SOME gospel-Gospel-truths Opened according to the Scriptures OR The Divine and Humane Nature of Christ Jesus his coming into the World his Righteousness Death Resurrection Ascension Intercession and second comming to Judgment plainly demonstrated and proved And also Answers to severall Questions with profitable directions to stand fast in the Doctrine of Jesus the son of Mary against those blustring storms of the Devils temptations which do at this day like so many Scorpions break loose from the bottomless pit to bite and torment those that have not tasted the vertue of Jesus by the revelation of the Spirit of God Published for the good of Gods chosen ones by that unworthy servant of Christ John Bunnyan of Bedford By the grace of God Preacher of the Gospel of his dear Son Jesus saith I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by me Jo. 14. 6. Neither is there salvation in any other Act. 4. 12. London Printed for J. Wright the younger at the Kings head in the Old-baily 1656. To the Reader REader thou hast in this small Treatise set beforethee the several pieces of that great and glorious mysterie Jesus Christ God manifested in the flesh and if thou art enlightned by the spirit of Christ here thou maiest see by that spirit how Jesus Christ the Son of God the Son of Mary is both true God and true Man both Natures making but one Christ one Jesus as Phil. 2. 5 6 7 8 9 verses where speaking first of his being God and then of his taking upon him the nature of man afterward in the 8 and 9 verses he saith he meaning this Jesus humbled himself c. and God meaning the Father hath highly exalted him c. speaking of both natures God and Man as together making but one Christ who is the Saviour and is to be beleeved and trusted in for Salvation not only as God but as man also and those who do not thus make him the object of their faith will surely fall short of pardon of sin and of salvation Act. 13. 38 39. through this man speaking of Christ as crucified at Jerusalem is preached unto you forgiveness of sins and in the 1 Tim. 2. 5. saith he there is one Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Jesus and this discovers the damnable errors of those commonly called 〈◊〉 who on the 〈…〉 deny him that 〈…〉 of the Virgin 〈…〉 true God as 〈◊〉 as true man and this is also quite contrary to those commonly called Familists Ranters Quakers or others who on the other hand either deny Christ to be a reall man without them blasphemously fancying him to be only God manifest in their flesh or else make his humane nature with the fulnesse of the Godhead in it to be but a type of God to be manifest in the saints and so according to their wicked imagination his humane nature was to be laid aside after he had offered it up upon the crosse without the gate at Jerusalem contrary to Acts the 1. 1 2 3 9 10 11 verses compared with the last chapter of Luke verses 34 39 40 50 51. where it is clearly held forth that the man Christ rose againe out of the grave with the same body which was crucified and laid in the grave and was taken up above the clouds into heaven with the same real body and that he shal again descend from heaven in that same glorious body of flesh as Acts 1. 9 10 11. and this sure truth of Christ being the Saviour Mediatour as man and not only as God will also shew serious believers what to thinke of some who though they will not it may be deny that Christ is a real man without them in the heavens as well as God yet doe own him to be the Saviour only as God first dwelling in that flesh that was born of the Virgin and then dwelling in Saints and thus both beginning and perfecting their Salvation within them and so indeed doe hold Christ as man to be only I say to be only the saved or glorified one of God together with the Saints his members only something in another and more glorious manner and meisure then the Saints and these highflown people are in this very like to Familists and Quakers undervaluing the Lord Jesus Christ God-man and though they may speake much of Christ yet they doe not rightly and savingly lay him for their foundation Now as a helpe against all these dangerous things thou hast here the maine things of Christ laid down before thee briefly and fully proved by the Scriptures first of his being true God out of flesh from eternity and then of his taking flesh or the nature of man upon him in the wombe of the Virgin and so his fulfilling the Law his dying for sins at Jerusalem his rising againe without his ascending into heaven without and not into a fancyed heaven only within as some say his interceding in heaven for all his and his comming again in his body of flesh to judge the world And if thou art yet in a state of nature though covered over with an outside profession here thou maiest find something if the spirit of Christ meet thee in reading to convince thee of the sad condition thou art in and to shew thee the righteousness thou art to fly to by faith and to trust in for salvation when convinced of sin which is a righteousness wrought by that God-man Jesus Christ without thee dying without thee at Jerusalem for sinners here also thou maiest see the difference between true and faise faith If thou art a true believer as these things are the foundation of thy faith so they may be of great use for thee to meditate upon and to exercise thy faith in particularly in meditation and in this way to seek daily for a higher faith in these truths to be given into thy heart from heaven and there is a great need of this for though these truthes be commonly known amongst professors to the notion of them yet very few know or believe them aright nay it may well be said in this age that if the faith of the true saints was wel sifted and tradition notion and the apprehensions of their own reason and fancy was sifted out most of them would be found to have very little knowledge of and faith in these common truths Secondly these truths being put thus together and plainly proved by the Scriptures may be a great help through the Spirit concurring to strengthen thee against all those damnable heresies which are spread abroad which deny the Lord Jesus Christ either plainly or more cunningly and mysteriously And thirdly the more thou art rooted and set down from heaven in the faith of these truths of Christ to believe fully the glorious reality of them their interest in them the more heavenly peace and joy thou wilt have 1. Pet. 1. 7 8. also thou wilt hereby attain the more true
are those in our duâ—es who reject this doctrine that you lay down concerning the Lord Jesus Christ as you lay it down and they are for a Christ within for a cross within for a resurrection and intercession within and they do not hold as you do a Christ without and a resurrection of Christ without and intercession of Christ with uâ— I and they have very much Scripture for that which they say too And therefore what should such as we do that stand tottering and shaking in these distracted and dangerous times for our poor souls are in very much doubt what way to take Ans. Therefore I will speak a few words to you by way of discovery of the falsity of such opinions and a word of direction how you should understand the truth First therefore he that cries up a Christ within in opposition to a Christ without that man instead of having the spirit of Christ in him is possessed with a spirit of delusion for where the spirit of Christ is in truth that spirit causeth the soul to look to the Christ that was born of the Virgin for all justification as it is written Howbeit when he the spirit of truth is come he shall lead you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but what soever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come mark the next verse he saith the son of the Virgin shall take of mine and shall shew unto you Joh. 16. 13 14. he shall take of mine what is that why surely it is he shall take of my Godhead my humanity my birth my righteousness my blood my death my resurrection my ascenâ—ion and intercession my Kingly Priestly and prophetical offices and shall shew you the life merit and value of them And this was it which was revealed to Paul by the holy spirit here spoken of 1 Cor. 15. 1 2. to the 8. Moreover brethren saith he I declare unto you the Gospel which Iâ—p eached unto you which also ye have received and wherein ye stand By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you unlesse ye have believed in vain But what is this doctrine why I delivered to you first of all that which I also receive â— What was that why How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures there is his death and resurrection preached And that he was seen of Cephas then of the twelve after that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once of whom the greatest part remain unto this present but some are fallen asleep After that he was seen of James then of all the Apostle And last of all he was seen of me saith Paul as of one born out of due time This is it I say that the spirit of truth doth hold forth to poor sinners a Christ crucified without the gates of Jerusalem Luke 23. 32 33. buried in Josephâ— seâ—ulcher v. 53. risen again the third day Luke 24 6. ascended away from his Disciples in a cloud into heaven as in Act. 1. 9 10 11. And there ever liveth that very man with that very body to make intercession for all that receive him Heb. 7. 24 25. This is I say the doctrine of the spirit of truth whatsoever is the spirit of errour Q. But do not the Scriptures make mention of a Christ within 2 Cor. 13 5. A. Yes And he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8. 9. But he that hath it is led out of himself by it and as I said before it shews the soul what the blessed son of the Virgin Mary hath done and suffered and is a doing for it Therefore hereby know we the spirit of truth from the spirit of errour Every spirit that doth confesse that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God That is that spirit that doth confess that Jesus Christ took flesh upon him and in that flesh did bear our sins 1 Pet. 2. 24. Col. 1. 20 21 22. 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Pet. 4. 1. and after he was taken down from the cross and laid in a sepulcher rose again from the dead that very man with that very body wherewith he was crucified That spirit that doth believe and confess this is of God and is the blessed spirit of Christ whereof hâ— spake when he was yet with his Disciples touching his bodily presence for he saith the Son of Mary shall glorifie me for he shall take of Mine and shew it to you Joh. 16. 13 14. I have answered this already in my Epistle to the first treatise Therefore believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God for many false spirits and prophets are gone out into the world therefore have a care how thou receivest the voice that speaks to thee but try whether they are according to the truth of Gods word as it is written To the law and to the testimony if it be not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa. 8. 20. Therefore try a little Doe they flight Gods Christ which is the Son of the virgin that spirit is of the Devil 1 Cor. 12. 3. 2. Doe they say that that blood of his which was shed without the gates of Jerusalem doth not wash away sin yea all sin from him that believes that is a spirit of Antichrist 1 Joh. 1. 7. 3. Doe they say that that man that was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem is not risen again with that verybody wherwith he was crucified out of the Sepulchre Luk. 24. 38 39. That is a Spirit of Antichrist 4. Do they say that that very man that was crucified with that very body is not now in the presence of his father absent from his people touching his bodily presence though present in spirit I say who ever they be that say he is not there they are of the Divel for the proof of this see Acts 5. 30. and 31. and compare it with Heb. 7. 24. 25. The God of our fathers saith the Apostle raised up Jesus But what Jesus Whom ye slew saith he to the Jews Him the very same whom ye slew hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins And indeed here is my life namely the birth of this man the righteousnesse of this man the blood of this man the death and resurrection of this man the ascension intercession of this man for me and the second comming of this man to judge the world in righteousness Acts 17. 31. I say here is my life if I see this by faith without me through the operation of the spirit within me I am safe I am at peace I am comforted I am encouraged and I know that my comfort peace and encouragement
the time that God had appointed in the which he should come The second thing that I will through the strength of Christ prove is this that he that was of the Virgin is he that is the Saviour And first I shall lay down this for a truth That it is not any Spirit only by and of it selâ—e without it doe take the nature of man that can be a Saviour of man from eternal veâ—gâ—nce Or thus That 〈◊〉 will be a Saviour of man must in the nature of man satisâ—â—e and appeasâ— the justice and wrath of God and the arguments that I doe bring to â—rove it by are these 1. Because it was man that had offended and â—ustice required that man must give the satisfaction And therefore when he that should be the Saviour was come he tooke upon him the forme of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men Phil. 2. 7. And in Heb. 2. 14. Because the children were partakers of flesh and blond he also himself likewise took part of the same to what end that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Dwell And is that all No but also that he might deliver them who through feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage The second argument is this because if a Spirit only could have made satisfaction for the fin of mankind and have subdued Satan for man without the nature of man either there had been weaknesse in God when he made that promise to fallen Adam That the seed of the woman should break the serpents head for there had been no need of and so no room for that promise or else God having made it would have appeared unfaithful in not fulfilling his promise by redeeming the world without it 3. If a Spirit only could have made satisfaction and so have saved man then Christ needed not to have come into the world and to have been borne of a woman Gal. 4. 4. but in that he must come into the world and must be borne of a woman it is cleer that without this he could not have been a Saviour for he was made of a woman made under the law to this end that he might redeem them that were under the law Implying No subjection to this viz. the taking of the nature of Man no redemption from the curse of the law But Christ hath delivered from the curse of the law all that believe in his name being in their Nature made a curse for them And this is the reason why the fallen Angels are not recovered from their damnable estate because he did not take hold of their nature For he tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. Now then seeing this is the very truth of God I shall next prove that Jesus that was born of the virgin to be the Saviour And first I shall prove it by comparing some places of the old and new Testament together and by some arguments drawn from the Scriptures And first see Gen. 3. 15. where he is called the seed of the woman saying I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed and so was Jesus Gal. 4. 4. where it is said God senâ— forth his son made of a woman or borne of a woman 2. This woman must be a virgin Isa. 7. 14. where it is said a virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne and shall call his name Emanuel And Jesus is he that was the fulfilling of this Scripture Matth. 1. 22 23. Now all thus was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Behâ—ld a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son and they shall call his name Emanuel 3. The Saviour must be of the Tribe of Judah And this Jacob prophecied of on his death-bed saying Judah thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise or honour thâ—â—â— hand shall be on the 〈◊〉 of thine enemies thy fathers children shall bow down before thâ—e And again Mic. 5. 2. But thou Beâ—hlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come that is to be ruler in Israel Jesus 〈◊〉 of the tribe of Judah and that will cleerly appeare iâ— you read Mat. 1. Maâ—theâ— he begins first with Abraham v. 2. and thence to Judah v. 3. from Judah to Dâ—â—xâ—d ver 6. From David to Zorobabel v 13. then to Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary of whom was borne Jesus ver 16. Now Mary was one of the same house also and for this conâ—ider Jesus came from the loynes of David see Maâ— 1. but that he could not doe if Mâ—â— had not been of the seed 〈◊〉 â—â—vid For Christ came 〈…〉 not from him for 〈…〉 her not till shee had brought forth her first born Mat. 1. 25. Again the Angel told her that he was the Son of David saying And the Lord God will give unto him the throne of his father David Luke 1. 32. And againe The Jews knew this very well or else they would have been sure to have laid it open before all the world for they sought by all meanes to disown him And though they did through the divellishnesse of their unbeliefe disown him yet could they find no such thing as to question the right of his birth from Mary If it had been to be done they would no doubt haue done it they did not want malice to whet them on neither did they want meanes so far as might helpe forward their malice without manifest and apparent injury For they had exact Registers or records of their genealogies so that if they had had any colour for it they would sure have denyed him to have been the Son of David There was reasoning concerning him when he was with them Joh. 7. and I do believe part of it was about the generation of which he came And this was so commonly knowne that the blind man that sat by the way side could cry out Jesus thou Some of David have mercy on me thou Sonne of David have mercy on me Luke 18. 38 39. It was so common that he came from the loines of his Father David according to the flesh that it was not so much as once questioned And when Herod demanded Mat. 2. 4 5 6. of the chiefe Priests and Scibes of the people where Christ should be borne they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the Prophet And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judea art not the least among the Princes of Judah for out of thee shall câ—me a Governour that shall rule my people Israel For out of thee Mark that if Mary had not been of Judah Christ had not come out of Judah But Christ came out of Judah therefore Mary is also a daughter of Judah and this is evident as saith the
Scripture for our Lord sprang out of Judah Heb. 7. 14. Againe when Christ the Saviour was to come into the world at that time the Scepter was to depart from Judah according to the prophesie of Jacob The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come Gen. 49. 10. Now the Scepter was then departed from those that were Jews by nature and also the lawgiver and Herod who was a stranger and not of Judea was King over them as Caesars Deputy and Caesar Augustus imposed lawes on them The stuborn Jews also confessed the Scepter to be departed when before Pontius Pilate a Romane governour of â—udea they cryed out against Christ We have no King but Caesar Joh. 19. 15. Nay further the Jewes from that day to this have beene without a â—ing of their owne nation to governe them they never had the Scepter swayed since by any of themselves but have been a scattered despised people and have been as it were liable to all dangers and for a long time driven out from their countrey and scattered over all the Nations of the earth as was prophesied concerning them Jeâ— 24. 9. Zek. 5. 14 15. And yet these poor souls are so horribly deluded by the devil that though they see these things come to passe yet they will not believe And one reason among many of their being thus deluded is this they say that the word Scepter in that 49. of Gen. is not meant of a Kingly Government but the meâ—ning is say they a rod or persecutions shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come Now they doe most grosly mistake that place for though I am not skilled in the Hebrew tongue yet through grace I am enlightned into the Scriptures whereby I find that the meaning is not persecutions noâ— the rod of afflictions but a Governour or Scepter of the Kingdome shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come And that this is the meaning of the place weigh but the very next words of the same verse and you will find it to be the Scepter of a King that is meant for he addeth nor a Lawgiver from between his feet Marke it The Scepter nor a Lawgiver the Legislative power depending on the Scepter of the Kingdom shall not depart from Judah untill Shiloh come According to that Scripture written in Isa. 7. 16. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evill and chuse the good the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her Kings which Scripture hath been fulfilled from that same time But a word to the Jews exposition of the Scepter to be a rod or persecutions saying that persecutions shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come This cannot be the meaning of the place for the Jews have had rest oftentimes and that before Shiloh did come at one time they had rest fourscore years Judges 3. 30. againe And the land had rest from warre Joâ—h 14 15. And againe the Lord gave them rest round about according to all that he sware unto their fathers and there stood not up a man of all their enemies before them Jos. 21. 44. Jos. 22. 4. 23. 1. And the land had rest forty years Jud. 3. 11. There was rest many a time from persecution and from the rod thâ—ugh it we but for a season but the Scepter or Kingdome did noâ— depart from Judah and a law-giver from between his feet tiâ—â— Shiloh came Againe to prove that Jesus is the Christ it is cleer from the hand of God against the Jews for putting him to death What was the reason why they did put him to death but this he did say that he was the Christ the Sonne of God Luke 22. 70. Then said they all Art thou the Sonne of God And he said ye say that I am that is I am he as you say I am the son of God Yea the only begotten Son of the Father and I was with him before the world was Now the Jews did put him to death for his thus owning his own That is for not denying of his Sonship but making himself equal with God therefore did they put him to death Joh. 1â— 7. Now God did and doth most miserarably plague them to this very day for their crucifying of him But I say 〈◊〉 he not been the Christ of God Gods Son he would not have laid sin to their charge for crucifying him but rather have praised them for their zeale and for taking him out of the way who did rob God of his honour in that he made himselfe equal with God and was not He would have praised them for doing the thing that was right as he did Phinehas the son of Eleazâ—r for executing judgement in his time on the adulterer and adultereâ—le Numb 25. 8. But in that he said he was the Sonne of God and accounted it no robbery so to call himself Phil. 2. And seeing that they did put him to death because he said he was thâ— Son of God And in that God doth so severely charge them with and punish them for their sin in putting him to death for saying that he was the son of God it is evident that he was and is the sonne of God and that Saviour that should come into the world For his blood hath been upon them to this very day for their hurt according to their desire Mat. 27. 25. Againe Jesus himselfe doth in his day hold forth that he is the Christ where he saith the time is fulfilled and the Kingdome of heaven is at hand Mat. 1. 15. What time is this thâ—â— Jesus speaks of Surely 〈◊〉 that of Daniels Seventy weeks spoken of in Chap. 9. 24. when he saith Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people to finish transgression and to make an end of sin and to make reconciliation or satisfaction for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to anoint the most hoâ—y this time that here Daniel speakes of is it that Christ saith hath an end and the argument that he brings to perswade them to believe the Gospel is this the Kingdome of God is at hand according as was prphesied of it by Daniel repent and believe the Gospel Repent and believe that this is the Gospel And that this is the truth of God Consider that Daniel had a revelation of these daies from the Angel of God and also the time in which it should be accomplished Namely Seventy weekes was the determined time of the Messias his comming from the time when the Angel spake these words to Daniel Seventy weekes that is about 490 years if you reckon every day in the said twenty weekes for a yeare a day for a yeare a day for a yeare for so is the holy Spirits way sometime to reckon dayes Ezek. 4. 6. and this the Jews were convinced of when Christ saith to them ye Hypocrites ye can discerne the face of the skie but can you not discerne the Signes of the
time Mat. 16. 3. Do you not see that those things that are spoken of as forerunners of my comming are accompliâ—hed Do you not see that the Scepter is departed from Judah Doe you not see the time that Daniel spake of is accompliâ—â—ed also There shall no Signe be given you but the sign of the Prophâ—t Jâ—nabâ— O ye hypocritical generation ver 4. Another argument to prâ—ve that Jesus is â—he Chriâ— is this By his power the blind â—ee the 〈◊〉 walke tâ—e dea heir the dâ—mbe speak the dead are raised up the divels are disâ—oâ—fesled In Esâ—â— 5 〈◊〉 4. it is thus proâ—heâ—â—ed of him Behâ—ld your God will come with a vengeance even God with a recoâ—pence he will 〈◊〉 and save you But how shall we know when he is come Why thâ—n the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the eares of the deafe shall be unstopped then shall the lame man leape as an hart and the â—oâ—gue of the dumbe shall sing for in the wildernesse shall waters breake forth and streames in the desart vâ—r 5. 6. Now which John would know whether he were the Christ or no Jesus sends him this very answer Go and tell John saith he what you hear and see The blâ—nd receive their sight and the lame walke the â—epers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised and the poor have the Gospel preached unto them Mat 1â— 3 4. 5. Another Argument that doth prove this Jesus to be the Christ is this namely he to whom it was revealed that he should see him though he waited long for him So soone as ever he did but see that sweet Bâ—be that was borne of the Virgin Mary he cryed out Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seene thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before all people as it is in Luke 2. 26 27 28 29 30 31. The Prophetesse Anna also so soone as shee had seen him gave thanks to the Lord and spake of him 〈◊〉 all those that waited for redemption in Israel ver 36 37 38. Another Argument is the signe of the Prophet Jonah He even Jonah was three dayes and three nights in the whales belly Jonah 1. 17. And Jesus makes this very thing an argument to the Jews that he was the true Messias where he saith A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a signe that is they would have me to shew them a signe to prove that I am the Saviour there shall no sign be given to them but the sign of the prophet Jonah For as Jonah waâ— Three dayes and three nights in the whales belly so shall the Soâ— of Man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth Mat. 12. 39 40. And this the Apostle makes mention of to be accomplished where he saith The Jews slew Jesus and hanged him on a tree Act. 10. 39. and laid him in a Sepulchre Mat. 27. But God raised him up the third day shewed him openly Acts 10. 40. Another Scripture argument to prove that Jesus is the Christ is this that there was not one of his bones broken which thing was foretold and typed out by the paschal Lambe where he saith thou shalt not leave any of it until the morning nor break a bone of him Exod. 12. 46. Numb 9. 12. which thing was fulfilled in the Sonne of the Virgin though contrary to the customes of this Nation as it is written Then came the Souldiers and brake the legs of the first and of the other that was crucified with him But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his legs Joh. 19. 31 32. That the Scripture should be fulfilled a bone of him shall not be broken ver 36. Another Scripture demonstration is in that they did fulâ—â— the saying that was written They parted my rayment among them and for my vesture they did cast lots Psal. 22. 18. But this was also â—ulfilled in Jesus as it is written Then the Souldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his garments and made four parts to every Souldier a part and also his coat Now the coat was without seame They said therefore among themselves let us not rent it but let us cast lotâ— whose it shall be that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith They parted my rayment among them and for my vestiâ—â— they did casâ— lots John 19. 23 24. Againe the Scripture saith they shall look on me whom they have pierced Zach. 12. 10. But the Souldier thrust a spear into his side that it might be fulfilled which was written They shall look on him whom they have pierced Joh. 19 34 35 36 37. Now then seeing this is the truth of God that Jesus that was borne of the Virgin is the Christ of God how horribly are those deceived who look on Jesus the son of Mary to be but a shadow or type of something that was afterward to be revealed whereas the Scriptures most lively hold him forth to be the Christ of God and not a shadow of a spirit or of a body afterwards to be revealed but himselfe was the very substance of all things that did any way type out Christ to come and when he was indeed come then was an end put to the law for righteousness or justification to every one that believeth Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth as it is written Rom. 10. 4. That is he was the end of the ceremonial law and of that commonly called the moral law the substance of which is laid down Exod. 20. from the first to the 17 verse though that law as handed out by Christ still remaines of great use to all believers which they are bâ—und to keepe for sanctification as Christ saith Mat. 5. 19. verse to the end of the Chapter But Christ Jesus hath obtained everlasting righteousness having fulfilled all the law of God in the body of his flesh wherein he also suffered on the Cross without the gates and doth impute this righteousness to poor man having accomplished it for him in the body of his flesh which he took of the Virgin Gal. 4. 4 God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law that is to obey it and to bear the curse of it being made a Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. to redeem them that were under the law That is to redeem such as were ordained to life eternal from the curse of the law And this he did by his birth being made or borne of a woman by his obedience yea by his perfect obedience he became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5. 8 9. and by his doing and suffering did compleatly satisfy the law and the justice of God and bring in that glorious and everlasting salvation without which we had all eternally been undone and that without remedy for without shedding of his
the body are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 6. but now if the man Christ were ascended into that heaven within them he would neither be absent from them nor they from him but in that he is absent from them touching his bodily presence and they from him touching the same it is evident that that heaven into which he is ascended must needs be without above the clouds 4 Consider that that heaven into which the man Christ is ascended must contain him till the time of restitution of All things as in Acts 3. 21. into which heaven he hath been ascended above sixteen hundred years by computation And I am sure there is not a Saint that doth live in this world half so long before he fall asleep and be gathered to his fathers so that that heaven into which he is scended is not within but must needs be that above the clouds But 5. Consider that he that ascended from his Disciples was a man with flesh and bones not a spirit only for handle me and sâ—e saith he for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Luke 24. 39 50 51. verses Now let the Adversaries shew by the Scriptures that there is any place in them called heaven that is able to contain a man of some four or five foot long the space of fifteen or sixteen hundred years besides that therefore it must needs be that heaven without which is above the clouds and Stars 6. Consider That heaven into which the Lord Jesus that man is ascended must not contain him alwaâ—es for saith the Apostle 1 Thes. 4. 16. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an Archangel So that there is another descending from that heaven into which he is ascended and his descending from that heaven is to this end namely to take his people to himself as it is v. 17. so that it is clear that it is not any heaven within thee into which the Man Christ that was born of the Virgin Mary is ascended but it must needs be that heaven without which is above the clouds 1. If thou consider that the place into which he is ascended even the heaven into which he is entred is the same place where all the the deceased Saints are in their Spirits Therefore saith Paul I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is better Now Paul did not in this place Pâ—il 1. 23. mean the enjoying of Christ only in the spirit for that he enjoyed in a great measure when he spake these words but he speaks of a dying and a being with Christ after this life is ended as is clear if you compare the 20 21 22 23 24. 25 and 26 verse together being absent from him while he was here in the bâ—dy 2 Cor. 5. 6. for whilst at homâ— in the body we are absent from the Lord. So that that heaven into which the Man Christ is ascended is not into his Church on earth but into heaven without above the clouds and the Stars And this David doth propheâ—ie of Psal. 47. 5. where he saith God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet Now Christ as God meerly could not go up being no lesse in one place then in another but as God man or in his humane nature he went up as will clearly appear Epes 4 8 9 10. where he speaketh of his triumâ—h over all the enemies of his people at his resurrection and ascension into heaven above the clouds 8. When Christ doth descend from that heaven into which he is now ascended his Saints and he will meet one another just in the air according to the Scripture 1 Thes. 4. 16 17. for saith he the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first that is they shall come out of their graves and then we which shall be saved alive at that day and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Pray mark here a little and see what heaven the man Christ is ascended into and see if it be not the heaven without above the Sun Moon and Stars When Christ and his Saints do meet the second time together the one ascends and the other descends the one is caught up in the clouds towards heaven the other descends from heaven towards the earth and they must needs meet one another just in the air that is between the heaven and the earth So then the one coming from heaven and the other from the earth and their meeting being in the air which is between heaven and earth is an undeniable demonstration that that heaven into which the man Christ is ascended must needs be that heaven without above the Sun Moon and Stars And thus much touching the Son of Mary his ascending up into the heaven without above the clouds Acts 1. 9 10 11. Acts 3. 21 1 Pet. 3 22 In the next place Now I shall prove the intercession of the man Christ Jesus to be in the heaven that I have been speaking of though some have mocked at it and others have called it jugling whose names here I shall not mâ—ntion only I shall admonish them that they doe not blaspheme the truth and Sonne of God in his intercession I shall quote some of the Scriptures that hold out this truth and so passe on And first of all see Psal. 16. 4. where David prophesying of the intercession of Christ saith their sorrowes shall be multiplyed that husten after another God speaking of the wicked their drink offerings of blood will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips Now compare this with Heb. 8. 4. where he saith If he were on earth he should not be a Priest And Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands meaning the temple which Solomon built which are figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appear in the presence of God for us Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them Heb. 7. 25 But you will say is there a man made mention of here Yes for the Scripture saith Ther is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the Man Christ Jesus And in that 8. to the Heb. made mention of before where the Apostle is speaking of Christs priestly office as he is in the heavens compared with other Priests that are on earth he saith v. 3. for every high Priest is ordained to offer gifts and Sacrifices wherefore speaking of Christ it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer For if he were on earth he should not be a Priest seeing there
is come the second time they that are in their graves shall arise and come forth of their graves as I said before in which they have laine according to that in Job 5. 28. Where Christ saith Marvell not at this for the houre is comming in the which all that are in the graves shall heare his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the resurrection of damnation You will say Are these graves spoken of here the graves that are made in the earth yea that they are and for a further proof of the same look into Dan. 12. 2 Daniel there speaking of the same thing saith And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise or awake some to everlasting life and some to everlasting contempt or damnation I shall not stand here to dispute any distinctions of the resurrections only prove that the dead shall arise and that is a clear truth from the Scriptures Acts 10. 42. Rev. 20 11 12 13 14. and 1 Thes. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 15. 52. the dead shall be raised 2. He shall call all men and women to an account for all their close sinful thoughts words and actions then will the secrets of all hearts be made manifest Then shall all thy adulterous and theevish and covetous idolatrous and blasphemous thoughts be laid open according to that saying Their consciences also bearing them witness and their thoughts the mean time or while accusing or else excusing one another Rom. 2. 15. But when why in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ ver 16. see also 1 Cor. 4. 5. Therefore judge nothing before the time what time is that why when the Lord comes what will he do He will bring to light the hidden things of darknesâ—â— that is all those cunning close hidden wickednesses that thou in thy life time hast committed yea he will make manifest the counsels of the heart that is the most hidden and secret things that are contrived and plotted by the sons of men Then shal all the midnight whoremongers be laid open with all their sins Then thou it may be who hast committed such sins as thou wouldst not have thy Neighbour thy father thy wife thy husband or any one else know of for thousands then thou shalt have them all laid open even upon the house tops Luke 12. 1 2 3. Then thou that hatest Gods children his waies his word his spirit then thou that makest a mock at Jesus of Nazareth his second coming then thou that livest in open prophaness or secret hypocrisie then I say will be such a time of reckoning for you as never was since the world began then you that shall die in your siâ—s will cry to the mountains fall on us and cover us from the face of him that sits on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb which Lamb is the man Christ Jesus Joh. 1. 19. And ah my friends if the very looks of God be so terrible what will his blows be think you Then if all thy idle words shall be accounted for as it is written But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgement Mat. 12. 36. and also all thy filthy actions shall be then regarded in such sort as thou shalt receive a just recompence for them And know saith the Scripture that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement Eccles. 11. 9. Then Thou that are an unbeliever shalt be sure to fall under the judgement for all thy sins first thou must give account Secondly thou must fall in the judgement Oh my friends there are hot daies acoming for all those that are found out of the Lord Jesus Behold saith Malachi the daies come that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of hoasts and it shall leave them neither root nor branch The day of judgement will burn like an oven and all that have not the righteousness of Christ upon them shall be as stubble Ah friends put a red hot oven and stubble together and what work will theâ—e be even the one will burn and destroy the other 3. When Christ doth come the second time another end of his coming will be to purge out all things that offend in his Kingdom Mat. 13. 41 42. Then shall the son of man send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that doe iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth There are many things that doe offend in his Kingdom now namely the lukewarm professor he doth offend first the Lord secondly his people But then thou lukewarm offending professor shalt offend the Church of God no more Secondly the loose professors do also offend God Christ and his Church First he scandals the Gospel by his loose walking and naughty carriages Secondly he doth make the world blaspheme the name of God by the same Thirdly he grieves the hearts of Gods people Phil. 3. 18. But know that thou also shalt be taken away from offending any more God Christ and his Saints and thou shalt have weeping and gnashing of teeth for thy thus offending Mat. 18. 6. 7. 4 Another end of Christs second coming is to cut of all the ignorant persons that are in the world There is a generation of poor souls that do think to be excused for their ignorance Alas saith one I am a poor ignorant man or woman and therefore I hope that the Lord will have mercy upon me We cannot say others do as such and such and will the Lord condemn us And thus poor souls as they are in the broad way to destruction least they should misse of the way to hell do swallow down by clusters that which will poyson them body and soul for ever and ever But you will say What will not the Lord have mercy on ignorant soules Ans. Not on those who live and die in their ignorance He himselfe hath said Esay 27. 11. Because it is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Again Paul also in that 2 Thes. 1. 8. saith that when Jesus Christ shall come to judge the world he doth come to take vengeance on all them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ. But ye will say who are those ignorant persons that shall find no favour at that day or how doth the ignorance discover it selfe I shall only mention three or four sorts of men and leave thee to the Scriptures which if thou read them diligently will
believe on him but also to suffer for his sake And thus much doe the Apostles hold forth to us in their prayer or request tâ— the Lord Jesus when they say Lord increase our faith Luke 17. â— and he is therefore called the Author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 3. also we find in Jam. 1. 17. that Every good and perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights c and therefore faith comes from God for true justifying faith 〈◊〉 a good gift and perfect in respect of the Author God in respect of its object Christ and in respect of the nature though not in respect of the degree and measure of it in us even as a grain of gold is as perfect gold as a pound of gold though not so much 3. All men have not faith This the Apostle witnesseth in so many words as we find 2 Thes. â— 2. and Deut. 32. 20. Also in Tit. 1. 15. To them that are defilâ—d and unbelieving is nothing pure c. It appeareth also in this that all doe not attain salvation which they must needs doe if they had true justifying faith compare Luke 13. 24. and 1 Jo. 5. 19. with Mar. 16. 16. And Heb. 4. 3. with ver 6. and 11. they that believe shall be saved they that be 4. The fruits of it are first to purifie the heart Acts 15. 9. and 1 Jo. 3. 3. and that as I said be fore by laying hold on what Jesus Christ hath done and suffered for sinners Acts 13. 38 39. 2. It fills the soule with peace and joy in that it layes hold on the things that are obtained for it Rom. 5 1. 2 Tim. 1. 9. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 3. It makes the Soule to wait patiently for the glory that is to be revealed at the second appearing of the man Christ Jesus whom God hath raised from the dead which hath also delivered it from the wrath to come as in Tit. 2. 13 14. 1 Pet. 4. 13. and 5. v. 1 4. 1 Thes. 1. 10. But how may some say doth the Divell make his deâ—usions take place in the heâ—rts of poore creatures Ans. Why. 1. he labours to render the doctrine of the Lord Jesus and Salvation by him alone very odious and low and also his ordinances as hearing reading meditation use of the Scriptures c. telling poore sinners that these things are but poore low carnal beggerly empty Notions preached up by the Clergie-men who are the Scribes and Pharisâ—es of this Generation who have the letter but not the Spirit of God in them which lead men into the forme but not into the power of the Lord Jesus And with this perswasion he also represents the ungodly and base carriage or behaviour of some who have taken in hand to preach the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ and thereby he doth render the Gospell of our Lord Jesus the more contemptible and base But Woe woe woe be to them by whom such offences come Mat. 18. 7. Lu. 17. 1 2. 2. He pretends to lead them up into some higher light mysteries and revelations of the Spirit into which but a very few have attained or can attain also bewitching their affections and taking them with an earnest pursuite after these his pretended truths perswading them that they shall be as God himself able to discerne between good and evill Gen. 3. 5. And in this he is exceeding subtile and expert as having practised it ever since the dayes of Adam These things being thus considered and in some measure hungred after and the rather because they are good as they thinke to make one wise Gen. 3. 6. The poore Soule is all on the sudden possessed with a desperate Spirit of delusion which carries it away headlong with some high light frothy Notions and spiritual wickednesse which drown it in perdition and destruction that doth feed and tickle the heart â— while to the end it may make way for a farther manifestation of it selfe in the poore deluded soule which when it hath attained to it doth then begin to bring the soule into a clearer sight of those things which it was loth it should know at the first but having fitted the soule by degrees for a further possession of it self at last it begins to hold forth its new Gospell shewing the soule a new Christ and new Scriptures The new and false Christ is a Christ crucified within dead within risen againe within and ascended within in opposition to the Son of Mary who was crucified without dead without risen againe without and ascended in a cloud away from his Disciples into heaven Acts 1. 9. 10 11. without them Now this new fals Christ hath a new and false faith belonging to his Gospell which faith is this to apprehend this Christ crucified within dead within risen againe within and ascended within But aske them for a Scripture that doth positively prove their Doctrine they also have a Scripture but it is within it doth bear witnes within if they had not that though that be of the Divels making I am sure they would have none out of Gods holy Scriptures for they will allow of no crucified Christ but he that was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem Dead and buried in the Sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea was raised againe out of that Sepulchre into which Joseph had laid him Who went before his Disciples into Galilee And to Emaus Shewed them his hands and his feet where the nailes had gone through did eat and drink with them after his resurrection was seen of them on earth forty dayes after his resurrection and after that ascended away in a cloud out of the sight of his Disciples into Heaven Which Christ ever lives to make intercession for us Who will come againe also at the end of the world to judgement l Who also is the same that hath obtained eternal redemption for us This I say or rather the Scriptureâ— say is Gods Christ Mat. 16 16. in whom hs is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. neither doth God owne any other or allow of any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved than the name of Jesus of Nazareth Acts. 4. 10. compared with v. 11. 1â— But as I told you before the way to be thus deluded is first to render Gods Christ odious and low with a pretence of some further light and Revelations and thus professing themselves to be wise they became fools Rom. 1 22. But you will say doth not the Scripture make mention of a Christ within Col. 1. â—7 and 2 Cor. 13. 5. Rom. 8. 10. I answer I Gods Christ was and is true God and true man he was born of the Virgin Mary true God and true Man Mat. 1. 23. and They shall call his name Emanuell which being interpreted is God with us or God in our Nature according to 1
Tim. 3. 16. God was manifested in the flesh and 1 Joh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth And in Heb. 1. 14. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he that is God Heb. 1. 8. also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he must destroy him that had the power of death that is the Divell Now as he was thus true God and true man so he became our redeemer and Saviour Compare the first and second chapters to the Heb. together and you may cleerly see that this is a glorious truth that he who is the first and the last Rev. 1. 17 18. and â— 8. humbled himselfe and made himselfe of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men And was this all No he humbled himself unto death even the death of the crosse Phil. 2. 7 8. compared with Revel 1. 17 18. and Rev. 2. 8. with Gal. 1. 4. Now after this Christ of God true God and true man had wrought out eternal redempâ—ion for us poore miserable sinners Heb. 9. 14. compared with 1 Tim. 1. 15. I say after he had done this he ascended up into heaven and there ever lives to make intercession for us Now this Christ having thus compleatly wrought out our Salvation sends his Disciples abroad to preach the same to poore sinners Acts 2. and 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. 1 Cor. 1. 17. and so many as were ordained to eternal life when they heard the word or the Gospell preached by the Apostles which Gospell was this Christ 1 Cor. 1. 17. compared with ver 23. I say so many as were ordained 〈◊〉 eternal life when they hearâ— the word the Holy Ghost oâ— Spirit of Christ fell upâ—â— them Acts 10. 44. compareâ— with Acts 13. 48. which diâ— lead them into the Redemption and glorious things that the Lord Jesus had laid up and prepared for them Joh. 16. 13. 14 15. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Which Spirit was the earnest of their inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory Eph. 1. 13. 14. This earnest of their inheritance was a glorious encouragment to them that had it to hope for the glory that was revealed at the appearing of Jesus Christ which is the meaning of that place in Col. 1. 27. And that will be seen clearly if we truly compare it with Eph. 1. 13 4. before cited Now this Spirit which sometimes is called the Spirit of Christ 2 Cor. 13. 5. This spirit I say being given to all those that were ordained to eternal life it must neâ—ds follow that those that had not this Spirit but did live and die without it were not ordained to eternal life and so were none of Christs but were reprobates Rom. 8. 9. for the Spirit of Christ is the distinguishing Character betwixt a believer and an unbeliever he that hath it and is led by it is a child of God Rom. â— 14. but he that hath it not is none of Christs So then the Answer that I give to the question is this The Spirit of Christ that is given to believers is the Earnest or hope of that Inheritance that Christ hath already purchased and is now preparing for so many as he hath given or shall give this holy Spirit unto And for the proofe hereof Read Eph. 1. 13 14. In whom saith the Scripture ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gâ—spel of your Salvation 〈◊〉 whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance which inheritance is the eternal redemption that was purchased by Christ for poor sinners Heb. 9. 14. untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glorie Againe Gal. 5. 5. for ye through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith And Col. 1. 27. the Apostle speaking of this great mystery saith To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this Mysterie among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory which glory was then revealed to the Saints no otherwise then by faith as the Apostle saith We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5. 2. Which hope is begotten by the Spirits shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts ver 5. which hope is not yet seen that is not yet actually enjoyed for we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it Rom. 8. 24 25. And as I say the cause of believers hope is this Christ or the Spirit of Christ in them the hope of glory And indeed he may well hope for glory to come who hath already an earnest thereof given him of God and that earnest no less than the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Rom. 8. 16 17. But now this Spirit which is the Cause of a believers hope all men have not Jude 19. Eph. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 9. Jo. 14. 16 17. Therefore what a sad doctrine is that which saith follow the light that Christ hath enlightnâ—d every man withall which commeth into the world which light is the Conscience * that convinceth of Sinnes against the Law and that you may see cleerly if you mind that Scripture Jo. 8. 9. which saith that the Pharises which had neither the love of God nor yet his word abiding in them Jo. 5. 38 43. when they had heard Christ speaking thus to them He that is without sin among you c. being convicted by their own Consciences went out one by one beginning at the eldest even to the least But the Divell that he might be sure not to miss of his design labours by all meanes to render the Scriptures also odious and low telling them of the Scriptures within which Christ never taught nor yet his Disciples But they being given up of God to a reprobate minde have given themselves over rather to follow the suggestions of the Divel then the holy Scriptures which God hath commanded us to betake our selves to Isa. 8. 20. compared with Jo. 5. 39. which Scripture is called the sword of the Spirit Eph. 6 17. which weapon our Lord Jesus himselfe held up to overcome the Divell withall Mat. 4. 4 7 10. Luke 4. 4. 8. 12. But this designe as I told you the Divell carries on by pretending to shew them a more excellent way which they may attaine to if they be but wise and follow what is made knowne to them from the light within them But Reader that thou mayest be able to escape the snare of this cunning hunter I shall lay thee downe some few directions which if