1. Human worship, which is a service of man's own invention, that hath a form of the true worship of God, but is will-worship, vain worship not commanded by the Lord. (Rom 1:22, 23; Col 2:23; Matt 15:9).

2. Devilish worship - when devils or dumb idols are worshipped. These two kinds being all together vain, carnal and antichristian I shall have no occasion to speak of them except in a way of reproof as unprofitable works of darkness. (1 Cor 10:20; Deut 32:17; Rev 9:20).

3. Civil worship - an outward expression of reverence and respect to men of authority or eminency (this being in its own sphere unlawful being bounded by the law of God). I shall have little occasion to speak of it. (Matt 20:20).

4. Divine or spiritual worship - when the true God is worshipped after a true manner, which worship we may fitly describe to be the subjection of the whole man unto God in every thing commanded by God, from a true understanding of God, by the power of God, with singular spirituality, faith, reverence, fear and love in obedience unto God in Christ. In this description there are several things to be minded as necessarily required in all true worshippers of God as:

1. A spiritual principle whereby we come to an understanding:

a. firstly of God, the object of divine worship (the inscription of the Saints' altar is not to the unknown God, but to Him Whom they understand.

b. secondly, wherein the worship of God doth consist. Every worship will not serve the Lord. Blind obedience is the sacrifice of fools, but that which God approves, His own light reveals which discovers it to consist in subjection unto God. Where there is true worship there must be preeminence; where there is inferiority there is superiority from whence springs subjection.

2. A spiritual power. It is not every strength that is able to build this house. That which God's light reveals His power produces and effects.

3. The manner how the worship of God is to be performed must be regarded. Every way of offering the Lord accepts not, but He will be worshipped.

1. With singular spirituality. As the object, principle and power are all spiritual, so must the heart be offering up sacrifices in a spiritual manner. It is the Spirit in all performances that make them truly lovely.

2. In faith. A soul that worships God must believe God and give credit to the words of God.

3. In fear and reverence. The majesty of God commands reverence in all that come before His throne. That infiniteness and unspeakableness of glory that is in the Lord causes a soul to fall down before Him, even at His feet, adoring Him crying on with Isaiah, "I am undone!"

4. In love. No service without love is acceptable. If the distance was only minded, it would strike such an amazement and terror that none would dare to come to God. Therefore the Lord sends from the brightness of His majesty comfortable beams and rays of love to gather up the soul to Himself through the power of which the soul is stirred with love and flaming, this chariot mounts up to God accounting the hardest enterprise he can achieve for God to be his greatest honor.

5. Divine worship in all its goings forth to God makes its addresses in the Lord Jesus. Spiritual and gospel worship receive all from God in Christ, return to God in Him, Who is that way in which God and the soul meet embracing each other, Who is that ladder on which God descends to him and he ascends to God. He loves, fears, serves and lives to God in Christ and in Him alone.

This true worship of God appears in a twofold consideration:

1. Invisibly. Which is only in the inward man, in the Spirit which no man sees or knows, but he in whom it dwells.

2. Visibly. Which others may take notice of and whereby an invisible enjoyment and filial affections are clearly demonstrated.

I shall handle the first of these in the first part of this discourse, namely the invisible worship of God and the last, viz.: the visible, in the last part.

Chapter II

Showeth what is the spiritual principle in true worshipping whereby we come to know God, and what of God may be known to the saints.

Principles are so requisite to all manner of actions that nothing can be done regularly or honorably without them. A true principle is that which crowns every act. If as man be unsound in his principles, all his building will prove but rotten.

What this principle is:

By this spiritual principle, I mean a sure ground, or original, seated in the heart by the Lord, whereby the soul ascends to the true worship of God. And this is two-fold:

1. Light. Until the Sun of righteousness shines into the soul to discover the mind and will of God, the duty and privilege of His creature; the soul is a dark dungeon, a sleepy, dead confused habitation, but when God comes in the appearance of Himself, the soul is enlightened. Which light is:

Light comes from God:

A. Sent forth from the Lord. It is a spiritual, divine, supernatural light. In thy light (saith the psalmist) shall we see light. It is not in the light of the world, or of the first creation, but a new light to him that he had not, knew not, nor enjoyed before.

Light dwells in the soul:

B. It is sent into the soul, as the light of the sun is conveyed to the natural eye, whereby that discerns natural objects. So is the heavenly light darted into the spirit of a man, whereby that man being in this light, seeth it, and nothing spiritually without it.

2. Love. Love unto God and the truth and light of God, though a man may know much even by the true light, yet if love be not one with the light, that is to say, if love and light walk not hand in hand, the soul worships God not aright; therefore, as we hear the Saints breathing out their desires to the Lord that He would send forth His light and His truth to lead them to compass His altar, that is to say to worship God. So likewise we hear of receiving the truth in the love of it. If I know anything, and yet love it not,I cannot cheerfully entertain or embrace it. Love, love I say unto the Lord, produced by the light and love of God, both implanted in the heart become that spiritual principle that carries forth the soul certainly unto God.

God is the one object of the Saints' light and love.

We are to consider this spiritual principle with its object: light and love are vain, empty, a mere fancy without a suitable object. The object of true light and spiritual love is that God Who is to be worshipped, God over all, God in all, God above all, which light discovers what of God is to be known by the saints and wherein the appearances of God are.

That God is:

The light of God reveals this to the soul: That God is. Hearken what the eternal Spirit saith in the Scriptures: He that cometh to God must believe that God is. When the Lord sent Moses to deliver the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, He bids Moses, Go and say I AM hath sent me, whereby He signifies to them His being, that He is, distinguishing Himself from heathen vanities. He is in Himself and of Himself. Therefore God frequently styles Himself by the name of Jehovah whereby He points out to us in a most excellent manner: God's being is Himself from eternity, the same without diminution, addition, or subtraction. Though The fool hath said in his heart there is no God, the voluptuous man makes his belly and pleasure his God and although the world makes Satan, the Prince of the world their God, yet God only is, viz.: the Unspeakable Substance Who lives of Himself. What all creatures are, they are by God and have their dependence upon God, but God Himself is only truly independent.

Question: If any shall demand of me what God is?

Answer: I answer, if any seek the definition of God from the workmanship of His hands, he will be all together frustrated in his expectations. His substance is unspeakable. Man is but God's creature. Man in the most lively, glorious, quickest and subtlest understanding is ignorant of Him.

Objection: But may some be ready to object many Scriptures that speak of knowing God, yea, it is eternal life to know Him the only true God.

Answer: To answer this we must consider to know God is.

First, to know that there is a God or that God is and so, if we know Him not, we cannot speak of Him, nor live to Him.

Secondly, To know God is to know Him after a sort or manner, viz.: as He hath revealed Himself to the sons of men, for the incomprehensible and invisible Being hath made Himself visible after a sort so that our obedience may not be without obedience, nor our eyes without an object. And so, if thou art made partaker of the Spirit and so dwellest in the light of God, thou mayest see him:

God is incomprehensible.

Firstly, to be incomprehensible. If man, poor, silly man, nay, wise, understanding man was able to comprehend the infinite One, he would then be God himself or greater than He. For 'tis only the greater that is able to comprehend the lesser. As soon may the smallest point in the circumference comprehend the whole, as the creature his Creator. Therefore wisely did Empedocies answer one that demanded of him what God was, that He was a Sphere whose center was every where and circumference no where; whereby is most excellently shadowed the incomprehensibleness of God.

God is immutable.

Secondly, that He is immutable. The world is possessed with changes, but in Him there is no shadow of change. The world grows old as doth a garment, but He is the same yesterday and today and forever. This is the record that He gives of Himself saying, "I the LORD change not." Mutability proceeds from corruption or imbecility, but God's being is most simple and pure. There is no composition in Him, neither is He subjected to time in which all changes are.

God is eternal.

Thirdly, He is eternal. God is before time. Time is made by God and shall be done away by God according to that in the Revelation: "Time shall be no more."

What time is.

Time is that space in which actions are successively brought about, having beginning and ending, but God is not included here for it is impossible that He Who made it should be comprehended in it. He is from everlasting and shall remain to everlasting. This is matter of admiration. Arithmetic is nonplused here forced to confess eternity transcends his skill.

God is Invisible.

Fourthly, God is invisible. No man hath ever seen Him or can see Him, therefore the Saints acknowledge Him to be the invisible God, Col. 1:15.

Objection: But some say Moses talked with God face to face. And Christ saith, "blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God"; therefore, He is not invisible.

Solution: To which I answer that God is to be considered either as in His own being or in His operations. As He is in Himself, we see Him not, but as His works of love, wisdom, power, etc. declare Him, so we see Him. Thou seest some glorious and costly building, yet seest not the spirit of that man in whose mind this building was before erected to thy view. But seeing it, thou concludest well in saying surely the wisdom of man appears in it eminently and thou knowest the mind of any man surpasses the matter in his mind.

Thou seest a poor creature acting diverse rare feats and excellent arts, but yet seest not the soul or spirit of that man from whence they flow. In all natural bodies there is a spirit from which natural actions flow, and yet seest not this spirit, but art made able to know there is a spirit and from its operations canst speak a little, though stammeringly of it.

Exodus 33

Moses saw the face of God, and yet saith God to Moses, "my face cannot be seen." The face of God is a phrase God useth, descending to the capacity of God's creatures whereby the Lord holds forth some glory of Himself. Moses seeing God's face was his seeing the fullest manifestation of God's beauty and mind that was then for him to see (for the face demonstrates the beauty and mind of a man) and yet he saw not His being. The face of God doth here hold forth no more the being of God than the face of a man his being. A man's beauty is not his being for a man is a man, though he be not beautiful.

And when as Christ saith, "he shall see God" His meaning is he shall see what of God may be seen, for He that is in Himself invisible, makes Himself visible after a sort, viz. by the appearance of His love and glory in His Son; therefore, saith Christ, "no man hath seen the Father at any time, but the only begotten Son hath declared Him." We hear many declarations of God which is the sight of God the creature hath; which declarations define not His being, but describe His operations. Thus it is said, "God came down in the sight of the children of Israel", when they only saw some terrible appearances of His majesty and authority.

God Is Almighty

Fifthly, The Almightiness of God may be seen by the creature that He is over all and above all and can do what He will is very evident. All power centers in Him as its true original. This omnipotence of God is immutable, boundless and infinite. Who shall say to Him, "this is too hard for Thee?" This power, even this Almighty power which the servants of the Lord feel and know through its irresistible operations enforces them to serve Him with fear and rejoice before Him with trembling.

God's Sovereignty may be known.

6. God's sovereignty and supremacy are likewise through the light of God clearly made manifest, that is to say, that God is above all, the principal, chief and worthiest of all, and under this consideration may be known to the sons of men: He is King of kings and Lord of lords. This is that which begets obedience, children obey and honor their parents as them that are over them, servants their masters, subjects their kings and rulers as them that are their superiors, and so creatures the Creator as being more worthy than all. His power and sovereignty are inseparable companions: His power fills Him with majesty and authority.

The light of God discovers the wisdom of God.

7. The wisdom of God may be known, that is to say, that He is wise, understanding, knowing all things. By wisdom He governs all things. By wisdom He made and garnished the heavens. Power, authority and all without wisdom act confusedly. Therefore is He called: the everlasting light and the Father of light, the God of knowledge. He is wise super eminently and therefore called the only wise God Rom 16:27.

God's justice may be known and what it is.

8. God is a just God and His saints know Him to be so. God's justice is His righteous dispensation of love or wrath according to His own law made after His own will and thus He is just or righteous to the creature and He is also just and righteous in Himself, a God of more pure eyes than to behold iniquity and of more justice than to suffer it to pass unpunished. This makes a poor soul bow his knees and tremble before God's dreadful majesty. Who can approach God's presence without fear? And for this cause is He called a God of vengeance, a consuming fire, the Judge of all the earth, a Judge most wise Job 37:17. He is most faithful: He cannot lie, He is a true God, a God of truth.

God is merciful.

9. That God is merciful, gracious, full of loving kindness, slow to anger, whose mercies are above all His works; His mercy and His justice kiss each other. This consideration begets liberty, freedom and boldness in the Spirit to serve, fear, honor and obey the Lord. In this sense is He called a Father of mercies 2 Cor 1:3. This is discovered to a soul as the argument for a soul's obedience to God: if ye love me, keep my commands: for we love Him because He first loved us.

God is known to be related to the creature.

10. God is nearly related to the creature. Though God be never so glorious and excellent, yet if He had no relation to the creature, it would contribute nothing towards spiritual worship which relation is made manifest in several particulars:

First, He is a Creator and all things are His creatures. They are all His workmanship Isa 40:28. In the beginning, God made the world and all things in the world.

Secondly, He is a Father. All things are begotten by Him. In Him we live and move and have our being.

Thirdly, He is a Husband that espouses souls to Himself Isa 54:5.

Fourthly, A King and we His subjects. He rules over all the earth and the sea is His dominion.

I might here show at large how the several terms God gives to Himself, hold forth His relation to the sons of men, but I shall not now insist upon them.

God is all in all.

11. God is revealed to be all in all, that is to say, in His operations, but it is the same God that worketh all in all (1 Cor 12:6). All that is good or excellent, beautiful or glorious in all or any creature proceeds from God and this shows the creature's dependency upon Him. Therefore He is said to fill all in all Eph 1:23. That is to say all fullness in any creature is from the Lord Who is above all ruling over us through all, manifesting His power and wisdom in us all, dwelling in us, abiding and delighting in us. Eph 4:6.

God is one.

12. This God is one infinite Being. There are gods many and lords many, but to us there is but one God. Many men are called gods. It is written I have said ye are gods but there is one original Being who is our God in the Lord Jesus. There are not many first beings but one original Who is the first and the last., the beginning and the ending. That is to say, the first in Himself, before all, subsisting by Himself, giving a beginning, and the last, continuing in Himself forever, putting an end to corruptible things by Himself, for He is without beginning or end of days. (Editor's Note: In this statement more of Drapes's Sabellian views surface. We would say God is three eternal, divine, co-equal spirits who make up the One God. The key of course is the term ONE. Study John 17 in this light and you will find that the elect shall all be one in glory in the same way that Christ and the Father are One. In addition remember that the husband and wife are one and the true gospel ministers are all one as Paul and Apollos were both one. REP)

God is a living God.

13. God is a living God. He is not a dumb or deaf idol, but One that lives forever. Time molders all idols in the dust, but God is not is not subject to time. This infinite Being cannot die, that is to say, be subject to dissolution or corruption.

God is present in all places.

14. Lastly, God is present everywhere. He cannot be circumscribed for He is an infinite One. Thou canst not say God is not here for He is everywhere, knowing all thoughts searching all hearts. If thou canst tell me where God ceases to be, there I will prove to thee God is bounded, limited, and finite; which in no sense can be said of the infinite Being. His Spirit and presence are everywhere. Where ever God is He imprints an appearance of Himself to be there. If thou goest into heaven, that is to say, into thehighest place of glory, the Psalmist will tell thee, God is there. Yea, if thou makest they bed in hell, God is there, there exercising His wrath, justice and indignation. If thou thinkest to hide thyself in darkness, the darkness is as light to the Lord. The darkness and the light are alike unto God, that is to say, His power, knowledge and wisdom cannot be separated from any place or from the understanding of anything. There is such darkness in us that we cannot see, but there is no darkness in God that seeth our darkness by His own light Psa 139.

Thus having according to my measure brought forth my understanding of what of God may be known, viz. His power, wisdom, light, love, justice, presence, and the like, all which terms the Lord uses to express what He is to us in a way of relation to His creatures, in terms that His servants are after some small measure capable to understand. I shall proceed in the next place to show wherein this excellency of the Lord Jehovah our God doth appear.

Chapter III

showeth wherein that which may be known of God to us is made manifest, viz. in the creation and in the Lord Jesus, and how it appears in the creation.

That God is and that He is immutable. incomprehensible, merciful, wise, etc. He hath given us a very lively testimony to seal the truth of it. God being unwilling to hide Himself and His great glory decreed to bring it forth, which we shall see clearly:

1. In the creation.

2. In the Lord Jesus.

Both these are made manifest in the Scriptures. These are the golden pipes which empty forth the golden incorruptible oil of joy, gladness and righteousness amongst the candlesticks into the lamps of the sanctuary, even into the hearts and spirits of the church of the First Born, whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

The creation holds forth God.

These are the two great ordinances which are displayed by the eternal word of God according to the Scriptures; which are those conduit-pipes which carry in them all that may be seen. known, understood or enjoyed of God by the sons of men. I shall speak of both, but in the first place of the creation which is a glorious book in which he that runs may read and understand the excellency of the Lord Who was, and is and is to come. The meanest, most natural capacity may read God in every line of the creation, which shows:

The creation shows the Godhead.

First, that there is a God. The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. even His eternal power and Godhead Rom 1:20. That is to say, though God is invisible, yet that which may be known of Him is clearly seen, that is understood by the things that are visible. Now the thing that may be known is this, viz. His power and Godhead. That there is a divine, eternal God is apparent, if we consider that there is not the least little thing in the whole creation, or great thing which leadeth us not step by step into a Godhead.

In this world there are four degrees of things, viz. which have being, which have life, which have sense and which have reason. Some things have all four, some again only one, yet every one preaches forth this God. The earth, sea and air are very spacious, bearing and sustaining all things that have life, sense and reason and yet are themselves void of life, sense or reason. They are nearest to not being, to annihilation. The plants besides being, have life and draw nourishment and refreshment from the earth and air. The beasts have being, life and sense and seek their food from the earth and plants. Man hath all, being life, sense and reason. He enjoyeth the elements, feedeth on beasts and plants and commandeth other creatures and discourseth of all things above and below. Lo here, this wonderful order. One serving another, nothing is for itself.

From whence comes this distribution, one thing serving another? If fromthemselves, either they had it always or in time? Always they had it not, for we know, we ourselves that now are, once were not; and if we had our origin in time, how come we to have it since there was a time when we were not at all? Surely we must conclude, the author, the original distributor and proportioner of all these things in such an order and degree, is One that was before us, is above us, which can be no other than God Himself.

Let us descend into some particulars and consider the elements of which things are compounded as fire, earth, air and water. Fire and water are contrary and so is the dry and the moist. The nature of contraries is to destroy one another. None of these two can be coupled without a higher power. Surely this leads us to consider that great Judge and wise Disposer Who orders things after such a strange manner. We see very beautiful buildings, stately palaces and our minds presently without pausing upon it say surely there hath been some gallant workman. Thou seest a watch and presently viewest the balance, then the wheels and so at the last comest to the spring and seest that moving the watch, but yet thou askest presently who made this spring and so comest to the watch maker and beholdest motion in the watch while he that made it moves not at all. Thou seest the sun move and must needs conclude it hath a first mover and that is none but God, a beginningless and an endless Being Who must needs be the very Godhead.

Creation shows there is but one God.

2. So likewise, as the world shows there is a God, it shows there is but one God for all things in the world point to unity. Earth, water, air, fire are all to make up one body. All agree in one though diverse in themselves. All arts and sciences move towards unity and congruity. Arithmetic proceeds from unity; Geometry from a point and tends to society and happiness and solace of man. All government in families or kingdoms respect unity. All that ever man doth or can do leads to unity to the high advancement of one God and His wisdom and power. Surely all these unities here below are but so many resemblances in a sort of the true unity itself. The mind of man is one, though it conceives in itself an infinite number of things. And the more things are in unity, the more noble they are, then certainly God must needs be unity itself Who is truly noble and only one. I might trade far in nature here, but I must mind other things likewise so that I will not dwell here.

Creation shows God to be almighty.

3. The creation shows the almightiness of God in these two considerations:

First, In creating the world of nothing. Amongst the philosophers it's a received axiom, EX NIBILO NIBIL FIT, of nothing nothing is made. So far as this concerns man it's true, which proves the Almighty power of God; for if man cannot produce the least matter without some pre-existent or foregoing matter to work upon, then surely He that can produce the heavens and the earth of nothing must needs be very powerful, yea Almighty. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, as saith the Scriptures, or these heavens and this earth wherein Moses proves the things that now appear in the beginning had no appearances at all, but were created of nothing; for the Hebrew word RESHITH which is translated the beginning, doth not signify any substances. Neither doth the word BARA, to create, signify any other way to create than of nothing and hereby it is distinguished from the word FATZAR, to form, and GNASHA, to make. Doth not this hold forth the eternal power of God?

The world itself speaketh forth this mighty power of God in that it had its beginning from God. If we consider the several motions and mutations that are in the world, we must conclude a beginning. Look to the rivers, they flow from the Sea. The tide of the Sea arises from the influence of the moon and the moon borrows light from the Sun. Sometimes streams grow dry. The moon is eclipsed. And the Sun continually moves which argues its beginning.

Objection: May, but some say the heavens have continued a long time and we see no change; therefore, they were from eternity.

Solution: Vain man, because thou seest no change; therefore, will there be no change? Thou sayest it hath continued long, what then? Therefore hath it continues from everlasting? God that causes thee to live it may be twenty, thirty, forty, or sixty years or more, causes that to continue some thousands. Wilt thou then argue because thou livest longer than another, thou shalt never die? Know the world is made

for more besides thee and they must come and act their parts in it as well as thee, and when all are come in, then shall it be destroyed.

This will appear more plainly if thou considerest thy own body. Surely that had a beginning. It was once in the lowest parts of the earth as the Psalmist saith and thou wast brought forth an infant of days and grewest stronger in body, and yet for all this returns to the dust. Nay, look into thy mind, the most glorious resemblance of God, and thou wilt find it had a beginning; for it is subject to joy and sorrow, to learn more and more, which holds forth a beginning and One that made it, and without it.

The beginning is the first point of time and the ending the last. In the midst of these two points runs the line of time, which is a little space borrowed from eternity, where God displays His power in His visible creation. That eternity should create time is a wonder and that time should again be swallowed up of eternity is matter of admiration.

Secondly, In upholding the world to this moment. The world would be soon dissolved if that boundless power supported it not. When earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the waters, then the Spirit of God moved and brooded on them, which did support that matter and brought it forth into so glorious a fabric as we now behold this day. And if that Spirit or power moved not still in this fabric to support it, it would soon return into its first nothing. Therefore saith the Scriptures, all things consist in Him. Nature itself teaches this. The veriest Atheist or Epicure that is, that when he is well hath no leisure to think of God, or that he may sin the more greedily, denies there is a God. When he is never so little sick, or ready to die, his conscience flies in his face and he is forced to acknowledged a God, and that he cannot subsist without him. I have already shown the heavens and the earth are subject to mutability and so capable of dissolution. And certainly did not God keep them by his right hand, they would come to nothing.

The creation shows the incomprehensibleness of God.

4. The creation cries aloud God is incomprehensible. I might here fill volume after volume by descending into thousands of particulars and show thee every one, every little, yea, the least thing thou canst speak of leads thee there by the hand to acknowledge it. All that any man, the purest natural man or spiritual man is, is but the work of God's hand. Now, the workman is greater and more worthy than his work. Thou seest a curious piece of work made by a skillful artist and praisest it. But, being led from the work to the artist, thou admirest the ingenuity and dexterity of the mind of that man from whence the work proceeds. Yet a little further, let us view the works of God, viz. the sun, moon, stars, the herbs of the field, the beasts of the forest, the fishes in the sea. Canst thou tell me what the substances of them be? Philosophers have traded so far and confusedly herein, that in truth all that they have said of them, or can say, is but vanity and confusion. This puts the wisest of them all to a non-plus. Hence it is they differ so much about them. The wisest must confess his knowledge herein to be but ignorance. Philosophers say, "things are compounded of four elements, viz. fire, earth, air and water, which as to their substances are invisible. And that the virtue of many things proceed from the four first qualities of heat, moisture, drines and cold, but yet are they forced to confess many things operate from a hidden or occult quality which they can render no reason of. Ask them why the lodestone draws iron to itself, they say there is a hidden virtue in it, a specific quality or similitude of substance, but from whence it proceeds they cannot tell. Nay, ask any man in things seemingly more ordinary as why the fire should burn, rather than the water? They say it is its proper nature so to do. But where is had this nature, or how it came by it, they are forced to be silent, or to acknowledge it from God Himself. Surely if we cannot comprehend the least things, as a fly, or the grass of the field, much less the infinite One. They tell us Rhubarb purges Choler etc. from a hidden quality which hidden quality is nothing else than the very instinct of the Creator in it.

Objection: But some that would be thought very wise, cunning and spiritual says, though man, that is to say, the natural man cannot comprehend God, yet a saint may.

Answer: Alas vain man! Thou sayest thou knowest not what. If a saint can comprehend God, it must be in His Spirit or understanding (for a saint is a natural man consisting of body or spirit, sanctified or made holy). Now, that he may see his error, let him turn into his own mind. Can he comprehend that? He knows he hath a soul by its motions, but what his soul is those motions cannot tell him. Yea, this soul and understanding of thine is but the work of God. Now the work cannot comprehend the workman, So that if you canst comprehend Him, thou must be God; for thou hast no light but what thou hast of God and that light discovers only the works of His hands. But if thou shalt say thou art God, as some blasphemously affirm, let me ask thee whether thy soul or body is God? If thou sayest thy body, then how comes it to pass thou canst not be in all places at one time? How comes it to pass thou art subject to death and corruption? If thou sayest thy soul is God, how comes it to pass thou art so ignorant of what thy soul is? God must needs know Himself and all other things. Knowest thou what shall befall thee? How thou wast made when this soul was given thee? Why dost thou so often complain? Why art thou subject to changes? God is unchangeable. But if thou shalt say, God in thee is God that knoweth all things, I answer thee, then it is not thyself that comprehendeth Him. God in thee is not thee, no more than God in the earth, or beasts in the field, is the earth, or the beasts thereof. Therefore poor silly wretch leave off to talk so dotingly of comprehending Him when thou knowest not how to comprehend thyself.

Objection: Some are ready to say, this is carnal reason because we make use of earthly things to speak of God by.

Answer: Vain man! God made the earth to preach forth Himself and thy folly to thy self. Therefore saith the Psalmist, the heavens declare the glory of God and the earth His handy works. And again saith our Apostle, the invisible things of Him are seen by the things that are made. They all preach thy folly, madness and vanity and bespeak thee to be but an Atheist for all thou boastest to be a saint.

The creation shows God's wisdom.

5. The creation lively points out to us the wisdom of God. If thou seest the picture of a man, thou presently askest who made it and admirest his skill and cunning. If thou castest but a glimpse of thy eyes on the world and askest who made it, thou wilt see it is God and wilt admire His wisdom. God's wisdom appears in that glorious and harmonious order that is in the world, that unity should be produced from contrariety. Oh, what a wonder is it! I have told thee before, fire and water be contrary, so dryness and moisture, yet thy one body cannot live without them all, being composed of them all. Nay, let me tell thee, it is God keeps them from encroaching one upon the other. There is not one thing in the creation but bespeaks God to be a wise God. Thou knowest of beasts, some are for thy food and some again would devour thee. Those that are for thy use God hath placed nigh thee in flocks and herds. Those that would devour thee live in desert places in the wilderness in caves and dens. From whence came this disposal of them? Did thy own wisdom procure it? No certainly. It is no other thing than the wisdom of God.

The creation shows the love of God.

6. The love and relation God hath to the sons of men appears in the creation. It may be thou art a father of children. Thou providest for them food and raiment and why? Because thou lovest them. God created all for man. God first made the world and brought man into it as into a large palace, ready furnished with all things fit for delight, pleasure and food; that man became lord of the creatures. All things were made for man, and man for God, in whom He took delight. As for man, He created him in His own image wherein appears His great love.

What it is to be created in God's image.

To be created in His image was to be made such a creature that in a special manner did most resemble his Maker in a created pure natural light and understanding, power and authority; whereby he was the image or likeness of God. I might further show that the creation holds forth the immutability of God. for He that made all changes must needs be unchangeable. And the sovereignty of God, for He that made all must needs be Lord of all. And the eternity of God, for He that made time must needs be before time. And the life of God, for He that made all creatures live must needs live Himself. The justice of God for he that ordains it to be observed in His creatures must needs be just in Himself. Yea, of the invisibility of God, for if thou canst not see into the substances of things made by Him, thou canst not see Him that made them. I might show you that God is all in all in the creation, that is to say, there is nothing without Him and all things that it is it is by Him. But because I shall further have occasion to hold forth the excellency of the Lord to the creature in the second particular, viz. as He appears in the Lord Jesus, I pass from the first creation, the habitation of the first man, the first Adam and his posterity which is earthly unto the last Adam, the second Man, the Lord from heaven and His generation, the children of the second and new creation. Concluding this chapter with this that what I have already said of God is not to define what He is, but to tell us what He is not; that we may not deceive ourselves by our proud and vain apprehensions, in forming a God to ourselves wither with the ignorant, thinking Him to be a huge body, or massy substance; or with other that seem to be wise, dream of comprehending Him, but rather say as at first, He is that He is, but what I know not; but with the Psalmist desire to learn in silence and rejoice in those appearances of Himself whereby He gives out Himself to be known after a sort, for my eternal happiness and the happiness of all His people.

Chapter IV

Showeth what we are to understand by God in Christ, and what Christ is, and what the Father, Son and Spirit are.

God is in the creation, but dwelt in the Lord Jesus. Christ is God's habitation, for in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily, the fullness of grace and truth. In the creation, He is a God over us, in Christ a loving Father to us. But seeing this is the great mystery of godliness, (viz.:) God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory. Which mystery is hid from the eyes of the world and man's vain imagination fancies such vain understanding of it. I shall endeavor to speak more plainly and particularly of it, and shall observe this order:

1. To show what we are to understand by God in Christ;

2. How God in Christ unveils Himself to the sons of men, that we may know what we are to understand by God in Christ, these three things are to be considered, and that from the word Christ which signifies one anointed; wherein consider:

1. The Anointer;

2. The Anointed,

3. The ointment itself wherewith He is anointed. Of these in order.

Who is the Anointer? It is the Father.

The Anointer, Giver, Dispenser, or Pourer-forth of the ointment is the Father, God in all, over all and above all, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things. It is that infinite, that incomprehensible majesty, that eternal substance which I have already proved to be incomprehensible. The Scriptures abound in this doctrine. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me (saith Christ) He hath anointed me. God proclaims it from heaven, saying, I have found my servant David (which is the Lord Christ) with my holy oil I have anointed Him. Again singeth the sweet Psalmist of Israel in the Song, that his heart endited or bubbled or boiled forth concerning the King: God, thy God hath anointed thee. This was prefigured, shadowed, pointed at and typed forth in the law by Moses anointing Aaron. This is the Father's work.

The subject anointed is the human nature.

Secondly, the subject anointed is the human nature in which God was manifested, for He was manifested in the flesh. It was that particular body of Christ that the Word dwelt in, which was made flesh and dwelt among us and therefore saith the Scriptures He hath anointed His holy child Jesus, even Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Mary, of a Virgin: the son of David, the son of Abraham, the son of man who is called the man Christ Jesus. It was that particular person who was the subject of this anointing Now the human nature is nothing else but a fleshly body and human soul united in one, which humanity is proper to all men, yet so that every man hath the whole human nature in himself and so was this person, this man Christ, this human nature consisting of body and spirit in one person, was the subject of the anointing.

The ointment is the Spirit.

Thirdly, the ointment itself remains to be declared, which is that holy oil with which our Jesus is anointed, which ointment hath several names in Scriptures to declare its worth and nature. It is the Spirit of God, therefore saith Christ, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, He hath anointed me. With My holy oil, saith the Lord, I have anointed Him, which is the oil of joy and gladness, the Holy Spirit and power; which oil is sweetly typified forth to us by the holy oil mentioned by Moses whose composition consists of principal spices as pure Myrrh, sweet Cinnamon, sweet Calamus, Cassia and oil olive, wherein though mysteriously, yet very excellently is deciphered the very nature of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus. For the nature of that composition is such that it is of singular virtue, being sovereign for the brain, comfortable for the heart, and wholesome for the liver-the three natural fountains and springs of the natural bodies' life, purging from evil humors, mollifying and softening the body, enabling the body to perform its natural, vital and animal faculties; which is abundantly, yea, superlatively true of the Spirit, that gives to a saint being, wisdom, understanding, light, life, power, love and increase, softening the hardest heart, moistening and relenting the most flinty spirit; purging and scouring away effectually all drossy, choleric, passionate, idle, melancholy, earthly and evil humors; fitting and enabling the soul to run the ways of God's commands; preserving the soul from sins venom and poison; keeping it from corruption or putrification. And whereas none was permitted to make any after the likeness of that composition, it declares and proclaims aloud the contrariety of the true Spirit to all pretenders of it, or counterfeitings of it; which are the powers, signs and lying wonders of the man of sin, which Christ, through the brightness of His coming, will destroy.

Thus briefly have I handled the three essential things to be considered in the true knowledge of God in Christ. Now know this, that neither of these three, abstracted from the other, is the Lord's Christ. It is the composition or conjunction of these three in one person that makes this Christ. Therefore it is said, the word was with God and was God and yet was made flesh; which leads us to the consideration of the various manifestations of God as they are one in Christ Jesus.

What the Father, Son and Spirit are.

There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and these three are one, viz. One God and one in the man Jesus Christ.

[Kind Reader: It must be pointed out that we do not agree with Bro. Drapes' views of the Trinity. We have not removed this section from this work as we wish not to be accused of editing in or out of these old works and thereby deceiving people by inserting our own views in the place of those in these works with which we do not agree. We do not claim or believe that these men are infallible and so we are not ashamed to reprint such views with a disclaimer. We agree that God is but one God, but we do not hold the view that God manifests Himself in three manners, but rather that God is of one essence existing in three separate beings. The Father is eternal God. The Word is eternal God and the Spirit is eternal God. Each is distinguished by Jesus Christ Himself very plainly in the New Testament and especially in the book of John. We believe the Scriptures teach this plainly. We do not hold to the view that the Son was eternally brought up, begotten, or generated of the Father, but rather is as eternal as the Father and Spirit. The Scriptures which deal with the begetting or generating of the Son deal with Jesus Christ in His virgin birth (my only begotten Son) and in His resurrection from the dead (the first begotten from the dead). We do not find the Scriptures teaching that the Father somehow manufactured the Son into existence. We also find Christ teaching the separate and distinct being of the Spirit, the eternal Spirit [Heb. 9:14]. The Spirit is not a force, but rather a distinct eternal Being. The view is ungodly blasphemy that the Father, after begetting the Son into existence, then took the Son and they did something to produce the Spirit into existence. The Spirit proceeds forth from the Father and Son in a way of ministry to the children of God to bring us children of God into fellowship with Himself, the Father and the exalted Son [John 14:16, 23]. We, therefore, reject Drapes' views which follow - J.K.O.]

These three are not three Gods, but one. God is made manifest after three manner of ways, that is to say, God the Father conceived His word in His own mind, which is His Son, eternally brought up with Him; His wisdom daily His delight. It is His light whereby He knows Himself, and brings forth everything by Himself. For by His word, that is to say, Himself in a way of activity, or doing, or wisdom, he made the worlds. The word was in Himself producing everything below Himself, and the Spirit is the mutual kindness each of other, which is actively eternal. The Spirit is sometimes taken for the power of God, sustaining all things, producing all things; sometimes for the influence of the Father's love shed abroad in the heart. And this is the Spirit of God, the Comforter in the gospel, so that all these are one, agree in one, and what may be attributed to the one, doth agree to the other; so that these three are not three distinct substances or persons in the common and most known acceptation of the word, viz. a particular and individual substance or being, distinct from another. In this sense I say, there are not three persons in God, for this is to make three Gods; but because the Scriptures no where saith there are three persons, I hope the word (invented by man's wisdom) shall not be imposed on any as a snare. Let us more look to things than words. I say according to the Scriptures there are three that bear record in heaven: the Father, viz.: the infinite Being, the begetter of the Son; and the Son, viz.: the express image of God, the reflection or likeness of Himself, which is the word begotten of the Father; and the Spirit, the mutual kindness, love and communication of the Father and the Son; for God is love, all agree in one, in one man Christ Jesus; the Father is in Him, the Word is in Him, for it was made flesh and dwelt among us; and the Spirit is in Him, viz.: the eternal love of the Father, the sweet and heavenly influences thereof. It is given to Him without measure so that God manifested in the flesh in a way of union is Christ, for all that may be known, or understood, or enjoyed of God is in the Lord Jesus. Nay further, whatever God is to a saint, He is it in Christ Jesus, for the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily, that is to say, God in His highest manifestation of Himself in power, grace and truth, etc.; for He was full of grace and truth.

[Editor's View: We reject almost totally Drapes's concepts of the union of Deity in the man Christ Jesus. While it is true that The Father is in Christ by means of Union, because of the union of the Father and the Divine Word which was manifested by the Humanity of the Man Christ Jesus, it is not true that the Father, as a Being or Eternal Spirit, dwelt in the humanity of Christ. The Holy Spirit dwelt upon the man Christ Jesus, but was in union with the Divine Word within that humanity. In this way, the eternal UNION of the Three Divine, Eternal and Co-Equal Beings, both the Father and the Spirit may be said to indwell the man Christ Jesus, that is the union of the Divine Trinity was not broken even during the incarnation of the Word. Christ's separation from His Father occurred ONLY in His Humanity. REP]

The sum of what I have said or can say in this particular (which notwithstanding I must confess comes infinitely short of the height of its glory) is that the conjunction of Father, Son and Spirit, after a spiritual and wonderful manner in the man Jesus Christ, is the Lord's Christ. So that God in Christ is God the Father dwelling in and uniting the human nature after a wonderful and unspeakable manner to Himself; (This We most strongly Deny. The Word, not the Father, became Flesh. We do not believe in the incarnation of God the Father, except by means of UNION, not by actual Being. The Union of the three Eternal, Equal and Uncreated Divine Spirits is unbroken. But, the Father, as a Divine Spirit was not in Christ but in the heavens. When He spoke at Christ's baptism, for example, He simply did not throw His voice up into heaven and then have it come down again. REP) and therefore is Christ called God and man; and because of this union, Christ sometimes speaks as He is man, and so dies; sometimes as the Word, which is God in Him, and so He raiseth Himself from the dead; (Did Christ Raise Himself from the Dead, or did the Holy Spirit Raise Him Up from the Dead? See our work entitled Trinity Studies. REP) in a way of union, and so He is the Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus.

Chapter V

showeth how God in Christ unveils Himself to the sons of men wherein is shown that Christ is our Priest, and the manner of His consecration and fitness for His office.

Having showed what we are to understand by God in Christ, and what the Lord's Christ is, I am come now to show that Christ was not anointed for Himself only, but that He might communicate of His fullness to others; which appears in two considerations:

First, in that Christ was designed by the Father, or set apart, or consecrated to a glorious work.

Secondly, in that Christ is made fit, capable and able effectually to perform whatever work was imposed on Him, which His being anointed holds forth to us. Of these in order:

In Christ's designation to a work, there are two things to be observed:

1. What the work is that Christ is consecrated to;

2. The manner of His consecration.

Concerning the work itself, it is a three-fold office or ministry, viz. a Priestly, Prophetical, and Kingly office; wherein all the appearances of the love, wisdom or power of God are clearly made manifest. I shall speak of these in order: .

What the Priesthood of Christ is.

Now the Priesthood of Christ is that order or office that Christ hath from His Father, in a way of relation to God and man offering up sacrifices to the Lord; wherein are two things considerable:

First, the Priest.

Secondly, the sacrifice He offers: for He is not a Priest, but in reference to His offering of sacrifice

Christ is the Saints' Highest Priest.

The Priest is Jesus Christ, even the man Christ, Whom I have already discovered to be the anointed of the Father, even this man that hath an unchangeable Priesthood, Who is the Son of God according to the divine nature, and human nature. It is He that is our High Priest (Heb. 9:11).

The manner of Christ's consecration.

But now seeing no man takes this honor to himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron (Heb. 5:5). So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an High Priest, but he did it that said to Him, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. The Father anointed Him, as I have shown more at large before, and now shall show you the manner of His consecration, which was:

Christ consecrated by an oath.

With an oath (saith the Psalmist) The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech needs must we conclude. The matter is of great concernment that is managed with so much solemnity.

That God should with an oath confirm it, it hath much weight in it. An oath amongst men puts an end of strife and seals up the matter in question.

Men in all ages, as I have said before, being convicted in their consciences that God is displeased, and must be pacified, have had their Priests to accomplish that service. Nay, the Lord appointed many Priests to offer sacrifice to Himself. But now, that He might make it appear that none of these were His eternal Priests, that He might put all out of doubt and clearly reveal His own mind and the immutability of His counsel, swears by Himself (there being none greater than Himself to swear by) that He had made, established and consecrated the Lord Christ to be the everlasting Priest upon Whom He had conferred His everlasting Priesthood.

The priests of old were made without an oath, but Christ with an oath by Him that said unto Him, Thou art a Priest forever. As if God should have said, "Son, it's true, there have been many Priests that I have made, but they are dying Priests and their Priesthood but a shadow or type of Thine which I commit to Thee, for Thou art my well-beloved and shall not die. Of Thy Priesthood there shall be no end, for I have said, yea, I have sworn it and cannot lie."

Christ consecrated by the pouring on of oil.

The Priests of old were consecrated by the pouring oil on their heads and the putting on of the holy garments. So our High Priest was set apart for this office by that holy Ointment, even the power and Spirit of the Most High, by the voice of the most excellent glory that gave record of Him: "This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The Lord Christ ministers in the sanctuary with the oil of joy, gladness and acceptation poured on Him, with the garments of righteousness and salvation.

Aaron and his sons had garments, yea holy garments for glory and for beauty; which garments were most exquisitely made for workmanship, wise hearted men filled with wisdom by the Lord being only appointed to make them; whose composition was of the most beautiful, glorious and rich materials: gold, purple, scarlet and fine linen; which excellently types forth the glory of our High Priest Who stands before God in rich, pure, spotless, bright, shining and incorruptible garments, being filled, covered, and clothed with the glory of God, and being adorned with the beauty of the Most High; for He was and is the express image of His Father's beauty. Aaron was appointed to bear the names of the children of Israel upon the Ephod upon his shoulder and upon the breastplate of judgment, upon his hears, engraven in precious stones, which shows that our High Priest, the Lord Jesus, administers before the Lord with all His saints engraven upon His heart, in beauty and glory. Thus briefly having taken a view of the manner of our Jesus, His consecration to His office, let us by divine assistance consider the ability to manage that office. The work, being of such an infinite extent, requires a person of unanswerable abilities which we shall easily find to be in the Lord Jesus if we consider:

First, the dignity of His person.

Secondly, the excellency of His endowments.

1. For the first, it will appear, if we consider that He is the Son of God, One begotten of the Father, yea, the delight of the Lord. He is the first born among many brethren. Priests of old were of the first born among the family. So is our Jesus the beginning of the creation of God, the first born from the dead, the only begotten Son, that is to say, the Chief, none begotten to be a Savior, an everlasting Deliverer of His brethren besides Himself. He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, begotten in His Father's likeness, the express image of His Father's person; white and ruddy (as saith the spouse) the chiefest among ten thousand, or thousand thousands.

2. For the excellency of His qualifications consider:

First, His relations to God. He was the Son of God and to man. He was made flesh. He was of such a nature that He stood related to God and man, as He knew how to preserve both the glory of God and the happiness of the creature that so divine justice might be completely satisfied and mercy admirably advanced in the creatures salvation.

Secondly, His interest in God and man. He was not only related to them, but had a deep interest in them both: to God He was a companion, therefore God calls Him, the man, His fellow. Moses of old was prevalent with God, but our Jesus much more - Moses as a servant; Jesus as a Son and Heir; to man as a faithful Brother, Friend, yea Companion and fellow Sufferer; He was tempted that He might be able to succor us being tempted. Likewise, He is the Father's Beloved, Whom God can deny nothing to; the saints Advocate that will lose nothing for want of asking.

Christ's will, power and love concur in it.

Thirdly, His will, power, love, wisdom and delight, concurred in fitting Him to be such a Priest. His love sets all on work, both power and wisdom. He is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

He is without spot or blemish.

Fourthly, He is without spot or blemish. The priests of old were forced to offer for their own sins daily, but our Jesus had no sin to offer for - He was like to me in all things, sin only excepted (Heb. 4:15). There was no guile found in His mouth. Yea, such an High Priest became us, Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, made higher than the heavens, able to save to the uttermost. (Heb. 7:26, 25).

Christ is of an incorruptible nature.

Lastly, our High Priest was a High Priest of an incorruptible nature, one that continues forever. The High Priest under the law, by reason of death, continued not, but Jesus is a High Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec, that is to say, without father or mother. He was not of the offspring of the Priests, but of Judah, without beginning or end of days, who ever lives to intercede for us. Thus much briefly to the first, viz. concerning the Priest Himself.

Chapter VII

showeth what the sacrifice is Christ offered.

Christ offereth sacrifice.

The sacrifice itself that is offered is next to be spoken of, for every High Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is of necessity that this man (viz. Jesus) have somewhat to offer. The Scriptures are exceeding full in declaring this sacrifice.

That I may a little describe this sacrifice in the excellency of it, I will observe this order:

1. To show you what the sacrifice is Christ offers,

2. How often it was offered,

3. The place where it was offered,

4. The time when it was offered,

5. The true nature of that sacrifice,

6. How our Priest offered up this sacrifice,

7. For whom it was offered,

8. To whom it was offered,

9. The virtue, effects and end of this sacrifice; of these in order:

What the sacrifice is. It is Christ Himself.

First, the sacrifice itself is the Lord Jesus Christ. When burned offerings and sacrifices God would not, Christ came to do His will. This is held forth to us in the Scriptures by several expressions, all centering in one thing, namely, in this sacrifice, as first, by giving Himself as saith our Apostle, "Who gave Himself for our sins." Again saith Paul, "Who hath loved us and given Himself for an offering and a sacrifice to God." The priests of old offered goats and lambs and the like, but our High Priest a better sacrifice, even Himself (Gal 1:4; Eph. 5:2, 25: Tit 2:14; Heb. 7:27; Heb. 9:14, 27).

It is Christ's blood.

Secondly, by pouring out His blood, all things almost under the law were sprinkled and purified with blood for without blood there was no remission. The patterns of things in the heavens were purged with the blood of bulls and goats, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices, namely, with the blood of Christ Himself. The blood of beasts sprinkled upon the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh, but Christ's blood was the sacrifice for the purifying of the heavenly things, viz. the saints' bodies and spirits. To this the Scriptures gives a large record: In whom we have redemption through His blood (as Paul saith) even the blood of the cross, that blood that issued forth from the side of our Jesus Whom one of the soldiers pierced. The High Priest under the law went into the second Tabernacle once every year, not without blood which he offered for himself and the errors of the people, but our Christ entered into the most holy place by His own blood which is called the blood of sprinkling which Christ poured forth when He suffered without the gate, even His own precious blood which is the blood of God. This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ. This was part of that new Song the 24 elders sang when they fell before the Lamb saying, "thou wast slain and hast redeemed us by thy blood", even His blood Whose vesture was dipped in blood. Therefore Christ's blood is called the blood of the covenant, of the everlasting Covenant (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14, 20; John 19:34; Heb. 9:7; Heb. 12:14; Heb. 10:19; Heb. 12:24; Heb. 13:12: 1 Pet 1:19; Acts 20:28; 1 John 5:6; Rev 5:9; Rev 19:13; Zech. 9:11; Heb. 10:29; Heb. 13:20).

Objection: But peradventure some will be ready to say, who seem to be very spiritual, that the blood that washes us is not the blood poured forth upon the cross, for that was spilled upon the ground, but it is a spiritual blood and therefore saith Christ, "he that eateth my body and drinketh my blood shall never die; which seems to imply some other blood. To which I answer:

Solutions:

1. By the blood of Christ we are to understand, not only the blood shed forth from His side, as a natural eye might see, but the same blood in the virtue of it which blood is the sacrifice. So he that drinketh Christ's blood partakes of the excellent benefit that redounds through Christ's blood which, in due, I shall show you more fully.

2. By this word blood we must know the death of Christ to be concluded and His body included. All Christ's sufferings center in one word, namely, His blood which holds forth all His sufferings upon the cross. And therefore in the next place the Scriptures declares this sacrifice.

3. To be the offering up of His body, Christ gave up His body to death, to suffer all the wrath of man and to become an offering for sin; therefore, it is called the offering of the body of Christ. So saith Peter, "He bore our sins in His own body, even the body of His flesh. By which body we are to understand Himself, His blood, for every one of those words are wound interchangeably each in other. Thus Christ gives His body to be eaten, that is to say, the fruit of the offering up His body. He gives His body for us that the fruit of that body might redound to us (Heb. 10:10; 1 Pet 2:24; Col. 1:22; Isa. 53:10; John 10:15; Acts 8:53; John 13:16; Matt. 20:28)

It is His soul offered up.

4. It is said, He made His soul an offering for sin. The Lord Christ offered up the whole man, body and spirit. He loved not His life, but poured forth His soul and underwent the whole curse, wrath and vengeance of the Most High in body and spirit.

It is the laying down His life.

5. Christ says, He lays down His life for us, yea, He gave His life a ransom for many. In this word, all other are contained Therefore it is so often said in the Scriptures we are saved by His death and sufferings. So that all these terms of Christ's giving Himself, pouring forth His blood, giving His own body, making His soul an offering for sin, laying down His life, dying and suffering for us, are all one sacrifice. One is diffused into all and all center in every one (Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:22; Heb. 2:9, 14; Heb. 9:15; 1 Pet. 3:18).

Chapter VIII

Showeth how often this sacrifice was offered, the place where and the time when it was offered.

Thus through the power and virtue of this sacrifice, having declared what it is, we come now to consider:

How often the sacrifice was offered.

1. How often this sacrifice was offered. The Priests under the law went into the holy place every year. They offered sacrifice continually, but our Jesus by one sacrifice hath done away sin. The multiplicity of the legal sacrifices argued their imperfection, for those Priests daily ministering, offered sometimes the same sacrifice which could never take away sin, but this man, saith the Spirit, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God, holding forth the work was done that Christ might sit still needing no more offering. And whereas it is said He sat down on God's right hand, it declare He had done His work and the Father accepted it, or else He should never have been placed in the throne of victory at His Father's right hand. Christ was once, (and but once) offered to bear the sins of many. Many talk of Christ's dying still in us and the like, but indeed instead of exalting Christ (as they pretend to do), they rank Him only in the Levitical Priesthood, and instead of holding forth His perfection, they render Him imperfect and quite contradict the aforementioned Scriptures (Heb. 9: 26, 28; 10:10, 12, 14, 18).

The place where this sacrifice was offered.

2. The place where Christ was offered deserves our consideration, for it is not said in vain that He suffered without the gate upon the Cross and that between two thieves. It shows the descension of our Savior into the lowest, vilest, contemptiblest estate and condition that could be. Christ died at Jerusalem, a city, not in the heart, but in Judea, in the world. I mind this the rather because some think the death of Christ at Jerusalem not at all to concern them, but they look for Christ's death within them, whereas in the Scriptures nothing is more clear than this: that Christ's death at Jerusalem is the offering for sin, not Christ's death in any one's heart. The Scriptures warrant no such kind of language. I confess I know this much that though Christ died at Jerusalem, if the power, virtue and efficacy of this death be not seated, revealed and enjoyed in the heart, a poor soul can take no comfort in it, notwithstanding this is certain: he that enjoys not Christ in him as a fruit of that one offering at Jerusalem, enjoys Him not at all. The Scriptures often speak of our being dead with Christ, that is to say, being implanted into the likeness of His death, by being dead to sin and to iniquity, but no where speak of Christ being dead in us, as the sacrifice by which we are saved. If Christ be in us, the body is dead (not Christ) because of sin and the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. Christ's death hath a virtue in us, namely, destroying sin and becoming a quickening Spirit (Heb. 13:12).

The time when this sacrifice was offered.

3. Concerning the time of this sacrifice being offered. In the fullness of time (saith the Lord) God sent forth His Son. It was in the last days, so called in respect of dispensation, for now all under Moses and the Prophets vanished, that Christ might come in and continue, God Who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in the last days spoken unto us by His Son, Who once in the end of the world appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, that is to say, in these last days Christ appeared and offered up Himself, to put an end to all other offerings and to put away sin. This Christ did in the days of Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas, the High Priest, which was many years since.

Objection:

But I know some are ready to say, "How can this be? For He was a Lamb slain before the foundation of the world; which, if true, how is it that He was slain at Jerusalem, except He was often slain?"

Solution:

I answer: It is very true that Christ was slain but once, according to the Scriptures and that in time, in the end of the world; and yet as true, if truly understood, that He was slain before the foundation of the World. Which I shall demonstrate clearly from the Scriptures (1 Pet 1:20).

To see the truth clearly, we must consider Christ Jesus in His death.

Christ slain by the decree of God.

1. In the decree of God. And so He was foreordained before the foundation of the world. And all things were present before the Lord before they had being in reference to us. They were in the decree counsel and purpose of the Lord. So was the Lord Christ in God's decree and counsel before the world. He calleth things that are not as though they were. What are only actually done with us in time, were truly present with Him before all time, Who is not included in any time.

The virtue of Christ's death was from before the foundation of the world.

2. In the virtue of His death. And so He was slain before the foundation of the world. Christ's death had an influence into the times past as well as to come; therefore, called the blood of the covenant. Now we must know that there was a covenant made between God and Christ wherein it was agreed that Christ should die in time and the virtue of that death which was from eternity in the Eye of the Father should speak for all His generation in all ages. Therefore the Fathers of old believed, not in a Christ already then come, but to come, even in the flesh and therefore God led them by the hand to look to a Christ to come, through many types and sacrifices; which, when Christ came, all ceased. Christ's death was that price that was laid down for all His generation in all ages and this is Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever.

Christ actually died in time.

3. We are to consider Christ's actual death, which was accomplished by the Jews. Therefore saith the Apostle, the same Jesus Whom ye have crucified, hath God raised up and thus was Christ manifest in the last days. Jerusalem was not actually always; Pilate not always, for we know that State, City and those persons had a beginning and ending. No more did Christ die actually before the world was. That He might die, He took upon Him flesh and was made like to us, which is only done in time, for we first are in the womb, then brought forth, increase and die. So did He, yet, notwithstanding, the virtue of Christ's death, through the will of God, is as great as if He had actually suffered before the world was, which He did not, but only once in the end of the world. And yet is Christ a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. Christ died once and died no more, yet the benefit remains forever. So that as the sacrifice is fully accepted by the Father, Who views it since it was offered; so it was accepted by Him that saw it before it was offered, for all things that God doth before us in time (which time the Scriptures tells abundantly, Himself had made, ordered and disposed, which time is that space wherein things are done successively) He saw, liked, ordered and decreed should be before time was.

Chapter IX

Wherein is shown how Christ offered up Himself and the true nature of that offering.

How Christ offered up Himself.

5. I am now to proceed and show you how Christ offered up Himself unto God, which I shall demonstrate these two ways:

Christ offered up Himself by the Spirit.

First, By the power of the eternal Spirit. This sacrifice was no ordinary one, it was His own body; therefore, the power must be suitable, which was the Spirit of God that did sustain Him, enable Him to die and raised from the dead; therefore, saith Christ, "I lay down my life and I have power to take it up again. Therefore is He said to be justified in the Spirit and quickened by the Spirit. That eternal Spirit that dwelt in Him suffered Him to lie in the grave. For it was impossible He should be held of death that was filled with the fullness of God in Whom the eternal Spirit was (1 Tim 3:16; 1 Pet 3:18).

Christ died in the body of His flesh.

Secondly, Christ died in the body of His flesh. It was impossible the simple Word of God should die; therefore, the Word was made flesh. For as much as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, Christ Himself took part of the same, that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death. So He in the flesh abolished the enmity; therefore, it is said God was manifest in the flesh in reference to His death and justified in the Spirit in reference to His resurrection. Therefore saith Peter, "Christ suffered for our sins, the Just for the unjust, being put to death in the flesh. A fleshly body was prepared by God for Christ to suffer in and so He gives them His flesh, a sacrifice for sin (Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:22; 1 Tim. 3:16; 1 Pet. 3:18; 4:1).

6. Thus, through the guidance of God, I am now come to speak of the nature of this sacrifice, which I have discovered to be the Lord Jesus, His flesh, body and blood, offered upon the cross at Jerusalem in the end of the world by the eternal Spirit for sin. The excellency of its nature appears by a six fold demonstration:

A pure sacrifice.

First, from the purity of it. Under the law, their offerings must be without blemish. Therefore the Lord reproves the people for that they brought that which was torn and the lame and the sick, saying, "Ye brought an offering, should I accept this of your hands saith the Lord?" Which is as much as if He had said, "I the Lord delight not in, but abhor lame, blind, imperfect offerings." I must have one without blemish. But now seeing all these unblemishable lambs etc. under the law could not take away sin, either a sacrifice without spot and blemish must be found, Who is sufficient to take away sin, or else sin must remain; therefore, the Lord Christ steps in. Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offerings thou wouldest not. Then said I, Lo I come to do Thy will O God. Christ is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. Who offered up Himself to God without spot, for He is that true Lamb without blemish and without spot. Herein our Jesus was a Priest transcending the Priests under the law, which had infirmity and the sacrifices under the law that were imperfect. For the Lord Jesus was pure and spotless, yea, perfectly pure-in Whose mouth was found no guile, Who knew no sin (Lev. 1:3, 10; Mal. 1:7-10; John 1:29, 36; Heb. 9:14; 1 Pet. 1:19; Heb. 7;28; 11:19; 1 Pet. 2;22; 2 Cor. 5:21).

There was a great necessity He should be such an offering without spot, because God was and is a God of pure Eyes that cannot behold iniquity, that is to say, to tolerate it, suffer it to go unpunished. Now had Christ been a sinner, He could not have taken away sin. This was the reason of the imperfection of the Priests of old, which, had they been perfect, we had no need of another Priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Christ's death, a free sacrifice.

Secondly, it is a free sacrifice. Free-will offerings under the law were very acceptable with God. Our Jesus offered up His own body freely. No man, saith He, takes my life from me. I lay it down. Lo, I come to do Thy will O God (Heb. 10:9).

Christ's death, a perfect sacrifice.

Thirdly, It was, as pure and free, so a perfect sacrifice. The sacrifices under the law were without blemish, but not perfect; therefore, Jesus puts an end to them and offers up Himself. The offerings in the law were to be perfect without blemish as touching their bodies. They must not be blind, broken, or maimed or the like, but this was a perfection shadowing out the true perfection of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who wanted nothing, Who had nothing superfluous, but was a perfect sacrifice. There needed no other to complete it.

Christ's death, an eternal sacrifice.

Fourthly, It was an eternal Sacrifice. It was offered in time, but ordained before time and the influences of it reached eternity. A virtue sprang from it to all His generation that fell asleep before it was actually offered. And now being offered, it remains in as full virtue as ever. For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. And so He was a Lamb slain before the foundation of the world; being the same yesterday, and today, and forever; even the same Jesus, the same Savior and Deliverer. The same High Priest that saved Paul, saved Abraham and shall save all that shall be saved (Heb. 10:14).

Christ's death, a spiritual sacrifice.

Fifthly, It was a spiritual Sacrifice. In the time of the law, the Priests went always into the first Tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God, but into the second, the High Priest only, once every year, not without blood, which He offered for his errors and the sins of the people. Which Tabernacle was a figure in that time. Now the sacrifices and gifts that were offered in that Tabernacle stood only in meats and drinks and diverse washings and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation, but our High Priest enters into the holiest of holies and there accomplisheth the service of God, not with meats and drinks and carnal ordinances or Jewish observations, but with His blood offering a spiritual sacrifice. Christ came with reformation, doing away with that which was carnal, that is to say, of a fleshly, legal (not sinful) administration, by His spiritual sacrifice, even the offering up of Himself in body and Spirit, the Just for the unjust (Heb. 9:10).

Christ's death, an acceptable sacrifice.

Sixthly and lastly, let us view its nature with its acceptation. The sacrifice was offered up to a just and righteous God, for an unjust and unrighteous people and the Lord accepted it, so that the shadow is of the heavenly thing. Even the burned offering under the law was a sweet savor unto God, holding forth the excellency of the savor that our better sacrifice, our substantial offering, was to God; therefore, it is said Christ gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. He is that sweet perfume that ascends up to God, in Whom the Father is only well-pleased, Who hath seen the travail of His Son's soul and is satisfied. This is a most acceptable sacrifice (Isa. 53:11).

Chapter X

Manifesteth the true subjects for whom the sacrifice was offered.

Having thus in mercy made manifest the nature of this sacrifice and for as much as every sacrifice that is offered is for somebody, let us now inquire of the persons who are the subjects of this sacrifice, which Christ declares to be His sheep. I lay down my life for my sheep (John 10:15). Those sheep are the elect of God, whom the Lord hath appointed a place for at His right hand in the last day; therefore, saith Christ, Other sheep have I which are not of this fold, them also I must bring in and they shall hear my voice (John 10:16). Again saith He, I know my sheep. Christ makes it His work to redeem a company of poor silly sheep from wolves.

These sheep are those who are given by God to Christ. Thine they were, saith Christ, that is to say, thine by choice, knowledge, decree and purpose; Thou gavest them me, that is, they being in the world a company of poor, despised, sinful creatures, thou commitedest them to my charge, to rescue them from the paw of the lion and mouth of the bear, and to keep them in thy name that they may never depart from thee. These are they Christ prayed for, these only, not the world, that is to say, those that were not given to Him to bring over by the power of His own Scepter, to the obedience of the Gospel, to the salvation of their souls and therefore you shall find Christ's prayer is not limited to the small number of His faithful Apostles, but He likewise prays for all that should believe in Him (John 17:6). For their sakes He sanctified Himself, that is to say, He set Himself apart and made it His work to offer sacrifice and become a Redeemer. So much the word sanctify imports. There were a certain number that Christ knew and the Father loved, as He loved Christ, which in another place are called children as testifies the Spirit, saying, Forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, He likewise took part of the same that He might deliver His children. Which children are those that are His peculiar generation. Behold (saith Christ) I and the children which thou hast given me, which children He calls His brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren. For this cause is the Lord Jesus called the Captain of the salvation of many sons, because He sanctifieth Himself for them. For He is a perfect Captain through sufferings to bring many sons into glory, which sons are called His family, His house, household, spouse, His city, His soldiers, His purchased ones which He governs, orders, disposes, resents and trains up to eternal life. For Christ is faithful as a Son over all His house.

As they are His children given to Him, so we are to consider them in a present condition of enmity to Him, for He reconciles them. And therefore it is said Christ died for the ungodly, for sinners even for rebels, enemies and traitors to Himself (Rom. 5). Such who bid defiance to the God of heaven, for these Christ died as I shall show more in the virtue and effect of this sacrifice which I would now speak of, but that I must first remove an objection that lies in the way.

Objection:

The Scriptures tells us that Christ by the grace of God died for every man and that He is the Savior of the world and the propitiation for the sins of the world. How is it then that you say He offered up a sacrifice only for some chosen ones (Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2).

Solution:

In answer to this question, I shall first show you how the Scriptures are mistaken, then show you how it cannot be that this sacrifice was offered for every individual son and daughter of Adam as the objectors conceive.

1. Concerning the Scriptures upon which this objection is bottomed, I shall only instance the principal. As first, that in the Hebrews, Who by the grace of God tasted death for every man. From whence they infer every particular person in the world to find the truth of this Scriptures. Let us see the truth of it by comparing it with what follows. This every man in the next verse is declared to be many sons, yea, brethren and children. The word in the original is for all, which we must take with some limitation. It is said All Judea came out to be baptized of John in Jordan. Now I suppose no one will imagine he meaneth every particular person, every infant, but a great number. So here by all we may understand a great number.

Or, if you read the word, every one, we likewise read that Jesus Christ commanded the Apostles to preach the Gospel to every creature. By every creature, I suppose we take not in the beasts of the earth, fishes of the sea and fowls of heaven. If without all limitation we take the word, we cannot except them, except we deny them to be creatures which I hope we are all better informed. So that Christ's dying for every man must be restrained to those only Christ intended it, namely, those many sons whom God appointed unto glory.

The next Scriptures is that in John which saith, He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. From whence many infer that Christ is a propitiation for the sins of every individual person in the world, strengthening their opinion from those Scriptures that affirm Christ is the Savior of the world. And God so loved the world and would have all men to be saved.

In answer to these, we must necessarily be able to distinguish concerning this word world. For, I affirm, it is not always taken for every particular one; therefore, it is said And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan which deceiveth the world. Which world is only meant of the wicked, or of many in the world. Therefore it is said in the verses before that there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his and there was a remnant in the world, a woman in the wilderness that was not deceived. So that by the whole world was only meant those that were deceived in the world. So it is said, all the whole world wondered after the beast, which is not meant of every particular person; therefore, is it interpreted afterward to be all those that dwell on the earth, whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life. In another place it is said God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their sins. Now we know the Lord doth impute sin to some; therefore, it is not of every one that he speaks.

So it is said God is the Savior of the world and yet in another place, the world shall be damned. So that it is very evident where he saith He is the Propitiation for ours and the whole world, he means them that did believe and hereafter should believe, all them he writes to, and all in all ages that shall be saved and so the rest of the Scriptures must be understood. The world is sometimes taken for every individual, sometimes for many, for some of all sorts for the gentiles, before it was said, salvation is of the Jews, but now of the whole world, that is to say, of Jews and Gentiles. Therefore it is said God so loved the world that whosoever believed should not perish. He so loved it, that is to say, after such a manner as those, that is, whosoever shall believe should not perish. So that His love is clearly restrained to them that should believe. Therefore the Scriptures so often speak, that God hath chosen people out of the world, the poor of the world. He hath redeemed us out of every nation, kindred and tongue, some of all nations. So that as there are two worlds spoken of, this world, and that world, namely, the world to come, so are the subjects of both worlds, which subjects are called the world and they are either the world of the ungodly, that cannot receive the truth, or the world that shall be saved and is reconciled to God.

Objection:

The Gospel is declared to be glad tidings to all (Luke 2:10).

Solution:

What I have said before is a sufficient answer to this. For all is taken for some of all and therefore saith the Scriptures, it is the savor of life unto some and of death unto others (2 Cor. 2:16).

Objection:

The Gospel is to be preached to every creature, which could not be if Christ died not for all (Matt. 28:19).

Solution:

To which I answer true it is the gospel is to be preached to all, and yet Christ's death is but a sacrifice for some. The publication of the Gospel is universal, the application particular. The sun shines on good and bad, some things it quickens, others it withers. Now the act of shining is alike to him that is blind and him that sees, but the virtue of it is only to some particulars. A man that is blind hath not the benefit of the light. This appears more plain if we consider what the Gospel is that is to be preached.

What the gospel is that is to be preached to the world.

It is that there is life and salvation freely in Christ for sinners which is to be told, preached, and declared to all men, yea, every man, but now the application of it is only to him that believeth this and trusteth in it which is the work of the Spirit to accomplish. We are not to preach Christ died for you Thomas, or you, John, but for sinners. And thus the Apostles preached and if anyone asked what they should do to be saved, their answer was, believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved, whether thou beest Jew or Gentile (Acts 16:31).

Objection:

But all are commanded to believe the Gospel.

Solution:

If I should without a further answer grant it, yet it follows not that Christ offered up a sacrifice or died for them, for that is not to be preached to any particular man, for the Gospel is that there is life in Christ Jesus for whosoever believeth. Now I say, He that believeth not this Record which God hath given of His Son doth as much as he can to make God a liar. He gives God the lie (as we use to say). But I shall say this more. that the Scriptures nowhere holds forth any command from God to every man to believe Christ died for them.

Objection:

Those that believe not are threatened with damnation because they believe not on the Son of God (John 3:1).

Answer:

To that I briefly answer:

1. That unbelief is the very condemnation of every soul. It is not an act, but a state in which every man is plunged (John 3:19). For when Adam had sinned by transgressing the Law, that cursed and seized on him and all his posterity in him., but yet Christ was immediately promised. So, that notwithstanding, his sin, all that looked to, or believed on that Brazen Serpent should be healed. Those that did not should perish in their sins. This state of unbelief seized on the creature, which is

2. The cause why he trusts not in Christ, nor comes to him, which is to be understood in this sense in that it hath taken such hold on man that he cannot come forth of it, for if he could but believe, he should certainly be saved, but he cannot; therefore he is condemned, though this is not the original or first cause of his destruction, for his sin that he fell into was that that put him into an incapacity of believing according to the purpose of God, which indeed is the original cause why they cannot believe, for if God had purposed they should believe, neither themselves, nor men, nor sin, nor devils could have hindered it for who hath resisted the will of God? For as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. You believe not, saith Christ, because you are not my sheep. That is, because you are not given to me, neither have I undertaken for you, for if I had, you would come unto me, for my sheep know my voice. The whole Scriptures proclaim death and damnation to unbelievers and so the light reproves their darkness, adjudges it and condemns it. Therefore it is said, He that believes not is condemned already, because he hath not believed, or as the word will bear it, in that he hath not believed, which is thus explained a little after. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness. It is the condemnation itself.

Objection:

But those to whom the Gospel is preached, and refuse it, are declared to adjudge themselves unworthy to eternal life and to neglect salvation, which if Christ had not died for them, they could not do.

Solution:

To this I thus briefly answer. Man is truly said to refuse the gospel, when he rejects it, despises it and persecutes it and then declares himself unworthy of it. All men are unworthy of it, but the Jews in the Acts eminently declared themselves to be so. Here we may take notice how the Gospel is to be preached to all, not for all, for when he knew who was unworthy, he turns away from them, but he was sent to preach to all, not knowing who was made worthy to receive it by the Lamb. That God's own might be called in, he preached it to, or among, or in the hearing of all and this was lawful for him so to do, but he applied it to none but upon believing.

Objection:

But peradventure some are yet ready to say, the Apostle saith, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Which they could not do, if it was not for them (Heb. 2:3).

Solution:

To this I say thus much. All that can be inferred rationally, or spiritually from those words is this-- that destruction is the portion of them that neglect (that is to say) mind not, or receive not salvation, which excellently holds forth this truth, that there is no other was of salvation, but by giving heed to, or embracing the Gospel, which he exhorts them to a steadfastness in.

Objection:

But may some say, If Christ died for them, they shall be saved (as you say) and if so, what need the Apostle mind them not to neglect it? For if it be for them you say they shall have it. Therefore his exhortation is vain.

Solution:

To which I answer, that although the Saints' eternal happiness depends on the Father's purpose for their salvation, yet the true ground of visible administrations is from the visible profession of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For with the heart man believeth, but with the mouth he confesseth to salvation. The Apostle judging according to their profession thus speaks. For though a man cannot fall from the Father's love, ye he may from his profession, which, when he doth, 'tis (though not an infallible) yet a sad symptom. He is in a sad condition, nigh to burning, having neither part, nor lot in the thing professed, as saith the Apostle. Now because some did profess to be bought by Christ, to have received the Lord Jesus, to be sanctified by the blood of the covenant, and yet by their works denied Him, Whom they said, and Saints so judged (judging by their former profession) had bought them and sanctified them and made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, that is to say, the profession of them. The Apostle not knowing by revelation who should stand, nor having any rule to judge men should attain to the glory of the end, without continuing to the end, knowing likewise that the Father hath as well ordained the means to attain the end as well as the end itself, thus speaks; therefore, saith the Apostle, We are persuaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak and desire you to continue to the end (Heb. 6:9).

Objection:

The Scriptures saith, some may perish for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8:11. Therefore all He died for, shall not be saved, which proves He died for all as well that perish as them that shall be saved.

Solution:

To which I answer, by perish is not meat eternal death or condemnation, for the word perish many times signifies to wound, defile or corrupt and so it is there used; therefore, the Apostle in the next verse interprets the meaning of perishing to be the wounding the weak conscience, or stumbling, or offending their weak brethren.

Objection:

The Lord Christ wept over Jerusalem and would have gathered it as a hen her chickens, but Jerusalem would not, which is an argument that He loved it and died for it.

Solution:

That Christ wept over it and would have gathered it, is true, but yet that He did not lay down His life a Sacrifice for them that He did not gather is as true. Christ's weeping over them shows Him to be a man subject to like passions with us (sin only excepted). He laments their deplorable, miserable, undone and lost state and whereas He saith, How often would I have gathered them, &c. He there speaks as a visible minister of the Gospel that holds forth the truth to men, not knowing their eternal state, for if you consider Him otherwise, He could not weep over them, for it is said He knew all men and would not commit Himself to a people that did profess Him. He knew (as He was the wisdom of the Father) well enough who should believe, but die in their sins; therefore, this He did as a man having natural affections and so it is said when Jesus heard Lazarus was dead, He wept, which showed not that Lazarus might have lived longer, but His love, His natural love to him. In this sense Paul wished himself accursed for his brethren's sake according to the flesh. In this sense, I say, This and all such other places must be understood.

Objection:

But yet John saith, Christ came unto His own and His own received Him not. And object the parable wherein all are invited, &c.

Solution:

To both of these one answer may suffice. The Jews were Christ's own countrymen, the then only visible Church of God. He came out of that stock and for the invitation say I, it was to the Jews and Gentiles wherein we may say that all are invited by the outward, visible ministry of the Gospel. For many are called, but few are chosen. Now not the called, but the chosen are the subjects for whom Christ died.

Objection:

The Scriptures tells us of a common salvation. And God is the Savior of all men, especially of them that believe.

Solution:

The salvation is called common because now it is extended to Jews and Gentiles; therefore, Peter being bidden to go to the Gentiles, he accounted them a common people. Salvation he thought must be only of the Jews, but God's thoughts were otherwise and the wall is broken down.

And to the other, I say, God is the Savior of all men, for in Him, all live and move, and have their being, but especially, that is to say, eternally and spiritually by Jesus Christ. He is the Savior of them that believe. Eternal life is only their portion.

Objection:

But it's said, Christ died to redeem from the sins of the first testament, Heb. 9:15 so that there is no condemnation for them, but condemnation is for not believing Christ died for them.

Solution:

The Scriptures objected proves not that Christ died for all, neither saith so, but this it holds forth: That those transgressions which were under the law are done away in Christ. Now we may see (if we will not wink at noon-day) that all men are not redeemed from the sins under the first testament; therefore, saith Christ to the Jews, Ye shall die in your sins, that is, in all your sins; therefore, He saith again, The wrath of God abideth on them. Christ took not away wrath for the first and brought it again for the second.

But say they, they were condemned for unbelief. Well, let us reason out the case. I demand of thee whether unbelief be sin or not. If thou say it is, I ask thee whether Christ died for that or not. If He did not, then His dying for all other sins was of no moment nor concernment. If a man should do never so much to redeem a man from prison and not perform the chiefest part required, do you think the prisons would be delivered? Surely not! What availeth it for Christ to die for all my sins if not for my unbelief, seeing that, without any more (I speak in thy language) may condemn, but it may be thou wilt say, He died for the unbelief of some and the other sins of others. Vain man, thou sayest thou knowest not what. Thou pleadest Christ dying for them for some sins and yet He hath left the chief not died for. For what purpose is then His death? What benefit have they by it? They are but pulled from the water and hurled into the fire.

But if thou sayest Christ died for unbelief, how then can it condemn? For all that Christ conquered, He triumphed over in His cross. How comes it to return upon Him again? Thou wouldest be wise, but indeed thou instead of exalting Christ as a free Savior makest Him but half a Savior. If He be not able to save to the uttermost, woe and alas. We were all unbelievers before we believed. If Christ make us not to believe, what shall we do? The Priests under the law were as great as He if they doctrine be true., but surely I hope thou by this time seest thy vanity.

Objection:

How can this stand with the justice of God to punish men if not for not believing Christ died for them?

Solution:

To answer this, I tell thee, I now see where thou art graveled. Thou canst not see God to be just in this. From hence some conclude all shall be saved, others that God is not just if He condemn any and the like. But O thou foolish man! If I should only say that God is pleased to condemn men without giving them any reason, would it be unreasonable in God? Hath He not made thee? From not being hath He not given thee being? Art thou thine own or His? Nay, but O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the vessel say to the Potter, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor? And hath not God the same power over thee as the Potter hath over his Vessel? May He not do what He please with His own? Who shall set Him a rule to walk by?

But yet a little to speak to thee that thou mayest understand the way of His justice and how He brings forth His pleasure. I bid thee sit down a while, enter into thy conscience, take a view of thy pride, covetousness, lust, murmurings, worldliness, &c. And what wilt thou say?

Man was made upright, but he sought out many inventions. God made man, planted him in a Garden in the midst of all worldly pleasures, forbade him nothing but one tree in the middle of the Garden, told him if he did eat thereof he should die. This law was given to him, the Devil taking advantage of the creature's mutability (for God did not, neither was He bound to make the creature immutable) spake to the woman by a Serpent, even a natural beast of the earth, that eats dust and creeps on her belly. Eve would be wise, believed the Devil, ate of the Tree, brake the law an so came to know good and evil. She knew not good and evil before, but now she felt the evil and died, that is the evil of fear and shame (the fruit of sin) seized up on them. This Tree was a Tree of trial to them of their obedience. Now sin came and death by sin. Adam was turned out of the garden. Sorrow compassed them. The Tree of life, a visible Tree pointing out Christ, denied them because God would show the riches of His grace and the glory of His justice. Had Adam eaten of that Tree of life, he and all his posterity had lived for ever, but God would not suffer it, but would advance justice in the condemnation of some and so keeps him out with a flaming sword, that is to say, His Law or mighty power. Thus do we continually the thing forbidden to us. We are not contented with our sphere. Surely this consideration renders God just in our ruin and 'tis only mercy that saves any of us.

Thus man was plunged in this darkness, yet Christ came as a Light shining in darkness, but the darkness, the dark sinful heart of man, comprehended it not, but opposed it. Christ saith He is the true Light, the Messiah, the Son of God, that life eternal is in Him. The Jews neglected, rejected, scorned and abused Him. So do many now by which they add iniquity to iniquity and are justly condemned for their sins.

But I may the more clearly demonstrate the falsity of this assertion, consider the following arguments:

Argument to prove Christ died not for all men.

Those that Christ died for, He offered a Sacrifice for. For His death was a Sacrifice for sin, as I have at large proved before.

But Christ offered not a Sacrifice for all men, therefore He died not for all.

This second proposition is clearly proved, if you consider this:

That all those for whom thi