by the Sacrifice of himself that is to say in these last daies Christ appeared and offered up himselfe to put an end to all other offerings and to put away sin This Christ did in the daies of Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas the High-priest which was many yeares since But I know some are ready to object and say How can this be For Object he was a Lambe slaine before the foundation of the World which if true how is it that he was slain in time at Jerusalem except he was often slaine I Answer It is very true that Christ was slain but once according Sol. to the Scriptures and that in time in the end of the world and yet as true if truely understood that hee was slaine before the foundation of the World Which I shall demonstrate clearly from the Scriptures To see the truth clearly Wee must consider Christ Jesus in his 1 Pet. 1 20. death 1. In the decree of God and so he was fore-ordained before the Christ slain by the decree of God foundation of the World And all things were present before the Lord before they had being in reference to us they were in the decree councel and purpose of the Lord so was the Lord Christ in Gods decree and councel before the World He calleth things that are not as though they were What are only actually alone with us in time were truely present with him before all time who is not included in any time 2. In the vertue of his death and so he was slain before the foundation The vertue of Christs death was before the foundation of the World of the world Christs death had an influence into the times past as well as times to come therefore called The blood of the Covenant Now we must know that there was a Covenant made between God and Christ wherein it was agreed that Christ should die in time and the vertue of that death which was from eternity in the Eye of the Father should speak for all his generation in all ages therefore the Fathers of old believed not in a Christ already then come but to come even in the flesh and therefore God led them by the hand to look to a Christ to come through many Types and Sacrifices which when Christ came all ceased Christs death was that price that was laid down for all his generation in all ages and this is Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever 3. We are to consider Christs actuall death which was accomplisht Christ actually died in time by the Jewes therefore saith the Apostle The same Jesus whom ye have crucified hath GOD Raised up and thus was Christ manifest in the last times Jerusalem was not actually alwaies Pilate not alwaies for we know that State City and those persons had a begining and ending no more did Christ die actually before the World was that he might dye hee took upon him flesh and was made like to us which is only done in time for we first are in the Wombe then brought forth encrease and dye so did he yet notwithstanding the vertue of Christs death through the will of God is as great as if hee had actually suffered before the World was which he did not but only once in the end of the World And yet is Christ a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck Christ died once and dyed no more yet the benefit remaines for ever So that as the Sacrifice is fully accepted by the Father who views it since it was offered so it was accepted by him that saw it before it was offered for all things that God doth before us in time which time the Scriptures tels abondantly himselfe hath made ordered and disposed which time is that space wherein things are done successively hee saw liked ordered and decreed should be before time was Chap. IX Wherein is shewne how Christ offered up himself and the true nature of that Offering 5 I am now to proceed and shew you how Christ offered up himselfe How Christ offered up himself unto GOD which I shall demonstrate these two waies First By the power of the eternall Spirit This Sacrifice was no Christ offered up himself by the Spirit ordinary one it was his owne body therefore the power must be sutable which was the Spirit of God that did sustaine him enable him to dye and raised him from the dead therefore saith Christ I 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 18. lay down my life and I have power to take it up againe therefore is he said to be justified in the Spirit and quickned by the spirit That Eternall Spirit that dwelt in him suffered him not to lye in the grave For it was impossible he should bee held of death that was filled with the fulnesse of GOD in whom the Eternall Spirit was Secondly Christ died in the body of his flesh It was impossible the Christ died in simple Word of God die therefore the word was made flesh For as the body of his flesh much as the Children were pertakers of flesh and blood Christ himselfe tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death so he in the flesh abolished the enmity therefore it is said God was manifest in the flesh in reference to his death and justified in the Spirit in reference to his resurrection Therefore saith Peter Christ Eph. 2. 16. Col. 1. 22. 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 18. 4. 1. suffered for sins the just for the unjust being put to death in the flesh A fleshly body was prepared by God for Christ to suffer in and so he gives them his flesh a sacrifice for sin 6. Thus through the guidance of God I am now come to speak of the nature of this Sacrifice which I have discovered to be the Lord Jesus his flesh body and blood offered upon the Crosse at Jerusalem in the end of the world by the eternall Spirit for sin The excellency of its nature by a six fold demonstration First From the purity of it Under the Law their offerings A pure Sacrifice Levit. 1. 3. 10. Mal. 1. 7 8 9. must be without blemish therefore the Lord reproves the People for that they brought that which was torne and the lame and the sick saying thus Ye brought an offering should I accept this of your hands saith the Lord which is as much as if he should have said I the Lord delight not in but abhorre lame blinde imperfect offerings I must have one without blemish But now seeing all these unblemishable Lambs c. under the Law could not take away sin either a Sacrifice without spot and blemish must be found who is sufficient to take 10. Joh. 1. 29. 36. Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 19. away sin or else sin must remain therefore the Lord Christ steps in Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Offerings
A faithfull Servant to the weakest Member of our Lord Jesus John Vernon The Contents of the severall matters contained in this Booke Ch. 1. p. 3. OF the severall significations of the word Worship and what the true worship of God is pag. 3. Ch. 2. p. 5. Of Light and Love the principles of the worship of God which light discovers what may be knowne of God viz. that God is but cannot be defined p. 6. That he is incomprehensible immutable eternall wherein is shewed what time is and that God is Invisible p. 7. Of the soveraignty wisedome justice and mercy of the Lord p. 9. Of the relation God hath to his Creatures who is all in all yet but one God everliving and present in all places p. 10 11. Ch. 3. p. 11. Of the manifestation of God in the Creation which shewes the Godhead p. 12. That there is but one God p. 13. That he is Almighty p. 14 15. That he cannot be comprehended by the naturall or spirituall man p. 15 16 17. It declareth his wisedome and love wherein is shewed what it is to be created in Gods Image p. 17 18. Ch. 4. p. 19. Of God in Christ who is the anointed of the Lord wherein is shewed that the Father anointed him p. 19. That the humane nature with a description what it is is the subject anointed and that the Spirit is the Ointment p. 20. With a briefe description of what Father Son and Spirit are and whether three persons p. 21 22. Ch. 5. p. 22. Of the manifestation of God in Christ as a Priest wherein is showne what the Priesthood of Christ is and that the Lord Jesus is the Saints High Priest consecrated with an oath p. 23. And by the pouring on of oyle p. 24. Where also is shewed the ability he hath of mannaging the Priesthood being the first begotten the eldest brother being related to God and man having a great interest in them both all things concurring in him to the work he being without spot and blemish p. 25 26. Ch. 7. p. 26. Of the sacrifice of Christ exprest by five particulars 1. By Christ himself p. 26. 2ly By his bloud and what that bloud is with an answer to an objection concerning it p. 27. 3ly By the offering up of his body 4ly By making his soule an offering for sinne 5ly By laying downe his life p. 28. Ch. 8. p. 28. Sheweth 1. How often Christ suffered and whether he may now be said to dye in us p. 29. 2ly The place where Christ died which is at Jerusalem and what that Jerusalem is 3ly The time when he suffered p. 29. And how Christ is said to be a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world p. 30. Ch. 9. p. 31. Of the manner how Christ offered up himselfe viz. by the spirit and in the body of his flesh p. 31. Of the true nature of Christs sacrifice wherein is showne that it is a pure sacrifice p. 32. A free perfect spirituall and acceptable sacrifice p. 25. 43. Ch. 10. p. 34. Of the true subjects of Christs sacrifice who are onely his sheep and children beloved with an everlasting love who shall be saved p. 34 35. Wherein is handled universall redemption with an answ to 13. Object brought to stablish it wherein is shewed what Gospel it is that is to be preached to the world p. 37. That it is a dangerous thing to fall from profession of true Religion p. 39. Wherein likewise is declared what the fall of man the tree of knowledge of good and evill the tree of life and the serpent are p. 43. With 2. Arg. against universall redemption p. 43 44. That this sacrifice was offered to an angry God and what anger and fury in God is p. 44. Ch. 11. p. 44. Of the vertue of this sacrifice interposing mediating betweene God and man satisfying the Father p. 44 45. Wherein is shewed what it is for God not to see nor remember sin in his children p. 46. Ch. 12. p. 47. Of the pardon of sin and justification by the bloud of Christ by faith and by works with their unity p. 47 48. Wherein is an answer to these 2. Quest 1. Whether all sins to a believer are pardoned past present and to come p. 48 49 50 51. 2ly Whether a believer having received the spirit may feare againe p. 51 52. With 3. Arg. to prove all sins to a believer are pardoned at once p. 52. Ch. 13. p. 53. Of believers freedome from the law p. 53. Wherein is handled the law written in Adams heart the Covenant of workes the law of Moses and of Christ p. 53 54 55. Shewing severall dispensations thereof p. 55 56. With an answer to 2. Quest 1. Whether the law be a rule of life to a believer 2ly Whether God punishes his people for sinne wherein appeares the difference betweene punishing and chastising p. 56 57. Ch. 14. p. 58. Of the breaking downe the partition wall fulfilling all types and shadowes and obtaining of all happinesse for the Saints by Christs death p. 58 59. Ch. 15. p. 59. Of the dignity Christ hath attained to by dying of his resurrection ascension sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for us p. 59 60 61. Ch. 16. Of the Propheticall office of Christ wherein is shewne 1. The matter he revealeth which is mans sinfulnesse mans happinesse all things to be believed and obedience to all his commands p. 61 62 63. 2ly The light discovering which is the spirit and what it is to be taught by God by Christ and by the spirit 3ly The rule of discovery wherein of the truth and authority of the Scriptures p. 64 65 66. 4ly The manner of discovery which is plainly p. 66. wherein is shewne what we may judge of those who delight to speake in a language above the capacity of those to whom they speake infallibly 5. The subsects to whom truth is discovered are either such as receive the truth in the love of it or to those that receive it only in the notion as Balaam and Judas p. 67. 68. Chap. 17. p. 68. Of the Kingly Office of Christ who is King by his inheritance by appointment of the Father by conquest excellently qualified of his Kingdome over the world of grace p. 69. of glory p. 70. Of Christs Lawes civill and spirituall p. 70. Of his officers wherein is the true Power and bounds of the Magistracy and whither he be a Church Officer p. 71. Of the resigning up the Kingdome to the Father p. 72. Whether it be yet p. 73. Of Christs enemies Satan sin and wicked men p. 73 74. Of Christs victories over our understandings wils and affections p. 74 75. Of the Doctrine of free will p. 75. Three reasons why all Christs enemies are not yet punished p. 76. Of Christs Soldiers which are Angels Saints the World the whole creation p. 77. Of his weapons viz. his death his Word his Spirit p. 77 78. Of his rewards
whereby he gives out himselfe to be knowne after a sort for my eternall happinesse and the happinesse of all his people Chap. IV. Sheweth what we are to understand by God in Christ and what Christ is and what the Father Son and Spirit are GOD is in the Creation but dwels in the Lord Jesus Christ is God dwels in the Lord Christ Gods habitation for in him dwels the fulnesse of the God-Head bodily the fulnesse of Grace and Truth In the Creation he is a God over us in Christ a loving Father to us But seeing this is the great Mystery of Godlinesse viz God manifest in the flesh justified 1 Tim. 3. 16. in the spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleived on in the world and received up into glory Which mystery is hid from the eyes of the world and mans vaine imagination fancyes such vaine understanding of it I shall endeavour to speake more plainely and particularly of it and shall observe this order 1. To shew what we are to understand by God in Christ 2. How God in Christ unvailes himselfe to the sons of men That we may know what we are to understand by God in Christ these three things are to be considered and that from the word Christ which signifies one Anointed wherein consider 1. The Anointer 2. The Anointed 3. The Ointment it selfe wherewith he his anointed Of these in order 1. The Anointer giver dispenser or pourer forth of the ointment who is the Anointer 't is the Father is the Father God in all over all and above all for whom are all things and by whom are all things t is that infinite that incomprehensible majesty that eternall substance which I have already proved to be incomprehensible The Scriptures abound in this doctrine The spirit of the Lord God is upon me saith Christ he Isa 61. 1. hath anointed me God proclaimes it from heaven saying I have found my servant David which is the Lord Christ with my holy oile I have anointed him Againe singeth the sweet Psalmist of Israel in the Song that his heart endited or bubled or boyled forth concerning the King God thy God hath anointed thee This was prefigured shadowed pointed at and typed forth in the Law by Moses anointing Aaron This is the Fathers worke Secondly The subject Anointed is the humane nature in which The subject Anointed is the humane nature God was manifested for he was manifested in the flesh It was that particular body of Christ that the word dwelt in which was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and therefore saith the Scripture he hath Anointed his holy childe Jesus even Jesus of Nazareth the son of Mary of Acts 4. 27. a Virgin the Son of David the Son of Abraham the Son of Man who is called The man Christ Jesus It was that particular person who was the subject of this anointing Now the humane nature is nothing else but a fleshly body and humane soul united in one which humanity is proper to all men yet so that every man hath the whole humane nature in himself and so was this person this man Christ this humane nature consisting of body and spirit in one person was the Subject of the Anointing Thirdly The Ointment it self remains to be declared which is Theointment is the Spirit that holy Oyle with which our Jesus is Anointed which Ointment hath severall names in Scripture to declare its worth and nature It is the Spirit of God therefore saith Christ The Spirit of the Lord is upon Psal 98. 20. me he hath anointed me With my holy Oyle saith the Lord I have anointed him which is the Oyle of joy and gladnesse the holy Ghost and power Which Oyle is sweetly tipified forth to us by the holy Oyle mentioned by Moses whose composition consists of principall spices Ex. 30. 25. 30. as pure Mirrbe sweet Calamus sweet Cynnamon Cassia and Oyle olive wherein though misteriously yet very excellently is deciphered the very nature of the Sprtit of the Lord Jesus for the nature of that composition is such that it is of singuler vertue being soveraign for the brain comfortable for the heart and wholsome for the liver the three natural fountains and springs of the naturall bodies life purging from evil humors mollifying and softning the body enabling the body to performe its naturall vitall and animall faculties Which is abundantly yea superlatively true of the Spirit that gives to a Saint being wisdome understanding light life power love and increase to a Saint softning the hardest heart moistening and relenting the most flinty spirit purging and scouring away effectually all drossy cholerick passionate idle melancholy earthly and evill humors of sin and corruption fitting and enabling the soule to runne the waies of Gods commands preserving the soule from sins venome and poison keeping it from corruption or putrefaction And wheras none was permitted to make any after the likenesse of that composition It declares and proclaimes aloud the contrariety of the true Spirit to all pretences of it or counterfeitings of it which are the powers signes and lying wonders of the man of sinne which Christ through the brightnesse of his coming will destroy Thus briefly have I handled the three essential things to be considered in the true knowledge of God in Christ Now know this That neither of these three abstracted from the other is the Lords Christ t is the composition or conjunction of these three in one person that makes this Christ therefore is it said The word was with GOD and was GOD and yet was made flesh which leads us to the consideration of the various manifestations of God as they are one in Christ Jesus There are three that beare Record in heaven the Father Sonne and holy Ghost or Spirit and these three are one viz One God and one in the man Jesus Christ These three are not three Gods but one God is made manifest What the Father Son and Spirit are after three manner of wayes that is to say God the Father conceived his word in his owne minde which is his sonne eternally brought up with him his wisedome daily his delight it is his light whereby he knowes himselfe and brings forth every thing by himselfe For by his word that is to say himselfe in a way of activity or doing or wisedome made the worlds the word was in himselfe producing every thing below himselfe and the spirit is the mutuall kindnesse each of other which is actively eternall The spirit is sometimes taken for the power of God susteining all things producing all things sometimes for the influence of the Fathers love shed abroad in the heart and this is the Spirit of God the Comforter in the Gospell so that all these are one agree in one and what may be attributed to the one doth agree to the other So that these three are not three distinct substances or persons in the common and most knowne
Christ tels him what he hath done for him saying to him Thy sins are pardoned my Son feare not then wrath horrour guilt and terrour fly away and the man is by faith that is to say by believing what Christ hath done at peace in his soule Faith I say is not the mans justification or righteousnesse but receives it for it is a free gift of God It is said we are justified by workes how then by the bloud and grace of Object James 2. 24. Christ To that I answer We may be truly said to be justified by works Answ namely as to be justified holds forth the declaration of it to others and so onely workes before men justify or as workes declare a man in some particular act to be a just man may a man be truly said to be righteous or justified in that particular just and righteous act So these three waies of being justified viz before God in our conscience and before others or in some particular act are all at unity being the effect of Christs death which was the sacrifice for sinne But yet methinkes I heare some ready to question Whether all sinnes to a believer are pardoned past present and to come Object If thou seriously considerest what I have already said it might Sol. All sins pardoned to a believe past present and to come be a sufficient answer to thy demand but if possible I shall desire to answer thee more fully We are to consider that before we were actually Christ Jesus died and when he died he bore our sinnes in his owne body the punishment that we deserved Christ suffered he is and was our trusty Advocate that pleaded our cause and satisfied the Law against which the sinne was so that condemnation is by a Law take away the Law the condemnation ceases Now Jesus triumphed over our sinnes and the Law as I shall shew more fully anon on the Crosse and made a shew of them openly So that they could never be able to returne upon us to condemne us and under this consideration I affirme all sinnes past present and to come were then pardoned by the bloud of the Crosse For as Christ at once died for all sinnes past present and to come so were they pardoned Which pardon was given to Christ for him to communicate to us Which leades us to the second consideration namely our guilt feare horrour and terrour and Christs love to us then for he having obtained our pardon as he obtained it he gives it to the soule a full compleate perfect pardon saying after this friendly manner Thou that hidest thy selfe in the staires and in the clifts of the rocke in a desolate and forlorne condition that waterest thy bed with teares and expectest nothing but wrath feare not though thy sinnes be as scarlet I have made them as white as snow And so commands Satan their Goalor to flye the Iron gates of their owne guilt to open and takes him by the hand and leades him into the Paradise of God by faith into his Fathers Kingdome which act of Christ upon mans spirit is mans Justification according to that in the Acts We preach remission of sinnes by Jesus Christ for every one that believeth is justified from all things marke the word from all things from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses And in another place You hath he quickened who were dead in sinnes having forgiven you all trespasses Minde it the worke is done the Law cannot charge him so that if a Saint sinnes now as in truth wee doe For be that saith he hath no sinne is a lyar and deceiveth himselfe he may looke to his Advocate pleading satisfaction already given triumphantly singing There is now no condemnation or damnation to him that is in Christ with a sure confidence None can now legally thoug many may unjustly lay any thing to his charge for God justifies him he that was offended is satisfied Neither can any condemne him for t is Christ that died for him now in this sense likewise it is very sure all sinnes past present and to come are pardoned for this second is onely the declaration of the first Against what I have here written I know many object That the Obj. Servants of God in the Old Testament as David Daniel c. prayed for pardon of sinne and that Christ commanded his Disciples to pray for the pardon Matth. 6. 12. 1 John 1. 9. of their sinnes and that we are required to confesse our sinnes one to another and pray one for another and God himselfe saith If we doe confesse our sinnes he is faithfull to forgive them therefore they are not all pardoned at once if they were what need we pray for them As to the examples or precepts concerning praying for pardon Sol. of sinne I answer That it was a sutable act to that state and service that consisted in a legall dispensation they saw not so clearly the things we see they were continually to offer sacrifice for sinne and surely those that might offer sacrifice for sinne might pray for the pardon thereof So that their praying for pardon of sinne no more proves it our duty then their offering sacrifices makes it a duty to us so to doe As to that precept of Christ to his Disciples we are to minde that Christ intended not alwaies to confine his Disciples to that manner of praying but that forme was agreeable to that dispensation for the Kingdome of Heaven was not then come It was but at hand but now it is come and we may boldly goe to God As concerning the other Scriptures that say Confesse your sinnes one to another and If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull to forgive us If you consider what I have said before it might be sufficient These expressions onely speake of a forgivenesse and acquittall in a mans Conscience So though a soule may be in some doubt these are an encouragement for him not to hide his face and runne away in feare but boldly to acknowledge them upon the head of the Scape Goate the Lord Jesus and God is just and faithfull to forgive them that is to say to manifest the forgivenesse of them to thee for sinne is either chargeable before God or in the Conscience before God it is not therefore in Conscience onely and as it is chargeable such is the forgivenesse it many times fares with a Saint as with a man arrested with a Bond formerly cancelled the man hereupon is filled with feare beginning to call in question whether his surety hath cancelled it or no and so calls upon his surety for the producing his Bond that he may be assured he is freed from it by the Law though unjustly vexed for it Even so I say fares it many times with a Saint Jesus Christ hath told him the Law is satisfied his debt paid the bond cancelled the Devil assalts him sets his sins his debts in order before his eyes and
what he hath done for us what wee shall enjoy by him what we have done against him and what we ought to returne to him I shall draw forth this to thy view in severall particulars As First Christ is a Prophet discovering to us our sinfulnesse and Mans sinfulnesse misery by nature our nakednesse and emptinesse our blindnesse and vanity for 't is he that convinces of sinne Alas Wee see not our wretched estate by sinne till Christ comes to us and shewes us the danger of it Secondly Christ discovers to his people their happinesse by Mans happinesse grace that though their sinnes are great the Fathers love is greater Poore man lies in a dark dungeon till Christ come with his light in a comfortlesse estate till his eternall state in love be ascertained him he it is that reveales to the soule the Gospell or good newes of salvation he comes to the soule and tels him his sinnes are forgiven him By the sight of this love the soule is taught the greatnesse of his sinne and the infinitenesse of his offence the riches of Gods grace is made to shine more clearly for he convinces the world of righteousnesse Thirdly This Prophet teaches the soules all things to be believed All things to be believed even the resurrection of the body and everlasting life yea the Fathers love to him from eternity yea this teaches him what God is and what Christ is and to believe what he reveales and what shall be hereafter for he convinces the world of judgement Lastly Because I must hasten He teaches the soule obedience to Obedience to all the commands of God observe all the commands of Christ the least as well as the greatest visible as well as invisible things to be done in earth as well as to be enjoyed in heaven he teaches how to behave our selves while strangers here as well as what we shall enjoy when we attaine to the City which we now seek which obedience consists in two things 1. Love to God Love to God is that which Christ preaches to every soule whom he loves and in teaching him to love God he teaches him to love God above all and in all and all things for his sake and to deny all things and account them as losse and dung in comparison of his God 2. Love to his Neighbour Love is the fulfilling of the whole Law but more of this as God gives further opportunity I proceed now to speake of the light discovering which is the The light discovering is the Spirit spirit of God in Christ Therefore saith the Lord Jesus When I goe away viz in the flesh I will send you the Spirit and be shall take of mine and shew it to you he will guide you into all truth Therefore saith the Psalmist Oh that thou wouldest send forth thy light and thy truth let them leade mee this Spirit is the Spirit the Comforter Christ saith I am the light and I will teach you And it is said Obj. That he reveales the mysteries of the Father how then say you 't is the Spirit In answer to this I desire you would consider these three Sol. things 1. That we are taught by God and therefore saith the Scripture Yee shall be all taught of God 2. That we are all taught by Christ therefore Christ saith I am the true light 3. We are taught by the Spirit therefore is it said Yee have an unction that teacheth you all things Now these three are not three severall distinct lights but one true light which Christs owne words sweetly hold forth saying All that the Father hath is mine and the Spirit shall take of mine and shew it unto you Which holds forth this truth that the Father teacheth by his Sonne For the fulnesse of the Father dwels in him and the Sonne now teacheth onely by his Spirit therefore the Spirit takes of Christ to give to them that are his children So that it remaines cleare there is but one true light namely the light of the Father and the Sonne made manifest by the Spirit The third thing I propounded is the rule of discovery and that The rule of discovery the Scriptures is the truth of God revealed in the Scriptures The Scriptures doe declare all that was that is and that shall be practised or enjoyed by any To the Law and to the Testimony was a sure guide or rule of old insomuch that if any spake not according to them it was because there was no light in them So likewise is it a sure rule now even the Law and Testimony given by the Lord Jesus the Son of God who hath spoken in the last daies his will to us Now the will of God which is our rule to walke by is the command of God the Law of God Where there is no Law there is nothing but disorder Christ hath given us a standing Law to walk by which is the Scriptures of truth The holy Scriptures which the Apostle affirmes Are able to make the man of God perfect unto salvation through faith in Jesus Many men now adaies are grown so wanton that they may sinne without controule deny the Scriptures to be the words or Law of God But to such soules let me say the Heathens will convince them of Atheisme for when they once come to deny that they deny likewise the worke of God written in the heart by the Creation But how can you prove the Scriptures to be the words of the Lord. Object Sol. Besides the Testimony they beare of themselves which some though carnally and sensually judge to be false I shall propound these few considerations to you First Whatever is written in the heart by nature is found plainly and fully described in the Scriptures By nature man knowes there is a God that this God is to be worshipped and that he ought to live righteously and his conscience flyes in his face being convicted of his sinne against God whereupon he is put upon a way of thinking how he may please God these things through his ignorance are but confusedly in him but looke to the Scriptures all these things are handled plainly and distinctly which is an undeniable argument except to them that are so scared that they can also deny there is a God that the Scriptures are the very words of God that thy heart in nature mindes thee God in his word plainly unfolds to thee Nay further I will appeale to any man and challenge the wisest subtilest most ingenuous man in the world to tell mee what is good or excellent to be followed or avoided which may not be clearly demonstrated from the Scripture Another reason which may serve to silence thy vaine thoughts is this that all men that write of God or the worship of God are forced to make recourse to these Scriptures to decide the controversies among them Doe not the greatest Heretiques seeme to father their blasphemies upon the Scripture which is a good Argument
the soule acknowledges all he hath to be from the Lord and so lyes low in his owne apprehension that God may be exalted 4. In Love This is that which God commands of us to love In Love and what true love is him to delight in him which love to God is the streaming forth of the affections unto God in which there are these severall ingredients First A true knowledge of God of which before Secondly A setting a high price of God valuing him above all things in the world Thirdly A giving up the soule to God the understanding to know God the will to desire him the affections to embrace him Fourthly The union of his spirit with God the glory of love is union love affects union and is not satisfied with any thing till he is united with it Some say love passes or emits or sends forth the spirit of the lover into the beloved I am sure t is true in divine love which sends forth the spirit into God the perfection of which love is when the soule hath nothing enjoyes nothing but what he hath and enjoyeth from God when he willeth nothing but what God willeth when he can truly say Thy will and not mine be done 5. This worship consists in praise and songs of joy when wee In Praise and what true praise in the spirit is would honour men we set forth there excellency a soule that truly honours God rejoices in him and praises him Now this praise of God is the soules spirituall acknowledging God to be praife-worthy preferring God in his thoughts in all and above all singing in his heart making melody to the Lord. I doe but touch on these things because I shall have occasion What the power of inward worship is on to speake of them as they be the principles or foundation of more visible appearances of the worship of God A word or two of the power of this worship that is spirituall likewise for t is the power of God t is not of the first creation but of the second t is not of generation but of regeneration not of mans will nor of mans activity but of God that sheweth mercy wee are all dead in sinne as void as naturally in the first Adam of power truly to serve God as a dead man is to eate and drinke therefore is Christ the power of God unto us who worketh irresistibly in us What the true manner of inward worship is As the power of divine worship is spirituall so must the manner be the heart must be in a spirituall frame united to God that is to say in a way of relation unto God whereby he becomes a servant a souldier a friend and Son of God it must be performed in faith love feare and reverence all these are faithfull and inseparable companions If a man prayes or praises God he must do it in faith love and feare But to put a period to the first part of this discourse all this service must be performed to God as in Christ he that prayes to God must seeke him as he is to be found in Christ For t is in him in whom onely the Father is well pleased God in Christ is a Saints rest delight fulnesse and glory a Saint by Christ goes to God fals downe before him rejoyces in him and lives sweetly and contentedly in meeknesse and humility yet triumphantly in the presence of the Lord for evermore Here a soule lives with God by faith crying out Holy Holy Holy How long shall it be Come Lord Jesus come quickly Longing for the appearance of the day of God who will render tribulation to every soule that obeyes not the Gospell of God but eternall life to them that are faithfull to the death Thus much concerning the true worship of God as it consists onely in the spirit in the inward man hid from all men or Saints having a sweet entercourse with God after an invisible manner in the spirit THE VISIBLE WORSHIP OF GOD. Chap. I. Sheweth what the Visible Worship of Christ is and a discovery of what the true Gospell to be preached to the world is with the true Messengers or Ministers of the Gospell IN the former part of this Discourse I have held forth the worship that is due unto the Lord as it consists onely in the inward man and am now come to speake of the worship of God as it is visible Now the visible worship of God is the subjection What Visible Worship is 1 Cor. 6. 20. of body and soule to the Lord according to the words of the Apostle saying Glorifie God in your body and spirit which visible worship shall be handled under a two-fold consideration 1. As it consists in the visible administration of the Gospell and commands of the Lord Jesus 2. As it consists in conformity to the Gospell and commands of Christ of both which in order as the Lord shall enable me Concerning the first of these viz the administration of the Gospell and the doctrine thereof it is two-fold either to the world or to Saints but I shall first discourse of it as it is to be administred to the world and herein shall shew First What the Gospell is which is to be preached to sinners Secondly Who are those that are to administer dispence or preach this Gospell Thirdly The manner how they are to dispense this Gospell Fourthly To whom they are to administer or preach this Gosspell 1. The Gospell is glad tydings good and joyfull newes to Jewes What the Gospell is that is to be preached to the world Luke 2. 10 11. Isaiah 40 9. 61 11. and Gentiles to sinners by Jesus Christ Who was born in the City of David and is come in the flesh dead and risen againe therefore saith Paul We preach Christ crucified or fastned or nailed to the Crosse to them that are called Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God Therefore is it called the Ministry of reconciliation the grace of God revealed Salvation is onely in a crucified Jesus eternall life is in him that is the good newes that is to be divulged to poore sinners even Christ dying to make attonement for sinne to open the way to come to God and that Whosoever believes in this Christ shall be saved and be raised up at the last day This the Apostles preached which was glad tydings to the sinfull soule to Publicanes Harlots the worst of sinners good newes to a spirit enslaved in sin good newes to the body the naturall body the resurrection of which Paul preached as good newes by Christ though he was called in question for it this is the onely Gospell the everlasting Gospell promised to Adam shadowed under the law revealed now for grace and immortality are brought to light by Jesus Christ And of this Paul saith Though I Paul or an Angel from Heaven should bring any other Gospell then that I have already preached and yee have received let him
acceptation of the word viz a particular and individuall substance or being distinct from another In this sense I say there are not three persons in God for this is to make three Gods but because the Scriptures no where saith there are three persons I hope the word invented by mans wisedome shall not be imposed on any as a snare let us more look to things then words I say according to the Scriptures there are three that beare Record in Heaven the Father viz the infinite being the begetter of the Son and the Son viz the expresse image of God the reflection or likenesse of himselfe which is the word begotten of the Father and the spirit the mutuall kindnesse love and communication of the Father and the Son for God is love all agree in one in one man Christ Jesus the Father is in him the Word is in him for it was made flesh and dwelt among us and the Spirit is in him viz the eternall love of the Father the sweet and heavenly influences thereof it is given to him without measure So that God manifested in the flesh in a way of union is Christ for all that may be knowne or understood or enjoyed of God is in the Lord Jesus Nay further what ever God is to a Saint he is it in Christ Jesus for the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in him bodily that is to say God in his highest manifestation of himselfe in power grace and truth c. For he was full of grace and truth The sum of what I have said or can say in this particular which notwithstanding I must confesse comes infinitely short of the height of its glory is that the conjunction of Father Son and Spirit after a spiritual and wonderfull manner in the man Jesus Christ is the Lords Christ So that God in Christ is God the Father dwelling in and uniting the humane nature after a wonderfull and unspeakable manner to himselfe and therefore is Christ called God and Man and because of this union Christ sometimes speaks as he is man and so dies sometimes as the Word which is God in him and so he raiseth himself from the dead sometimes in a way of union and so he is the Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus Chap. V. Sheweth how God in Christ unvailes himself to the sonnes of men wherein is shewn that Christ is our Priest and the manner of his Consecration and fitnesse for his Office HAving shewed what we are to understand by God in Christ and what the Lords Christ is I am come now to shew that Christ was not anointed for himself only but that he might communicate of his fulnesse to others which appeares in these two considerations First in that Christ was designed by the Father or set apart or â—â—secrated to a glorious work Secondly in that Christ is made fit capable and able effectually to performe whatever worke was imposed on him which his being anointed holds forth to us Of these in order In Christ's designation to a worke there are two things to be observed 1. What the worke is that Christ is consecrated to 2. The manner of his consecration Concerning the worke it selfe it is a three-fold office or ministry viz a Priestly Propheticall and Kingly office wherein all the appearance of the love wisedome or power of God are clearly made manifest I shall speake of these in order Now the Priesthood of Christ is that order or office that Christ What the Priesthood of Christ is hath from his Father in a way of relation to God and Man offering up sacrifices to the Lord. Wherein are two things considerable First The Priest Secondly The Sacrifice be offers For he is not a Priest but in reference to his offering of Sacrifice The Priest is Jesus Christ even the man Christ whom I have already Christ is the Saints highest Priest discovered to be the anointed of the Father even this man that that an unchangable Priesthood who is the Son of God according to the divine nature and humane nature it is he that is our Heb. 9. 11. High Priest But now seeing no man takes this honour to himselfe but he that is called The manner of Christs consecration Heb. 5. 5. of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himselfe to be made an High Priest but he did it that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee The Father anointed him as I have showne more at large before and now shall shew you the manner of his consecration Which was 1. With an oath saith the Psalmist The Lord hath sworne and will not Christ consecrated by an Oath repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck needs must we conclude the matter is of great concernment that is mannaged with so much solemnity That God should with an oath confirme it it hath much weight in it An oath amongst men puts an end of strife and seales up the matter in question Men in all ages as I have said before being convicted in their consciences that God is displeased and must be pacified have had their Priests to accomplish that service Nay the Lord appointed many Priests to offer Sacrifice to himself But now that he might make it appear that none of these were his eternal Priests that he might put all out of doubt and clearly reveal his own mind and the immutability of his counsell sweares by himselfe there being none greater then himselfe to sweare by that he had made established and consecrated the Lord Christ to be the everlasting Priest upon whom he had conferred his everlasting Priesthood The Priests of old were made without an oath but Christ with an oath by him that said unto him Thou art a Priest for ever As if God should have said Son its true there have beene many Priests that I have made but they are dying Priests and their Priesthood is but a shadow or type of thine which I commit to thee for thou art my well-beloved and shalt not dye of thy Priesthood there shall be no end for I have said yea I have sworne it and cannot lye The Priests of old were consecrated by the powring Oyle on their heads and the putting on of the holy garments so our High Priest Christ consecarted by the powring on of oile was set a part for this office by that holy Oyntment even the power and Spirit of the most high by the voice from the most excellent glory that gave this Record of him This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased The Lord Christ ministers in the Sanctuary with the oyle of joy gladnesse and acceptation powred on him with the garments of righteousnesse and salvation Aaron and his Sons had garments yea holy garments for glory and for beauty which garments were most exquisitely made for workmanship Exod. 28. 2. 3. wise-hearted men filled with wisedome by the Lord being onely
appointed to make them Whose composition was of the most beautifull glorious and rich materials gold purple scarlet and fine linnen which excellently type forth the glory of our High Priest who stands before God in rich pure spotlesse bright shining and incorruptible garments being filled covered and cloathed with the glory of God and being adorned with the beauty of the most High for he was and is the expresse image of his Fathers beauty Aaron was appointed to beare the names of the Children of Israel upon the Ephod upon his Shoulder and upon the Breastplate of judgement upon his heart engraven in precious stones which shewes that our High Priest the Lord Jesus administers before the Lord with all his Saints engraven upon his heart in beauty and glory Thus briefly having taken a view of the manner of our Jesus his consecration to his office let us by divine assistance consider The ability to mannage that office the worke being of such an infinite extent requires a person of answerable abilities which we shall easily finde to be in the Lord Jesus if we consider First The dignity of his person Secondly The excellency of his endowments 1. For the first it will appeare if we consider that he is the Sonne of God one begotten of the Father yea the delight of the Lord he is the first borne among many brethren Priests of old were of the first borne among the family so is our Jesus the beginning of the Creation of God the first borne from the dead the onely begotten Son that is to say the Chiefe none begotten to be a Saviour an everlasting Deliverer of his brethren besides himselfe he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last begotten in his Fathers likenesse the expresse image of his Fathers person White and ruddy as saith the Spouse the chiefest among ten thousand or thousand thousands 2. For the excellency of his qualifications consider First His relation to God he was the Son of God and to man he was made flesh he was of such a nature that he stood related so to God and man as he knew how to preserve both the glory of God and the happinesse of the creature that so divine justice might be compleatly satisfied and mercy admirably advanced in the creatures salvation Secondly His interest in God and man he was not onely related to them but had a deepe interest in them both To God he was a Companion therefore God cals him the man his fellow Moses of old was prevalent with God but our Jesus much more Moses as a servant Jesus as a son and heire to Man as a faithfull brother friend yea companion and fellow sufferer he was tempted that he might be able to succour us being tempted Likewise he is the Fathers beloved whom God can deny nothing to the Saints advocate that will lose nothing for want of asking Thirdly His will power love wisedome and delight concurred Christs will power and love concurre in it in fitting him to be such a Priest his love sets all on worke both power and wisedome he is the power of God and the wisedome of God Fourthly He is without spot or blemish the Priests of old He is without spot or blemish Heb. 4. 15. were forced to offer for their owne sinnes daily but our Jesus had no sinne to offer for He was like to us in all things sinne onely excepted There was no guile found in his mouth Yea such an High Priest became Heb. 7. 26. 25. us who is holy harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners made higher then the heavens able to save to the uttermost Lastly Our High Priest was a High Priest of an Incorruptible nature Christ is of an incorruptible nature one that continueth for ever The High Priests under the Law by reason of death continued not but Jesus is a High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck that is to say without Father or Mother he was not of the off-spring of the Priests but of Judah without beginning or end of dayes who ever liveth to intercede for us Thus much briefly to the first viz concerning the Priest himselfe Chap. VII Sheweth what the Sacrifice is Christ offered THE Sacrifice it selfe that is offered is next to be spoken of Christ offereth Sacrifice Heb. 8. 3. for every High Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices Wherefore it is of necessity that this man viz Jesus have somewhat to offer The Scriptures are exceeding full in declaring this Sacrifice That I may a little describe this Sacrifice in the excellency of it I will observe this order 1. To shew you what the Sacrifice is Christ offers 2. How often it was offered 3. The place where it was offered 4. The time when it was offered 5. The true nature of that Sacrifice 6. How our Priest offered up this Sacrifice 7. For whom it was offered 8. To whom it was offered 9. The virtue effects and end of this Sacrifice Of these in order What the Sacrifice is It is Christ himselfe Galat. 1. 4. 2 Ch. 20. 1. Eph. 5. 2. 25. Tit. 2. 14. Heb. 7. 27. 9. 24. 27. First The Sacrifice it selfe is the Lord Jesus Christ When burnt offerings and sacrifices God would not Christ came to do his will This is held forth to us in the Scriptures by severall expressions all centring in one thing namely In this sacrifice as first by giving himselfe as saith our Apostle Who gave himselfe for our sinnes Againe saith Paul Who hath loved us and given himselfe for us an offering and a sacrifice to God The Priests of old offered goats and lambs and the like but our High Priest a better sacrifice even himselfe Secondly By powring out his bloud all things almost under the T is Christs bloud Law were sprinkled and purified with bloud for without bloud there was no remission the patterns of things in the heavens were purged with the bloud of buls and goates but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices namely with the bloud of Christ himselfe The bloud of beasts sprinkled upon the uncleane sanctified to Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. 20. Joh. 19. 34. Heb. 9. 7. Heb. 12. 14. Hebr. 10 19. Hebr. 12. 24. Hebr. 13. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Acts 20. 28. 1 John 5. 6. Rev. 5. 9. Rev. 19. 13. Zach. 9. 11. Heb. 10. 29. 13. 20. the purifying of the flesh but Christ's bloud was the Sacrifice for the purifying of the heavenly things viz the Saints bodies and spirits To this the Scripture gives a large Record In whom we have redemption through his bloud as Paul saith even the bloud of the crosse that bloud that issued forth frow the side of our Jesus whom one of the Souldiers peirced The High Priest under the Law went into the second Tabernacle once every yeare not without bloud which he offered for himselfe and the errours of the people but our Christ entred into the most holy place by his
owne bloud which is called the bloud of sprinkling which Christ poured forth when he suffered without the gate even his owne precious bloud which is the bloud of God This is he that came by water and bloud even Jesus Christ This was part of that new Song the 24 Elders sang when they fell downe before the Lambe saying Thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us by thy bloud even his bloud whose vesture was dipt in bloud Therefore Christs bloud is called the bloud of the Covenant of the everlasting Covenant But peradventure some will be ready to say who seeme to be very Object spirituall That that bloud that washes us is not the bloud poured forth upon the Crosse for that was spilt upon the ground but it is a spirituall bloud and therefore saith Christ He that eateth my body and drinketh my bloud shall never dye which seemes to imply some other bloud To which I answer 1. By the bloud of Christ we are to understand not onely the Sol. bloud sned forth from his side as a naturall eye might see it but the same bloud in the virtue of it which bloud is the sacrifice So he that drinketh Christs bloud partakes of the excellent benefit that redounds through Christs bloud which in due time I shall shew you more fully 2. By this word Bloud we must know the death of Christ to be concluded and his body included All Christs suffering center in one word namely his Bloud which holds forth all his sufferings upon the Crosse And therefore in the next place the Scripture declares this sacrifice 3. To be the offering up of his body Christ gave up his body to death to suffer all the wrath of man and to become an offering for sinne therefore It is his body Heb. 10. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Col. 1. 22. Isa 33. 10. John 10. 15. Acts 8. 53. 1 John 13. 16. Matth. 20. 28. it is called the offering of the body of Christ. So saith Peter he bare our sinnes in his owne body even in the body of his flesh By which body we are to understand himselfe his bloud for every one of these words are wound interchangably each in other Thus Christ gives his body to be eaten that is to say the fruit of the offering up his body he gives his body for us that the fruit of that body might redound to us 4. It is said He made his soule an offering for sinne The Lord Christ It is his soule offered up offered up the whole man body and spirit he loved not his life but poured forth his soule and underwent the whole curse wrath and vengeance of the most High in body and spirit 5. Christ sayes he layes downe his life for us yea he gave his life a It is the laying downe his life Rom. 5. 10. Col. 1. 22. Heb. 2. 9. 14. Heb. 9. 15. 1 Pet. 13. 18. 18. ransome for many In this word all the other are contained Therefore it is so often said in the Scriptures we are saved by his death and by his sufferings So that all these tearmes of Christ giving himselfe pouring forth his bloud giving his owne body making his soule an offering for sin laying downe his life dying and suffering for us are all one sacrifice one is diffused into all and all center in every one Chap. VIII Sheweth how often this Sacrifice was offered the place where and the time when it was offered THUS through the power and virtue of this sacrifice having declared what it is we come now to consider 1. How often this sacrifice was offered The Priests under the Law How often this Sacrifice was offered Heb. 9. 26. 28. Heb. 10. 10. 12. 14. 18. went into the holy place every year they offered sacrifice continually But our Jesus by one sacrifice hath done away sinne The multiplicity of the legall sacrifices argued their imperfection for those Priests daily ministring offered sometimes the same sacrifice which could never take away sinne but this Man saith the Spirit after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes for ever sate downe on the right hand of God holding forth the worke was done that Christ might sit still needing no more offering And whereas it is said He sat down on Gods right hand it declares he had done his worke and the Father accepted it or else he should never have beene placed in the throne of victory at his Fathers right hand Christ was once and but once offered to beare the sinnes of many Many talke of Christs dying still in us and the like but indeed instead of exalting Christ as they pretend to do they ranke him onely in the Leviticall Priesthood and instead of holding forth his perfection they render him imperfect and quite contradict the aforenamed Scriptures 3. The place where Christ was offered deserves our consideration for it is not said in vaine that he suffered without the gate upon the The place where this sacrifice was offered Heb. 13. 12. Crosse and that betweene two theeves it shewes the descension of our Saviour into the lowest vilest contemptiblest estate and condition that could be Christ died at Jerusalem a City not in the heart but in Judea in the world I mind this the rather because some think the death of Christ at Jerusalem not at all to concerne them but they look for Christs death within them whereas in the Scriptures nothing is more cleare then this that Christs death at Jerusalem is the offering for sin not Christs death in any ones heart The Scriptures warrant no such kinde of language I confesse I know thus much that though Christ died at Jerusalem if the power virtue and efficacy of this death be not seated revealed and enjoyed in the heart a poore soule can take no comfort in it notwithstanding this is as certaine he that enjoyes not Christ in him as a fruit of that one offering at Ierusalem enjoyes him not at all The Scriptures often speake of our being dead with Christ that is to say being implanted into the likenesse of his death by being dead to sinne and to iniquity but no where speake of Christ being dead in us as the sacrifice by which we are saved If Christ be in us the body is dead not Christ because of sin and the spirit is alive because of righteousnesse Christs death hath a virtue in us namely destroying sinne and becoming a quickning spirit 4. Concerning the time of this sacrifice being offered In the fulnesse of time saith the Lord God sent forth his Son it was in the last The time when this sacrifice was offered dayes so called in respect of dispensation for now all under Moses and the Prophets vanished that Christ might come in and continue God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son who once in the end of the world appeared to put away sin
charges the Law upon him whereby the soul begins to fear againe and is ready to qestion whether Christ hath told him so as he did before believe and now he cries out for his pardon that the bond may be taken out of his way that he may be set at liberty through the manifestation of Christs love yea I say farther A man that hath obtained a pardon from his Prience may be attached for the same offence and now may desire in confidence that his surety in whose hands the pardon is to give it him that so he may be set at liberty let me tell you Satan many times assaults the soule and troubles it and then many a soul in faith asks his pardon or the benefit of his pardon that so he may be freed from Satans buffetings and thus in the Scripture it is frequent to aske the thing produceing a benifit for the effects sake as for instance we may desire to eate the flesh of Christ when wee meane the benefit that redounds to us from it so that the sum and substance of what I have said is First That sin is fully satisfied for by Christs death in the sight of God and shal never be charged upon a Saint which pardon is in the hands of Christ for him Secondly that sinne lieth in the conscience til believing and when the soul believes is forgivenesse given to him that is to say published made manifest and declared Thirdly That though he may be freed yet be in trouble or fear againe for according to the measure of his faith such is his assurance and consolation then he may pray for the pardon of sin that is to say the fuller assurance of it and may ask for pardon of sinne as it includes his right to be freed from trouble or wrath for them any more So that I say all sinnes are pardoned in the sense I have already declared past present and to come You say that a Saint after believing may fear againe which if it be true Object why doth the Apostle say we have not received the spirit of bondage againe to fear In Answer to this We must know Paul is not there going about Sol. to tel them that it is impossible for them to fear againe but his intent is there to hold forth the excellency of the Spirit it was not the spirit of bondage engendering to fear that they had received through the Gospel of Jesus but the Spirit of adoption whereby they could cry Abba Father and therefore the same Apostles demanded of the Galathians whether they received the Spirit by the preaching of the Law or by the hearing of faith commanding them to hold fast their liberty and not to be intangled with the yoake of bondage which is the spirit of feare in the Law which the Galathians were subject to not through the preaching of Christ but through the subtilty of deceivers preaching the Law And the truth is so farre as wee be subject to be in bondage to feare so farre wee runne to the Law there is no such thing produced by the Spirit of Christ Jesus To conclude this Chapter I shall lay down three prevailing arguments or Scripture reasons to prove that all sinnes past present and to come in the sense before explained are pardoned 1. If all a believers sinnes be not pardoned at once he may bee Arg. 1 truely in the state of wrath and condemnation after believing But I say believers are not at all truely in the state of wrath or condemnation Therefore all their sinnes are pardoned c. The first proposition is manifest if you do but consider what it is not to have sin pardoned it is to be in the state of wrath or condemnation for he is blessed whose sinnes are Covered or Pardoned The word of the Apostle proves the second saying There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus If all sinnes be not pardoned at once then some are not Covered Arg. 2 Which is evident if we consider that the covering of sin is the pardoning of sin Blessed is the man whose iniquities are covered If sin be alwaies covered it is buried and so incapable of rising up against us and so if not pardoned t is not covered But all their sinnes are alwaies Covered Which appeares in that when Christ died he carried them away in his own body in to a Land of Oblivion that God saith I will remember their sins no more Christ is our propitiation all our sinnes are blotted out rased covered buried nailed to the Crosse that they cannot hurt us If all the sins of a believer be not pardoned at once by the Lord Arg. 3 then may some be laid to his charge Which is evident of it selfe for the pardon is the acquittance or discharge from sin But none can be laid to their charge therefore saith Paul Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Nothing can charge a believer except it bee the Law I meane nothing can justly charge him Now the Law cannot doe it as I will shew you in the next Chapter Therefore I conclude All sinnes are pardoned at once in the sense before named Chap. XIII Sheweth the Vertue of Christs death freeing us from the Law FOr the fuller clearing of this I shall endeavour to make it appeare First from what Law we are freed Secondly In what manner or under what consideration we are freed 1. The Law we are freed from is the Law given to Adam or the Law given on Mount Sinai It is needfull for us to know those two dispensations the one by God to Adam and all the World the other to Moses and the Children of Israel to be one and the same substantiall Law which we may perceive in the Epistle to the Romanes where it is written For when the Gentiles which have not the Law viz. as it was given to Israel by Moses in that dispensation or ministration do by nature that is to say by that original instinct or principle that is in all their hearts by creation the things contained in the Law viz. of Moses these having not the Law viz. given them by Moses are a Law unto themselves that is to say they have it in their hearts Which shew the worke of the Law written in their hearts This appeares yet more evident if we consider the punishment threatned by both was the same therefore is it said verse 15. Their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another their owne hearts accusing them is a manifest proofe of wrath to be the fruit of sin and condemnation the portion of sinners therefore saith the Apostle By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin this death is explained to be judgement to condemnation If the Law and punishment be the same that of Adam and that of Moses to Object what purpose serves the Law by Moses is it not needlesse I Answer No verily though the substance
the Scripture is taken either Sol. Comparatively and so many are called perfect in comparison of that wickednesse in the world Thus Noah was a perfect man Yea in this sense one Saint is said to be to know more perfectly then another Therefore saith Paul We speake wisedome to them that are perfect He meanes them that were attained to a good degree of knowledge or to them that were justified and so perfection in the Scripture is taken for a perfection or excellency in some particular above that which is to be found in others perfection sometimes signifies uprightnesse or sincerity of heart and so David hath it Psal 37. 37. Marke the perfect man and behold the upright And when God saith Be thou perfect as I am perfect It is as if he had said presse forward towards perfection But further A Saint may be said to be perfect in some particular respect as thus he is perfectly freed from wrath and condemnation and thus in justification is his spirit made perfect and thus are we compleate in him who is our fulnesse Now in these senses Saints are perfect in this world but if by perfection you understand the most absolute full and most glorious condition that is the portion of every believer to attaine to which admits not of any trouble or infirmity neither of any increase or want being uncloathed of all corruption and cloathed with incorruption immortality I say This is not the portion of any man in this life that is to say while our naturall bodies and soules dwell together for we must first dye or be changed which is equivalent to a naturall death before this state of perfection And thus reasons Paul saying Not as though I were already perfect or had attained unto the resurrection of the dead as some men in our daies vainly affirme themselves to have but I presse forward Therefore saith he Let as many as be perfect be thus minded Behold here perfect men not already perfect but presse forward towards perfection This seemes to be a contradiction but there is no such matter in it for those that were in a sense perfect perfect in comparison of the world upright and sincere of heart having attained to a good degree of knowledge being freely justified perfectly united in one with the Father and the Sonne in a way of relation doe presse forward towards perfection that is to say that full compleate incorruptible state of soule and body which they shall be invested withall in the resurrection Now if any man or Saint shall yet say he is universally perfect I shall demand of him what is it that is so perfect Whether doe you meane your soule or body or both or neither but God in both If you onely meane your spirit then doe I demand whether that be universally perfect If any say it is I ask from whence come your passions pride boasting unnaturall affections unclean thoughts or the like But it may be some may say We are troubled with no such things Well suppose you say true which I cannot believe this is but a perfection of part of the man for body and spirit make up but one man what the spirit doth it doth in the body being united to the body and so t is not a full or universall perfection If thou sayst thy body is perfect how comes it then to passe that it is subject to death which naturall death though some have said should not come nigh them yet have they beene deceived and are now in the dust But if you say soule and body the whole man is perrect how comes it then to passe that such imperfect actions are committed by them Can a pure sweet spring send forth bitter streames If you be so universally perfect what need you to eate and drink and to complain of hunger cold or sicknesse Such things as these with compleate perfection cannot stand together But if thou sayst thou dost not meane that thy externall body or humane soule are absolutely and compleatly perfected but t is God in thee which is perfect as some say then tell me whether God in thee is thy selfe and seeing that thou confessest that thou wast once unperfect who now art perfect then tell me whether God was ever unperfect for if God was not unperfect then say I t is not God in thee but thy selfe who art capable from an unperfect creature to be made perfect I might be large here in shewing the vanity of these conceptions and mans folly in pretending the enjoyment of perfection while all men cannot but see imperfect actions flowing from him And how many soules are deceived in this vaine opinion because not able rightly to distinguish or divide the word of truth but I must passe forward I am now come to the last thing considerable in Christs Kingly Christs iudgement office which is his Judgments wherein briefly observe First The Judge himselfe T is that man Christ whom the naturall Jewes crucified Joh. 5. 29. Who is the Son of man who is both Who is the Judge Judge of quicke and dead Secondly The law by which he will judge men that is a law of righteousnesse the word of the Gospell Jesus was in the The law by which Christ judges world preached to the Gentiles to be the Christ the onely Saviour God the Father gave this record of him that eternall life was in him and whoever believed on him should be saved The world would not believe it and therefore dyed in their sinnes in unbeliefe in that estate of wrath and therefore this Lord the Judge of all men condemnes him for rejecting of him and continuing in his sinnes For know this if a man doth believe in Christ none of his sinnes can condemne him the rule by which his word judges is according to the deeds done in the flesh whether good or evill Thirdly The persons judged and they are good and bad just and The persons who are judged unjust quicke and dead small and great and these persons are not as some conceive onely sinne and righteousnesse as they are both in a Saint but they are those men in whom righteousnesse is revealed which makes these men to be Saints or these in whom the God of this world hath sole dominion which are ungodly T is the bodies and spirits both together t is all nations sheepe and goats therefore is it said He will render to every man t is not to every evill or sinne in man but to the man in whom evill is according to his deeds Fourthly The sentence pronounced and that is two-fold The sentence either First Of joy to the godly for to them it is occasion of lifting up their heads for joy a time of refreshing a time of restitution of all Math. 25. ult things a time of redemption for their bodies t is life eternall Therefore saith Christ The righteous shall goe into life eternall which is the estate of perfection I have before
Galath 1. 8 9. be accursed Therefore saith he againe He that denies Christ to come in the flesh is Anti-Christ Which coming in the flesh is not a coming in our particular bodies of the flesh for I can or another may say Christ is not so come to thousands and never be judged Anti-Christs for so saying except we may be so called for speaking truth but he is come in the flesh that is to say in that particular forme of flesh he tooke of the Virgin Mary which was of the same nature of our flesh but yet as distinct a body from ours as any of ours is one from another This Gospell is a Mystery made manifest that was hid in God hid from Ages yet now made manifest being hidden onely to them that are lost whose mindes the God of this Ephes 3. 9. Coloss 1. 26. 2 Cor. 4. 3. World hath blinded T is not to be revealed any otherwise then Paul preached it For God made manifest in the flesh is good newes and a great mystery yet revealed to the Saints Thus much for the Gospel it selfe 2. I come next to speake of the Administrator or Preacher of Who are the true Ministers of the Gospel this Gospell and herein I will minde you that the Gospell was preached by Apostles by Evangelists by members of particular Churches and by scattered brethren First By Disciples Math. 10. The twelve are there called Disciples Disciples which he sent forth to preach the Gospell who had a Commission from him while with them in the flesh So the Seventy afterwards were sent out by Christ Luk. 10. Which Disciples did baptize John 4. 2. Secondly By Apostles These Disciples Christ afterwards cals Apostles Apostles to whom he gave a Commission before his death and after his resurrection upon whom the spirit was given in the forme of fire and cloven tongues whose worke was now to beare witnesse of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that not onely to the Jewes as they were before his death but their Commission was enlarged to all the world Jewes and Gentiles Therefore saith Peter Must one be ordained to be a witnesse of his resurrection Now of the Apostles some received a Commission by word of mouth from Christ in the flesh and afterward from him as risen from the dead immediately But Mathias first being chosen by the Church God by lots called him Paul was immediatly called from heaven who received not the Gospell of man nor by man but from heaven These in a speciall manner were sent forth to plant the Gospell to plant Churches to lay the foundation therefore is it said The Saints are built upon the foundation of the Apostles Eph. 2. 20. And Paul saith I have laid the foundation Thirdly By Evangelists God hath set in his Church some Apostles Evangelists some Prophets some Evangelists Philip was an Evangelist that is to say a Preacher of glad tydings who was endued with the Spirit Act. 21. 10. Philip went up and downe preaching the Gospell of Christ baptizing both men and women Acts 8. 5. 12. Now the office of an Evangelist was not to be exercised in a particular Church but was to be exercised in the preaching of the Gospel in severall places And thus did Timothy who is commanded to doe the worke of an Evangelist accompany Paul preaching the Gospell And so Titus Tychicus and others went from place to place preaching the Gospell of whom wee reade not that they had such a particular call by a voice from heaven as the Apostles had but they were filled with the Spirit Members of particular Churches Fourthly By Members of particular Churches As for instance Stephen who was also a Deacon by which office he was not to preach to the world Acts 6. 8 9 10. Whose Commission was this That he was full of the spirit and power And so Philip who was at first a Member of a particular Church then a Deacon being the same Philip as I conceive is called an Evangelist Acts 21. 10. He preached the Gospell and did baptize Yea Barnabas went from Jerusalem to Antioch being sent thither by the Church where he preached And afterwards the same Barnabas was by the Church through the revelation of the spirit separated from them for to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles who was also in reference to this sending by the Church called an Apostle Fifthly and Lastly The Gospell was preached by scattered brethren Scattered brethren preach the Gospell to the world Acts 8. 4. They that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word who preached both to Jewes and Gentiles whose Commission I finde onely to be this That the power of God carried them forth to it His presence accompanied them and his blessing upon their labours pointed from heaven from whence they came as it is said And the hand of the Lord was with them viz those scattered brethren which were scattered upon the persecution of Stephen and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. These scattered brethren say some may be some of the Apostles Object Sol. It cannot be so for they were not scattered at that time for they tarried at Jerusalem as it is said Acts 8. 1. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles Thus may wee see clearly that one Gospell was committed to severall sorts of Christians to preach it to the world who were all sent of God being called of God according to the working of his owne spirit We confesse say some that you say true these did preach the Gospell but Object all these are ceased the Apostles dead Evangelists dead and the brethren who were then gifted and enabled to preach So that we would now know whether there be any such Ministers of the Gospell in our daies and if there be how we may know them In answer to this I grant that they are dead yet I say the faith Sol. which was required in the Gospell they preached was not confined to their persons but to their doctrine Therefore saith Christ I pray not for these onely but for all them which shall believe in thy name through their word And though those persons are asleepe yet their doctrine is the same there is but one faith one Lord one Gospell that which Paul and the rest preached and the power is the same still that is to say the spirit so that there be Ministers of the Gospell in our dayes that preach glad tydings who have the same spirit and power that they had which to me is manifest where it is said Christ gave gifts unto men and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministry till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the
and to order the whole worship of God according to what they found written So that I say t is not miracles but a command of Christ or a good hand of Christ upon a soule discovering his duty to him that is the ground of the administration of Ordinances which is likewise evident in Peter who finding the Scripture that speakes of Judas saying Let his habitation be desolate and his Bishorick office or Acts 1. charge let another take And so finding their duty from the Scripture presently sets upon the matter to choose an Apostle in Judas his stead That I may end this Discourse we are to consider that we have the Apostles and the miracles that Jesus and the Apostles wrought with us that there needs no pleading for Apostles againe in the flesh nor miracles neither for by having the Apostles I meane their workes their writings their word their Gospell their spirit which is the whole counsell of God for us And so have we their miracles that is to say they are still before our eyes according to the saying of Christ They have Moses and the Prophets when they had onely their writings and not the bodies of either And according to that saying in John And many other signes truly did Jesus John 20. ult which are not written in this Booke But these are written that yee might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles are all in the Scriptures which Through faith in Christ Jesus are able to make us perfect to every good worke So that now for any to expect other miracles it argues they finde not nor feele the power of Christ in them by the Spirit who are likely to meet with miracles but indeed they are such as Anti-Christ shall worke to deceive the Nations who shall come and is come already with power signes and lying wonders But certainly seeing so many pretend to speake by the spirit and to be sent by Object the spirit and there is but one true proper preaching the word of truth and yet these crosse oppose and contradict each other how shall I know which to embrace there must be some miracle to confirme the truth from errour Truly to this I answer That miracles are no certaine signes of Sol. the true Gospell nor infallible grounds of judging of it for Anti-Christ shall worke miracles so that except we know whether the miracles be true or fained from Christ or Anti-Christ we should be never the nere So that I say againe First we can never tell which of them is in the truth except it be revealed to us by the spirit of truth which is onely able truly to judge of miracles and of the differences of things that in the midst of tenne thousand errours knowes how to single out the truth of Jesus being onely of its owne nature So that againe I desire thou mayst not seeke after a signe like a foolish and adulterous generation left while with Herod thou wouldst have Christ but with a desire to see some miracle from him thou fallest short of Christ and Christ worketh none at all before thee as indeed he for the most part if not alwaies refused to doe to them that demanded them of him But notwithstanding if thou shalt yet say surely none may preach except Apostles and them that are so sent as they were I shall onely say this to thee Thou mayst as well expect Christ to come againe in the flesh to call more Apostles to beare witnesse againe of his resurrection which surely would be a very darke practise and blinde expectation Therefore let us remaine with this confidence that those whom God by his spirit gives a message to and enables them to declare it for the gathering of the Saints into the fellowship of the Gospell are true approved Ministers of the Lord Jesus But if they be true Ministers of the Gospell why doe they not doe as the Apostles Object did viz. preach the Gospell to every creature I answer That every one of the Apostles did not preach the Sol. Gospell to every Creature but amongst them some were principally Apostles of the Circumcision while Paul was a Minister or an Apostle to the Gentiles But againe Some that preached the Gospell preached it but in some particular places as many brethren that went to some Cities specified in the 8. and 11. of the Acts. So that a man may be a Minister of the Gospell to the world though he never goeth out of his owne City or Country But some as Paul and others were to goe to severall Countryes who were furnished with the gift of tongues for that purpose which gift all that preached the Gospel had not neither is the gift of tongues needfull but for preaching to the persons of a strange language I am now come to the manner how it must be administred How the Gospell is to bee preached Infallibly which is 1. Infallibly Certainly Assuredly the Gospell they must preach must not be Yea and Nay but Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus they must preach the words of God the words of truth 2. In the name of God They must not goe forth in their own In the name of God authority but in Christs Therefore are they called Ambassadors of Christ 3. Plainly Not in the entising words of mans wisedome but in demonstration Plainly of spirit and power in words easy to be understood 4. And Lastly It must be preached fully The word of the Gospell Fully must be declared fully not onely for conversion but for building up in the things of God whoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved teaching them to observe all the commands of Christ To end this Chapter I shall speake a word or two to the subjects The subjects to whom wee must preach the Gospell to whom good newes is to be preached which are sinners as sinners enemies as enemies prisoners as prisoners he brings liberty for Captives righteousnesse for sinners which is the acceptable day of the Lord to sinners not that they may continue in sinne but that they may be made righteous To sinners both of Jews and Gentiles the Gospell of the Kingdome is to be preached among all nations for the obedience of faith Chap. II. Discourseth of Baptisme in foure particulars proving that Baptisme was commanded to be preached and practised that Saints were baptized Shewing the severall sorts of Baptisme spoken of in the Scriptures manifesting the Baptisme of water to be preached by the Disciples and practised by the Saints THE Gospell to be preached and the Preachers thereof being made manifest with the subjects to whom glad tydings are to be divulged for the obedience of faith In the next place I shall shew you that not onely glad tydings are to be preached to sinners but they being converted are to be informed of their duty Therefore saith Christ Teach them to observe all things which I have commanded
you Which doctrine is to be preached to believers Who may be considered under a two-fold consideration Either as added to the Church walking in visible or Church-fellowship Or as not yet added to the Church To both which sorts I shall endeavour to lay open their duty that so they may be conformable to their great Law-giver the Lord Jesus I shall speake of them in order But first to such as are not in a true visible Church fellowship The commands of Christ to them are these two in an especiall manner First That they should be baptized Secondly That being baptized they should be added or joined to the Church In the first of these I shall handle severall particulars 1. That Baptisme was commanded to be preached and practised 2. That Saints were baptized 3. The severall sorts of Baptisme spoken of in the Scriptures 4. That Baptisme of water was preached by the Disciples and commanded to be practised by the Saints 5. Who was the Author and Institutor of water Baptisme 6. What the true nature use and end of Baptisme with water is 7. Who was and is a true Administrator or Dispenser of it 8. Who be the true and proper subjects of water Baptisme 9. The true manner of the administration of it 10. The principle by which a Saint ought to be moved to subjection unto it 11. The power enabling to performe it or submit to it 12. How long the Ordinance of Baptisme was and is to continue I shall presume to be more large in this point of Baptisme then in others First Because this lyeth most hid and many Christians are enquiring after it Secondly Because this being cleared up the Controversies about Ordinances and Church visible fellowship would soone bee reconciled In this Chapter I shall speake of the first foure particulars 1. That Baptisme was commanded to be preached is evident Math. 28. 19 20. Where Christ saith Goe yee therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them teaching them to observe all things which I have Baptisme was commanded to be preached and practised commanded you Now Christ taught them to baptize and then to observe it as Christs command Againe saith Christ Marke 16. 15 16. Goe preach the Gospell to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized c. This was commanded to be preached Which commission the Apostle Peter executed faithfully Acts 2. 38. Commanding every one of them to repent and be baptized So Acts 10. 48. He declared it as their duty and commanded their subjection to it The truth of this is so unquestionable that I shall passe to the second That as it was commanded so it was practised is manifest Acts The Saints were baptized 2. 41. They that gladly received the word preached by Peter were baptized And many in Samaria which believed both men and women were baptized Acts 8. 12. The Eunuch the Gaoler Lydia Crispus and many Corinthians were baptized Acts 18. 8. I thinke it altogether needlesse to insist longer on this particular well knowing no man will deny this but he that denies the Scriptures likewise 3. The Scriptures speake of severall sorts of Baptisme which There are severall sorts of Baptisme spoen of in the Scriptures I shall unfold to you with their agreement and difference Now Baptisme in the Scriptures admits of a three-fold consideration First As it is a Baptisme of water Secondly As it is a Baptisme of the Spirit Thirdly As it is a Baptisme of afflictions 1. The Baptisme of water we finde mentioned in divers e Baptisme water places as John 1. 21. Acts 8. 38. Now this Baptisme of water was with materiall water 2. The Baptisme of the Scriptures prophesied of by John called e Baptisme the Holy â—â—st and 2. 28 29. The Baptisme of the Holy Ghost and fire Math. 3. 11. promised by God in Joel by Christ Acts 1. 5. Yee shall be baptized saith Christ with the Holy Ghost not many daies hence Which was fulfilled Acts 2. There appeared cloven tongues like as of fire and they sate upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance This Baptisme is called the Baptism of the spirit because it was the onely worke of the spirit with which they were filled called the Baptisme of fire because of the operation of the spirit which like fire was a light to them that sate in darknesse like fire because of its refining nature burning up that chaffe and drosse that was in them and making them more pure a Baptisme of fire in respect of its consuming nature destroying the man of sinne t is a fire that goeth out of the mouth of the Lord Jesus that burnes up consumes and destroyes the stubble and chaffe of Antichrist Yea of this Baptisme it is said There sate cloven tongues like fire upon the heads of the Apostles Which visibly demonstrated the power of the spirit in giving them the gift of tongues or languages whereby they could speake to all men in their severall languages wherein they were naturally borne Acts 2. 8. Now this was a visible glorious spirituall Baptisme the proper nature end and use of this was to crowne the doctrine of Jesus with a Crowne of glory to confirme spread abroad to all Nations and exalt the Gospell of Jesus and Christ in his Gospell This was that which amused the world yea to heare the Apostles speake with tongues they were confounded amazed and mervailed Acts 2. 6. 7. greatly 3. There is likewise a Baptisme of afflictions or sufferings A Baptism of affliction Therefore saith Christ I have a Baptisme to be baptized withall and how am I streigthned in my spirit till that be accomplished This was the Baptisme of his death into which death we are baptized Now this Baptisme holds forth to us our descending into misery as if wee were overwhelmed with misery and our ascending from it into glory Wee as Christ did when he was in the world must take up his Crosse and follow him in afflictions for We beare about in our bodies the dyings of the Lord Jesus I might here shew you the sweet unity consent and harmony that is in these Baptismes and wherein they differ but you will see this more fully if you consider what ensues But some may say T is true there is a Baptisme of water of the spirit and Qu. fire and of afflictions but is there not a Baptisme of the spirit besides that Baptisme of the Holy Ghost and fire which you say consists in new tongues and miraculous visible appearances of the spirit which Baptisme of the spirit is the worke of Gods spirit upon the heart in believing and the like according to that in Titus We are saved by the washing of regeneration c. Tit. 3. 4. To this I answer Yielding That we are saved by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which hee Answ shed on
takes her off from Jerusalem that Mountaine wherein they worshipped confining themselves to places therefore saith he Neither at Jerusalem nor at this Mountaine Now Christ doth not simply deny the worshipping of God at Jerusalem for we know the Churches worshipped God in their spirits at Jerusalem after Christs death but prophecyes of the abolishing of that legall and ceremoniall worship of the Jewes which was tyed to one place above another and indeed the worship of God under the Old Testament was in comparison of the worship of the Gospell fleshly or carnall not sinfull whereby they were tyed to many sacrifices and weary journies in going up to Jerusalem to worship But now there is great liberty and freedome wherein they professe God in ipirit So that to worship God in spirit and truth is to worship him after a spirituall manner from a spirituall principle in opposition to that legall state wherefore Paul cals himselfe a minister of the spirit and not of the letter Neither doth that place at all deny outward Baptisme for Christ saith The houre is already come when those that worship God worship him in spirit and truth When you will not deny Baptisme of water to be in use neither can a man truly worship God in any ordinance without he worship God in the spirit But Baptisme of water is a fleshly thing an outward thing which cannot be Object 3 admitted into the Kingdome of heaven for the Apostle saith the Kingdome of God is not meat and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Consider I pray thee the Apostle there meddles not with Baptisme Sol. but disswading them from offending one another in meate and drinke for some would eate flesh and some could not He tels them The Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke For those things were not commanded to be eaten or forbidded so that we should sinne if we doe or doe not eate But righteousnesse c. Now righteousnesse is the performance of all the commands of God to which Baptisme of water is a part as Christ saith Suffer me for thus it becometh me to fulfill all righteousnesse Christ did all things commanded and that as one of the commands of God So that this is no Argument at all except you can prove Baptisme of water to be the meate and drinke he there speakes of which can never be made manifest so that for thee to call Baptisme of water a fleshly thing it argues a carnall understanding of the commands of God But Paul cals it a fleshly thing for he saith We are the Circumcision Object which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh So that Paul relinquishes all outward things as Baptism and the like as fleshly worshipping God in the spirit Philip. 3. 3. This Objection is like the first where Paul points not at all at Sol. Baptisme but at his Jewish priviledges which he enumerates verse 5 and 6. Which very things he tels us be they which he meanes by flesh and hath not confidence in them Surely were we able to see how that we are commanded to glorifie God in soule body and spirit we should leave such carnall reasoning and not take Paulâ— arguing against Jewish outward Ceremonies abolished by Christs death as a ground against Baptisme of water which is grounded upon his death But water Baptisme ceased when spirit Baptisme came in and was not to Object continue after that for fire Baptisme devoures water Baptisme Behold into how great mistakes men run when they endeavour Sol. to vanquish the truth it selfe The Scripture expresly tels us Acts 10. That the Apostle Peter seeing Cornelius and those that were with him baptized with the Holy Ghost for the Holy Ghost fell on them as on the Apostles Acts 11. makes use of this as a ground to prove nothing could hinder him from being baptized with water Oh the subtilty of Antichrist who makes wise men even as it were mad to forge their owne reasons endeavouring to make that a ground of destroying water Baptisme which the Apostle used as an argument for the establishment of it But some say The Baptisme of water was onely used in the minority or infancy of the Church therefore when the Church grew higher in the knowledge of God they laid aside these things Therefore is it said in the Hebrewes We must leave the principles of the doctrines of Christ and go on unto perfection of which principles Baptisme is one which we ought now to leave Hebr. 6. 1. c. Whoever thou art that thus arguest against Baptisme by the same Sol. argument thou mayst leave faith toward Christ and the resurrection of the dead That I may clearly shew thee thy mistake of the Scripture consider the Apostle speaks to those who did owne those principles and reproved them not for owning them for Ch. 5. he tels them They had need to have them taught againe But for not encreasing in the knowledge of God Therefore he tels them For their time they had need to have beene teachers of others And so from these principles he drawes their thoughts higher into the mysteries of Christ So that the Apostle saith Leaving them we presse forward that is to say leaving now or at present to speake of them which yee know and owne already we will goe forward to speake of higher things which higher things destroy not the other which is evident if you consider the other to be the principles or beginnings of the doctrine of Christ Now the building destroyes not the foundation these beginnings and the other more perfect things are at perfect unity I but say some The Apostle saith He forgets those things that are behind Object and reached forth to those things that are before So that we must not onely leave them but forget them Phil. 3. 13. To which I answer The word forgetting is not to be taken Sol. for an absolute forgetfulnesse of all things he had before done for this Paul did not but in reference to the glory of perfection hee had in his eye he did as a man in a race running towards the prize he doth as it were forget all things behind him in respect of his continuall motion So in the things of God we ought day by day to presse forward till we come to the marke to the enjoyment of perfection So that there is no good ground for such an Objection for the Apostle James Commends them that are not forgetfull hearers but doers of the word But notwithstanding surely to be baptized is to know Christ after the Object flesh therefore saith Paul Though we have knowne Christ himselfe after the flesh yet henceforth know we no man after the flesh no not Christ himselfe 2 Cor. 5. 16. That we know not Christ after the flesh is true and yet it is as Sol. true that to be baptized is not to know Christ after the flesh this
must speak orderly one after another for God is not the author of confusion but of peace in all the Churches of Christ Thirdly Fasting now true fasting flowes from the apprehension Fasting of some great want whereby the soul is ingaged to give up himself to seek the Lord separating himselfe from his outward imployments from meat and drink so farre as nature will permit that he may wholly without distraction be earnest with the Lord by prayer for the obtaining of his request the true nature of this will appear evident if you consider Acts 13. 2 3. 14. 23. 1 Cor. 7. 5. Fourthly Charity which is more acceptable then hope or faith Charity 1 Cor. 13. 13. this is that virtue without which al other gifts are nothing it is a grace which is rooted in the heart and is a true spirituall love and endeared affection towards his Lord Jesus and all his Saints poor and rich which composeth the Spirit in a right temper subduing covetousnesse trampling under foot vauntings loving another as himself the prayse of which read 1 Cor. 13. 3 4 5 6 7 8. verses It suffereth long is kinde envieth not vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinks no evill rejoyceth not in iniquity but in the truth beareth all things c. but I shall only mind it here as it That the outward necessities of the Saints must be relieved shewes it selfe forth in the relief of the Saints outward necessities It is an Ordinance of God to relieve the poor Saints It is the duty of the Church to see that no member in it do want or lack any thing necessary 't is not enought to say be warmed but they must administer to the supply of their wants according to the ability God hath given them 1 Cor. 16. 2. But all Saints are to have all things common so that there must be no difference Object between them as it was in the dayes of the Apostles Mistake not the Scriptures it is no where commanded it is true Sol. there was a time when all things were common yet so that every man had but accoridng to his need Act. 2. 45. 4. 34. 35. And wheras they sold their possessions they then testified their great charity and thus far it is a president for Saints to imitate that if they have possessions and their brethren be in want and they cannot to be relieved without selling their possessions they ought to sell them yet not so as to destroy their naturall relations for he that provideth not for his family is worse then an infidell But this was not their constant practise for afterward they had gatherings as God prospered them 1 Cor. 16. 2. and indeed had that been always commanded to be therepractise wherin could there have been a ground to presse to charity and to reprove for covetousnesse there alwayes hath been and yet wil be a difference among men in this world there was an elect Lady one of reputation though few noble are called who lived accordingly abounding in hospitality yet we are alwayes to mind this that we ought not to have the faith in respect of persons Lastly Breaking of bread now I wil shew you very briefly four Breaking of bread or the Lords supper Christ the author of it things considerable in this First who was the author of it that is the Lord Jesus that said to his disciples doe this in remembrance of me What doth that speech concerne us being spoken only to his disciples before his death It was not a command only to them but to others also therefore saith Paul that which I have received of the Lord Jesus I deliver to you doe you eat thereof 1 Cor. 11. 23 24. Secondly The persons for whom he ordained it and they are Church members the subjects of it The nature of this Ordinance visible beleevers in Church fellowship such as could examine themselves such as could discern the Lords body Thirdly The true nature of this Ordinance which is spirituall holding forth Christs death unto one another for it is not an Ordinance for the world but the Church and likewise it holds forth our union with Christ for the bread we break is the Body of Christ and the Cup is his blood the blood of the Covenant and it manifests our union one with another for we being many are one bread it is a visible seal to us of our interest in the Lord Jesus which is to be performed in knowledge faith discerning Christs Body that is to say seeing Christ to be the true bread and only food of a Saint he that performs it not so doth it not truly some say we are not to doe it till we see our selves above it and live in the cleere apprehensions of light and life being onely to hold forth Christs death to others and not an ordinance wherein we feed on Christ but to me its cleer we are to doe it when we see our selves most barren and empty for then are Ordinances fittest for us so that we by faith see Christ to have all fulnesse in him and by faith meet him in that Ordinance in a way of subjection for it is an Ordinance appointed for our souls refreshing as well as the holding forth his death one to another Lastly The duration or continuance of this Ordinance which The continuance of this Ordinance is till Christ comes doe this in remembrance of me and as often as you doe this saith Paul you shew forth the Lords death till he come But say some we are only to use that till Christ come in the Spirit so that Obj. he being already come in the Spirit we are not any longer to use it The Apostles meaning is not till Christ come in the Spirit but till Christs second comming without sin to salvation when he shall reward both Sol. good and bad for if you observe it Christ was come to Panl and to the Corinths in the Spirit yet they used it and he that truly conformes to that Ordinance must have the Spirit for he must discerne the Lords body that is to say the fulnesse love excellency and virtue of Christ which he cannot do without the Spirit so that for any to say Christs comming in the Spirit puts an end to it he saith more then Christ or the Apostles ever said And if what such men say should be true then this would unavoydably follow that that dispensation which only gives a true being to an Ordinance and without which an Ordinance cannot be rightly imbraced must be that which puts an end to it which is contrary to religion and right reason For I say again the dispensation of Christ in the Spirit is that which only gives a true right to it and inables spiritually to conform to it and receive virtue from Christ in it As for those objections against this which plead it to be a knowing Christ
be made sin for him that is to say an offering for his sinne and a sufferer as a sinner Well saith Christ Father thy will be done I will rather beare his sinnes in my owne body I will rather suffer the extremity of thy wrath then those whom I love shall dye and so indeed the Father accepted him the Covenant and contract was made and now Christ who is our scape goat carries all our sinnes in his owne body into the land of forgetfulnesse that God saith I will remember their sinnes no more that is to say as unsatisfied for or in judgement against them and I now can see no sinne in my children that is to say no sinne which I have not received satisfaction Heb. 10. 17. What it is for God not to see nor remember sinne in his children Rom. 8. 33 34. for for otherwise he doth see and remember them See both these namely Christs sacrifice and Gods satisfaction in Pauls triumph Who shall lay any thing to my charge it is God that justifies mee I but might some say God will not justify the wicked not the unrighteous What then Who shall condemn me It is Christ that died for me though I am unrighteous justice is satisfied that I cannot be condemned for Christ hath taken away the curse and stopped the Lawes mouth for he is the true sinne-offering and trespasse-offering typified in the Law Fourthly Christ hath opened the way for the soule to come to God from whom before trembling he ran away and hid himselfe covering his nakednesse with figge leaves not daring to approach the presence of the Lord. The soule till Christ died stood aloofe off had no sight of God but in shadowes types and figures but now the Lord Jesus by his death made way for the soule to come to God the Vaile of the Temple is rent in twaine which is interpreted in the Hebrews to be the opening of the way into the most holy place into which under the Law none but the High Priest might enter and that but under a shadow once a yeare but Christ by his owne bloud hath opened the way that we may with boldnesse have accesse to God Christ the Lords Anointed hath so ordered the matter being partaker of both natures that God and man should meet in him in him God appeares in love mercy and grace in him the Saints meet the Lord in righteousnesse salvation and praise so that he that hid himselfe before hath now no durable joy nor true content but when in the sight of God in the Lord Jesus Oh what a matchlesse mercy is here two at such a distance and enmity should be reconciled and meet in one joying rejoycing praising and delighting each in other Oh here I am forced to stay a while in admiration of that boundlesse love and unfathomable wisedome of our deare Jesus our well-beloved Bridegroome that stript himselfe of his robes and clothed himself with our sinnes that knew no sinne for to bring us into an intimate familiarity and acquaintance with our Maker Oh my soule for this blesse the Lord yea let all that is within mee praise his holy name yea let all that love the salvation of the Lord say Let the Lord be magnified Chap. XII Sheweth what justification and the pardon of sin is which are the effects of Christs death or sacrifice WEE are justified and our sinnes are pardoned through the Our sins pardoned and we justified by the death of Christ sacrifice of the Lord Jesus That we may come to a more cleare understanding of this I desire you would minde that to justify signifies either to make one just who before was unjust or to declare one to be just And againe a man is said to be made just when of a sinner he is washed and cleansed as of a drunkard he is become sober and the like or when he is acquitted of his fault So that though many sins remaine they shall not condemne him In this last sense is a man said according to the Scriptures to be justified or have his sinnes pardoned or be acquitted Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not his sin that is whose sin is forgiven bid or Psalm 32. 2. covered So likewise the declaration of a man to be a just man or justified is two-fold either to his owne soule or to others Now according to the Scriptures it is the acquitall from sinnes that is properly called justification Therefore saith the Apostle As condemnation came upon all so justification upon many justification is there taken for the contrary to condemnation which is the freedome from it Therefore saith the Scripture Wee are justified by his bloud and by the Spirit The Scriptures say we are justified by faith how then say you it is by the Object bloud of Christ Rom. 5. 1. In answer to this there are these two things to be minded Sol. 1. That when men sinned there was something threatned viz eternall wrath and misery which was not then inflicted 2. Mans conscience became guilty and so wrath feare terrour and torment seized on him Now we must consider that the bloud of Christ frees us from both these from the first while we in our owne mindes through wicked workes were enemies From the second viz. That guilt we had contracted through sinne the bloud of Christ saves us through faith therefore is it truly said being justified by faith we have peace with God faith receives what Christ hath done for us and so justifies us in our consciences that we have no more conscience of sinne that is to say guilt for sinne which will appeare the more plainely by this similitude A man hath committed an offence against the Law suppose felony or treason Now the Law saith He that so offendeth shall dye the death The conscience of his fault presently strikes horrour to his Spirit the man is apprehended and imprisoned for it and shut up till the dismall day of execution Now while the poore man can expect nothing but death some freind of his unknowne to him sues for his pardon satisfies the Law and obtaines it by which his freind hath made sure of his life Now is the man truly justified or acquitted from his fault though he knowes it not Well what then His freind coures to him and saith Be of good cheere thy offence is forgiven thee and so gives him his pardon which he gladly accepts and having received it he is now delivered from his bondage the prison opened and the Goalor commanded to set him at liberty and he is as surely freed from the offence as if he had not sinn'd at all Even so it is with a poore soule for when man sinned wrath even eternall misery was threatned and his spirit filled with horrour Now the Lord Christ when the soule was a stranger to him obtained his pardon purchased it with his owne bloud and then the mans eternall happinesse was made sure of and when the Lord