The Communion of Saints, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of mans redemption, & the renewing of his peace; by the grace of God in Iesus Christ.
1. God, though he spared not the Angels which sinned of their own accord, and maliciously drew man into their condemnation: yet shewed he favor to Adam and his children, when it was neyther deserved nor asked. For of them, he had †Eph. 1. 4.chosen to be his, before the foundations of the world, & ‖Mat. 25. 34prepared for them a kingdome, which it was *Luk. 12. 32.his pleasure to giv vntounto them; therfore could he not be hindered, ‡Prov. 21. 30no wisdome nor vnderstanding, nor counsel could prevail against him, but ”Psal. 33. 11.his own counsel did stand for ever, & the thoughts of his hart, throughout al ages; he also is †Iohn. 10. 29.greater then al, and none is able to take his sheep out of his hand; therfore he sayd vntounto them, ‖Ezek. 16. 6.when they were polluted in their own blood, ye shal live; even when they wer in their blood, he said vntounto them, ye shal live; I wil *Hos. 13. 14.redeem them from the power of the grave, I wil deliver them from death.
2. Yet because as his mercy should be magnified, his justice also was to be satisfied, and death inflicted for the transgression of his law; & now mans miserie & weaknes was such, as endure death he might, but overcome it he ‡Iob. 14. 10. 12.could not, nor †Psal. 89. 48deliver his sowl frō the hand of the grave: therfore had God of his rich grace and incomprehensible love, ordeyned his ‖Iohn. 1. 14. 18.onelyonly begotten Son, wch was in his bosome, ”Iohn. 10. 30.one with himself, and in glorie with him *Iohn. 17. 5.before the world was; by whom ‡Cols. 1. 16. 17.al things were created in heaven and in earth, things visible & invisible, and in whom al things consist; even this his own dear son had ye Father ordeyned ”1. Pet 1. 20.before the foundatiō of the world, that he should †Mat. 1. 21.save his people from their syns, and ‖1. Thes. 1. 10deliver them from the wrath to come.
3. And forasmuch as being in the *Philip. 2. 6.form of God, and ‡1. Ioh. 5. 20.very God himself, (who liveth and is blessed for ever) he could not in that nature & glorie (wherin ”1 Tim. 6. 16onelyonly is immortalitie,) partake with mans wretchednes, or tast of his death, which yet by Gods grace ‖Heb. 2. 9.he was to tast for al men: therfore was it also ordeyned, that the †Iohn. 1. 14.Word should be made flesh, even the Son of God, when hee came into the world, should be made of ‖Gal. 4. 4.a woman, and of the *Act. 13. 23.seed of earthly man according to the flesh; that he should take on him the form ‡Phil. 1. 7.of a servant, and be found in shape as a man, partaker ”Heb. 2. 14.with his children of flesh and blood, that he might suffer for their sake, be touched with the feeling of their infirmities ”Heb. 4. 15.and in all things tempted in like sort, yet without syn.
4. This incarnation of the Lord wherby he should become our ”Mat. 1. 2….Emmanuel, that is, God with vsus; was not to be mans work, or brought to passe by carnal generation, but by the †Luk. 1. 35.holy Ghost, and power of the most high, overshadowing a virgin, whereby she should ‖vers. 31.conceiv in her womb, and bear a *vers. 35.holy thing that should be caled the Son of God. Who for the fulnes of the grace of the Godhed, which was to ‡Colos. 2. 9.dwel in him bodily, & the †Luk. 4. 18.spirit wherewith he was to be anoynted; should be named the ‖Ioh. 1. 21.Messiah and the Christ, that is the Anoynted of God: & for the salvation of synners, should be crowned with the title of *Mat. 1. 21.Iesus, that is the Saviour or Deliverer, at whose name ‡Phil. 2. 10. 11.every knee should bow, both of things in heaven & things in earth, & things vnderunder the earth; and everie tongue confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord, vntounto the glory of God the Father; who gave him to be ”Isa. 49. 6.his salvation to the end of the earth.
5. For by this his Son, the ‡Heb. 1. 3.brightnes of his glory, God would †2 Cor. 5. 19.reconcile the world to himself, not imputing but freely ‖Eph. 1. 7.forgiving their syns vntounto them; and by this *Col. 1. 15.image of his owne invisible maiestie, would ‡Col. 3. 10.renew the heavenly image in man, which now was defaced, giving him ”Ezek. 36. 26a new hart and a new spirit, even putting †vers. 27.his own spirit within him, & making him a ‖2 Cor. 5. 17.new creature. For wheras the first Adam was made but a *Gen. 2. 7.living sowl, and having lost his life by syn, could not recover the same againe, but death ‡Rom. 5. 12. 14.reigned over al: this second Adam which was a ”foreign 1 Cor. 15. 45.live-making spirit, should ”Ephes. 2. 5.quicken them that wer dead in trespasses and syns, and by his ‡Ioh. 5. 25.voyce should rayse them vp, and give them life eternal; that so the dead men ”Isa. 26. 19.might liv againe, and they awake and sing, that dwel in dust.
6. The way to work out this wō drous grace for mens redemption, was appointed to be by great afflictiōs through which the ”Heb. 2. 10.Prince of their salvation was to be consecrate, that many children might be brought vntounto glory. For this Son of God the Lord and heyr of all”Phil. 2. 7, foreign things, was to † empty himself, and take on him the form of a servant, to become lesser then the †Heb. 2. 7. 9.Angels, yea more deformed ‖Isa. 52. 14.then the sons of Adam, even a *Psal. 22. 6.worm and not a man, the shame of men and contempt of the people, that when we should see him, ‡Isa. 53. ….he should have neyther form nor bewtie that we should desire him: though yet in himself, he was much ”Psal. 45. 2.fayrer then the sons of Adam, al his parts and features and countenance so excellent, as he was ‡Song. 5. 16.wholly delectable.
7. So when the first begotten of the Father was brought into the world, though †Heb. 1. 6.al the Angels of God did worship him, the ‖Mat. 8. 27.winds and seas obeyed him, the Fish *Mat. 17. 27.payed his tribute, the ”Mark. 1. 13.wild beasts lived at peace with him, and the very ‡Luk. 8. 28.Divils confessed him, and were afrayd: yet wretched man would not acknowledge him, his †Iohn. 1. 11.own received him not, he was ‖Psal. 69. 8.a stranger to his brethren, an aliant to his Mothers sons, *Isa. 53. 3.despised he was & we esteemed him not. Yea God himself would ‡vers. 10.break him & make him subject to infirmities, & lay vpō him ye ”vers. 6.iniquity of vsal; for we ‖Isa. 43. 24.made him to serve for our syns, we wearied him with our iniquities; so that innumerable troubles compassed him about, & our syns which now were *Psal. 40. 12.his, tooke such hold vponupon him, that he was not able to lookvp; for which a cup was ‡Ioh. 18. 11.givē him of ye Father to drink, ful of †Mat. 26. 37. 38. Mark. 14. 33.sorow, fear, heavines, & agonie, that made his sowl heavy even vntounto the death, & he prayed his Father, that ‖Mat. 26. 39if it had been possible, it might hav passed from him; offring vp his prayers with *Heb. 5. 7.strong crying and tears, & sweat ‡Luk. 22. 44.like drops of blood trickling down to the ground, the shadow of death ”Iob. 16. 16.being vponupon his eyes. But because it could not be but he must drink (for therfore †Ioh. 12. 27.came he to that howr,) and the Lord God had ‖Isa. 50. 5.opened his ear that he was not rebellious, neyther turned back: he *Psal. 40. 7. 8willingly gave vp his body for a sacrifice, & bore the wrath of God due for our trespasses, he which knew no sin ‡2 Cor. 5. 21…was made sin for vsus; and ”Isa. 53. 12.powred out his sowle vntounto death.
8. Then came Satan the Prince of this world to see if he could hav conquered him, but he ”Iohn. 14. 30.had nothing in him: yea his own time was now come, †Iohn. 12. 31. 32.now was he to be cast out, & Christ being lifted vp from the earth, would draw all men to himself. The serpent beset him with ‖Psal. 18. 4. 5the snares of death, and with floods of Belial to make him afraid; but he sayd vntounto death *Hos. 13. 14.I wil be thy death, and vntounto the grave, I will be thy destruction; so he spoyled ‡Colos. 2. 15.the Principalities and powers of that kingdom of darknes, made a shew of them openly, triumphed over them in the same crosse, & destroyed ”Heb. 2. 14.through death him that had the power of death, that is the Divil.
9. They for whom he suffred all these things regarded not the rock of their salvation, but ”Isa. 53. 4.iudged him as plagued and smitten of God & humbled. He ‡Isa. 63. 30trode the winepresle alone, and of all the people there was none with him, his *Mat. 26. 56.own disciples had all forsaken him and fled, that he by †Heb. 1. 3.himself might purge our syns. He looked ‖Psal. 69. 20.for some to have pitie on him, but there was none; for comforters, but none he found; there was *Psal. 142. 4.not any that would know him, al refuge fayled him, none cared for his sowl. His own people *‡ Act. 3. 13.betrayed him, and denyed in the presence of Pilat, when he had iudged him to be delivered, they ”vers. 14,denyed the holy one and the iust, and desired a murtherer to be given them. Then was the Lord of glorie misused, & suffred much speaking against of sinners they ‖Psal. 109. 2. 3. 5.opened vponupon him the mouth of deceyt, and compassed him about with words of hatred, they rewarded him evil for good, and hatred for his friendship; they *Mat. 26. 67spate on his face & buffetted him; they crowned him with ‡Ioh. 19. 1. 2.thornes and scourged him; he became a ”Psa. 109. 25reproch vntounto them, they that looked vponupon him shaked their heads, yea rebuke †Psal. 69. 20did break his hart, and he was ful of heavines, for ‖Psal. 22. 16.doggs did compasse him about, the assemblie of the wicked inclosed him, they peirced his hands and his feet, and gored *Iohn. 19. 34.his side; they ‡Act. 5. 30.slew & hanged him on a tree, so was he made a ”Gal. 3. 13.curse for vsus, for the †Deut. 21. 23curse of God was on him that was hanged.
10. But in his trouble he caled vponupon the Lord & cried vntounto his ”Psal. 22. 1. & 142. 5.God, why hast thow forsaken me? thow art my hope my portion in the land of the living. ‖Psal. 69. 14. 15.Deliver me out of the mire that I sink not, let me be delivered frō them that hate me, & out of the deep waters, let not the water flood drown me, and let not the pit shut her mouth vponupon me; ”Psal. 22. 2….deliver my sowl fom the Sword, my desolate sowl from the hand of the Dog. In the end, he commended ‡Luk. 23. 46.his spirit into the hands of his Father, †Heb. 9. 17.confirmed the Testamēt by his death, and vntounto the ‖Psal. 22. 15.dust of death he was brought, his grave *Isa. 53. 9.was with the wicked.
11. But the sorowes of death were soon losed, because it ‡Act. 2. 24.was vnpossible that the †Act. 3. 15.Lord of life should be holden of it: for as he had power to lay down his life, so had he power to take it again, ‖Iohn. 10. 18.this commandmēt he had received of his Father, who ”Psal. 16. 11.shewed him also the path of life, and ‡Heb. 13. 20.brought againe from the dead, this great Shepheard of the sheep. Wherfore the †1 Cor. 15. 4.third day he rose vp alive, he rose vp, and ‖Psal. 68. 1.his enemies wer scattred, and they that hated him fled from before him; & now behold ‖Rev. 1. 18.he is alive for evermore, Amen: and hath the keyes of hel and of death; death hath ”Rom 6. 9.no more dominion over him, for ‡1 Cor. 15. 54it is swallowed vp in victorie.
12. Thus Gods hand was †Psal. 80. 17.with the man of his right hande, with the son of man whom he made strong for himself; the Lord ‖Psal. 20. 1. 2 3. 4.heard him in the day of trouble, and sent him help from his Sanctuarie, remembred al his oblations and turned his burnt-offring into ashes, gave him according to his hart, & fulfilled all his counsell, *vers. 5that we might reioyce in his salvation, and set vp banners in the name of our God, when the Lord had performed al his petitions. For he having thus through the eternal spirit ‡Heb. 9. 14.offred himself without spott vntounto God, obteyned †vers. 12.eternall redemption; & having drunk of the brook in the way, he ‖Psal. 110. 7.therfore lifted vp the head. He ascended vp on high with triumph, leading ‡Psal. 68. 18captivitie captive, and approched vntounto the †Dan. 7. 13.Ancient of dayes, who ‖Eph. 1. 20. 21set him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality & power, and might, & domination, and every name that is named, not in this world onelyonly but also in that which is to come, & made al things subiect vnderunder his feet; *Dan. 7. 14.gave him dominion and honour and a kingdome, that all peoples nations and languages should serve him, his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shal never be taken away, & his kingdome shal never be corrupted, and this is the name whereby we must cal him, ‡Ier. 23. 6.Iehovah our iustice.
13. And now the gates of the heavenly Paradise †Luk. 23. 43.wer opened to the sons of Adam, and the tree of Life, better then that from which the Cherubims ‖Gen. 3. 24.sword had kept man, was *Rev. 2. 7.given him by Christ to eat of, and live for ever. Now felt men the effect of that heavenly oracle that came out of Caiaphas mouth, ‡Iohn. 11. 50.It is expedient for vsus that one man die for the people, and the Whol nation perish not: for loe the wrath of God kindled for mans syn, was appeased by the death of this †1 Tim. 2. 5. 6man Christ Iesus who gave himself a ransom for all men, and ‖1 Pet. 2. 24.bare our syns in his body on the tree, being the *Heb. 7. 22.suretie of the Testament. It pleased the Father by him, the ‡Isa 9. 6.Prince of peace, to †Col. 1. 20.reconcile al things to himself, & to set at peace through the blood of his crosse both the thinges in earth and the things in heaven. For it was his beloved son in †2 Pet. 1. 17.whom he was wel pleased, his chosen one ‖Isa. 42. …in whom his sowl delighted, that had *Ephes. 5. 2.given himself to be an offring and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God, who smelled here a savour of rest, sweeter then that in †Gen. 8. 21.Noahs sacrifice, which caused him to say in his hart, that he would curse the ground no more for mans cause though ye imaginatiō of mās hart wer evil frō his youth: for now ther shalbe ‖Rev 22. 3. zach. 14. 11.no more curse, but the throne of God & of the Lamb (that was slayn) shalbe in the city, he *Deut. 32. 43wil be merciful vntounto his land, vntounto his people. The Angels saw this, & were glad for our salvation, they sung at our Saviours birth, ‡Luk. 2. 13. 14.Glory to God in the highest (heavens) and vponupon earth peace, towards men goodwill. And when he was glorified, the thowsand thowsands of them praysed him saying, †Rev. 5. 11. 12.worthy is the Lamb that was killed, to receiv power and riches and wisdome, and strength, and honour, and glory and prayse. The heavens ‖Isa. 44. 23.rejoyced for that the Lord had done, the lower parts of the earth showted, the mountaynes forrests and every tree burst forth into prayses, for that the Lord had redeemed Iaakob, & would be glorified in Israel. and *Rev. 5. 13.al creatures in heaven & in earth, vnderunder the earth, and in the sea, & al that are in them, gave Praise & honour and glorie & power, vntounto him that sitteth vponupon the throne, and vntounto the Lamb for ever more. Amen.
14. This grace was the ‡1. Cor. 2. 7.Wisedom of God in a mysterie, the hidden wisedom which God had foredetermined before the world vntounto our glorie; but †Iob. 28. 21.it was hid from the eyes of al the living, & hid from the fowls of ye heavē; none ‖1. Cor. 2. 8. 9of ye Princes of this world knew it, no ye had seen it, nor ear heard it, neyther came it into mans hart, onelyonly *Iob. 28 23.God vnderstood the Way thereof, and ‡Ephes. 3. 9.from the beginning of the world it was kept secret and hid in him, and stil †Mat. 11, 25.he hideth it from the wise & men of vnderstanding, neyther can the ”1 Cor. 2. 14.natural perceiv it vntil he revele it vntounto them by his †1 Cor. 2. 10.spirit, which spirit sercheth al things even the deep things of God, and by it we ‖vers. 12.know the things that are given to vsus of God.
15. And now *Eph. 1. ….he hath opened vntounto vsus the mysterie of his will, according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in Christ; he ‡Isa. 62. 11.hath proclaymed vntounto the ends of the world, that the Saviour of the daughter Sion is come, his wages with him, and his work before him; that we might cleerly see the ”Eph. 3. 9.fellowship of the mystery, & might be able to †vers. 18. 19.cōprehend with al Saincts, what is the bredth and length and depth and height, & to know the lov of Christ which passeth knowledge, and might be filled with al fulnes of God; who hath given vsus ‖Isa. 61. 3.bewty for ashes, the oyl of ioy for mourning, the garment of gladnes duplicate page duplicate page for the spirit of heavines, because our ‡ warfare is accomplished,.40. 2. and our iniquitie is pardoned. For while we were ”Rom. 5. 8. 9. 10.yet sinners, Christ died for vsus; and when wee were enemies, we were reconciled to God by his death, and now shal be saved by his life; for the †Isa. 53. 5.chastisement of our peace was vponupon him, and with his stripes we are healed; he hath ‖Rev. 1. 5.washed vsus from our syns in his blood, and *Heb. 9. 14.purged our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God; and is gone vp into very heaven ‡vers. 24.to appear now in the sight of God for vsus, and there to ”Ioh. 14. 2. 3.prepare vsus a place, that where he is we may be also. From whence he wil shortly shew himself †2 Thes. 1. 7.with his mightie Angels, to be ‖vers. 10.glorified in his Saincts, and made marveilous in them that beleev; who after that they have drunk of his cup, & been *Rom. 6. 3. 4.baptised into his death and buriall, and walked with him in newnes of life in this vale of tears, and ‡Col. 1. 24.fulfilled the rest of his afflictions in their flesh, shal have their ”Phil▪ 3. 21.vile bodies changed & fashioned like to his glorious bodie, the dead† 1 Cor. 15. 52▪ being raysed vp incorruptible, and such as ‖1 Thes. 4. 17▪live & remayn, being chā ged and caught vp with them also in the clowds to meet the Lord in the ayre, and so shall they ever be with the Lord, their *Mat. 13. 43.faces shyning as the Sun, in the kingdome of their Father.
16. Although this mysterie of Christ, ‡Eph. 3. 4. 5.was not opened vntounto the sons of men in other ages, as it was at last reveled vntounto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the spirit: yet was the effect and summe therof, made known to all the Patriarchs from the beginning. For Iesus Christ was ”Heb. 13. 8.yesterday, is to day, & the same for ever, & Abraham †Iohn. 8. 56.saw his day and was glad; Abel also by faith in him Heb. 11. 4.obteyned testimonie that he was righteous; which faith he learned of his father Adam; who heard of God the riches of this grace freely preached in paradise, before the sentence of exile and death was pronounced vponupon him; namely that the womans *Gen. 3. 15.seed should crush the Serpents head; who also was shewed the way to be by death and sacrifice, a shadow wherof he saw in the Lambs ‡Gon. 4. 4.then slayn and sacrificed in the service of the Lord. The great afflictions of Christ and of his people, wer foretold in the Serpents crushing of his …eel, and the enmitie between the womans seed & that Serpents; foreshewed also in the ”ver. 8.murder of Abel the iust by Cain his wicked brother. To Christ gave †Act. 10. 43. & 28. 23.all the Prophets witnes, that through his name all that beleeved in him, should receive remission of syns: and the *Act. 26. 7.twelve tribes instantly serving God night & day, hoped to come vntounto this promise. So in this hope and exspectation of redemption, by the Son of God, the Fathers rested, and comforted their fainting sowles by faith, the ‡Heb. 11. 1.evidence of things not seene: by which faith ”vers. 13.they saw the promises a farr off, were perswaded, saluted them, & confessed that they were strangers and pilgroms vponupon earth, and so died, having †vers. 39. 40.through their faith obteyned testimony, but received not the promise; God providing a better thing for vsus, that they without vsus, should not be made perfect; but in patient hope passe out their dayes on earth; & after death Iob. 14. 14.wayt al the dayes of their appoynted time, til their changing shall come, and then *Dan. 12. 13.stand vp in their lot, (with vsus and al Saincts,) at the end of the dayes.
17. But al this grace, and riches of the glorious mysterie now manifested to the Saincts, ”Col. 1. 27.which is, Christ in vsus the hope of glory; God did not communicate with al men, neyther yet doeth: save with some †Mat. 20. 16.few chosen in Christ Ephes 1. 4.before the foundation of the world. Which little flock have their election, *Rom. 9. 11.not by works, but by him that caleth, according to the ‡Eph. 1. 5.good pleasure of his own wil: who without any vnrighteousnes ”Rom. 9. 18.hath mercy on whom he wil, and whom he will he hardneth; having made †vers. 21. 22. 23.as the clay-potter of one lump, some men vessels of merciemercy prepared vntounto glorie, & some vessels of wrath prepared to destruction; which yet notwithstanding have many favours and benefits from God to draw them to repentance out of the snare of Satan, but all in vayn for they despise the grace proffered vntounto them, and run headlong into the condemnation, whereto they were *Iude. vers. 4.of old ordeyned; let mercy be shewed them, yet ‡Isa. 26. 10.wil they not learn righteousnes, in the land of equities they wil do wickedly, and wil not behold the majestie of the Lord.
18. And of these ther ar two sorts; some that are called to the knowledge of the truth, & hav Luke. 8. 13.received it with joy▪ yet having no roots, beleiv but for a while, and in time of tentatiō go away. Yea of these ther are, that have been once †Heb. 6. …. …. 6.lightened, and hav tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the holy Ghost, & hav tasted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come: and yet not with standing fall away, and crucify againe to them selves the son of God▪ and make a mock of him; and ”Heb. 10. 29.tread him vnderunder foot, and count the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing, wherewith they were sanctified, and doe despite the spirit of grace. Such, it is †Heb. 6 4. 6.impossible they should be renewed again vntounto repentance; neyther ‖Heb. 10. 26. …7.remayneth any more sacrifice for their syns, but a fearful looking for of judgement and violent fyre which shal devour them. And such, howsoever they were among the Saints, yet wer they not of them, for then *1 Iohn. 2. 19they would hav continewed with them; neyther wer they of Christs sheep, for then he would hav ‡Iohn. 10. 27. 28.given them eternall life, and they should never hav perished, neyther should any hav plucked them out of his hand; he would hav put his fear in their harts, that †Ie…. 32. 40.they should not hav departed from him; though they had fallen ‖Psal. 37. 24.they should not hav been cast off, for the Lord would hav put vnderunder his hand.
19. Othersome ther are, not caled to the faith but *Eph. 2. 12.strangers from the covenants of promise, whom God ‡Act. 14. 16.suffereth to walk in their owne wayes, †Psal. 147. 19 20.not shewing thē his word nor his statutes and judgements. Or if he cause his gospel to come vntounto them, yet wil not ‖Iohn. 5. 40.they come vntounto him that they might hav life; they hear not his words *Iohn. 8. 47.because they are not of God; neyther beleev, ‡Ioh. 10. 26.because they are not Christs sheep; al the day long ”Rom. 10. 21.he stretcheth forth his hand to an vnperswadeable and gainsaying people. Yea beleeve they cannot, because †Iohn. 12. 39. 40.hee hath blynded their eyes, and hardned their hart, that they should not see with eyes nor vnderstand with hart, and be converted, and he to heal them: the Lord ‖Isa. 29. 10. Rom. 11. 8.hath covered them with the spirit of slomber.
20. And these are for the most part the *Luk. 10. 21.wise and learned of the world from whom God hideth the secret of his Gospel, and worketh a marveilous work in this people, even a marveilous work & a wonder (as ‡Isa. 29. 14.sayth the Prophet) that the wisedome of the wise men perish, for ”1 Cor. 3. 20.the Lord knoweth that their thoughts be vayn. Therefore he †1 Cor. 1. 19.maketh their wisdom to perish, and casteth away the vnderstanding of the prudent; he powreth ‖Psal. 107. 40contempt vponupon princes, and causeth them to erre in desert places, out of the way, and maketh *Iob. 12. 21.the strength of the mighty weak: he ‡Luk. 1. 51. 52scattereth the proud in the imagination of their harts, and putteth down the mighty frō the thrones: the ”1 Cor. 1. 20.wisedom of this world maketh he foolishnes, and by the †vers. 21.foolishnes of preaching saveth them that beleeve; which also are the ‖vers. 27. 28.foolish weak vile and despised thinges of the world, even things that are not; which yet he hath chosen to bring to naugh… the thinges that are: that ‡vers. 29.no flesh should reioyce in his presence, but as it is written, ”vers. 31.he that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord.
21. Thus Christ crucified †1 Cor. 1. 2…. 24.is to the Iewes a stumbling block, and to the Greeks, foolishnes; and onelyonly to them which are called, both of Iewes & Greeks, he is the power of God, & the wisedom of God; in whom they triumph & say, Loe ‖Isa. 2…. 9.this is our God, we wayted for him, and he wil save vsus; this is the Lord whom we waited for, we wil ioy and be glad in his salvation.
22. And thus is there a distinction made of the sonnes of Adam, some left to perish in their syns, the children of wrath *Eph. 2. 3.as they were by nature, who because they are not ‡Iohn. 3. 3.borne again, they cannot see the kingdom of God: othersome are ”Rev. 14. 3.bought from the earth and †1 Pet. 1. 23.born a new of immortall seed, and are ‖Iohn. 17. 16.not of this world, but have their *Phil. 3. 20.conversation in heaven, & ‡Ioh. 1. 12. 13power given them of Christ to be the sons of God, which are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the wil of man, but of God.
23. Between these two sorts of men is great difference; both in the affections of God, who ”Rom. 9. 13. Psal. 146. 8. & 11. 5.loveth the one and hateth the other: and of Christ, †Iohn. 17. 9.who prayeth for one & not for another: and in their affections againe towards God, & one towards another. For the Saincts ‖Psal. 18. 1. 1 Iohn. 4. 19. …1.love the Lord, and have mutuall love among themselves; but the wickeds *Zech. 11. 8.sowl abhorreth him; and they hate ‡Ioh. 15. 18. 19.such as he hath chosen out of the world; and are hated again of ”Psal. 139. 21. 22.them with perfect hatred. Thus is there warr & enmitie ‡Gen. 3. 15.betwixt the iust and the wicked, the one of them being †Pro. 2…. 27.an abhomination to the other.
24. Hence is it, that the scripture speaketh so much of the fellowship and communion of the Saincts, with God and among themselves; and of their separation from the Divil, and from his children the wicked men evē in this life, whiles yet they live together with them in civil societie, & breath one commune aier: exspecting with patience the full and finall separation, which Christ and his Angels ‖Mat. 13. 39. 40. 41. &c.will make at the last and great day of doom.
Of this holy communion here on earth, I purpose to intreat, as God hath given me to discern by his word. His gracious spirit breath vponupon my sowl, and guyd my pen to set down his truth.