A little starre, giving some light into the counsels and purposes of God revealed in the Scriptures. Or A catechisme, wherein these ensuing principles. 1. What God is, and how he manifests himselfe. 2 Why he made the world and man. 3. Mans condition, what, 1. by creation. 2. By his fall. 3. By being restored by Jesus Christ. 4 The uses and ends of the law. 5. What the Gospell is. 6. Justification what it is. 7. Sanctification what, and how it is wrought. 8. What repentance is. 9. The use and ends of the Scriptures. 10. What true prayer is. 11. Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, why, and how used. 12. Generall redemption what, and how to be adjudged of. 13. Resurrection and judgement what. 14. Heaven and Hell what, in truth and misterie. All which are briefly by way of question and answer opened and explained. / By VVilliam Mason.

A little starre, giving some light into the counsels and purposes of God revealed in the Scriptures. Or A catechisme, wherein these ensuing principles. 1. What God is, and how he manifests himselfe. 2 Why he made the world and man. 3. Mans condition, what, 1. by creation. 2. By his fall. 3. By being restored by Jesus Christ. 4 The uses and ends of the law. 5. What the Gospell is. 6. Justification what it is. 7. Sanctification what, and how it is wrought. 8. What repentance is. 9. The use and ends of the Scriptures. 10. What true prayer is. 11. Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, why, and how used. 12. Generall redemption what, and how to be adjudged of. 13. Resurrection and judgement what. 14. Heaven and Hell what, in truth and misterie. All which are briefly by way of question and answer opened and explained. / By VVilliam Mason.

A little starre, giving some light into the counsels and purposes of God revealed in the Scriptures. Or A catechisme, wherein these ensuing principles. 1. What God is, and how he manifests himselfe. 2 Why he made the world and man. 3. Mans condition, what, 1. by creation. 2. By his fall. 3. By being restored by Jesus Christ. 4 The uses and ends of the law. 5. What the Gospell is. 6. Justification what it is. 7. Sanctification what, and how it is wrought. 8. What repentance is. 9. The use and ends of the Scriptures. 10. What true prayer is. 11. Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, why, and how used. 12. Generall redemption what, and how to be adjudged of. 13. Resurrection and judgement what. 14. Heaven and Hell what, in truth and misterie. All which are briefly by way of question and answer opened and explained. / By VVilliam Mason.

Table of contents

Title page

TO ALL THE SAINTS, Scattered (particularly) throughout Oxford-shire, Warwick-shire, and Northampton-shire: and (more generally) throughout England, (especially they under lower dispensations) Grace and Peace be multiplyed.

A LITTLE STARRE, OR CATECHISME; &c.

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A LITTLE STARRE, OR CATECHISME; &c.

QUest. What is the end of Catechizing?

Answ. To instruct the ignorant in the knowledge of Heb. 5. 12. 13. God, and of themselves.

Q. Is there a God then?

A. Yes: Psal. 19. 1. The heavens declare that there is a glorious God, and Mark 12. 32. the firmament sheweth forth his handy work.

Q. What is God?

A. God is an eternal Spirit, having John 4. 24. his being in, and of himself; infinite in wisdome, in power, in justice, in mercy, 2 Cor. 3. 17 and goodnesse; yea, who is all these in highest perfection.

Q. How doe you know that there is a God?

[Page] A. First, By his works of creation and providence, whereby his eternall power Rom. 1. 20. Mat. 19. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 17. and God-head are wonderfully manifested. And Secondly, By the Scriptures, which doe abundantly declare him. But thirdly, and chiefly By his Spirit, which he hath given us, 1 John 4. 14. and 20.

Q. How many Gods be there?

A. There be many that are called Gods, but to us there is but one God; 1 Cor. 8. 5. 6. Jer. 23. 24. who is one intire, invisible, glorious being; comprehending all things, filling all things, and who is not confined, nor comprehended 1 Kings 8. 27.

Q. Why then are the names and titles of God given to more than one, namely to three, called the three persons in the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, if there be but one God.

A. God hath been pleased in much wisedom and goodness, to manifest himself by, and under these three denominations 1 John 5 7. Isa▪ 9. 6. or titles; not that there are three Gods; but rather so many various discoveries, and makings forth of one and the same God.

Q. What conceive you of God when he makes himself known by the name of Father?

[Page] A. First, that he is the fountain, the Psal. 36. 9. root, the originall of all good to all men, in relation to the outward condition: And Secondly, and chiefly, that of and from himselfe, he doth bring forth glorious Isa. 41. 4. and 44. 6. discoveries and dispensations, of infinite love and goodnesse, toward the Sons of men; electing and adopting them for Iohn 3. 16. 17. Heb. 12. 10 himself, drawing their souls up unto himself, and making them partakers of himself. Eph. 1. 4. 5. John 6. 44.

Q. What conceive you of him when he makes forth himself by the name of Sonne?

A. Here is held forth a second way of his inexpressible love to man, for here is a 1 Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 2. 16. wonderfull condiscention, the glorious God manifesting himself in the flesh, taking on him our nature, and our flesh becoming Immanuel, or God made one with us Isa. 7. 14. Rom. 8. 3. Phil. 2. 8. Gal. 3. 13. in the flesh; and in our nature and our flesh, fulfilled all righteousness for us, subjected himself in the flesh to death, and curse, to satisfie divine Justice, which we had offended, that by this means he might [...] us from that wrath, and curse, which we had deserved

Q. And what doe you understand, when he makes himself known by the name of Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit?

[Page] A. By this is manifested a third way of Rom. 5. 5. 8. his abundant goodness, for by his Spirit, which is the powerfull working of his love in the hearts of his people, he reveals 2 Cor. 3. 18 and communicates himselfe, with all the riches of his grace and love unto them, Rom. 8. 4. yea, by which he sanctifies and transforms them into his own Image, fulfilling Eph. 2. 22. all righteousness in them; and whereby he takes them into union with himselfe, to live in him.

Q. Why did God make the world?

A. God, who is infinitely glorious in Num. 14. 21. himselfe, yea, who is an overflowing fulnesse of all glorious excellencies, needed not the world to add to his glorious perfections: Isa. 43. 7. but he made the world for the manifestation, and declaration of his glory.

Q. Could not the glory of God shine forth sufficiently, without the work of creation?

A. No, That infinite and transcendent fulnesse of wisedom, power, and good [...] that is in God, and which is God, could not contain it selfe; but must of necessity break forth into action, for wisdom; power, Justice, &c. are not really such, except they act like themselves.

Q. Might not man have been well spared in the Creation.

[Page] A. No, The least, even the most contemptible Psal. 145. 10. Prov. 8. 31. creature, serves much to advance the praise of the creator: but man being the excellencie of the creation, for whose use and service were all other creatures made; yea, in whom, and to whom the Lord principally intended the manifestation of all his glorious excellencies, could not possible be wanting.

Q. Doth not the wisdome and power. &c. of God as plenifully appeare, in making all other creatures, as in man?

A. The whole Creation, though it be not sensible of the glory of God, yet doth in a silent way declare and shew forth the infinite wisdom, power and Psal. 19. 1. 2. Rom. 1. 20. Gen. 2. 16. Prov. 30. 24, 25, 26. goodness of God to man, every Creature being made to his use, some for his delight, some for his food, some for his rayment, some for medicine, and others for instruction in wisdom, providence, and diligence: But God, in making man, intended a Creature that should be apprehensive Psal. 145. 11. 12. Prov. 8. 21. of his glory, that so he might be telling and speaking forth his praise to others: yea, and who also should be capable of his glory, that so he might inherit it, and live in it, and also act to the praise of it.

[Page] Q. In what condition and estate was man created?

A. Mans condition was every way happy, being made in the Image of God, full of Wisdom, Righteousness, and Holiness: and for the outward wanting nothing Gen. 1. 26. that might serve for his comfortable refreshment and delight.

Q. Did God appoint man any imployment?

A. Man was not made to live idlely, but to exercise those abilities which God Gen. 2. 15. gave him to his praise.

Q. Did the Lord impose any law upon Adam, or was he left to his own will?

A. The Lord, to shew his Soveraignty over man, and also to make him know that he was but a creature, and ought to do him homage and service, did (by giving him a law) bind him to obedience, Gen. 2. 17.

Q. Was man fully able to obey God, and keep his law?

A. The Lord commanded nothing unto man, but what he was able to do with comfort and delight: neither did he restrain Gen. 2. 17. him from any thing, that might in the least have added to his happiness, and which also he was not fully able to forbear

[Page] Q. Did God lay any penalty upon him in case he disobeyed?

A Yes, the greatest and sorest that could be imagined, even the loss of his Gen. 2 favour and love, which in it self is misery sufficient: and not onely so, but also to be thrown under as much wrath, as Divine justice could inflict, and that Eternally.

Q. Seeing mans condition was so happy, the law he was under so easie, and the penalty (in case he offended) was so great, how then came it to pass that he disobeyed?

A. Man being a creature capable of happiness and glory, and so acting as he Eccles. 7. 29. imagined, towards his own happiness, was deceived in the way he sought it.

Q. How was it possible, that man being so wise and holy, could so much forget his loyalty to his Maker, and seek for glory in a sinful way?

A. The Devil, who is a Murtherer, came Gen. 3. 4. 5. with great subtilty, and by good words, and fair speeches pretended great love to 2 Cor. 11. 3. man,; but intended his ruine, and setting upon the weakest part of man, therein perswaded him, that God (by saying that restraint upon him) kept him back from happiness: but he lyed unto him.

[Page] Q. What is the Devil?

A. An evil Angel or Spirit, who (because he kept not his first estate or principality Jude 6. wherein he was created) was justly thrown down into irrecoverable destruction; he being envious at mans happy condition, sought by all means to deprive him of it.

Q. Did Adam find and enjoy the wisdome and happiness the Devil told him of?

A. No, but the quite contrary; for now he saw his own folly: for instead of Gen. 3. 7. 8. delighting himself in God, and conversing with him, he could not now endure the sight of God, but hid himself from him.

Q. How did God take the matter at Adams hand?

A. Very ill, he being greatly dishonoured, Hab. 1. 13. his Commandment being broken; and being infinite in Holiness, could not be but greatly displeased.

Q. Seeing God in making of man, chiefly Sect. 2. intended his own glory; and man now having so much dishonoured him: Did not God then lose his end and expectation concerning him?

A. The Lord was greatly dishonoured indeed by mans sin and rebellion, but yet he did not fall of his glory; for by this [Page] means there was a way open, not onely Rom. 5. 17, 21. for the declaration of his infinite justice, but also for the manifestation of his unconceiveable love, and unspeakable goodness.

Q. It may seem then, that God did lay a necessity of sinning upon Adam, seeing he is so much glorified by his sin?

A. God did not necessitate Adam to Jam. 1 13 sin, no more than he did Jacob to obtain the blessing by a lye; neither was be glorified by Adams sin, as it was sin and rebellion against his holy Will; for so he hated it, and abhorred it, and could not Deut 132. 19. in justice but punish it, and that severely: but herein doth he appear exceeding glorious, in that he could bring good out of evil, and take occasion thereby, to magnifie Eph. [...] 6, 7. the riches of his grace, even towards those poor souls who had plunged themselves into misery and destruction.

Q. What was mans condition after he had sinned?

A. Man had now brought himself by Rom. 7. 24. his sin, into a very miserable and wretched condition, being deprived, not onely of the company of God, but also of the comfortable apprehension of his love and favour; yea, and hereby also became [Page] sensible of that heavy and unsupportable Gen. 3. 7, 8. Wrath and Curse, which was due unto him for the same.

Q. Was mans outward estate any way changed by his sin?

A. There was a wonderful alteration in his outward condition also, First, for Gen. 2. 8, to 15. his habitation, being seated in that goodly Eden, or glorious Paradise; wherein were all variety of pleasant Objects to delight his senses. Secondly, for his imployment, it was every way desirable, delightful, and easie. And thirdly, for his Dominion, and Power, he was Lord of all Gen. 1. 28. the creatures, they were all at his Command, and for his Service: But now having sinned, he was cast out of Paradise, Gen. 3. 19, 23, 24. into the wide World, which was like a Wilderness, it not being dressed not rained upon; wherein he is constrained to lay his bones hard to work, and sweat for bread before he eat it; and was thereby also become so faint▪ hearted and cowardly, that he was affraid that every creature that looked upon him would kill him.

Q. Mans condition was now miserable indeed, but had he neither Will nor Power to help himself?

[Page] A. Man was in this condition as one Eph. 2. 1. that is dead, having now neither strength nor desire to act toward his own good. That he had no will, appears by this; when God called for him, he ran away and hid himself; and also when the Lord Gen. 3. 8, 9, 12. reasoned out the matter in a gentle and peaceable way, he began to excuse himself, and shift off the business to another, but had no mind to cry guilty. And to shew that it was altogether impossible for him to attain the love and favour of God (which is life) by any power of his own, or by any meanes he could devise: There was placed between him and life, irresistable power, and unavoidable danger, Gen. 3. 24. Cherubims, and a flaming Sword, turning every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life.

Q. Seeing mans condition was at first every way so happy and blessed, how could it be possible that by one offence he should become thus extreamly and unavoidably miserable?

A. Mans felicity did not altogether consist in that he was made happy by vertue of his Creation, but in that he was in Psal. 63. 3. the love and favour of God; that being the main Pillar whereon his blessedness, Psal. 30. 5. his joy, his comfort, yea, and his very life [Page] depended; but when he would leave the Counsel and Command of God, and hearken to Satan, the utter enemy of God, and follow his counsel, and obey his command, he deprived himself (and Rom. 6. 21, 23. that justly) of all that blessed and comfortable enjoyment of Gods love and favour; and not onely so, but was now 2 Tim. 2. 26. become the Bond-slave of Satan, and led captive of him at his will.

Q Is there then such danger in sin?

A. The nature of sin is exceeding dangerous, Jer. 5. 25. it deprived man of all comfort, joy, and happiness both in his soul, and Hos. 14. 1. in his outward condition also, and exposed him to all miseries in his soul and outward estate: And not onely so, but it is also very poysonous; Satan that foul spirit being now possessed of mans heart, Mar. 7. 21. hath tainted and corrupted his whole Nature, soul, and body, in all the powers Rom. 3. 10, 11, &c. and parts thereof; so that now he was not able of himself to think, act, or speak any thing that is good, or of God, but altogether that which is evil, and of the Devil.

Q. Man being now wholly corrupted, and Sect. 3. abominable in his actions, and being joyned also with Satan against God; how then came [Page]it to pass, that God (who is infinite in justice) could forbear, and not execute upon him that penalty which he at first denounced against him in case he disobeyed?

A. That infinite and over-flowing fulness of love which is in God, or rather which is God, could now no longer be kept in; for now he begins to act like a Jer. 31. 20. Father, whose Bowels yearn after his Children; and though he carryed▪ the matter strange a while, yet notwithstanding, love breaks forth, and acts like it self: and instead of proceeding to execution, he begins to comfort him, revealing Gen. 3. 15. to him his purpose in the mysterie of Christ; and out of the bottomless depth of Wisdom, declaring, that he could be just in justifying the ungodly, condemning the sin in the second Adam, who was Isa. 53. 6. to arise of the Seed of the woman; and though the Devil had been too hard for Rom. 3. 25, 26. them, and spoiled them of their present happiness; yet at length the womans Seed should overcome the Devil, and ransom them, and redeem them from his Rom. 4. 16. slavery, and put them into a safer condition than they had lost.

Q. Was Adam fully restored (by vertue of this Promise) unto that happy condition[Page]which at first he enjoyed?

A. Mans condition was at first happy, Prov. 11. 19 and the 12. 28. in that he could act righteousness, and so keep himself in the love of God; but when he by sin had disabled himself, and could act nothing but unrighteousness, he lost the favour of God, and so became miserable: Nevertheless, by this promise he was much repaired; not that he could now act, but that he was enabled Rom. 4. 5. to believe on him, who should act righteousness for him; for according to the manifestations of God to him, so he could believe, and according to his faith (or the measure thereof,) so was his Mark 9. 23. Mat. 9. 29. comfort and happiness: But he was not yet fully restored, for although Satan was cast out, yet he was not wholly overcome; but waited his opportunity to reenter, continually labouring by his subtile suggestions and insinuations, to make 1 Pet. 5. 8. that bitter Root, and spawn of sin which Mark 7. 21. remained in him, to grow, increase, and break forth into act, that so he might (at least) deprive him of his comfort.

Q. Did the guilt of this sin, and the punishment Sect. 4. due to the same, lye and remain onely upon Adam, or did it extend also to his Posterity?

[Page] A. Sin is of such a filthy and defiling Levit. 15. 2, 3, 4, &c. nature. that it taints and pollutes every thing that touches it, or comes near it; and though Adam, or the first man was alone, as touching the act of it; yet notwithstanding, Rom. 3. c, 10, 11, &c. he being wholly corrupted, and all men being then in his loynes, they must of necessity be tainted and polluted with the same.

Q. This (me thinks) seems very strange, that Adam sinning in his own person, his Posterity should be defiled therewith; and it being a point not easily digested of all, therefore how do you further prove it?

A. Adam in his innocency was Holy Gen. 1. 26. and Righteous, and therein he was like unto God; but now having sinned, and corrupted himself, he no longer retains the Image of God, but is become like Satan, and is a sinner: and in this condition he could not beget a son in the Image of God, (that is holy and righteous) but in his own image, that is, a sinner like Gen. 5. 3. Job 14. 4. himself; no man being able to bring forth pure streams, out of an impure and filthy and 15. 14. Fountain.

Q. But how could God justly punish, (and that so severely) the Posterity of Adam for his sin?

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[Page] A. God who is infinitely Holy and Righteous, though he might have justly condemned and destroyed all Adam's Posterity, they being all born the Children Eph. 2. 3. of wrath, and under the curse; yet notwithstanding, doth not proceed to the condemnation of any, until they have made Adam's sin their own, by acting Ezek. 18. 20. Sect. 5. sin in their own persons.

Q. All men being become thus sinful and abominable in their doings, what means doth God use, and what course doth he take for their redemption and salvation?

A. The promise which God made to Adam, concerning the Seed of the woman, Gal. 4. 4. must (in the fulness of time) be fulfilled; God (who is rich in mercy, for Eph. 2. 4. his infinite love, wherewith he loved Man-kind) doth marvellously condescend, Psal. 103. 6. Phil. 2. 7. and comes forth in the name and nature of a Son, works powerfully in the Womb of a Virgin, causeth a wonderful Luke 1. 35. Conception, brings forth an excellent creature, a second Adam, altogether without sin, pure, and holy, calls him his Son, names him a Saviour, manifests his Mat. 1. 21. great love, and the exceeding riches of Iohn 3. 16. Mat. 1. 23. his grace in him; he being Immanuel, or God, made one with us in the flesh; in [Page] this flesh he walked exactly, fulfilling all Iohn 8. 46. Righteousness for us; yea, he subjects this Mat. 3. 15. Phil. 2. 8. Rom. 5. 8. flesh to Death, and Curse, and therein makes the Atonement between God and man.

Q. Was there no other course to be taken, nor any other means to be used, to reconcile God and man?

A. Infinite justice could not be satisfied without the death of some person, Heb. 9. 22. without shedding of blood, there was no remission to be had: And forasmuch as Rom. 5. 6. all men were sinners, and so become weak, and neither able to bear the weight of Divine justice, nor yet to make satisfaction to the same for the least offence; 1 Ioh. 4. 9▪ 10. 1 Tim. 3. 16. therefore now infinite love works strongly towards poor Man-kind: The glorious God assumes mans nature, clothes himself with mans flesh, and in this nature Isa. 53. 6. and this flesh became Surety for man, paying all that debt, and undergoing all Gal. 3. 13. that wrath and curse, which was due to man for sin.

Q. But did not God on Mount Sinai give Sect. 6. the Israelites a Law, contained in ten Commandements, and did he not tell them, that upon their obedience and conformity unto the same, they should live and be happy?

[Page] A. God indeed gave Israel; a Law, but it was not his meaning that they should attain happiness by an outward conformity to the same; for he had before declared Gen. 3. 15. himself to the contrary to Adam in the Seed of the woman: again to Abraham, saying In thy Seed shall all the Families Gen. 22. 18. of the earth be blessed, which Seed was Christ. Now if he had intended that they should re-gain his favour, and so become happy by their obedience to this Law, Rom. 4. 13. then this former promise had been void and of none effect. But then secondly, this Law was of such infinite holiness, and perfection of righteousness, and they having nothing of their own to further them in their obedience and conformity Gen. 6. 5. unto it, but a nature and disposition continually inclinable to sin and rebel; therefore the more they expected happiness Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. from their obedience, (falling so short in their obedience) the more they threw themselves under the curse, and so became more miserable.

Q. Were all men (without exception) in this weak and low condition? Were none of them able to keep the Law?

A. No not one, there was not in any of them any strength at all to endure Rom. 3. 9, 10. [Page] Gods presence, but removed, and stood Exod. 20. 18. afar off, and durst not abide the sight of infinite Righteousness: nay▪ the very best of them (even Moses) was exceedingly Heb. 12. 21. terrified at his glorious appearance.

Q. True indeed, they were much affrighted at that sight, because the Lord was pleased to shew himself in such a terrible manner, in such Thunders, Lightnings, and Earthquakes; but did they tremble, or were they terrified at the apprehension of the Law?

A. Although the beholding of Gods appearance was very terrible, and full of amazement; yet that was not the onely cause of their fear: but the Law that was then delivered, was so transcendently holy and righteous, and they being conscious to themselves of their former grievous Heb. 12. 20 miscarriages, and also sensible of their own inability, and indisposition to yield any answerable obedience to the same for the future: This caused them to fear, that divine Justice would presently Exod. 20. 19. seize upon them.

Q. Why did God appear in such a terrible manner at the giving of the Law?

A. Man in the state of innocency was able to look upon God with comfort; the manifest ations of God were his life; but Gen. 1. 28, 29, 30. [Page] when he had sinned, the case was altered: If he now would look upon him, or think to attain his favour by any worth or strength of his own, there was nothing Gen. 3. 24. to be expected but terrour and danger, Cherubims and a flaming Sword. Now lest these people should be conceited of their own righteousness, (as indeed they were) therefore he appears in this terrible manner, to let them know, that there was no comming near unto him, nor any Isa. 33. 14. favour to be expected from him without perfect righteousness; unless they could endure devouring fire, and everlasting burnings.

Q. Since the Law was of such infinite purity and righteousness, and all men so prone to evil, and averse to that which is good; yea, and also so weak, that they were not able (in the least) to yield any sutable obedience to the same: What then was Gods meaning to command them this Law?

A. God, who is infinite in wisdom and goodness, yea, and in all other glorious perfections, had many excellent ends in giving them this Law, although they were not able to obey: As first, to shew his Soveraignty over them; he was 1 Sam. 12. 12. their Lord, they his servantt; he wastheir [Page] King, they his subjects; and were to observe his Lawes, which were holy, and righteous like himself. Secondly, God gave them this most holy Law, to let them Eccles. 7. 22 see what man was able to do in time of his innocency, before he wilfully disabled himself, and therefore he might justly exact the same at their hands. Thirdly, God gave them this Law (especially in such a terrible manner) that it might (at least) restrain them from outward Exod. 20. 20. and gross enormities, and keep the outward man in good behaviour. Fourthly, Rom. 3. 20. and 7. 7. this Law was given to discover sin, that thereby they might be convinced of that most abominable and sinful disposition that was in them; for all men by nature are ignorant, and do not know sin to be sin: Besides, man is a proud creature, and is not willing to know it, much less to own it to himself; therefore was this most pure and perfect Law given forth, Rom. 3. 19. that they might not at all plead ignorance, but be altogether without excuse. But then fiftly, The main end, and highest intention of God in giving them this Law, was to give them to understand, that he was a God of such infinite purity, Habbak. 1. 13. and of such transcendent righteousness, [Page] that there was no favour nor comfortable Josh. 24. 19 communion to be had or enjoyed with him, but rather a fearful expectation of fiery indignation, unless there Levit. 11. 44. were in them an answerable holiness and sutable righteousness unto the same.

Now forasmuch as there was not in any Rom. 3. 10, 11, 12, &c. of them any thing at all sutable thereunto, but rather a nature and disposition Rom. 4. 13. and 9. 30. and 10. 3. 6. quite and clean contrary to the same; his meaning therefore was, that they should be driven out of themselves, to look for righteousness in the promised Seed, which was Christ, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Gal. 2. 16, 17, 21. Phil. 3. 9.

Q But were they acquainted with this promise, or were they ignorant of it?

A. They could not be ignorant of the promise, because God was pleased to appear alwaies unto them by the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: Exod. 3. 6. and they very well knew, that they were the Seed and Posterity of these men.

Moreover, all the greatest and most eminent works of God were fresh in memory, (as the Creation, the Flood, the building of Babel, the burning of Sodome, with many other of like note) much more the promse, which was to them [Page] of greatest concernment; yet notwithstanding, the greatest part of them were ignorant of Gods meaning in the promise, there were but very few that knew any more than the outside of it, namely, that God would raise up some man of the Seed of Abraham, who should deliver Exod. 3. 17. them from their bondage in Aegypt, and settle them in the Land of Canaan, where they should be free-men, and enjoy peace and plenty, &c. And this (it is very probable) they expected should have been fulfilled now in Moses: For God had wonderfully manifested himself by Moses in Aegypt, and at the Red Sea, by many great and terrible works of wonder; and now at this time also, Moses was able to endure the presence of God, and to hear him speak, and to go up into the Mount when he call'd him: And because Dent. 5. 25, 26, 27. they were not able to abide the sight of God, nor hear his voyce, therefore Moses must go to God, and bring them word what God saith, and then they will hear him, and be obedient; for they perceived that Moses was very high in Gods favour, and therefore they desired him to be a Mediator between God and them.

Q. But how did God take the matter? [Page]Was he well pleased with them for this thing?

A. Yes, God did very well approve of them for desiring a Mediator, for he said, they had well spoken: But withal Deut. 5. 18. and 18. 17. he told Moses that he was not the man in whom the promise must be fulfilled, for I will raise them up a Prophet of their▪ Brethren (saith God) like unto thee, and I Deut. 18. 18, 19. will put my words into his mouth, and he shall declare unto them all my Councel, and in hearkening unto him, they shall be happy; and he that will not hear that Prophet, I will require it of him.

Q. But if it was not the purpose of God, that they should be happy by their obedience unto the Law, why then did he annex such large promises unto the observation of it, and denounce such heavy curses and judgements, in case they disobeyed?

A. The Lord having brought forth this people of Israel from Aegypt, where they had been a long time under cruel Bondage, and minding (according to his promise made to Abraham) to take Exod. 19. 5. them to himself for a peculiar people, above all the Nations of the earth; was Deut. 14. 2. graciously pleased in giving them this Law, to enter into Covenant with them, herein promising to be their God, and Exod. 19. 8. [Page] that they should be his people; to which Chap. 24. 3 they did agree. Now this Covenant was two-fold, Inward, and Outward; or Spiritual, and Temporal. And so the Promises that were annexed to the same, were of a two-fold consideration also. Rom. 7. 14. That part of the Covenant which was outward, or temporal, was at large declared, and often repeated, and so were the promises which belonged to the same; but the inward (or Spiritual) part of it was not expressed, but implyed, and so were the promises.

Q. What was the outward part of the Covenant, and the promises which belonged to the same?

A. The outward and temporal part of the Covenant was this: That if they would acknowledge the Lord to be their Levit. 26. 3. Deut. 28▪ 1 God, and diligently obey his voyce, and observe and do all his Commandments with their whole hearts; then the Lord promised to set them up on high, above all the Nations upon earth; to give them the Land of Canaan, to multiply their Seed, to prolong their dayes, to give them peace and plenty, and to make them prosperous in every thing they set their hands unto. And on the contrary, if they [Page] would not hearken unto his voyce, nor Levit. 26. 14, 15. Deut. 28. 15. obey his commandment, but walk after other gods, &c. then the Lord would make their plagues wonderful, and curse them & cross them until he had destroyed them.

Q. What was the inward or Spiritual part of this Covenant?

A. The Lord was pleased herein to Covenant, That forasmuch as this Law was Spiritual, and their hearts were Carnal, and altogether indisposed to obey, Psal. 79. 19. yet he himself would undertake for them; and though they were weak, and unable, yet he would lay help upon one that was mighty, and herein make over himself to Jer. 23. 6. be righteousness unto them, and for them: And in this they were not to act, but believe that God (not for their Deut. 9. 5. Isa. 43. 25. righteousness, but for his own sake) would be merciful to their unrighteousness, and freely forgive their sin, becomming Justification and Sanctification unto them. And the Promises which were hereunto annexed, were Spiritual, and very mystical; for here the Lord promised, that he would be their God, that he Rom. 15. 13. Neh. 9. 10. would fill their hearts with joy and peace in believing, that is, that he would (in the right apprehension of this Covenant) [Page] so communicate and discover himself unto them in the sweetness of his love, and the excellency of all Spiritual Rom. 8. 15. and heavenly comforts; that they should not now look upon him as an Enemy with terror, but should have sweet fellowship with him, as dear Children with a loving Father; that so partaking of his glory (in some measure) in this life, and living according to it, he would at length glorifie them with himself in eternal glory. But on the contrary, if they were disobedient, Rom. 3. 20. that is unbelieving, trusting in their own righteousness, thinking to obtain his favour by their own outward and litteral observations; then he would leave Isa. 6. 9, 10. them to their hearts lust, and fill them with their own devices: And instead of enjoying him in the lively apprehension Psal. 30. 5. of his love and favour, (which is Eternal life) they should in this life, not onely be Deut. 28. 65, 66, 67. empty of all true and sound comfort and joy, but also be filled with terror and horror of conscience, vexation and sorrow, and to be for ever separated from 2 Thess. 1. 9. the presence of the Lord, in endless misery.

Q. Did God give them any other Lawes besides this Law of the ten Cammandments? [Page]Or was the Covenant wholly comprehended in it?

A. God by the Ministry of Moses, did command them divers and sundry Lawes and Ordinances, conteined in the Judicial and Ceremonial Lawes (so called:) But they were wholly comprehended in those ten words or ten Commandments; for they (even those ten words) were indeed the very summe and substance of the most pure, perfect, and absolute will of God; yea, they being the righteousness of God revealed, (which is Rom. 10. 3. Jer. 23. 6. Jesus Christ) for therein he was mystically exhibited or held forth, for he is the Lord our righteousness, and he is made of God righteousness to us, 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21. and we are made the righteousness of God in him: Neither was there any thing at all, which the Lord expected form his creature, in his obedience unto him, but what was wholly conteined in those ten words.

Q. The Law-being delivered in so few words, and the Covenant therein conteined, being so dark and mystical, How came they then to understand Gods meaning therein?

A. The Lord was pleased in much wisdom and goodness, to explain those [Page] words, and to interpret his own meaning Exod. 21, and 22, and 23. [...]herein; both as they concerned them in their duty to himself, and also as they conteined their duty and behaviour one towards another.

Moses goes up into the Mount, where the Lord commands him in particular how they ought to behave themselves one towards another, naming also certain feasts-dayes, and other observations about Exod. 23. Exod. 24. 3, 4. them; and Moses writes all the words of the Lord in a Book, and declares them to the people, and they promise obedience. And as this▪ Law conteined Exod. 24. 12. Gods Worship, and their duty therein, Moses is again called up into the Mount, where he is forty dayes and forty nights; in which space God shewes him a Pattern, commands him to make him a Sanctuary, that he might dwell among Exod. 25, 26, 27, 28 29, 30. them; and also gives him rules of a most exact and holy Worship, which he expects should be strictly performed by them; in which both holy place, and holy Worship, he doth really (yet darkly) declare, that unless he dwell among them, and communicate himself unto them, they could not be a holy people. For indeed, that very Tabernacle, and afterward the [Page] Temple, were representations or significations of the humane body of Christ, in which the Lord would manifest himself, 1 Tim. 3. 16. and dwell among them, as the Vessels wherewith they ministred were holy: So the Lord would have them know, that he Psal. 29. 2. could not be Spiritually worshipped with Carnal hearts and hands.

The Ark was a visible Type of Christ, by whom the Lord would manifest himself.

The two Tables of the Covenant were Isa. 42. and 21. 6. put into the Ark, to shew, that Christ was both the Law and the Covenant to his own; and that the righteousness, which the Law required, was wholly in Phil. 3. 9. him.

The Mercy-seat where God appeared, was placed above upon the Ark, to shew, Isa. 59. 21. that God would not manifest himself in mercy and goodness to any, but onely to them that were in Covenant with him in Jesus Christ.

The Table, and the Shew-bread that stood upon it, was to teach them, that Iohn 6, 48, 51. Christ was both the Feeder and the food.

The Candlestick, with his seven Lamps alwayes burning, did signifie the wisdom 1 Cor. 2. 10, 14. of the Spirit, without which, there was [Page] no finding out the mind of God in these mysteries.

The Oyl, wherewith the Lamps were Exod. 27. 20. dressed, and made to burn, was of pure Oyl-olive, beaten, and without mixture; to shew, that the true knowledge of God in the mystery of Christ, was not attained by the help of humane wisdom and 1 Cor. 2. 12 learning, but by the light and wisdom of the Spirit onely.

The Altar, and all those Beasts that were offered thereon, did signifie Christ, Heb. 10. 4. his death and sufferings, who should (by offering up himself to God once for all) both redeem them from the curse of the Gal. 3. 13. Law, and for ever perfect them that are sanctified.

The blood of those Beasts wherewith they were sprinkled, did signifie the blood of Christ; wherewith the Atonement was to be made, and whereby their Heb. 9. 14. Consciences were to be purged from the dead works of the Law, to serve the living God in Spirit and Truth.

The Priests, which offered the sacrifice were holy men, and consecrated, and set apart for that service; to shew, that God will be sanctified in all them that draw near to him. Levit. 10.

[Page] The sacrifices might not be offered without a Priest, to teach, that there is not any service can be acceptable to God, unless it were offered up to him in the Spirit and Power of Jesus. Mat. 3. 17.

The glorious and beautiful garments wherein Aaron did minister, did hold forth the infinite purity, and transcendent excellency and righteousness of the Lord Jesus, in whom onely God is well pleased.

The Onix-stones, whereon the names 1 Pet. 1. 5. of the Children of Israel were engraven, were put upon the shoulder-pieces of the Ephod; to teach, that true Israel indeed, are kept by the power of the Lord Jesus through faith unto salvation; for he 1 Cor. 1. 24 is the wisdom and the power of God unto salvation in all that do believe.

The twelve precious stones, which were set with the names of the Children 1 Pet. 2. 9. of Israel, in the Breast-plate of judgement, did declare; that Spiritual Israel that were in Christ, were a precious people Mal. 3. 17. in the judgement and esteem of God.

The curious Girdle (wherewith all those goodly garments were girded to the Priest, did hold forth the faithfulness Heb. 10. 23 and truth of God, in making good [Page] all his promises in Christ, in whom all 2 Cor. 1. 20. the promises of God are Yea, and Amen.

The holy Anoynting Oyl, wherewith the Tabernacle, and all the furniture, and the Vessels there of were Anoynted, did signifie the Anoynting of the Spirit, 1 John 2. 27. which they that did believe should afterward receive: it might not be poured upon mans flesh, neither might any man make the like to it, nor put it upon a Acts 1. 17▪ stranger, upon pain of being cut off from his people; to shew, that fleshly, carnal, outside-hypocytical-holiness, is an abomination Acts 5. 1, 2, 3, 5. &c. to the Lord.

The Sabbaths were a sign unto them, that the Lord Jesus was their Sanctification; six dayes might work be done, but Exod. 31. 13, 17. on the seventh they must rest; to shew, that in the works of Civil concernment, they were to labour, but in the business of sanctification, they were not to act 1 Cor. [...]. [...] Heb. [...]. [...] one jot; but rest wholly upon Christ the Messiah. In seed-time, and in harvest, they must rest on the Sabbath, even in times of greatest necessity; to shew, that their best services, and most religious Isa. 64▪ 6▪ performances, were like a menstruous cloth, and in no wise to be rested in; but [Page] in the holiness of Christ were they to rest. They were forbidden to kindle a fire throughout their habitations on the Sabbath; to shew, that no selfe-holiness, Tit. 3. 5. or self-sanctification, attained by any religious duties, or performances whatsoever, 1 Iohn 1. 7. must be joyned unto the holiness of Christ, but they were to rely wholly upon the Lord Christ onely.

The Leprosie, and all those unclean issues, did shew forth the horrible and filthy nature of sin.

The Offerings, and Washings appointed for their clensing, did signifie the blood of Christ, without which there Heb. 9. 22. could be no remission, nor Sanctification.

In a word, (for it would de too tedious to speak of all in particular) There was not the least circumstance in all their commanded Service and Worship; but which did mystically hold forth Jesus Christ: & thus the Law was their Schoolmaster unto Christ, that they might be justified Gal. 3. 24. by believing in him, (who was made of God Wisdom, and Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption unto them) and not by their own outward observations of the Law.

[Page] Q. Was this Law given, and this Covenant made with the Israelites or seed of Abraham according to the flesh; or did it concern the Gentiles also?

A. The Law or Covenant, so farre as it was outward and literal, did concern all Israel, as well one as another, and they were all of them to observe the same, Levit. 26. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. and that strictly, in case they would be prosperous in their temporal estates; for the promises of all temporal blessings were made to the outward conformity and literal observations of the Law: the Lord being pleased to deal with them Deut. 28. 1, 2, &c. as with children, even to hire them to an outward conformity unto the same, by giving them outward prosperity: But Rom. 9. 6, 7, 25. the Covenant, as it was inward and spiritual, respected onely spiritual Israel, believers, both Jewes and Gentiles, in all ages, and in all nations, to the end of the world. Yet notwithstanding, the Ordinances of the Law or Covenant were to continue but for a season, namely, until the promised seed should come, Gal. 3. 19. which is Christ.

Q. What were those Ordinances and Services of the Law, or Covenant?

[Page] A. First there was the Tabernacle, and afterward the Temple, which were Psal. 132. 14. representations of the flesh of Christ, and also of the Saints, in whom God would please to dwell and manifest himself: And then there was the Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. of Aaron; signifying the eternal Priesthood of Christ. And there were also many Sacrifices and Offerings, which did betoken the Sacrifice of Christ, who Heb. 9. 12. should by that one offering of himself to God, obtain eternal redemption for them. And there were many and divers washings and cleansings, which did shew forth the bloud of Christ, which can onely wash and cleanse away all 1 Joh. 1. 7. sin. These and many others being visible representations and significations of Christ in the flesh, his perfect fulfilling Heb. 9. 10. of the Law, his making satisfaction to divine Justice, &c. All which were to be fulfilled and accomplished in him, which being done, the significations were to cease, and to be of no more use.

Q. The Gentiles, or Heathen, had no fellowship, or communion at all with the Israelites, but were utter enemies unto them, and hated them, and sought their ruine continually: How, or in what respect then, did[Page]the Law, or the Covenant therein contained, concern the Gentiles, or belong to them?

A. The Lord having in his eternal purpose, chosen to himself a people to Eph. 1. 4. be heires of life by Christ Jesus, did yet notwithstanding for many generations, suspend the manifestation of his love and favour unto all the people of the Col. 1. 26. world, except the seed of Abraham, or the Israelites onely, whom he had brought near to himself, and to whom he manifested his great love, not onely in outward and temporal blessings, but chiefly in spiritual administrations, withall forbidding them to have any communion Deut. 7. 1, 2, 3. with any nation whatsoever, unlesse they would be circumcised, and worship God according as he had commanded Exod. 12. 48. them; which thing occasioned such an enmity and hatred in all nations against the Israelites, that they would Psal. 83, 2. 3, 4, 5, &c, not be reconciled unto them at any hand: yea, though the enemies were very different in Religion and Idol-worship, and hated one another even unto death; yet they could agree together against the Israel of God, to root out Luk. 23. 12 their name from the earth: And this enmity or hatred was not against them, [Page] as they were men, or because they were of different nations; but herein lay the enmity, because the Israelites did worship the true God with such holy worship as he had commanded, (the seed of the Serpent, or the Devil, in all false worships, Gal. 4. 29. and religions, persecuting the seed of the woman, or Christ and the Saints, in the true Religion, and pure worship of God in all agés) and so the hatred was not onely against the Israelites in their persons, but even against the good wayes of God in his pure worship, and herein against God himself.

The great mystery, that the Gentiles should be heires of life with the Jewes, Eph. 3. 5, 6. partakers of the same promises, and of the same body, was not yet revealed, but kept secret. But now they, who were Eph. 2. 13, 14, 15. sometimes afarre off, were made nigh by the bloud of Christ; for Christ, by subjecting himself in the flesh to death, did break down that partition wall, and that enmity that was between Jewes and Gentiles, being slain thereby; so that although Eph. 2. 16. they before were twain, and hated one another, yet now by the death of Christ they were united and made one, and not onely reconciled to one [Page] another, but also to God through faith in Jesus. Thus the Gentiles by the Eph. 2. 17. and 3. 9. preaching of the Gospel, came to know, that which before they did not know, even to believe their Son-ship, and their interest in the Covenant by Jesus Christ; yet notwithstanding they were not under the Law, as it was a Covenant of works for temporal blessings, for so it concerned the Israelites onely, and according Nehem. 9. 35, 36. as they acted to the command, so they prospered in their temporal estates; and this part of the Covenant was peculiar onely unto them. But as the Law was spiritual, and contained in it a Covenant of grace, so all the elect, both Jewes and Gentiles, were concluded in it, it being an eternal Covenant, made with all the Saints in Jesus Christ, in the Tit. 1. 2, 3. eternal purpose of God, before the world began; and in due time manifested, according to the dispensation of God, who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will; (that is, who Eph. 1. 11. revealeth, and discovereth himself in Jesus, to whomsoever, after what way soever, and in what time soever, he himself pleaseth.)

But yet the Gentiles were not under [Page] those legall services, and formal observations of the Covenant, as the Passeover▪ Circumcision, all those Sacrifices and Offerings, those legall washings and cleansings; in a word, all that Temple-worship whatsoever, they being all fulfilled, consummated, and ended in Christ: for now in this way of Temple-worship, neither Jewes nor Gentiles were to worship Joh. 4. 23, 24. God, he having withdrawn himself in his appearances out of all these things; but now both Jewes and Gentiles were to look unto God in Christ, in whom, and by whose most precious Acts 13. 38, 39. death and bloud-shedding, he declared himself to be fully satisfied for all those transgressions and disobediences, from which they could not be justified by the workes of the Law.

Q. The Gentiles indeed were not to observe those legall Worships and Services which the Jewes did: But were they not to make the Law of God the rule of their obedience.

A. The Law as it was delivered to Israel upon the Mount, so it was a revelation of the most holy and perfect will of God, and so it was the rule of their obedience: Now the Law being of a [Page] twofold consideration, it was the will of God, that their obedience should be suteable thereto.

First, As the Law was outward, and Levit. 26. respected onely the outward man; so it was his will, that they should be obedient Deut. 28. in all things, to the very letter and form of all his commands, and herein they were to act with all their strength, in case they would be outwardly happy.

But secondly, As the Law was spirituall, and concerned the inward man, so their obedience was to be answerable to the will of God herein: Now it was Rom. 3. 20. not the will of God, that they should act herein, according to the letter, and think to attain Righteousnesse by a strict performance of any or all those religious services; but that they should believe in him, who was prefigured in all those Joh. 6. 40. services (which was Christ) and cast themselves wholly upon God in him, for Righteousnesse, both unto justification and fanctification: But now Christ being come in the flesh, and having in himself ended all those significations; it is the will of God, that both Jewes and Gentiles Mark 9. 7. should believe in him, and rest confidently assured, that God is graciously well Eph. 2. 18. [Page] pleased with them, in him, having for his sake forgiven them all their trespasses: so that the will of God being the ruleof mens obedience, it is the will of God, that they should not act according to 1 Joh. 3. 23. the letter of the Law for life; but that they should believe on the name of his Sonne Jesus Christ, in whom is eternall life.

Q. But is not the Law, even in the terrors of it, a good meanes to drive men to Christ?

A. The Law, as it was delivered to Israel on Mount Sinai, was so holy, so pure, and of such transcendent righteousnesse, that all the wisdome and power Rom. 3. 10, 11, 12. of men could not devise any meanes, nor perform any action, that might in the least be suteable to the will of God herein; they being by nature acted by a spirit or principle quite contrary to the most pure, holy, and righteous will 2 Cor. 3. 9. of God: hereupon the Law was a ministration of death, threatning wrath upon every disobedience; so that in this respect, the Law was, and is so far from being a meanes to drive men to God, that is, was, and is, rather an occasion to drive them from him; either, first, into [Page] despair, if he should turn their consciences Mat. 27. 5. loose upon them: Or else secondly, by stirring up the enmity that is in the Rom. 7. 5. minds of men, to make them hate God, and all the holy wayes of God: Or thirdly, (men being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God) are hereby stirred Rom, 10. 3. up to invent some way or worship of their own, whereby they may appear righteous before God.

Q. How could the Law, being so pure and holy, occasion or stir up the enmity that is in mens minds against God?

A. A man, in the state of innocency, was able to look upon God, and to converse with him, every appearance and discovery of God unto him was pleasant and delightful; and the more the Lord was pleased to manifest himself unto man, the more mans heart was enlarged to love him, and his commandments were not grievous; in this condition there was neither cause nor occasion of discontent, much lesse of enmity or hatred between God and him. But when man Hos. 14. 1. by sin was fallen from God, and was become one with Satan, who hated God; then he, who before was like unto God, Psal. 83. 3. and loved God, was now become like [Page] the Devil, and hated God; and this enmity or hatred was not against God, as he was a good and loving God, for that man was not now able to apprehend; but in that he was a just and a righteous God, for so he was pleased to appear unto him.

Before the Law was given, the Lord manifested himself to men very seldome, and very low, and they knew but very little of him, except in the outward creation: all this while men were exceeding Rom. 5. 13. sinful, and death had dominion over them, yet neverthelesse, God did not impute every transgression unto them, (though he often plagued them for their grosse and greivous sinnes) for there was no written precept; and the Law of nature was by sin so blotted and blurred, Rom. 7. 9. that no man was able thereby to read, or know his duty: and now men were alive (at least in their own conceits) they thought themselves to be very happy, and their conditions to be very good, so long as they abstained from such grossenesse as very nature abhorred: because they did not know sin, many things that were very sinful went currant for morall vertues, and many things that [Page] were duties, were not looked upon as any thing at all; sin was as it were dead, men were so benummed in it.

But now when the Commandement (on the Law) came, when God was pleased to appear in a most righteous Law, Rom. 7. 9. whereby every sin and transgression was brought to light, (it being, through the power of God, a discerner of the thoughts and purposes of the heart:) now sin revived, for now sin was discovered, whatsoever was contrary to the holy will of God, was known to be a sin; and every duty was now known to be a duty: so that by the Law men were become sinful Rom. 3. 20. (that is) they were now made acquainted with their sinful dispositions, which before the Law came they did not know. But this was not all; for the Law did not onely discover sin to be sin, but also did occasion sin to be more sinful: That corruption of nature, wherewith Rom. 7. 11. every man is tainted, and whereby every man is become prone to evil, that sinning sin, took occasion by the Law or Commandement, to work in natural men all manner of evil; for the Law was so holy, and so high, that no man was able to attain to the perfection of it in [Page] the least degree: and it was also the ministration of condemnation, threatening wrath, and curse, upon every disobedience. Now men perceiving, that they were neither able to attain to that purity which the Law required, nor yet to escape that wrath which the Law threatened: that natural corruption, that sinful Rom. 7. 5. disposition, that is in every mans heart by nature, was hereby quickened and stirred up, through the working of Satan, to hate God, and to oppose him in all his holy and righteous wayes and appearances: and yet the Law is not sin, Rom. 7. 12. nor the cause of death unto any man, but holy, and just, and good: But sin, (or the vicious disposition of every mans heart) being carried on by the Devil, did so rage and swell against the purity verse 13. and righteousnesse of God revealed in the Law, that they sinned the more, and 2 Chron. 28. 22. acted all manner of wickednesse with greater violence; even as a mighty stream being stopped, rages, and swells, and breakes down all dammes, and stops whatsoever: and hence it is, that the Commandement, which was ordained to life, was to them an occasion of Rom. 7. 13. death, and thus sinne by the Commandement [Page] became exceeding sinfull.

Q. Doth the Law occasion such an enmity or hatred in the Elect also?

A. The Elect, and they that are predestinated to be conformed unto the Image of Christ, come under a two-fold consideration. First, as they are in the state of nature: and secondly, as Acts 2. 22, 23. they are in a state of grace. As they are in the state of nature, so they are in the state of enmity, and there is no difference herein between them and all other men (but onely in the account of God:) they hate God as much as any, oppose him as much as any, and had a hand, and gave their voyce in the crucifying of Christ as much as any men whatsoever; and in this condition the Law is to them the ministration of death, and their hearts rise against it, and they cannot endure to hear of the purity and equity thereof. But when they are once brought into the state of grace, when they once apprehend the love of God manifested to them in Eph. 2. 13. Jesus Christ, who is become their righteousnesse; then they are delivered from Col. 2. 14. the Law, as it did occasion hatred between God and them; for in this respect Christ took it away, and nailed it to his [Page] Crosse, so that sin, which was the cause of Eph. 2. 15. enmity, and the Law, which by occasion did quicken and stirre up this enmity, were both nailed to the Crosse of Christ, and slain together in his flesh; and now Rom. 7. 6. the Elect or Believers are delivered from the Law, that they should no longer serve in the oldnesse of the letter, in feares and terrors, but in the newnesse of the Spirit, with comfort and delight.

Q. The Law, or Commandement, being ordained of God unto life; How then did it become uselesse and void?

A. God did indeed ordain or appoint the Law unto life, but not that any man should attain unto life, by any performance or outward observation of the same whatsoever; but that by believing in God, through him who was held forth, and prefigured in and by the Law, they might have eternal life; neither is the Law become uselesse and void, for heaven Mat. 5. 18. and earth shall sooner passe away, than that one word of the Law should fail; for it is a revelation of Gods perfect righteousnesse, commanding perfect obedience of all men who are not in Christ; and it is a ministration of death and 2 Cor. 3. 7. condemnation, and bindes over every [Page] unbeliever, to answer for every disobedience, before the tribunal of Christ: It Rom. 3. 20. serves still to discover sin; and thereby leaves wicked men without excuse. In these and the like respects, the Law is holy, and just, and good, and shall not be dissolved till all be fulfilled.

Q. Is the Law then of no use to Believers, or the Elect?

A. The Elect, while they are in the state of nature, and untill they be regenerated, and born anew of that incorruptible Rom. 7. 1, 2 seed which lives and abides for ever, so long they are under the Law, and it threatens them, and curses them (but it cannot condemn them, because they are in Christ, in the purpose of God;) it commands their obedience, but doth not assist them to obey; it kills them, but cannot make them alive; yet it is in some sence a Schoolmaster unto them, to lead them to Christ (though not in the terrors of it, yet in the true ends, and right understanding of it) for Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousnesse, Rom. 10. 4▪ (that is) the main end, why the Law was given, was, that men should look to Christ for righteousnesse. The Law therefore to the Elect, while they are in the state of [Page] nature, being rightly expounded to them, and truly apprehended by them, doth instruct them, that they must lay down all their own righteousnesse, which is (as they think) attained by the performance 1 Tim. 1. 5. of the duties of the Law, and rest onely and wholly upon Christ for righteousnesse; for while they remain in unregeneracie, they verily think, that they are bound to act according to the Law for life, or else they shall be damned; they Gal. 3. 23. being shut up all this while under the Law, as in prison, unto the faith, which is afterward to be revealed, yea, and many times also, when they are quickened, and made alive, and are set at liberty, or when they doe believe in Jesus Christ in some measure; yet they are so held under a spirit of bondage, that they still Rom. 8. 15. serve in the oldnesse of the letter, in great fears and many doubts, and go heavily, and mourning, under the easie and light yoak of Christ, because they apprehend in themselves, and are perswaded by others also, that although they do believe in Jesus Christ for justification, yet it is their duty to walk in a strict conformity to the Law, or else they cannot be saved: and then finding [Page] in themselves, that they are not able to Rom. 8. 3. walk so exactly as the Law requireth (it being weak, and yeilding them no assistance in the work) are many times so cast down, and filled with fear, that they refuse to be comforted; and the best they can attain unto in this condition is this: that when they apprehend their walking to be somewhat, or in any good measure answerable to the holinesse which the Law requireth, especially if they find their hearts to be upright in the same (as they are able to judge) then they think that God will accept of them for their uprightnesse, although they cannot attain to that perfection which the Law requireth: But when they come to believe indeed, when Rom. 10. 4. they are enabled to rest confidently upon Jesus Christ for righteousnesse unto life and salvation, then they see and Rom. 7. 1. 4 know, that they are delivered from the Law, and that the Law, as it is the Law, hath nothing to doe with them, and that they are neither under the command of it, nor yet under the threats nor curses Rom. 7. 6. of it; the Law, in this respect, being dead unto them, and they dead unto it; and that they are to serve now no longer in [Page] weaknesse and fear, but in power and with delight; for they are under the new Covenant, which is a Covenant of grace, and being under grace, are thereby enabled and accepted.

Q. Was not the Covenant of grace contained in the Law, and were not the believing Israelites under the Covenant of grace? What then is this new Covenant? Or why is it called a (new) Covenant?

A. The Law did contain in ita Covenant of works, and a Covenant of grace: The Covenant of works was outward, and respected onely the outward man; and in this they acted for temporal things: But the Covenant of grace was inward, and in this they were not to act, but to believe to eternal life. The Covenant of works was very literal, and largely expressed, and they were all very well acquainted with it: But the Covenant of grace was spiritual, and very little of it expressed, but shadowed out under divers Ordinances, and observations, and therefore very few of them did understand it, or had any knowledge of it; but imagined, that by their outward observations they had done all that was commanded: Now this Covenant, as it [Page] was thus outward, and respected onely outward and temporal things; so it is an old Covenant, and is vanished away; and in this respect, the Covenant of grace Heb. 8. 6. is called, a better Covenant, because it consists of better promises, which are, life and glory in Christ Jesus: And a Heb. 8. 9. new Covenant, and not like the Covenant which God made with them, when he brought them out of the Land of Aegypt, which Covenant they brake, that is, they understood not his meaning in the very outward Covenant, but served themselves, and their own lusts in the same, therefore he would utterly abolish, and take away that Covenant.

Again, it is called a new Covenant, though it be the same with the former Covenant, which was made with Abraham, and with the Israelites at the giving of the Law; for even the Covenant of grace was very dark and mystical, made forth under types and significations, and therefore very imperfect and weak, and Rom. 8. 3. yielded very little or no strength; and therefore was disanulled, because of the weaknesse and unprofitablenesse Heb. 7. 18, 19. thereof: But the new Covenant (namely, Christ or that better hope in the [Page] Gospel-dayes) is strong in the Spirit, and brings in life and power into the hearts of them who are entred therein, whereby they are enabled to serve acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.

Again, under the services of the Law, Christ, the sum and substance of the Covenant, was vailed and hidden, very few knew but little of him: But now under Heb. 8. 11. the new Covenant, the Saints all know him from the least to the greatest, they 2 Cor. 3. 18 of weak faith, and they of strong, every one in their measure; for they all with open face, as in a glasse, behold him, and are thereby changed into his image, from one degree of glory to another.

Thus, and in other respects, the Covenant of grace, in the dayes of the Gospel, is called a new Covenant.

Q. But doth not God promise in the new Covenant, to write his Lawes in their hearts, and in their mindes? How then are the Saintsfreed from the Law? Jer. 31. 33.

A. The Law delivered on Mount Exod. 34. 1 Sinai, was indeed a revelation of the most perfect righteousnesse of God: but it was but outward, it was but figured in stones, and came not near the heart, and therefore yeilded no strength to further [Page] them in their obedience; and Christ, who was the sum and substance of the Law, was revealed or made known but in a very small measure; the Spirit in those Joh. 7. 39. dayes run very low, the Lord being pleased to vail and cover his glory until an appointed time: But the Law which Isai. 31. 6. God promised to put into their mindes, is Christ, who indeed is the Law and the Covenant; for now Christ being glorified, and having received of God authority, and power, or the promise of the Spirit, i [...] now returned in spirit and Acts▪ 2. 32. power into the hearts of the Saints, and is become to them, and in them, a Law of the Spirit, and a Law of life; (that Rom. 8. 3. is) where Christ comes in the Spirit indeed, he brings in power, and life, eternal life, and transformes the soul, and makes it like himself, and enables it to 2 Cor. 3. 18. walk as he hath walked.

Again, the Law was a ministration of 2 Cor. 3. 9. condemnation, and threatened wrath upon every disobedience, which caused terrors and fears even in the best of them. But Christ, who is the new Covenant, is a ministration of righteousnesse; that is, in the Gospel Christ is made known to be the righteousnesse of God, which the Rom. 10. 4. [Page] Law required, he having perfectly fulfilled the Law, in all the high demands thereof, by walking exactly in all the particular commands of the same; and not so alone, but also hath stopped the mouth Rom. 8. 1. of the accusing and condemning power of the Law, by yeilding and submitting himself in the flesh to death and curse; and thus Christ is the Saints righteousnesse to justification, fulfilling the righteousnesse of the Law for them. And Rom. 8. 4. Christ in the new Covenant is also a ministration of life, and peace in the Saints, fulfilling daily the righteousnesse of the Law in them; (that is) the Saints being now united and made one with Christ, and one with God in Christ are thereby enabled to act righteousnesse and holinesse, and doe not look unto the Heb. 12. 2. Law for their pattern, but unto Christ the truth of that pattern; for he is the way, the truth, and the life; and thus the Law, as it comes from Sinai, is silenced to believers, they being neither under commanding, nor yet the condemning power of it: But as the Law comes from Isai. 2. 2, 3. Mount Sion, as Christ is both the Law and the Covenant, so the Saints are not without 1 Cor. 9. 21 Law to God, but under the Law to [Page] Christ, he being a Law of the Spirit, and a Law of life in their hearts, freeing them from the Law of sin and death, and quickening and raising their hearts to life and glory, by and in himself.

In short, the Law, as it comes from Sinai, and is figured in stones, ceaseth to the Saints, and the duties and commands thereof, cease to be the duties of the Law, but are the duties and commands of the Gal. 6. 2. Gospel, even the commands of Christ, new commands, or the Law of Christ. 1 Joh. 2. 8.

Q. What is the Gospel?

A. The Gospel is glad tydings of Psal. 52. 7 good things, good tydings of great joy, Luk. 2. 10. a message of peace, a ministry of reconciliation, a ministration of the Spirit, the 2 Cor. 3. 8. word of salvation, the word of faith, the Acts 13. 26. word of life, the power of God to salvation, 1 Joh. 1. 1. the immortal seed, the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, &c. In Rom. 1. 16. Eph. 6. 17. a word, the Gospel is Christ, and [...] Cor. 1. 23, 24. Christ is the Gospel, Christ is he that answers all the types and significations of the Law, and in whom is fulfilled all the prophecies of the Prophets; it is Mat. 3. 17. Christ alone, in whom God is well pleased, and it is onely Christ, who enables the Saints to walk in all well pleasing.

[Page] Q. How comes it to passe (seeing believers under the Law, were under the same Covenant for life and salvation, with believers under the Gospel, and they that were saved under the Law, were saved by faith in Christ as well as under the Gospel) or what may be the reason, that the Saints, or true Believers, act now more lively and chearfully, and are quickened up to a more close and holy walking with God in these Gospel-dayes▪ more than under the Law?

A. The Covenant of grace was the same indeed under the Law, as it is under the Gospel; but it was very mystical and obscure, even to them that did believe; for it pleased God to cloud himself, so that they could not see him, or but very little of him.

When they came out of Aegypt, he Exod. 13. 21. went before them in a cloud, in a very dark and obscure manner.

At the giving of the Law, he appeared Exod. 20. 21. in smoak and thick darknesse.

When Solomon had built the Temple, which was a figure or type of Christ, as they were performing religious services therein, it is said, that the Lord discovered himself in a cloud, a cloud filled the house. 2 Chron. 5. 13.

By all which it appears, that the appearences [Page] of God unto them in those dayes were very much clouded, they saw very little of him, even what he was pleased to let out in a few outward services, suspending of purpose the manifestation of his glory untill the fulnesse of time. Now while the Lord was pleased thus darkly to reveal himself, then he was pleased to accept of weak faith, and mean services.

Besides, the Israelites were under a mixt Covenant, partly inward, and partly outward: the inward part of the Covenant, which was Christ, was clouded, and very dark, as was said before, and very Lev. 26. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. little notice taken of it by the greatest part of them. But the outward part of it was very plain and easie, and they all knew it very well, and acted generally according unto it, and minded earthly Canaan, long life, and outward prosperity therein, more than heavenly Canaan, or the sweet and comfortable enjoyment of God, in the lively apprehension of his love and favour.

But now Christ, who indeed is the Isai. 59. 21. new Covenant, (for he is the substance of all those former Covenants) being come, and having acted his part in the [Page] flesh, is now revealed in the Spirit; for 2 Cor. 3. 17 he is that Spirit or power of Gods infinite love, proceeding eternally from the Father upon the Son, and from the Son upon the Saints, and into their hearts: and now the Saints look not for Christ Luk. 17. 20, 21. in outward observations, but in inward and spiritual demonstrations of infinite love, shed abroad in their hearts, whereby Rom. 5. 5. they are transformed, and conformed, unto Christ their head more and more: 2 Cor. 3. 18. Neither doe the Saints now look to any outward Covenant, for there is no promise made unto them of any outward Mark 10. 30. or temporal things, but with persecution, and that they shall be contented with their conditions: But the Saints 1 Tim. 6. 6. look unto Jesus, who is the author and finisher of their faith, and count it all joy, when they are accounted worthy to suffer Acts 5. 41. rebuke for his name.

And this is the true reason, why the Saints walk with God so chearfully and joyfully, because they clearly see, that they are not justified by, or for, any work, or merit, or worth of their own, but meerly Gal. 2. 16. by the free grace and love of God, in and for the righteousnesse of Christ Jesus, who is the Lord our righteousnesse, Jer. 23. 6. [Page] both unto justification, and also unto sanctification.

Q. What is justification? Or how may sinfull men be said to be justified, or made righteous before God?

A. Justification is an act of Gods free grace and love, whereby he (through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ) Rom. 3. 24. hath freely forgiven the sinnes of all his elect, and accepts of them (in him) as perfectly just and righteous.

But more plainly, Justification is that, Phil. 2. 7, 8. whereby God himself is pleased to condiscend, and to cloath himself with our flesh, and in our nature, and our flesh, to fulfill all the righteousnesse of the Law for us: and also to subject himself in the flesh to death and curse, hereby paying 2 Cor. 5. all our debts, and satisfying divine Justice on our behalf, and so became our righteousnesse for justification: All which he hath done freely, without any desert, or desire, on our part.

Q. But doth not the Scripture say, that we are justified by faith? What is faith? And how are we justified by the same?

A. There be in Scripture divers kinds Mat. 7. 22. of faith mentioned, by reason whereof, many think, that they believe to justification, [Page] and are deceived; for justification is free on Gods part, and without any condition at all on our part▪ for if faith were a condition of our justification, then it were not free, justification being an act of God in his eternal counsell Rom. 8. 29. and purpose, before the world began; if faith were a condition thereof, then are we justified for some fore-seen grace in us, and not freely by his grace▪ Now Rom. 11. 5, 6. faith is neither a meanes, nor yet any condition of justification, but rather an evidence, or demonstration thereof; for true faith is that, whereby we close Rom. 4. 19, 20. Joh. 6. 44. with God in the promise of life and salvation, in and by Jesus Christ: Now this faith is not in us by nature, but is wrought in the heart, by the manifestation of God Rom. 10. 17. in the soul: When the Lord is pleased to reveal Christ in the soul, and to discover to the same, that he is well pleased with him in Jesus, and that he hath freely forgiven all his sinnes, meerly for the merit and righteousnesse of Jesus, and that now he accepts of him as righteous, in his beloved Son; and that in Christ he hath adopted him to himself, to be his Son: now when the soul apprehends Rom. 4. 21 this, then it is thereby enabled to believe [Page] it, and rests upon it. And thus true faith doth not act in the workes of justification, but onely believes it when it is revealed in the soul; and then believing, Rom. 5. 1, 2 hath peace with God, and can look upon him with comfort, and can joy in him in all tribulations. Now no man can believe Joh. 6. 44. in Jesus Christ, untill he be revealed unto him by the Father: and according to the measure or degrees whereby God is pleased to discover himself to any man, so he can believe or confide in him more or lesse: so that it is plain, that faith is no meanes or condition of our justification; but by faith we believe it, and rest confidently assured of it when it is revealed, and so have joy and peace in believing.

Q. But doth not the Scripture say, that Abraham was justified by works? what Jam. 2. 21. say you then of good workes (as prayer, reading, and hearing the word, repentance, and all other duties of piety and charity) are not they required as good meanes of our justification.

A. The scope of that Scripture is not to declare, that Abraham did act any thing in the work of justification; for it is said, that Abraham believed God, and Rom. 4. 3. [Page] it was accounted to him for righteousnesse: and those good works, whereby Abraham Jam. 2. 22. is said to be justified, doe rather declare him to believe, and his faith to be a live, than any way to act in the matter of justification, For faith, as is said before, doth not justifie, but believes it, and applies it: true faith works by love, Gal. 5. 6. and shewes what house it comes of, by actions of piety and mercy.

There is a faith which is dead, it being nothing else, but a perswasion of a carnal Jam. 2. 20. heart, which is deceitfull, and of this many men brag and boast, and cry religion, religion; but they doe not walk in love, neither toward God nor men; and this faith profiteth nothing, or profitable to no man, and is no better than the faith of Devils.

But true faith where it is indeed, it proceeds from a holy seed, being begotten Joh. 6. 44. by the manifestation or discovery of God in the soul, and hath for its ground a word of promise, not onely without, Rom. 9. 9. but, especially within, and is reall, and not in imagination; so also it acts like it self, and is profitable every way.

First toward God, it gives him the glory of all his wisdome, power, justice, [Page] mercy, and goodnesse, when men can say indeed, In the Lord have I righteousnesse, Isai. 45. 24. and in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting and 26. 4. Gal. 2. 20. strength: when a man can say, now I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me; yea, I can doe all things, be any thing, suffer any thing, through Christ that strengthens me: I can be abased, and I can abound; Phil. 4. 12, 13. I can as well be content to be hungry, as to be full fed; to be poor as to be rich, to suffer as to raign, to dye as to live; when Phil. 3. 8. a man can live in God, and unto God, above all this world, and esteem all things but drosse and dung, in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.

And true faith is also profitable to men, when it is exercised in godly conference, building up one another, comforting one another, and (if need require) reproving one another; when it works in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, releiving the oppressed, and by doing to every man as we would be done unto. This is living faith, and it Gal. 5. 6. is thus evidenced to be alive.

Thus we are not justified by, nor for, our good workes; for we are his workmanship, created a new in Christ Jesus [Page] unto good workes, that we should walk inthem: Justification, where it is indeed, will evidence it self by acts of sanctification.

Q. What is sanctification? And how is it wrought?

A. As Christ is made of God righteousnesse unto us for justification, so also for sanctification: as he is our justification, because he perfectly fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law for us, and paid all our debts, yeilding up himself to death for us: so also he is become our sanctification, by fulfilling the righteousnesse Rom. 8. 4. of the Law in our hearts, even by living in us. As we are justified Rom. 5. 10. by his death, so we are saved, or sanctified, by his [...]sfe.

Sanctification is an act of Gods infinite love, whereby he takes us out of Adam, or the old man, and puts us into 2 Cor, 5. 17 Christ, or the new man; and this is the new creation, or the new creature, when a man that before was unholy, profane, and to every good work void of judgement, is now become (through the power of Christ living in him) holy, unblameable, and ready to every good work; and this is wrought by the power of God [Page] revealing Christ in the soul; when Christ is revealed in the soul to be white and Cant. 5. 10. ruddy, the most excellent, the most amiable, one, in whom God is well pleased, and in whom his soul delighteth, yea, and Isai. 42. 1. by whom, and in whom, he is well pleased with poor sinners, and delights in them: then that soul is ravished with his beauty, which is his love, and with beholding 2 Cor. 3. 18 or apprehending of it, is transformed into the same Image of love more and more. Christ is the Saints life, and Col. 3. 3, 4. this life is hid in God, untill it be revealed; and when Christ, who is our life, doth appear in the soul, then the soul lives in his life, and appeares with him in glory.

Now every one in whom Christ lives indeed, he conformes them to himself.

First, in death, if Christ be risen in the soul, then the old man is crucified, that Rom. 6. 6. the body of sin might be destroyed; and the soul is dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in holinesse, through Jesus Christ, who lives in him.

Secondly, Where Christ is risen indeed, there is a conformity in life: Christ being (the life living) in the soul, the soul must needs live indeed, and live [Page] unto God, and not any longer to the flesh; for to be carnally minded is death, Rom. 8. 6. but to be spiritually minded is life and peace: and thus is Christ our sanctification, when he arises and appeares in our hearts, whereby he transformes and changes us into his own Image, even his Image of glory more and more.

Q. But doth not the Lord in Scripture call men to repentance, and promise them life upon condition of the same; yea, the Lord Ezek. 33. 11 doth solemnly protest, that he delights not in the death of him that dieth, but rather that he should repent, and turn, and live: And again, why will yee die? repent, and turn, and live yee. And our Saviour saith, except yee repent, yee shall all perish: and the Apostles exhort them in the Acts, to repent for the remission of sinnes; and that their sinnes might be blotted out. And again, if we confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse. Doth it not from all these places appear very plain, that repentance is necessarily required, as a meanes, or at least a condition of life?

A. There is in Scripture a twofold repentance spoken of, a repentance of the Law, and a repentance of the Gospel.

[Page] The repentance which is of the Law, is suteable to that Covenant of workes, which the Israelites were under for temporal blessings; when they at any time acted contrary to the command, then 1 King. 8. 33, 35, 46, 47. the Lord plagued them, sometimes with famine, pestilence, warre, captivity, &c. untill they did repent; and when they repented, or ceased from their wicked wayes and works, then the Lord would also repent, or remove the judgement; for temporal blessings were promised upon condition of outward obedience, and temporal punishments were diverted, or turned away, upon their legal repentance, and ceasing from their evill wayes.

In the time of Ezekiels prophesie, the Israelites were many of them in captivity already, and the rest of them were threatened: and when the Lord by the Prophet called for repentance, the people thought it was to small purpose to Ezek. 18. 2. and 33. 10. repent, seeing their fathers had eaten sour grapes, and their teeth were set on edge; and that it was but a light businesse to promise them any good, upon condition of repentance, seeing they did but pine away in their fathers sinnes. [Page] To which the Lord commands the Prophet to tell them, that it was no such matter, it was their own sin which was the cause of their misery; and that if they Verse 11. would return from their idolatries, and other abominations, he would cease from punishing of them, and hereupon uses that solemn oath, As I live, I have no delight in plaguing you, I had rather yee would turn from your evill wayes, and live in your own land: why will yee die? or why will yee be slain, or die by famine, or pestilence, &c. And so our Saviour tells those, which spake to him of Pilates cruelty, that unlesse they did repent, they Luk. 13. 2, 3 should likewise perish, meaning that some temporal judgement would overtake them; and thus legal repentance 1 King. 21. 27, 29. served onely for the preventing or diverting of temporal punishments.

But repentance which is of the Gospel, is not any meanes or condition of life; for eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord; and it Rom. 6. 23. is a free gift, and not purchased by repentance, nor yet promised, nor given upon condition of repentance; for it is Rom. 8. 38, 39. not sin, nor Satan, nor death it self, can make a separation between them that are [Page] elected, and the love of God in Christ Jesus, which is eternal life: The Lord, Numb. 23. 19. Tit. 1. 2. who hath promised, is not a man that he should lie, or the son of man, that he should repent in this respect. Now this repentance is called godly sorrow, and 2 Cor. 7. 10 it is wrought by the working power of Gods love in the soul apprehended by faith, and is a fruit of faith.

There is a worldly sorrow, which causeth or worketh death, being wrought by the apprehension of death or punishment, and this is in wicked and unregenerate men, fear of death drives them to Mat. 27. 3. a kind of repentance; yea, and the Saints sometimes having attained but a small measure of the apprehension of Gods love in Jesus Christ, being under a spirit of bondage, and looking upon God as he Rom. 8. 15. manifested himself upon Sinai, are so filled with fear and terror, which causeth abundance of sorrow, even mourning and grieving exceedingly, because they can grieve no more; and that meerly upon this ground, that if their sorrow were in any good measure answerable to their sin; then they hope that God will pardon them, apprehending in themselves; and being told so by others, that [Page] if they doe not soundly repent, mourn, and grieve for their sinnes, heartily and seriously confesse them, with a resolution to leave and forsake them, that God would not, nay could not, pardon them; and all this from mis-understanding of Scripture, as he that hideth his sinne shall Prov. 28. 13 not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy; and if we 1 Joh. 1. 9. confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull and just to forgive, &c. concluding from the very letter of these Scriptures (not having the true meaning thereof explained unto them) that unlesse they first grieve, and mourn, and confesse, God will not pardon; and so goe heavily under this burthen for want of better information: but true repentance, which is repentance indeed, doth not proceed from a bare hope of pardon, but from sence of pardon already apprehended, for as no man can believe his justification, until God hath revealed it to him by Jesus, so neither can any man repent truly and indeed, untill he first understand and believe, that God, for Christs sake, hath forgiven him all his trespasses: And this Act. 11. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 10 repentance is called, a repentance unto life, or a repentance flowing from life, [Page] or evidencing life; and life (which is Christ) is very desireable unto all them Act. 16. 30. who have but the least sence or taste of it; and it is also active wheresoever it is, and puts men upon all enquiries, what must we doe that we may have life: those Converts in the Acts, had but a Acts 2. 23. and 3. 13. little before been very forward in the crucifying of Christ, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him goe: Yet now when they hear the Apostles preach remission of sinnes in his name, and that there is Acts 2. 36. no other name given under heaven whereby they must be saved, but the name Jesus onely, and that God hath advanced him on high, and given him all power to bring all those to life and salvation that desist from their evill wayes, and believe in his name: Now when they ver. 37. heard this they were pricked in their hearts; now Christ, who is life, began to stirre or act: a little in their hearts; and now what shall we doe men and brethren, that we may have and enjoy more life? To whom the Apostle answered, repent, not that repentance doth ver. 38. purchase pardon, but if yee doe indeed believe in Jesus, and if he be come into [Page] your soules, then yee can repent indeed, and by your true and sound repentance yee may be assured, that your sinnes are forgiven, for yee shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost, which shall seal the same unto you; and it is further said, that (the same day) there were added three ver. 41. thousand soules: And for that which the Apostle John saith, If we confesse our sinnes, 1 Joh. 1. 9. he is faithfull and just to forgive, &c. The Apostle seemes in this place to deal with two sorts of men.

The one sort are very high in notion and opinion, and think themselves to be the men that are in Christ, and have fellowship with the Father in the Son, and yet notwithstanding they walk contrary to him in their practice: nay, saith the Apostle, that cannot be, for God is light, and ver. 5. with him is no darknesse at all; God is a holy and righteous God, and will doe, neither can he doe any thing, but what is most pure and just: and if any say that they have fellowship or communion ver. 6. with him, and yet are not conformable to him in holinesse and righteousnesse, they lie, and doe not the truth: and if they say (as many doe) that they have no sin, Christ hath finished transgression, [Page] and made an end of sin in them, so that let them doe what they will, they cannot sin▪ they deceive▪ themselves, saith he, their ver. 8. deceived heart hath turned them aside, and there is no truth in them.

The other sort are such, as in whom Christ is revealed, but yet in a low degree, and these are still in feares and doubts, and would gladly know how they may be assured, in some comfortable measure, of the favour of God, and of the pardon of their sins.

To these he answers; If yee walk in ver. 7. the light, as he is in the light, &c. God is a holy God, a most pure Spirit, with whom is no iniquity; and if he by appearing in your soules, hath wrought you to a love of purity and holinesse, and also to a loathing of all sin and wickednesse, then yee may be sure yee have fellowship with him, and the bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth you from all sin.

But if they further say (as many a poor soul doth) yea, but we find that sin is not dead in us, but lively; and corruptions strong, a Law in the members leading us into captivity, the good that we would doe we doe not, the evill which we would not doe, that we doe.

[Page] The Apostle answers, your condition is good, if God by his Spirit in you, hath ver. 9. brought you to see and confesse this; yee need not be discouraged, for God is a faithful God, he never begins a good work, but he will perfect it; he hath already pardoned your sinnes, and he will more and more assure your hearts thereof, by cleansing you by degrees from all your corruptions.

Q. If justification and remission of sinnes be free, without any condition, desert, or desire on our part, why then doth our Saviour teach us to pray for it, saying, forgive our debts? And if men be justified, and their sinnes be forgiven before they repent; then what need have men to repent at all?

A. Although justification and remission of sinnes be free, and undeserved, yet it is not presently revealed to the soul, so soon as men believe, but it is brought home to the soul a little at once, Mark 4. 26. 27, 28. by degrees, according as they are enabled to believe, neither doth the Lord discover himself in his love to all in a like measure, for it pleaseth him divers times, to suffer many of his dear ones to sit a great while in darknesse, and to see but Psal. 77. 7, 8, 9. a very little light, and to have but a small [Page] measure of the comfortable assurance of his love: These he holds in suspence, and therefore they cry, and pray, forgive us our sinnes, not being assured of the pard on thereof.

Yea, others also that have attained to a higher degree of assurance, and are able to conclude, and that safely, that their sinnes are forgiven, and that Christ is their righteousnesse unto justification; yet seeing their own weaknesses, and knowing that they are sanctified but in part, and having a law in their members, rebelling against the law of the mind; Eph. 3. 18, 19. they have need, and doe pray for a further discovery of Gods love to perfect their sanctification, that they may thereby have a further evidence of their justification; and therefore it is said, forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; that is, Lord work in us such a holy frame of spirit, that seeing thou hast freely forgiven us (through Christ) all our sinnes; we may also freely for thy sake, forgive our offending brother his trepasses; and that our readinesse and willingnesse to pardon others, may evidence unto us, that thou hast forgiven us; so that we are not taught to pray for pardon of [Page] sin, as though the Lord would not forgive us untill we pray for it, but rather that God would manifest himself so to us in acts of sanctification, as may testifie unto us our justification. And although repentance is not necessary as a meanes of remission, and so of life: yet it is a necessary consequence or effect of life: as the fruit is not a meanes, or a condition of life to the tree, but an effect or evidence of life in the tree; for it is impossible, that Christ should be in the soul, and not act like himself, according to that degree and measure, in which he manifests himself therein.

Now repentance is not onely a sorrow 1 King. 21. 27. for sin, for that may be in wicked men; neither is it a bare confession joyned with the former, for both these may be done for self-ends: But when a man doth indeed apprehend the love of God in Jesus, freely justifying and pardoning all sin and transgression whatsoever, without any desert, or desire; and not onely so, but also sanctifying, and saving him from all sin for the future: then his soul is melted and dissolved into godly sorrow, Psal. 51. 4, 5 mourning, and grieving (not for fear of death and hell, but) because he [Page] hath walked so contrary to God, who hath so farre condiscended in love to him; and hereupon falls to confesse all sin, and to rip up his heart, and to search out his most secret sinnes, as well as those that be more outward: and desires to appear before God the most vile and abominable sinner in the world in his own eyes, deserving nothing but wrath and condemnation, and admires at the infinite love and goodnesse of God in Jesus Christ, thus pardoning and sanctifying him: and prayes earnestly unto God, that he will make further discoveries Psal. 51. 12. of his love unto him in Jesus, that he may be more vile in his own eyes, and that he may now hate and abhorre all sin, which is so contrary to the holinesse of God: that Christ may live more in Eph 3. 17. him, and that he may henceforth be enabled through him, to walk in all well pleasing. And thus the Saints, though they be already justified and pardoned, yet cannot but repent; for if Christ, Zach. 12. 10. who is the root, be within, repentance, which is a fruit thereof, will appear in the branches: and thus the Saints can mourn after Christ, and blessed are they Mat. 5. 4. that so mourn, for they shall be comforted.

[Page] Q. Seeing that the Saints or Believers are sanctified but in part, and have flesh as well as spirit, and are compassed about, not onely with many infirmities, but also with many enemies, which are strong and potent: Whereby are they then quickened? Or what helps have they to grow in grace and sanctification.

A. The chief help or meanes, whereby the Saints are quickened up to holinesse, Rom. 8. 11. is Christ himself, dwelling in them, and acting them by his spirit, or power, to all well pleasing: but there are other subordinate meanes, which he hath appointed and sanctified to that end; as namely, 1 Tim. 4. 13. Eph. 6. 18. his Word in the reading and preaching of it, as also godly conference with one another, and prayer.

Q. How can the Scriptures, being but the writings of men, be of any force to help us grow in grace? &c.

A. Although the Scriptures were written by men, yet they were not the device of mens braines or wits, but they 2 Pet. 1. 21. were the words of God, inspired into men by the holy Spirit, neither did men write them at their own pleasure, but how and when the Lord, who is that Spirit, pleased: and they are profitable to [Page] teach, instruct, to reprove, and correct; 2 Tim. 3. 16. yea, there is in the Scriptures whatsoever is necessary to be known to salvation, they being a revelation of the most righteous and perfect will of God in every dispensation; and they are also mighty through Christ, for indeed to the Saints Christ is the Word, and the Word is Christ; and when he is pleased to come Heb. 4. 12. forth in it, read, or preached, then it casts down strong holds; then it divides asunder between soul and spirit, between men and their beloved lusts; then it subdues every high thought, and brings every thing into subjection that exalts it self against Christ; and then when he is pleased to come forth thus in it by his Spirit, then it transformes the soul into the same nature, or Image of it self, which is Christ: And here is the power of Mat. 16. 1 [...]. binding and loosing, or the power of the keyes. There is in the word a double power or efficacy, when it comes in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit, it is both for softening and for hardening of mens hearts, and it alwayes doth the work to which it is sent, it is called, a sharp two-edged Sword, the Sword Eph. 6. 17. of the Spirit, &c.

[Page] Now no mans word can work any effect upon mens hearts, they may blesse, or they may curse; and all to no purpose: they may bind and loose at their own pleasure, but there is nothing done in the soul, but where this word comes indeed in the name, that is, in the power and authority of Christ, there it doth the work effectually, and there is no resistance, it either makes men fruitful and meet for salvation, or else hardens them, and binds them over to damnation.

Q. Yea indeed, Christ is the Word, and he came from the bosome of the Father, and he onely doth reveal the Fathers will: But doth he not doe it by visions, and revelations of the Spirit, rather than by a written word, which is so full of contradictions; or so contrary to it self?

A. Christ hath alwayes manifested himself, or the Fathers will, by visions and revelations, but yet in a different way in every dispensation: when the Gospel was first preached, he was pleased to reveal himself unto the Apostles, for the most part, without any written word; (they having but a few dark prophecies and types which made mention of him) and therefore they were enabled extraordinarily Acts 2. 6, 11. [Page] to declare, both in word and writing, the whole will and counsell of God; and the word so spoken and written, being a revelation of Christ through 2 Cor. 12. 1 the Spirit, was written and spoken for our instruction: Christ now reveales himself to us also by the same Spirit, and to the same ends and purposes, but not in the same manner, nor in the same degree: Christ by revelation enabled them Eph. 3. 2, 3. to speak and write a mystery; and by revelation he enables us to know and Acts 10. 44, 45. understand that mystery, which was spoken and written by them: They were inspired by the Spirit immediately to Gal. 1. 1. write and speak the mind of God perfectly: To us it is given, to understand and believe the will of God, in the mystery 1 Tim. 4. 13. 1 Cor. 2. 12 10. of Christ, by attending upon reading, exhortation, and doctrine, even by the same Spirit. The Apostles were sent to preach the Gospel, and faith comes by Rom. 10. 17. hearing, and hearing by the word preached: Paul was an Apostle, a teacher of the Gentiles; and unto him was this Eph. 3. 8. grace given, that he should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, &c. The Gospel must be preached; but every preaching is [Page] not the preaching of the Gospel; for some men preach neither Law nor Gospel, but their own fancies: others preach justification by the duties of the Law, 1 Tim▪ 1. 7 knowing neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm: and others jumble Law and Gospel together, saying, that men must believe in Jesus Christ, and Acts 15. 1. yet they must walk in a strict performance of the duties of the Law, or else they cannot be saved: But the Gospel, where it is purely preached, is not with wisdome of words, to exercise or set forth mens 1 Cor. 2. 4, 5. humane arts, and acquired abilities, but in the evidence and power of the Spirit, to perswade men to believe: the preaching of the Gospel is not to chide or revile men for not believing, but to beseech 2 Cor. 5. 20. men to be reconciled to God. The preaching of the Gospel is not to threaten wrath and vengeance against sin and 1 Tim. 1. 13▪ 16. sinners, but to offer termes of peace, reconciliation, and salvation, through Christ Jesus, to the worst of sinners.

Moreover, the Lord hath in much wisdome and goodnesse manifested his will in a written word, for he very well knew what was in man: many Prophets of old did run before they were sent; but [Page] because they spake not according to the Isai. 8. 20. Law and the Testimony (their written word) their was no light in them. There were also false Apostles in the Primitive Churches, but because they spake not 2 Cor. 11. 13, 14, 15. according to the word of faith revealed in the true Apostles, they were soon discovered to the Saints. The Mystery of 2 Thes. 2. 7, 9. iniquity in that man of sin, came into the world after the working of Satan, with signes and lying wonders, and men were deluded by them, because they did not receive or believe the truth, as it was revealed in the written word; but Christ 2 Thes. 2. 8. hath already in part, and is daily destroying more and more that mystery and kingdome of the devill, by his appearing, and the brightnesse of his coming, according to this written word. And there be many also that boast and brag of visions and revelations, and despise and deride the Scriptures; but because they resist or put away the truth, therefore they shall not be able to proceed much 2 Tim. 3. 8, 9. further, for their folly shall be made manifest to all men, by the power of truth revealed in the Scriptures. Neither is the Scripture contrary to it self, or any the least contradiction in it, for as no [Page] part of it was written by the private motion 2 Pet. 1. 20. of mans own Spirit, so neither is it of any private interpretation, nor to be drawn or stretcht to any mans private purpose, for we are not to use the Scriptures for our own self ends, or so much of them as will serve our turnes; but to weigh and consider the whole Scripture, and labour to reconcile seeming differences; for though there may appear some small seeming jarrs in the letter, yet being compared with other Scriptures, and weighed with a Spirit of love and meeknesse, there will be found a sweet harmony in the sence and meaning: and where any thing is hard, and difficult, and not easie to be understood, there we are not rashly to determine, but Dan. 2. 18, 19, 22. by prayer and supplication to wait upon God, who is a revealer of secrets, and to whom interpretations doe belong, and Gen. 40. 8. Gal. 6. 9. in due time we shall reap, if we faint not.

Q. What is Prayer?

A. Prayer is much spoken of, and much used among men, but it is not very well understood, for many people can, and doe utter words and sentences, which the Saints in Scripture have used in [Page] prayer, and yet they doe not pray: prayer is not every lifting up of the voice to God, nor every lifting up of the heart to God, for the most wicked man may Numb. 23 10. pray, and that earnestly, and that for life and salvation, and yet not pray aright; yea, a believer, and one that is in Christ, may be very fervent in prayer, and yet not being rightly catechized and Psal. 80. 4. instructed in the nature of true prayer, may not be accepted, but offend in praying. Prayer is not a work of wit, or memory, or of any other common gift of the Spirit; but true and right prayer, as it goes up to God through Christ, so it comes down first from God by Christ, and is indeed the intercession of Christ Gal. 4. 6. in the soul: for no man knowes how, or what to pray for as he ought; yea, the Saints themselves are compassed with many infirmities, and many of them lie under many outward crosses, &c. by Rom. 8. 26. reason whereof, they may, and doe now and then use prayer in a carnal manner: now it is the Spirit which removeth or helpeth against these infirmities; when the Spirit prevailes (as it doth for the most part) in the Saints, then it assures them of the love of God, and overcomes [Page] all feares and doubts, and carries them up to God with free accesse, making them to know, that God is not delighted with eloquent words and speeches, or sentences finely framed, and artificially drawn into a method: But that he is well pleased with Christ, and delights in nothing but Christ, and if he be in the soul, though at present they cannot utter many words, or outward expressions; nay, if they can but groan in spirit, he knowes the meaning thereof, for he ver. 27. knowes the heart, and understands the mind of the spirit: If prayer proceed from a mans own spirit, then it is alwayes for self ends; but if it be the intercession of Christ in the soul, then it is alwayes agreeable to the will of God; for he (even Christ) maketh intercession for the Saints, according to the will of God.

Q. If prayer be the intercession of Christ in the soul, then how is it said, that he is at the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us, and is gone into heaven, there to appear in the presence of God for us? And why then are we commanded to pray to the Father in the name of Christ:

A. Christ is indeed at the right hand [Page] of God, that is, the Lord hath advanced Acts 2. 33, [...]6. him into his own glory; and given him his own power and authority, even all Mat. 28. 18. power in heaven and earth, for God doth not manifest himself in any wise unto the Saints, or bestow any thing upon them, but in and by Jesus Christ; neither can, or doe, the Saints enjoy God, or have any true fellowship with him, but in and through Christ; so that whatsoever is done in heaven, or in earth, Christ is the doer of it: now Christ dwells in the Saints by his Spirit, which is the power of his love, proceeding infinitely from the Father unto the Son, and from Christ into the Saints: and by this Spirit, or power of love, he quickens them Zach. 12. 10. up to prayer, and not onely so, but also frames and endites their prayers in them, according to the will of the Father, and so they become acceptable to him; for John 8. 29. whatsoever Christ doth, is well pleasing to God; for the Father loveth the Son, Joh. 17. 23. and the Saints being united to Christ, and made one with God in him, are hereby brought into the love and favour of God through him: And thus he is in heaven, appearing in the presence of God for us.

[Page] And for that we are to pray to the Father in the name of Christ, it is not meant, that we must often use or repeat the name of Christ, or in word beg, or crave any thing at the hand of God for Christs sake, for so a wicked carnal wretch may doe: but to pray to the Father in the Eph. 6. 18. name of Christ is, to pour forth the soul unto the Father, in the power and intercession of the Son, for God looks not at any thing in all this world but Christ: men may be high in gifts, and notions, and may make admirable prayers for words and sentences, and also for method and form, but if Christ be not there, and Prov. 28. 9. if the prayer goe not forth in the Spirit and power of Jesus Christ, then the Lord regards it not, but loaths it, and casts it away, as abominable.

To pray then in the name of Christ is, when the soul goeth forth into the armes of Gods love, by the Spirit and power of the Lord Jesus, who is the Son of his love.

Q. Seeing that men of themselves cannot pray aright, and that the Lord, to whom we are to pray, knowes our wants before we pray: What need have we then to pray. Mat. 6. 32.

[Page] A. As men cannot pray of themselves, so neither can they live of themselves, for the life which the Saints now live in the flesh, is not by any power of their own, but by the power of Christ living Gal. 6. 20. in them; so that there is not onely a necessity of life in them in whom Christ lives, who is the life, but an impossibility of not living. In like manner, though men cannot pray acceptably by their own power or worth, yet if Christ, who is the mediator, and intercessor, live in them, there is not onely a necessity of praying, but it is altogether impossible Zach. 12. 10. Rom. 8. 15. that they should not pray, Christ being in their hearts the Spirit of supplication, and of adoption, causing them to cry, Abba Father. Yea, in him they have accesse Eph. 3. 12. with boldnesse unto the throne of grace: And though the Lord doe know our wants, yet he hath commanded us to Ezek. 36. 37 pray, ask and yee shall have, &c. And yee Mat. 7. 7. Jam. 4▪ 2. fight, and warre, and have not, because yee ask not: The Lord would have his people to rejoyce, but they must pray, ask and yee shall receive, that your joy may be Joh. 16. 24. full: Now although the Lord command us to pray, he doth not intend that we should make Idols of our prayers, and [Page] think that we receive for our praying, but he doth it, that we may know and consider, on whom our joy, our happinesse, yea, our very life dependeth: and Psal. 16. 11. also that he may have the honour and Psal. 30. 5. glory of all his goodnesse, when we in asking acknowledge him to be the giver of all, and that we receive all of grace, Jam. 1. 17. and not of debt: and then it occasions much thankfulnesse, when we return him 2 Cor. 9. 11, 12. the praise of all his love and bounty, and live in the use of his mercies, to his praise.

Q. But is not the Lord said to be an unchangeable Mal. 3. 6. God, with whom is not the least shaddow of turning; and if he have determined Jam. 1. 17. to bestow any favour or mercy, he will doe it without our prayers: and if he have not determined us any good, to what purpose should we pray▪ seeing by the same we cannot alter nor change his mind?

A. Although the Lord be altogether unchangeable, and unalterable in his purposes and determinations, yet he would Phil. 4. 6. have his children make known to him their needs by their requests: neither is there the least shadow of change in him, when he bestowes mercies and blessings upon them, in answer to their prayers: [Page] for whatsoever good thing he purposeth to his children, yet before he bestow it Luk. 11. 1. upon them, he usually stirreth up their hearts to pray for the same: Now the Lord whatever he gives to the Saints, he gives it them in Christ; and what the Saints pray for, they request and beg the Joh. 16. 26. same in the Spirit and intercession of Christ, for he is the way, by which the Lord comes down to us in all good; and Joh. 14. 6. he is the way also, by which we goe up to God in prayer and thanksgiving.

Now as it is impossible, that God should alter his determinations, in bestowing of mercies, so also is it, that the Psal. 32. 6. Saints should not pray for blessings and favours, being quickened up thereto by the Spirit of Christ living in them: so Gal. 4. 6. then, God is not changed, but the change is in the Saints, for many times when God entends a blessing, his children are not fit to receive the same; then he by that Spirit of adoption, quickens them 1 Thes. 5. 17. up to pray, and yet delaies them; that by the continual use of this heavenly exercise, and by the spirit of judgement, and burning, their corruptions may be Isai. 4. 4. consumed and destroyed, and their hearts brought into a more holy and humble [Page] frame, and they at length, by this meanes, made fit to receive the mercy.

Q. If men cannot pray unill they be moved, or quickened thereunto by the Spirit: how then shall it be known when the Spirit moves? or which, or when, is the most convenient, and fittest time for prayer?

A. That no man is able of himself, without the help of the Spirit, to make any prayer acceptable to God, hath been already shewed; prayer being a work of that Spirit of adoption, called the Spirit Gal. 4. 6. of the Son, and is nothing else, but an effect of that power in the Son, given unto him by the Father: men may use words or formes of prayer, but none can pray indeed, but they who have received this spirit of adoption, and are thereby Joh. 14. 23. become the Sonnes of God; and they, who are thus become Sonnes, have not the Spirit by fits and starts, but the Spirit, or the Lord Jesus, who is that Spirit, Rom. 8. 9. dwells in their hearts, and is continually exciting, and stirring up their hearts to prayer, and every good thing: But it is not alwayes apprehended alike; for many times, by reason of temptation, want of watchfulnesse, and other infirmities of the flesh, it is clouded, and acts not so [Page] clearly as at other times; yet notwithstanding, it will in due time break through Rom. 8. 26. all difficulties, and remove all impediments, and acts like it self, and ministers matter of prayer upon all occasions: so then, whensoever the Lord presents occasion or opportunity of prayer, then he by the same calls for prayer, and then is the Spirit ready to quicken and help, if it be not quenched with carnall workings 1 Thes. 5. 19. of the flesh, as worldly cares, worldly sorrowes, worldly joyes, &c. Now if there be any time, wherein the Lord doth not minister occasion of prayer and praise, then that is no time for prayer and thanksgiving; but there is no time in the whole life of a Christian, in which the Lord doth not minister occasion 1 Thes. 5. 17, 18. of prayer and praise, therefore the Saints ought to pray continually, and in every thing to give thanks: Furthermore, as the Saints ought upon all occasions to lift up their hearts to God, so also they are to take the fittest opportunity; for prayer is not a light businesse, but of great weight and concernment; it is called, a pouring forth of the 1 Sam. 1. 15 soul to God,, a wrestling with God, a crying Gen. 32. 24 Psal. 142. 1. earnestly to God, &c. Now the fittest time [Page] for this serious businesse is, when we can set about it with least distraction; when we can best sequester our selves from all other occasions whatsoever, and attend upon that work with freedome of Spirit. And as we must 1 Pet. 47. take the fittest time, so also we must watch unto it, that is, so order our outward affaires, that there may be convenient time; and so watch over our own hearts in the strength of Christ, that Eph. 6. 18. they may be alwayes well disposed to Luk. 18. 1. prayer, and not to flag or faint, though we meet with many delayes, and other discouragements, but to continue instant Col. 4. 2. in the same, watching when God will give in occasion of thanksgiving.

Q. But doth not God give us other helpes also, to build us up in grace and holinesse? What say you of the Sacraments? Is not Baptisme of great use in these dayes of the Gospel?

A. The word Sacrament is no where to be found in all the Scripture, and for Baptisme, the Scripture mentions divers Baptismes, as the baptisme of water, the Heb. 6. 2. Mark 1. 8. baptisme of the holy Ghost, and of fire, and the baptismes of sufferings, all which Luk. 12. 50. were beautiful in their seasons, and some [Page] of them are still of great concernment to the Saints.

The baptisme of water was the baptisme of John, who was sent of God, to Mal. 3. 1. prepare the way of Christ: Israel had Deut. 1. 6. dwelt long enough in that Mount of out-side observations; for although they had their legall washings and cleansings, Heb. 9. 10. which were, and might be called baptismes, yet all these could not wash away 1 Pet. 3. 21. one sin from the conscience, but served onely to cleanse them from legall pollutions, though they were not without their significations. But now the baptisme of John, and his ministry, was mighty, Luk. 1. 17. for he came in the spirit, and power of Elias, and was a sign of a great change of administrations, for he called them to repentance, even to repent of Mat. 3. [...]. all that out-side, and formal religion, which they had so hotly pursued; for they were generally grown so corrupt, and so blockish, and blind withall, that they imagined, that by the bare out-side Jer. 7. 9. performance of those legal cleansings, they were sufficiently sanctified, though they continued in the practise of most grosse and notorious sinnes: But John tells them plain, that although [Page] God had long endured, and born with their hipocrisies and formalities, yet now he would bear no longer, for he had now laid the axe to the root of the trees, Mat. 3. 10. and if any tree were barren, or did not bring forth good fruit, it was to be hewen down, and cast into the fire; hereby giving them to understand, that unlesse they did desist from all their wicked and ungodly wayes and courses, and amend their evill lives, Luke 3. 11, 12, 13, 14. there was no remission of sinnes to be expected, nor true sanctification to be attained, notwithstanding all their legal and strict performances; and hereupon calls them to his baptisme, declaring plainly unto them, that though many of them thought he was the Christ, yet they Luke 3. 15, 16. were deceived, for he was but sent to prepare his way; and that his baptisme was but with water, which could onely wash away the filth of the body; but could goe no further; but yet by the same they were to be instructed, that there is one among them already in the flesh, even Christ, who shall baptize them with the holy Ghost, and with fire; that is, wash and cleanse their soules, from all the filth and guilt of sin that was upon them: And thus John's ministry was to [Page] prepare the way, or to manifest Christ already come; and his baptisme did John 1▪ 31. hold forth the baptisme of Christ in the Spirit, which was to follow in its season.

Q. If Johns ministry and baptisme served onely to prepare the way of Christ, or to manifest Christ in the flesh; and to instruct them, or type out unto them the baptisme of Christ; why then was it needfull, that Christ himself should be baptized of John?

A. Christ indeed was baptized of John, but not out of any need to shew forth sorrow for sin, he being altogether without sin; nor yet was he baptized out of any necessity to be instructed in the mystery of the Spirits baptisme▪ but Christ submitted to Johns baptisme for our sakes onely, the head that had 2 Cor. 5. 21. no sin, for the body that was full of sin.

Again, Johns baptisme was part of the Law, and it was the last and most lively Ceremony of it, and Christ submitted unto the same, that he might fulfill all righteousnesse for us.

Now that Johns baptisme was of the Law, and not of the Gospel, is evident from his preaching; for John preached [Page] saying, repent, for the kingdome of heaven is Mat. 3. [...]. at hand; now the kingdome of heaven is Christ (not in the flesh) but crucified, risen again, ascended, returned in the Spirit, the Comforter dwelling in the hearts of the Saints; the kingdome of heaven Luk. 17. 21 is within you: And from our Saviours words, Mat, 11. 11. where speaking of John saith, that among them that were born of women, there hath not risen a greater Prophet than John the Bapptist, because other of the Prophets had spoken of Christ afarre off, but John pointed him out with the finger, saying, this is he; John 1. 36. but mark what followes, not withst anding he that is least in the kingdome of heaven is greater than he, meaning, that he that is indeed a Preacher of the Gospel, though never so mean and contemptible in the eyes of men, should doe greater workes than John did.

Q. But there are other baptismes spoken of in Scripture, as well as Johns, for the Disciples of Christ did baptize, and Christ at his ascension sent them to baptize all Nations; Is not water-baptisme then an Ordinance of the Gospel?

A. True indeed, Christs Disciples did baptize while he was with them in the [Page] flesh: But it was with John's Baptism, and Acts 18. 25. so the Scripture calls it: For indeed, the preaching of John, and his Baptism, was the same with the preaching and Baptism of Christs Disciples: For John preached saying, The Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matth. 3. 2. Matth. 10. 7 Christs Disciples preached saying, The Kingdome of heaven is at hand. Both John and Christs Disciples by their Baptism, which was in cold water, could but wash mens bodies, and call upon them to repent, and to expect remission of sins onely in Christ Jesus, who was to wash away the filth of their souls, even with a Spiritual water, or Baptism of his Spirit. So that although the Disciples of Christ did baptize, yet their Baptism was the same with John's Baptism, and to continue but Ioh. 3. 30. for a season; for so John confesseth, I must decrease, but he (meaning Christ) must increase.

And for Christs Commission to his Apostles, to Baptize all Nations, that is not to be understood of Water-Baptism, as appeareth by his own words, Acts 1. 5. when being risen from the Dead, and now ready to ascend into his Glory; acquaints them with the work whereto he is Acts 1. 4. now sending them; commands them not [Page] to depart from Jerusalem, until they had received the Promise of the Father, (that is the Spirit;) for saith he, John truly Baptized verse 5. with water, as if he had said, it hath been the Fathers good pleasure to appear in Types and significations, and to vail himself a while under dark Administrations: But now the time is full come, in which he will shew himself clearly in his abundant love and goodness, for ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost, which is the Spirit or Comforter, not many verse 8. dayes hence; and then ye shall receive power, to know what ye ought to do, and be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, &c. And when ye are thus impowred, or Baptized your selves: Then go and Mat. 28. 18, 19. teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, &c. Where by Name of the Father, and of the Son, &c, he doth not mean, that they should wash them in water, using that form of words; but by Name, is to be understood the Power of the Father, &c. As Christ saith, Mark 16. 17. In my Name they shall cast out Devils, that is, by my Power. And so in this business; All Power (saith Mat. 28. 18, 19. Christ) in heaven and in earth is given to me. Go ye (therefore) and Teach and Baptize[Page]the Nations, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. As if he had said, All Power is given to me of the Father, and by this power I will come into you, and into your ministry, and ye shall go forth in this power unto all nations, and by the same ye shall be enabled to make them know, and believe, That I am the wisdome of God, and the power of God to salvation, to the Gentile 1 Cor. 1. 24 as well as to the Jew; and that whosoever Mark 16. 6. believes in me indeed, (or is baptized with the Spirit, which is all one) shall never perish, but have everlasting life. And this was done effectually, for in one day Act. 2. 41. and 13. 48. there was added three thousand soules.

And in another place, all that were ordained to eternall life, believed.

Q. But if it was not the command of Christ, that they should baptize with Water, why then did they they use it after his ascension, and if Water-Baptisme was to cease and have an end at that time, why then do not the Scriptures declare the same.

A. As for the Apostles baptizing with Water after Christs ascension, it was not from any command of Christ, as one of them doth testifie.

The Baptisme of Water or Johns Baptisme 1 Cor. 1. 17▪ [Page] was very famous, and of great note in that time, and therefore could not at present be very easily laid down, as likewise very many other Legall observations.

And again, it is not to be questioned, but that the Apostles themselves were ignorant of many things, after they had received the Spirit abundantly; for Peter Act. 10. 28, 29, 34. was ignorant, that he might eat with the Gentiles, or that God had a purpose, by Jesus to bring in the Gentiles. Paul must goe to Jerusalem to be resolved Act. 15. 2. about Circumcision, and there were thousands of Jewes which did believe, and yet Act. 21. 20. they were all zealous of legall rites. God did not reveal himself all at once, but by degrees.

Again, the Apostles used water-baptisme as they used Circumcision, to avoid contention among the Saints: and further, Act. 16. 1. they used it sometimes when it was Act. 8. 36. desired; and to stoop to the weaknesse of many young believers, they became all things to all men, that they might not 1 Cor. 9. 20, 21, 22. and 10. 33. offend any, but save all if it were possible. And for the Scriptures to declare against water-baptisme to be used in the dayes of the Gospel, there be many [Page] Scriptures that speak much to that purpose, as 1 Cor. 1. 17. Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles utterly disclaimes it, for Christ, saith he, sent me not to baptize, but to preach.

Again, Ephes. 4. 5. One Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme, now water-baptisme is not the same with the Baptisme of the Luk. 3. 16. Spirit, for they are two distinct things, one is Johns, and the other is Christs, and if they were both one, then they that have the one, must also have the other: and they that cannot have the one (of water) neither can they have the other. Again, it is not water-baptisme that can Gal. 3. 23. Rev. 3. 12. John 3. 6. make us one with Christ, or give us a new name, or make us partake of the divine nature, &c. and therefore water-baptisme is not that one Baptisme, nor left us in command in the dayes of the Gospel.

Q▪ The baptisme of water hath been used in all the Churches of Christ, from the very time of the Apostles, and that with warant from Scripture; for Infants were circumcised under the Law, and Circumcision was a seal of the Covenant which God made with Abraham, and the Covenant is the same now as it was then, and Baptisme is come in [Page]the room of Circumcision, and is a seal of the Gospel-Covenant, and therefore Infants may be baptized; and the Apostle tells the Corinthians, that their fathers were all baptized in the Cloud, and in the Sea. And Saint Peter saith, that Baptisme doth now save us, how can it then be denied, that Baptisme, even of water, doth not stand us in great stead, even in the dayes of the Gospel?

A. Whatsoever was practised by the Apostles, and Primitive Christians, is already declared: how they to prevent contention and strife, did condescend to the weaknesse of many; knowing, that in time, the Baptisme of the Spirit, which is a Baptisme of Fire, would eat up the Baptisme of Water, as the fire that came down upon Elijahs Sacrifice, did lick up 1 King. 18. 38. all the water that was in the Trench. But whatsoever hath been done in Water-Baptisme since that time, it is hard to say, is, or was done with warrant from Scripture; but is to be feared was rather a part of that mistery of iniquity, which began 2 Thes. 2. 7. to work even in the Apostles time.

And that Baptisme is come in the room of Circumcision, was never yet made good by Scripture, nor never will.

It is true, God made a Covenant with [Page] Abraham, and gave him also Circumcision Gen. 17. 10, 11, as a sign or seal thereof: But the Covenant which God made was twofold. Inward, and Outward.

The Inward part respected his soul, in the sweet enjoyment of Gods love and favour by Christ Jesus, both in this life and in eternall glory.

The Outward part of it, respected the outward man, the enjoyment of the land of Canaan, with long life and prosperity therein.

Now so farre as the Covenant was inward and respected his soul, so farre Circumcision could not be a seal thereof: for nothing could seal the true spirituall Eph. 4. 13. and 4. 30. love and favour of God to his soul, but the Spirit, whereby all believers were, and still are, sealed to the day of redemption.

But as the Covenant was more outward, that he should be the Father of many nations, that in Isaac should his seed be called, and that he would give the land of Canaan to his seed, for an everlasting Possession; so farre Circumcision was a seal of the Covenant.

But now in the daies of the Gospel, the new Covenant, is a single Covenant, Heb. 8. 13. [Page] that old, weak part of it being vanished away: and it is now established upon better [...]eb. 8. 9. promises, than earthly Canaan: For the Covenant which God makes with his people now, is altogether inward, and Spirituall, which is Christ; and there is no seal of this Covenant, but that Spirit, or the Lord Jesus, called the Spirit of promise. Eph. 1, 13, 14.

And to make Water-Baptisme, or a Carnall thing, to be a seal of a Spiritual Covenant, which is Christ in the soul, sealing up the love of God to the same to all eternity; argues much ignorance in the mistery of God, and carnall mindednesse in the things of God, in a great measure.

And whereas the Apostle tells the Corinthians, their Fathers were baptized in 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. the Cloud and in the Sea. That is no warrant for Baptisme at all.

But he speaks it rather to take them off from depending upon outward Ordinance, &c.

For thus he seems to speak. Your Fathers were high in outward Ordinances, but they were not very high in Gods favour, for they were overthrown in the wildernesse, and these things were written for your example, &c.

[Page] And for that of the Apostle Peter, 1 Pet. 3. 20. 21. where he is speaking of the Floud, and that in the Arke but a few, even eight souls were saved by water; and that by a figure Baptisme doth not save us.

First, we must understand, that the Ark saved those eight soules from the water. And then that the figure here spoken of, is not between the floud, and water-baptisme. But between the Ark which saved them from those great waves, and Christ who saves us from the sea, even the red sea of Gods fierce wrath; as they that did believe, and obeyed, and prepared an Heb. 11. 7. Ark, were put into it by God, and so saved from death; So all that do believe Joh. 3. 36. are shut up in Christ, and made one with him, and so saved from wrath.

For so saith the Apostle, Baptisme doth now save us, but not the washing away of the filth of the flesh with water, but the answer of a good conscience to God by the resurrection of Christ from the dead,

If Christ be not risen in the soul, and if he raise not the soul from death, that man is not baptized indeed, though he be washed in water a thousand times.

And as for Infants that they should be [Page] baptized, there is not the least intimation in all the Scriptures that they, whiles they are such, ever were, or ever should be baptized.

If Water-Baptisme were any thing, or had any thing in it, yet infants are in no capacity at all to apprehend it, no not so much as in signification: yet they which make a prop of it to hold up their tottering kingdome, can see good reason for it, and draw goodly consequences from Scripture to help forward the practise of it.

Q. Though there be nothing in it, as indeed there is not, it being an outward signe; may we not use it therefore in obedience to Christs command, as a sign of our ingrafting into him, and as an ordinance that gives us admission into Curch-fellowship with the Saints?

A. The commands of Christ are not empty and barren commands, but full of power and efficacy.

When Christ coms forth in a command, then there is a work wrought indeed.

If Christ say to a dead man live, then Luk. 7. 14. is he quickned indeed.

If he command a man to believe, then there is faith and confidence wrought indeed.

[Page] If he command the Saints to love one another, then it is effected indeed.

Christs commands where they come, and he himself come along in them: (or Isa. 55. 11. Heb. 4. 12. else they are not his commands) they never return in vaine, but do certainly accomplish their work, not in imagination; but in reality and truth.

Now if Christ had commanded to Baptize a man, or an infant, in water, certainly some notable work would have been wrought thereby.

But we see in experience, that to dip, or to sprinckle, in, or with a little cold water produceth no effect in the inward man. Therefore to Baptize with water, as a command of Christ, is to offer injury to Christ, and to make the commands Joh. 6. 63. of Christ (which are full of power and life) to be empty and fruitless commands, which is not safe to imagine.

Moreover, Christs Kingdome is a Spirituall Luk. 17. 21▪ Kingdome, and is altogether inward: And as it is not attained, so neither is it enjoyed with any outward observations.

Indeed under the Law, they had their outward Ordinances, and Services, and all of them had their significations, shewing [Page] forth something of Christ, of his death, and resurrection, &c.

And this Kingdome was more Carnal Heb. 9. 10. than Spiritual; and they were led on in it by outward and carnal observations. But now Christ having finished all his work in the flesh, and being come again in the Luk. 17. 21. spirit, he exerciseth all his Kingly power in the soul; and this Kingdome of Christ Rom. 14. 17. is the Kingdome of Heaven, and there is no signification in it at all, but all is reall. For it is the glory of God begun in the soul, (not in imagination, but in 2 Cor. 3. 18. deed and in truth) which is to be perfected by degrees in this life, though not fully untill the life to come. Neither is there any outward ordinance, or observation, that can hold proportion or correspondence with this Spiritual Kingdome, it being exalted above all the Hills, and infinitely Isa. 2. 2. above all significations.

Now Water-Baptisme can no way shew forth our union with Christ, for 1 Cor. 6. 17. that is a Spiritual union, and Water-Baptisme is a Carnall ordinance, and holds no proportion with the former.

Againe we are not made one with Christ, as we are one flesh with him, but as we are one Spirit with him.

[Page] Christ by taking our flesh, became Immanuel, or God one with us in the flesh, but now the Lord, who is that Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. 17. takes us into the same Spirit, and so we are made one Spirit with him.

To this very end the glorious God did abase himself, and clothed himself with our flesh, and took it into union with himself: that so by this meanes, he might also receive all them that do truely believe in him, into union with himself by the same Spirit.

So that it is not the Baptisme of Water, that can ingraft us into Christ, or make us one with him: But by the Baptisme Joh. 3. 7. of the eternall Spirit, are all the Saints united to him, and partake of the 2 Pet. 1. 4. same Divine nature with him.

And further, Water-Baptisme can give us no true fellowship with the Saints, for where the Saints have true fellowship one with another, they have this fellowship 1 Joh. 1. 7. together in Christ. So that this fellowship consists not in being of the same opinion, or forme one with another. But in partaking of the same Spirit, are united into one body together in Christ. For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one 1 Cor. 12. 13. Body, whether we be Jewes or Gentils.

[Page] So that it is not water-baptisme that can give any true fellowship with the Saints, but onely a carnall admission into an outward fellowship with men of the same form, which may hold for a time, Act. 5. 1, 2. and afterward come to nothing. Ananias and Saphira, may have for a time an outward fellowship with the Apostles? and Simon Magus with Phillip, and the Act. 8. 18. &c. rest of the Saints in Samaria.

Q. What say you then of the Lords Supper, is not that an Ordinance of Christ to be used now in the time of the Gospel?

A. That our Saviour Christ did give Bread and Wine unto his Disciples, in remembrance of his death, which he was now suddenly to accomplish, is not denied: but that he left it with them, as an ordinance to be performed by all believers in the dayes of the Gospel, is to be enquired into: Our blessed Lord, a little before his suffering, told his Disciples, that he had a great desire to eat one Luk. 22. 15 Passeover more with them before his death; and being come into the house, as they were eating together, he tells them plain, that one of them should betray him into the hands of the chief Priests and Elders, &c. and that he was [Page] to undergoe great sufferings, yea, and Mat. 26. 21, 22, 23. death also; and that all this was no more than what was written of him, though they were ignorant of it: and that they must now enjoy his company but a very little while: for as he came forth from the Father into the world, Joh. 16. 28. so he must now leave the world, and goe to the Father, upon this heavy, and sad, and indeed unexpected newes, his poor weak Disciples (who looked for better things from their Master, at least in their own conceits) were so presently filled with sorrow, that they knew not what to Joh. 16. 6. say, much lesse what to doe; whereupon our Saviour, seeing them take the matter so to heart, and knowing that his death Mat. 26. 22 was of so great advantage unto them, takes occasion to instruct them in the knowledge and ends of the same; that as his departure from them was cause of great grief and sorrow unto them, so the remembrance of the great benefits which should redound unto them thereby, might a little stay and comfort their hearts, untill he did appear to them more fully.

To this end he took bread, and brake Mat. 26. 26, 27, 28. it, saying, This is my body which is given [Page]for you; as if he had said, as I break this bread, and give it unto you, so my body is given, and must be broken for you, even for your sinnes.

And taking the cup, he saith, drink yee all of it, for it is the New Testament in my Luk. 22. 19, 20. bloud, or a signification of the bloud of the New Covenant, which is my bloud, that must be shed for you, and many others also, or else yee cannot have remission of sinnes.

And for a help to their weak faith, and comfort in their sad condition, he said also unto them, doe this in remembrance of me: as if he had said, I know, that for the present you are almost overwhelmed with grief and sorrow, because I say such things to you; yet let this be a little comfort to you, make use of Bread and Wine, in-remembrance that my death is of great advantage to you: and though I goe away in the flesh, yet it Joh. 16. 22. shall not be long ere I see you again in the Spirit, for I will not leave you comfortlesse, but will come to you in the comforter, which is the Spirit of truth, and then your hearts shall rejoyce, and your joy shall no man be able to take from you: so that from hence it may appear, [Page] that this action of Christ, and likewise his command, was rather to comfort and stay the hearts of his poor, sorrowrowfull, fainting (then) Disciples, than to be a standing Ordinance for all believers afterwards.

Q But it is not said in many places in the Acts of the Apostles, that this Ordinance was Act. 2. 46. in use even among the Apostles themselves, and many other Saints, after the Ascension of Acts. 20. 7. Christ, and sending down of the holy Ghost?

A. The Apostles indeed are said to break bread, and that from house to house, but every breaking of bread there spoken of, cannot be said to be the Lords Supper; for it is said, that they did eat their meat with gladnesse, and singlenesse of heart: whereby it may appear, that by breaking of bread, in that place, is rather meant, the Saints mutuall love, in receiving and entertaining one another into their houses, with feasting and rejoycing, than eating the Lords Supper: for it is said, that the multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one soul; neither Act. 4. 32, 33, 34. said any man, that the things which he possessed were his own, but they had all things common: The preaching of the Apostles was of such power and efficacy, that it [Page] wrought great effects, there was none that lacked, they that were poor were provided for, out of the goods of them that were rich.

But if by breaking of bread in this, or other places, be meant the eating the Lords Supper, yet it was used as a thing indifferent, and of christian liberty; rather than a binding Ordinance, for the Apostles were willing to use all means, and content to stoop to weak Faith, and mean capacities, so that they could winne any to Christ.

Q. But the Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians, tels them, that he had received of the Lord that which he delivered unto them. 1 Cor. 11. For having blamed them for their abuse of that Ordinance, comes at length to certifie them in the true and right use thereof, saying that the end of it was to shew forth the Lords death till he come. And further shewes the danger of unworthy receiving, and Gods hand already upon them for the same. Doth it not hereby appear very plaine, that the Lords Supper is used from Christs own command, and is dangerous either to omit, or else to receive the same unworthily?

A. True indeed the Apostle writes these very words to the Corinthians, but [Page] withall he shewes the reason why he deals thus tenderly with thnm, 1 Cor. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. because he could not speak unto them as Spirituall, he could not speak unto them, how they should enjoy Christ, and be made one with him in the Spirit: for they were yet babes, and apprehended nothing of Christ, but what was held forth unto them in visible demonstrations, or outward and carnall ordinances. I have fed you, saith he, with milk, and not with meat; for ye are not yet able to beare it, for ye are in a great measure Carnal, and walk (not in the Spirit but) according to man, or as men.

Where the Apostle shews that there be degrees of attainments among the Saints: There be Children, and there be Men. 1 Cor. 14. 20. There be Saints that be in 1 Cor. 14. 12. 13. a great measure Carnal, and there are Saints that be Spiritual.

The Apostle John in his 1 Epist. 2. Cap. 12. 13, 14. Ʋerses speaks of three degrees of attainments. Little Children, Fathers, and young Men.

Little Children, are such as are weak in Faith, and under many feares, and 1 Joh. 2. 12. 13. 14. doubts.

Fathers are such as have attained to a [Page] higher degree of the knowledge of God in the mystery of Christ.

Young Men, are they that know their Union with the Father in the Sonne, and who also live in this Union, and are carried forth in the strength of the same, to overcome Sinne, and Satan, and the World, &c.

Now these Corinthians were Children, and therefore the Apostle feeds them with Milk, Christ is very tender of his Lambs, he will carry them in his bosome, if they cannot goe, he willead them by Isa. 40. 11. and 42. 1. the hand; if they cannot digest strong meat, he hath Milk for them, he will not suffer one of them to perish, or to miscarry. But Children are not alwayes Children, they grow in time to be Men, 1 Cor. 13. 11. and then they put away childish things: For while they are Children and use Milk, Heb. 5. 13. they are unskilfull in the word of Righteousnesse or mistery of Christ. But when they come to a full age, then they are 14. able to use strong meat, or understand mysteries; their sences being exercised to discern both good and evill.

Now to these Children, the Apostle commends Christs practice to his Disciciples in their weak and sad estate, saying, [Page] that there by they might be put in mind of Christs death till he come.

Intimating thereby, that though they were yet babes, and carnal, and so not able to apprehend their union with Christ in the Spirit: yet the time would come, 1 Cor. 1. 7. Joh. 14. 18. that Christ should appear in their hearts in a more glorious manner; and then they should see him, and know him in the Spirit, with farre more comfort, delight, and satisfaction; than in or by any outward or fleshly Ordinances whatsoever.

And that this comming of Christ is so Mat. 26. 29. to be understood, is plain from his own words, when he telleth his Disciples, That he will not drink any more of the fruit Mat. 16. 28. Mark, 9. 1. of the Vine, untill the day that he drink it new with them in his Fathers Kingdome.

Where he declareth very plain, that though now he condiscended to their weakness, and gave them those visible elements, as signes and pledges that his love was very great towards them, in thus dying for them: yet when the Kingdome Luk. 9. 27▪ of God should come, or that he himself come into their hearts in the spirit, or comforter, (which was fulfilled in the Act. 2. 1, 2. day of Pentecost) then they should be [Page] enabled to know, and apprehend the love of God in, and through him, more than by any outward observations.

Yea, those heavenly joyes, and spirituall consolations, arising from the love of God in Christ Jesus, shed abroad in the soul, should be abundantly more full of delight, and satissaction unto them, than the drinking of Wine, For his Love is better Cant. 1. 2. than Wine.

To dwell in the use of outward Ordinances, to put us in mind of Christs death, is with Mary to stand weeping at the sepulcher, Joh. 20. 12. when Christ is risen and gone, and deserves justly that reproof which she met with in so doing; Why seek ye the Luk. 24. 5. living among the dead?

And for that the Apostle tells them the danger of unworthy receiving, he seems hereby to rebuke them for, or to warn them of two great faults herein; the which are also very common among them that rest in outward Ordinances; either they make Idols of them, and think to 1 Cor. 11. 27, 28, 29, 30. attain something by the use of them: or else they use them carelesly, hand over head, not considering what they go about, but meerly for custome, and so [Page] prophane the same: For which, saith the Apostle, God is displeased.

And indeed this Bread and Cup, was as well to teach them, their fellowship with Christ in suffering, as to put them in Mat. 20. 23. mind of his death.

Ye shall indeed drink of my Cup. And if 2 Tim. 2. 12. we suffer with him, we shall raigne with him.

Q. But our Saviour Christ tells the Jews, Joh. 6. 53. 54. that except they eat the flesh of the Sonne of man, and drink his bloud, they have no life in them. And that whoso eateth his flesh, and drinketh his bloud, hath eternall life, for his flesh is meat indeed and his bloud is drink indeed, and whosoever eat thereof shall live for ever. Doth it not hence appear that in the partaking of this ordinance of the Lords Supper, that the Souls of true believers are nourished, and fed up to eternall life?

A. True indeed our Saviour speaks these words to the Jewes, but that he doth not mean, nor intend, the eating and drinking of Bread and Wine, is Joh. 6. 28. plainly declared in the same Chapter, at the 28 Verse the people aske him, What 29. they should do that they might work the works of God. He answers them, That the work 30. of God is to believe on him whom he hath sent. 31. [Page] But being carnal, and led by sence, require a sign saying; What sign shewest thou 31. that we may believe. For our Fathers under Moses; in the desart, did eat Manna, even bread from heaven, and therefore they had reason to harken to Moses. But 32. if thou shew no sign, nor work no great work, why should we hearken to thee, or believe in thee?

Our Saviour answers; Though your Fathers had Manna under Moses, yet it was not that bread (meaning the bread of life, 33. because they that did eat there of were dead;) but my Father gives you the true bread. For the bread of God, is he that commeth down from Heaven, and giveth life, unto the World

And further tels them plain. That he is 35. the bread of life, and tha [...] he that comes to him, shall never hunger, and he that believs on him shall never thirst.

And further shewes; That this is the 40. will of him that sent him, that every one that so sees the Sonne, as to believe on him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

And againe, Verily verily I say unto 47. you, he that believeth on me, hath everlasting life, For I am that bread of life, which whosoever 48. 50. eats of, shall not die, but live for ever.

[Page] The Jewes being carnal, and understanding his words carnally, strove among themselves saying, How shall this man give 52. us his flesh to eat.

To which he solemnly answers, Except 53. ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man, and drink his bloud, ye have no life in you.

And he that eateth my flesh and drinketh 54. my bloud, hath eternall life.

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my bloud 55. is drink indeed.

By all which passages it doth appear very plain, that by eating and drinking the flesh and bloud of Christ, is not to be carnally understood, of eating bread and drinking wine: but spiritually of believing in him, and being united, and made one with him: As Verse 56. He that 56. eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud, dwelleth in me and I in him.

That is, he that believeth in me indeed, he is made one with me in the Spirit, and so partaking of the same Spirit together, he dwels in me and I in him. 57.

Againe, as the Father who sent me, is a fountaine of life, and I live by being one with him: So he that eateth me, or so believeth in me as to be united to me, even he also shall live by being one with me.

[Page] To eat the flesh of Christ and drink his bloud, in an outward Ordinance of bread and wine, is but to know him after the flesh: But they in whom Christ lives, and they live in him, and are taken into Union with him, by being one Spirit with him: They do not know him any more Phil. 3. 3. after the flesh, nor have any confidence in fleshly Ordinances. But they believing in him, or dwelling in him, and he in them, from this Union in the Spirit doth flow up in them rivers of living waters, [...]oh. 7. 38. [...]9. abundance of spirituall joy, peace, and heavenly consolations.

Alas, he that goes to the weak, and empty elements of bread and wine, shall not be satisfied, but hunger againe and thirst againe: because there is no satisfaction Isa. 65. 13. in them. But whoso partake of Christ indeed, and are made one with him indeed, he gives unto them such a water as shall: abundantly satisfie their souls, that they shall never thirst, (that is) they shall never be so destitute of true, and heavenly comfort and joy, as to seek for Joh. 6. 35 them in a carnall and fleshly Ordinance, in an empty Cistern, where is nothing to be had.

But the water which Christ doth give [Page] is himself, which shall be in the Saints a fountain of all true and sound comfort, Joh. 4. 14▪ and joy, springing up to all eternity.

In the 22. of the Revelations, 1, 2. there is mention made of a pure River of water of Life, proceeding out of the throne of Rev. 22. 1. 2. God, and of the Lamb, and in the middest of the street of it and of either side of it, was the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yeelded her fruit every moneth, &c.

This pure River of water of Life, is that rich Fountaine, or Spirit and Power of Love, proceeding eternally from the Father, in, and by the Son, out of which infinite Love, and Goodnesse, growes this tree of Life, eternall Life, (which is Christ) proceeding transcendently from the infinite Love of the Father, to all poor saints, in, and by his Son Christ Jesus.

In the 46. Psalme, 4. it is said, That Psal. 46. 4. there is a River the streames whereof do make glad the Citty of God. The holy place of Tabernacles Psal. 132. 13. 14. of the most high, &c.

Now this City, and holy place of Tabernacles, is nothing else but the Saints in whom the Lord delights to dwell.

And this River, whose streams make joyfull this City, is that unspeakable and [Page] unconceiveable Love of God in Jesus Christ, when the Lord is pleased to reveal, or manifest himself to poor Saints, Joh. 17. 23. so as to let them see and know their adoption by Jesus, and to make them understand their union in the Spirit with him in Jesus: And also that now he loves them as he loves Jesus Christ, they being taken into the same Spirit, or divine nature with him: from hence then grows up this tree of life. Then the poor Saints apprehend life, life eternall, and they now begin to live indeed. Not any more a carnall, but a spirituall life, not onely a naturall, or temporall: but an eternall life.

Christ who is this tree of life, lives in them, and because he lives, they shall live Joh. 14. 19. also.

And this tree of life, or Christ living, and growing in them, it beares twelve manner of fruits, or abundance, and variety of heavenly graces, and comforts. Love, joy, peace, gentlenesse, kindnesse, patience, Gal. 5. 22. prayers, praises, &c.

And this tree also yeelds fruit every moneth, fresh springs of joy, and rejoycing, yea, fresh springings of joy unspeakable and full of glory. Psal. 87. 7.

[Page] For Christ who is eternall life shall so 1 Pet. 1. 8. manifest himself to them, that they shall see him, and by beholding of him, shall be made like unto him, and transformed into his Image, even his Image of glory: and shall so live in the same, from one degree to another, as it is perfected in this life, untill it be compleated in endlesse glory.

Now they in whom Christ (who is this tree of life) thus dwells, and manifests himself, need not dig for water, or run to broken Cisterns, fleshly and carnall ordinances, and thence return empty; men may like the Prodigall, live upon huskes till they are almost pined: But if ever they come to themselves, if ever the Lord be pleased to clear up their eyes, so as to let them see, and apprehend their union with him in the Spirit through Christ Jesus. Then they will say, In my Fathers Luk. 15. house is bread enough.

Then they will see and know, that Christ is this bread of life, and this water of life, and that whoso eates and drinks Joh. 6. 48. thereof, that is, so believes on him as to be united and made one with God in him▪ shall never hunger nor thirst after any barren or empty comforts, from outward Joh. 6. 35▪ [Page] and carnall Ordinances, but shall have in them fresh springs of joy, and endlesse consolations, flowing unto all eternity.

But they which believe not in him, and are not thus united and made one with him in the Spirit; though they eat his flesh, and drink his bloud, namely, in the Luk. 13. 26, 27. carnall and outward use of Bread and Wine; yet they have no life in them, neither shall they enjoy any true comfort in him, nor eternall life by him, but shall goe into condemnation.

Q. But is it not said in the Scriptures, that Christ died for all men, and that as by the offence of one, judgement came upon all Rom. 5. 18. men to condemnation; so by the righteousnesse of one, the free gift came upon all men to justification of life? How say you then, that some go into condemnation?

A. Christs death did in some respect reach forth it self unto all men, God had a glorious design in making of man, and for this end, did bring forth this outward creation of all things, to be subservient to his glory, to help forward this design: yea, and the Lord was rich in mercy, and store, and abundantly provided aforehand to keep this design on foot; for [Page] Christ was that Lamb, prepared and slain 1 Pet. 1. 20. Rev. 13. 8. before the foundation of the world.

Now if Christ had not died in the purpose and account of God, before man had actually sinned, then there had been an utter subversion and dissolution, not onely of mankind, but also of the whole Creation, by mans sin: But now the death of Christ, coming between divine wrath, and the whole creation, did still give a being unto the same, that it should be serviceable, in helping forward this glorious design.

And upon this account meerly it is, (namely, by the death of Christ) that all men, even the most wicked, enjoy a temporall life, health, riches, yea, all outward Psal 36. 6 things whatsoever: for in this sence he is said to save, or preserve man, and beast, for he doth good to all, and makes his Sun to shine, and his Rain to fall Mat. 5. 45. upon the just and unjust, namely, the Sun and Rain of his outward providence: and thus Christ died for all men, and so he is the Saviour of all men.

But there is a more especial salvation, as the Apostle saith, He is the Saviour of 1 Tim. 4. 10. all men▪ but especially of them that believe: and this salvation is not that outward [Page] or temporal salvation, but an inward and spiritual one, and is peculiar onely to them that believe in him, and are made one with him; and upon this ground it is, that the Apostle saith, as by the offence Rom. 5. 18. of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousnesse of one, the free gift came upon all men to justification: as if he had said, that as Adam by sinning brought all men into a state of sin, and so of condemnation, so all that are justified unto life, are made just by the free gift and grace of God, by faith, in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ: so that the words doe not extend, that as all men fell in Adam, so all, without exception, should be justified and saved by Christ, but onely they, who by faith lay hold on the righteousnesse of Christ: the which the Apostle declares at large, in the 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Chapters.

In the 3. Chapter he proves all men to be under sin, and that by the workes of Rom. 3. 9. 10, 11. the Law no man can be justified; and that God hath set forth Christ to be a vers. 20▪ vers. 25. propitiation, that whosoever believes should be justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in his bloud.

[Page] In the 4. Chapter he tells them, that Rom. 4. 13. even Abraham was not justified by, or for any work which he wrought, but onely by faith in Christ Jesus, and that faith 22. was reckoned unto him for righteousnesse, and so it shall be to all that doe 24. believe.

In the 5. Chapter he tells them, that Rom. 5. 1. justification by faith, brings peace and joy into the soul, which justification by the work of the Law could not doe, because the work was ever doing, but never done, and they looked upon God in that 3. estate, as ever angry: But now, sayes he, we have peace with him, and can joy in 18. tribulations; for though in Adam we were under condemnation, yet now believing in Jesus, and looking to him for righteousnesse, we are justified unto life.

Thus the Apostle is farre from intending a general redemption, but an especiall salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, peculiar onely to them that believe.

Q. But the Apostle writing to Timothy, exhorts, that prayer be made for all men, because he will have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth: and further saith, that Christ is the Mediator between God and man, who gave himself [Page] a ransome for all: And the Apostle John saith, That Christ is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world. How say you then, that salvation is peculiar onely to them who doe believe?

A. For the clearing of this, the meaning of these Scriptures must be inquired into. The Apostle indeed exhorts, that prayers, intercessions, and giving of 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. thankes be made for all men, for Kings, and all in authority, and gives a twofold reason.

First in respect of themselves, that so they might live in quietnesse, and godlinesse under them.

The second reason respects God, it is his will, he is well pleased with our praying 3. for them; because he will bring some of all sorts (high and low) to the knowledge of the truth, that so they may be saved.

And if he say, what must we pray for 4. the Gentiles, for our Governours are no Jewes? is it lawfull to pray for them? Yea, saith the Apostle, God will have all to be saved, Gentiles as well as the Jewes, for there is but one God, and he is the God of the Gentiles as well as of the 5. Jewes; and there is but one Mediator [Page] between God and man, even the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself, to ransome 6. the Gentiles as well as the Jewes, and this mystery was not known to former ages, but now in due time it is to be manifested; and for this very purpose, saith he, I am ordeined a Preacher, and 7. an Apostle, to bring this good tydings to the Gentiles, and to assure their hearts, that if they believe in Christ they shall be saved; and thereof you need not doubt, for as Christ, who is truth, is in me, so that which I speak is truth.

And hereto agrees that of the Apopostle Peter in Acts 10. 34. That God is no respecter of persons, but in every Nation Act. 10. 34, 35. (Gentiles as well as Jewes) he that feareth him, and worketh righteousnesse, is accepted of him: shewing plainly, that the purpose of God in bringing in the Gentiles, was a secret to that day, but now was revealed.

And where the Apostle John saith, That Christ is the propitiation for the sinnes 1 Joh. 2. 2. of the whole world, he doth not mean, every particular person in the world, but onely they, who walk in the light, as God is in the light, even these the bloud of Christ doth cleanse from all sin: for saith he, [Page] If we say, that we have no sin, we deceive our 1 Joh. 1. 9. selves, and the truth is not in us: But if we see our sinnes, and confesse that we are sinners, his promise is, to forgive, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse. And these things I write unto you, to warn 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2. you that yee sin not, yet neverthelesse, if yee be overtaken (as who is not) be not discouraged, for we have an Advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ, who is perfectly righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sinnes, and not for ours onely, who are Jewes, but for all them that thus have fellowship with him, among the Gentiles also, in all Nations throughout the whole world.

And that this Scripture is thus to be understood, the Apostle Paul shewes plainly, Col. 3. 10, 11. Where (saith he) there is neither Greek, nor Jew, Circumcision, Col. 3. 11. nor Ʋncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, Bond, nor Free, but Christ is all, and in all; he doth not mean, that Jewes, and Greeks, &c. are all one, and Christ is in them all, as to every particular person among all these, but onely those among them, who, in the verses before, had put off the old man, and had put on the new: namely, such as had mortified [Page] their earthly members, fornication, uncleannesse, inordinate affections, &c. in the 5. vers. and had put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, &c. in the 8. vers. which were the deeds of the old man; and who also were renewed in knowledge, according to the Image of God, which is Christ, the new man, in wisdome, righteousnesse, and true holinesse, &c, vers. 10. Among these, saith he, there is no difference, though some of one nation, and some of another, some bond, and some free, for they are all one in Christ, and he is all to them, and all in them.

Q. But doth not the Prophet Isaiah say, That he (meaning Christ) was wounded Isa. 53. 5, 6 for our transgressions, and by his stripes we are healed; And (all) we like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, even all without exception: And that he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death? Whereby it appeares, that his death was an undertaking for all, good and bad, wicked rich men that saw no need of him; Where then is the difference? Or how can God be said to respect persons?

[Page] A. The Prophet in the former chapter, had largely declared, what joyfull and Isai. 52. 1, 2. glorious dayes should be in the time of the Gospel, and exhorted them to rejoyce in the consideration of the same; yea, and to account the feet of them beautiful, that should bring them such good newes. 7.

And under the Type of the captivity of Babylon, whether they should be carried, 11▪ and from whence they should certainly return, he prophecieth of their deliverance from the spiritual bondage and thraldome of sin by Jesus Christ, who should both deal prudently, and also prosper in his designes; and though he 13. should appear in a very despicable form as to men, and his visage should be marred 14. through sufferings; yet he should be 15. exalted, and be very high, and sprinckle many Nations with his bloud, &c.

But who, saith the Prophet, will believe this report, or to whom shall this arm, Isa. 53. 1. or power of the Lord (even Christ) be revealed.

Why, what was the reason?

Because the people should be very high in expectation, and look for such a Christ as should, even like David, defend them [Page] from outward enemies, warre, and captivity,

But it was the pleasure of God, that Christ should grow up by degrees, as a 2. tender plant, n otregarded, and as a root out of a dry ground, which no man looks after; to have no beauty or comliness that 3. we should desire him. A man of sorrows and griefes, from whom all men should 4. hide their saces: yet surely, saith he, he hath borne our griefes, and carried our sorrowes; 5. he was wounded for our transgressions, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed: All 6. we like Sheep have gone astray, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, &c.

But who are they that the Prophet is now speaking to? Or who doth he here speak of? Is he not speaking to Israel, a people whom God did own above all people in the world, and whom, by an outward choice, he had brought near to himself, above all Nations whatsoever?

Yea, and moreover, was not Israel after the flesh a type of Israel in the spirit, for all were not Israel in the spirit, which which were so in the flesh.

[Page] Yea, and the Prophet often calls them Zion, and Jerusalem, which doth usually signifie the Saints and Believers in the Isa. 52. 1, 2 dayes of the Gospel; and in speaking to these, he doth figuratively speak of all the Saints, who should believe in Christ.

Now Christ hath for these born and endured sorrowes and griefes, for their Isa. 53. 5. transgressions was he wounded, and his chastisement was their peace, and they were healed by his stripes.

These were his lost sheep of the house of Israel which were gone astray, and 6. turned after their own wayes; and that they might be reduced, and brought home again, the Lord said all their iniquities Mat. 15. 24 upon him.

With these he was content to make his grave, though they were wicked in themselves, Isa. 53. 9. that so he might be their righteousnesse, and make them righteous in himself: yea, he emptied himself, and lay down in death, that they, who were rich and full in their own apprehensions, might empty themselves, lie down in shame, and receive of his fulnesse: for 10. these did the Lord bruise him, and for these was his soul made an offering.

And to what end was all this? That he [Page] might see his seed, that he might thereby Tit. 2. 14. redeem a people from all iniquity, and conform them to himself in all holinesse, and so present them to the Father in himself, spotlesse and blamelesse, for this was the good pleasure of the Lord, and it was prosperous in the hand of Christ, for he did it effectually.

Yea, Christ did prolong his dayes, (though he died as to the flesh) and saw the travell of his soul, and the fruit Isa. 53. 11. of his sufferings, and was satisfied in the same, for his bloud was not shed in vain: for by his righteousnesse many (not all) were justified, because he bare or suffered for their iniquities: therefore God hath exalted him, and made him glorious, because 12. he poured out his soul to death, and bear the sinnes of (not all; but) many.

Thus this Scripture being duly weighed, all men may hence judge, whether the Lord, by the Prophet, intends a general redemption of all without exception; or of a peculiar people, even mystical Israel, whom he hath adopted to himself 2 Cor. 6. 18. in Jesus Christ, for Sonnes and Daughters: for though the Lord be no respecter of persons, as to any outward [Page] appearance, he regards not any man, as he is a man, as he is a Jew, nor as he is a Gentile, as he is rich, or as he is poor, bond, or free; but as he is in Christ, and Christ in him. Eph. 1. 6.

In this sence the Lord doth accept persons, for he accepts of these in Christ, and as for others, who are not in Christ, he regards them not, be they Jew or Gentile, high or low, noble or base, he accepts of none, but in whom he appeares, and manifests himself by Jesus Christ.

Q. But is not God in all men? Is not he one and the same, and doth not he infinitely comprehend all things in himself? All come from his fulnesse, and he dwells in all, and every one in his fulnesse; for he cannot be divided, a piece in one, and a piece in another, but he is all, and in all, and to all, onely there is not the same manifestations, in some he lies hid, and in others he shines forth, and we are said to be the off spring of God, and to live, move, and have our being in him: How then can it be, but that all must be saved, seeing God is in all, and all are in him?

A. That God doth infinitely comprehend all things in himself, and that [Page] all things, even the whole creation, proceeded from his fullnesse, is a truth: yea, that God is in all men, in some sence, or respect, is also granted.

Man being created in the Image of God, was thereby able to act according to God, but having by sinne defaced this Image, he was now become more like Satan than God: And though he had lost all his wisdome, and strength to act according to the will of God, in things spiritual: yet there remained so much of Rom. 1. [...] the light of nature in him, namely his natural understanding, and reason which served him, and whereby he was enabled to act in moral, and civill things, and to 20. leave him without excuse: For without understanding, and reason, he could not be able to glorify God, as God, in the 21. outward creation.

Now this natural understanding and reason, as it is purely natural, so God ownes it as a sparke of his Image, but as it is corrupted, and defiled with sinne, so he disowns it: and this is that which doth Rom. 2. accuse, or excuse.

When naturall men led on by the light of nature, did act according to reason, or 14. judgement, then their conscience did excuse 15. [Page] them: But when they acted contrary to reason, even from corrupt, and carnal principles; then their naturall conscience was against them, and accused them.

And this naturall principle hath many names, even in Scripture; somtimes it is Rom. 1. 19. 21. 28. called, a knowing of God; or, a knowledge of God: Sometimes mans righteousnesse, Rom. 10. 3. And sometimes, mans wisdome, and the spirit of the World, &c. And [...] Cor. 2. 4. 12. by this spirit, or principle of nature, God is in all, and acts in all rationall men: yet in some in a higher, and in others in a lower degree. For it is by this spirit or Isa. 28. 26. principle, that all natural, and civill men, act lawfully, in all natural and civil things. For there is not any action in the world Act. 17. 28. that is naturally, and civilly good, but in this respect it is of God. Neither can God ly hid in this respect in the most wicked or carnal men. For even they, many times, do act things in themselves, that are naturally, and civilly good.

And thus all men may be said to be the off-spring of God, not onely because they all came from him, as their original, but also as they are acted by him, through a spirit, or principle of nature, to walk honestly, [Page] and civilly in things of outward concernment.

But now there is a more special, and spiritual in-dwelling of God in the Saints, namely the eternal in-dwelling of his love in Jesus Christ; wherely he hath from all Eph. 1. [...] ▪ eternity chosen them, and made them one with himself in Christ: And in due time in their several generations hath manifested, and doth manifest, and reveal this love which is Christ in their hearts, which Gal. 4. 6. doth assure them of their adoption, and of their union with him. And whereby they are carried forth to live up to him, yea to live in him, being transformed more and more into his own glorious 1 Cor. 23. 18. Image, even by his spirit dwelling in them.

Now that God is not thus in all men, (namely in his love in Jesus Christ) is clear both from Scripture, and common experience.

The Apostle in the eighth Chapter of the Romanes and the first Verse, layes this down as a firme conclusion: That there is no condemnation to them that are in Rom. 8. 1. Christ Jesus.

But who are they? Such as walk not Vers. 13. after the flesh, but after the spirit.

[Page] Now to walk after the spirit, is to be led forth by the same, to mortifie the deeds of the body, that henceforth they might not serve sin. For Jesus Christ, who is in them a law of the Spirit, which is a law of Life, doth free them first from sinne, and then Rom. 8. 2. from death.

But there are some that walk after the Vers. 5. 6. 7. flesh, and mind, or are led onely by a naturall principle, and this tends onely to death: because this spirit, or carnal principle, is at enmity against God, and neither is, nor can be subject, or obedient to Christ, (who is the Law of life, or power of God to salvation in all that do believe) but is full of self-righteousnesse, acting by legall and fleshly performances for life, and happiness. And being thus earnal in their minds, cannot please God: Vers. 8. because partaking not of Christ, or of that spirit wherewith he is annointed, they are not, nor cannot be any of his. 9. But walk in the vanity of their own minds, Eph. 4. having nothing but darknesse in their understandings, and by reason of that ignorance, 17. are estranged from the glorious 18. Light and Life of God, even Jesus Christ, and being hardned by continual custome 19. in sinne, become at length insensible, [Page] and give themselves over unto lasciviousness, and wantonness, to act all manner of uncleannesse, and that with greedinesse. 20.

But the Saints have better learned Christ, for they being annointed with, and receiving of his Spirit, do therefore mind the things thereof, and are led forth thereby into all well pleasing actions. Col. 1. 10. Christ who is the Life, being risen in their hearts, the old man, or body of sinne Rom. 6. 6. is destroyed, mortified, and put off, by little, and little, even as he is pleased to manifest himself.

But the wicked, even the children of disobedience, or unbeliefe, they have no Eph. 5. 5. fellowship in Christs Kingdome, which is Spiritual, nor no inheritance in the Kingdome of God, which is in glory eternal, 6. though they deceive themselves: For the wrath of God cometh and abideth on Joh. 3. 36. them.

And thus it is clear from Scripture, that God is not in all men, in his love in Jesus Christ, for he is where he comes in Christ, both Light, and Life, and where he is thus, he acts like himself: And it is also as plain in our daily experience, how that the Saints, in whom Christ dwels, and [Page] who are united to him, and made one with God in him; that they are carried forth in the strength of his quickning spirit, to shew forth the prayses of him, who hath called them out of darknesse, into 1 Pet. 2. 9. his marvelous Light.

But on the contrary, we see worldly wicked men, live many of them more like bruite beasts, than reasonable creatures: pampering and feeding themselves without Jude. 12. fear, swilling and wallowing themselves in their own vomit, like filthy swine, sporting, and delighting themselves in their own lusts, and windy fancies, and deceivings, belching out the rottennesse 2 Pet. 2. 13. of their own hearts, by cursed oathes, and blasphemies, making a continual [...]ade of mocking, backbiting, standering, fighting and quarrelling, ranting and roaring; in a word, living in all ungodlinesse, and dying without repentance.

And thus it is plain in experience, that there be many, (yea too too many) who are so farre from living in God, and God living in them by Jesus Christ; that they are rather possest of Satan, who lives in them, and leads them captive at his own 2 Tim. 2. 26. pleasure.

Thus both Scripture and Experience, [Page] do clearly witnesse, that God is not in all men, in a way of life, and salvation, which is by Christ Jesus: But in a common spirit, or common and outward providences, so he acts, rules, and orders all men.

Neither can God be said to be in the Saints in his fulnesse; for the fulnesse of the Godhead dwels onely in Christ; and the Saints receive of that fulnesse which Col. 2. 9. is in him.

For though they partake of the same spirit, or divine nature with him, yet it is still in that measure, or degree as he is pleased to let out, or to manifest him self by.

Christ is the head, and the Saints are Rom. 12. 4. the body, or members, now all the members as they have several offices, so they have several capacities, for God hath set all the members in the body, every Col. 2. 10. one in due place and office, that it might be compleated in the head, which is Christ.

And from Christ, or the head, the whole body being fitly joynted together, receiveth nourishment, to every part a measure, even to encrease and edifie it Eph. 4. 16. self in love.

Neither is this to divide God, for as [Page] he cannot be devided, so neither can he be comprehended, for he fills all things, Jer. 23. 24. and so he fills the Saints, yet while they walk in flesh, they are not able to comprehend him in his fullnesse: But they are all so filled, according to their several measures, to advance the good of the whole.

And that God may be in men in his love in Jesus Christ, and ever lie hid, and not appear; is contrary to Scripture and right reason: For God is light; and with 1 Joh. 1. 5. him is no darknesse at all. And where God comes in this Light, which is Christ, there he expels darknesse.

The Saints indeed, while they are in the state of nature, are in darknesse, because Eph. 2. 12. they want the manifestation of God, or revelation of Jesus Christ.

All this while they are in the love of God, but this Love is not yet shed abroad in their hearts, the seed was sown, but it was not yet quickned up to life: But when the appointed time is come, that Joh. 11. 44. Luk. 7. 44. Mark. 4. 28. Christ will say, come forth, and I say unto thee arise: Then appeares first the blade, then the eare, then the full corne in the eare.

But this is not in all men without exception; [Page] but onely in the Saints: who are elected in Christ Jesus in the purpose of of God before the world began, that they should be thus conformed unto the Image of his Sonne, and so be holy, and without blame before him in love.

Q. But election doth not relate to persons, but to the things in the persons, for Gods love & hatred is not toward, the persons of men, but toward the good or evill in the persons; and this is Typed out in Jacob and Esau, which as good and evill dwell in every man, as they were in the womb of one Rebecca: for the persons of men are but outward formes, in which good and evill is acted, and these outward bedies can act nothing, but are acted themselves either by a good or an evill spirit: How then can God be said to elect, or not to elect, to save or not to save the person of a man which is nothing, and shall be nothing when the spirit ceases to act in it?

A. That election doth not relate to mens persons, but to the good things acted in the persons: is a meer fancy, and quite contrary to the mind of God revealed in the Scripture. First we must consider what the person of man is, and what makes him a man, or person: and then secondly prove, that election [Page] relates to the person. For the first in short, a man, and every man consists of two main parts: The body and the soul, Gen. 2. 7 without the soul or spirit, the body is but a dead carcass: and without the body, James. 2. 26. the soul hath no residence, or place to act in, and cannot act at all: Therefore it must be concluded, that if either be wanting, there is not a man, or a person: A man then is a person consisting of a reasonable soul and humane body. Now that election doth relate to a person thus considered, and not to the good things acted in the person, is easily made good in Scripture. The Apostle in the Ephesians chap▪ 1. vers. 4. 5. 6. 7. telleth Eph. 1. the Saints, or rather blesseth God on their behalf, for that he had chosen them 4. in Christ before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy, and without blame before him in love: And that he had adopted 5. them to be Children by Jesus Christ, meerly of his free grace, even his own good pleasure. And that they were accepted in the 6. beloved for no other end, but for the praise of his glorious grace: And not onely so, but also through the riches of his grace, wherein he 7. abounded towards them, they were redeemed from Sinne and Satan, Hell, and Death, [Page]their sins being forgiven them through his bloud.

From whence it is plain, that persons and not things are here intended. For it is not said, that God had chosen holinesse, or unblamablnesse in them, but them to be holy and unblamable. Neither is it said that God had predestinated the good things in them to the adoption of Children: But them to the adoption of Children.

Again if election relate not to persons but to things; I wonder what redemption & remission of sins mean in this place, and many others; what can good things be redeemed from? and how can good things stand in need of remission of sins? And the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle 1. Chapter. 1. 2. Tells the strangers 1 Pet. 1. that were scattered, that (they) were 1. elect according to the fore-knowledge of God, and not the good things in them: And that this election is assured to them through sanctification of the Spirit, that thereby they might believe, or be obedient, and 2. be sprinkled with the bloud of Jesus.

Now what can be added to good things, or how can good things believe? [Page] or be sprinkled with the bloud of Jesus, or have remission of sins?

Againe, if gods anger be not against the persons of men, as well as against sin in the person, then why did he so severely avenge himself upon sin in the person of Christ?

Was it sin or Christ that cryed out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Mat. 27. 46. me?

And for that Jacob and Esau, are Gen. 25. 23. brought in to be a type of this great mistery, being both in the wombe of one Rebecca; it makes nothing to this purpose, that God should elect the good things in a man, and not the man.

Jacob and Esau were men, and both of the seed of Abraham, and both of them the sonnes of Isaac, and both in Rebeccas womb at one and the same time; and yet one of them elected, and the other rejected, to shew, that the purpose of God in election, was not out of any fleshly or carnal respects: But meerly according to his own good pleasure. For all are not Israel Rom. 9. 11. that are of Israel, neither because they are Rom. 9. 6, 7. the seed of Abraham, are they all Children.

True it is, that there is flesh and Spirit [Page] both in the Saints, yet that is no ground to conclude, that God will destroy the flesh and save the Spirit, and not the person, but rather that God will save the the Saint or person, and destroy the flesh.

And whereas it is said, that the persons of men are but outward formes, and act not, but are acted, and therefore salvation and damnation belongs not to them. I hope then, that if it be made to appeare, that mens persons do act; then it will be also granted, that salvation and damnation belongs to them.

And for the word person, or man, it is all one; and that by person or man is meant the whole man, and so to be understood, is already shewed.

Now that sin is acted by the whole man, is very clear in Scripture. In the third of Genesis, 1, 2, 3, 4. It is there declared at large, how the Serpent begiuled Gen. 3. the woman.

First he is dealing with her understanding, and the thing must needs have passage 1. through her eares, for the devill was yet without doors.

Next she looked upon it with her eyes, for she saw the fruit that it was good. 6.

Then her affections were wrought upon, [Page] And she desired it. At length the will consented, and she took it with her hand and did eat; yea, and gave her husband and he did eat.

Who doth not see here an act of the whole man?

And it is just so in every actual sin: for though Satan be gotten within, yet he can force no man to sin; but is dealing with the understanding, to deceive that. and the understanding being deceived, cannot force the Will, no [...] the will the outward man.

For though the body cannot act in good or evill without the soul, yet those very actions of the soul, performed by the 1 Cor. 6. 13. outward man, are accounted actions of the body, both in good and evill things.

And though mens persons be acted either by a good, or evill Spirit; the good Spirit is God, and the evill Spirit is the Devil; and neither of these do force the person of a man. For man being a reasonable creature, even that good Spirit or God, deales with him according to reason, and though it be said, that the love of God constraineth us: Yet it is not meant of using violence to any mans person, but such a constraining as Lydia used towards Act. 16. 15. [Page] Paul, even a perswading, or intreating, for so saith the Apostle, God doth beseech you by us. And we pray you in Christs stead, &c. 2 Cor. 5. 20.

Again every man is transformed into the same nature of that spirit which bears rule in him.

They in whom Satan bears sway, they partake of his Image, and nature, and it is as natural, yea, as delightful unto them, even the whole man, to obey Satans commands in committing of sinne, as to performe any natural actions, which are civilly good.

And is it not then just with God, to render to every man according to his workes?

Q. But Christ is Gods elect, and he in Isa. 42. 1. whom his soul delighteth, and it is said Eph. 1. 10. That he will gather together all things in Christ. And Col. 1. 16, 17. All things were made by him, and for him, and by him all things consist, and in him dwels all fulnesse. Christ shall come forth as a refiner, Mal. 3. 2. 3. and purifier of silver, and shall purifie the sonnes of Levi, and purge them as gold, &c. And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his holy one for a flame, and shall burn up his briars and thorns in one day, &c. And if any [Page]mans work burn, he shall suffer losse, yet he 1 Cor. 3. 15. himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. From all which Scriptures it is manifest, that Christ will come forth in all men, and destroy and consume all sin, and wickednesse, and unbelief, and gather all the good, and the believeing part, which is himself, into himself. God is the fountaine from whence all things proceed, and into the same fountaine shall all things return: God will come forth in consuming fire, and separate between the precious and the vile, and gather the good into himself, and destroy the evill. For Christ and the Saints make but one elect, and God by electing of Christ, elects all that is good, and by saving of Christ, saves all that is good; for he is the chief good, and sin is the chief evill, and he onely is elected, and sin destroyed; thus election and salvation meet in one Christ, who is the onely elect, and relate not to mens persons: for how can it be, that God should be so unjust, as to make man, and afterward damne him, first to love him, and afterward to hate him?

A. That Christ is the elect of God, and he in whom his soul delighteth, cannot Isa. 42. 1. [...] be denied.

But how is Christ Gods elect?

As touching his deity or divine nature, [Page] so he is the mighty God, the everlasting Isa. 9. 6. Father, who of his rich and infinite grace and love doth elect and choose to salvation: Then surely as he did partake of our nature and our flesh, so he was Gods elect, and as he was thus Gods elect, so all the Saints are elected in him, he being the first fruits of election, in him the whole Rom. 1. 11▪ 16. lump (even all the Saints) are sanctified to God, and so presented by him.

Christ was elected of God; but not that one person, or man, in whom the God-head did so wonderfully appear, and shine forth, should be saved: But that all the Saints, in all ages, and in all nations, in whom the divine nature, or Christ should appear and sh [...]ne forth, according to their several measures, should be brought home to God, and saved. For so saith the Prophetverse the 6. I the Lord have Isa. 41. 6. called thee in righteousnesse, and will strengthen thine hand, and preserve thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, a light of the Gentiles.

To what purpose?

To open blind eyes, to bring th [...] prisoners out of prison, and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison-house.

Again, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Isa, 61. 1▪ 2, 3. [Page] me, and he hath annointed me to preach glad tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, &c.

The Saints, though they were in the state of election in the purpose of God, yet for the present being fallen under sin, were in a condition of darknesse and death, and were in slavery to sin and Satan: And being no way able to free or deliver themselves, therefore was Christ Gods elect, or his righteous servant, that he by undertaking for them in the flesh, 1 Joh. 3. 8. and by raising and quickning them in the spirit, might bring them out of prison and captivity, make them free men, and present them to the Father in himself, without rebuke.

And so also meanes the Apostle, when he tells the Ephesians, that now it is Gods Eph. 1. 10. design, in the dispensation of the fullnesse of times; to gather into one sweet agreement, or holy fellowship, all the Saints that are elected in Christ, or which are in Christ in his purpose, which is all one, which are in heaven, and in earth; whether they be Jewes, or Gentiles; circumcised or uncircumcised, bond or free; even in him, [Page] as the Saints are in Christ by vertue of Gods election.

So God will gather them together, and so raise them by Christ, that they shall now know, and believe their union with God in Christ, and their union one with another, even in him.

And to this end, all things were made by Col. 1. 16, 17. Col. 2. 9, 10. him, and for his glory, and still consist, to help forward his great designes; for in him dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead, and the Saints are compleat in him.

Yea, Christ fits in the Saints, as a refiner and purifier of silver, and by the spirit Mal. 3. 3. of judgement and burning (which is himself) doth purifie the sonnes of Levi, even them which he hath brought near to himself, and burnes up all their drosse, the briars and the thornes, their sinnes and corruptions; that they may come forth a vessell for the refiner, and Mal. 3. 4. fit for the Masters use: That they may offer to the Lord in righteousnesse, or give up themselves wholly to him in Christ; and whosoever of the Saints rest or build upon any formes or ordinances below Christ, the fire of Christs Spirit shall consume these works; yet they being built upon, or interested in 1 Cor. 3▪ 15. [Page] Christ, shall be saved by him, yet so as to be purified by fire.

And thus God will come forth, and is already come in the Saints (not in all men) destroying and consuming all sin and unbelief, and doth daily gather them together into one body in Jesus, and will by Jesus bring them into himself, their originall and fountain, after he hath first separated between the pretious and the vile, between the Saints and their beloved lusts.

Christ came not to save the good, or the believing part of men, for there was no good, nor believing part at all in man; for man was quite and clean lost and Mat. 18. 11. Luk. 19. 10. undone, and Christ came to save that which was lost, namely, poor men and women, and to save them from their sinnes.

The good things, and believing part in the Saints, is Christ, and he was never lost, and the Saints partaking of him, are united to him, and so are saved in and by him.

True indeed, Christ and the Saints make but one elect, for they make but one compleat Christ; he is the head, and they the members; and indeed, God in [Page] electing of Christ, did in him elect all his members, and in saving of Christ saves whole Christ, even all the body: and that the bodies of the Saints are the members of Christ, the Apostle shall inform us, 1 Cor. 6. 15, 16, 17. where he seems to deal with some, that thought fornication to be no sin, because it was outward in the body; (I wish there be not many such in these dayes) to whom he replies, that though it be in the belly, yet it ought not to be, because the body is 1 Cor. 6. 13. not for fornication but for the Lord.

Yea, saith he, know you not that your bodies verse 15. are the members of Christ, and the temples of the holy Ghost? and that they ought to verse 19▪ 20. glorifie God in their bodies, as well as in their spirits, seeing they are both Gods.

And that this may not seem strange, he tells us, that Christ is already by his Rom. 8. 6. Spirit quickening our mortall bodies more and more to holiness; and will in Phil. 3. 21. the end change them, and make them like his glorious body, even by his mighty power.

And that election and salvation relate to mens persons, let one Scripture more declare, Acts 13. 48. Paul and Barnabas preaching at Antioch, the Jews [Page] contradict, and blaspheme, they turn themselves to the Gentiles, the Gentiles they are glad, and they receive the Word with joy, and all that were ordained to eternal life believed.

Now whether faith, or any good things in these Gentiles, were ordained to eternal life, or the persons of these Gentiles who did believe, and to whom Christ appeared in the preaching of the Apostles, let all men well consider, and then judge.

But there is a sort of people that live after the flesh, unbelievers, sorcerers, whoremongers, Rev. 22. 15 murtherers, Idolaters, &c. who are without, to whom Christ will say, Depart Mat. 25. 41 from me yee cursed: and these are not things, namely, sin, unbelief, muthers, &c. but persons also, in and by whom these Psal. 109. 17. sinnes were committed, who loved cursing, or the cursed wayes of sin, therefore it (namely the curse) shall come upon them; and who delighteth not in blessing, or the undefiled way of God (even Jesus Christ) and therefore the blessed enjoyment of God shall be farre from them; for whom is reserved the blacknesse of 2 Pet. 2. 17 Jude 13. darknesse for ever; and who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the prsence 2 Thes. 1. 9 of the Lord, &c.

[Page] Neither is God unjust, but most righteous, in rewarding every man according to his workes; for God is so infinitely Rom. 3▪ 5, 6 holy and righteous, that he cannot doe any unjust act. Nay, he neither Rom. 9. 14. doth, nor will doe any thing, but wherein he will appear most perfectly just and righteous: For God did not elect man, Ezek. 18. 25, 26, 27. and afterward reject him, or damne him; love him, and afterward hate him.

But the Lord, who is infinite in wisdome, did see and behold all things, before any thing was created, for all things were in him, although they were not Isal. 46. 10. brought forth or manifested: And in his fore-knowledge, and in himself, he beheld all men, when as yet there was none of them; yea, even then he beheld them in their severall conditions, both in their creation, and in their fall.

Now God thus beholding mans severall conditions at one and the same instant (for there is neither first nor last with God) did purpose in his eternal counsel, to make man an upright creature: And did also at the same instant fore-know and fore-see, that men by sin Rom. 8. 29. would undoe themselves.

[Page] And was pleased also in the very same instant, and according to this fore-knowledge, out of the abundant riches of his love in Jesus Christ, to choose out some poor miserable fallen wretches, and to make known to them the exceeding and 1 Pet. 1. 2. super-abundant treasures of his grace and favour in him, in their severall generations, and so to unite them to himself in Eph. 1. 4, 5, 6. Christ; that they should be to the praise of his glorious grace, Rom. 9. 23.

And also to let others alone in their sinnes, by leaving them to their own hearts lust, unbelief, hardnesse, and impenitency; delighting themselves in sin, and all ungodlinesse, and becoming one with Satan, and willingly obeying his commands, he might then declare himself infinitely glorious in justice, in rendering to every man according to his work▪

And in this respect it is said, Shall the Rom. 9. 22. thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? For he hath mercy Rom. 9. 20. (namely, in restoring men to grace and favour in Jesus Christ) on whom he Rom. 9. 18. will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth (or leaves them in their sinnes.)

Thus God did not elect, and afterward [Page] reject; neither doth he love and afterward hate, for whosoever God loves indeed, Eph. 1. 4, 5. with an especial love, a love to eternal life, he loves them in Christ; and Joh. 13. 1. he loves none in Christ, but whom he hath elected and chosen in him: and Joh. 17. 23. those whom he thus elects he cannot hate, for he loves them in Christ, and as Christ.

God indeed loves all his creatures, as they be his creatures, and in this respect hates none of them, for he hates nothing, but that which is contrary to his holinesse, which is sin; but when the creature is corrupted by sin, and is become one with the devill in sin, then it is just with Psal. 11. 6. God, to hate the creature as he hates the devill and sin, and to punish them together.

Neither did God make man to damne him, but he made man, yea all men, for his own glory.

Now if men wilfully disobey God, and Prov. 16. 4. willingly dishonour him, by living in actuall rebellion against him all their dayes, and so bring upon themselves destruction and damnation: Is God unrighteous Rom▪ 3. 5, 6 that taketh vengeance? God forbid.

[Page] God will have his honour from all men; yea, the most wicked and ungodly wretches that live, in following greedily their own base lusts, doe many times help Exod. 14. 28. Mat. 27. 5. forward Gods designes, and justly perish in so doing.

But the Saints, even those whom he hath elected and manifested himself unto in Jesus Christ, as they glorifie him in their lives, for his glory shines forth in their conversations; so he doth glorifie them here with great glory, and will eternally glorifie them with himself, as the Joh. 17. 24. resurrection of the just.

Q. What mean you by resurrection, if you mean a resurrection of the body? What resurrection can be of that which is nothing, and comes to nothing, earth it is, and to earth it must return: and there is no difference between them and beasts, as one dies, so dies Eccles. 3. 19, 20. the other, all goe to one place, and there is no more resurrection of the one than of the other, but the resurrection is Christ, and Christ is the resurrection, God hath given him all things, and he will raise up all the good things which are himself, into himself, to a more full Joh. 11. 25 and glorious discovery of it self in him, in one body, for every man is a grave to himself, wherein lies dead and buried all his comforts, [Page]life, and joyes: but when Christ calls from above by his power, and rises from below, even in our hearts, then are we raisedup with him, and in him, and so make up a glorious union in one person: so that the great and generall resurrection and judgement is nothing else▪ but the raising, and heightening of all things in man, to a perfect state of light and darknesse, pleasure and pain. For what other resurrection or judgement can there be? But a bringing again of all good things in man, to a full discovery of glory: and the casting away of all evill things into a discovery of darknesse, or a heightening of both good and evill, to a full end and period of life and death, salvation and damnation?

A. That there is a resurrection even of the body, is plain in Scripture, although Salomon in that place makes such a comparison between men and beasts: yet he intends it between beasts and men in a Eccl. 3. 16. natural estate.

For what great advantage have meer 17. natural and carnal men above a beast.

The one eates, and drinks, and sports; 18. So doth the other.

The one dies and sees corruption; so doth the other.

The one knowes not what shall be after [Page] him, so neither doth the other.

And what if carnal men be rulers, and so in the place of Judgement; where they ought to do Righteousnesse. Then they turne oppressors, and do much wickednesse.

I said in my heart, saith he, Oh that God would manifest himself to them, and make them see, that they be but beasts in the likenesse of men, &c.

Here is no great strength in all this against the resurrection of the body.

For the bodies of wicked men shall be 2 Cor. 5. 10. raised as well as their souls, to give an account for things done in them. 2 Cor. 5. 10.

And our Saviour saith, all that are in Joh. 5. 28. 29. the graves, shall hear his voice, and shall come forth. They that have done good, to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evill, to the resurrection of damnation.

And that he intends here a resurrection of the body, is plain.

For he had spoken of a spiritual resurrection in the 25. Verse, where he saith, the hour is comming, and now is, that the Joh. 5. 26. dead shall hear his voyce, and they that hear shall live.

Meaning the dead in sinne, whom he [Page] would quicken by his power to newnesse of life.

For although the Saints dye and depart out of this life, yet they doe not perish as to their bodies, for they are but 1 Cor. 15. 18. 1 Thes. 4 14. fallen asleep, and they sleep in Christ; and this is in respect of their bodies; (for their soules, or spirits cannot be▪ said to sleep) And Christ will raise them up at the Joh. 6. 40. last day.

The Apostle met with some among the Corinthians, that denied the resurrection of the body, 1 Cor. 15. with whom he 1 Cor. 15. seemes thus to reason.

The resurrection of Christ hath been 4. preached among you, and you cannot but believe it, because it was not onely 5. foretold by Scripture, but was witnessed 6. also by many who had seen him after he 7. was risen.

Now if this be a truth, how then say 12. some among you, that there is no resurrection of the dead?

For if there be no resurrection of the 13. dead, (or of mens bodies) then certainly Christ is not risen.

And if Christ be not risen, then we have 14. preached in vaine, and ye have believed in vaine, and ye are yet in your sinnes. 15.

[Page] Yea, and if Christ be not risen, then the Saints that are fallen asleep in him, 18. are perished, and God hath sent us to bear witnesse to a falshood, if the dead rise not.

For if Christ be not risen, then the dead shall not rise.

But if Christ be risen (as indeed he is) 20. then it is impossible that the dead should not rise.

For Christs resurrection is a pledge, a first fruits of the resurrection of the body.

But if there be no resurrection, we and Vers. 19. all the Saints, are the miserablest men in the world.

And if the dead rise not, why do I put my self to paine?

Why do I suffer reproaches, stripes, imprisonments, watchings, fastings? &c. 30.

Why am I alwayes in Jeopardy of my life? Nay, Why do I dye daily?

What advantage is all this to me if 31▪ there be no reward, no resurrection?

And the Saints in the 11. Hebrewes, 35. Heb. 11. are said to be tortured, mocked, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, sawne asunder, tempted, 36. slaine with the sword, to wander about in sheep skins, and goat skins, to be destitute, 37. afflicted, tormented, and would not accept of deliverance. 35.

[Page] Why so? Did they not run with the world, into every excesse of riot? Did they not saile with every wind, turne with every tide? Yea, did they not sweare and swagger, rant and roare, and say with the Epicure, Let us eat and drink, for 1 Cor. 15. 32. to morrow, or shortly▪ we shall die, and then there will be an end of us?

No saith the Text. They looked for a better resurrection: a resurrection to life and▪ reward, for they knew full well, that if Heb. 21▪ 35. they suffered with him, they should raigne with him.

Neither was this resurrection, which they expected, that first & spiritual resurrection, namely a rising out of sin, unbelief, ignorance, &c. to live in newnesse of life, for that the Apostles, and the other Saints, had attained to in their several measures, or else they had not been able to endure such sharpe sufferings for Christ.

But as their sufferings were outward in Rom. 8. 23. the body, so they waited for the perfecting of the adoption, even the redemption of their bodies,

So that the resurrection here spoken of, can be no other, but that great and general resurrection, when all men shall be 1 Thes. 4. 16. 17. [Page] raised, and both souls and bodies reunited to suffer, or to raigne together.

And for that general Judgement, which is said to be a disposing of all things, both good and evill, to a full end, and period, or perfect state of life, and death, pleasure, and paine, salvation, or damnation.

Let us a little consider what these good and evill things are, that so we may be able to judge of this doctrine.

The good things in the Saints, are faith, hope, love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, Gal. 5. 22. 23. meeknesse, &c.

Now these being the divine nature, or Christ in the Saints, the hope of glory; Col. 1. 27. cannot be capeable of pleasure or salvation, for they were never lost: But the poor Creature was lost, and Christ came to save that which was lost. Luk. 19. 10.

And by taking the poor creature into the divine nature, or the same spirit with himself, saves the lost creature, and not the good things in the creature.

On the other side, the evill things in evill men are, unbeliefe, wrath, hatred, Gal. 5. 19. 20. mallice, envy, thefts, murders, adulteries, Idolatries, &c.

And these being the devill in the creature, with whom the creature is made [Page] one in sin, what pain, or torment, or damnation can befall these; when the persons by whom, and in whom, they were acted, perish like bruite beasts and have no resurrection? Mat. 25. 34. Joh. 6. 57.

Therefore as God by taking his own into himself; saves them souls and bodies together with, and in him.

So the wicked and unbelievers, who Mat 25. 41. are not in Christ, or Christ in them, but are one with the devill in sin; are therefore Joh. 5. 29. soules and bodies, condemned to be destroyed in, and with the devill, and sin.

Indeed, this resurrection and judgement is already begun, for the Saints are risen with Christ, and Christ is daily raising of them in himself.

But the perfection and full completion thereofis, and shall be when all the Saints are gathered into Christ, to make him compleat in eternal glory.

And so likewise this Judgement is begun already, the Judge sits every day, Christ is refining, and purifying the saints with fire and Fullers sope, (the power of Mal. 3. 2, 3. his spirit) destroying all their lusts, and corruptions, subduing their vile bodies, Phil. 3. 21. and will at length change them, and make them like his glorious body. [Page] And he is also daily judging the wicked.

First in themselves, convincing them Joh. 16. 8, 9. of sinne, and yet hardning them therein.

And then he is judging them by the Saints, for when they behold the godly, 1 Cor. 6. [...]. 1 Pet▪ 3. 16. and undefiled conversation of the Saints, they are ashamed, and condemned in their consciences, though they hate them for the same.

Now though Christ be thus judging daily; yet the perfection of this judgement, is that which the Apostle calls a revelation of the righteous Judgement of God; Rom. 2. 5. 6. 7. when he shall render to every man according to his works.

To them who by patient continuing in well doing, seek for glory and immortallity: namely to them who are in Christ and are acted, and carried forth by him, to set forth his praise, and glory to immortality; to them he will give eternal life, or glorifie them with himself in his eternal glory in heaven.

But to them who are contentious, and Vers. 8. do not obey the truth, (which is Christ) but obey unrighteousnesse, (which is the 9. devill) indignation, and wrath, tribulation, and anguish, everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and go ye Mat. 25. 41. [Page] cursed into everlasting hell fire, prepared for the devill and his angels.

Q. Heaven, and hell are misteries, and admit of divers acceptations, as Gods right hand, and his left, his love, and his wrath, pleasure, and paine, salvation, and damnation, but properly heaven, is where God is, and that is in every man: And hell is where Satan is, and that is in every man. For there is in every man light and darknesse, good and evill, Michael, and the Dragon: Now as Michaell casts out the Dragon; so darkness, unbelief, and all sin shall be cast out of man; Christ shall make a separation, for all things that are good, as love, joy, peace, delight, holinesse, &c. and God shall be comprehended, and gathered into one body of unity, and concord, in glory, which is in heaven. And on the contrary, all evill, as hatred, sorrow, sinne, error, death, and darknesse, and devils; shall be gathered into one body of confusion, and torment which is hell. For although it be said, Revelation, 21. 8. That the fearfull, and unbelieving, and abhominable, and murderers, and sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Yet those words can have no relation to mens persons,[Page]for if they have, what will then become of all men? for what man is there, which hath not one or other of these sins in him? but great is the mistery of godlinesse, God manifest in the flesh, the truth manifest in a form, so here is a mistery wrapt up in these words; for this evill is not threatned against the persons of any, no not of the most wicked, but against these, and all other particular sins, and offences, which break through the persons of men, which being put together, make up a perfection of wickednesse: And which as a body of uncleanness dwells in men; and this the Apostle calls flesh, and sin, even in himself. And this is that which must be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. The wrath of God shall never cease burning up these lusts, in this body of sin and death, untill it hath quite consumed them. For what other heaven can be intended, or expected; but a glorious uniting of all good things into God; or what other hell can be imagined, but a casting away of all evill things into Torment, confusion, and darknesse?

A. That heaven and hell are misteries, and are also of various significations, is not denied, for the kingdome of heaven is sometimes taken for the outward profession Mat. 25. 1. and 22. of the Gospel, and sometimes [Page] for the inward life, and power of the Gospell, Luk. 2. 17 21. &c. Hell is also taken sometimes for the grave, and sometimes for Satans kingdome in mens hearts; for he is called the prince of the power of the aire, the spirit Eph. 2. 2. that rules in the hearts of the Children of disobedience. And although heaven and hell be misteries, yet they are not altogether misteries. The Scriptures are misteries, but yet they are misteries revealed, Christ spake sometimes plainly, and spake no parable, heaven and hell are misteries yet misteries revealed; for there are these three things in all misteries. 1. The historical, or litteral narration. 2. The interpretation, and meaning. And thirdly, the truth, or substance and reality. And the first, and the second of these, be meer nothings, without the third. True indeed where God is, there is heaven, for God dwells in glory, which is heaven, and by his glorious appearance in his Saints, he 2 Tim. 4. 1. brings heaven into their hearts. Againe, hell is where Satan is, and that is in wicked men. For he dwels and raignes in them, and hath his kingdome in their hearts; sometimes he steales into the Saints, and troubles them, and disturbes 2 Cor. 6. 15. their peace, and causes mutinies in the [Page] soul, but he dwels not there long, for Christ and he cannot dwell long together, Christ casts him out, and suffers him no more to enter, that is not to raigne. Mar. 9. 25. And that God is not in all men, in his love in Jesus Christ, which is heaven, hath been shewed already. But he is onely so in his Saints whom he doth not onely act, and order, by outward, and generall providences: 1 Cor. 6. 17. But also hath taken them into himself, through his Son by his spirit; and they are so united or made one with himself in that eternal spirit, that they are thereby carried forth of themselves to Rom. 8. 14. live with him, and in him▪ Christ makes in them a separation indeed, for he casts out by degrees the old man, with all his deeds, which is that body of sin the Apostle speaks of, & which is not wholy subdued Rom. 6. 26. while the Saints abide in the flesh; and so he is gathering all the Saints, which are those good things, for the Saints are himself (into God, which is unity in glory) blessednesse, heaven.

But as for the wicked, Christ is not in Joh. 8. 44. them, nor they in him, nor of him, but of their father the devill. And being incorporated, 1 Joh. 3. 8. and made one with him in sinne; so they are carried on by him, to [Page] live in all ungodlinesse with him, and so must needs be in hell: for Satan hath his kingdome in their hearts: hence it is, that out of that bottomlesse pit proceed Mark 7. 21, 22. murders, adulteries, &c. and whatsoever is evill, and of the devill.

And hence it is also, that wicked men Mat. 27. 3, 4, 5. are many times tormented with hellish feares and terrors. And thus wicked men are in hell, when they think themselves to be in heaven, even in this life.

But more especially, by hell torment, to 2 Pet. 2. 9. which the wicked are reserved untill the judgement of the great day, to suffer the Jude 7. vengeance of eternal fire: when all sin, and all sinners, and devils, and wicked Mat. 25. 41 spirits shall be gathered into one body, and confounded, or cast into a condition of torment, or lake of fire, which shall be kindled with the wrath of God like a river of brimstone, which is the second death.

And whereas it is said, that the evill or punishment threatened in the 21. Rev. 8. cannot relate to mens persons, because if it should, what would then become of all men, there being not a man that hath not one or other of these sinnes in him, [Page] and so conclude it to be a mystery wrapt up in a form of words.

To which it is answered, that the Saints are in Gods esteem without sin, for he Cant. 4. 7. Numb. 23. 21. lookes upon them in Christ, and as Christ, and so he cannot behold iniquity in them.

Again, the Saints are born of God as to the divine nature in them, and all that is born of God sins not, neither can, for the seed 1 Joh. 3. 9. of God remaines in him.

Again, to say and affirm, that the Saints see an end of sin in them, and that Christ hath finished transgression in them, and that let them doe what they will they cannot sin; and yet to conclude, that the punishments there spoken of cannot relate to mens persons, because the Saints must needs be guilty, as having sin in them; if this be not a mystery, or rather a contradiction, let all men judge.

Indeed the Saints, even the best of them, are in hell before they be in heaven, for they all passe through a state of nature, a kingdome of sin, where while they remain unregenerated, they are in the kingdome of Satan, without Christ, and without God in the world: But when God reveales Eph. 2. 2. 3, 12. Christ in the soul, when they are regenerated and born anew, when Christ who is [Page] both light and life appeares, then they are translated out of this kingdome of darknesse, Col. 1. 13. and entred into heaven; then they are in the glory of God, for God dwells in glory, and when he hath taken any soul into himself in the least measure or degree, then that soul is in heaven.

And this is many times but a low and Mark 8. 23, 24. clouded condition, and great mixtures of light and darknesse, day and night, peace and trouble, because they cannot apprehend any thing of God, but through a veil, or fleshly ordinances, and formes of worship, and therefore see and enjoy him 1 Cor. 13. 9, 10. very imperfectly; and yet they are in heaven in this low condition.

But when Christ comes forth in the spirit indeed, and transformes them into his Image of glory, that is when they apprehend their union with God in Christ, and that they partake of the same spirit, or 2 Pet. 1. 4. divine nature with Christ, and that God loves them in Christ, and as Christ, they Joh. 17. 23. being one with him, and of him. Then are they carried forth unto him above all 2 Cor. 5. 16. external things: Then they cease to know any man, yea, even Christ himself after the flesh: Then the vaile is taken away, even the flesh of Christ, or fleshly and [Page] carnal ordinances; and here they see God cleerly, and not in shadowes and formes, and enjoy him purely in the spirit, without the help of any created thing. Then God is the Saints light, for they are entred into that City which needs not the light of the Sun: Where all teares are wiped away, where there is no death, neither sorrow, Rev. 21. 4. nor crying, nor pain; where they live in God, and enjoy him above all feares, cares, troubles, and distractions, because all former things, or low apprehensions of God, are passed away. And this is the kingdome of Christ in the spirit, which is heaven in a high degree; but yet not the highest degree, for that is in the kingdome of God, which is distinct from the kingdome of Christ, Eph. 5. 5. For Christ Eph. 5. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 25, 26. must raign untill he hath subdued all his enemies: and the last energy which shall be destroyed is death: Now death cannot be destroyed untill it be destroyed even in the Saints, which shall remain to the very last period of time; for although Christ by his death did overcome death, and plucked out the sting thereof, that it cannot hurt the Saints, yet death is not slain and quite destroyed, untill sin, Satan, and flesh be also, destroyed, and that in the [Page] Saints of the last generation; when Christ hath put down or subdued all that sinfull rule, and authority, and power, that is contrary to him: Then shall the end come, 1 Cor. 15. 24. and then shall he deliver up the kingdome to God even the Father: Then shall cease the kingdome of Christ, as also his Priesthood, and his prophetical office likewise, and then shall the bodies of the Saints (which have been rotten and consumed to earth, for many yeares) be raised, though not the same bodies: for that 1 Cor. 15. 36, 42, 43. which is sown is not quickened except it die; they were sown corruptible bodies, they shall be raised incorruptible: they were sown in dishononr, 44. they shall be raised in glory: they were sown in weakness, they shall be raised in power: they were sown natural bodies, they shall be raised spirituall bodies: thou sowest ver. 37. 38. not that body that shall be, but God giveth it a body as it pleaseth him: Then shall all the Saints be gloriously united into their head, and so make up one compleat Christ: yea, then shall the Son himself, even 1 Cor. 15. 28. Christ compleated, be subject unto God, or taken into God, that God may be all in all. Then relations, and manifestations shall cease, for God will not be known or enjoyed by them, or in them: There shall be no [Page] more Father and Son, Christ and Christian, Head and Members, for God, Christ, and the Saints, shall be gloriously united, and made one, in that one entire, pure, glorious, and eternall Spirit, and so live and remain in onenesse of glory, which is both unspeakable, unconceivable; and endures and abides to all eternity.

To God onely wise, be glory, through Christ Jesus, by the holy, immortall, eternall Spirit, for ever. Amen.

FINIS.

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§

§

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A LITTLE STARRE, Giving some light into the counsels and purposes of God revealed in the Scriptures. OR A CATECHISME, Wherein these ensuing principles.

1. What God is, and how he manifests himselfe.

2. Why he made the world and man.

3. Mans condition, what, 1. By creation. 2. By his fall. 3. By being restored by Jesus Christ. 4. The uses and ends of the Law. 5. What the Gospell is. 6. Justification what it is. 7. Sanctification what, and how it is wrought. 8. What repentance is. 9. The use and ends of the Scriptures. 10. What true prayer is. 11. Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, why, and how used. 12. Generall redemption what, and how to be adjudgedof. 13. Resurrection and Judgement what. 14. Heaven and Hell what, in truth and misterie.

All which are briefly by way of Question and Answer opened and explained▪

By VVilliam Mason.

That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Sonne Jesus Christ. 1 Joh. 1. 3.

London, Printed by G. D. for Giles Calvert at the Black Spread-Eagle neer the West end of Pauls.

TO ALL THE SAINTS, Scattered (particularly) throughout Oxford-shire, Warwick-shire, and Northampton-shire: and (more generally) throughout England, (especially they under lower dispensations) Grace and Peace be multiplyed.

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DEARE BRETHREN,

IT is a sad thing to consider, how the Saints, who are united, and made one, with, and in Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 6. 17. by partaking of his Spirit, 2 Pet. 1. 4. or divine nature: should yet be so disunited, and broken off one from another, by [Page] yielding to much to that 1 Cor. 2. 12. spirit of the world, or rather to that principle of James 3. 16. & 4. 5. envy, and malice, which Sathan the God of this world labours to throw in amongst them; Is it not cause of much sadness and grief, to see that a little difference in opinion produceth great breaches, and much estrangedness in affection? and yet this difference being weighed in the ballance of true Judgement, will be found no difference amongst them who are truly Saints. Indeed, Rev. 2. 9 & 3. 9 There are some who say they are Jewes, and are not, but doe lie; and these are some of them high in notion, but altogether without life, and power of godliness, and the difference between the Saints, and such in point of sound doctrine, is very great. But the Saints, who are truly so indeed, Eph. 4. 3. they all indeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: They all know, and profess, that there is but one body, whereof they are members: and that Vers. 4. there is but one Spirit, by which they [Page] are united, and made one in this body: and that their hope, whereof they are not ashamed, is one and the same, being effectually called thereunto; they all profess and acknowledge Vers. 5. one Lord, in whom they do believe; and one faith, by which they believe, and one baptisme, through which they are not onely made conformable to Christ in his death, but also are made like unto him in his glorious resurrection, unto newnesse of life: And are also annointed with him, to hold forth the same to others; they all professe one God, who is the Vers. 6. Father, the Fountain, the Originall of all good; who is above all in respect of his glorious power, and through whose infinite love and goodness, they all obtaine life and happiness; and who is in them all, to act and carry them on, unto eternall glory. Thus the Saints, who are so indeed, hold correspondencie one with another in the substance of religion: and the difference between them is but a [Page] seeming difference, a difference in regard of manifestation: for to every one of us is given grace, according Vers. 7. to the measure of the gift of Christ. The Lord dispenseth not alike to all, but to every one a measure as he will, and yet they may be all of one, and the same Judgement, though some of a higher, and some of a lower degree, Exod. 34. 12. Heb. 11. 27. Moses had high and glorious manifestations, and yet he was of the same judgement wth the meanest of his Saints in that generation: 2 Cor. 12 2, 3, 4. Paul was taken up into the third Heavens, in respect of those glorious revelations, and high discoveries of God made known unto him; Gal. 4. 12. and yet he was as the Saints were, that so he might perswade them to be as he was, 1 Cor 9. 19, 20, 21, 22. yea, he submitted to the weakness of the Saints, that he might thereby bring them up into strength: Al the differences among the Saints at this day is onely about externall, and outward formes; and observations, I which are Col. 2. 17. all terminated in Christ: when they [Page] once come to know him, and are Eph. 4. 21. taught by him, as the truth is in him; then they cannot look for him at any distance, for he is Col. 1. 27. in them the hope of glory. It is a great fault among children to begrudge one another of their fathers gifts: there be severall attainments among Saints, or severall degrees of manifestations: 1 Ioh. 4. 12. 1. 2 there be some babes, and some strong men, Heb 5. 13. 14. and there is milk for the one, and strong meat for the other, they that be strong, were once weake, and they who are weak as yet, will in time grow strong (my deare Friends) let us leave judging, and censuring one another, Rom. 14. 4. for who art thou that iudgest another mans servant: let us indeavour unity, peace and concord; let us walk in love, oh 1 Pet. 1. 22. if we could love one another with a pure heart fevently! with what sweet imbraces should we receive, and injoy each other? how would our heavenly Father be glorified? how would truth be advanced, and appear [Page] like it selfe? and how would Isa. 2. 18. 19. errors, heresies, lyes and falshoods, run into holes to hide themselves? yea, how soon might we expect to see our dread Soveraign (the Lord Jesus, comming forth gloriously, Psal. 45. 4. and riding on prosperously, Rev. 6. 2. conquering, and to conquer, and bringing the wheele over sin and flesh, and all sinners and ungodly men, Rom. 1. 18. who hold the truth in unrighteousness; and proclaiming that joyfull Levit. 28. 13. Jubile to all his, who are yet kept under by poverty, debt, &c. Sin, ignorance, unbelief, weakness, clouds, forms, observations. Friends, rest not in shadows, let your souls Prov. 8. 21. inherit substance, Christs kingdome is spirituall, Luke 17. 21. it is within, and it is above all outward observations, Rom. 14. 17. it is not meat and drink, but it is righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost: This little Starre (if it please the Father of Lights) may lead you toward this King: or this little Catcchisme may instruct you in the way to this Kingdom. It presents [Page] you with no new thing, but cleers up old truths, and distinguisheth them from new errors. It comes not busling forth, stuft full of humane testimony, but it comes forward gently, and meekly, attended with divine evidence, and witness: (Dear Friends) first read, and then judge, but be not rash in censuring; if any thing seem difficult, weigh the Scriptures in the margent, and yet if difficulties and doubts still arise, Eph. 6. 18. wait upon God by prayer, and supplication of the Spirit. And he who is a Revealer of secrets, and to whom interpretations doe belong, shall in due Phil. 3. 15. time reveale the same unto you, If you cannot receive it at present, yet ye may in time; but if not at all, yet take heed of condemning it for heresie, blasphemy. Mat. 9. 3. Christ was called a blasphemer, a Devil, and that by Saints in profession. Truth hath been adjudged to be falshood and sound doctrine hath been condemned for heresie in all ages. If any [Page] dislike, or cannot receive it, because in some passages it may seem beyond his apprehension: Let him know that the maine end of this is, to carry up his heart to Christ above it selfe: and if on the other hand any shall despise it, and cast it away as too much below them: let such know, that it is not sent, but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, 1 Cor. 1. 25. and that the foolishness of God is wiser than men.

To whomsoever it comes, it will bring this testimonie along, that it hath no self-ends at all, but comes meerly out of love to poore souls.

Deare Brethren, Let me now in one word beseech you to lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. Heb. 4. 11 Be making toward your heavenly rest, be longing after your Fathers house, be owning of your own priviledges, be standing fast in your own liberty, 2 Cor. 6. 17. be getting out of Babylon, ye have dwelt [Page] Deut. 1. 6. long enough in confusion, long enough in the mount of outward observations: Take up your carriages, raise up your hearts, Jer. 50. 5. ask the way to Sion, set your faces that way, if you can but get one step into new Jerusalem, you are past all danger, here yee see sorrow, sighing, pain, fear, and death: here you say, oh that I were assured of Gods favour; oh, that I knew he loved me, &c. poore soules.

If ye were but entred into Christs spirituall Kingdome indeed, if ye did but know God, Christ, and the Saints in the Spirit, indeed your hearts would leap for ioy, did you but know Joh. 17. 21, 22, 23. God in Christ, Christ in the Saints, the Saints united, and made one with God, in Christ, by that one eternall Spirit, Ioh. 16. 22. your hearts would rejoyce, your joy would be full, yea, 1 Pet. 1. 8. yee would rejoyce with joy unspeakable, and full of glory: Rev. 21. 3 Then [Page] you should see the Tabernacle of God with men, and God dwelling with men, or in men: then should all teares be wiped away, and then 4 there should be no more feare of death, no more sorrow nor crying, nor paine in respect of the losse of Gods love, and favour: for all former things, (as namely, all low, and carnall apprehensions of God, which caused feares, doubts, distractions) would be passed away: Rev. 22. 3. for there shall be no night, nor clouds to hide his love, but they that be his Servants, shall serve him in Spirit and Truth, and they shall see his face with joy, and 4. his name (or glory) shall be in their fore-heads, or shine forth in 5. them to his praise, and they shall reigne with him here in joy, and glory even in this life, and shall at last injoy him in unconceiveable, and eternall glory, of which this is [Page] but a tast. Brethren, 2 Thess. 3. 18. the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Amen.

Your most affectionate Friend, and Brother in Chist Iesus, William Mason.

Information about this book

Title statement

A little starre, giving some light into the counsels and purposes of God revealed in the Scriptures. Or A catechisme, wherein these ensuing principles. 1. What God is, and how he manifests himselfe. 2 Why he made the world and man. 3. Mans condition, what, 1. by creation. 2. By his fall. 3. By being restored by Jesus Christ. 4 The uses and ends of the law. 5. What the Gospell is. 6. Justification what it is. 7. Sanctification what, and how it is wrought. 8. What repentance is. 9. The use and ends of the Scriptures. 10. What true prayer is. 11. Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, why, and how used. 12. Generall redemption what, and how to be adjudged of. 13. Resurrection and judgement what. 14. Heaven and Hell what, in truth and misterie. All which are briefly by way of question and answer opened and explained. / By VVilliam Mason.

Mason, William, Anabaptist.

Edition statement

1653

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A89645

ID [STC]

Wing M948

ID [STC]

Thomason E1505_1

ID [STC]

ESTC R208669

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99867597

ID [PROQUEST]

99867597

ID [VID]

119914

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Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89645)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 119914)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 192:E1505[1])

Source

— A little starre, giving some light into the counsels and purposes of God revealed in the Scriptures. Or A catechisme, wherein these ensuing principles. 1. What God is, and how he manifests himselfe. 2 Why he made the world and man. 3. Mans condition, what, 1. by creation. 2. By his fall. 3. By being restored by Jesus Christ. 4 The uses and ends of the law. 5. What the Gospell is. 6. Justification what it is. 7. Sanctification what, and how it is wrought. 8. What repentance is. 9. The use and ends of the Scriptures. 10. What true prayer is. 11. Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, why, and how used. 12. Generall redemption what, and how to be adjudged of. 13. Resurrection and judgement what. 14. Heaven and Hell what, in truth and misterie. All which are briefly by way of question and answer opened and explained. / By VVilliam Mason., Mason, William, Anabaptist..

Extent

[14], 186 p.

Printed by G.D. for Giles Calvert at the Black Spread-Eagle neer the west end of Pauls.,. London, :: [1653]. (Publication date from Wing.) (Annotation on Thomason copy: "may. 24 1653".) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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