and this is the aggravation of all that there will be no end of their sorrow no time of releasment no more hope of mercy no more offers of grace never to look for any releasment no ease of their punishment no comfort in their sorrow no hope of ever having liberty or to come out of those torments but shall abide the wrath of God for ever so long as God is God so long shall his wrath be out against sin and sinners even for ever and ever Then will the Lord show how great an enemy he is to sin and all those that joyn with sin when he shall set the decree for ever against sin and sinners to be tormented in the flames of his wrath and in the fire of his anger from everlasting to everlasting and thus you see that there is a condemnation and those that will not believe the truth of this I shall leave them to their owne conscience and the great Judge CHAP. VII Of Glory THere is some conceive there is fulnesse of glory in this life but to such I shall say with Paul That if we had our portion onely in this life we were of all men most miserable And therefore I shall endeavour to speake a word or two of glory and shew you some reason wherefore we are not in fulnesse of glory and shew you what it is to be in fulnesse of glory To be in the fulnesse of glory is to injoy the fore-parts or face and presence of God and Christ with all the Saints and those glorious Angels to be in their presence and to reigne with them for ever in glory and so saith the Apostle When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. And therefore we hope for the glory of God Rom. 5. 2. that we may be glorified together with him Rom. 8. 17. For when the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare then shall we receive a Crowne of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5. 4. And now I shall come to Reasons 1 We are not in the fulnesse of glory in this life because we injoy but his back-parts not his fore-parts we doe not injoy his presence where he is in glory with his Angels for we are not able to apprehend his glory here much lesse to be in it or injoy it in this life for wee are not in the presence of God and those glorious Angels in heaven we injoy but his back-parts here in his footstoole his fore-parts and glory is in the Throne and cannot be seen with mortall eyes Secondly there is a vaile over our eies we see but darkly as through a glasse we are not able to behold his face and presence nor to behold his glory we see him yet but through the promises we doe not injoy him as he his his glory would rather affright then comfort us in this mortall estate should these mortall eies of ours behold the glory of the Angels much lesse the God of glory for now we see but darkly as through a glasse but then shall we see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. Thirdly Wee knew but in part and understand his glory but in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall bee done away and we shall know him as he is and know all men as we are knowne of God which cannot be in this life to know God and his Saints in glory and therefore there is not fulnesse of glory in this life knowing so little of God and so few of his Saints Fourthly we seek for glory by patient continuance in well-doing that we might inherit the promises now if we were in fulnesse of glory we need not seek for it if wee had it But we are seeking for glory and honour and immortality with eternall life and therefore it doth appear we have it not Rom. 2. 3. Fifthly we hope for this fulnesse of glory and therefore we do not injoy it for if we did what need we hope for it Rom. 5. 2. And Christ in us the hope of glory now if we had it what need we hope our hope were at an end if we had the thing we hope for to wit fulnesse of glory but you see we have it not and therefore we hope for it as not having yet received it 6 The eie hath not seen nor the ear hath not heard nor since the beginning of the world hath it not been heard nor none besides God doth know what he hath prepared for them that wait for him Esa 644. And if wee have not yet seen nor heard it how then doe we â—njoy it and if we are not able to conceive of the glory how then can we bee in it and if none but God know it then how can we know it Seventhly The Apostle Paul had as much of the Spirit of God as any man except the Son himselfe and as glorious injoyments of God being taken up into the third heavens and saw glory unspeakable which he was not able to utter nor expresse and yet hee saith If we had our glory only in this life we were of all men most miserable for he looked for a more glorious injoyment then hee could injoy in this life as you may see 1 Cor. 15. 19. Eightly The Apostle saith he was ready to be offered up and the time of his departure was at hand he had fought a good fight and had finished his course had kept the faith and henceforth was laid up for him a Crowne of righteousnesse or glory and for all them that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 6 7 8. And the Prophet David saith Oh how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee Ps 31. 19. whereby you may see it is not in this life it is laid up for a better life in a better Kingdome where we shall be capable to receive it Ninthly The good Apostle tells you hee did so run that he might obtaine for he tell you that hee had not yet attained neitheâ— was he perfect but this he did hee forgâ—â— those things that were past for he did not dote upon his former goodnesse but was pressing forward towards the marke or prize of glory that was set before him 2 Cor. 9. Phil. 3. for he that is constant to death shall receive a Crowne of life or glory Rev 2. 10. And thus you see the Apostle was so farre from being puffed up with fulnesse of glory in this life that he tells us he is not the man that doth injoy fulnesse of glory for he was striving for it to make it sure to him in this life and so to wait for it in a better life and in a better Kingdome that he was in hope to injoy Tenthly The Apostle saith I desire to depart hence and to go to Christ which is best of all Phil. 1. 23. whereby it doth appeare that there is not fulnesse of glory in this life
attend the Apostles in their Ministry who were to set forth such a way to the world that was never before heard of neither can there be a more glorious way set forth or more glorious Ministers then Christ and his Apostles were to set forth a way to the World to walke in in future ages and therefore the Father even the God of Heaven and Earth did so honour the way of the Gospel with his Sonne and such glorious Miracles that were never acted before since the World stood whereby he did manifest his probation of their way And thus I have shewed you some reasons wherefore Miracles were on foot even to confirme the truth that Christ and his Apostles did set forth Now I shall also shew you reasons and grounds wherefore I conceive that Miracles are ceased which are these First We have received a sure word of prophecy to the which we do wel if we take heed 2 Pet. 1. 19. For a standing Word as the Gospel is is a more surer ground of Faith then all the Miracles in the world that our faith should not be built upon men but upon the Word of God which endureth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 25. For to ground our Faith upon miracles is but a rotteu foundation because when miracles cease our Faith must cease and so we stand at a great losse being built on so uncertaine a ground but it is not so with the people of God who are built upon the Rock and foundation of Christ and his Apostles their way being undeniable and by the which way we must be judged at the last day Secondly Another Reason is this Miracles were to accompany Apostolicall men in those Apostolicall times to set forth an Apostolicall way to the World which they were to stand to being so gloriously confirm'd with miracles by Christ and his Apostles as any way could be confirmed so that now to look for miracles is vaine except you look for a better way and better work-men then the former were which to do is to race the foundation of Christ and his Apostles Thirdly Because it cannot appear that after those Apostolicall times that miracles were on foot or that any after those times did work miracles neither Timothy nor Titus in their ordinary ministery nor any of the Ministers in the seaven Churches of Asia but were to looke unto the forme of sound Doctrine which they had received from the Apostles as you may see 2 Tim. 1. 13. which was the foundation of Christian Doctrine and practise whereon the people of God are to build in every age For other foundation can no man lay then Christ hath laid 1 Cor. 3. 11. And so it doth appear that after the Apostles times there was no looking for miracles for they knew the Gospell was as gloriously confirmed with Miracles as was possible to be Fourthly If we looke for miracles now what do we else but question the Doctrine of the Gospel and fly in the face of Christ and his Apostles to condemn them of insufficiency as not being able to set forth such a way for all men to walk in which is sufficient to save them if they believe in it and also of force to condemn if they do reject it But this is clear where the Apostle saith that Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance against them that obey not the Gospel 2 Thes 1 8. Fiftly If we must have Miracles now to believe then why not Miracles also to confirm our belief and miracles also to keep us in the Faith which if so then we may cast off the Scriptures and build our Faith upon Miracles then if miracles cease we cease to believe and so if there be no Miracle there is no Faith if no belief then no salvation Sixthly If we must build our Faith upon Miracles and nothing be true to us in the Scripture till it be confirmed by a Miracle then how will you discern between a false â—â—racle and a true seeing that a pretender may do the like and so â—ou may take a false miracle for a true oâ— a true miracle for a false and so by the subtilty of the Devill you may be â—â—â— in strong delusions to deny all Sâ—â—pture to your utter damnation Seventhly Whether doth not this Tenent question the State of all our fore-fathers from the Apostles to this present time that their faith was in vaine and their salvation uncertain seeing they wanted miracles to confirme it to them and so were in a sad condition and the like I may say of you that stand so much for miracles what if you die before you enjoy a miracle to confirme the truth unto you and so build upon the sand is not your condition sad that your salvation should depend upon a miracle and so be damned 8. Whether doth not this Tenent set up the Pope and his Adherents who may say by this reasoning that he is in the right way and others in the wrong because they have miracles to confirm their way and thereby prove their Church to be true the Pope working a miracle every year whereby he doth perswade them that his way is right and all the wayes of others false because they have not miracles to confirm their way and therefore the Pope by this may plead that he is right and others wrong and so we shall justifie the generation of the wicked to confirm them in their wickednesse and condemne the people of God because they have no miracle 9. I may say to such as Christ saith to the Scribes and Pharisees under the Law They have Moses and the Prophets if they would not believe them neither would they believe if one should rise from the dead to work miracles and so I say we have Christ and his Apostles and he that will not believe the truth set forth by them confirmed before by miracles neither will he believe if one should rise from the dead and do all the miracles in the world 10. It doth appear that miracles are ceased because the Scriptures do declare that such as should work miracles in the last dayes should be false Prophets shewing signes and wonders and that Satan should come with all lying signes and wonders to draw men from the truth that they might believe a lye that all those might be damned who obey not the truth but obey unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2. 9. 10. And this I believe is the Divels grand designe in these dayes to make men believe that the Scripture is not true without miracles to confirme it that thereby he may deceive the world and set up his own false miracles in stead of the true and this may be the reason why he puts it into the hearts of men in these dayes that miracles and dreams are above the word that thereby he might have them where he would and so deceive them with a false miracle as he doth the greatest part of the world at this day as the Turks who are
deceived with the false miracles of Mahâ—â—â—â— wherein he hath deluded them to this present day through the devill and his instruments together with their false miracles wherein they are kept in blindnesse as also the Pope with the Latin Church deceiving the world and themselves with their false miracles which they much boast of whereby they judge their way to be right because the Devill and the Pope work miracles to confirme their way which indeed the Scriptures did foretel that the Latin Beast would deceive the world with his false miracles Revel 13. 13 14. But these spirits are the spirits of devils deceiving the Kings of the earth and the whole world Revel 16. 14. But the Lord will take that beastly worship of the Beast together with the Beast and the false Prophet with his lying spirit that wrought miracles to deceive the people and will cast them into the lake of his wraâ—h forever and ever Revel 19. â— Now there is some objections to be answered as Joel 2. where the Lord doth foretell that young men shall see visions and old men shall dream dreams and that that prophesie is in part to be fulfilled To the which I do reply with the words of Peter who had a more spirituall discerning then any in these dayes to discerne the truth of prophesies that that prophesie was fulfilled upon them when the visions of the Lord did appear unto them in Acts 2 1 2 3. who were the Lords young men who were to declare the minde of God to the whole earth and that being such a publick prophesie it was publickly fulfilled to perfect a publick work to the admiration of the beholders who were very desirous to know what was the meaning of those strange works and the Apostle flies to the prophesie of Joel for their refuge and tels them it was no more then what was prophesied of them and that they might now see that prophesie fulfilled Acts 2. 16. 17 18. and that those were the dayes that were spoken of before being glorious Gospel-times in which the Lord was to accomplish his promise that there might be nothing wanting to ratifie confirm the truth of the Gospell so that this prophesie being extraordinary 〈◊〉 doth appeare by the Apostlâ—â— words if any do pretend in these dayes the like revelations they must also shew the like effects which I think they cannot 10. I shall speake a word or two of Gospell-visions whereby it will appear that that there are no such visions in these dayes and first those visions did appeare in aâ—visible manner to the sight of the beholders Luke 3. and Acts 2. and then secondly they were able to confirme what was revealed in the vision to them by a visible signe or wonder and thirdly they were able to speak in an extraordinary manner to convince the gain-sayers and fourthly those visions were for the truth and not against it so that from hence I conclude that the cause is taken away because the effect ceaseth for if they prove the like visions they must also prove the like visible manifestations or else they are false visions And as for the dreamers there spoken of you may see that was fully fulfilled in those dayes in the Scribes and Pharisees those old and ancient Doctours of those times who stood dreaming as men amazed when they beheld the Lord Christ and his Apostles the mirrour of the world to preach such glorious doctrine accompanied with such glorious miracles and their doctrine being so strange and rare and so unanswerable preaching with such authority and so mightily convincing the gain-sayers the Doctors also themselves being so wonderfully confuted that we may truly say That they were in a dream or trance whereby the prophesie was truly fulfilled 2. Object is in Marke 16. These signes shall follow those that do believe So that hence they do inferre That there is no true Gospel-Preachers but such as work miracles which if this be true then there is no faith in England because no true Ministry for faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. 17. even by hearing the word preached and how shall he preach except he be sent so that if there be no Preachers there is no faith then there is no salvatioÌ„ for if the Ministry of faith cease then faith must cease which if so then to what purpose do your Ministers teach seeing they work no miracles so that by this Tenent both you and your Ministers are in a false way And further if our salvation depend upon miracles would God have been wanting think you ever since the Apostles time to have sent them into the world to have perfected their salvation to the full for certainly if we could not have been saved without them God would never have been wanting to have sent them But God had so fully before confirmed the Gospel with such Ministers and Miracles which is sufficient to confirm the truth in all Ages 3. Objection But we have been in a great confusion for many hundred of years together ard in a great confusion amongst us to know the truth and how shall we know without a miracle to confirm it to us To the which I reply and how shall we know the truth by a Miracle seeing a pretender may do the like and so you may take a false Miracle for a true or how will you prove that your Miracle to be true if not by the word or else it may be false for ought you know must not the word try your miracle whether it be true or false and therefore to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to that they are in a false way Isaiah 8. for the word of the Lord is powerfull and sharper then a two-edged Sword Heb. 4. 12. to pierce through all the false wayes of men and to cut in peeces all false worships whatsoever and it is a searcher of the heart and a tryer of the raines to search into all the hearts of men and their actions to judge them according to their works 2. Who must end all contentions must not the word which is able to satisfie all doubts and to direct us in all our wayes and what need we fear having so glorious a Guide as the Gospel is can you find a better Rule to walk by or a better Guide to lead you which is the Resolver of all doubts for if the word cannot satisfie you who can And now I shall speak a word or two for the word of my God for where will you find a Christ but in the word and where will you find the promises of Christ but in the Word doth not the Word hold forth Christ to you and holds forth the promise to you doth not the word shew you the way of life if you would know what Doctrine is right doth not the word shew you what Doctrine and what worship you ought to observe doth not the word hold forth unto you holiness and unholiness life and
man as we are and that this man Christ should be so gloriously exalted by God the Father to be the chiefe in his Councell to declare his mind to the world and that thereby the world might be reconciled to God by the man Christ in preaching mercy to us by a man as we are and in making a man to be a Mediatour between him and us to raise him gloriously from the dead and to give all power into his hands and to make him Lord of heaven and earth to set him at his right hand in glory and to center all mercy and judgement in the Son what greater favour could the Father of mercies shew us which is a sure testimony of our rising from the dead and of our glorification with him at the last day And in the next place I shall endeavour to reconcile some Scriptures that seem to contradict the truth of this Doctrine and the first is in Ge◠1. 26. Let us make man to the which I reply That there the Father speaks of his Word or Spirit by which he made all things For the Spirit of God moved upon the waters the witnesse of two is true as Deut. 17. 6. John 8. 17. And so the Spirit of God in the Scripture is distinct from God as in many places he might speak of the Angels as being familiar with him whereby they might shew their acceptance of that work being the great Counsell of heaven for he could not speak of the Son as in being at that time neither could he really be before he had a being or else the Father might speak in a two-fold relation when he spake of man to wit of the work of creation and redemption and so he might speak of the Son but any otherwise he could not Another Scripture is in John 1. 1. 2. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and God was that word To the which I reply That in the beginning implies a tearm of time but God was before all time and that word was with God and so it was before it came from him for the word is the mind of God and came from the heart of God and was the power of God for by his word he made all things 〈◊〉 that sense it might be called God for 〈◊〉 a common name in Scripture as Idols are called Gods and men are called Gods as being of note and fame and the word being of that power might be called God though it come from the Father who is the God of all Gods And another Scripture is before Abraham was I am And to that I reply that Christ was before Abraham First he was before him in the promise And secondly he was before him in Gods account for God did account of his Son before Abraham and therefore Christ might well say before Abraham was I am being the Son of God himself And another Scripture is I and my Father are one which is true indeed that the Father and the Son are one both in mind and Doctrine the Son delivering the mind of the Father as I have shewed before but else the Son saith the Father is greater then I and I came to do the work of him that sent me Now another Scripture is this that he being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God and the express Image of the Fathers person and this is true indeed that the Son is said to be the form or likeness Picture or Image of the Fathers Person but you will not say that the Image or Picture of a man is the man for the express Image or Picture of a man is but his form and so Christ is the Image of his Fathers Person that is God by Office but not the Father himself and so the Son is the Image and the Father is the substance from whom all things do proceed being the essence of all things and the originall of all being And thus in a word as time would permit me I have endeavoured to give unto the Father that which is his and also to the Son that which is his the Son being the chief in the Court of the Fathers Majesty I shal desire to honour the Son who is so highly honoured of the Father for it became the Father of whom are all things by whom are al things to make the Captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings Heb. 2. 8. 10. Thou hast put all things under his feete in subjection for in that he put all things under him he hath left nothing that is not put under him but now we see not as yet all things put under him Heb. 2. 8. 10. CHAP. V. Of Heaven NOw I shall endeavour to speak of Heaven for that will be the glorious Heaven to arive at at the last day Now the Kingdom of Heaven is called another world when Christ saith neither in this World nor in the World to come and so it is another World for that is a heavenly World and this a earthly that World injoyes the presence of God and this the back parts that World injoyes the substance and this injoyes the shadow that is a World of spirit and this a World of flesh that a World of goodness this a World of wickedness that is a continuing World and this a fading World that is a World and Kingdom not made with hands but eternall in the Heavens And now I shall speak as plainly as I can a word or two of Heaven and first what Heaven is 1. Heaven is a place of glory where the face and presence of God is and where those glorious Angels are and all the heavenly Host above all created Heavens where God the Father was from all eternity and for the probation of this you shal have Dan. 7. 9. 10. Where the Father is called the ancient of dayes being indeed before all time and his Throne prescribed with that glorious heavenly Host that doth attend him for he is the high and lofty one that Inhabits eternity and dwelleth in the highest Heavens for thus saith the wise Solomon If Israel pray heare thou in Heaven thy dwelling-place 1 Kings 8. 39. 43. and Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Foot-stooll and Christ saith that in Heaven the Angells do alwayes behold the face and presence of his Father which is in Heaven Mat. 18. 10. and also the Sonne is entred into the very Heaven of glory it self Heb. 9. 24. there to remain till he come at the last day And now I shall shew you reasons that there is a Heaven 1. Reason Is from Gods eternal Being before all time he must be somewhere and his glory must be somewhere even in Heaven a place not made with hands 2 Cor. 5 2. a place of glory before all time and before these visible Heavens and Earth were created he was in glory whereby it doth appear there is a Heaven 2. Reason When he came to create the visible
thou wouldest have no Scripture nor Word to try thee by and then thou wouldest say thou wast pure Gold but the Scripture will finde to be stinking Brasse only flourished over with the refuse of Gold for to cover thy Hipocrisie 9. Those that have been accounted most precious in Gods account have worshipped God in a visible way what sayest thou to Moses he was faithfull to God in all his house and yet he was a visible worshipper of God and obeyed him in every Command and whatsoever God commanded him to do he did and is every where almost commended for his obedience and is exalted in all the word And what sayest thou to David a man after Gods owne heart and who was more obedient to all the Commands of God then he how zealous was he in visible worship and how doth God commend him for it how highly is he commended in all the History of God and his obedient service is every where almost spoken off And what sayest thou to Christ the chiefest of the Fathers love who came out of the bowels of the Father he was a worshipper of God and held forth a visible worship he was circumcised to fulfill the worship of the Law and was baptised to hold forth a Gospel worship and though he were a Sonne yet learned he obedience by the things he suffered and was obedient in all things and was most dear and precious in the sight of the Father and yet was a visible worshipper was a baptised person and did administer the Supper and did partake of it with a great deal of desire and commanded the same worship to be performed in future ages and what wilt thou say to Christ now thou wilt say he walked very low wilt thou the Sonne himselfe was not exempted from visible worship and yet thou art hast thou more priviledge then Christ how camest thou by it art thou higher then the Sonne the Sonne was not exempted from visible worship and yet thou art now it doth appear that thou art a proud Peacock thou canst turne up thy tayle and pride thy selfe in thy fine feathers and never lookest to thy feet thou art doting upon thy tayle and forgettest thy footsteps but thou wilt lose thy tayle shortly and then where will thy pride be wilt thou say thou art higher then Christ that thou art exempted from worship for if thou art exempted from visible worship and Christ himself was not then it seems thou art greater and hast more priviledges then he but thy blindnesse will deceive thee And what sayest thou to Paul he was but a low fellow in thine eyes but I am sure he was higher then thou for he was able to speak an infallible truth and was able to confirme it with a visible signe he was able to worke miracles and to speake with new tongues and so art not thou and yet thy words are higher then Pauls but thy deeds are lower and yet Paul was a visible worshipper of God for he was a baptised person and did administer the Supper and did partake of it himselfe and taught the gathering of Churches and those were his wayes that were in Christ Jesus if thou wilt stoop so low as to looke in 2 Cor. 4. which thou canst hardly doe thou art brideled up so high with that golden chaine about thy necke called Mystery but thou sayest that the Apostle said himselfe That he was not sent to baptise but to preach and thou thinkest that this is a great argument from the word not To the which I reply that the Apostle saith also That we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and yet thou wilt say that he wrestled against flesh and blood so that thou seest the word not doth imply something for the Apostle saith I have writ unto you not to keep company with such and such and yet not altogether refraine for then thou must goe out of the world and so thou seest the word not doth imply something for the word not and the word nothing are all one and signifie one thing and so Paul was not sent to preach that is not onely sent to baptise but to preach Christ tells his Apostles that nothing should hurt them and yet something might hurt them Luke 10. 19. the Apostle saith The Athenians gave themselves to nothing but to heare newes Act. 14. 21. And yet they gave themselves to something else the Apostle saith Owe nothing to any man Rom. 13. 8. and yet we owe something to all men and he saith Circumcision is nothing 1 Cor. 7. 19. and yet we know that Circumcision is something Again he saith that we know that an Idoll is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8. 4. and we know that an Idoll is something though it be nothing in respect of God yet it is something in respect of an Idoll and so the Apostle saith He was nothing 2 Cor. 12. 11 and yet we know he was something Againe the Apostle saith Be carefull for nothing Phil. 4. 6. and yet we know we must be carefull for something And we brought nothing into this World and yet we know wee brought something The Laodiseans said They had need of nothing and yet we know they had need of something And thus I have shewed thâ—â— that not or nothing implies the lesser and not the greater and though Baptisme is nothing in respect of teaching yet that doth not follow but that Baptisme is something And thus the Serpent is taken in his craft 10. Those that have contemned a Visible Worship have beene most contemptible to God what sayest thou to the Scribes and Pharisees John came in the way of Righteousnesse Matth. 21. 32. And they did not repent nor were changed from their wickednesse that they might beleeve for they rejected the counsell of God against themselves and were not baptised and how were they liked thinkest thou for their paines doth not Christ say Woe be to you Scribes and Pharisees doth he not count them Hypocrites for rejecting the Doctrine of John which was the counsell of God And who were they in the times of Christ and his Apostles that did reject the Gospel and the way and Ordinances of the Gospel were they not the proud Scribes and Pharisees who rejected the visible way of the Gospel and were they not rejected of the Lord for their wickednesse for contemning the Ordinances of the Gospel they despised the way of the Gospel but the Lord despised them for it and cast them out as contemptible and dost not thou follow the steps of thy forefathers to contemne the way and Ordinances of the Gospel as they did that thou mightest fall into the same condemnation 12. Those that had received the highest attainments walked in a visible way and profession even such as had received the Holy Ghost and were able to speak infallibly to worke miracles and to speake with new tongues yet these walked in a visible worship and were baptised did
A second Champion OR Companion to Truth Wherein is shewed these Particulars or Tenets 1 Of Miracles 2 The reasons wherefore so few imbrace the Gospell 3 Of the first Covenant and the second Covenant 4 Of the Father and the Son 5 Of Heaven 6 Of Hell 7 Of Glory 8 Of Faith 9 Of the Resurrection and the eternall judgement 10 Of Visible Worship 11 A Postscript By Richard Stookes Preacher of the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 London Printed for George Whittington at the Blew Anchor in Cornhill 1650. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Courteous Reader TIme is the most precious berbe in the Garden of the World there is nothing more precious and there is nothing more sleighted of vaine man the use of time will save and the abuse of time will judge thee for upon this moment of Time depends thy eternall welfare for we must bee called to an account how we have spent this Time which is allotted to us and then one houres time that is spent for heaven will more comfort us at the day of our death then all the rest of our time which hath been spent for vanity 〈◊〉 wilâ—â—nde at the day of thy death how precious Time â—â— for 〈◊〉 no sooner commest into this world but 〈◊〉 going but againe and so soon as thou livest 〈◊〉 dying and so soon as thou breathest thy breath is a departing thou passest away as a shadow and thy dayes are biâ— as a span long they are but as the rising of a bubble thou no sooner hast a beginning but thou art going to thy end and thy strength is but as the grasse and thy beauty is but as the flower of the field The grasse fadeth and the flower withereth then thy glory is gone for thy living is uncertaine but thy death is certaine for thou art more sure to dye then to live for what is so certaine as death and what is so uncertaine as life for death will bring thee to the grave and thy deeds will bring thee to judgement and as death doth leave thee so shall judgement finde thee and all creatures observe their time but man and yet man is the most noble of creatures for thou hast time and all things attend thee to bring thee to glory if thou dost not bring thy self to misery but if thou dost thou art a mispender of time for there are three enemies that are destructive to thy soules good thy flesh the world and the devill thou carriest thy greatest enemy with thee for thou art a friend to thy flesh and it is an enemy to God For if thou live after the flesh thou shalt dye for the flesh is an enemy to the Spirit thy flesh onely leadeth thee to the earth for the earth is its center for it is for earthly things as for earthly honour and respect of the world and loves to have the prai 〈…〉 men and to have the riches of the flesh or 〈◊〉 world with all the delights of the flesh for we are apt to be more carefull for our fleshly man then for our spirituall man for thy flesh warâ—â—th against the Spirit Alas poore creature why â—â—st thou make so much of so great an enemy how much time dost thou take in cloathing thy flesh what cost dost thou bestow and what care dost thou take to beautifie thy enemy for what care dost thou take to cloathe him and to make him fine delightest in his beauty and how oft dost thou change his habit and how bravely dost thou adorne him how carefull art thou for his dyet and how softly dost thou lay him what delight dost thou take in his company how desirable is he how dost thou dote upon his beauty thou art inamoured with his presence and yet he is thine enemy thou seekest to save him and he seeks to destroy thee thou art willing to please him and spendest much time upon him but bee deceives thee of thy spiritualls he is but a rotten friend for he must come to corruption thou canst not save him nor he cannot save thee for he will leave thee in a sad condition and this is the enemy thou carriest with thee which will at last destroy thee if thou lookest not about thee he will bring thee to ruine before thou art aware to spend thy time for earth and to lose thy time for heaven And yet thou hast two enemies more which are destructive to thy spirituall condition for how doth the devill plot to worke 〈◊〉 in laying a snare in every corner that thou canst hardly escape him and how doth he spread his suares in the world in blinding their eyes with the Honours Riches and pleasures of this life to checke them of their Spirituall comforts and to take them off their precious time from looking after Heaven and therefore consider courteous Reader thy best condition is to study heavenly things let thy time be spent for Heaven for that will profit thee at the last and thou shalt finde a heavenly treasure which will stand thee in stead at the last day so the glory of this life is but for a time but the glory of Heaven endureth for ever For the sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed for if we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him but if we deny him he will also deny us And this hath encouraged me to write at this time desiring to improve that time that he hath given me to my Masters advantage from whom I looke for any reward I have set forth a Booke that is called or intituled Truths Champion or Truths Companion which is liked of some and despised of others and I was desired also to set forth my judgement in some other things which were necessary to Salvation for the knowledge of some and the strengthening of others and also that the truth may be knowne to all men but I know it will passe under many censures for I doe not thinke it will please all men for the world is not so apt tâ— receive truth I looke to be Judged for it I am not â—â—tter then my Master for his Doctrine was despised of the Learned and well may mine but I â—â—â—e thou wilt try me before thou judge me and then if thou judge me thou wilt also judge the Word for what I have done is not to please man for I am ready to passe under all censures for the name of Christ and I count all things but dung in respect of him and of his truth for whom I desire to suffer the losse of all things and count all but as drosse and dung that I may win Christ and be found in him for one smile from God is better then all the smiles of the World and therefore I care not for the judgement of man for I seeke not to please man but God for all the smiles of the world will but bring me to the
Grave but the smiles of God will bring me to Heaven and therefore it is better to dye in the favour of the Lord then in the favour of men for were I a lover of the World I were an enemy to God I desire to leave the honours riches and pleasures of this world for a better I am willing to leave the glory of this life for I looke for a better for I desire to undergoe all the fury of Hell to have a Heaven My time is but short I desire to bid adiew to the world for what is the world but vanitâ— all the honours are but dishonours and all the riches iâ— but poverty all the joy is but sorrow and all the pleasure is but displeasure and had I no better comfort then what is in this life I were in a sad condition for I live in hope of a better resurrection and so I hope dost thou which if thou dost thou wilt like my workes the better and so farewell Richard Stookes A Second CHAMPION to the TRVTH CHAPTER 1. Of working of Miracles ANd first I shall begin to speak of Miracles which so many dote upon in these dayes waiting for visible signes and some great Revelation and to them I shall say as Christ said unto the Scribes and Pharisees that the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation for they looked that Christ should come with abundance of earthly pompe and glory but Christ tells them they were deceived for the Kingdom of God consisted not of outward glory and excellency for saith he the Kingdom of God is within you it is more of substance then of shew more glorious within then without and the Miracles more inward then outward Miracles of a more spiritual nature to appear in the inward man to the beating down of every strong hold and therefore those outward miracles are swallowed up of inward miracles of a more glorious nature the one being a type of the other as the outward man was a type of the inward man and therefore my work shall be in this Chapter to shew you my reasons why I conceive that Miracles in a visible way aâ—e to cease in that age So that this is my meaning that the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles in a visible way were to cease in that age 1. Because Miracles were to testifie of Christs coming in the flesh and therefore when Christ came he came with signes and wonders as his casting out of Devils Mat. 12. 22. and Luke 11. 17. Of his healing the sick and curing them of their Diseases as you may see Mat. 15. 30. In giving sight to the blind and hearing to the death and speech to the dâ—â—â— making the lame to go as raising up the dâ—â—â— and all this he was to do to manifest himself to the World that he was the Christ Isâ—iâ—â— 35. 5. 6. chap. 61. 1. Mat. 11. 5. And thus 〈◊〉 came to be known of John Baptist as you 〈◊〉 see Mat. 11. 4. 5. Together with the 〈◊〉 of the Holy Ghost descending upon him in the likeness of a Dove Luke 3. 22. John 1. 33. And thus he was manifest to John as to all the World doing such works as never man did whereby he might appear to be the Christ to leave all men without excuse as John 15. 24. in doing such works as were never done from the beginning in opening the eyes of the blind John 9. 32. and in shewing such signes wonders which were not before recorded least the world should take up to much time in the searching thereof and in doteing more upon his acts then upon the end of his coming John 20 30. 21. 25. As also further the Apostles were gifted for the same end to manifest Christ to be come in the flesh working miracles both before and after his ascensioâ— that thereby they might manifest to the World that he was the Christ and for that and they were promised by Christ to receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost Luke 24. 49. which was performed in Acts 2. 1. 2. The gifts of the spirit being powred upon them insomuch that they were able to speak infallibly to work Miracles and to speak with new Tongues and to understand all Languages under Heaven 〈◊〉 2. 6. Even for this very end that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was the Christ both at 〈◊〉 and to the 〈◊〉 paâ—ts of the Earth Act. 1. 8. And thus the Lord granted signes and wonders to be done by the hands of the Apostles to give Testimony to the word of his grace Act 14. â— who did manifest to the world that all the wonders that they wrought were in the name and power of Jesus Acts 4. 10. shewing in their preaching that this was the end for which Miracles were on foote even to testifie of Christ Acts 2. 22. And this was one end for which Miracles were given to hold forth the coming of Christ 2. Miracles were to confirm the Covenant of grace which was to be established as firm as the first for when the first Covenant was given out it was ratified with signes and wonders for all the Mountaine was on fire and there were thunderings and lightnings and voices and so terrible was the sight that it made Moses the man of God tremble So terrible were the signes Heb. 12. 18. 19. 22. And thus you see the first Covenant was ratified with Miracles and so also was the second which is a better Covenant estableished upon better promises Heb. 8. 6. And also more glorious Miracles of a more spiritual nature for the Miracles of the first Covenant were more outward and terrible But the Miracles of the 2. Covenant are more inwardly 〈◊〉 comfortable which did accompany the Appostles in their Ministry confirming the truth by signes and wonders Mark 16. the last Act. 19. 10. 11. And thus did the Lord Jesus Christ himself also confirm the Doctrine of the Gospel with more Miracles then ever any word was before from the beginning of the World so that you may see that the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles wanted not Miracles to confirm it God the Father also bearing witness with signes and wonders and divers gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 4. That it might appear the Covenant was the more glorious and more excellent firm and sure being so wonderfully ratified and confirmed with Miracles And thus you see a second Reason wherefore Miracles were on foot even to confirm the truth of the Gospell Now a third reason wherefore Miracles were on foot was this even to confirm the calling and Ministry of the Apostles who were to lay the Foundation both for Doctrine and practise which the World was to follow in after Ages to the end of the World For we are built upon the Foundation of the Prophets Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Eph. 2 20. In being the Authour both of their Doctrine and Practise and therefore you see it was requisite that Miracles should
death and shall not the word judge you at the last day for every idle word and is not this the word of Christ John 12. 48. Consider therefore all you that forget God will not his word find you one day and accuse you at the bar of justice for all your contempt and then what answer will you make will you say his word was false or true will you condemn your judge that shall judge you the Lord give to consider that you may prevent the judgements of this Judge CHAP. 2. The Reasons wherefore so few believe and imbrace the Gospel IN the next place I shall endeavour to shew you the Reason wherefore so few believe the â—ospel for Christ saith many are called and few are chosen Mat. 22. 14. And so there is no fault in Christ if he call them and they come not the fault is theirs and not his Christ tells us also That 〈◊〉 is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 few there are that find it Mat. 7. â—4 And 〈◊〉 sure Christ doth not hinder them from finding the way for if he did he would not condemn them for not finding it but sure he 〈◊〉 intend to give them life because he proâ—â—â—â— it to them or else he did dissemble with 〈◊〉 which I believe he did not Also the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 as like 〈◊〉 a King that made â—â—â—â—riage for his 〈◊〉 Mat. 22. 2 3 4. Now this King is God who did intend to marry his Sonne to all that imbrace his grace and first he invited the Jewes as Christ himself saith I was not sent but to the lost sheepe of the House of Israel Mat. 10. 6. But the proud Scribes and Pharisees rejected the grace and mercy offered them and respected the pleasures of this world above the riches of Christ and he came unto his own but his own received him not John 1. 11. And therefore the Children of the Kingdom were cast out Mat. 8. 12. And therefore Paul saith it was necessary that the Gospel should be first preached to the Jewes but seeing you reject the Gospel loe we turn to the Gentiles Acts 13. 46. And thus you see they were called but they refused to come and therefore the fault was theirs and not his for Christ saith A sower went forth to sow and some seed fell upon good ground and some fell upon bad ground and some ground brought forth fruit and some brought forth none Now the sower is Christ and the seed is the word of grace and the ground is the World Now it doth appear that the fault was not in the sower for he sowed good seed as you may see Mat. 13. 34. And the same seed was sowen upon the bad ground as upon the good but you may say how came the ground to be bad I reply by the Devil and themselves for God made the ground good as you may see Gen. 2. and so saith the wise Solomon Eccles 7. 29. God made man good but they found out many inventions so that you may see the fault was in the ground and not in the sower nor the seed so that the fault is not in Christ because so few receive the Gospel but in the Creature who is condemned for rejecting the Gospel And now I shall come to Reasons to shew you wherefore so few imbrace the Gospel 1. Because the promises of the Gospel are spiritual and promises of another life and therefore so few receive it for if the Gospel promised to make men rich men and great men in the World then all would be Gospel-Professors because they would be rich and great men in the World and to be honoured of men and to injoy all the glory of the flesh for to have the prayse of men and to have the World on their side but because the Gospel holds forth no such thing but contrariwise those that imbrace the Gospel loose the savour and esteeme of the World and are hated of all men as contemptible men of another World as not worthy 〈◊〉 upon the face of the Earth and therefore there are so few that imbrace the Gospel the wayes of the Gospel being despised and contemptible in the eyes of the World Mat. 10. 22. And this is the Reason wherefore so few imbrace the Gospel of Christ as you may see John 15. 19. 2. Reason Is because the Gospel holds forth a self-denying Creature that a man must deny himself in the honours riches and pleasures of this life and love Christ above all for he that loves Father or Mother Wife and Children or Brother and Sister or any thing in the world more then Christ is not worthy of him and he that doth not denie himself and take up his Crosse and follow Christ cannot be his Disciple Mat. 10. 34. Luke 14. 26. For he that seekes to save his life in the riches honours of this life he shall loose the riches honours in Christ and he that is ashamed to professe the truth of Christ before men Christ will deny him the comforts of the Gospel before his Father which is in Heaven and therefore it is that so few do believe and obey the Gospel even because they love the honours riches and pleasures of this life more then they do Christ Nay rather then they will lose the honour of this world they will 〈◊〉 Christ like Judas for a peece of money 〈◊〉 deny their Master with Peter and forsake Christ with Demas to imbrace this present world so hard a thing is self-deniall to be brought off our own bottoms to imbrace the Gospell that I may say with the Prophet Esay 53. Lord who hath believed our report so many seek themselves and so few the things of Christ that rather then they will deny themselves they deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1 3 Reason Wherefore so few imbrace the Gospell is because men love the praise of men more then the praise of God for thus it was in the dayes of Christ there were many of the Rulers believed on him but they did not confesse his name and Gospell openly because of the Priests of those times who were enemies to Christ and his truth and for fear of the Priests of those times they â—urst not imbrace the Gospell lest they should lose their favour and be shut out of the synagogue John 12. 42 they will deny Christ for the Text saith That those chiefe Rulers loved the praise of men more then the praise of God ver 43. And thus it is now in our dayes there are many of the chiefe Rulers believe and are perswaded of the truth of Christ but they will not confesse him and 〈◊〉 truth openly because they will not displease the Priests and least they should out themselves out of the fleshly Church of England and that covetous fleshly Ministry and because they love the praise of men more then the praise of God the god of this world having blinded the eyes of the
and our Children and thus the learned Doctors slew the Lord of life rejoycing at his death with mocks and scornes like hellish Doctors and thus you see the Lord himself was dealt with for preaching the Gospel and therefore Christ doth tell his Apostles that they should be hated of all men for his names sake Mat. 10. 22. and now you shall see how his Apostles were persecuted for preaching the Gospel not to speak of their troubles before Christ was put to death but also after as before his death how many times were they in trouble with their Master both by Sea and by Land what straits were they put unto at his death when they were all forced to flie and leave their Master in the mouth of hell who can express their grief in that condition as also after his ascension how were they persecuted when Peter and John were put in prison Acts 4. 3. for preaching the Gospel being scourged and beaten Acts 5. 40. and commanded to preach no more in the name of Iesus and also the killing of Steven stoneing him with stones Acts 7. Together with the killing of Iames with the Sword as Acts 12. and putting Peter in prison and what shall I say of Paul who was persecuted on every side being stoned whipped and imprisoned with the report of the Apostle himself saying they were led as sheepe to the slaughter Rom. 8. 36. and were troubled perplexed persecuted and cast down and bearing in their bodies the sufferings of Christ 2 Cor. 4. 8. 9. 10. The Apostle himself being in the depth of troubles as you may see 2 Cor. 11. where he doth relate that he was in labour more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths oft five times of the Jewes receiving 40. stripes save one thrice beaten with rods once stoned thrice suffering Shipwrack and a night and a day in the deep and many suffering more which are related as you may see 2 Cor. â—â— 16. 17. and all this he suffered for Christ and his Gospel to shew to all the World that the Ministers of the Gospel have been a persecuted Company in all ages and who were the greatest persecutors in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles was it not you hellish Doctors and Rabbies with the rabble of Priests and high Priest were not you the chief to condemne Christ his Apostles of false Doctrine and chiefest in Councel to act against them that you might fill up the measure of your sinnes and so fall into the anger of the Almighty by doing what you could to hinder the passage of the Gospel and shall not the Gospel condemn you for this at the last day and doth not this resemble our times for who are the greatest persecutors of Christ and his Gospel in these dayes are not you Priests learned Rabbies and do not you follow the steps of your Forefathers to fill up the nature of your sinnes iâ— persecuting the Gospel and the true wayes thereof by your councel and acting what you can against the truth so that you have been a cause wherefore so few have believed and obeyed the Gospel by seeking all meanes you can to persecute all such aâ— would imbrace the truth of Jesus Christ so that most men are afraid to profess the Gospel because it is a persecuted way 8. Reason Wherefore so few imbraced and obeyed the Gospel is this even because the wayes of the Gospel are counted heresie and such as profess the Gospel are counted Hereticks and thus it was in former times even against Christ and his Apostles Oh how did the High Priest Scribes and Pharisees bestir them will the learned Doctors bestir them Iohn came neither eating nor drinking and ye said he had a Devill the Lord Christ came eating and drinking and ye said behold a gluttonous man a friend of publicans and sinners and thus you railed against the Person and Doctrine of Christ accusing him of heresie and saying he was a blasphemer and had a Devill and cast out Devills by the name of Beelzebub and were not these your words against the Lord Oh you learned Rabbies accusing the Apostles also that they were ignorant fellowes Acts 4. and forbidding them to preach any more in the name of Christ and seeking all meanes to destroy them by your hellish Councel in saying their Doctrine and Teaching was false and that they did but delude the People how did you Scribes and Pharisees raile against the famous Apostle Paul that glorious Preacher of the Gospel did you not say he was a deluder and turned the World upside-down that his Doctrine was false that he was a Heretick and preached Heresie though his Doctrine were a glorious truth even the Gospel of Christ as you may see in his answer to that hellish crew saying that way that you call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers Acts 24. 14. Oh you High Priest and you Eldeâ—s were you not ashamed to accuse Christ and his Apostles of false Doctrine how will you answer it in the day of Gods anger and thou Orator named Tertullus how bravely didst thou act the Devils part in accusing of Paul and his Doctrine calling him pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition throughout the World and a Ringleader of Sects and Heresie shall not that Gospel that Paul taught judge you at the last day how willy on plead then at the Bar of justice when the Gospel shall be your judge And thus you see the reason wherefore so few imbraced the Gospel in those times because the way of the Gospel was counted Heresie and doth not this resemble our times are not Gospel-wayes called Heresie and such as profess the Gospel Hereâ—â—â—â— and all the nick names the Devil can invent to make the way of the Gospel 〈◊〉 in the eyes of the People and who are the chief actors in this thing but the learned of our times who perswade the people as the Scribes and Pharices did that the way of the Gospel is Heresie railing in their Pulpits like furies to put the people in fear least they should obey the truth and stirring up the great ones also to fright the people with their Bulls and therefore it is that so few believe and obey the Gospel 9. Reason is Because the Gospel holds forth separation that Gods people ought to be a separated people in respect of worship from all the people in the Earth which is a way that most men abhorre and therefore it is that so few obey the Truth becaâ—se separation is a hainous thing in the Worlds Eye though it be a Gospel-truth as doth appear 2 Cor. 6. 14. where we are commanded by the Lord to separate and the Reasons given First that we be not unequally yoaked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath the righteous way of the Gospel with an unrighteous way and what concord hath the Gospel of light with the way of darknesse or the way of Câ—rist with the way
of Beliall or he that beleeveth with an Infidell and therefore come out from amongst them and be you sepâ—â—â—â— saith the Lord from all the wayes and worships of men and I will be your God and you shall be my People saith the Lord of Hosts And come out of her my People and be not partakers of her sinnes lest you receive of her punishment Rev. 18. 4. And therefore Christ saith If you were of the World the World would love her own but I have called or chosen you out of the World in respect of Worship John 15. 18. 19. and therefore doth the World hate you And thus you see there is a Gospel command for separation as also there is example for what did Christ and his Apostles preach but away of separation from the World both in their doctrine and practise and such as did imbrace their doctrine were separated from the World in respect of worship as you may see Acts 2. 40. For as the People of Israel were separated from all the people of the Earth in respect of Worship for Circumcision was a distinguishing badge whereby they were known from the World for by being Circumcised they had right unto the Land of Canâ—an and unto the Inheritances of the Land and had right unto all the Ordinances of that Covenant and the promises and blessings thereof but he that did slight and cast of circumcision was to be cut off from the Israel of God Gen. 17. 14. so Baptisme under the Gospel is a distinguishing badge to distinguish betweene Believers and unbelievers and therefore such as manifested repentance and faith and were baptized had a right unto the Gospel-Covenant and to all the Ordinances thereof being accounted the Church and House of Christ and Members of that body whereof Christ is the head Baptisme being a door to let in Gospel-Priviledges for such as were baptized they were seperated from the World in respect of worship injoying Gospel-worship amongst themselves as you may see in all the Churches none being baptized but such as were made Disciples by manifestation of Repentance and Faith and none receiving the Supper but such as were baptized and all these Churches being gathered out of the World had the worship of Christ amongst themselves having nothing to do with those that were without as you may see 2 Cor. 5. 13 whereby you may see that the people of Christ under the Gospel are to be a seperated people from the World in respect of Worship because the worship of Christ and the worship of the World being as contrary as light and darkness as you may see 2 Cor. 6. 14. and this is a great reason wherefore so few imbrace the Gospel because it is a way of separation 10. Reason Wherefore so few believe and obey the Gospel is for want of tryal because men do not search and try the wayes of men and therefore we are commanded to try all things 1 Thes 5. 21. and to try the spirits whether they be of God 1 Iohn 4. 1. Oh you people of England how ignorant are you of the wayes of the Gospel for want of searching the Scriptures whereby you might discern the truth and so the blindness of your former wayes you have built your faith upon men and not upon God trusting upon Synods and Councels of men and not upon the word of God how ready have you been to imbrace every invention of men which they have set up how often have you changed your Worship imbracing every tradition that men have set up when you should with the noble Bereans have searched the scriptures Act 17. 11. to have seen whether their Doctrines had been true or not how have you swallowed down every Antichristian bait whereby you have been choked of your spiritual comfort in taking a false Profession for a true and this is the cause of your blindness in spiritual things shall not your worldly mindes convince would you have trusted your 〈◊〉 and Goods so with men to have been at their disposing and not have searched how they have dealt with you I think you would not and yet you have trusted men with your spiritual goods and have not minded what you have received and is not this the reason wherefore you are so poor and beggerly in spiritual things you have sought more after Earth then Heaven and more after the shadow then the substance you have a name that you live but you are dead Revel 3. 1. know you not that you are returned blind and naked I councel you to buy eye-salve that you may see your blindness in the things of God and search and try your wayes for your spiritual good and you Ministers of England how long will you keep the people in Egypt that are seeking after the Land of Canaan and you retain them do you not make them groane under their spiritual burdens are not they crying unto the Lord by reason of their bondage whiles you are seeking to keep them in Egypt will you not let them come to Canaan will you hinder them still to bring the anger of God upon you how long will you keep them in Egypt to build your earthly glory and shall not their labour be your ruine will you persue them to the Sea of blood that the wrath of the Almighty might swallow you up and then shall the people have liberty to enter into the spiritual Land CHAP. 8. Of the first Covenant and the second Covenant ANd now I shall speak a word or two of the two Covenants wherein I shall use this method First I shall speak of the first Covenant and then of the second now the first Covenant was but typicall and therefore it was the good pleasure of the Father to send the Son to take away the first that he might establish the second as you may see Heb. 10. 9. that is he takes away the force of the first that the second might come in place which is a better Covenant established upon better Promises Heb. 8. 6. now that the first was a typicall Covenant will appear for these Reasons 1. The first Covenant was an administration of the letter and therefore it was a typicall Covenant 2 Cor. 3. 6. 2. It was written and ingraven in Tables of stone which was a Type of the Covenant of grace which was to be written and ingraven in the fleshly Tables of the heart and therefore it was a typicall Covenant verse 7. 3. It was an administration of condemnation and therefore it was a typicall Covenant verse 9. 4. It was a Law of sin and death and therefore it was a typicall Covenant verse 7. Rom. 8. 11. 5. It was to be done away and to be abolished and therefore it was a typicall Covenant verse 1. 11. 13. 6. It was a wounding Covenant it was able to wound and to shew the weakness of the Creatures for by the Law came the knowledge of sinne but it was not able to heale and therefore it was
and if that they did not imbrace life they have no cause to complaine For as much as Christ taught them they shall not say at the last day that Christ did not teach them the way to heaven when he shall say unto them I have called and you have refused Prov. 1. 24. And thus I have spoken a word or two of the parties covenanting to wit the Father and the Son and now I shall speak a word or two of the extent of the Covenant Now it doth appeare the covenant doth extend unto all men as in the prophesie of Esay 2. 6. chap. 49. 6. where the covenant was promised to all both to Jews and Gentiles and in the words of the covenant it selfe it seems to be clear as in Jer. 31. 34. where the words are these And they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them and they shall be all taught of God John 6. 45. and I will powre out of my spirit upon all flesh as Joel 2. which are new Covenant words and all flesh shall see the salvation of God Luke 3. 6. wherewith it doth appear that it doth extend to all men for as the wound came upon all men under the first Covenant so the healing must extend to all under the second Covenant or else the plaister is not so great as the sore Rom. 5. 18. and now I shall shew you some Reasons wherefore the Covenant doth extend to all 1. Because Christ doth mediate for whole man as it doth appear in the 1 Tim. 2. 5. for there is one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus and therefore the Covenant must extend to all men because he mediates for whole man even for all that were lost in the first Adam 2. The Covenant doth extend to all men because Christ is a propitiation or Sacrifice for our sinnes and not for our sinnes onely but for and of the whole World 1 Iohn 2. 2. whereby it doth appear that the Covenant doth extend to all men 3. Because the promises of the Covenant do extend to all men and therefore all men are commanded to repent and believe because mercy is promised to all men as Christ saith I came not to call the righteous but sinners â—â— repentance Mat. 9. 13. and willeth not that any man should perish but that all men should come to the knowledg of the truth so that no man is denied the promises of mercy but such as will fully reject the Gospel as you may see Prov. 1. 20. to the end Rom. 8. 11. 2 Act. 13. 46. 47. 4. Because the Covenant extends as far as the blood for the blood is the blood of the Covenant Heb. 9. 14. ch 10. 29. Now the blood of Christ doth extend to all men as doth appear in that he died for the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. and came to justifie the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. in dying for them as you may see Rom. 5. 6. and so God commendeth his grace towards us that while we were sinners Christ died for us verse 8. who died for his enemies verse 10. and tasted death for all men Heb. 2. 9. and therefore it doth appear that the Covenant doth extend to all men because the Covenant extends as far as the blood 5. It doth appear that the Covenant doth extend to all men because such as shall be condemned shall be condemned for rejecting the Gospel as the Apostle doth declare when he saith that God shall judge the secrets of men according to the Gospel Rom. 2. 16. And God shall come in flaming fire rendring vengeance to those that know not God and obey not the Gospel 2 Thes 1. 8. 9. and this is the condemnation of the World that light is come and they love darkness rather then light John 3. 19. Now if the Covenant extend so far as to judge all men then it doth appear that it doth extend to all men 6. The Covenant of grace is a Covenant of love and the love of God doth extend as far as his anger for he is the God of love and therefore his mercies are over all his works and the enmity is swallowed up of love his love being a free love and his Covenant a free Covenant and therefore it doth appear that his Gospel doth extend to all because his love doth much more appear when it is extended to all then when it is extended to some those that deny the truth of this deny the free love of God thus I have shewed you the extent of the Covenant and now I shall shew you wherein the two Covenants do agree Now the Covenants agree in these respects 1. The Doctrine and practise of the first Covenant was one for they taught one Doctrine and practised one way both they and their Generations and so were to do and not to turn to the right hand or to the left but just according to the Command Deut. 4. 1. 2. and so under the Gospel there is one Doctrine and one practice as you may see in all the Gospel for the Apostles of Christ all taught one Doctrine and practised one thing as you may see in all their Doctrine and practice and this the Apostle Paul exhorteth Tymothy saying hold fast that forme of sound words which you have been taught 2 Tim. 1. 13. so that therein the first and second Covenant agree 2. Those that kept the first Covenant had right unto the promises and blessings and had right unto all the Ordinances thereof but those that broke that Law were cursed and had no right unto any promise therein and so those that keep and obey the Gospel are blessed but those that reject and contemn the Gospel are cursed 1 Pet. 2. 7. 8. 3. All the Lawes and Ordinances of the first Covenant were in force while the Covenant was on foot for he that did but neglect circumcision was to be cut off from the Israel of God Gen. 17. 14. and so also all the Laws and Ordinances of the second Covenant are on foot while the Covenant stands for take away the Ordinances and take away the covenant also and therefore he that denies any Ordinances under the Gospel rejects the councel of God to his own destruction Luke 7. 3. and therein the first and second covenant agree 4. The first covenant was a conditionall covenant as you may see by the words of Moses Levit. 26. 46. and so also is the second a conditional covenant for Repentance and Faith are the conditions of the covenant without the which none shall be saved for except you repent you shall all likewise perish Luke 13. 5. and he that doth not believe shall be condemned John 3. now I am not ignorant that most men conceive the Covenant to be without any condition at all but absolute and the strength of their Argument lies in the words shall and will as I will be their God and they shall be my people and so they
and the glory that should follow 2 Pet. 10. 11. and thus Christ was promised of long before he came unto Adam and Noah as also to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and to Moses unto whoÌ„ the Father revealed the Son saying I will raise them a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and I will put my word into his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I command him Deut. 18. 18. Acts 3. and as he was promised to Moses so also to the Prophets and thus to know him in the promise is life eternall 2. To know him as he was begotteÌ„ by the promise is life eternal for thus saith the Lord thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee for the Son was not born after the flesh but after the promise and mind of God and so the seed of grace was springing from the time of Adam till it came forth being begotten by the word of promise 3. To know him in his conception is life eternall being begotten by the immortall word all the promises compassing the Virgine about and the power of the most high overshadowing her Luke 1. 32. and so begat a holy seed Mal. 2. 15. So that that which was begot was a holy man Luke 1. 15. conceiv'd in the matrix or wombe of God being begot by the word of promise and born of the pure Virgin being conceived of the pure nature of God not borne after the flesh but after the Spirit or promise of God for the first man was of the earth earthly his Kingdom and power earthly and therefore his thoughts and mind earthly but the second is a heavenly man whose thoughts are heavenly being without spot or blemish or any worldly care but all for Heaven both in his thoughts words and deeds and therefore he was called the Lord from Heaven being able to conquer all the fleshly lusts and temptations of the world and therefore might rightly be called a Heavenly man and therein did exceed the first Adam And then again the first Adam was called the Image of God but the second Adam is called the expresse Image of the Fathers person whereby it doth appear that the second Adam is of a more glorious nature the first Adam being of a earthly nature the second Adam being of a spirituall nature the first Adam being set about earthly things and the second Adam being set about spirituall things And thus you see that Christ was begotten a pure man fit for all heavenly employment being of so glorious and pure a nature that he was able to aspire or ascend into Heaven for what should hinder him being every way heavenly and no way earthly in his nature and therefore he was able to walke upon the Sea and not be drowned as you may see Mat. 14. 15. and was able to passe thorow dores and stone Walls being so pure a man that there was nothing could hinder him from going into any place And thus it is life eternall to know the man Christ in his pure conception as he was a pure nature 4. To know him as he ascended into Heaven is life eternall for being a pure heavenly man he was able to ascend into Heaven for what should hinder him being a pure nature being a heavenly nature it was more naturall to be in Heaven then to be in earth for it is nothing but this sinfull nature that hinders us from Heaven but Christ having no sinne in his nature there was nothing could hinder him from ascending into Heaven Now that Christ did ascend into Heaven Now that Christ did ascend into Heaven doth appear for saith he No man hath ascended up to Heaven at any time but he that came down from Heaven which is the Sonne of man that was in Heaven and so Christ shows you that never any man did ascend to Heaven but himself but the man Christ went up into Heaven for he saith it and I dare not but believe it for his words are Spirit and Truth no man at any time but the man Christ John 3. 13. And I I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me John 6. 38. For the Father takes him up into Heaven and revealed his mind and his will to him what he would have him to declare to the world and to manifest the Fathers love to all men if they did imbrace his doctrine and so the Father sent him into the world that he that believed in him should not perish And thâ—â— much doth the Sonne confesse when he saith Lâ—â— I came to do thy will O God And I came down from Heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me And thus to know Christ is life eternall 5. To know him in his life is life eternall what he came to do and what he did First what he came to do and that was to do the will of the Father For thus it is written in the volume of thy book of me to do thy will O God Heb. 10. For the words that I speak are not mine but the words of him that sent me And thus you see the end of Christs comeing to declare the mind of the Father to the world which was a pure heavenly Doctrin all tending to grace and glory his Doctrine being all spirituall and to know him in his life as he was a pure spirituall man for all his thoughts were heavenly and his words and Doctrine heavenly and all his actions heavenly So that it might truly be said he came from Heaven being a man for Heaven and not for earth all his actions tending Heaven-ward being indeed a man for another world Heaven being ready to receive him and the world being weary of him and thus to know Christ iâ— eternall life 6. To know him in his death is eternall life all his life being a life of heavenly trouble 〈◊〉 of heavenly afflictions being in his life a patterne of all heavenly living So that the World had nothing against his person but against his doctrine for their envy against him was not in respect of his person but of his Doctrine for his person might have been free but for his Doctrine for his accuseâ—â— said he is a blasphemer and is worthy to die for he hath said he came from God and that he came from Heaven and that he was the Sonne of God and hath spoke against our Lawes and against Moses and hath said he is greater then Abraham and the Prophets and hath preached blasphemy and therefore he ought and is worthy to die and is not worthy to live and by our Law he ought to be put to death And for these Reasons they sought to destroy him and were never satisfied till they had got him into their hands and so to be revenged on him by smiting of him with their hands and scourging him with whips and rods with their mockings of him and spitting in his face and
partake of the Supper and walked in a Church way for the fulnesse of the Spirit doth not take away thy obedience but rather makes thee more obedient art thou as full of the Spirit as Christ and yet he walked in a visible way and commanded his Apostles to set forth a visible way of worship to the world to be practised in every Age. Againe hast thou as much of the Spirit of God as the Apostles of Christ and yet they worshipped God in a visible way art thou too good to walk in that way that the Apostles of Christ walked in or canst thou produce a better way then they walked in canst thou finde out a more holy way then they did or canst thou finde out a more soule-saving way canst thou set forth a better Christ and a better Gospel and a more spirituall way produce it if thou canst and we will beleeve thee but if thou canst not finde out a better way then Christ and his Apostles have set forth then what dost thou contend for for a worse way if thou canst not finde a better way then why dost thou forsake this It is a signe thou art weary of serving God who wilt thou serve next but the Serpent and thy selfe thou contemnest the Scripture and the way of the Scripture that thou mightest serve the Devill and thy selfe how dost thou villifie Christ and his Apostles surely thou art not of God but of thy father the Devill for his workes thou dost Canst thou finde a better way then Christ and his Apostles walked in canst thou finde more spirituall men then they were or more precious examples to follow who were patternes of all goodnesse was their way so carnall as thou makes it what carnall honours and riches had they by walking in that way what ptaise had they of the world If their way were so carnall as thou wouldest make it then why did not all the world receive it they are apt enough to imbrace a carnall way for their fleshly advantage thou needest not much perswade them what way is more contrary to all the world then the way of Christ and his Apostles whereby it doth appeare to be a truth because it is hated of all the world Lastly The letter of the Scripture will tell thee there is a visible worship for how couldest thou know what visible or invisible meant but by the letter of the word or how couldest thou tell what worship meant but by the word doth not the letter of the word tell thee all things did God ever speake to thee without a letter then what word did he speak God never spake nonsense but if he spake without a letter then he spake nonsense And thou wouldest be a blasphemer to say so for no word can be made without letters and thou canst compact no word without a letter when God gave Adam a Law he taught him to read it and thou must read thy A B C before thou canst read plaine and must learne thy letters plaine before thou canst speak plain and I think thou hast hardly learned thy A B C for thou canst hardly read plaine and yet thou dost despise the letter of thy Learning for how wouldest thou know that God Created all things in six dayes but by the Letter and how wouldest thou know what God did every day but by the Letter and how couldest thou know that the Heaven was called Heaven and the Earth was called Earth but by the Letter and how couldest thou know the name of the Sun or the name of the Moon and Stars but by the Letter that calls them so and how didst thou know the names of Day and Night without the Letter and how commest thou to know the names of the Creatures both in the Aire as the Fowles of the Aire and the names of the Beasts of the Field with the Fishes in the Sea how commest thou to know the names of all these doth not the Letter of the the Word tell thee or else how couldst thou know their names Againe how dost thou know there was an Adam and Eve but by the Letter and how dost thou know the world was destroyed by Water at Noahs flood but by the Letter of the Word and how dost thou know that Noah and his Family were saved in the Arke but by the Letter and how dost thou know there was an Abraham Isaac and Jacob but by the Letter that there was a Moses and the Law of Moses a people of Israel that were in Aegypt and came into tht Land of Canaan doth not the Letter tell thee this or else how couldest thou know it and here I might be large to teach thee to learne thy Letters and to know the Letter of the Scripture but thy pride will stop thy learning and yet I shall leave thee without excuse How commest thou to know there is a Christ but by the letter of the Word and how camest thou to know that Christ dyed and rose againe and ascended into Heaven but by the Letter of the Word and how knowest thou what Christ dyed for that he came to save Sinners and to open a doore of Salvation to the world and that there is Salvation in him for sinners How camest thou to know all this but by the Letter of the Word and how commest thou to know there is a Gospell and Grace Mercy and Salvation held forth in this Gospell but by the Letter And then againe how commest thou to know that there is a Heaven and a Hell and that there shall be a Resurrection and a Judgement and that thou shalt rise at the last Day How commest thou to know all these things but by the Letter of the Word sure hadst thou learned the Letter better thou wouldest not have despised thy Master it is the Letter of the Word of God that hath taught thee what thou hast and thou art a good Scholler to despise thy Master How dost thou know that there is sinne but by the Letter and that there is a Devill and that the Devill and wicked men shall be punished for ever and that the godly shall be blessed for ever How commest thou to know all these things but by the Letter of the Word thou mayest thank the Letter of the Word for all thy knowledge or else thou mightest have been like unto the East Indians that know not their right hand from their left for it is the Letter of the Word that hath taught thee thy wisdome and the Devill hath taught thee thy pride and yet I wish thee better then thou dost thy selfe for the Letter of the Scripture would faine keepe thee and yet I thinke the Devill will take thee And yet I shall speake a word or two more for visible worship for ought we not to serve God as well with our bodies as with our hearts Can wee â—erve God within and the Devill without sure no man can serve two Masters for out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh for thou shewest by thy words what is within for as thy heart is so are thy words but it is a signe there is no worship in thy heart because there is none in thy words or else thou dost dissemble with thy selfe Why ought we not as well to serve God in our Bodies as in our Soules Will the worship of God hinder us and why cannot we know as much in a visible way as thou dost out Dost thou thinke that the Worship of the Gospell and the Lawes and Ordinances thereof doth hinder us from knowing the minde of God sure this is but the doctrine of the Serpent for our obedience to the Commands of Jesus Christ doth not hinder us but further us to know his minde For the humble he will teach and he rejecteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Our living in the Commands of Christ will not hinder us but helpe us to know the minde of God for the Promise is to such as walke in his way and that he that doth his Will shall know his minde and therefore it doth appeare that the Commands of Christ doth not hinder us from knowing the Mysteries of God thou wouldest take us off of our obedience from serving of God to serve the Devill for the Devill hath deceived thee and thou wouldest deceive as thou wouldest bring us out of order into confusion to walke in confusion like thy selfe thou art of no Religion and yet thou canst be of any and thy Religion changes as oft as thy thoughts thou art restlesse in thy thoughts and restlesse in thy life and also as restlesse in thy comforts for thou art in Babilon and the height of confusion for thou livest a confused life thou lyest in confusion and there thou livest how long wilt thou walke in confusion wilt thou not returne into order lest thou dye in confusion and fall into the wrath and anger of Jehovah FINIS A Postscript to a Party called Seekers or those that call themselves Mad-men which deny the Bible to be Scripture or the Word of GOD. THE Devill hath alwayes in all Ages sought to blinde the eyes of the people for he can fit himselfe for all Ages and he is more subtill in this Age then in other Ages and the reason I conceive is this because people are come to see further then they have done in former times into the word of God and his worship and therefore it is the subtilty of Sathan in these dayes to seeke to take us off all worship and to deny the Bible to be the word of God and so teaches men to deny that there is any rule to walke by but that every man may walke according to the dictates of his owne heart and as it seemeth good in his owne eyes and this is a pleasing bait to take the world with and here the old Serpent doth prevaile and snares the sonnes of men for this is the day he lookes for if he can take men off the word that thereby they may deny all Scriptures and all Visible Worship then they will be his owne children of the tribe of disobedience begotten by the seed of the Serpent and travelling towards the land of confusion that they may arrive at the anger of God and because the word is made so contemptible in these dayes I shall endeavour for the strengthning of some and the confirming of others to give you some reasons wherefore the things contained in the Bible are the word of God And first by the workes of Creation it doth appear that this is a truth for if the Lord hath taken so much care of the workes of Creation to preserve them doe you think that his care will bee lesse to preserve his Word Doth not hee magnifie his Name and his word above all things Psal 138. 2. And hath he not more care of his word with the letters and sillables thereof then of the Starres of heaven for if his care bee so great to preserve the workes of Creation how much more shall his care be to preserve his Word whereby his Name and Power might be known to all Nations 2 If the Letter and Word of the Old Testament were not true then what priviledge had the Jews which the Apostle speaks of in Rom. 3. 1. 2. That unto them were committed the Oracles of God now what praise is to the Jewes if their Oracles were not true then they had little priviledge above the Gentiles which is so much spoken of for if the Letter and Word be corrupted then what was their priviledge above other Nations 3 These sixteene hundred yeares and more since the Jewes have beene cast off from being the Church of God and have been scattered for their sinnes upon the face of the whole earth and have been the greatest enemies to the Gospell of any people and yet for all this it cannot be proved that they have corrupted the Scripture but that the Hebrew Text remaineth as it was in the Apostles dayes and shall wee thinke that they were lesse carefull in former times when they were the Church of God for they have been these many yeares so carefull that if any fault escaped the Scribe that Book was not allowed to bee read in their Synagogue untill it were corrected for they have these rules that if the Booke of the Law want but a letter or if the forme of any letter be not perfect it was for children and not for Church Maim in Sepher Torah C. 10. 4 What is 70 yeares to corrupt all Copies when as a Copy written on Parchment as their manner was will indure many 70 years intire Jeremiah with some Jews remained a while in the Land and Ezekiel Daniel with many godly men that were in Babylon with Ezra that learned Priest and Scribe came with the people out of Babylon and they had also other Prophets amongst them as Haggai Zachariah and Malachi and how doe you thinke that the Word should be corrupted having such a glorious company both of Prophets Scribes and wise men whereby it doth appeare that the Scripture is not corrupted but doth remaine the Word of God 5 Doth not Christ reprove the Priests and Scribes with the Pharisees for corrupting the Law by wrong interpretation as you may see Matth. 5. 15. and 23 Now it doth appeare if they had violated and falsified the Scriptures that Christ would have reproved them for it would not Christ have told them saying you have falsified the Scripture but he doth not and therefore it doth appeare that the Scriptures are true 6 If the Scriptures of the Old Testament had been false would Christ have exhorted them to have read the Scriptures Luke 16 Iohn 5. 2 Pet. 1 If they had beene wrong would not Christ and his Apostles have left a perfect Canon of the word to the Church and to all the world but we see that Christ doth confirme the Law in every point Mat. 5. 18. And therefore it doth appeare that
the Bible is true 7 It cannot appeare that the Bible should be corrupted since for besides the Apostles there were many thousand of learned Jewes and the Churches of the Jewes that came to professe the Gospel Act. 21. 20. Iames 1. 1. and the truth being so gloriously planted that it doth appeare that the word could not be corrupted since 8 It doth appeare that the Bible is the word of God because it holds out holinesse more then any Booke in the world for there is no Booke in the world parallel with it in respect of holinesse whereby it doth appeare that it is the word of God 9 It doth appeare that the Scriptures in the Originall Text are the word of God because they hold forth a self-denying creature more then any Book besides in the world and therefore it doth appeare that it is the word of God 10 There is nothing in the world that doth discover the wicked wayes of men more then the Scripture doth and therefore it doth appeare that it is the Word of God because there is no Booke more excellent to discover the wickednesse of the Creature 11 In respect of the matter of the Scripture whereby it doth appeare to be the Word of God for there cannot be more glorious matter for the Creature to be centered upon whereby it doth appeare to be the Word of God 12 The right justice and judgement in the Word doth make it appeare to be the Word of God in holding forth such pure justice and judgement as all the Bookes in the world cannot nor doe not hold forth the same whereby it doth appeare to be the Word of God 13 Gods preservation of the Scriptures in all Ages doth make it appeare that it is the Word of God so as all the enemies thereof were not able to destroy it nor yet are although the Scriptures have had many thousands of enemies and being so wonderfully preserved in all Ages against all opposers doth make it appeare that it is the Word of God 14 The Scriptures or Bible doth appeare to be the Word of God because those things that have been prophesied of therein have come to passe in all Ages and things have fallen out in every Age according to their severall Prophesies and all this being so doth make it plainly appeare that the Scriptures are the Word of God 15 By the powerfull effects that the Word hath wrought and doth yet worke upon the hearts and Consciences of men as to avoyd the evill and to chuse the good doth make it appeare to be the Scripture of God in respect of the wonderfull effects that have been wrought thereby in all ages 16 It doth appeare it is not the word of the Devill because it doth discover his wicked names and titles as also his wicked nature with the terrible Judgements that are prescribed against him all which doth make it appeare that it is the Word of God for most certaine it is that the Devill would never speake against himselfe to judge himselfe were there not a greater to discover and to judge him which is the Word of God 17 It doth appeare that it is not the Word of man because it holds forth the wickednesse of the Creature as also his eternall Judgement and most apparent it is that the Creature would never condemne himselfe eternally were there not a greater to condemne him which is the Word of God And now because those that deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God are grounded upon nothing but their owne Dictates which is the ground of their principles whereby they say they know all things because they say God is in them and that they know that which God knowes therefore to the chiefest of these I shall prescribe some worke because they say they know all things to answer to these questions or quaeries And 1 Whether is that precept injoyned by Christ to goe preach and baptise and if you say it is then where and when ceased 2 Whether doth not the visible Creation hold forth a visible Worship and whether shall a visible Worship cease untill the visible Creation cease c. Richard Stookes FINIS