin when he shall set the decree for ever against sin and sinners to be tormented in the flames of his wrath and in the fire of his anger from everlasting to everlasting and thus you see that there is a condemnation and those that will not believe the truth of this I shall leave them to their owne conscience and the great Judge CHAP. VII Of Glory THere is some conceive there is fulnesse of glory in this life but to such I shall say with Paul That if we had our portion onely in this life we were of all men most miserable And therefore I shall endeavour to speake a word or two of glory and shew you some reason wherefore we are not in fulnesse of glory and shew you what it is to be in fulnesse of glory To be in the fulnesse of glory is to injoy the fore-parts or face and presence of God and Christ with all the Saints and those glorious Angels to be in their presence and to reigne with them for ever in glory and so saith the Apostle When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. And therefore we hope for the glory of God Rom. 5. 2. that we may be glorified together with him Rom. 8. 17. For when the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare then shall we receive a Crowne of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5. 4. And now I shall come to Reasons 1 We are not in the fulnesse of glory in this life because we injoy but his back-parts not his fore-parts we doe not injoy his presence where he is in glory with his Angels for we are not able to apprehend his glory here much lesse to be in it or injoy it in this life for wee are not in the presence of God and those glorious Angels in heaven we injoy but his back-parts here in his footstoole his fore-parts and glory is in the Throne and cannot be seen with mortall eyes Secondly there is a vaile over our eies we see but darkly as through a glasse we are not able to behold his face and presence nor to behold his glory we see him yet but through the promises we doe not injoy him as he his his glory would rather affright then comfort us in this mortall estate should these mortall eies of ours behold the glory of the Angels much lesse the God of glory for now we see but darkly as through a glasse but then shall we see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. Thirdly Wee knew but in part and understand his glory but in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall bee done away and we shall know him as he is and know all men as we are knowne of God which cannot be in this life to know God and his Saints in glory and therefore there is not fulnesse of glory in this life knowing so little of God and so few of his Saints Fourthly we seek for glory by patient continuance in well-doing that we might inherit the promises now if we were in fulnesse of glory we need not seek for it if wee had it But we are seeking for glory and honour and immortality with eternall life and therefore it doth appear we have it not Rom. 2. 3. Fifthly we hope for this fulnesse of glory and therefore we do not injoy it for if we did what need we hope for it Rom. 5. 2. And Christ in us the hope of glory now if we had it what need we hope our hope were at an end if we had the thing we hope for to wit fulnesse of glory but you see we have it not and therefore we hope for it as not having yet received it 6 The eie hath not seen nor the ear hath not heard nor since the beginning of the world hath it not been heard nor none besides God doth know what he hath prepared for them that wait for him Esa 644. And if wee have not yet seen nor heard it how then doe we â—njoy it and if we are not able to conceive of the glory how then can we bee in it and if none but God know it then how can we know it Seventhly The Apostle Paul had as much of the Spirit of God as any man except the Son himselfe and as glorious injoyments of God being taken up into the third heavens and saw glory unspeakable which he was not able to utter nor expresse and yet hee saith If we had our glory only in this life we were of all men most miserable for he looked for a more glorious injoyment then hee could injoy in this life as you may see 1 Cor. 15. 19. Eightly The Apostle saith he was ready to be offered up and the time of his departure was at hand he had fought a good fight and had finished his course had kept the faith and henceforth was laid up for him a Crowne of righteousnesse or glory and for all them that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 6 7 8. And the Prophet David saith Oh how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee Ps 31. 19. whereby you may see it is not in this life it is laid up for a better life in a better Kingdome where we shall be capable to receive it Ninthly The good Apostle tells you hee did so run that he might obtaine for he tell you that hee had not yet attained neitheâ— was he perfect but this he did hee forgâ—â— those things that were past for he did not dote upon his former goodnesse but was pressing forward towards the marke or prize of glory that was set before him 2 Cor. 9. Phil. 3. for he that is constant to death shall receive a Crowne of life or glory Rev 2. 10. And thus you see the Apostle was so farre from being puffed up with fulnesse of glory in this life that he tells us he is not the man that doth injoy fulnesse of glory for he was striving for it to make it sure to him in this life and so to wait for it in a better life and in a better Kingdome that he was in hope to injoy Tenthly The Apostle saith I desire to depart hence and to go to Christ which is best of all Phil. 1. 23. whereby it doth appeare that there is not fulnesse of glory in this life