Some Gospel Truths Opened, Part 1
For as much as many have taken in hand to set forth their several judgements concerning the Son of the Virgin Mary, the Lord Jesus Christ; and some of those many having most grosly erred from the simplicity of his Gospel, it seemed good to me, having had some knowledge of these things, to write a few words, to the end, if the Lord will, souls might not be so horribly deluded by those several corrupt principles that are gone into the world concerning him.
NOw that there is such a thing as a Christ, I shall not spend much time in proving of; only I shall shew you, that he was duplicate page duplicate page first promised to the Fathers, and afterward expected by their children. But before I doe that, I shall speak a few words, concerning Gods fore-ordaining and purposing, that a Christ the Saviour should be, and that before the world began. Now God in his own wisedom and counsel, knowing what would come to passe, as if it were already done, Rom. 4. 17. He knowing that man would break his commandements, and so throw himselfe under eternal destruction, did in his own purpose fore-ordain such a thing as the rise of him that should fall, and that by a Saviour, Eph. 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him (meaning the Saviour) before the foundation of the world. That is, God seeing that we would transgresse, and break his commandement, did before chuse some of those that would fall, and give them to him that should afterward purchase them actually, though in the account of God his blood was shed before the world was, Rev. 13. 8. I say, in the account of God his son was slain; that is, according to Gods purpose and conclusion, which he purposed in himself before the world was; as it is written, 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ before the world began. As also in 1 Pet. 1. 20. where the Apostle speaking of Christ, and the redemption purchased by him for sinners; saith of him, Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last dayes for you who by …m doe believe in God that raised him from the dead. God having thus purposed in himselfe that he would save some of them that by transgression had destroyed themselves, did with the everlasting son of his love make an agreement, or bargain, that upon such and such terms, he would give him a company of such poor soules as had by transgression fallen from their own innocency and uprightnesse, into those wicked inventions that they themselves had sought out, Eccles. 7. 29. The agreement also how this should be, was made before the foundation of the world was laid, Tit. 1. 2. The Apostle, speaking of the promise, or covenant made between God and the Saviour (for that is his meaning) saith on this wise, In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lye, promised before the world began. Now this promise, or covenant, was made with none but with the son of God, the Saviour: And it must needs be so, for there was none with God before the world began, but he by whom hee made the world; as in Prov. 8. from v. 22. to v. 31. which was and is the Sonne of his love.
This Covenant, or Bargain, had these conditions in it.
First, that the Saviour should take upon him flesh and blood, the same nature that the sonnes of men were partakers of (sinne onelyonly excepted) Heb. 2. 14. Heb. 4. 15. And this was the will or agreement that God had made with him: And therefore when he speaks of doing the will of God, Heb. 10. 5. he saith, a body hast thou prepared me (as according to thy promise, Gen. 3. 15. which I was to take of a woman) and in it I am come to do thy will O God, as it is written of me in the volume of thy Book, v. 7.
2. The Saviour was to bring everlasting righteousnesse to justifie sinners withal, Dan. 9. 24, 25. The Messias, or Saviour shal bring in everlasting righteousnesse and put an end to iniquity, as it is there written. To make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse. This, I say, was to be brought into the world by the Saviour, according to the covenant, or agreement, that was between God and Christ before the world began, which God, that cannot lye, promised at that time,Tit. 1. 2. Tit. 1. 2.
3. He was to accomplish th… everlasting righteousnesse by spilling his most precious blood, according to the terms of the covenant or bargain; and therefore when God would shew his people what the agreement was that he and the Saviour had made, even before the Covenant was accomplished and sealed actually. See for this Zach. 9.When these words were spoken, the Covenant was not actually sealed; for that was done when the blood of Christ was let out upon the cross. (where he is speaking of him that should be the Saviour) v. 11. And as for thee also (meaning the Saviour) by the blood of thy Covenant; or as some render it, whose Covenant is by blood (which is all to one purpose) I (meaning God) have sent forth the Prisoners out of the pit wherein there was no water. The meaning is this: As for thee also, seeing the covenant or bargain that was made between me and thee before the world was, is accomplished in my account, as if it were actually and really done; with all the conditions that were agreed upon by me and thee; I have therefore, according to that agreement that was on my part, sent forth the prisoners, and those that were under the curse of my Law, out of the pit wherein there is no water; seeing thou also hast compleatly fulfilled in my account whatsoever was on thy part to be done, according to our agreement. And thus is that place to be understood in John 17. … I pray for them, I pray not … the world, but for th…se th… thou hast given me (which I co…venanted with thee, for) thi… they were, and thou gavest th… me (but on such and such co…ditions as are before mentioned, Zach. 9. And again; Ac…cording as he hath chosen us … him (that is, in Christ) be… the foundation of the world, th… we should be holy and *To be holy and without blame, is that which God intended for us in that glorious Covenant; and by it alone we are holy and without blame before him in love; for we are compleat in him alone with whom the Covenant was made, Col. 2. 10. Tit. 1. 2.with… blame before him in love. No… seeing this was thus conclud… upon by those that did … well to the soules and … of poore sinners; after … world was made by them, a… after they had said, Let … make man after our own im… after our likenesse, Gen. 1. … And after man, whom Go… had made upright, had … transgression fallen from th… state into which God at … placed him, and throw… himselfe into a miserable co…dition by his transgression then God brings out of his love that which before he and his Son had concluded upon and begins now to make forth that to the world, which he had purposed in himselfe before the world began, Eph. 1 4. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Now the first discovery that was made to a lost creature of the love of God, was made to fallen Adam, Gen. 3. 15. where it is faid, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed, which is the Saviour, Gal. 4. 4. it shall break thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. This was the first discovery of the love of God to lost man: This was the Gospel which was preached to Adam in his generation; in these words was held forth to them in that generation, that which should be further accomplished in after generations.
2. Another discovery of the love of God in the Gospel, was held forth to Noah, in that he would have him to prepare an Ark to save himself withal… which Ark did type out the Lord that was to come, and be the Saviour of those whom he before had covenanted for with God the Father. And God said to Noah, the end of all flesh is before me. Make thee an Ark of Gopher wood, Gen. 6. 13, 14. And Chap. 7. 1. The Lord said unto Noah, come thou and all thy house into the Ark, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
3. God breaks out with a further discovery of himself in love to that generation in which Abraham lived, Gen. 12. 3. where he saith, And in thee, (that is, from thee shall Christ come thorow, in whom) shal … the families of the earth be blessed. This was also a further manifestation of the good will of God to poor lost sinners; and through this discovery of the Gospel, did Abraham see that which made him rejoyce, Ioh. 8. 56.
4. When the time was come that Moses was to be a Prophet to the people of his Generation, then God did more gloriously yet break forth with one type after another; as the blood of Buls, & Lambs, & Goats: Also Sacrifices of divers manners, and of several things, which held forth that Saviour more clearly which God had in his own purpose & decree determined to be sent; for these things (the types) were a shadow of that which was to come, which was the substance, Heb. 9. 9. 10. Heb. 10. 1, 5, 6, 7. Now when these things were thus done, when God had thus signified to the world what he intended to doe in after times, presently all that had faith to believe that God would be as good as his word, began to look for, and to expect that the Lord should accomplish and bring to passe what he had promised, what his hand and counsel had before determined to be done.
Now Abraham begins to look for what God had promised and signified; namely, that he would send a Saviour into the world in his appointed time; which thing being promised, Abraham embraces, being perswaded of the certainty of it, as in Heb. 11. 13. and this did fill his heart with joy and gladnesse, as I said before; for he saw it, and was glad, John 8. 56.
2. Jacob also, while he was blessing his Sons concerning things to come, breakes forth with these words, I have waited for thy salvation. He was also put in expectation of salvation to come by this Saviour.
3. David was in earnest expectation of this, which was held forth by types and shadowes in the law; for as ye… the Saviour was▪ not come, w…ich made him crie out with a longing after it, O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion, Psal. 53. 6. and again O that the salvation of Israell, were come out of Sion, Psal. 147. The thing that David▪ waited for, was not in his time come, though before his time it was promised, which makes him crie out, O that it were come; that it were come out of Sion▪ Where by the way take notice, that the true Salvation and Saviour of Israel, was to come out of Sion, that is, out of the Church of God, touching the flesh, as it is written, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me, Deut. 18. 15, 18. And againe, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people, Psal. 89. 19. And Rom. 9. 5. Whose are the fathers, of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, wh… is over all, God blessed for ever. Christ as concerning the flesh, did come of the fathers.
4. Isaiah did prophesie of this, that God would thus save his people, yea, he breaks forth with these words, But Israel shal be saved with an everlasting Salvation, Isa. 45. 17. He also tels them how it shall be accomplished in that 53. Chap. Yea, he had such a glorious taste of the reality of it, that he speaks a… though it had then been actually done.
5. In the dayes of Jeremie this that God had promised to the fathers, was not yet accomplished; in cap. 23. 5. he saith, behold the dayes come saith the Lord, that I will (mark, it was not yet done.) but I will (saith God) raise unto David a righteous branch, and a King shall reign and prosper. In his dayes Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, And this is his name wherewith he shall be called, The Lord our righteousnesse.
6. He was also to come in Zacharies time, Zach. 3. 8. where he saith, For behold I will bring forth my servant the Branch.
7. He was not come in the time of Malachy neither, though he was indeed at that time neer his comming. For he saith himself, Behold, I will send my Messenger (meaning John the Baptist, Esay 40 v. 3. Luke 1. 76. and he shall prepare the way before me; And the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in. Behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts.
8. Old Simeon did also wait for the consolation of Israel a long time, Luke 2. 25. where it is said, And behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, the same was a just man and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, That is waiting for him that was to be the Saviour; as is cleer if you read with understanding a little farther. And it was revealed to him by the Spirit, God hath a Christ own▪ distinct from all other things whatsoever that is called Christ, whether they▪ be Spirit or body, or both spirit and body, and this is signified, where he saith, the Lord Christ.that he should n…t see death, before he had fee… the * Lords Christ, ver. 26.
And thus have I in briefe shewed you. 1. That there is such a thing as Christ. 2. That this Christ was promised and signified out by many things before he did come. 3. How he was waited for, and expected before the time that God had appointed in the which he should come.