wise give the creature the least glory but spoiles him and makes his comelinesse become rottennesse proclaiming the rest of the Lord as Isa 30.15 burning up all their pride and consuming all their honour Mal. 4.1 Declaring their righteousnesse to be the greatest wickednesse such a one unlesse the Lord in grace open the mystery which neither learned nor unlearned can reade or understand Isa 29.11 12. They look upon such a person as a pestilent mischievous person as an imposter and deceiver as an Hereticke yea a Libertine and what not so deare and precious is their own excellency and so fast and strong a league is there between the Law and themselves and therefore did the Scribes and Pharisees so storm and rage against Christ Jesus when he declared that Publicans and Harlots should inherite the Kingdome of heaven before them nothing filled them with malignity so as did the cleare doctrine of the Gospel which did trample down vilifie and count as drosse and dung their righteousnesse and no greater denyall hath the Gospell at any time then from such persons who have the greatest possessions of this nature so that to make men become dead to this their Crowne and glory it must needs be by a supernaturall heavenly and divine power comming into the soule presenting a surpassing glory even the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ the shining forth whereof causeth repentance from such dead workes as it is written Hee that beleeveth hath ceased from his own workes Heb. brings a man with Elisha from his plough draws out the soul in hungring thirsting after the fatness of Gods house breathing after the person of Christ the fairest of ten thousands even as the Hart panteth after the Rivers of water causeth him then with Paul to count all but drosse dung which was before of so high esteeme Phil. 3.7 and that that was his glory becomes his shame and he seeth it then to be as a menstruous cloth and filthy rags Zach. 3.4 This cannot be effected but by the mighty power of God which raised Christ from the dead as Ephes 1.19 20. Col. 2.12 13. The which power that raised him from the grave can cause things to be that were not and dead things to live so giving eyes to the blind eares to the deafe that they may see and heare those things which the eye of man hath not seene neither the eare of man heard as 1 Cor. 2.9 10. and to this agrees that testimony in Galat. 5.16 If you walke in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh The which amongst the rest are the workes of the Law Phil. 3.3 The Apostle saith We rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh and then manisests what he meanes by the flesh and amongst the rest he brings in vers 6. The righteousnesse of the Law as a fleshly thing or the work of the flesh and therefore in that foresaid place Cal. 5. v. 18. having spoken those foregoing words vers 16. he interprets what he meanes by the flesh for saith he if ye be led by the Spirit you are not under the Law so that to take a man off from the Law or to make him to be dead unto it must needs be by the commings in of the Spirit of God that must exercise power parting relations though never so neare and deare revealing a surpassing more excellent glory and so transforming from glory to glory as 2. Cor. 3. c So that it most plainly appeares in that the Apostle saith You are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ That all his spirituall power is communicated to the sonnes of glory through the Sacrifice of the body of Christ and to this largely answer many places of Scripture with a joynt harmony as Rom. 6.6 Our old man is crucified with Christ whereby the Spirit of God commends to us that in the crucifying of Christ all his body or Spouse was crucified also That in the sacrificing of himselfe there was a prevailing with God that the old Adam might be destroyed in his people that they might live in him he gave himselfe that he might procure to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good worth to be a peculiar people is to bee differenced from the world bearing the Image of Christ being heavenly as is the Lord from heaven neither can any be zealous of good workes tell they know what is the good and acceptable will of God which no naturall man can know now all this Christ gave himselfe for so againe 1 Pet. 1.18 There it is manifested that the redemption from the vain conversation comes by the blood of Christ for the vain conversation cannot be taken away but by the mighty operation of the Spirit of God destroying the body of sin as Rom. 8.13 Even this also is imparted through the blood of Christ so also Heb. 9.15 How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your Conscience from dead workes to serve the living God to purge from dead workes must needs be by the breathing in the Spirit of Life wich produceth living workes from the creature to a living Creator till then all workes are but dead workes though performed with abundant zeale and strength the person himselfe being dead from whom they proceed this also comes by the blood of Christ so perfecting of the faith is through it also communicated Heb. 13.20 21. Yea all that grace which is so full of life and power to the Saints comes by Jesus Christ John 1.17 16.14 verses The which grace of the Lord Jesus Christ the Apostle still in all his Epistles sayes that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ may be with them all 2 Thess 3.17 18. To this end if we consider the nature of Redemption what it commends unto us and then how it is brought about we shall see the same cleared up that all spirituall strength is communicated in by and through Jesus Christ in Isa 35.9 Isa 51.11 Psal 107.2 Rev. 14.3 All which places doe lively set forth that as there is but a number redeemed some being uncleane some ravenous beasts some the earth which are not redeemed so also that all these redeemed either are or shall be able to sing to give thankes to God and to the Lambe that sitteth on the Throne for evermore and only the redeemed shall learne this new song Rev. 14.3 And walk in the way of holinesse which none can doe till made alive in Jesus Christ for a dead thing can doe none of these things as all men by nature being but as a rotten carkasse in respect of spirituall services with which we have to doe and of which only the Lord accounts as 1 Pet. 2.5 John 4.24 2 Cor. 3.17 All the services of naturall men being but fleshly uncleane and dead services though accompanied with never so much zeale but this redemption that is accompanied with this everlasting power comes only by the blood of Christ Ephes 1.7 Col.
A Short TREATISE DISCOVERING THE prevailing Excellency of the death of Christ with the Father by way of opposition to that DOCTRINE That Christ dyed alike for All. Declaring in whom only the Saints happinesse doth consist by meanes of this their purchased REDEMPTION ALSO THEIR FREEDOME FROM the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of the LAW Written for the satisfaction of some if it may be BY RICHARD MARRYAT And one of the Elders said unto me weep not behold the Lion which is of the Tribe of Juda the roote of David bâ—th obtained to open the Booke and to unloose the Seales thereof Rev. 5.5 And they sang a new Song saying thou art worthy to take the Booke and to unloose the Seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation Rev. 5.9 But none could learne that Song but the Hundred Forty and Foure Thousand which were bought from the Earth Rev. 14.3 London Printed for William Larnar and are to be sold at his Shop in little Eastcheape 1642. To the Christian Reader JEsus Christ who is the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the expresse Image and Character of his Person of whose fulnesse all the Saints receive and grace for grace is the only bright and morning Star that brings in all light and understanding in divine mysteries so that where he withholds who shuts and none can open there is nothing but groping in Egyptian darknesse Hence have the great Rabbies and learned Doctors so in all ages stumbled at the stumbling stone even at this Jesus he not unvailing himselfe who is as a sealed fountaine and a hidden vision which neither learned nor unlearned can reade but to whom he opens who opens and none can shut there is the knowledge of good sayings and darke Parables which are as Paradoxes to the world which in wisdome know not him who is God over all blessed for ever Amen So that hence Christian Reader who art thus taught of God and comprehended in the glory of Christ I may duly challenge yea and cannot but expect and be persuaded of thy compassion and brotherly pitty in case I have in any wise miscarryed who am privy to my selfe of exceeding insufficiency in these high affaires of the Son of glory who while on earth was in heaven dwelt in that light that no man ever could or had he all the abilities and prudence of the first Adam which indeed would the more blinde him being that thy proud imaginations are subiected to Jesus Christ knowing that thou hast nothing but what thou hast received and by grace thou art that thou art as for others that have not seene his Glory which is as a consuming fire destroying and devouring the proud thoughts of the flesh I cannot expect that such should be transformed but there will proceede from the spirit of pride and blindnesse swelling words bitternesse evill and malicious reports judging and condemning me as many by reason of this matter in hand have already done but I passe not to be judged by man knowing that there is one that beholds all the children of men and judgeth righteous judgement who notwithstanding their words are and shall be as drawne swords yet will keepe me and all the sonnes of mercy from every evill word and worke unto his everlasting Kingdome Secondly Hence also hast thou cause to take a view of and well weigh and consider this Treatise notwithstanding any insufficiency of the Writer knowing that the Lord commits his treasures into earthen vessels and not knowing but that this testimony may be the Lords who breathes where he listeth and usually manifests himselfe by weake and unlikely instruments that so the excellency may be of himselfe and not of man Thirdly Neither doe I feare that thou wilt charge me with presumption for if he be the onely day-starre there then lies an especiall ingagement on such that are taught by him that they sound forth and declare what they have received which is one principall end of this communicating unto them which are his witnesses his Vials his Trumpets his mouth whereby he utters powers out and testifies his great affaires and high Acts and he gives in charge when thou art converted strengthen thy brother what ye have seene in secret proclaime on the house top he never lighted a candle to be put under the bushell but still wrought up his servauts into a spirit of Testimony We cannot but speake the things saith the Apostles that we have seene and heard When Jesus Christ ascended on high he gave gifts unto men not that they should be held in unrighteousnesse but for the building up of the Saints and perfecting his body and onely the evill servant that lookes on God as reaping where be sowed not hides his Talent did he know him as the true God sowing and communicating all he would have improved his Talent to the honour of God and this is one prevailing cause with me to make me speake thus openly Another cause also being that false record which some have given concerning my Judgement and this matter following being as they say one and the same with the doctrines of universall Redemption which is the onely and maine thing that is in this matter contended against as I doubt not but any indifferent Reader will easily discerne and soone perceive that such Reporters were too willing to speake perverse things against me men alwayes have and still doe runne upon extreames as in many other things so in this concerning the death of Christ some say that Christ died alike for all others that he died onely for the Elect against these two I have heare to deale both of which doe faile in answering the Scriptures and the minde of God in them we must distinguish concerning the outward Court and the inner the outward is for the Gentiles that is such as are not converted to the faith for we are not to conceive that there is a difference betweene the beleeving Gentle and the beleeving Jewes both being one in Christ Jesus and especially subjects of Grace but the Gentles were once a people out of the Covenant of Grace and rejected in comparison of the Jewes and to a people in such a state in which all are notwithstanding they have the meanes and ministry of grace amonst them till converted to the faith doth the Spirit allude under the expression of Gentiles but yet to them belongs an outward Court through which the passage is into the inner Court or Temple by it being meant the outward dispensation or the letter that speakes to Reason through which God workes accompanying it with his mighty power in raising the soule to faith for saith the Scripture How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard now this being given to the Gentiles here are hatched many errors by such as are the inhabitants thereof as Free Will and Falling away from the state of the peculiar love of God
1.14 Where the testimony of the Apostle is this That the beleevers have their redemption by the blood of Christ he saith not they have part of their redemption by this blood but whatsoever may be said to be redemption so that if faith if beleeving and knowing of the mystery of the Gospell be any part of redemption or make redemption to be redemption he declares plainly that this they have by the blood of Christ and so more fully in Rev. 5. Where thus expresly speakes the Spirit Thou hast redeemed us out of every kindred and tongue and nation and herein commends to us that they are a people differenced from and redeemed out of others which cannot be but by faith and fellowship in the mystery of the Gospell and this faith or difference from others is only wrought by the blood of Christ as before is proved therefore is the Spirit that dwelleth in beleevers called the Spirit of the Son God Gal. 4.6 Object But some are said to be bought which deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 and therefore all are redeemed the which words cannot stand in relation to the Church for then he should have said denying the Lord that bought you Answ That all men are bonght by Jesus Christ but how Not in respect of the redemption from the guilt of sin and wrath to come but in respect of their enjoying their lives and being for all men have their naturall subsistance by him by him doe all things consist and thus he bought them in that he holds the hands of wrath and justice for a season and therefore these now by the Law of equity ought to honour him for God would have all men to honour the Son as they honour the Father Now for these to deny him trample him under foote by whom they have all the mercies that ever they enjoyed how then shall these escape swift damnation Thus may we see clearly that such as are the proper subjects of wrath to come do receive mercy are cloathed and sed in this life as well yea commonly beyond the Sons of promise who are as clearly differenced from them notwithstanding the poverty of one for a moment and the barne filled with Corne for a night with the other the one sort being out of Christ Jesus are out of the promise the other being in Christ Jesus are under the promise yea all the promises are yea and Amen to them yea they are in Christ Jesus all that are not Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 and therefore freed from condemnation Rom. 8.1 Rom. 8 9 10. yea the knowledge of the mystery of the hidden Gospell 1 Cor. 1.7 which are as a sealed Booke to others is opened to them Rev. 5. Isa 29.11 the which all the wisdome and learning of the flesh cannot in the least measure reach unto Luk. 10.21 1 Cor. 11.19 20 21. but it must be brought into the soule by the revelation and teaching of the Spirit John 16.13 14 15. 1 Cor. 2.11 12 14. 1 Joh. 2.27 then this knowledge comes by the blood of Christ who thereby hath prevailed to open the booke Rev. 5.5 and therefore is he faidito give his people an understanding whereby they know him that is true 1 John 5.20 the like is testisied concerning Faith that he is the author thereof Acts 3.16 Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith that Jesus that endured the Crosse as in the same verse the Spirit witnesseth even Jesus to him that was born and so called Mat. 1.21 So that it is not as some would have it that the Godhead only or simply he as God is the Author that is the causer of faith that gives the first being to it but looking to Jesus giving us to understand that as the Godhead is the Author thereof so likewise is the Manhood this so prevailing with the Father in the Sacrifice thereof so as that now he that was borne is set downe in the Fathers Throne as he himselfe saith I over came and sate downe in my Fathers Throne Rev. 3.21 which overcomming is by worth and excellency of his death as Christ saith concerning his Spouse Cant. 6.4 Psal 45.11 and she overcomes him through her beauty Cant. 7.10 and perfect comelinesse which he hath put upon her Ezek. 16.14 so that as the Manhood workes not at all without the Godhead so neither doth the Godhead worke without the Manhood as he himselfe saith The Father workes hitherto and I worke so that as the Father quickneth whom he will so the Son quickeneth whom he will likewise which shews their ioynt-working that whatsoever the Father wills the Son wills and whatsoever the Son wills the Father wills also as in this he manifests I and my Father are one and the Spirit shall take of mine and shew unto you for all that the Father hath is mine even as all the Son hath is the Fathers John 16.15 Iohn 17.10 Now in that all life faith spiritoall knowledge comes by the Son how comes he to be thus highly exalted but by reason of the prevailing excellency of the Sacrifice of himselfe as Phil. 2.6 7 8 9 10. and he hath a purchased possession which consists not in meate and drinke but is a Kingdome full of ioy and peace of the Holy Ghost and shall for ever remaine now the Spirit makes all this appeare to be purchased by Iesus Christ Therefore are beleevers said to be Gods workmanship created in Christ Iesus God moves not the least out of his Son Object That Faith cannot be the purchase of Christ because Faith is by the Spirit of God which is too high to be purchased by the blood of CHRIST and therefore it must proceed from a higher cause even the meere good pleasure of God Answ To which by way of answer 1. To shew what may be understood concerning this word purchase by which I understand no more then according to that in Revel 5.5 where it is said The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah obtained to open the booke which is Christ Jesus it being of singular worth and excellency God so accepting of it the spirit and power of working into the hands of Christ for which end CHRIST gave himselfe as 1 Pet. 3.18 The just for the unjust that bee might bring us to God which cannot be without putting life into us and therefore are we said to be made nigh unto God by the blood of Christ Ephes 2.13 so that in Tit. 2.14 also Ephes 5.26 27. Declaring the ends that Christ had in his eye in giving himselfe to death which were as the recompence of reward and as a means of comfort and refreshing to him that by his death he should bring forth such glorious effects as are there mentioned and therefore these things being denyed to come by this gift of himselfe as effects thereof and as a thing purchased thereby must needs frustrate the end and ayme and desire of Christ and make his death voide as not
being of worth or sufficiency to compasse things so glorious as to bring to God to purchase to himselfe a peculiar people to sanctifie to cleanse to perfect and to make them spotlesse and unblameable all which are cut off and fall to the ground if the Spirit of God which begets faith and sets down the soul in the holinesse and innocency of Christ come not by this giving himselfe And a second thing by way of answer to be minded is what this Spirit is wherein though I am infinitely short in the comprehending of the height thereof and deepnesse of Christs unfadom'd misteries yet I conceive there is severall mistakes as that the Spirit that dwels in beleevers by which they beleeve see and know the mystery of Christ is the person of the Godhead whereas under the word Father sets forth the whole Godhead as John 14.7 8 9 10. where Christ declares that he that hath seen him hath seen the Father and shewes that all his workes of power and words of wisdome and knowledge were wrought in him by the Father and proceeded from none else but from him alone and this he teacheth us more largely when he saith the Son doth nothing of himselfe but what he seeth the Father doe that doth he and the Son knowes not of that day but the Father only though he was not ignorant as he was in union with the Father as he saith I in the Father and he in me yet as the Son begotten and borne knew not Now by the Spirit that hath its indwelling and abode in Regenerate persons is that breathing forth of power from the Essence of the Godhead which begets formes and raiseth dead things to life makes darkness light sometimes called seven spirits by reason of the more abounding and large breathing or working of God and this Spirit that is full of power and life in revealing the true God and him whom he hath sent is also the Spirit of the Son in that God workes not any thing in the new creation but wholly by in and through Iesus Christ and therefore this new Spirit revealeth both the Father and the Son that there is no true knowledge of the one without the other yea indeed if we consider Gods proceeding towards man in the old and first Creation we shall finde he never moved in the least but through and in the Son Let us make man By him were all things made that were made He upholds all through and by the word of his power So that laying Before Abraham was I am stands true concerning the Manhood of Christ all things having their being with God things not manifested to us and so likewise That I was daily his delight Prov. 8. For God ever moved in and through and for the excellency of Christ much more are all his goings forth according to the new Creation so that now the Spirit is thus purchased by Christ that the worth and vertue of the Sacrifice of that spotlesse Lambe did prevaile with God to bring forth all his treasury of grace and all his glorious workes of the new Creation Or thus in that God could in no wise give his spirit of Faith wisdome and revelation but in and through Christ by reason that is could not stand with his infinite holinesse and purity to doe any thing towards vile and sinfull flesh but in that holy thing Iesus and indeed it must needs argue want of the knowledge of God and his name which Christ saith he hath manifested and why he but that in all his testimony declares the Fathers co-working with and in him that conceive that God should give any mercy but wholly in by and through Christ Again whereas it is said these things come from a higher cause then the blood of Christ even the meere good pleasure of God I answer that we have cause then without doubt to judge that God would have given us all things else without him for if he give the greater even the Spirit of faith and wisdome which is the glory of salvation that makes salvation to be salvation heaven to be heaven yea God to be God minding in relation to the soul much more would he have given the lesse even that which is a thing of no force and falls to the ground without any effect without his Spirit so that he would then surely have spared his only yea welbeloved Son from that bitternesse and severity of his unexpressible wrath which made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Againe If it be possible let this cup passe from me But it was impossible for God could not doe any mercy all the worke of Salvation would be spoiled if he drunke it not Object Likewise where it is obiected that Faith is no more the purchase of Christ then Election Answ I answer Christ was the first begotten of God even the first in the beginning of the Creation so that Election never entred into the breast of God before his Christ suffered so that all his love in Election moved in him so as it is said he chose us in him so that as we have minded he purchased that as well as any thing else Object If Faith be purchased by the blood of Christ then it cannot be the gift of God but Ephes 2.8 it is said to be the gift of God Answ First that Christ himself is the gift of God and therefore whatsoever comes by him must needs be given also shall we therefore say nothing is purchased by him Secondly we shall finde that that which is purchased is also given and said to be given as Ephes 1.14 a possession purchased yet saith Christ Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdome so Heb. 2. Behold I and the children which God gave me are for signes and wonders yet he saith Feed the flocke which Christ hath purchased with his blood Act. 20.28 Object But Christ dyed alike for all therefore Faith is not the purchase of Christ for all have not faith 2. The Gospell is to be preached alike to all 3. Unbeliefe is a great sin and of a high condemning nature Answ First it is impossible but the death of Christ should fully effect all things that were thereby intended for the Manhood that dyed was acted by the Godhead Heb. 9.15 He offered himselfe by the Eternall Spirit the Sonne doth nothing of himselfe the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper his handiworke Isa 53.10 So that the will of God can in no wise be frustrated unlesse there ware a superiour power and then should he indeed cease to be God who is from all Eternity to Everlasting But more To the first That he dyed for all I answer by way of grant That he did die for all even all taken at the largest extent yet not alike for all and that this may appeare considering Christ in his Offices we shall finde they reach to all but in a different manner and nature which