man thus believes then both the Spirit and the Word of God doth testifie and declare that Jesus Christ hath presented unto divine justice a satisfaction for his sinnes in particular and that accordingly his sinnes are forgiven unto him This then he is now and not till now bound to believe as a certaine truth as indeed it is and now appeares to be And touching the unbelieving and disobedient person who obeys not the Gospel of Jesus Christ this is one part of the truth that God reveales and commands all to believe viz. that persons still continuing such remaine under the curse and wrath of God and must be judged condemned and punished for all their sinnes Joh. 3.18 Jude 15.2 Thes 1.8 9. As also hath been already fully proved Now God doth not command any man to believe contradictions Touching that in 1 Joh. 5.10 it is to be minded that a childe of God hath unbeliefe remaining and rebelling in him and sometimes it rebells very strongly and grievously As farre as this unbeliefe workes in him so farre he believes not God but makes him a lyar that is casts upon him the imputation of lying because he believes not on the testimony that God bath testified concerning his Sonne That this is Johns meaning appeares by that which follows in vers 11. And this is the record or testimony that God bath given to us eternall life and this life is in his Sonne God hath not given this eternall life to us men whether we be believers or unbelievers but to us to whom he gives grace to believe in his Son See Joh. 3.36 and 17.2 This is farther confirmed by that which follows in 1. Joh. 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that yee may know that yee have eternall life and that yee may believe on the Name of the Son of God It is also objected that in Mark 16.15 33. Object From Mar. 16.15 answered Christ commands that the Gospel should be preached to every creature but by our doctrine there remaines no Gospel to be preached to the world for the conversion of sinners I demand Is this indeed no Gospel viz. That the Father hath given his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life That through Christs Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Surely this is called The word of the Gospel Acts 15.7 with Acts 10.43 Also that Christ came into the world to save finners even the vilest of sinners that doe or shall believe in him 1 Tim. 1.15 16. Is all this I say no Gospel If this be Gospel as indeed it is then there remaines a Gospel which through the grace of God we faithfully preach unto sinners and God makes the preaching of this Gospel effectuall to the conversion of his It is further objected 34. Object From Coloss 1.23 answered that true believers are grounded in the faith Coloss 1.23 But we have no ground of our faith Answ The ground of our faith is the divine truth of that Gospel which we are commanded to believe and the fulnesse of power and authoritie and righteousnesse and faithfulnesse and love and mercy which is in him that commands us to believe in him which the Scripture declares and the holy Spirit discovers unto us This is a sufficient ground of our faith and they which build not upon this ground will be found to build upon the sand Paul built upon this ground 2 Tim. 1.12 And the Elect that lived in his time did build upon no other ground see Acts 17.11 12. 1 Thes 2.13 2 Pet. 1.16 Lastly it is objected that the Devill is a lyar 35. Object From Joh. 8.44 answered and there is no truth in him Joh. 8.44 But our doctrine makes him to speake truth when he saith to a vessell of wrath that dyes in despaire Christ hath not presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for thy sins I answer 1. Though the Devill be a lyar yet sometimes he speaks some truth Mark 1.24 Acts 16.17 1 Sam. 28.17 18 19. 2. We doe no more justifie the Devill as speaking truth herein then the Scripture doth justifie him when he saith to a vessel of wrath Thou wast before of old ordained to this condemnation Jude 4. Yea bertunto thou wast appointed 1 Pet. 2.8 Thou art none of Christs sheep John 10.26 Thy judgement lingreth not and thy damnation slumbreth not 2 Pet. 2.3 3. He that affirmes a truth to be a cretaine truth not knowing it to he so is therein a lyar And God doth not acquaint the Devill with his counsail further then he manifests the same to all by his Word and by his accomplishing thereof 4. When one speakes truth maliciously that by false inferences he may make a person rebell against truth he is now an odious lyar And this is the Devils case when he speakes any truth Now in conclusion let it be minded that the opposing of the truth which I have now asserted brings forth among other these evill fruits 1. It makes men deny the truth of the Scriptures doctrine concerning divine predestination 2. It robs God of the glory of his speciall and singular love and mercy to his chosen ones 3. It tends to puffe up believers with pride perswading them that they have distinguished themselves from the rest of the world and so saved themselves for Christ for his part did no more for them then for those that perish 4. It robs the Saints of assurance of perseverance and so of assurance of salvation For if men come to be believers by a common grace afforded to all then they may also cease to be believers through that weaknesse and corruption that is in all Now take away from Saints their assurance of salvation and yee take away from them their joy their thankfulnesse their love their life 5. It holds forth God as making a shew of being equally loving to all when indeed and in his purpose he is not so and seeming most graciously to forgive the sinnes of all men when yet he determines to punish the vessels of wrath eternally in hell for all their sinnes I could say much more and yet may not now with convenience enlarge this Booke any further I therefore conclude sustaining my selfe against the errour that I have thus opposed and the progresse of the same with that in 2 Time 2.19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seale The Lord knoweth them that are his FINIS
now for substance appeare the same in his Ministeriall operations as ever he did formerly Though there be much imperfection and weaknesse in the creature this causeth not truth to cease from being truth Otherwise there can be no salvation for any man which is the next thing to be examined Having discovered the way how to know such as come from God to the worke of the Ministery in Christs new Testament which is by their worke as it answers to the word of God which is the Rule of truth I come now to the third particular namely Whether there be salvation now for man and a way or meanes thereunto approved and appointed of God and if there be then what the same is This being the third inquiry about the Saints enjoying the Ordinances of Christs new Testament I answer directly that to me it is out of question there is salvation now for man and meanes to it appointed by God or else none can be sav'd and so every person in the world must perish But in a word note what I meane by salvation and that is for one to be in such an estate here in Grace that the word of God justifies to be attended with glory hereafter as follows 1. To believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God ordained of the Father to be the Saviour of man 1 Joh. 2.22 Mat. 16.16 Act. 8.37 1 Pet. 1.20 2. And that Christ is come and hath suffered in the flesh dyed and risen againe by the power of God and is exalted to be Lord over all 1 Joh. 4.2 Rom. 10.9 Act. 2.32 33.36 Rom. 14.9 3. And that Christ by one offering hath made a free and open way into the presence of his Fathers love the most holy place for all that believe to have free accesse unto the Father by him Heb. 9.12.24 Heb. 10.19 20. Eph. 2.18 3.12 4. And that by his own bloud he hath washed away all the sinnes of his people and presents them to the Father in his own perfection in whom they are all compleat and perfected for ever Rev. 1.5 Joh. 17.21 22 23. Col. 2.9 10. Heb. 10.10 5. That Christ hath not onely by his bloud redeemed a people from death condemnation and the curse for sinne and so the guilt of sinne but also hath redeemed them from among men and from a vaine conversation and traditions of men to an holy confession of him according to that rule and order instituted by him in his last will and Testament sealed with his bloud Rev. 5.9 10. Rev. 14.1 2 3 4. 1 Pet. 1.18 2.9 Eph. 2.13 22. Gal. 1.4 Tit. 2.14 Lastly This truth believed of us is not onely by the Scriptures presented to us and from thence onely learned by us but also made good upon us and revealed in us by the holy Spirit given unto us who hath given us an understanding to know him that is true Rom. 5.5 1 Joh. 5.20 Which Spirit of truth as he brings light and reveales love so by the power of love he subdues sinne mortifying the flesh and brings up the new creature to God and draws forth the heart in love to man And thus in briefe of salvation that is now for man which is a being in the sweet possession of the Fathers love through Christ by faith unto eternall glory Now the meanes approved and appointed of God for this great worke of salvation is also manifest which in generall is the Ministeriall power and operation of the Spirit of God in what instruments soever he pleaseth to appeare and to use them for that work who is limited to none but commonly doth great things by weake and despised meanes that the crowne and glory might rest on his own head as 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. And yet there is the same meanes now to bring men to God in truth and for substance which hath been formerly 1. For wee have now the holy Scriptures of God which are to us in the place and stead of the personall presence both of Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16.31 and Christ and his Apostles if God please to speake to us by them as he did to his people of old by the other Who being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 2. Wee heaving this blessed word of truth to reade search and studie and Gods blessing being the same to us as to his people formerly he being the same God still and Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 wee may therefore expect and doe enjoy the same effect with them which is to understand the minde of Christ concerning us in the same 3. We have the same Spirit who enables men to preach Christ crucified which though to some a stumbling blocke and to others foolishnesse yet to many appeares to be the power of God by which they are brought to believe in Jesus Christ for eternall life and glory And thus we have the same Gospel the same faith the same Christ and so the same way to salvation as they formerly had and these meanes doth God appoint and approve and blesse for the effecting of this great worke of salvation to us now as well as unto others before us that we together with them may be provoked to praise and magnisie the great Name of so gracious a God that hath done such great things for us to keepe himselfe a Name and witnesse in the earth But some demand of us Quest Whether that the Ordinance of preaching the Gospel be now afoot for to bring men to life according to Christs Commission Mat. 28.19 20. There be some that strive against the Ordinances of God Answ by putting nice distinctions in the word Preaching to beare the simple hearted in hand of some great matter therein to be minded and that in the Originall thinking that every one is not able to deale with them there But if we were minded to cavill wee might demand of them how they know that to be the Originall or the some copie Christ and his Apostles did speak or write But we seriously demand whether we may not as well depend upon that translation in our own tongue by the helpe of the Spirit of God to know the minde of Christ in things absolutely necessary for faith and life as they upon the Originall seeing that their Originall and our translation hold forth the same Gospel of Jesus Christ They make as if none could ever preach the Gospel but only such as had and have the same measure of the gifts of the Spirit that the Apostles themselves had and yet they are at a stand about Philip Act. 8. and confesse that he did preach in the proper signification of the word But for my part I freely grant them thus much that no man can truly preach the Gospel but he that hath the same Spirit of God that the Apostles had And so I come to answer their demand briefly thus 1. As preaching is to deliver a Message received of the Lord as
of God which indeed were never apart in Christs new Testament neither ought they to be asunder now But all the difficulty is how to know one that is truly sent of God to the worke of the Ministery and for this let us see what absolute Rule or way Christ hath left in his new Testament to know such by Now for any absolute Rule in respect of either gift power or qualification to note out a man sent of God to the worke of the Ministery distinct from the same work I know none But such as Christ stirres up and sends to the worke of the Ministery they are declared by the work as it answers to the Rule for as the Scriptures justifie the worke and own that to be of God even so doth the same Word justifie the workman and owns him to be sent of God about the same Thus did Christ appeale to his worke for witnesse to prove himselfe to be sent of God Joh. 10.37 38. 14.11 And so did the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 9.2 2. Cor. 3.1 2 3. And so are all to be knowne by walking in their footsteps and bringing their doctrine Mat. 7.17 18. Such as God enables to preach the same Gospel and to bring men to believe in Jesus Christ and to give up themselves in obedience to his will Such whose gifts and abilities improved doe hold forth Christ as an ensigne to the Nations and gather presons into one unitie of faith and fellowship of Christ in such appeares the Ministery and spirit of Christ and this declares them to be sent of God Eph. 4.11 16. Rom. 10.14 15. 1 Joh. 4.2 1 Joh. 1.2.3 2 Joh. 9. Object 5. Some will say There is not those gifts and abilities for the work of the Ministery now as was with Christ and the Apostles and therefore not the same Ministery As there is not those gifts and abilities for measure now Answ as was then so there is not that occasion for the same now as I have formerly shewed God enables men now with abilities and gifts as the worke requires which is to discover and lay out the foundation and to fit and prepare the matter and to build it upon the same 1 Cor. 3. That is to preach Christ crucified and to bring persons to believe on him and baptize them into the profession of him Mat. 28.19 Act. 8.4 5.12 Act. 11.20 21. This was the worke of the Ministery then and is the same now done by the same Spirit who is above all his gifts And no greater power gifts and abilities was ever in any or can be expected then to bring soules to God Gal. 2.8 1 Cor. 1.23 24. with Joh. 14.12 Which worke is done now as truly as ever and therefore there is the same power for now the dead are raised the eyes of the blind opened the Devils spiritually cast out the same walke the sicke restored to health and the poore receive the Gospel and what more can be required to declare a true Ministery of Christ Object 6. Such as professe themselves to be the Ministers of Christ as the first were must be so sent and have the same authoritie from Christ as they had All this is true Answ and therefore I say as before that such as receive a Message from Christ with gifts and abilitie to deliver the same to a people God assisting his Word with a blessing and power to bring in the heart to believe and receive the same such may as truly be said to be sent of God as the first were neither can we expect any to come from God any other way and their authoritie is from the Lord Christ who by his Word and Spirit commands to preach and baptize and that upon no other condition or terms but onely faith Mark 16.15 16. Act. 8.36 37. Joh. 1.12 Joh. 17.20 21. For where the power of God goes with his Word to call men to the knowledge of the truth there is also the same power to admit such into the obedience of the same Mark 28.18 19 20. Act. 10.34 35.47 So that the same Spirit Word and faith brings such as have it now under the same power and authorities as one together with the former as these Scriptures compared together doe manifest Mat. 25.15 Luk. 12.48 Act. 2.17.18 1 Cor. 12.7 1 Pet. 4.10 Joh. 1.12 see Luk. 12.37 42. with Mark 13.37 What other sending had Philip that gathered the Church as Samaria Act. 8. and the scattered Brethren that planted the Church at Antioch Act. 11.19 20 21. and Apollos who was an able Minister of the Gospel 1 Cor. 3 All which the Word holds out to be able Ministers of the Gospel and preaching the same But what sending had they who called them to it and by what authoritie did they doe it more then men of the same Spirit and faith have now Quest How can such preach the Gospel order and receive others to the same that never were in it themselves If we say Answ How shall men preach truth that never understood truth This indeed none can doe 1 Cor. 2. But if it be said that none can hold forth or preach the Gospel-order untill they be first in it themselves then it might be demanded how such came to be in it and who admitted them unto it for some must be first where there is a beginning Obedience to God depends upon nothing but onely his word that gave being to order and the Gospel-order once instituted stands firme still for all that believe to enter upon it as living master upon the foundation 1 Cor. 3. which is Christ who calls all such as living stones to come unto him and be built upon him a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ who hath made a free and open way for all that believe to come with boldnesse into the Most holy place 1 Pet. 2.4 5. Heb. 10. And much more to injoy all those priviledges of grace inferiour to the same 1 Cor. 3.22 And when any lie short of truth as touching the Gospel-order and the like it is onely the God of truth that brings up his creaturo to the obedience of truth And such as God so workes in by his Spirit as the understanding is inlightened in the truth the conscience convicted by it and the man hath faith in it as his dutie to obey it with the way open for it and the Word calling to it Such by mutuall agreement with truth are by faith one together in truth which gives being to an orderly practise of truth To such Christ opens Joh. 10. Such the spirit guides Joh. 16. Such God approves Mat. 18. The word of God commands them and faith in them obeyes Act. 2. And thus by the power of truth such as believe come to be one in Christ with the God of truth Joh. 17. The order of Christs new Testament is the administration of the gracious new Covenant
injoying of our Ordinances for want of a Ministery but to hold fast our true possession and inheritance once delivered into the hand of faith in all our captivitie as Israel of old did Believers now have lost the possession of all Administrations Object 10. for there hath been a cessation for these many yeares both of Ministery Church and Ordinances according to the first Rule and institution of Christ and therefore men are to waite upon God for him to restore the same againe in power and not to take up wayes and ordinances of themselves Believers never lost their right to any truth Answ or ordinance of Christ for they by faith doe or ought to possesse all truth once given unto them 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. 2 Cor. 6.10 Jude 3. And if any depart and forsake their own mercies through unbeliefe they are to returne againe to the same by faith and God prohibits none that believe in his Son the use of his Ordinances ordained by him for their comfort and confirmation of their faith but helpes them on to the same by giving his Spirit for their guide his Word for their rule and himselfe for their warrant who commands them to obey him in all truth that he shall make knowne unto them Men are indeed to waite upon the God of truth for him to discover truth But when he hath not onely made it knowne to them but also revealed truth in them and by the power of it made the heart one with it then men take not up truth of themselves but are taken up by truth into the nature of truth and shall stand by the power of it when such as take up truth of themselves and for their own ends shall lay it downe againe to their own destruction Object 11. God ordained a Ministery in the Gospel which ever was in order first namely Apostles Prophets and Evangelists by whom Churches were planted and other Officers ordained for those Churches well-being This Ministery I confesse and own and therefore I say still Answ that men must come from God with truth and with abilitie to deliver the same for the converting of men to the faith Now when God shall assist his Word with power to bring over mens hearts to believe and obey the same such the Scriptures hold out to be true Messengers sent of Christ declared by their worke as it answers to the Rule And this way men were convinced and Churches planted that now stand under the profession of christ And thus came Churches to be planted and other Officers ordained by those that God made the first instruments to bring on the worke in communion with the rest as to direct and assist them in the same Tit. 1.5 Act. 14.23 The Ministery aforesaid to bring men to the faith Object 12. was attended with the power of miracles as raising the dead healing the sicke casting out devills and the like to confirme their testimony to be of God none of which appeares now whereas there is as much need to confirme the truth of God as ever among so much confusion as now is The like miracles are assigned by Christ ever to attend his Ministery Mark 16.17 and confirmed by the Apostle as an Ordinance of God in his Church Jam. 5.14 15. and the first Principles of Christ Heb. 6.1 2. All which are now wanting that should confirme a true Ministery from God to us Answ That the working of miracles did attend the Ministery of Christ at the first and that to confirme the truth then held forth to be of God this I confesse to be true But that the working of those miracles should be so essentiall to the Ministery that there can be no true Ministery of Christ neither in whole nor in part without working of the said miracles that I deny 1. John the Eaptist was a true Minister and sent of God who did no miracle Joh. 10.41 and yet he was more then a Propher Mat. 11.9 And so was Apollos a true Minister of the new Testament who knew onely the Baptisme of John and no more untill that Aquila and Priscilla had further informed him in Gods way but was never knowne to worke any miracle Act. 18.25 26 28. with a Cor. 3.5 And likewise the scattered Disciples that gathered the Church at Antioch Act. 11.19 20 21. All which were true Ministers of Christ and yet not attended with the foresaid power of working miracles in their Administrations It is a Herods hope to see a miracle Luk. 22.8 And a Pharaohs sign Exod. 7.9 2. Miracles can be no true note of Ministery nor Minister sent of Christ because the working of miracles is that by which false Prophets shall deceive the people Mark 13.22 Rev. 16.14 Rev. 19.20 3. The same miracles that confirmed the truth at the first to be of God stand in equall authoritie together with the same truth as witnesses together for God and against all that oppose untill the coming of Christ without adding more miracles to them any more then of truth to what is written Heb. 2.4 Nothing more is now to be expected then the holy Spirit for to open the Scriptures and inable men to unfold the minde of God in the same and the same Spirit working faith in the hearts of the Elect to believe his own testimony of they mystery of the Fathers love in the Sonne through the word without any other miracle So that if Christ inableth men to understand and to open the Word and God opens the heart and the Spirit workes faith here will need no miracle to bring such to believe Lastly As great miracles are done now as ever to cast out Devills out of mens soules to open the eyes spiritually blind to raise the dead from the death of sinne In a word to bring forth a new creature and offer up the same to God These are the substance of all miracles to such as by experience know them and greater then all as Christ saith Joh. 14.12 And for Christs words Mark 16.17 These signes shall follow them that believe c. These signes are there said to follow such as believe and not such as are sent of Christ to preach the Gospel The words are to be taken either literally or mystically If mystically then all those signes are to be taken in a spirituall sense as to cast out devills by converting of foules to God in preaching of Christ as afore said and to speake with new tongues is in reference to the new creature which being of a new nature he speaks with a new tongue so a new language as he never did before 2 Cor. 5.17 according to these Scriptures Zeph. 3.9 Isai 19.18 35.5 6. And to take up Serpents that is in respect of the great worke of the Gospel by which God will alter and change the Serpent-like nature of men unto a Lamb-like temper of spirit Isai 11.6 9. and the sweet peace God will make for his people with
not knowing how to avoyd them and defend the truth from them Truth alwayes lyes within the bounds of order whither true faith brings in a man and there truth makes him free Joh. 8.32 Truth and order are never apart much lesse oppose each other how ever men conceive for God who is one is the God both of truth and of order 1 Cor. 14. So that wheresoever faith findes truth there order also dwells For as God is the God of order so his Word which is truth is the rule of order and this Word is faiths foundation whereon shee builds which Word is so farre from being any exceptive condition of truth as that it is truth it selfe God calls no man to dispense his truth whom he doth not fit and enable for the same and whom God doth call and send he so sends them that they goe in faith And faith ever attends at wisdomes gate and bids not goe otherwayes then Christ directs So farre is faith from leading any to any absurdity and disorder that it keepes them in the hand of truth which guides them according to order and reproves the contrary And for womens administring of Ordinances Gods free love and true faith never admits or gives way unto any unlawfull or disorderly libertie And I have endeavoured to prove that the free use of ordinances is only to faith not to the flesh and so not in any unseemly way God who is the God of order hath in his Word of truth taught women what their dutie is and namely in 1 Cor. 14.34 35. 1 Tim. 2.11 12. This rule forbids unto them the administring of ordinances And they which have faith will believe the Lord and obey his Word Againe I have not said that the administrations of the new Testament are free for any that believe to administer them But I have proved that they are free for all that believe to submit unto them or rather to Christ in them without any condition or exception against the same Therefore it is still the duty of all that believe in Jesus Christs as aforesaid to hold forth a confession of this their believing in him by their professed subjection to him in the order and rules of his Testament without which he doth not expresly owne any faith in men according to the tenour of the said Testament It is said Object 19. Rev. 6.14 That heaven departed c. Which must be understood of the Church and Ordinances and wee doe not finde when shee appeared in the like manner againe That this must necessarily be understood of a departing of the Church and ordinances Answ is not so certaine as is imagined See the like prophecy in Isaiah 34.4 and note well what went before in ver 2,3 and what followes in vers 5 6. 11. and then consider whether Isaiab did there prophecy of such a departure of the Church and Ordinances as is now spoken of That departing of heaven as a scroll spoken of in Revel 6.14 shall then be when the Sunne becomes blacke as sackcloth and the Moone as bloud when the starres of heaven fall unto the earth as figs from a fig-tree shaken with a mighty wind when every mountaine and isleland are moved out of their places when the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich and the chiefe Captains and the mighty and every bondman and every free-man hide themselves in he dens and in the rockes of the mountaines c. see the place viz. Revel 6.12 13 14 15 16. And then judge whether it be certain that this prophecy is fulfilled and the heavens departing as a scroll is a departing of the Church and Ordinances But let this seeme as granted for the present because heaven in this Booke of the Revelation doth sometimes signifie the Church But then also minde that the Churches departing is here set forth by the similitude of a booke or scroll folded together which before lay open So then the Church sometimes lay open in her glory and her light did shine abroad among the Nations but now when that great opposition and persecution did rise against her shee retired her selfe in a more private way A booke or scroll is not defaced nor destroyed when it is rolled up together but is as perfect in it selfe as before onely it lies not so open for every one to looke into and so it is with the Church her departing is not from being a Church but in respect of her obscuring and hiding of her selfe from her enemies as Isai 26.20 Rev. 12.6.14 For shee onely departed as a scroll when it is rolled together and so continued in her selfe a Church enjoying as her right here ordinances and her communion still For in the next Chapter there is the Lord upon his throne with his Church Ministery about him worshipping The Church then here departed as is aforesaid from her enemies together with her Ordinances to a more retired and obscure condition then before but never departed from her selfe It is said Object 20. Rev. 15.8 That the Temple was filled with smoke from the glory of god and from his power and no man was able to enter into the Temple till the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled Whence it is gathered that in the time of Antichrist and the Beasts reigne there is no entring into any Church-order c. 1. Consider whether it be not a manifest property of an erring spirit Answ to wave cleare places of the Scripture calling for the perpetuall use of the Ordinances of Baptisme and the Lords Supper as Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 11.26 and other like places and to chuse to walke in the darke retiring to obscure places not yet understood for a seeming refuge 2. Consider whether this place do not manifestly allude to that in 1 King 8.10 11. and whether that place doe import that there was any cessation of Ordinances in Solomons time 3. Take notice that this place in Revel 15. doth hold forth unto us a Church and a glorious one too For here is a Temple out of which the seven Angels goe with their seven golden vials full of the wrath of God against Antichrist or the Beast For this see Revel 15.1.5 6. Revel 16.1 c. Are not these the Ministers of Christ which goe forth of the Temple which is the Church of Christ into which men must first come or else they cannot goe out thence for no man can be said to goe out of a place that he never came in Thus this Scripture well considered shews the weaknesse of those that take up the same to oppose the Saints fellowship now and their confession of Christ in their professed subjection to his order of the new Testament This text is so farre from keeping any backe that it rather calls all that have faith to come seeing Christ will have at this time even under the reigne of Antichrist such a Church out of which God will raise such notable instruments to
encounter with his enemies Though the Church lyes sometimes low and obscure yet God at some times raiseth her up againe The Church is as the Temple sometime open and sometime shut and as the Moone sometime at the full and sometime in her change and as a wife sometime sporting with her husband as Rebecca with Isaac Gen. 26.8 and sometime in travaile and paine sometime singing the song of Moses and the Lambe and sometime hanging her harpe upon the willowes And thus shee is made conformable unto Christ her head who is sometime is bloud sometime on his throne sometime in a cloud and sometime with his face shining as the Sunne sometime with a raine-bow on his head and sometime in the brightnesse of his glory Therefore although that truth doth not alwayes in like manner appeare yet this frees not man from his obedience unto it when it appeares but rather engageth him the more Christ foretells of false Christs and false Prophets that shall arise and deceive many Object 21. saying Lo here is Christ or there Matth. 24. And this is fulfilled in those that attempt the worship of God some one way and some another and yet have missed the right way And some perceiving their mistake have begun againe and all for want of the infallible Spirit of God to lead them forth at the first And as they failed before even so they may doe againe 1. Answ Christs words in Matth. 24. are an answer to a demand of his Disciples concerning his coming and the end of the world see vers 3 4. And Christ doth not answer concerning his coming in the ministery of the Gospel and administration of his Ordinances for therein he came not in such a manner as he speakes of in this Chapter see vers 27.30 But concerning his personall coming the time whereof was to men unknowne whereupon he chargeth all his to be alwayes ready waiting and looking for his coming continually see vers 36.42 43 44. 2. The false Christs and false Prophets that Christ here forewarnes the faithfull to take heed of are such as shall shew great signes and wonders ver 24. How then comes it to passe that they which hold forth the Gospel and Ordinances of Christ are closely insinuated to be these false Prophets whiles this is one maine exception against them That they do not shew great signes and wonders Surely they prepare men to be deceived by these false Christs and false Prophets who teach men to receive none as Ministers of Christ though they prove their doctrine and way by the Scriptures never so clearly unlesse they shew great signes and wonders and confirme their word and way thereby 3. The false Prophets here spoken of are such as shall falsly affirme themselves to be such Prophets as the Prophets of the old Testament Isaiah Jeremiah and the rest were in their time and as Agabus and some others were in the Apostles time And the false Christs here spoken of are such as shall falsly affirme themselves to be Christ in person as appeares in vers 5. This therefore cannot be taken up and applyed against those that now stand up for the present use of the Ordinances of Christ 4. As in the next Chapter Christ teacheth his servants not to hide their talents in the earth but to trade with the same that is to use their gifts to the gathering of the Elect and the Churches edification in which use their gifts also shall be encreased so in Mark 13. which is the same in effect with this present Chapter he mindeth his servants not onely to watch that they may not be found sleeping vers 35 36. but also to consider the authoritie that he hath given unto them and the worke that he hath appointed them vers 34. which must be understood of a ministeriall authoritie and a worke of the Ministry to continue till his coming And in this Chap. vers 45 46. he minds them to give unto his houshold their meat in due season which houshold must needs be his Church and their meat his Word and Ordinances 5. Doe not they in some sort affirme Christ to be in the desert and in secret chambers who affirme the Church to be in such a sort in the Wildernesse as that there is now no place for the appointed Ministry of the Gospel and Gospel Ordinances 6. As touching the want of an infallible spirit to lead men forth into all truth It is true indeed that not onely all true and faithfull Preachers of the Gospel but also all true believers have an unction from the holy One and know all things 1 Joh. 2.20 But this is meant onely of some measure of knowledge for true believers must still grow in knowledge 2 Pet. 3.20 And it is meant onely of their knowing all those things the knowledge whereof is necessary to salvation As touching other things the Spirit of truth doth not leade the Saints into all truth at once The Apostle Peter and the Church at Jerusalem was defective in the understanding of the extent of Christs Commission touching the preaching of the Gospel to those Gentiles that were not Proselytes untill God did further informe them This appeares in Acts 10.10 15 19 20 28.34 Acts 11.2 18. yet was Peter a true Apostle and the Congregation at Jerusalem a true Church Yea it appeares that the brethren which prophesied in constituted Churches were not free from all possibilitie of mistaking Note well 1 Cor. 14.29 and 1 Thes 5.20 21 22. David and all Israel with him did mistake when they carried the arke of God in a Cart 1 Chron. 13. And were afterward sensible of their mistake and reformed it 1 Chron. 15. yet David was the faithfull servant of God the Priests were the Priests of the Lord and Israel was his people and God did not reprove their endeavour to bring up the arke to Jerusalem though he made a breach upon them at the first because they sought him not after the due order Therefore mens mistaking the truth in some things doth not make voyd that truth which they have neither should men forbeare to receive truth till they can infallibly receive all at once Although even godly men be not infallible yet the rule of Gods written word according to which the Saints are to walke and to judge of wayes and Doctrines is an infallible rule To prevent some further objections to make the answers more full to some objections already minded consider how the vessells of the house of the Lord being cut in pieces the doores of the Temple shut up the Lampes put out and the burning of incense and offering burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel being quite let fall in the dayes of Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.24 and 29.6 7. in the dayes of Hezekiah the Priests and Levites being encouraged and commanded by the King renewed and restored the solemne worship of God their authoritie for the doing of this being not from any
our adversaries here and the principall refuge to which they fly is this Christ say they hath not presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the unbeliefe of any But the falshood of this appeares by the places now alledged as I shall also easily manifest if our adversaries will answer directly whether our unbeliefe be a sin or not I conceive they dare not say it is no sin in as much as it is disobedience against the Gospel and against the command of God in Matth. 17.5 and that whereby so farre as it workes in us we cast upon God the imputation of lying trusting him no more then wee would trust a lyer 1 Joh. 5.10 and our adversaries affirme it to be the onely damning sinne Now if it be a sin the bloud of Jesus Christ doth wash us from it 1 Joh. 1.7 I further demand Is our unbeliefe remitted unto us or not If it be not remitted unto us our case is most miserable If it be remitted unto us it is then done away by the bloud of Christ for without shedding of bloud is no remission Heb. 9.22 Whereas some say that we have already suffered punishment for it in the want of that comfort and joy that faith brings I demand Doth our sin of unbeliefe deserve no other punishment If they say No it shews that they neither know the nature of this sin and its ill deserving neither yet the glorious righteousnesse of God and the declaration thereof in his Word But if they say yea it deserves eternall destruction but for all that it is neither remitted unto us with the rest of our sins as being washed away by the bloud of Christ neither shall we be so punished for it then they will be found to utter manifest contradictions Whereas they plead that our unbeliefe doth not continue but is broken off I answer Indeed it doth not continue in the reigne of it but it is enough that it did once reigne in us and that there is a remainder of unbeliefe still rebelling in us And the same and no more is to be said of the rest of our fins and corruptions also for which notwithstanding wee must have been punished with everlasting descruction if the bloud of Jesus Christ shed for us for the remission of sinnes did not clense us from the same Whereas they object that there could not have been that unbeliefe whereby the Gospel is refused if Christ had not dyed that he might send forth his Gospel and that therefore this unbeliefe could not be looked upon before the death of Christ and the declaration of his Gospel I answer 1. That Christ foreseeing this sin as he did all other sinnes and all the fruits thereof in his Elect did accordingly provide a remedy for the same otherwayes he had not been unto them a perfect and effectuall Saviour 2. That the condemnatory sentence of the Law takes hold on men for this sin also and for all the fruits of it because it binds men to obey every command that God shall give and to believe every word that he shall speake without which obeying and believing no man can have the Lord for his God according to the meaning of the affirmative part of the first Commandement Therefore Christ had not taken us off from the Lawes condemnation if he had not presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for this our sin as well as for our other sinnes 3. The Passeover a type of Christ was not killed for any uncircumcised but onely for the Israelites and those that were joyned unto them Exod. 12. Neither were the Priests to offer sacrifice for any other All this was appointed of God to signifie that when the Messiah through the eternall Spirit should offer himselfe without spot to God he should present unto divine justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of the Israel of God and none other Whereas it is objected that many of the Israelites for whom the Passeover was killed and sacrifices were offered were unbelievers and perished I answer So also the high Priest himselfe might be an unbeliever and perish yet in his Priestly office he was a type of Christ notwithstanding that disparitie So the whole Nation of the Israelites separated from the world to be a peculiar people unto God were a type of Gods chosen Israel 4. When Christ prayed unto his Father that they for whom he laid downe his life might receive the benefit of the same he expresly affirmed that he prayed onely for the Elect and for none other Joh. 17.9 Whereby he sufficiently declared that he did not then present to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sins of any other but onely of these 5. The highest degree of Gods love to man is set forth by his Sonnes being given and giving himselfe to dye for mens sinnes that so he might present to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for their sinnes Joh. 10.11.15 Joh. 15.12 13. Rom. 8.32 1 Joh. 3.16 and 4.9 10. Rom. 5.8 If then we shall say that Christ in his death presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all men we shall be found to extend the highest and choicest love of God as well to hated Esau as to beloved Jacob as well to the seed of the Serpent as to the seed of Christ which doctrine the Scripture will not endure 6. The whole doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ being delivered unto us in the Scriptures it is a sufficient ground for us not to believe that Christ presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all men because the Scriptures doe no where declare this to be a truth as through the helpe of God shall be made to appeare by our answers to the objections of our adversaries For the more easie discovery of the weaknesse of which objections I lay downe these ensuing Propositions 1. The word All in Scripture doth many times signifie onely some of all forts as appeares in these places Mat. 4.23 Act. 10.12 Mat. 3.5 6. In Mat. 4.23 it is said that Christ healed every sicknesse and every disease among the people yet the meaning is onely this That he healed every kind of sicknesse and disease see Mark. 6.5 and Joh. 5.3 c. In Acts 10.12 it is said wherein were all foure-footed beasts c. that is All kinds of foure-footed beasts c. In Matth. 3.5 6. it is said There went out to him all Judoaea c. And in Mark 1.5 it is also expresly said that they were all baptized of him c. Yet this was true onely of all orders and degrees of men coming to John from all the parts of Judaea 2. The word All must sometimes be understood with limitation unto the present subject spoken of As in Heb. 12.8 whereof all are partakers not all persons but onely all sons 3. The word All doth sometime signifie onely the greater part as in Philip. 2.21 All seeke their owne c. and in Luk. 6.26 Woe
note also Joh. 6.38 39 40. and Joh. 17.2 Therefore Christ did certainly effect what he was sent for 2. Mind that the salvation here spoken of frees men from all condemnatory judgement This appeares by the antithesis or opposition in this verse 3. So mind that the world is said to be saved in that believers are saved who are part of the world of mankind and were chosen out of the rest of the world to be saved by Christ see also 1 Joh. 4.14 compared with the verses there aforegoing viz. vers 9. 13. of that Chapter Our adversarles not receiving this truth doe sometimes say hat though all the world be not saved eternally because they believe not yet Christ for his part did for them all whatsoever he was to doe for the salvation of aâ—â— But if this were true then all must needs be saved See Jerem. 17.1 For our salvation is fully from Jesus Christ Wee cannot save our selves neither doth the Father worke our salvation or any thing that concernes the same any other wayes then in and by his Sonne Christ If then Christ as a Saviour have done for us whatsoever he is to doe for the salvation of any how can wee misse of salvation It follows herein vers 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed c. The believer is delivered from the condemnation of the Law As for the unbeliever because he believeth not he is left to the sentence of the Law and is already condemned thereby All this is with us It follows in vers 19. And this is the condemnation that is the cause of condemnation as being a grosse evill for which men are to be condemned and a maine cause of that unbeliefe by which men are left to condemnation That light is come into the world c. that is that light being come into the world men loved darknesse rather then light The light come into the world is Jesus Christ held forth in his Gospel And all this opposeth us not but confirmes the truth that we hold Thus at the appearing of the light of truth the objection from this place is vanished away A fourth objection is drawne from 1 Tim. 2.4.6 4. Object From 1 Tim. 2.4.6 answered which to our adversaries seemes to be of speciall strength In the answering or rather proventing whereof we will throughly search that place also beginning at the beginning of that Chapter and weighing every thing diligently that may seeme to have any relation to the present Question 1 Tim. 2.1 I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thankes be made for all men By all men in this place we may not understand all persons or every person without any exception or limitation For under supplications prayers and intercessions are here comprehended all petitions for all good and needfull gifts and blessings for the persons to be prayed for put up unto God with all earnestnesse and fervency in which the Petitioners will and must still continue suing unto God with a holy and humble importunitie for those things that they crave such Petitions cannot be made in faith for all persons without exception in as much as we know that there are many vessells of wrath ordained of old unto condemnation Rom. 9.22 Jude 4. And there is a sin unto death for which we are not to pray 1 Joh. 5.16 Therefore by all men we are here to understand all orders and degrees of men And so the thing to be craved is that God according to his purpose and gracious promises would shew mercy and extend the fruits of his love too all orders and degrees of men that is to all those whom he hath chosen to himselfe out of every nation and kindred and out of every order and degree of men and women in the world This is further confirmed by that specification or exemplification which followes in vers 2. For Kings Though these were before comprehended under all men yet are they here more particularly expressed 1. Lest the Saints should have been discouraged from praying for them by their wickednesse 2. Because God hath given Magistrates to be his own Ministers to us for good Rom. 13.4 And for all that are in authoritie that is to say 1. Magistrates or Governours in those Common-wealths that were not ruled by Kings 2. The severall orders and degrees of inferiour Magistrates That wee may leade a quiet and peaceable life c. Not that this is the onely thing that we are to crave or aime at but because this should in a speciall manner stirre us up to earnest prayer for Magistrates viz. that God hath given them their authoritie to this end that by meanes of this authoritie rightly used we might leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty Vers 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour viz. That we should thus pray and give thankes for all orders and degrees of men and namely for Kings and for all that are in authoritie And note how the Apostle proves this in the words following in vers 4. Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth In as much as it is the Apostles scope here to prove that it is acceptable to God not onely that we should pray but also that we should give thankes for all men viz. in that sense in which the words all men are used in vers 1. I therefore conceive that he here speakes of Gods effectuall will And so God willeth not that all persons or every person in the world should be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth as appeares in 1. Pet. 2.8 Jude 4. Isai 6.9 10. Rom. 11.7 8. Here therefore by all men wee must of necessitie understand onely all orders and degrees of men that is some of all orders and degrees viz. those whom God hath chosen to himselfe out of every order and degree among men Thus the great objection from this verse is fully taken off It follows in vers 5. For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Jesus Not one God of Kings and another of subjects one God of Merchants another of husbandmen but one and the same God is the God of all that saveth all that are heires of salvation of what order or degree soever they be And as the same God hath appointed and constituted the severall orders and degrees among men so he hath his Elect whom he will save among all those orders and degrees So also there is not one Mediatour between God and great men and another between God and meane men but the same Christ Jesus is the Mediatour between God and all the Elect of whatsoever order or degree among men they are Vers 6. Who gave himselfe a ransome for all The word All must here be understood as
expected some opposition considering how a carnall heart and the large and flesh-pleasing doctrine falsly called Gospel which we now oppose doe easily agree and close together as experience also maketh manifest But in as much as Caiaphas now spake not of himselfe but being high Priest that yeare did prophesie we shall certainly find nothing against us in his speech The saying of Caiaphas was this Tee know nothing at all nor consider that it is expedient for us that is for us Jewes for the Nation of the Jewes that one man should dye for the people and that the whole Nation perish not Hereupon John gives this note He prophesied that Jesus should dye for that Nation c. The dying of Jesus for that nation was his dying for the redemption of all the children of God of that Nation yea of all the children of God wheresoever scattered abroad of what Nation soever they were of all which children of God that Nation in the separation thereof from the rest of the world to be a peculiar people unto God had hitherto been an appointed type For so John further explaines it in vers 52. And not for that Nation onely but that be should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad This onely holds forth that Jesus was to present unto the justice of God his Father a satisfaction for the sins of all the children of God of what nation soever and that hereby their salvation should be effected So it confirmes the same truth that wee maintaine But yet our adversaries seeme confident that by the words of our Saviour in Matth. 12.31 32. 16 Object From Mat. 12.31 32. answered they shall prove that all sins against the Law considered as sinnes against the Law are forgiven to all men and consequently that Christ hath presented a satisfaction to his Fathers justice for the sins of all men Let us therefore with all seriousnesse and in the feare of the Lord consider that place also and diligently mind both what is said and also what is truly to be said concerning it The words of our Saviour there are thus rendred All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men And whosoever speaketh a word against the Sonne of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come Here let these things be considered 1. Whereas our adversaries find fault with the last translation in the former part of vers 31. contending that the words ought there to be thus rendred Every sin and blasphemie I have already * Pag. 43. proved that the word All or Every doth sometimes signifie onely some of all sorts or of every sort 2. Whereas they bring this place to prove the forgiving of all sins against the Law to all men but not of any sins against the Gospel which they acknowledge not to be forgiven to all men let it be minded that Christ here speakes of sins against the Gospel as well as of sins against the Law unlesse it be no sin against the Gospel to speake against Christ 3. Observe that Christ doth not here say every sin and blasphemie is forgiven unto men and whosoever speaketh against the Son of man it is forgiven him But he speakes with manifest and expresse reference unto time to come It shall be forgiven Even as he saith of the blasphemy against the holy Spirit with reference to the same time to come It shall not be forgiven neither in this world neither in the world to come But by the doctrine of our adversaries every sin and blasphemy that they understand to be here so spoken of is already forgiven to all men yea and they would have this place to seeme to prove it I suppose they will say that Christ did here thus speake of the time to come because he had not yet suffered for mens sinnes But this reason is insufficient For though Christ had not yet actually suffered yet his sufferings were already accepted of the Father and so effectuall for the putting away of the sins of all those that were partakers of him see Dan. 9.19 1 Sam. 12.13 Matth. 9.2 And this saying of Christ in Matth. 12.31 32. doth as well belong to the time after his passion as to that particular time in which Christ so spake it as also appeares in 1 Tim. 1.13 compared with Heb. 10.26 27. and 1 Joh. 5.16 4. Whereas our adversaries conceive or take it for granted that the sin against the holy Spirit here spoken of which shall never be forgiven is nothing else but finall unbeliefe in this also they doe greatly erre For they which doe fall into this sin doe fall into it in their life-time yea sometimes long before their death Thus it was with those Pharisees that had now committed this sinne see Matth. 12.24 25. with vers 31 32. and Mark 3.22.28 29 30. This also appeares in Heb. 6.4 5 6. and Heb. 10.26 27 28 29. Moreover there are multitudes yea millions of unbelievers that goe to eternall destruction without committing this sin And here I conceive it will neither be impertinent nor unprofitable to shew what this sin is This sin against the holy spirit is the sin of those that wittingly and wilfully oppose with odious blasphemies the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ himselfe as he is the author and subject of his Gospel 1. This sin is an opposing and rejecting of the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ and of Jesus Christ himselfe as he is the author and subject of his Gospel Therefore the committers of this sin are not onely said to fall away but also to crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and to put him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 Yea they are said to tread underfoot the Son of God and to count his bloud an unholy thing and to doe despite unto the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 2. This sin is not committed ignorantly but against a great and cleare light of knowledge 1 Tim. 1.13 Heb. 6.4 Heb. 10.26 Mat. 21.38 3. This sin is not committed through infirmitie but wilfully in the exercise of a full and setled malice even against Christ not onely knowne but also minded to be Christ and against his Gospel both knowne and minded to be his Gospel and against the commands and invitations of the Spirit of grace though knowne and minded to be his commands and invitations and accordingly this Devilish malice caries on the sinner to abominable blasphemies and makes him alwayes to hate all thoughts of repentance though he expect nothing but fiery indignation All this is to be seene by the light of these places of Scripture viz. Heb. 6.6 and Heb. 10.26 27.29 And this sin is called The sin or blasphemie against the holy Spirit because it is so committed against the worke of the
will of God here spoken of is an effectuall will For the Greeke word here used holds forth not onely the will of God but also his counsaile even that counsaile of his will according to which he effectually worketh Therefore the Apostle here speakes onely of those whom God effectually saves 2. The Apostles scope here is to shew the cause why it was and should be so long before Christ did and should come to judgement viz that none might perish but that all might come to repentance Even this shewes that the Apostle hath here respect to none but the Elect of whom none shall perish but all of them shall come to repentance before Christs coming to judgement 3. When he here saith The Lord is long suffering to us-ward by us he meanes the Elect and more particularly the elect of the Jewish Nation of whom he and they to whom he now wrote were a part And when he addes not willing that any should perish he in like manner meanes not willing that any of us his chosen people should perish And in that which followes But that all should come to repentance by all he likewise meanes All of us his Elect and specially All of us his Elect of the Nation of the Israelites But the objection seemes stronger that is made from Ezek. 18.32 and 33.11 30. Object From Ezek 18.12 33.11 answered I therefore now hasten to those places Ezek. 18.32 I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live For answer whereto these things are to be minded 1. God sometimes speaketh of himselfe after the manner of men and yet those speeches of his are to be understood after the manner of God Thus it is when God ascribes unto himselfe anger sorrow and the like As in Gen. 6.6 It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart And in 1 Sam. 15.11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King Yet Samuel there saith in vers 29. The strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that be should repent And thus it is when the Scripture ascribes to God a taking pleasure in any thing done by man or any fruit thereof as namely when it holds forth God as having pleasure in this that the wicked turne from his way and live 2. When the Lord saith I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked he declares indeed that he hath no pleasure in the misery of his creature in it selfe considered Yet it is not contrary to the pleasure of God to set forth the glory of his righteousnesse and power and just wrath against sinners in the destruction of the vessels of wrath see Rom. 9.22 Prov. 1.26 Prov. 16.4 3. The Scripture holds forth Gods greatest delight to be not in a sinners destruction but in the conversion and salvation of sinners This is plainly held forth in these places And elswhere the Scripture manifests that the destruction of sinners that perish is purposely ordered of God to the commendation of his infinite and glorious mercy towards those whom he saves Rom. 9.22 23. 4. The scope of these places is to declare Gods readiness to accept and save those that sincerely turne to him and so to move and encourage sinners to such conversion unto God In all this there is no opposition against our doctrine In the next place through the helpe of God 31. Object From Luk. 24.47 Act. 13.38 answered I shall returne answer to an objection drawne partly from Luk. 24.47 And that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem And partly from Acts 13.38 Be it knowne unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenesse of sinnes From hence some doe thus argue Remission of sinnes was to be preached to all men even to unbelievers Therefore sinnes are remitted to all men I answer 1. In Luk. 24.47 observe this expression Among all Nations We readily grant that the true doctrine of the Gospel concerning remission of sinnes was to be preached among all Nations and is to be preached among all men Some object that the Greeke words here signifie Vnto all Nations Wee deny not that the Greeke Praeposition here used doth sometimes signifie unto properly it signifies into and sometimes among And this last signification doth best agree in this place 2. If we here translate Vnto all Nations yet so this Scripture will make nothing against us This doctrine Through Christs Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Acts 10.43 was to be preached to all Nations and is still to be preached to all And here in Luk. 24.47 note how the preaching of repentance and of remission of sins is joyned together importing that the Gospel that was to be preached testifies remission of sinnes onely to those that repent or are changed in their mind believing in Jesus Christ Acts 3.19 3. Those that are spoken to in Acts 13.38 were professours of faith in the Messiah as he was hold forth by the light of the old Testament and were now so looked upon Acts 13.16.26 4. Yet the preaching of remission of sinnes unto them that was here spoken of was onely the preaching of that doctrine expressed in the next verse By Jesus the Saviour all that believe are justified from all things The particle And in the beginning of that verse doth there import as oftentimes it doth a declaration of that which was before spoken of But it is objected that every one is bound to believe that Christ presented a satisfaction to divine justice for his sinnes 32. Object From 1 Joh. 5.10 11. and that his sinnes are remitted Therefore this is true And some conceive that this objection is strengthened by that in 1 Joh. 5.10 11. He that believeth not God bath made him a lyar because be believeth not the record that God gave of his Son c. My answer is this Answ What every man is commanded of God to believe that I grant to be true For the God of truth commandeth no man to believe a lye But God commandeth every man to believe what he affirmes and declares and no more This then he declares to be truth and so commands every man to believe it That through Christs Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Act. 10.43 This I say God commands every man to believe and to receive it as the true and good word of God and so to rest upon it and obediently to depend upon Jesus Christ held forth in this word as the Prince and Saviour exalted of God Mark 1.15 Joh. 12.36 c. When a
Rom. 10.14 15. thus it is now afoote 2. As preaching is a publishing of the Gospel of Christ occasionally to bring men to the truth as Act. 8.4 Act. 11.19 20 21. so it is now afoote 3. As the Disciples were to preach the Gospel of Christ freely to all persons without exception as Mark. 16.15 Act. 10.34 thus it is now afoote Lastly As men are to trade with that abilitie given them of Christ for their Lords advantage as Mat. 25.15 1 Cor. 12.7 1 Pet. 4.10 so preaching the Gospel is now afoote For men are now to improve that abilitie they have received because that all men are by the same Word now as well as then to give account for the same Luk. 12.41.48 Mat. 25.25 26 27.30 All which is according to Christs Commission Mat. 28. and no way contrary to the same Object 14. There is not that converting Ministery now abroad in the world that the Word of God holds forth there is one Ministery abroad that converts men unto faith in Christ for salvation or justification but the Ministers labour to keepe such still in the sin of idolatry or false worship and then others pretend to convert these further by bringing them into order as they say by dipping But where is that Ministery that calls Persons out of the world and plants them at once in Church-fellowship For such a conversion to faith in Christ for salvation Answ as fully leaves the said converts in idolatry and short of the Gospel-order and fellowship I know no such conversion Christ owning no such faith in him for salvation that brings not persons out of idolatry unto the fellowship of the Gospel But what though there be a Ministery abroad that brings persons but part of the way and then another that brings the same persons more fully home into fellowship This order the Word of God will beare us out in for a truth as Joh. 4.37 38. And also the Jewes they made Proselytes and John the Baptist he brought them further and the Apostles they brought the same persons fully home into fellowship Act. 2.10.40 41 Act. 18.24 28. Act. 19.1 7. The same order was shadowed out in the building of the Temple by King Solomon 1 King 5.6 Where the Sidonians hewed timber and stone for the house of God abroad but the servants of Solomon laid them in the building And this I say that in reference to the meanes it is a far harder worke to convert and fit matter for the spirituall house of God out of Antichrists hard and rookie frame then-out of the heathenish and prophane world and yet not onely the best if I may so say but the very worst of them hath been from thence called home and planted in the Lords vineyard And there must be as great a power from God appeare to bring these deniers of a believers priviledges of the Gospel from their selfe-wisdome and carnall principles unto the simplicity of Christ as ever was to cast out a devill heale the sicke raise the dead or convert any sinner And yet our weaknesse through Gods power hath so prevailed that it hath brought off the chiefest of sinners unto the obedience of the Gospel and prophane persecuters of us have been convinced and become lovers of God and his truth together with us and so as Serpents have been taken up and their stings pulled out and of Lions made Lambes and thus hath Christ been pleased to honour the Ministery which he hath now in his Church and leaves not himselfe without witnesse against such as oppose him in the same 4. Inquiry Whether there be any time in which man is freed from obedience to the Scriptures since the new Testament came in force And if not then what part of truth stands now in force to be obeyed and what not For man to be freed from obedience to the Scriptures in generall I suppose none that feare God will once countenance such an opinion therefore I come more particularly to consider what part of the Scriptures is now in force and specially to be knowne and obeyed They are those Scriptures that are necessary to bring God and man together unto a onenesse in Christ And this is the Gospel which is called the Word of Reconciliation the Gospel of the Kingdome which holds forth Christ to be King Priest and Prophet and the onely way unto the Father and brings persons to be of the houshold of God Which houshold is that composed order and instituted state of Christs Church of the new Testament with the subjects in that order and state according to the same Testament of which Testament Christ is the Mediator who hath confirmed the same by his own bloud and sanctified all things therein contained All which the Scriptures of the new Testament hold forth and therefore they of all others are to be obeyed for therein the whole Mediator ship of Christ together with the effect of the same and his rule and order for ever to be observed is written for our learning This Testament and Christ the Mediator thereof and mans salvation are all so inseparably joyned together by the holy Spirit that the Gospel holds forth no one of these without the other so that there is no faith in Christ approved of apart from the word of the Testament of which he is the Mediator And that faith which is truly of him and in him brings up the heart believing to a professed subjection to him Both which together viz. faith and the profession of faith doe give unto a man both a being and a name in Christs Testament Rom. 10.10 Gal. 3.26 27. Mark 16.16 Take away from a man either faith or the profession of faith and there is no name found for that man in Christs new Testament Rev. 22.14 Heb. 3.1 Heb. 10.22 23. None are owned either of God or man to be members of Christ that are no way under the profession of him as appeares in Mat. 10.32 33. 1 Joh. 4.3 And there is now no profession of Christ according to the rule of his Word without Baptisme Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.16 Luk. 7.30 Gal. 3.26 27. Ephes 4.5 By all which it appeares not onely in generall that the Scriptures of the new Testament stand now in force and are to be obeyed of all that doe believe but also in particular that the word of the new Testament which holds forth Baptisme and require the use of the same is still in force and to be obeyed because the cleare promise of the saving benefits of Christs Mediatorship and the administrations of the new Testament whereof he is Mediator goe together in the Word Act. 2.38 Act. 22.16 Rom. 6.3 4 5. 1 Cor. 12.13 Col. 2.12 1 Pet. 3.21 And here let it be well minded how Christ encourageth us to the perpetuall observation of that rule in Mat. 28.19.20 by this promise And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world And how the Apostle signifies it to be our duty