Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Also, Christ is not only perfectly God, but perfect man, made of a woman, Gal. iv. 4. Made of the seed of David, Rom. i. 3. Coming out of the loins of David, Acts ii. 30. Of Jesse and Judah, Acts xiii. 23. In that the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he himself likewise took part with them, Hebrews ii. 14. He took not on him the

So that we are

So that he that

nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, verse 16. bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, Eph. v. 30. sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one, Hebrews ii. 11. See Acts iii. 22. Deut. xviii. 15. Hebrews i. 1.

XVII.

Concerning his priesthood, Christ, having sanetified himself, hath appeared once to put away sin by that one offering of himself a sacrifice for sin, by which he hath fully finished and suffered all things God required for the salvation of his elect, and removed all rites and shadows, &c. and is now entered within the vail into the holy of holies, which is the presence of God. Also, he makes his people a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through him. Neither doth the Father accept, or Christ offer to the Father, any other worship or worshippers.

John xvii. 19.

Hebrews v. 7, 8, 9, 10, 12. Romans v. 19. Eph. v. 2. Col. i. 20. Eph. ii. 14, &c. Romans viii. 34. Hebrews viii. i; and ix. 24. 1 Peter ii. 5. John iv. 23, 24.

XVIII.

This priesthood was not legal or temporary, but according to the order of Melchisedeck, and is stable and perfect, not for a time, but for ever, which is suitable to Jesus Christ, as to him that ever liveth.Christ was the priest, sacrifice, and altar: he was a priest according to both natures; he was a sacrifice according to his human nature; whence in scripture it is attributed to his body, to his blood; yet the effectualness of this sacrifice did depend upon his divine nature; therefore it is called the blood of God. He was the altar according to his divine nature, it belonging to the altar to sanctify that which is offered upon it, and so it ought to be of greater dignity than the sacrifice itself.

Hebrews v. 6; vii. 16, &c; ix. 13, 14; x. 10; and xiii. 10, 12, 15. 1 Peter i. 18, 19. Col. i. 20, 22. Acts xx. 28. Matt. xxiii. 17.– John xvii. 19.

XIX.

Concerning his kingly office, Christ being risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and having all power in heaven and earth, he doth spiritually govern his church, and doth exercise his power over all, angels and men, good and bad, to the preservation and salvation of the elect, and to the over-ruling and destruction of his enemies.By this kingly power he applieth the benefits, virtue, and fruits of his prophecy and priesthood to his elect, subduing their sins, preservVOL. V.

47

ing and strengthening them in all their conflicts against Satar, the world, and the flesh, keeping their hearts in faith and filial fear by his spirit: by this his mighty power he ruleth the vessels of wrath using, limiting and restraining them, as it seems good to his infinite wisdom. Matthew xxviii. 18, 19. Luke John v. 26, 27; xix. 36; and

1 Cor. xv. 4. 1 Peter iii. 21, 22. xxiv. 61. Acts i. 1; and v. 30, 31.

xvi. 15. Romans i. 21; v. 6, 7, 8; xiv. 9, 17; and xvii. 18. Gal. v. 22, 23. Mark i. 27. Hebrews i. 14. Job ii. 8; and xvii, 18. Eph. iv. 17, 18. 2 Peter ii.

XX.

This his kingly power shall be more fully manifested when he shall come into glory to reign among his saints, when he shall put down all rule and authority under his feet, that the glory of the Father may be perfectly manifested in his Son, and the glory of the Father and the Bon in all his members.

1 Cor. xv. 24, 28. Hebrews ix. 28. 1 Thess. iv. 15, 16, 17.— 2 Thess. i, 9, 10. John xvii. 21, 26.

XXI.

Jesus Christ by his death did purchase salvation for the elect that God gave unto him: these only have interest in him, and fellowship with him, for whom he makes intercession to his Father in their behalf, and to them alone doth God by his Spirit apply this redemption; as also the free gift of eternal life is given to them, and none else.

Eph. i. 14. Hebrews v. 9; and vii. 25. Matthew i. 21. John xvii. 6. 1Cor. ii. 12. Romans viii. 29, 30. 1 John v. 12. John xv. 13; and iii. 16.

XXII.

Faith is the gift of God, wrought in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God; by which faith they come to know and believe the truth of the scriptures, and the excellency of them above all other writings, and all things in the world, as they hold forth the glory of God in his attributes, the excellency of Christ in his nature and offices, and of the power and fulness of the Spirit in his workings and operations; and so are enabled to cast their souls upon this truth thus believed.

Ephesians ii. 8. John iv. 10; vi. 29, 63; and xvii. 17. Philemon i. 29. Galatians v. Hebrews iv. 11, 12. XXIII.

All those that have this precious faith wrought in them by the Spirit, can never finally nor totally fall away; seeing the gifts of God are without repentance; so that he still begets and nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality; and though many storms and floods arise, and

beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock, which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief, and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of this light and love be clouded and overwhelmed for a time; yet God is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraved upon the palms of his hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity. John xiii. 10; and x. 28, 29. 1 Peter i. 4, 5, 6.

Matt. vii. 24, 25.

Isa. xlix. 13, 14, 15, 16.

XXIV.

Faith is ordinarily begotton by the preaching of the gospel, or word of Christ, without respect to any power or agency in the creature; but it being wholly passive, and dead in trespasses and sins, doth believe and is converted by no less power than that which raised Christ from the dead.

Rom. x. 17. 1 Cor. i. 28. Rom. i. 16; iii. 12; and ix. 16. Ezek. xvi. 16. Eph. i. 19. Col. ii. 12.

XXV.

The preaching of the gospel to the conversion of sinners, is absolutely free: no way requiring as absolutely necessary, any qualifications, preparations, or terrors of the law, or preceding ministry of the law, but only and alone the naked soul, a sinner and ungodly, to receive Christ crucified, dead and buried, and risen again; who is made a prince and a savior for such sinners as through the gospel shall be brought to believe on him.

John i. 12; and iii. 14, 15. Isa. lv. 1. John vii. 37. 1 Tim. i. 15. Rom. iv. 5; and v. 8. Acts v. 30, 31; and ii. 36. 1 Cor. i. 22, 24,

XXVI.

The same power that converts to faith in Christ, earrieth on the soul through all duties, temptations, conflicts, sufferings; and whatsoever a believer is, he is by grace, and is carried on in all obedience and temptations by the same.

1 Peter i. 5. 1 Cor. xv. 10. 2 Cor. xii. 9. Phil. ii. 12, 13. John xv. 5. Gal. ii. 19, 20.

XXVII.

All believers are by Christ united to God; by which union, God is one with them, and they are one with him; and that all believers are

16.

1 Thess. i. 1. John xvii. 21; and xx. 17. Heb. ii. 11. 1 John iv. Gal. ii. 19, 20,

the sons of God, and joint heirs with Christ, to whom belong all the promises of this life, and that which is to come.

XXVIII.

Those that have union with Christ, are justified from all their sins by the blood of Christ, which justification is a gracious and full acquittance of a guilty sinner from all sin, by God, through the satisfaction that Christ hath made by his death for all their sins, and this applied (in the manifestation of it) through faith.

1 John i. 7. Heb. x. 14; and ix. 26. 2 Cor. v. 19. Rom. iii. 23, 25, 30; and v. 1. Acts xiii. 38, 39.

XXIX.

All believers are a holy and sanctified people, and that sanctification is a spiritual grace of the new covenant, and an effect of the love of God manifested in the soul, whereby the believer presseth after a heavenly and evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ, as head and king in his new covenant, hath prescribed to them.

1 Cor. xii. 1 Peter ii. 9. Eph. i. 4. 1 John iv. 16. Matt. xxviii. 20.

XXX.

All believers, through the knowledge of that justification of life given by the Father, and brought forth by the blood of Christ, have, as their great privilege of that new covenant, peace with God, and reconciliation, whereby they that were afar off are made nigh by thatblood, and have peace passing all understanding; yea, joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the atone

ment.

2 Cor. v. 19. 14; and iv. 7.

Rom. v. 9, 10. Isa. xx; and liv. 10. Eph. ii, 13,
Rom. v. 10, 11.

XXXI.

All believers, in the time of this life, are in a continual warfare and combat against sin, self, the world, and the devil; and are liable to all. manner of afflictions, tribulations, and persecutions, being predestinated and appointed thereunto; and whatsoever the saints possess or enjoy of God spiritually, is by faith; and outward and temporal things are lawfully enjoyed by a civil right by them who have no faith.

Rom. vii. 23-4; and viii. 29. 2 Tim. iii. 12. 1 Thess. iii. 3.

Eph. vi. 10, 11, &c. Heb. ii. 9, 10. Gal. ii. 20. 2 Cor. v. 7. Deut. ii. 5. XXXII.

The only strength by which the saints are enabled to encounter with all oppositions and trials, is only by Jesus Christ, who is the captain of their salvation, being made perfect through sufferings; who hath engaged his faithfulness and strength to assist them in all their

afflictions, and to uphold them in all their temptations, and to preserve them by his power to his everlasting kingdom.

John xv. 5; and xvi. 33. Phil, iv. 11. Heb. ii. 9, 10. 2 Tim. iv. 18. XXXIII.

Jesus Christ hath here on earth a spiritual kingdom, which is his church, whom he hath purchased and redeemed to himself as a peculiar inheritance; which church is a company of visible saints, called and separated from the world by the word and spirit of God, to the visible profession of the faith of the gospel, being baptised into that faith, and joined to the Lord, and to each other, by mutual agreement in the practical enjoyment of the ordinances commanded by Christ their head and king.

Matt. xi. 11; xviii. 19, 20. 2 Thess. i. 1. 1 Cor. i. 2. Eph. i. 1. Rom. i. 7. Acts xix. 8, 9; and xxvi. 18. 2 Cor. vi. 17. Rev. xviii. 4.Acts ii. 37, 42; ix. 26 ; and x. 37. Rom. x. 10. 1 Peter ii. 5.

XXXIV.

To this church he hath made his promises, and giveth the signs of his covenant, presence, acceptation, love, blessing, and protection.Here are the fountains and springs of his heavenly graces flowing forth to refresh and strengthen them.

Matt. xxviii. 18, &c. 1 Cor. iii. 21; and xi. 24. Rom. 1. 4, 5. Psalm exxxiii. 3. Rom. iii. 7, 10.

XXXV.

2 Cor. vi. 18.Ezek. xlvii. 2.

And all his servants of all estates, (are to acknowledge him to be their prophet, priest, and king;) and called thither to be enrolled among his household servants to present their bodies and souls, and to bring their gifts God hath given them, to be under his heavenly conduct and government, to lead their lives in this walled sheepfold, and watered garden, to have communion here with his saints, that they may be assured that they are made meet to be partakers of their inheritance in the kingdom of God; and to supply each other's wants, inward and outward; (and although each person hath a property in his own estate, yet they are to supply each others wants, according as their necessities shall require, that the name of Jesus Christ may not be blasphemed through the necessity of any in the church) and also being come, they are here by himself to be bestowed in their several order, due place, peculiar use, being fitly compact and knit together, according to the effectual working of every part, to the edifying of itself in love.

Acts ii. 41, 44, 45, 47. Isaiah iv. 3. xx. 37, 40. Cant. iv. 12. Eph. ii. 19. i. 12; and ii. 5, 6, 19. xiv. 26. 1 Tim. vi. 1.

[ocr errors]

1 Cor. xii. 6, 7, &c. Ezek. Romans xii. 4, 5, 6. Col. Acts iv. 34, 35; v. 4; and xx. 32. Luke Eph. iv. 16.

« AnteriorContinuar »