light A 3. Error there is in the state of the question that never a Protestant Divine Arminians and Socinians I disclame as no Protestants made either Sanctification a cause of Justification but an effect nor common Sanctification that goeth before Justification and union with Christ voide of all feeling of our need of Christ an evident signe of Justification If Master Cornewell dreame that we thus heighten preparations before conversion as he seemes in his Arguments against gratious conditions in the soule before faith he knowes not our mind and as other Antinomians doe refutes he knowes not what And 4. We had never a question with Antinomians touching the first assurance of justification such as is proper to the light of faith Hee might have spared all his Arguments to prove that we are first assured of our justification by faith not by good workes For wee grant the arguments of one sort of assurance which is proper to Faith and they prove nothing against another sort of assurance by signes and effects which is also Divine To Antinomians 1. to be justified by Faith 2. and to come to the sense and knowledge of justification which either was from eternitie as some say or when Christ dyed on the Crosse as others or when we first take life in the wombe as a third sort dreame And 3. to be assured of our justification are all one And so to be justified by faith should be to bee justified by workes which they in their conscience know we are as farre against as any men But they should remember that the peace and comfort that the Saints extract out of their holy walking is a farre other peace then that peace which is the naturall issue of justification of which Paul saith Rom. 5.1 Being therefore justified by faith we have peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with God through Jesus Christ our Lord and the peace that issueth from our holy walking or at least if they bee the same peace it comes not one and the same way For 1. Peace which is the fruit of justification is a peace in the court of God as the peace that a broken man hath in the court of justice when he knoweth his Surety hath payed the debts he dare looke Justice in the face without any warre having assurance that warre is removed and enmity with God cried downe and all sinnes are freely pardoned the peace that issues from our holy walking is in the court of conscience and sense of sincerity and straightnesse of walking and is grounded on holy walking as on a secondary helpe and if there were not some confidence that the sinfulnesse of these works are freely pardoned there should be little peace at all 2. The former peace is immediatly from pardon that is the true cause of peace the latter from signes which dwell as neighbours with pardon and is onely peace as it hath a necessary relation to pardon and is resolved in some promise of God and not as it is a worke of our owne as hungering for Christ as it s not the ground of pardon so it s not the ground of peace that issueth from pardon yet it is the ground of a comfortable word of promise Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for Righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied And the like I say of assurance comfort joy that result from holy walking and from justifying faith we never placed good works in so eminent a place as to ascribe these same effects to them and to faith in Christ. Then Master Cornewell loseth his labour to prove that God doth not first declare and pronounce us righteous upon sight and evidence of our sanctification which is a righteousnesse of our owne For to pronounce us righteous is to justifie us and doth Master Cornewell know any Protestant Divines who teach that God either first or last doth justifie us for our inherent Sanctification Then Mr. Cornwell does confound evidence and assurance of justification as if they were both one For many Saints have assurance of justification so far as they are assuredly justified doubt much of their estate through want of evidence as many beleeve and many times doubt whether they beleeve or no. Therefore the Argument to prove Abrahams assurance of justification Rom. 4. cannot conclude that Abraham had not divine evidence and assurance that hee was justified by his holy walking as by signes and fruits of faith The assurance of Christ's righteousnesse is a direct act of faith apprehending imputed righteousnesse the evidence of our justification we now speak of is the reflect light not by which wee are justified but by which we know that we are justified and the Argument that proves the one cannot prove the other Object 3. If the promise be made sure of God unto faith of grace then it is not first made sure of faith unto works But the promise is made sure of God to faith out of grace Rom. 4.5 to him that worketh not but beleeveth The opposition between grace and works Rom. 11.6 Rom. 4.4 is not onely between grace and the merits of works but between grace and the debt due to works Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt Rom. 4.4 Right of promise maketh a worke to be of debt not of grace Answ. The promise is made of righteousnesse and free justification by the grace of Christ by the promise that is by the promised seed Rom. 4. but these places speak not one word of the reflect evidence that a man hath in his owne soule by which hee knowes in himselfe hee is justified This Disputer knowes not what hee sayes hee proves we have no promise to be justified by works nor any assurance thereof from working that is not the question now but hee should prove that wee cannot know and make evident to our owne soules that wee are assuredly justified and that wee beleeve when we bring forth the fruits of faith There is one cause why there is life in this tree and another cause why all that passe by and the tree it selfe if wee suppose it to be capable of reason as man is doth know it hath life and sweet sap this latter is knowne to the tree and to others by bringing forth good fruit As if there may not be sundry causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the being of a thing and to know the being of a thing Bringing forth fruit is not the cause of the life of the tree good works are not the cause of our justification but we know well the tree hath life when wee see it brings forth fruit as wee know we are justified and in Christ when we walke after the Spirit and not after the flesh The whole Argument is of a direct assurance called certitudo entis or of the object The Question is touching reflect certainty how persons may be sure in their own conscience called certitudo
come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Ch. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Acts 13.39 And by him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which yee could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 16.30 The Jaylor saith to Paul and Silas what must I doe to be saved Vers. 31. And they said beleeve on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy houshold There is an expresse required of the Jaylor which he must performe if he would be saved And Rom. 10. looke as a condition is required in the Law Vers. 5. For Moses describeth the righteousnesse of the Law that the man that doth these things shall live by them So beleeving is required as a condition of the Gospel Vers. 6. But the righteousnesse which is of Faith c. Ver. 9. Saith that if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 3.27.28.29.30 ch 4. ch 5. Faith is the condition of the Covenant of Grace and the only condition of Justification and of the title right and claime that the Elect have thorow Christ to life eternall Holy walking as a witnesse of faith is the way to the possession of the kingdome As Rom. 2.6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds Vers. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternall life Vers. 8. To them that are contentious Vers. 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that doth evill of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Matth. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Ver. 33. For I was hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirstie and ye gave me drink c. And let Antinomians say we are freed from the Law as a rule of holy walking sure the Gospel and the Apostles command the very same duties in the letter of the Gospel that Moses commanded in the letter of the Law as that children obey their parents servants their masters that we abstaine from murther hatred of our brother stealing defrauding lying c. that we keepe our selves from Idols swearing strange gods I doe not say that these duties are commanded in the same way in the Gospel as in the Law For sure we are out of a principle of Evangelike love to render obedience and our obedience now is not Legall as commanded by Moses in strict termes of Law but as perfumed oyled honeyed with the Gospel-sense of remission of sinnes the tender love of God in Christ. So that wee justly challenge two extreme waies both blasphemous as we conceive 1. Arminians object to us that which the Antinomians truely teach to wit that we destroy all precepts commands exhortations and active obedience in the Gospel and render men under the Gospel meere blocks and stones which are immediately acted by the Spirit in all obedience and freed from the Letter of both Law and Gospel as from a Legall bondage This we utterly disclaime and doe obtest and beseech Antinomians as they love Christ and his truth to cleare themselves of this which to us is vilde Libertinisme And by this Arminians turne all the Gospel in literalem gratiam in a Law-Gospel in meere golden letters and sweet-honeyed commandements of Law-precepts and will have the Law possible justification by works conversion by the power of free will and morall suasion really without the mighty power of the Spirit and Gospel-grace and receive the doctrine of merit and set heaven and hell on new Polls to be rolled about as Globes on these two Poles the nilling and willing of free-will and they make grace to be sweet words of silke and gold on the other hand Antinomians doe exclude words letter-perswasions our actions conditions of Grace promises written or preached from the Gospel and make the Spirit and celestiall rapts immediate inspirations the Gospel it selfe and turne men regenerate into blocks and how M. Den can be both an Antinomian and loose us from the Law and an Arminian defending both universall attonement and the resistible working of grace and so subject us to the Law and to the doctrine of Merit and make us lords of our owne faith and conversion to God let him and his followers see to it Wee goe a middle way here and doe judge the Gospel to bee an Evangelike command and a promising and commanding Evangel and that the Holy Ghost graceth us to doe and the Letter of the Gospel obligeth us to doe Pos. 3. The decree of Election to glory may bee said to bee more free and gracious in one respect and justification and glorification and conversion more free in another respect and all the foure of meere free grace For Election as the cause and fountaine-grace is the great mother the wombe the infinite spring the bottomlesse ocean of all grace and wee say effects are more copiously and eminently in the cause then in themselves as water is more in the element and fountaine then in the streames the tree more in the life and sapp of life then in the branches and conversion and justification have more freedome and more of grace by way of extension because good will stayeth within the bowels and heart of God in free election but in conversion and justification infinite love comes out and here the Lord giveth us the great gift even himselfe Christ God the darling the delight the onely onely well-beloved of the Father and he giveth Faith to lay hold on Christ and the life of God and all the meanes of life in which there be many divided acts of grace to speake so which were all one in the wombe of the election of grace Pos. 4. Conversion justification are free for election and therefore election is more free but all these as they are in God are equally free and are one simple good will Though Christ justifie and crowne none but such as are quallified with the grace of beleeving yet beleeving is a condition that removeth nothing of the freedome of grace 1. Because it worketh nothing in the bowels of mercy and the free grace of God as a motive cause or moving condition that doth extract acts of grace out of God only we may conceive this order that Grace of electing to glory stirres another wheele to speak so of free love to give Faith effectuall calling justification and eternall glory 2. It s no hire nor work at all nor doth it justifie as a worke but onely lay hold on the Lord our righteousnesse Object There is more of God in election to glory then in giving of Faith or at least of Christs righteousnesse and eternall glory therfore there must bee more grace in the one then in
Spirit is not so grosse and carnall as the Divinity of former times it being hard to trace and find the impressions of the Spirit therefore we are not to take experience so low and carnally by the feelings of flesh and blood and signs not infallible as to write of Regeneration as Philosophers do of morall vertues Answ. 1. Regeneration is above nature every way but in this its most sutable to nature That as a man come to age doth not at all times even when he is sick in a swon in a deep sleep know that he liveth yet ordinarily life hath reflect acts on it self so as a living man may know that he lives by many signes of life so a regenerate man except hee be deserted may know that he lives the life of God 2 If Antinomians find out new Divinity lesse cernall more spirituall then in former times how is it that Christians are to live from under all rule of life and not to pray forgive us our sinnes when they pray for daily bread and that none justified are to confesse their sins and to sorrow for them that new obedience mortification repentance is to believe that Christ has done these for us that we are not to pray continually but only when the Spirit stirreth us an hundreth of these false wayes may be shown is this more spirituall Divinity then in former ages is it not the most carnall divinity that we read of for when D. Taylor objecteth to Antinomians as a limbe of their fleshly divinity No action of the Believer after justification is sinne Mr Town answereth nothing at all but of the way no action is sin the disorder and ataxie of the action is the sin But D. Taylor meaned that there is no disorder in the actions of a justified man by their way to this Mr Town replyeth not one word but saith unto faith there is no sin because there is not one spot in a justified person and he citeth Rev. 1.5 Eph. 5.26 Cant. 4.7 and 6.9 1 Cor. 6.11 because Christ hath washed Rev. 1.5 purged Heb. 1.3 abolished Heb. â— 26 all our sinnes and hath made us holy and unblamable and unrebukable in the sight of God we are like Christ voyd of sin which is not the removall of sinne but of the guilt that is of the obligation to eternall wrath and the curse of the Law for if we say we even though justified as Iohn the Apostle was have no sin we are lyars can this be any but a divinity of the flesh that Antinomians teach 3. Sanctification is a farre other thing then morall vertues 1. A moralist that is â—emperate chast is never so over-clouded in his faith as to doubt whither he be a temperate man or not a sanctified soule will often doubt if â—e have any sanctification at all 2. A sanctified man must â—â—ve the use of the light of the Spirit to know his â—tare and these things that are freely given him of God 1 Cor. 2.12 A Moâ—â—liâ—â— knoweth with the light of his own sparks what he is does Saltmarsh know of any desertions or overcloudings of the Spirit in a morall Seneca Aristides Plato 3. The Moralist dreames of justification by his vertues 4 He needs only naturall reason not the breathings and stirring of the Spirit to act according to his morall habits 5. Nor are his habits infused from heaven but his own conquest 6. Nor knowes he an absence or a presence of the Spirit all which are peculiar to sanctified and justâ—fied persons We are not compleatly saith Saltmarsh or perfectly mortified to sin by our being planted into Christ and the fellowship of his death Answ. But if mortification bee the faith and apprehension that Christ mortified sinne for us then as we are perfectly justified so are wee perfectly mortified now Antinomians teach the former Let not saith he mortification of sin in Christ tempt any to a neglect of mortification of sinne in the body no more then the free-grace of God in forgivenesse of sinne ought to tempt any to take liberty to sinne Answ. 1. Surely as to adde an thing to justification so to advance in mortification must be as wicked and blasphemous according to the way of Antinomians for if mortification be the believing that Christ has slaine the body of sin as Mr Den saith and Saltmarsh seconds him as a brother â—hen our neglecting of mortification is no sinne for we are to believe that Christ has removed all neglects of mortification if mortification bee faith and beliefe that Christ mortified sinne for us 2. I cannot neglect justification or apprehension that Christ mortified sinne for me any otherwise but by a remisse act of believing or neglect of a higher measure and a more intense and strong act of faith and not by an abstinence from fleshly lusts such an abstinence is no faith or apprehension that Christ has slaine and mortâ—fied the body of sinne for me for non-sinning cannot formally bee believing that were non-sense 3. If the meaning be that we are not to abstaine from fleshly lusts that is from sinnes that the flesh or the body of sinne acteth in us this is neither mortification nor any part thereof to Antinomians But I desiâ—e and provoke Antinomians to satisfie us in these if Salmarsh one of their Patrons can 1. Whither or no sins of the body or in the body as Saltmarsh calleth them here or sins of conversation as Mr Den saith or sinnes as Mr Town speaketh arising out of these earthly members of our flesh he sinnes agaiâ—st the Law of God if so they involve tâ—e justified under a curse and so tâ—ey aâ—e sins formally and the justified either cannot sin aâ— all which I feare is the fleshly way of Libertines a way that my soul abhorreâ— if I be not deceived or then the sinnes the adultery oâ— a justâ—fied man the mâ—rther the denyall of Christ in Peter is no lesse a breach of the Law of God then the denyall of Christ in Iudas it may be the one with a greater bensill of will denyes Christ then the oâ—her sed magis minus non variant speciim and so the jusâ—ified doe as truly and essentially sin against the Law as the unregenerate doth then they are not as clean from sin as Christ the surety is 2. If murthers adulteries committed by the justified bee sinnes of their flesh and body that is such sinnes as they are not by any Prophet or Nathan to be rebuked for because the Spirit that is not in their power in his actions and motions did assist not them to abstaine and they are under no other Law but the only irresistible action of the Spirit to hinder them physically in all sinnes to abstain from any sin this must be Antinomians spirituall divinity to make no Rule no Law of ordering the life and conversation of an justified man but only the motions of a Spirit separated from the world 3. Whither or not when Paul
and know what of the night and observe a soule-communion with God which the Spirit of the world cannot doe 4. No thing doth more allowd cry the softnesse and baseness of our nature then our impatiencie under sad dispensations when we are positively resolved upon this that God loveth us yet because of a cloud over our Sunne and one scruple of Gall in our joy to lodge a new opinion that Christ is changed in another God and that his love doth plot and contrive our destruction argueth a weake and soone shaken Faith It speaketh lightnesse of love to Christ that it 's loosed at the root with the scratch of a pinne hee hides himselfe and you say oh it 's not Christ but some other like him for Christ would not so goe and come Well rooted friendship can scarse suffer you to beleeve so much of a brother or a companion But when ye thus mis-judge Christ wee may gather if he should appeare in the garments of vengeance as he doth to the damned it 's to be feared this would drinke up our faith and love if Christ were not more gracious then we are constant Lord leade us not into temptation 5. I deny not but seeming wrath and Christ's intercepting of messengers of love and flamings of hell's fury on the soule are prodigious-like Comets glimmering over a trembling conscience and that its much to keep orthodox sound and precious thoughts of Christ when the Christian is not himselfe yet when the child myleth about in a round to say the earth runneth about in a circle or to think the shore or the rock saileth from the ship that carrieth you when the ship moveth and the shore standeth still are but signes of a weak-headed and green Sailer So because you are deeply affected with a sad absence to beleeve Christ's love runneth a circle and that you stand still as a rock and the change is in Christ argueth a green raw wit and instability of faith and that the sâ—a-sands can no more easily drink-up a gallon of water then that temptation would swallow-up the poore mans faith thus fainting if the invisible strength of the Advocate who intercedeth for the Saints did not uphold him Now is my soule troubled 2. The second circumstance in the Text is the time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now is my soule troubled There is an Emphasis in this Now Christ had a troubled soule before and was sensible of afflictions but now hee saw more in this crosse then in all afflictions hee saw the curse of the Law and the wrath of God stamped on this crosse Christ had never any Now or juncture of time before or after comparable to this Now. Observe that Christ and his followers must look for growing and swelling crosses Mat. 26.37 Jesus began to be sorrowfull and very heavie He had all his life Isai. 53. sorrow vers 3. hee was a man of sorrowes as if every piece of Christ had been sorrow and had acquaintance with griefe Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was knowne and noted to all marked out to all by his griefes but now hee wadeth deeper in troubles Let all Christ's followers look for a growing crosse and a sadder and sadder Now. Psal. 3. â— Lord how are they increased that trouble me Psal. 25.17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged Hebr. become most broad Psal. 42.7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noyse of thy water-spouts all thy waves and thy flouds are gone over me One crosse calleth to another God raineth them downe as one wave of the sea calleth another So Job's afflictions came on him in a growing way David Psal. 69.2 I sink in the deep mire where there is no standing I wade on deeper and deeper till I lose ground and bottome I am come into the deep waters where the flouds over-flow me 2. Christ's sufferings are called a Cup it behoved to be filled to the brim and Christ weigheth out in ounces and drams so much gall in the Cup and yet some more and because that worketh not the cure yet an ounce more 3. Christ can appoint clothes for us as wee have cold and a burden answerable to the bones and strength of the back It s a doubt if David's faith would reach so farre as that hee should beare it well that another should sacrifice a wicked sonne Absalom to God's justice O how did David mourne that hee was killed Yet the Lord measured out to Abraham a Cup of deeper gall to kill with his owne hand his one sonne a beleeving sonne an heire of the promise 4. What if twelve yeares bloudy issue be little enough for to work a woman to a necessity of seeking to Christ yet another must be eighteen years and a sick-man thirty and eight years Our Physician knoweth us well Let us study for a growing faith to growing crosses and if a crosse as broad and large as all Britaine and a sword as publike as three Kingdoms yea as all the bounds of Christendome come so that there be no peace to him that goeth out or cometh in we are to be armed for it Nor 2. is it enough after pestilence the sword to sit down and say Now I le die in my nest and multiply my dayes as the sand Stay in heaven onely there be neither widdowes nor killed husbands nor beggars nor plundered houses understand the sense of providence right wee have not yet resisted unto bloud wee have yet seas and flouds of bloud to swimme through ere wee come to shore A private crosse is too narrow a plaister to our sore and therefore a publike one as broad as all Scotland as all your Mother-Countrey and Church is little enough It must be yet broader and wee must yet lose more bloud What shall I say 3. The third circumstance in Christ's soule-trouble is his anxiety of mind What shall I say it is as much as What shall I doe But what meaneth this anxiety of Christ It s like a doubting of the event but there is neither doubting nor despairing in it There is feare exceeding great heavinesse and sorrow in it and as an anxious man through extremity of suffering is put to his wits end as destitute of counsell to say I know neither what to doe nor say so Christ had a sinlesse anxiety Learned Divines acknowledge there was an innocent and sinlesse oblivion in the sensitive memory in regard it was intent onely upon the extreme agonie and not oblieged in all differences of time to remember every duty And affirmative precepts obliege not in all and every juncture of time 2. Nor is faith actuâ—lly alwayes without exception to beleeve It s possible that faith in the act and extreme feare in the same act be physically inconsistent 3. Neither were Christ's sensitive affections in their physicall and naturall operations so restrained and awed by a divine Law as that they may not put forth themselves to the utmost and highest degree of
shall be saved Knocke and it shall be opened Hee that overcometh shall inherite all things actu secundo to a beleever who under a distemper doth doubt of them infallible So The love of the brethren 1 Joh. 3.14 The keeping of the Commandements and the word of Jesus is infallible in it selfe That I know Christ savingly and that hee dwelleth in me 1 Joh. 2. vers 3.5 but that it infallibly concludeth so to me actu secundo is not sure except the wind blow faire from heaven and the Spirit act in me So the love-tokens and testimoniall rings and bracelets of the Husband my love to the Saints my keeping of his word my holy walking in Christ being the works of his Spirit which dwelt in Jesus Christ are actu primo in themselves as infallible signes of the Bridegromes love to me as the Beloved's word who spake and said Arise my love And if the spirations and breathings of the Spirit goe not along both the voice and the love-bracelets for Christ is no more counterfeit in his love-tokens then in his word when hee speaks as a Husband are alike ineffectuall to perswade the soule I see no reason to call the workes of Sanctification inferiour helps in the Manifestation more then the voice of the Beloved for both without the Spirit are equally ineffectuall and if the Spirit breathe and move with them both are effectuall actu primo secundo and they infallibly perswade It is then a weake Argument None can simply perswade Japhet but God ergo The word of the Bridegrome onely can infallibly perswade or therefore love-bracelets cannot infallibly perswade for the word not quickned by the Spirit of Jesus cannot simply perswade and the Lords perswading of Japhet is the Lords work of converting Japhet not his enlightening of Japhet to know his faith to be true faith Hence for that which infallibly perswadeth us I say 1. Our act of beleeving doth no more perswade of it selfe that wee doe beleeve except the Spirit breathe with the act of beleeving for actuall illumination and perswasion then any other act of loving Christ his Saints or universall intention or sincerity of heart to obey doth prove to us that wee beleeve for many beleeve who know not yea doubt of their beleeving because the Holy Ghost maketh not the light of faith effectuall to perswade that they truly beleeve 2. Asser. The testimony of the Holy Spirit is the efficacious and actuall illumination and irradiation of the Sunne of righteousnesse and his Spirit assuring us that wee are the sonnes of God This light cometh from inherent acts of grace in us 1 Joh. 2.3 4 â— chap. 3.14 2 From the testimony and rejoycing which resulteth from a good conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8. 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Heb. 13.18 3. From the experience they have had of the Lords dealing with their soules and the love of God spread abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.3 4 5. 4 From a sincere aime and respect to all the Commandements of God Psal. 119.6 Acts 24.16 1 Joh. 3.20 21. 1 Thess. 5.23 Phil. 4.12 Revel 22.14 15. 5. From the positive marks that Christ putteth on his Children as markes of true blessednesse Math. 5.3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Psal. 119.1 2. Psal. 32.1 2. 6. From the judgement that the Saints maketh of themselves and their owne begunne communion with God Psal. 73.25 Psal. 18.20 1 22. Psal. 26.3 4.8 Psal. 40.9 10.7.8 Job 31. Job 29. Esayâ—8 â—8 3 Psal. 42.1 2. Psal. 6â— 1 2 3 4 8. Psal. 84.2 3 4 5. Psal. 119. â—0 31 40.46.50.57.60 62 63.81.82.97.98 99.101 103 111 112.125.127.128.136.139 145.148.162.164 Cant. 1.5 chap. 2.4.5.6.16 chap. 3.1 2 3 4 5. chap. 5.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. All which were needlesse floorishes if they had neither peace consolation nor assurance from these as from marks and signes which do infallibly convince the light breathings and irradiations of the Holy Ghost concurring with them that they are in a saving condition who have these qualifications in them 7. Because by holy walking the Saints make their calling and election sure and firme not to God but to themselves 2 Pet. 1.10 11 12. vers 5.6 7. Asser. 3. As there is in the eye lumen innatum in the eare aer internus a certaine inbred light to make the eye see lights and colours without and a sound and aire in the eare within to make it discerne the sounds that are without So is there a grace a new nature an habituall instinct of heaven to discerne the Lords Spirit immediatly testifying that we are the Sonnes of God Rom. 8.16 1 Cor. 1.12 Grace within knoweth Christ speaking without the voice of my beloved As the Lambe knoweth by an internall instinct the mother but for wakening and quickening of the instinct to apprehend this there is neede of opened eyes and the presence of the mother to the eye or of the bleating of the mother to a waking eare for instincts cannot worke in the sleepe if the Spirit speake and the voice behind be heard the soule knoweth what sound it heareth but not otherwaies it is but curiositie so to compare the evidence by signes and markes of Sanctification with that evidence that commeth from the Spirits immediate voice or testimonie so as the former should be lesse sure fallible conjecturall and the latter infallible sure and efficaciously convincing For the evidences are both supernaturall certaine divine and strongly convincing if there bee any deception in either it is because of the dulnesse of our apprehension or our imagination which fancieth we see what we see not or from our unbelief who will not be convinced For the Holy Ghost speaketh the same thing by his operations of grace in holy walking that he speaketh by either the Word preached or by the Word and immediat voice of the Spirit witnessing to our Spirit and there is the same authority revealing to us a thing hid and the same thing revealed it maybe there be a variation of the degrees of light and divine irradiation Or the one may cary in to the soule a more deepe impression of God then the other and the radiation of light in the subject may be more strong in the one then in the other but of themselves they are both infallible supernaturall and convincing It is doubted which of these evidences bee more free and partake more of the nature of Grace Antinomians conceive that an evidence by marks in our self is more selfie lesse free and neerer to a seeking of assurance in our selfe then that evidence which resulteth from the immediate testimony of the Spirit But the ground they build on is false and the superstructure is lesse sure If it were a matter of giving and receiving or of wages and worke it were something but it s a matter of meere knowledge God reveiling our condition to us one way not another Possibly the more
externall the more immediate and farre a thing be from a condition even of Grace the more free as the election to Glory the paying of the ransome of Christs bloud or the act of attonement are most free for they require not so much as the condition of faith wrought by the free Grace of God but Justification say our Divines requireth faith as a condition And heere God may keep his hands free of any knot or obligation of a condition and it would seeme that the immediate testimony of the Spirit is more free then evidence from inherent marks the wind seemeth to be freer in its motion which hath not a restriction to fixed causes rather at this houre then at that the Sea againe in its ebbing and flowing and the Sunne in its rising and going downe are more fettered to set times and condition of naturall causes yet all these detract nothing from the freedome of God the creator in his concurring with these causes nor doe conditions that are wrought in us irresistably by the grace of God lay any tye on that independent soveraigne and high freedome of Grace which doth no lesse justifie and save us freely then chuse us to glory and redeeme us with the same freedome without pâ—ice and hire onely I will mind Libertines who deny that Justification the covenant of grace and salvation have any the most gracious conditions in us for that should obscure the freedom of Grace they say all within the visible Church without a-any preparations are immediatly to beleeve salvation and remission of sinnes to themselves in particular But I hope Faith is a worke of free Grace and must presuppose conversion and a new heart as an essentiall condition else with Pelagians they must say that out of the principles of nature all are to beleeve and this obscureth farre more the freedome of the grace of God working Faith in us then all the conditions of Grace which we hold to be subservient not contrary to the freedome of grace Object 5. We ought to beleeve till we be perswaded that we beleeve Ephes. 1.13 In whom after yee beleeved yee were sealed The way to be warme is not onely to aske for a fire or whether there be a fire or no or to hold out the hands a little toward it and away and wish for a greater but to stand close to that fire and gather heat Answ. 1. That beleeving bringeth perswasion I doubt not but not such a sealing with the broad and great seale of heaven as excludeth all doubting as Antinomians teach nor doth the place proove it For these who can flee with such strong wings and are above all doubting 1. need not Christs intercession that their faith faile not they are above and beyond the Sphere of all obligation to Grace nor 2. need they pray Leade us not into temptation Nor 3. need they beare in meekenesse the overtaken weake ones who trip and stumble unawares considering lest they also be tempted Gal. 6.1 4. The faith of the strongest is not full Moone or uncapable of growing Phil. 3.12 5. There is neede of praising of Grace for the prevailing victory of a faith beyond doubting 6. Nor neede such pray Christ to encrease their faith Judge then of Libertines who talke of a broad seale of perfect assurance and say There is no assurance true and right unlesse it be without feare and doubting 2. The way to be warme at a painted fire such as is the immediate revealing of Christ to an unconverted sinner never humbled nor despairing of himselfe which is the Libertines dead faith is not the way to be warmed nor are we to beleeve in Christ but in Christs owne way and order and its safe to call in question whether such a painted fire be fire nor are wee to goe on in this beleeving till wee be perswaded that we beleeve truely this is no Gospel-secret If Libertines say its unpossible to beleeve but we must despaire in our selves I answer So I beleeve but then must it follow that Libertines deceive and are deceived when they teach that sinners as sinners are to beleeve because sinners despairing of salvation in themselves must be fewer in number then sinners as sinners for sinners as sinners comprehendeth Pharisees and all secure and malitious slaves of hell but selfe-despairing sinners include not any such farre lesse include they all sinners they be onely such sinners as are halfe sicke looking a farre off with halfe an eye to Jesus Christ not daring fully to make out to Jesus Christ proud Pharisees despaire not of salvation in themselves for then they should not be proud Pharisees in so farre but Libertines teach us that Pharisees remaining Pharisees without any preparations going before are immediatly to beleeve in Christ if they say Selfe-despaire is an essentiall part of Faith not a preparation going before faith they erre Judas Cain despaire of salvation both in themselves and in Christ yet have they not any essentiall part of saving faith nor can any essentiall part of saving faith bee in such nor can any come to Christ and beleeve in him whil first they know sin by the law and their mouth be stopp'd that the law cannot justifie nor save them Rom. .19 20 21. Anâ— Mâ— Eaton and the Antinomians that are not meere Familists and Enthysiasts rejecting all written Scripture doe also grant this then it must be unpossible that any can beleeve but some preparation fore-going there must be and because all sinners as sinners have not such preparation all sinners as sinners are not at the first clap to beleeve in the soule Physitian Christ but onely such as in Christs order are plowed ere Christ sow on them and selfe-condemned ere they beleeve in Christ. Object 6. Wee are no more to question our faith then wee ought to question Christ the foundation of our faith for salvation to the soule in particular is destroyed by unbeliefe they entered not in because of unbeleefe The word profitted not being not mixed with faith Answ. 1. Wee cannot question Christ more then wee can question whether God be God but wee may examine Paul's Doctrine as the Beroans did wee may try our owne faith if it can hold water If some would wash their false coyne and bring it to the touch-stone the false mettall would be seen 2. The unbeleefe in weake ones doubting of their faith is not that which destroyes salvation and excludeth men out of the holy Land they are cruell to weak reeds who exclude them out of heaven because in their mis-judging distempers they exclude themselves were Christ as cruell to a faint beleever who is sick of mis-givings as hee is to himselfe who could be saved But a beleever may appeale from himselfe ill-informed and doubting groundlesly to meek Jesus well-informed and judging aright a weak reed to be a reed a sick beleever and a swouning faith to be a beleever and a faith that will beare a
soule to heaven A weak hackney if spritie may accomplish a great journey Object 7. Satan puts us cleane back here wee are proving oâ—â— faith by our works when as no works can be proved solidly good but by our faith for without faith its unpossible to please God Wee know that every piece of money is valued according to the image and superscription if Cesar be not there though it be silver yet it is not coyne it is not so currant So there is not any thing of Sanctification currant and of true practicall use and comfort to a beleever if Christ be not there Crispe saith Sanctification and good works are litigious grounds of our faith This bordereth with the language of Libertines It is a fundamentall and soule-damning errour to make sanctification an evidence of justification And Christ's worke of grace can no more distinguish betweene an hypocrite and a Saint then the raine that falls from heaven between the just and the unjust And The Spirit gives such full evidence of my good estate spiritually that I have no need to be tryed by the fruits of sanctification this were to light a candle to the sunne Answ. 1. That which the Spirit of God calleth saving knowledge 1 Joh. 3.14 Hereby know we c. 1 Joh. 2.3 4 5. that doth Libertines affirme to be a policy of Satan leading us back againe and a soule-condemning errour 2 1 Joh. 3.10 In this are the children of God manifest and the children of the Devill whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither hee that loveth not his brother This is some other difference then the raine can make between the just and the unjust And 1 Joh. 5.8 And there are three that bear witnesse on earth the Spirit and the water and the bloud and these three agree in one And that wee may know that the Spirit is in us is evident 1 Joh. 4.12 13. No man hath seen God at any time If wee love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us Hâ—reby wee know that wee dwell in him and hee in us because hee hath given us of his Spirit Now 1 Joh. 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe even as hee is pure And Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus which walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Hence wee argue Whoever walketh after the Spirit must know his Guide that leads the sonnes of God Rom. 8.14 and whoever purgeth himselfe and loveth his brother and perfecteth holinesse in the feare of God he must know that hee so doth but hee that doth walk so knoweth that he is in Christ freed from condemnation and that God dwelleth in him for it is expresse Scripture Hee that is holy may know hee is chosen to be holy Ephes. 1.4 Now Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 Hee that is conformed to the image of his Son and called may know that hee is predestinated thereunto Rom. 8.29 30. and shall be glorified Now Crispe laboureth to prove that these which commonly goe for marks and infallible signes of our justification and interest in Christ which are universall obedience sincerity love to the brethren are either found in no man in their perfection or they be such marks as agree to good and bad to hypocrites and Saints and so are not infallible marks just as the falling of raine and the shining of the sunne doth not difference between just and unjust men because both have a like portion and share in sunne and raine Now for the former reason Faith and the light of it is unperfect capable of accession and so tainted with sinne and if this be a strong reason it cannot give assurance which Libertines doe not all hold The other is the saying of Papists teaching us to doubt of our salvation because there be such shifts wiles circuits and lurking places in a mans heart that hee can give no infallible judgement with any divine certainty of himselfe or his owne spirituall state But is there not so much darknesse so much night and blindnesse in our mind as in admitting of the light of immediate witnessing of the Spirit which they call the Broad-seale of heaven wee may no lesse be deceived then wee are in the light that resulteth from our signes of sanctification There is a like darknesse and no lesse delusions from the white Spirits the day-light-ghosts and Angels of Enthusiasts and dumbe and Scripture-lesse inspirations then in black Spirits But sure wee walke not in the wayes of sanctification sleeping nor doth the Spirit perfect holinesse in the Saints as in a night-dreame wee being led with fancie as frantick men are Shall the Saints when they attest the Lord of their sincere desire and unfained intentions though mixed with great weaknesse bring before God their integrity and their rejoycing of a good conscience as Paul the Apostles Peter John James Lord thou knowest that I love thee David who desired God might try him Job Ezekiah Jeremiah Daniel c. hold forth to God their conjectures fancies and such moth-eaten and rotten signes of their justification as Crispe and others say may be and were in Pharisees in Papists Hypocrites and bloudy Oppressours carnall Jewes following the righteousnesse of the Law Publicans Heathen Harlots all the wicked Sects for Crispe saith All these have your marks of sanctification such as are universall obedience sincerity zeale for God love to the brethren Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Luk. 1.6 was this such a righteousnesse attested by the Holy Ghost as is in Paul a persecuter in Heathens in Pharisees in carnall Jewes I grant it was not that righteousnesse of God through faith Phil. 3. yet it was a fruit and infallible signe of that righteousnesse and such as did prove them to be in Christ. And 2. all our acts of sanctification are no acts no infallible marks of justification to my soule except they be done in faith yea without faith they are sinne Rom. 14.23 but when I find they are done in faith they adde a further degree of evidence and certitude that they argue me to have saving faith and interest in Christ as in the Lord my righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 for that is his name And this reason doth conclude its unlawfull to seek any ground of assurance in sanctification except wee would with Papists argue in a circle thus How know you that your works are signes of justification Because they are stamped with faith And how know you that your justification and faith are not counterfeit By your works But this is not
breath Natures weake leggs in walking up the Mount are good for the adding wind and tyde and high sailes to the praysing of Christ and free Grace Vtile est peccavisse nocâ—t pâ—ccare It is profitable that we have sinned that Grace may be extolled it is ill to sinne Even to the nature of man its good that hee hath dyed and hath beene in the grave yet it s not good but contrary to nature to die and to ly in the grave 6. It s our forgetfulnesse that wee see not the dearest to Christ hath beene kept lowest and most empty in their owne eyes hidden grace extolleth Christ. 2. That often the Saints are kept in a condition of sayling with as much wind as blows with praying and beleeving 3. That yet prayer and the sweating of Faith cannot earne nor promerit the renewed sense of Christ so as Christ returneth to eate his honey-combe and his wine and milke and banquet with the soule rather at the presence of these acts then for them as some have said thouâ—h with no strength of reason that fire burneth not the Sunne enlighteneth not the â—arth doth not send forth floures and herbes but God at the naked presence of these causes doth produce all effects yet in this case it hath a truth that the sweating of all supernaturall industry cannot redeeme the least halfe glimpse of Gods presence in the sense of eternall love when God is pleased for trialâ— to hide himselfe 7 Our great fault heere is merit that we tye the flowings and inundations of Christs love to the becke of our desires whereas we may know 1. That the Sunne doth not shine nor the raine water the earth in order to merit 2. Wee should know that grace and all the acts of grace are almes not debt and that a rich Saviour giveth grace to us as beggars and payeth it not to hirelings as the due or as wages wee can crave for our worke but wee love peny-worth's better then free-gifts But for this cause came I to this houre Christs worke of redemption was a most rationall worke and was full of causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this saith that to redeeme losed sinners was not a rash and reasonlesse worke 1. There was no cause compelling Love cannot be forced John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Grace worketh more from an intrinsecall cause and more spontaneously then nature For Nature often is provoked by contraries for selfe-defence to worke as fire worketh on water as on a contrary the wolfe and the dogge pursue one another as enemies But Grace because grace hath abundance of causality and power in it selfe but hath no cause without it 2. Any necessitie of working from Goodnesse in the Agent as from such a principle is strong 1 Tim. 1.15 It s a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be received that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners If the thing be worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all receipt and embracing then it must bee good an Agent working from a Principle of goodnesse doth in his kind worke necessarily though he may also worke from another principle freely John 10.11 I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheepe Luke 19.10 For the Sonne of man is come to seeke and to save that which is lost 3. God will seeke reasons or occasions without himselfe to be gracious to sinners When no reason or cause moveth a Physitian to cure but onely sicknesse and extreame misery wee know grace and compassion is the onely cause Ezech. 36.23 I will sanctifie my great name Why Which was prophaned among the heathen and which ye have prophaned in the midst of them then the true cause must bee expressed Vers. 22. Thus saith the Lord God I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy Names sake 4. The Lord taketh a cause from the end of his comming Math. 20.28 The Sonne of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransome for many Joh. 18.37 To this end was I borne and for this cause came into the world that I should beare witnesse to the truth Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and have it in aboundance 5. Some thing yea very much of God is in the creation much of God in his common providence but most of all yea whole God in the redemption of man God manifested in the flesh is the matter and subject of it Grace the moving cause most of all his attributes working for the manifestation of the Glory of pardoning mercy revenging justice exact faithfulnesse and truth freest grace omnipotency over hell devils sinne the World patience longanimity to man cooperate as the formall and finall causes it is a peece so rationall and full of causes that as he is happy Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas who can know the causes of things so Angels delight to be Schollers to read and study this mysterious art of free Grace Eph. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 Works without reasons and causes are foolish The cause why we doe not submit to God is because we lye under blind and fatherlesse crosses its true Affliction springs not out of the dust and crosses considered without God are twise crosses Three materiall circumstances in crosses are very considerable Quis quare quomodo 1. Who for what cause and how doth God afflict us Who afflicts is worthy to be known Esai 42.24 Who gave Jaakob for a spoile and Israel to the robbers The highest cause of causes did it Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth good to him 2. For what end God the Lord did this is a circumstance of comfort Why led the Lord Israel through a great and terrible wildernesse wherein were fiery Scorpions and Serpents and drought Deut. 8.16 That he might prove thee to doe thee good at thy latter end 3. And how the Lord correcteth is worthy to be known He correcteth Jaakob in measure Jer. 6.28 Mercy wrapped about the rod and a cup of gall and wormewood honeyed and oyled with free love and a piece of Christs heart and his stirred bowels mixed in with the cup is a mercifull little hell Psal. 6.1 Jer. 31.18 19 20. The Law saith A Bastard hath no father because his father is not knowne The Philistimes are plagued with Emerods but whether that ill was from the Lord or from Chance they know not The crosse to many is a bastard We suffer from Prelats because wee suffered Prelats to persecute the Saints Papists shed our bloud why Our fore-fathers burnt the witnesses of Christ and we never repented Christ and Anti-christ are at bloudy blowes in the camp Anti-christ hath killed many thousands in the three kingdomes for Religion that is the quarrell and
the other The Antecedent is thus proved because God simply and absolutly may chuse to glory Moses Peter or not chuse them to glory and here is liberty of contradiction and freedome in the highest degree but having once chosen Moses and Peter to glory if they beleeve the Lord cannot but justifie them and crown them with glory because his promise and decree doth remove this liberty of contradiction so as God cannot choose but justifie and glorifie these that beleeve both in regard of his immutable nature who cannot repeale what he hath once decreed and of his fidelity in that he cannot but stand to his owne word and promise in justifying and saving the ungodly that beleeve Againe in election to glory there is nothing of men but all is pure free grace no condition no merit no faith no workes required in the party chosen to glory but in the justified there is more of man ere hee can be justified and saved he must heare consider be humbled know the need hee hath of a Saviour and beleeve and without these he cannot be justified Answ. 1. I deny that Libertie of contradiction belongeth to the essence and nature of libertie It s enough to make libertie that 1. It proceeds not from a principle determined by nature to one kind of action so the Sunne is not free to give light 2. That the principle be free of all forraigne force the malefactor goeth not freely to the place of execution when hailed to it 3. That it proceed from deliberation reason election and wisdome seeing no essentiall connexion or necessary or naturall relation between the action and the end thereof of themselves but such as may bee dispensed with if these three be though there be a necessity in some respect from a free decree and a free promise though there bee not liberty of contradiction simply to doe or not to doe yet is not any degree of the essence of libertie removed I well remember Dr. Jackson denying all decrees in God that setteth the Almighty to one side of the contradiction resembleth God to the Pope whose wisdome he commendeth in that the Popes decrees grants lawes promises are fast and loose and all made with a reserve of after-wit so as if the morrowes illumination be better then the dayes whiles his life breatheth in and out he may change and retract his will so saith he Papa nunquam sibi ligat manus the Pope tyes all the world to himselfe by oathes lawes promises but that lawlesse beast is tyed to none Now the Scripture teacheth us that the decrees and counsels of God are surer then mountaines of brasse and unchangeable and that his promise cannot faile But who dare say when he executes his decrees and fulfilleth his promise that he forfeiteth or loseth one inch degree or part of his essentiall libertie God should then bee lesse free to create the world then if we suppose he had never decreed to create it and yet doth create it as if the Lords free decree lavished away and should drinke up and waste any part of his naturall freedome in his actions or as if his faithfulnesse to make good what he promised should render him lame and dismember him of the fulnesse and freedome of his grace and so the more faithfull and true the lesse gracious and the more unchangeable in his counsels the more fettered and chained and the lesse free in all these actions that he doth according to the counsell of his will A grosse mis-conception and I deny that God is lesse free in the justifying and crowning the beleever then in electing and chusing him both to glory and to faith It may bee mens decrees and promises that are rash and may be at the second or third edition like their books corrected by a new-borne wit or because they ayme at under-board-dealing diminsh of their liberty but it s not so in the Almighty When the Lord by a promise to men maketh himselfe debter to his creature and that of free-grace with one and the same infinite freedome of grace hee contracteth the debt and payeth the summe for so the freedome of infinite grace should ebbe and slow as the Seas and ascend and descend as the Sunne which I cannot conceive the effects of free grace I grant being created and finite things in men are more or lesse according to the free dispensation of God Answ. 2. It s no marvell that there bee more of men in justification and glorification that are transient acts passing out of the creature then in election to glory that is an immanent and eternall act and so I grant Justification to be more conditionate then Election but if more gracious that is the question for the condition of Grace is a thing of free grace indeed we argue against the Arminian election that hangeth upon a condition of Free-wils carving such as their faith is and their perseverance and from thence we conclude from such a condition their election to glory cannot bee of free grace but in him that willeth and runneth because mans will determining Gods will to chuse this man to glory not this man is a running will and a mad and a proud will that will sit above Grace Pos. 4. Though it be true that Grace is essentially in God and in us by participation yet is it false that grace is not properly in us but that Faith Hope Repentance and the like that are in us are gifts not graces For grace in us may be called a gift in that it is freely given us as a fruit of the grace and favour of election and free redemption which indeed is the onely saving fountaine-grace of God but if grace be taken for a saving qualification and a supernaturall act worke or qualitie given freely of the Father through Christ upon Gods gracious intention to cause us freely beleeve repent love Christ rejoyce in the hope of glory worke out our salvation in feare and trembling so Grace is not onely in Christ but in us properly though Antinomians hold all saving grace to bee properly in Christ and that there is nothing inherent in a beleever that differenceth him from hypocrites all the difference must be in Christ say they 1. The word saith there was another Spirit in Caleb and Joshua then was in the rest of the Spies Ergo there was some distinguishing saving grace in them 2 Joh. 1.16 And of his fulnesse we have all received and grace for grace When he ascended to heaven he sent down the holy Ghost Joh. 14.17 Hee dwelleth in you and shall abide in you Joh. 16.13 He will guid you in all truth he will shew you things to come So there is a Spirit of grace powred on the Family of David Zach. 12.10 On the thirstie ground Esai 44.3 A new heart put in the midst of the covenanted people Ezech. 36.26 Feare of God put in their hearts Jer. 32.40 Jer. 31.33 1 Joh. 3.9 3. There is Grace in
say they Answer Posit 1. Drawing is relative to running and walking Cant. 1.4 Now this is rather in acts of Sanctification and in running in the wayes of Gods commandements Psal. 119.32 then in Justification though coming goe for an act of beleeving and approaching to Christ Joh. 6.44 and so excludes not faith Pos. 2. It is most unsound to affirme that Justification and Regeneration are all one for this must confound all acts flowing from Justification with those that flow from Regeneration or the infused habit of Sanctification 1. Justification is an indivisible act the person is but once for all justified by grace But Sanctification is a continued daily act 2. Justification doth not grow the sinner is either freed from the guilt of sin and justified or not freed there is not a third But in Sanctification wee are said to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.14 and advance in sanctification nor is it ever consummate and perfect so long as we beare about a body of sin Pos. 3. To repent to mortifie sin is not to condemne all our works as M. Town saith righteousnesse and judgement and our best things in us and then by faith to flie to grace nor is it to distrust our owne righteousnesse and embrace Christs in the promise 1. Because this is faith and the Scripture saith wee are justified by faith 2. We receive Christ by faith Joh. 1.12 3. Wee receive and embrace the promise by faith Heb. 11.11 and were perswaded of them 4. Wee are to beleeve without staggering Rom. 4.19 5. Wee have peace of conscience through faith Rom. 5.1 6. By faith wee have accesse into this grace wherein wee stand Rom. 5.2 And boldnesse to enter into the holy of holiest and draw neare to our High Priest with full assurance of faith Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Now wee are not justified by repentance and mortiâ—ication wee neither receive Christ nor embrace the promises by repentance The Apostle requireth in repentance sorrow carefulnesse to eschew sin clearing indignation feare zeale desire revenge 2 Cor. 7.10 11. but no where doth the Scripture require this as an ingredient of repentance that wee have boldnesse and accesse and full assurance nor doe Antinomians admit that by repentance wee have peace or pardon but this they ascribe to faith A second Question is How farre the Law can draw a sinner to Christ Antinomians tell us of a Legall drawing and conversion and of an Evangelike drawing the Legall drawing they say is ours the latter theirs Asser. 1. The difference between the letter of the Law and the Gospel is not in the manner of working for the letter of either Law or Gospel is alike uneffectuall and fruitlesse to draw any to Christ. Christ preached the Gospel to hard-hearted Pharisees it moved them not Moses preached the Law and the curses thereof to the stiffe-necked Jewes and they were as little humbled Sounds and syllables of ten hells of twenty heavens and Gospels without the Spirits working are alike fruitlesse And wee grant the Law is a sleepy Keeper of a captive sinner hee may either steale away from his Keeper or if hee be awed with his Keeper hee is not kept from any spirituall internall breach of the Law nor moved thereby to sincere and spirituall walking But the difference between Law and Gospel is not in the internall manner of working but in two other things 1. In the matter contained in Law and Gospel because nature is refractory to violence and the Law can doe nothing but curse sinners therefore it can draw no man to Christ. The Gospel againe containes sweet and glorious promises of giving a new heart to the elect of admitting to the Prince of peace laden and broken-hearted mourners in Sion and in conferring on them a free imputed righteousnesse and this is in it selfe a taking-way but without the Gospel-spirit utterly ineffectuall 2. To the Gospel there is a Spirit added which worketh as God doth with an omnipotent pull and this Spirit doth also use the Law to prepare and humble though this be by an higher power then goeth along with the Law as the Law Asser. 2. The Gospel-love of Christ freeth a captive from under the Law as a Curser and delivers him over to the Law as to a Pedagogue to lead him to Christ and as to an Instructer to rule and lead him when hee is come to Christ. Love is the immediate and nearest lord Law the mediate and remote lord Love biddeth the man doe all for Christ the Law now of it selfe because of our sinfulnesse is a bitter and soure thing but now the Law is dipped in Christs Gospel-love and is sugared and honeyed and evangelized with Free grace and receives a new forme from Christ and is become sweeter then the honey and the honey-combe to draw and perswade and all the Law is made a new Commandement of love and a Gospel-yoak sweet and easie but still the Law obligeth justified men to obedience not onely for the matter of it but for the supreme authority of the Lawgiver now Christ who came to fulfill not to dissolve the Law doth not remove this authority but addeth a new bond of obligation from the tye of Redemption in Jesus Christ and we are freed from the curse of the Law 2. The rigid exaction of obedience every way perfect 3. The seeking of life and justification by the Law Asser. 3. There be two things in the Law 1. The authority and power to command direct and regulate the creature to an end in acts of righteousnesse and holinesse 2. A secondary authority to punish eternally the breakers of the Law and to reward those that obey These are two different things suppose Adam had never sinned the Law had been the Law and suppose Adam had never obeyed the Law also should have been the Law and in the former case there should have been no punishment in the latter no reward Antinomians confound these two Mr. Towne saith It cannot be said that my spirit doth that voluntarily which the command of the Law bindeth and forceth unto It is one thing for a man at his owne free lyberty to keepe the Kings high way of the Law and another to keepe it by pales and ditches that he cannot without danger goe out of it It cannot be denyed but that the Gospel both chargeth or aweth us to beleeve in Christ and to bring forth good fruits worthy of Christ except wee would bee hewen downe and cast into the fire and also that Grace worketh Faith and to will and to doe and so voluntary obedience and obligation of a command may as well consist as bearing Christs yoak and soule-rest yea and delight and joy unspeakable and glorious may be and are in one regenerate person Crisp and his followers are farre wide for Christ dyed freely out of extreame love and yet he dyed out of a command laid on him to lay downe his life for his sheep
a Sermon free love that the man spake such an excellent word free love that I was not sleeping when it was spoken free love that the Holy Ghost drove that word into the soule as a nayle fastened by the Master of the assembly it was free mercy so that there 's a meeting of shining favours of God in obtaining mercy and this would be observed Asser. 2. There be two ordinary wayes of God in drawing sinners one Morall by words another Physicall and reall by strong hand Which may be cleared thus Fancie led with some gilding of apparent or seeming good as hope of food doth allure and draw the bird to the grin and sometime pleasure as a glasse and the singing of the Fowler So is fish drawne to nibble at the angle and lines cast out hoping to get food Now this is like Morall drawing in men and all this is but objective working on the fancy But when the foot and wing of the bird is entangled with the net and the fish hath swallowed down the bait and an instrument of death under it now the Fowler draweth the bird and the Fisher the fish a farre other way even by reall violence The Physician makes the sick child thirsty then allures him to drink physick under the notion of drink to quench his thirst this is morall drawing of the child by wiles But when the child hath drunk the drink works not by wiles or morally but naturally without freedome and whether the child will or no it purgeth head and stomack That there is a Morall working by the word in the drawing of sinners to Christ though most evident yet must be proved against Antinomians and Enthusiasts who write That the whole letter of the Scripture holds forth a covenant of works And The due search and knowledge of the holy Scripture is not a safe and sure way of searching and finding Christ. And There is a testimony of the Spirit and voyce unto the soule meerly immediate without any respect unto or concurrence with the word And Such a faith as is wrought by a practicall Syllogisme or the word of God is but an humane faith because the conclusion followeth but from the strength of reasonings or reason not from the power of God by which alone divine things are wrought Ephes. 1.19 20. Col. 2.20 and that because such a faith wrought by the word the works of sanctification in the regenerate and light of a renewed conscience are all done by things that are created blessings and gifts and these cannot produce that which is onely produced by an Almighty power For the word of it selfe without the Spirit yet the word is more then works of sanctification is but a dead letter but that God works faith by the word his owne Spirit concurring is cleare 1. The Prophets alledge this for their warrant Thus saith the Lord. Ergo You must beleeve it And one more and greater then all the Prophets But I say so Christ God equall with the Father speaketh 2. Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Verse 14. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard It s true the word the works of God are not the principall object of faith nor objectum quod faith rests onely on God and the Lord Jesus Joh. 14.1 1 Thes. 1.8 Your faith toward God 1 Pet. 1.21 Deut. 1.32 Joh. 3.12 Gen. 15.6 Dan. 6.23 Rom. 4.3 Gal. 2.16 2 Tim. 1.12 The word promises and Prophets and Apostles are all creatures and but media fidei the meanes of saving faith they are objectum quo Joh. 5.46 Psal. 106.12 Exod. 4.8 Psal. 78.7 of themselves they are dead letters and dead things and cannot without the Spirit produce faith Yea all habits of grace of faith of love in us are like the streames of a fountaine that would dry up of themselves if the spring did not with a sort of eternity furnish them new supply so would habits of grace being but created things wither in us if they were not supplied from the Fountaine Christ. And all beings created in comparison of the first Being are nothing and all nations to him are lesse then nothing and vanity Isai. 40.17 and so are the infused habits of grace nothing If this were the meaning of Familists and Antinomians who say that there is in us no inherent grace but that grace is onely in Christ we should not contend with them Wee teach no such thing as that Reasonings Syllogismes or the Scriptures without the Spirit can produce Faith yet is it vaine arguing to say raine and dew the Summer-Sunne good soyle cannot bring forth roses floures vines cornes because sure it is a worke of Omnipotencie that produceth all these and so its vaine to say that because Faith is the worke of the omnipotencie of Grace therefore Faith commeth not by hearing and reasoning from Scripture the contrary whereof is evident in Christs proving of the resurrection by consequence from Scripture Mat. 22.31 32. Luk. 20.37 â—8 Nor can any say Christ may make discourses from Scripture and his reasonings because he is the King of the Church are valid and may produce faith but we cannot doe the like nor are our reasonings Scriptures for Christ râ—buketh the Saduces Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures c. because they beleeved not the consequences of Scripture as Scripture and made not the like discourse for the building of themselves in the faith 3. The searching of the Scriptures is life eternall the onely way to find Christ. Joh. 5.39 Acts 10.43 Rom. 3.21 Esai 8.20 4. Gen. 9.27 God shall perswade Japhet by the Scriptures preached and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem Acts 16.14 Gods opening of the heart and Lydia's hearing and attending to the word that Paul spoke goe together 5. The way of Enthusiasts in rejecting both Law and Gospel and all the written word of God is because there is no light in them Some immediate sense of God and working of the holy Ghost on the soule of the child of God witnessing to me in particular that I am the child of God I deny not and that my name expressely is not in Scripture is as true but this testimony excludeth not the Scripture as if the searching thereof were no safe way of finding Christ as they blasphemously say 1. Because this Enthusiasme excludeth the onely revealed rule by which we trie the Spirits and we are forbidden to presume above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.16 and Enthusiasts have acted murthers and much wickednesse under this notion of inspirations of the Spirit 2. Because if the matter of that which is revealed be not according to the written Word Now after the Scriptrue is signed by Christs owne hand Revel 22.18 I see not what we are to beleeve of these inspirations What extraordinary impulsions and propheticall instincts have been in holy men and such as God hath raised to reforme his
of England now risen to comfort all mankinde in these sad times 3. Saving faith layeth hold on salvation righteousnesse and everlasting redemption as proper heritage faith being a supernaturall instinct that layeth a peculiar claime to Christ as the naturall instinct in the lamb claimeth the mother its property that faith peâ—sueth let eâ—perience speak if there be not a peculiar warmnesse of heart in a believer at the sight of Christ now to believe a common salvation hanging in the aire the heaven of Turks and Armenians and the righteousnesse and redemption of Indians of Seneca and Catiline Clodius and Camillus I confesse must be farre from such a property 4 Saving faith is the first dawning the morning sky and the first day light of the appearance of election to glory Act. 13.48 The man never hath a fair venture of heaven nor commeth in handy-gripes with eternall love revealed till he believe because the poore mans believing is his act of chusing God for his portion and so cannot be an assent to a common good generall to all men Heathens Pagans Iewes Turks and believers faith makes him say I have now found a ransome I have found a pearl of great price I make no other choyse my lot is well fallen upon Christ whether Christ cast his love or his lot on me from eâ—erniâ—y I cannot dispute but sure I have chosen him in time Now for the second The Scripture shewes us of an hoâ—e of â—ighteousâ—esse by faith this we wait for through the â—pirit Gal. 5.5 and of the hope laid up for the Saints in heavâ—n â—ol 1.15 and Christ in the Saints the hope of glory v. 27. and of the hope of the appearing of our life Christ Tiâ— 2.13 Which hope makes a man â—o purgâ— himself to be holy 1 Ioh. 3.3 and of a rejoycing in hope in the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Rom. 12.12 the hope to come for the which the Twelve Tribes of Israel serve God instantly Act. â—6 7 and that lively hope unto which we are regenerated by the resurrection of Jesus â—hrist from the dead 1 Pet. 1 5. and the hope that we have through patience comfort of the Scripture Rom. 15.4 and the hope which is not confined within the narrow sphear and Region of time and this corruptible life 1 Cor. 15.19 the hope which experience bringeth forth Heb. 5.4 Now wheâ—her we take hope for the object of hope the thing hoped for or the supernaturall or gratious faculty of hoping in neither respects have Seneca Scipio Regulus Jewes Turks Americans and such as never by any rumour heard of Chriâ—t any hope from Scripture Paul saith of them and of the Ephesians in their condition Ephes. 2.12 At that time ye were without Christ being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world and for the grace of hope the Scripture saith it s an Anchor cast in heaven by these who upon life and death make Jesus tâ—eir City of refuge Heb. 6.19.20 it is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.5 where ever it is it makes a man purifie himselfe 1 Ioh. 3.2 it s a lively hope and a fruit of predestination and of the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. Now such a hope as Arminians allow to Heathen and Indians to Reprobates who believe that Christ dyed for all and every one and such as perish eternally we gladly leave to themselves and if our doctrine of particular redemption furnish ground of dispaire as opposite to thiâ— hope we professe it But let Arminians answer this of their own way So God must speak to the most part of the Christian world Be of good courage hope for salvation in Christ be comforted in this that Christ dyed for you all without exception and be fully assured and believe there is a perfect ransome given for you and salvation and righteousnesse purchased to you in Christs blood but I have decreed so to act upon the wils of the farre greatest part of you that you shall have no moâ—e shaire in that redemption and purchased salvation then the damned Devils whereas if I had so drawn you as I have done others as sinfull by nature as you are you should certainly have been eternally saved in Christs blood and the like and faâ—re more I could say of the dreame of the middle science and knowledge of God for Arminians spoyle the Almighty of all grace compassion mercy or power to save for this is the Gospel and no other that God must utter by their doctrine I havâ— chosen out of grace and mercy all to salvation who shall believe and have given my Son to give his life and blood a ransome for all and every one and I will desire and wish that all mâ—nkinde were with me in eternall glory and that my revenging justice had never been experimentally known to Men or Angel and that death hell sin had never had being in the world but the farre greatest part of mankinde were to sin and finally and obstinately to resist both my generall universall grace given to all and my speciall and Evangelick calling and that they were to doe before any act of my knowledge free decree strong grace or tender mercy and I cannot bow their wills indeclinably to finall obedience nor could I so powerfully by morall swasion draw them to constant faith and perseverance except I would act against that which is decent and convenient for a Law-Giver to doe and destroy the nature of that free obedience that lyeth under the sweet droppings of free reward which must be earned by sweating and under the lash and hazard of eternall punishments to be inflicted which I will not doe yea though in all things even done by free agents as translations of Kingdoms from one Prince to another and bringing enemies against a land which are done by free agents I doe what ever I will and my decree stands and cannot be recalled Dan. 4.35 Esa. 14.24 25 26 27. chap. 46.10.11 Psal. 115.3 Psal. 135.6 Yet in maters of salvation or damnation or of turning the hearts and free actions of men and Angels that most highly concerne my glory above all I cannot but bring all the arrows of my Decrees to the bow of that slippery contingent indâ—fferency of the up and down free-will of Men and Angels and here am fast fettered that I can but dance as free-will pipeth and say amen to created will in all things good or bad I cannot cut of the abundance of my rich grace and free mercy though earnestly and vehemently I desire it save one person more then are saved or damn one more then are damned or write one man more in the book of life and bestow on them the fruits of my dear Sons death then such as in order of nature were finally to believe before any act of my middle science or my conditionall free Decree
ye are not to look for so much in your selfe as in others but he is farre behind who may not follow Object 6. Nay I finde nothing in me that may qualifie meâ— for Christ. Answ. Fit and sufficient qualifications for Christ is the hire of merit that we naturally seek in our selves Antinomians doe not a liâ—tle injure us because we teach that obstinate sinners as obstinate and proud are not immediately to believe not that it is not their duty to believe but because believing is physically incompatible with these persons that are to believe since believing is the going of the sinner out off himsâ—lf to Christ and a proud obstinate and rebellious sinner never broken nor in no sort humbled under that reduplication stayes in himself But we are farre from exhorting any to stand aloof and afarre off from Christ because they cannot be prepared sufficiently for him or because they have not a present to bring the King Yea come as yee are bidden kisse the sonne but tremble and stoop faith is a lowly thing merrit or hire sufficient in halfe or in whole penny or penny worth to give to Chriâ—â— before a sinner come to Christ or after we utterly disclaim Ob. 7. But I have low thoughts of Christ and am affraid he will cast mee away how then can J have low thoughts of my self and be humbled ere I beleeve Answ. There be not any of us who teach that saving humility goeth before faith It is one thing to be broken and plowed another to be humble and harrowed the law must break the râ—ckie ground ere ye beleeve But Christ must break the clods and harrow and soften the soule true humiliation followeth faâ—th Ob. 8. But base thoughts of Christ which I finde in my selfe are most contrarie to faith I think Christ not so meek a lamb as to put a Wolfe a Tyger or a Leopard in his bosome Answ. Not any but they have too low thoughts of Christ ere they can come to him for the Gospel in whole and in part is medicine Christ has a healing tongue medicine is relative to sicknesse Christ would never have said to unbeleevers Iohn 6.39 him that commeth J will in no wise cast away If mâ—n had not naturally had such thoughts of Christ as hee is rough and strange and Lordly and so far from meeknesse that he casteth thousands of poore sinners out that come to him so Christs tongue in speaking these words is good phisick all of us have jâ—alous and strange thoughts of Christ Ye may know the disâ—ase by the phyâ—â—ck contraria contrarijs curantur The wearâ—e and loaden sinners take Christ to bee rough and not meek therefore saith Christ come unto me all ye that are wearie and loaden and I will ease you If hee bee a shepherd we naturaâ—ly think if wee cannot goe on our owne feet he has a club to beat uâ— Therefore Esai 40.11 The Lord saith Not so he will not beat â—hose that want lâ—gs of their own to follow him but he shall carry the Lambs in his bosome and gently lead those that are with young yea if converts and weak ones had not jealousies Ah Christ is above us and so lordly so just that if wee bee not as strong as others he will break us it had not been prophecied of him Esai 43. a bruisâ— dreed shall he not break a smoaking flax shall he not quench Now precious thoughts of Christ ye cannot have till ye come to Christ and buy from him a new minde and new thoughts without money Ob. 9. But beleeving is fruitlesse and unpossible if I be excluded from the number of those that Christ died for for then I am to beleeve remission of sinnes without shedding of blood and Christ shed no blood for me Answ. You are neither to lay such a supposition down thâ—â— either you are excluded from the number of those that Christ died for or included in that number neither of the two are reveaâ—ed to you and secret things belong to the Lord. It is enough to you that 1. you are not excluded for any thing that is revealed to you 2. That thou hast need of Christ and art a guilty sinner 3. That thou art commanded to beleeve As for Christs not shedding of his blood for thee say it were so it s no more absurd that you are obliged to beleeve on Christ as an al sufficient Redeemer for remission of sinnes though remission be not purchased to you in Christs blood then that you are obliged to beleeve that God will infallibly save you when as God has peremptorily reprobated you upon foreseen finall impenitencie and has decreed not to work in you to beleeve and has not purchased by his blood the grace of beleeving without the which hee seeth beleeving is unpossible Let Arminians answer the one doubt and we can answer the other onely their way maketh God to say he willeth the salvation of reprobats which in very truth hee willeth not for its protestatio facto contraria a will contrary to his dispensation toward them and so no will whereas wee acknowledge God in his promises commands charges to be most sincere and that the promises belong onely to the children of the promise not to the rebrobate Ob 10. But it s unpossible I can be fitted with sorrow for sinne or repentance before I beleeve in Christ. Answ. We teach not that you must first repent then beleeve or first beleeve then repent but that some legal acts of sorrow and bruisings of Spirit and self dispair go before faith then acts of beleeving and then evangelick repentance in seeing by faith him whom ye have pieâ—ced with your sinnes and the mourning for piercing of him Zach. 12.10 But your neede beggarlinesse sinfulnesse may well be a spur to chase you to Christ seeing Christ heighteneth his fair grace by occasion of your black sins Rom. 3.5.20.2 Rom. 3.24.25 If Christ have such a good will to draw all men ah shall he draw all men and such a fair number of all ranks and not draw me Lord Iesuâ— what aâ—ls thee at me when offices of estate are distributed and livings and pensions given to men there be some male-contents this man is preferred noâ— I It were good there were spirituall male-contentednesse with seâ—f-discontent at our own rebellion and no envying of others O that Christ who drawes all men would draw me and hee that has love for so many would out of his love cause me say Whether is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is thy belâ—ved turned aside that we may seek him with thee say there were a free gold myne in India that loadeth with gold all ships and enriches multitudes that goe thither and it has never drawn thee to make a journey thither blame thy self if thou be poor when many are enriched 1. Hath not Christ knocked at the doore of thy soule with a rainie head and frozen loâ—ks and thou
know that Christ was in mee before I beleeved and thaâ— I received him from eternity or from my conception 3. To beleeve maketh mee a sonne borne not of flesh and blood Ioh. 1.12.13 and Gal. 3.26 and by faith wee receive the Spirit This then must be nothing else but I know by the light of faith I was a sonne before and had received the Spirit before I beleeved What more absurd 4. And by faith I live not Christ liveth in mee and I am crucified and mortified that is by faith I know that I did live the life of God and was crucified to the world whereas I was dead in sinnes before I beleeved 5. And because beleeving is somewhat more then a naked act of the mind it being a fiduciall adherence unto and an affiance acquiescence heart-relyance staying on Christ or a rolling of our selves on God for salvation as is clear in the originall holy languages of scripture Psal. 18.18 Esai 26.3 Psal. 112.8 Esai 10.21 Mich. 3.11 Psal. 22 8. Psal. 55.22 1 Pet. 5.7 Cant. 8.5 Ioh. 1.12 It s too hungry a notion of faith to make it nothing but a knowing of that which really was before for heart-adherence is not an act of the mind and so not an act of knowledge but of the will and affection in which there is no act of knowledge formally though it presuppose an act of knowledge 6. Then wicked men must be in their sinnes not justified in his blood because they will not know that Christ dyed for them in particular and that Christ bore their sinnes on the crosse and justified and pardoned them long agoe all which to beleeve is to hold a lye in the right hand But to returne Asser. 7. How the Lord worketh in us to will and to do the power and the act and yet we are guilty in our omissions of good or in our sinfull and remisse manner of working with the grace of God is a point more mysterious then I dare undertake to explaine if these may give light I offer them to the Reader Posit 1. Grace free-grace is the great and Master-wheele that carrieth about heart senses foot and hand not that only but seede and tree and fruit the flower the principle dependeth necessarily on free grace and for a third the state and condition is higher then either principle or seed or fruit to bee an heir of glory is more then a supernaturall principle of gift and more then one single action above nature Grace must make the principle gratious and grace must inact and quicken the principle to bring forth and graces policie makes naturall men citizens of heaven sonnes of God heirs of life Ioh. 1.12.13 Gal. 4.4.5 Positi 2. This must stand as a ground that there is not any gracious act performed by the members but the head Christ is so interessed in it that as even the finger and toe in the naturall body cannot stirre without the motion takes its beginning from life and head so neither can the mysticall body or any joynt or member of it act or move in its supernaturall or be of grace but every individuall act of grace must pay the rent of glory to the mysticall head whose predeterminating influence does act and stirre the ship for Christ is not only the compasse and day-Starre according to which spirituall motions are directed and hand and finger foot and all see with the visive power seated in the head for they have no facultie of seeing in themselves and the Saints in these actions stirre with the light in the two eyes or seven eyes and lamps that are in the head Christ but also the real motions of grace in their physicall as well as in their morall sphere are shapen and acted by Christ It is not much though it be a wonder that a huge great ship made up of so many peeces of dry and dead timber can move regularly through so many circles compasses turnings of many coasts countreyes change of windes ten thousand miles to a certain herbrie when timber is acted and moved with the borrowed art and reason of a man stirring the helme so there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reason a wisdom in him who is made our wisdome to act the Saints in their heaven-ward motion that are carried through so many sea-circles turnings contrary windes of temptations afflictions various soule-dispensations of sweet and sowre absence presence going and coming again of Christ to such a determinate home as heaven for the Father must thank the stires-man Christ his sonne that the broken bark and all his poore friends are landed with the borrowed art of Christ and no more thanks and praise to us then to dead timber That we should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the praise of his glory Ep. 1.12 as if our passive being it is a borrowed expression for we are coagents with and under Christ in the work were destinated to the praise of the glory of his grace but wee are so drawne as Christ is great Lord moderator and authour and God in the second and new world of grace as God creator is in all actions of nature Ioh. 15.5 without mee as your vine tree in whom you grow and a stock in whom you bring forth fruit every blossome of of life every apple yee can do nothing Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in you to will and to doe according to his good pleasure 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you ward is not weak but is mighty in you then every word that Paul spoke Christ in him spoke it not formally as if Paul had been a mâ—er patient but efficaciously Rom. 15.18 for I will not dare to speak of any of these things which Christ hath not wroughtly me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed Esa. 27.3 I the Lord doe keep the Church the garden of red wine I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day keeping and watering every moment is grace actuall every moment to make his tender Vines grow and preserving his own from succumbring under every temptation 2. There were no ground for Adams thankfulnesse and praise that he stood one moment or that he gave names to every thing according to their nature or ever heard with patience the command of God thou shall not eat if in every act of obedience he had not need of the actuall predeterminating influence of God nor were there ground for this prayer in faith and in patient submission to God as to one to whom we owe the prayses of the not failing of our faith Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil nor were there 3 any glory due to Christs advocation and intercession that we fall not fully and finally off Christ and from Christ and the state of Grace when we are tempted if free-will not the actuall influence of
they call sins of conversation and the Apostle Peters denyall of Châ—ist and all the sinnes of the Iustâ—fied Saints their Murthers Adulteries Parricids c. are pardoned before they have the being or essâ—nce of sinne ere they bee committed ergo when they are committed they are no morâ— sins before God and in the Court of Conscience and no more capable of pardon then they were before they had any being and were not as yet committed at all the murther that David is to commit some twenty yeers before ever he bee King of Israel and shall commit it is no more his sinne to bee charged on him in the sight of God then originall sinne can be charged on David before David or his father lesse bee borne what may be charged as a sinne on David in regard hee is not yet borne is no more his guiltinesse as yet then the guiltines of any other man Now Davids murtheâ— Peters denyall they being justified from these sinnes and pardoned ere the sinnes have any being in the world cannot bee sinnes at all nor such as are charged on Mankinde Rom. 3. Psal. 14. There is none that doth good no not one for this sinne stops the mouth of all the world makes them silent guiltie and under condemnation before God v. 19.20 and how Mr Den can cite this to prove that there bee some sinnes of conversation distinâ—t from sinnes in the conscience let the Reader judge Yea to my best understanding by these reasons while I bee resolved Otherwise Libertines must hold neither the elect before or after justification can sinne any at all 4. It is most false that a man strict and upright in conversation can have a foule and polluted conscience if you speake of true sincere strictnesse and uâ—rightnesse of conversation as the scripture speaketh Psal. 50.23 To him that ordereth his conversation aright I will shew the salvation of God Psal. 37.14 The wicked drawes his bow to slay such as bee of upright conversation the principle of a sounâ— conversation is the grace of Gâ—d 2 Cor. 1.12 the sound conversation is heavenly mindednesse Phil. 3.20 and is in heaven and must be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Phil. 1.27 a good conversation Iam. 3.13 wee are to be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 and so even before men God beholdes the sins that we doe to men no lesse then our secret sinnes wee commit againâ—t God and the scripture requires in our conversation that it bee holy 1 Pet. 1.15 honest 1 Pet. 2.12 chasâ—e 1 Pet. 3.2 without coveteousnesse Heb. 1â— 5 not vain 1 Pet. 3.16 not as in times past in the lusts of the flesh Ephes. 2.3 But the putting off of the old man Ephes. 4.22 In charitie in Spirit in Faith in puritie 1 Tim. 4.12 Now every conversation contrary to this argueth an unjustified and unpardoned man and must â—e an unpardoned and sinfull conversation so as there is neither strictnesse nor uprightnesse nor any thing but sinne and an unpardoned estate where this conversation is not what ever Antinomians say on the contrary beeing in this as in other points declared enemies to the grace of sanctification But if we speak of a strict and upright conversation in an hypocriticall outside It s true many are as Paul was strict Phariseeâ— precise Civilians painted tombes without but within full of rottennesse and dead mens bonâ—s But this way Sathan onely saith Iob is a strict walker and serveth God for hire and the enemies of Christ joyn with Antinomians in this to say that the justified in Christ have but sinne in their conversation but wide consciences because they study strictnesse of walking with God but puritie of conversation as the places cited prove must bee unseparably conjoyned with puritie of conscience separate them who will Christ hath joyned them Mr. Eaton and Mr. Town call the sinnes of justified persons sinnes according to their sence or the flesh but in regard of faith they are cleane of all sin and without spot in the sight of God So Eaton Hony combe chap. 5. page 87. God freeth us not of sins to our sence and feeling till death for the exercise of our faith yet in his owne sight he hath perfectly healed us chap. 5. pag. 95. So Saltmarsh Free grace page 57. chap. 3. article 3. calls it the lust of sinne the just saith he shall live by faith which is not a life of sence and sanctification meerly but by beleeving of life in another I should gladly know if sinne in the justified be sinne really and indeed or against any Law I beleeve not 1. Eaton saith â—in hath lost its being in the justified Saltmarsh part 2. chap. 32. If a beleever live onely by sense reason exâ—erience of himselfe as he lives to men he lives both under the power and feâ—ling oâ— sin and the Law Now hee should not live so this is the use of unbeleefe ergo He ought to beleeve that hâ— hath no sinne and so hee hath no sinne nor doth he sinne onely the blinde flesh falsely thinketh that is sinne which is no sinne But faith is not to beleeve a lie then a beleever may say he has no sin Iohn saith that is a lie Assert 3. Mortification essentiall is in abstaining from wâ—rldly lusts and in remisse and slacked acts of sinning and in begun walking with God and acts of holy living yet so as all these do flow from faith in Christ another mysticall or Gospel-mortification is unknown to the Gospel Rom. 6. â— Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism unto death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father so we also consider the formall acts of mortification should walk in newnesse of life ver 5. For if we have been planted together in the liknessâ— of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection ver 6. â—nowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Then as it is one thing to sinne and another thing to serve sinne so acts of mortification must be in abstaining from greedy sinne as hired servants make it their life and work to sin and in remisse and weakned acts of sinne as a dying mans operation are lesse intended and hightned then of a strong man in vigor and health as for the plenary mortification expiring and death of the body of sin we think iâ— cannot be so long as we are in the body Col. 3.3 Yee are dead ver 5. mortifie therefore your members that are upon earth fornication uncleannesse c. To mortifie fornication must be the none-acting of foâ—nâ—cation 1. Because it is an abominable sense to imagine that we mortifie fornication when we believe that Christ abstained from fornication for us 2. On to believe that Christ dyed for our fornication and uncleannesse for both these may hold forth mortification of fornication
temporall wrath 35 Sin is sometimes put for temporary punishment and to remove temporary punishment is to pardon sin in Scripture-sense 36 Soule-troubles in devils and men must be extreame 38 Conscience the sorest enemy 38 The terrours of an evill conscience 38 Difference betweene the soule-torment of the damned and the Saints in 3. points 39 God punisheth sometimes the sinnes of his children with spirituall punishments 40 Christs soule-trouble different from ours 43 The causes of soule desertions 43.44.45 Soule desertions sharpened with sense 44 Desertions after evident and full manifestations of God 44.45 Desertion under a three-fold consideration 46 Patience requisite under soule-trouble 46 We are not so freed from sin being justified but there is a ground of distance betweene the Lord and us 46.47 Mis-judging thoughts of Christ in us by nature 47 Sinne not ever the cause of desertion 47.48 Externall heavy judgements and soule-desertions not Pedagogicall but common to the Saints under the N. Test. 48.49 Active desertion is not our sin but the Lords trying of us 49 Desertions more proper to the Saints then to the unregenerat 49 Christs desertion of another nature then ours 49 Desertion not melancholie 50 The various dispensation of God in leading soules to heaven 51 Divers causes of desertion 51 Continuated manifestations of Christ necessary 51.52 Divers reasons why we are not to quarrell with Divine dispensation in desertion 52 Gods manifestations his owne and most free 52 Submission and charity required to Gods dispensations 52 Apprehensions biggest and most terrible in desertion because of the darkenesse of the minde 53 Sathan can raise our apprehensions to swelling thoughts of Gods dispensation as too greevous to be borne 54 Our love is sweyed with jealousies and mis-giving 54.55 Divine dispensation not our rule 55 Vnbeliefe is querulous mis-beleeving of our state too frequent in desertion but more of Christ. 56 Mis-judging of our actions frequent in desertion 56.57 Antinomians mistake touching anxiety for sinne 57 We may long for Christ absent but not mis-judge him 57.58 Divers considerable reasons of Christs absence 58.59 Mis-judging argueth softnesse of nature and weakenesse of judgement 59.60 Saints must looke for a growing crosse 60 A growing faith for growing crosses 61 Anxitie in Christ. 61 62 A sinnelesse oblivion in Christ. 62 How Christs sensitive affection are under a Law 62 Christs losse great 62 The personall union hindred not the operations of sinnelesse humane infirmities 62 Christs anxiety sinnelesse 63 No mistake in Christs soule deserted 63 Christs desertion reall 63 Judiciall mispending of our affections 64 How Christ was forsaken 64 The sinner shiftlesse in judgement 64.65 No hypocrites formally in hell and at the last judgement 65 A wakened conscience speechlesse 65.66 Three demands of justice given in against Christ. 66 Help neerer in trouble then we apprehend 67 Christ made use of Faith in trouble for our cause 68 Christs death-gripe 69 Doubtings for want of qualifications how cured 69.70 Two false wayes of curing doubting whether the soule bee in Christ or not 70 To argue no faith from faint performances of duties is unjust reasoning 70 How farre we may argue no faith from sinfull walking 71 Antinomians doubts touching the spirituall estate of the soule discussed and disproved 72 The immutabilitie of Gods love no ground but multitudes may doubt whether they be in Christ or not 72.73 Saltmarsh examined in this point 72.73 74.75 A necessitie of inherent signes and qualifications to doubting soules 73.74 How God loveth his Sonne Christ and beleevers with the same love 74 How far Sanctification may evidence that a soule is in Christ. 76 From no sanctification we may conclude no justification 77 Protestants make mortification and repentance some other thing then faith 77 Regeneration and justification not one 78 No assurance can flow from acts performed by our good nature 78 Antinomian Mortification a delusion 79 How we see forgivenesse in our selves 79 Antinomians deny all inherent holinesse in us 80 How we are to see grace in our selves 80 Nothingnesse in our selves highteneth the price of Christ. 81 How Ministers are to deale with troubled soules 82 Christ more to be chosen then the comforts of Christ. 82 Vnder soule-trouble we are to doe but not to conside in what we doe 83 Love-jealousies under desertion 84 Desertions have a time 84 Christ râ—compences his absence with double smiling 84 Works of sanctification though polluted with sinne may bottome assurance 85 We doe not all times know that we beleeve 85.86 There is need of actuall influence of grace to the reflect knowledge of our spirituall state 86 The witnessing of sanctification sometime darke 86 Duties performed in faith not contrary to grace 87 Hard to be comforted in desertion 87 Sense of Christs absence cannot be out-reasoned 88.89 All in glory short of what they owe. 90 God cannot be quarrelled in desertion 90 We cannot beare fulnesse of glory in this life 90 Longing after Christ strongest in absence 91 The languishing soule may pray home Christ. 92 Christs love not Lordly 92 The Lords returne after sad desertion joyfull 92.93 How neere Christ is in desertion 93 Christ pardoneth and rarely punisheth love-errours 94 It s a lie that none are to question their faith as Saltmarsh saith 94 We are to beleeve after Christs fashion not our owne 95 Saints may doubt whether they beleeve or no. 96 Doubting in beleevers proveth them not to bee under the Law 97 Sanctification of it selfe is an infallible signe of justification but not ever so to us 98 How acts of sanctication make good that we beleeve 99 Assurance may flow from other marks then the immediate testimony of the Spirit 99.100 The inward testimony of the Spirit 100 The Holy Ghost speaketh by marks 100 How Antinomians compare evidences of marks and of faith together 101 Degrees of freedome of grace 101.102 Antinomians denying preparation must be Pelagians 102 The broad Seale of the Spirit excludeth not all doubting 102 Doubting of the truth of Faith is that unbeliefe that excludeth us out of our heavenly rest 104 That we may know justification by sanctification proved 105 Works done in faith are not doubtsome evidences of justification 106 Works may prove faith and faith Works 107 How sanctification doth prove justification 108 Peace from justification and from sanctification how different 110 To be assured of righteousnesse and know that wee are in that state two different things 111.112 M. Cornwel proveth what is not in question 112 Many things ours both by debt of promise and by grace 112.113 Conditionall Gospel-promises argue free grace not debt 113 Gospel-promises made to acts of sanctification 116.117 Antinomians deny all conditionall promises 117 What kind of faith was in Christ. 117.118 How faith of Dependance was in Christ. 118 The not seeing of God may stand with personall union 118 A rare providence that Christ is put to God save me 119 We are not to storme that we are not heard at first 120
upon Act of atonement and free redemption in Christ standeth uncancelled and firme being once received by faith the justified soule ought not so to be troubled for sin as to mis-judge the Lords by-past work of saving Grace 1. Because the beleever once justified is to beleeve remission of sins and a payed ransome If now hee should beleeve the Writs once signed were cancelled again hee were obliged to beleeve things contradictory 2. To beleeve that the Lord is changed and off and on in his free love and eternall purposes is a great slandering of the Almighty 3. The Church Psal. 77. acknowledgeth such mis-judging of God to be the soules infirmity Psal. 77.10 I said This is my infirmity Asser. 2. Yet de facto David a man according to Gods heart 1 Sam. 12.12 13. fell in an old feaver a fit of the disease of the Spirit of bondage Psal. 32.3 When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long V. 4. For day and night thy hand was heavie upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of summer So the Church in Asaph's words Psal. 77.2 My sore ran in the night and ceased not either his hand was bedewed with teares in the night as the Hebrew beareth or a boyl of unbeleefe broke upon me in the night and slacked not Vers. 7. Will the Lord cast off for ever will hee be mercifull no more Then faith and doubting both may as well be in the soule with the life of God as health and sicknesse in one body at sundry times and it is no argument at all of no spirituall assurance and of a soule under the Law or covenant of works to doubt as sicknesse argueth life no dead corpse is capable of sicknesse or blindnesse these are infirmities that neighbour with life so doubting with sorrow because the poore soul cannot in that exigence beleeve is of kin to the life of God the life of Jesus hath infirmities kindly to it as some diseases are hereditary to such a family 2. The habit or state of unbeleefe is one thing and doubtings and love-jealousies is another thing Our love to Christ is sickly crazie and full of jealousies and suspitions Temptations make false reports of Christ and wee easily beleeve them Jealousies argue love and the strongest of loves even marriage-love 3. By this all acts of unbeleefe in soules once justified and sanctified should be unpossible Why then the Lords Disciples had no faith when Christ said to them Why doubt yee O yee of little faith It happily may be answered that the Disciples Mat. 8. doubted not of their son-ship but of the Lords particular care in bringing them to shore in a great sea-storme To which I answer It s most true they then feared bodily not directly soule-ship-wrack but if it was sinfull doubting of Christs care of them Master carest thou not for us the point is concluded That doubting of Christs care and love may well inferre a soule is not utterly void of faith that is in a doubting condition 4. The morning dawning of light is light the first springing of the child in the belly is a motion of life the least warmings of Christs breathings is the heat of life When the pulse of Christ new framed in the soule moveth most weakly the new birth is not dead the very swonings of the love of Christ cannot be incident to a buried man 5. When Christ rebuketh little faith and doubting hee supposeth faith hee who is but a sinking and cryeth to Christ is not drowned as yet 6. The Disciples prayer Lord increase our faith Christs praying that the faith of the Saints when they are winnowed may not faile the exhortation to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might prove the Saints faith may be at a stand and may stagger and slide 7. The various condition of the Saints now it s full moon againe no moon light at all but a dark ecclipse evidenceth this truth The beleever hath flowings of strong acts of faith joy love supernaturall pâ—ssions of Grace arising to an high spring-tide above the banks and ordinary coasts and â—gain a low-ground ebbe The condition in ebbings and flowings in full manifestations and divine raptures of another world when the wind bloweth right from heaven and the breath of Jesus Christs mouth and of sad absence runneth through the Song of Solomon the book of the Psalmes the book of Job as threeds through a web of silke and veines that are the strings and spouts carrying bloud through all the body lesse or more Asser. 3. The justified soule once pardoned receiveth never the Spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 to feare againe eternall wrath that is This Spirit in the intension of the habit such as was at the first conversion when there was not a graine of faith doth never returne nor is it consistent with the Spirit of Adoption Yet happily it may be a question if a convert brought in with much sweetnesse and quietnesse of Spirit shall fall in some hainous sinne like the adultery and murther of Dâ—vid have not greater vexation of Spirit then at his first conversion but more supernaturall But yet this must stand as a condemned error which Libertines doe hold That frequency or length of holy duties or trouble of Conscience for neglect thereof are all signes of one under a Covenant of Works And that which another of that way saith in a dangerous medicine for wounded soules Where there is no Law as there is none in or over the justified soule there is no transgression and where there is no transgression there is no trouble for sinne all trouble arising from the obligement of the Law which demandeth a satisfaction of the soule for the breach of it and such satisfaction as the soule knowes it cannot give and thereby remaines unquiet like a debtor that hath nothing to pay and the Law too being naturally in the soule as the Apostle saith The Conscience accusing or else excusing It is no marvell that such soules should be troubled for sinne and unpacified the Law having such a party and ingagement already within them which holding an agreement with the Law in Tables and Letters of stone must needs worke strongly upon the spirits of such as are but faintly and weakely inlightned and are not furnished with Gospel enough to answer the indictments the convictions the terrors the curses which the Law brings And a third And indeed Gods people saith he need more joyes after sinnes then after afflictions because they are more cast downe by them and therefore God useth sinnes as meanes by which he leades in his joyes into them in this world and alâ—o in the world to come their sinnes yeeld them great joyes Indeed in some respects they shall joy-most at the last day who have sinned least But in other respects they have most joy who have sinned most for sinne they little or much they all
way to be sure of the truth of good things is tasting and feeling Eat O friends drinke yea drink abundantly O beloved Answ. This reason would inferre that there is not a Saint on earth capable of such a sinne as to doubt whether they beleeve or not because wee read not of it in any of the hearers of Christ or the Apostles This is a bad consequence except you say All the various conditions of troubled consciences are set down in particular examples in the New Testament Which is contrary to all experiences of the Saints 2. It is one thing to doubt of the truth of the promises and another thing to doubt whether my apprehension of the promise be true or false The latter is not alwayes sin for it may be my apprehension of the truth of the promises be beside the line and off the way and then I question not Christ's dainties which to doe were unbeleefe but my owne deluded fancie which may appeare to be faith and is nothing lesse the former is indeed unbeleefe not the latter 3. It s true tasting makes sure the truth of the Lord 's good things that are inclosed in the promises but then an unconverted sinner who is void of spirituall senses cannot be the beloved nor the friend that Christ speaketh to Cant. 5.1 Wee doe not say a beleever ought to doubt whether hee hath true faith or no but because the command of beleeving obliegeth the non-converted as well as the converted shall the naturall man eat as a friend and a beloved hee remaining in nature and not yet converted and this man in nature ought not to doubt whether his fancie be faith or not but hee is oblieged to beleeve that is to imagine that his fancie is faith 4. I see not how if the faith of the Saints be tried as gold in the fire they may not through the prevalencie of temptation be shaken in their faith as Peter was when hee denyed his Saviour and Paul who 2 Cor. 1 8. was pressed out of measure above strength despaired of life had the sentence of death 2 Cor. 7.5 was troubled on every side fightings without and feares within and the sonnes of God who may feare that they have received the spirit of bondage to feare againe opposite to the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 but that they may faint in their tribulations Ephes. 3.13 and may be surprised with feare which hath torment and must be cast out 1 Joh. 4.18 and may be ready to faint and die Revel 3.2 and turne luke-warme be wretched miserable poore blind naked and yet beleeve the contrary of themselves Revel 3.16 17. All these may come and often doe come to that low condition of spirit after Justification as to say and think that all men are liars their faith is no faith that they are forsaken of God to their own sense and cast out of his sight and question whether they ever did beleeve or no And why would the Apostle say Patience bringeth forth experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.4 if experience that ever God loved me or that ever I beleeved to my present sense cannot be removed But this is but the Doctrine of Famulists who teach That after the revelation of the Spirit neither devill nor sinne can make the soule to doubt And To question whether God be my deare Father after or upon the committing of some hainous sinnes as murther incest c. doth prove a man to be in the Covenant of works Doe not they then teach us a way of despairing who say that Wee find not in the whole course of Christ's preaching or the Disciples that any asked the question whether they beleeved or no whether their faith were true faith or no What then shall thousands of smoking flaxes and weak reeds doe who often ask this question and say and think Ah I have no faith my faith is but counterfeit mettall And then by this Doctrine of despaire beleevers ought to conclude I am not under Grace but under the Law and a Covenant of works and so not in Christ yea whatever lusters were in me before I am in no condition of any wee read of in the New Testament who were hearers of Christ and the Apostles for Libertines never true beleevers doubted whether their faith was true or not Object 3. For any to doubt whether they beleeve or no is a question that Christ onely can satisfie who is the Author and Finisher of our faith Who can more properly shew one that hee sees then the Light which enlightens him Answ. Christ solves not questions that no man ever made S. thinkes that beleevers never doubt whether their faith be true faith or not which is a strong way of beleeving and those must be so strong in the faith who doubt not of this as they are above all temptations But this will be found against the experience of all beleevers It is most true none can work faith but the onely Creator and Author of faith but will the Author hence inferre no man the most wicked nor any that ever heard Christ or his Apostles preach doubted of their faith 2. The sunne with all its light cannot perswade a blind man who seeth not that hee seeth beleevers often think they see when they see not and think they are blind when they see as experience and Scripture Revel 3.16 17. Joh. 9.38 39. teach us Object 4. Faith is truly and simply this A being perswaded more or lesse of Christ's love and therefore it is called a beleeving with the heart Now what infallible signe is there to perswade any that they are perswaded when themselves question the truth of their perswasion God onely shall perswade Japhet Who can more principally and with clearer satisfaction perswade the Spouse of the good will of him shee loves but himselfe Can all the love-tokens or testimoniall rings and bracelets They may concurre and help in the manifestation but it is the voyce of the beloved that doth the turne My beloved spake and said unto me Rise my love my faire one saith the Spouse Answ. 1. Faith may be a perswasion in some sense but that it is a perswasion that my faith or perswasion is true not counterfeit and so formally is utterly denyed How many beleeve and love Christ with the heart who are not perswaded that they doe so yea much doubt whether they beleeve with the heart and would give a world to know if it were possible that they truly love God No Divine who knoweth that a direct act of faith and to beleeve is when there is no reflexe act can deny this 2. Arguments or signes in accurate speech are not called infallible actu secundo the word of God is in it selfe infallible actu prâ—â—o But to Aristotle this In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth is not infallible actu secundo nor are the promises Hee that beleeveth
voluntary in us and the bondage that we love 3. The Scripture both calles it impossibility and also rebukes it as sinfull Joh. 6 44. Rom. 8. â— 7 8. Ephes. 2.1 2 3 11 12 13. chap. 4.17 18 19. chap. 5.8 Asser. 3. All preparations even wrought in us by the common and generall restraining grace of God can have no effective influence to produce our conversion from the Scriptures alledged for then should we be called saved and quickned when we are dead in sinne foolish disobedient and enemies to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to our works of righteousnesse which we had done contrary to Ephes. 2.1 2 3 4 5.11.12 13. 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 3.3 2. Then common generall gifts might also engage Christs free grace 3. Men might prevene Grace and forestall Christ and his merits which overturnes the foundation of the Gospell and cries down Christ and free Grace Asser. 4. All these fore-going endeavours and sweatings being void of Faith cannot please God Hebr. 11.6 These who act in the strength of them are yet in the flesh and not in the Spirit and so can doe nothing acceptable to God being yet out of Christ Rom. 8.8 Joh. 15.4 5 6. and the tree being corrupt the fruit must be soure and naught humiliation sorrow for sin displeasure with our selves that goe before conversion can be no formall parts of conversion nor any essentiall limbs members or degrees of the new creature nor so much as a stone or pin of the new building Divines call them gradus ad rem initium materiale conversionis non gradus in re nec initium formale For parts of the building remaine in the building when the house is come to some perfect frame all those bastard pieces coming not from the new principle the new heart Christ formed in the soule are cast out as unprofitable Paul when he meets with Christ casts off his silks and sattins that hee was lordly of while hee was a Pharisee as old rags losse and dung and acts now with farre other principles and tooles It s all new worke after another Sampler heaven workes in him now Asser. 5. Those are not morall preparations which wee performe before conversion nor have they any promise of Christ annexed to them as Hee that is humbled under sinne shall be drawne to Christ Hee that wisheth the Physician shall be cured and called to repentance Wee read of no such promise in the word 2. A man not in Christ is without the sphere or element of Christ at the wrong side of the doore of the sheep-fold hee is not in Emanuels land and all the promises of God are in Christ Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 The whole stock of Gospel-promises are put in Christ as the first Subject and beleevers have them from Christ at the second hand Christ keeps as the true Ark the book of the Testament the beleevers Bible It s true the new heart is promised to the elect even while they are not in Christ but they cannot make claime to that promise till they be first in Christ but those promises are made in a speciall manner to Christ as to the head of the redeemed to be dispensed by Christ to those onely whom the Father gave him before time And as the promises are peculiar to Christ so the persons and grace promised both the one and the other are due to Christ and result from the Head to those who in Gods decree onely shall be members as righteousnesse life eternall and perseverance are made to those that are members 3. Many runne and obtaine not 1 Cor. 9.24 25 26. Many strive to enter in and shall not be able Luk. 13.24 Many lay a foundation and are not able to finish Luk. 14.29 Many hunt and catch nothing Many have stormes of conscience as Cain and Judas who goe never one step further When therefore Antinomians impute to us that wee teach That to desire to beleeve is faith To desire to pray is prayer They foulely mistake for raw desires and wishes after conversion and Christ are to us no more conversion and the soules being drawn to Christ then Esau's weeping for the blessing was the blessing or Balaam's wish to die the death of the righteous was the happy end of such as die in the Lord. But the sincere desires and good will of justified persons are accepted of the Lord for the deed and when Christ pronounceth such blessed as hunger for righteousnesse wee say in that sense a sincere desire to pray and beleeve is materially and by concomitancy a neighbour and neare of kin to beleeving and praying A virtuall or seminall intention to pray beleeve love Christ doe his will is in the seed praying beleeving when the intention is supernaturall and of the same kind with the act as the seed is the tree Wee say not so of naturall intentions and desires As Abrahams sincere intention to offer his son was the offering of his son the widows casting in her mite was in her honest desire the casting in of all that shee had certainly not all simply that had been against charity toward her selfe but 2 single desires unfained aimes weigh as much with Christ as actions in their reality So wee say many are in affections Martyrs who never die nor suffer losse for Christ because nothing is wanting on the part of such Saints thus disposed but that God call them to it So Abraham offered his son Isaac to God because Abraham did all on his part and hee was not the cause why hee was not offered and made an actuall sacrifice to God but Gods countermand and his forbidding was the cause and nothing else Asser. 6. The humiliation and sorrow for sin and desire of the Physician by way of merit or 2. by way of a morall disposition having the favour of a Gospel-promise doe no more render a soule nearer to Christ and saving grace then the want of these dispositions for as a Horse or an Ape though they come nearer to some shadow of reason and to mans nature then the Stork or the Asse or then things voyd of life as stones and the like yet as there is required the like omnipotency to turn an Ape into a Man as to make a stone a sonne of Abraham so the like omnipotency of grace is required to turne an unhumbled soule into a saved and redeemed Saint as to turne a proud Pharisee into a Saint And merit is as farre to seek in the one as the other So an unconverted sinner though some way humbled if the Lord of free grace should convert hiâ— were no lesse oblieged to free grace and no lesse from laying any tye or bands of merits or obligation by way of promise on Christ for his conversion then a stone made a beleeving sonne of Abraham should be in the same case of conversion And 3. the humbled soule for ought hee knowâ—s I speak of
Libertines doe us from which wee are as farre as the East from the West Propos. â— It is not our doctrine but the weakenesse of sinners and of the flesh that we should be shie to Christ and stand aloofe from the Physitian because of the desperate condition of our disease This is as if one should say it is not fit for the naked to goe to him who offereth white linnen to cloath him nor that the poore should goe to him who would be glad you would take his fine gold off his hand or to say set not a young plant but let it lye above earth till you see if it beare fruit Unworthinesse in the court of justice is a good plea why Christ should cast us off but unworthynesse felt though not savingly is as good a ground to cast your selfe on Christ as poverty want and weakenesse in place of a Statute and act of Parliament to beg though the letter of the Law forbid any to beg Propos. 4. Acting and doing thouâ—h neither savingly nor soundly is not merit of grace yet not contrary to grace to obey the law of nature to give almes is not against grace Libertines should not reject this though it be not all but a most poore All to engage Christ. Propos. 5. Faith is a morall condition of life eternall and wrought in us by the free grace of God I never saw a contradiction between a condition wrought by irresistible grace and the gift or free grace of life eternall for life eternall given in the law and Adams doing and performing by the irresistible acting and assisting of God are not contrary yet the former was never merit but grace the latter was Legall doing Propos. 6. We doe receive the promise of willing and doing wrought immediatly in us according to the good will and most free grace of Christ and yet we are agents and worke under Christ. Propos. 7. Luther for I could fill a booke with citations Calvine and all our Protestant Divines are for qualifications voyd of merit or promise before conversion and for gracious conditions after conversion under the Gospel Antinomians belie Luther Propos. 8. Antinomians yeeld the preaching of the Law and preparations before conversion and conditions after and peace from signes of sanctification c. yet they are to be reputed enemies to grace and holinesse and turne all sanctification in their imaginary faith and justification of which they are utterly ignorant Never Antinomian knew rightly what free justification is Propos. 9. Immediate resting on Christ for all wee doe and drawing of comfort from the testimony of a good conscience are not contrary Propos. 10. Holinesse idolized or trusted in is to make Christ the alone Saviour no Saviour Propos. 11. God is not provoked to reprobate whom hee elected from eternity by new sins yet is hee displeased with Davids adultery so farre as to correct him for it and Solomon for his back-sliding with the rod of men Propos. 12. Works before justification please not God but it followes not that God keeps not such an order as sense of sin though not saving should goe before pardon and conversion no more then because Adams sin pleased not God therefore it should not goe before the Sons taking on our flesh If we are not to doe nor act any thing before conversion neither to heaâ—e conferre know our sinfull condition nor be humbled for sin despaire of salvation in our selves because these are not merits before conversion nor can they procure conversion to us neither are wee after conversion to beleeve for beleeving cannot merit righteousnessâ— and lâ—fe eternall nor are we to heare pray be patient rejoyce in trâ—â—â—lation for not any of these can procure life eternall to us And why is not the doing of the one as wâ—ll as the other a seeking righteousnesse in our selves Propos. 13. The promise of Christs comming in the flesh 2. and of giving a new heart are absolute promises the former requireth no order of providence but that sin goe before redemption the latter requireth an order of providence not of any Gospel-promise or merit in any sort there nâ—ver was never can be merit betwâ—en a meere creature and God Propos. 14. There is no faith no act of Christs coyn or of the right stamp before justification Propos. 15. Wee are justified in Christ virtually as in the publike Head when hee rose again and was justified in the Spirit 2. In Christ as hâ—s merits are 〈◊〉 cause of our justification 3. In Christ apprehended by faâ—th formâ—lly in the Scriptures sense in the Epistle to the Romanes and Galathians not that faith is the formall cause or any merit in justification but because it layâ—s â—old on impâ—ted riâ—â—â—eoâ—snesse which is the formall cause of our justiâ—â—caâ—ion 4. We are justified in our own sense and feeling not by faith 〈◊〉 because wee may beleeve and neither know that wee bâ—lâ—eve nor be sensible of our justification but as wee know that wee beleeve whether this knowledge result from the lighâ— of faith or from signes as meanes of our knowledge 5. Juâ—â—iâ—ication by way of declaration to others is not so infallible as that the Scripture calls it justification properly so named Object 8. I was sixthly in hearing the word shined upon by a sweet witnessing of the Spirit But O how I did strive against this work I was called upon but I put away all promises of mercy from me I may justly say The Lord saved me whether I would or no. Sometimes I was dead and could not pray sometimes so quickened that me thought that I could have spent a whole night in prayer to God Answ. 1. If the faith of the eternall love of free election was his first conversion no wonder hee was shined upon with light But it was not Scripture-light but wild-fire for the method of Christs drawing in the Scripture is not Enthusiasticall up at secret election at first There is no doubt wee put Christ away from us after conversion Cant. 5.1 and that so Christ saves us against our will That the principle of saving is free grace 2. that free will is neither free nor willing till Christ first draw us till hee renew and work upon the will But I feare Antinomians will have free will a block to doe nothing at all If Christ will let me sinne say they let him look to it upon his honour be it And Faith justifies an unbeleever that is that faith that is in Christ justifieth me who have no faith in my selfe And It is legall to say wee act in the strength of Christ. And To take delight in the holy service of God is to goe a whoring from God And A man may not be exhorted to any duty because hee hath no power to doe it And The Spirit acts most in the Saints when they endeavour least And In the conversion of a sinner the faculties of the soule and working thereof are
such hazard or lotterie as such imaginary dispositions oâ— good humours thousands being brought in to Christ in chaines in saddest afflictions Nor is grace being a plant of heaven a flower that grows out of such clay ground Asser. 7. Christ drawes by such a power and this is the last point in the drawing That it is not in the power of man to resist him 1. He drawes by the pull of that same arme and power by which he commanded light to shine out of darknesse 2 Cor. 4.6 by which he raised the dead out of the graves Ephes. 1.18 19. by the exceeding greatnes of his power and the mighty power by which he raised Christ from the death Arminians answer this was omnipotency of working miracles but what was it to the salvation of the Ephesians and to the hope of their glory to know with opened eyes such a power as Judas knew and can the dead chuse but be quickned and come out of the grave when God raiseth them Joh. 5.25 That Vaga necessitas the strong morall necessity talked of by Jesuites when strong morall motives work is a dream there for it may come short a man quickned in the grave and put to his feet as Lazarus was of necessity must come out he will not lie down in the grave again and kill himselfe A man starving for hunger when meat is set before him on any termes he desires if he be in his right wits will necessarily eat and not kill himself but the necessity of saving soules in the tender and loving mind of God in Christ is much stronger and if we consider the corruption of will this fancied vaging necessity cannot so bow the will but it is necessary that corrupt will dissent rather then consent to Christ. 2. God taketh away all resisting and the vitious and wicked power of resisting hee removeth the stony heart openeth blind eyes removeth the vail that is over the heart in hearing or reading the Scriptures Ezek. 36.26 2 Cor. â— 16 17. Deut. 30.6 Col. 2.11 takes the mans sword and armour from him cuts off his armes so as he cannot fight or resist you It is true Christ taketh not from David Abraham Prophet Apostle or from any Men or Angels that are to be saved the natural created power of nilling and willing purum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse nolle Christo trahente but he taketh away the morall wicked and godlesse power hic nunc and vitious and corrupt disposition of resisting 3. God layeth bonds on himself by 1. Promise 2. Covenant 3 Oath to circumcise the heart of his chosen ones Deut. 30.6 to put his Law in their inward parts Jer. 31.32 33. To give them one heart to fear God for ever not to depart from God Jer. 32.39 40. Heb. 8.6 7 c. to blesse them Heb. 6.16 17 18. Gen. 22.16 17. Psal. 89.33 34 35 36 37. Heb. 1.5 6. We cannot imagine that God will keep Covenant promise and oath upon a condition and with a reserve that we give him leave so to doe that is as much as the Creator will be faithfull if the creature will be faithfull And there is nothing glorious in the Gospel and second Covenant above the Law and first Covenant if God promise not to remove the power of resisting for if God doe not promise to work our obedience absolutely without any condition depending on our free will then must free will be so absolutely indifferent as it can suspend God from fulfilling his oath Now the Law had a promise of life If yee doe this ye live eternally but God neither did work nor was tyed by the tenour of that Covenant to work in us to doe to will to continue to abide in all written in the Law of God to the end and therefore it was a broken Covenant Nor can Arminians make the Covenant Gospel-promise and oath of God so conditionall as the Law of works or as the promise of giving the holy Land to the seed of Abraham upon condition of faith because many could not enter in because of unbeliefe except Arminians and Jesuites prove 1. That all that entred in to the holy Land yong and old did beleeve and were elected to salvation redeemed and saved as Caleb and Joshua were as all that enter in to the true promised Land are beleevers otherwise they die are condemned and can never see God John 3.18.36 v. 16. Joh. 11.26 and 5.24 Mark 16.16 Acts 15.11 Acts 11.17.18 but the former is most evidently false in the History of Joshua and Judges multitudes entred in who never beleeved as multitudes entred not in who beleeved as Moses and many others And therefore from this that many entred not in because of unbeliefe The Arminians shall never prove that as God makes a promise of life eternall that beleevers infallibly and only shall be saved and unbeleevers excluded so God made a covenant and promise that all these of Abrahams seed infallibly and all these onely should enter into the holy Land who should beleeve as did Caleb and Ioshua I put all Arminians and Papists and Patrons of universall atonement to prove any such covenant or promise 2. Let Arminians prove that faith and a new heart was promised to all Abrahams seed who were to enter in tâ— the holy Land as it is promised to all the Elect who are saved and to enter in the Kingdome of Heaven Ezek. 36.26 Jer. 31.32 3â— Jer. 32.39 40. 3. That the promise of eternall rest in heaven was typified by conversion to Christ and conversion upon condition of faith as they say but without ground the holy Land was promised to all Abrahams seed upon condition of Faith the like we say to all oâ—her conditionall promises of God made in Scripture that are as the legs of the lame unequally paraleld with the Covenant of Grace Because this is the only answer Adversaries can give though it be as a parable in a fooles mouth Let it be considered 1. The difference between the first Covenant which was broken Jer. 31 32 33 34. and the better Covenant which is everlasting and cannot be broken Jer. 31.35 36 37. and 32.39 40. Isai. 54.10 11. Isai. 59.19 20. Heb. 8.6 7 c. is expresly holden forth to make the new Covenant better then the Old But it s close removed for both are broken Covenants by this reasoning 2. When God promiseth the removing of an old and stony heart and to give a new heart he promiseth to take away resisting in us for nothing can resist Christs drawing but the stony and old heart 3. The Apostles reason Heb. 6.13 14 15 16. of the Lords two immutable things his oath and promise is That wee might have strong consolation and hope Now this makes undeniably the consolation though never so strong the hope never so sure to depend on our free will if the sinner brue well he drinks well if he resist not grace as he may or accept it
somewhat more then free will to strike with the sword and hee that lifts both arme and sword did not thwart or crosse your internall vitall and elective power as the Lord moves the will in naturall acts as acts in all sinfull deviations from a Law hee should not free you from the guilt of murther and so yet the assumption is false for Christ so moves and determines the will to beleeve as all the in-workes and vitall wheels of will reason judgement freedome are so moved with such an accommodation and fit and congruous attemperation to free will as it goes along sweetly gladly freely with the grace of Christ in conversion and too gladly and willingly in acts to which wickednesse and murther are annexed as there can be no other straining or compulsion here dreamed of but such as when a Virgin is said to be ravished who freely and deliberately appointeth time place persons opportunities and gladly comes to the place in which shee is carried away which neither Law nor Reason can make a rape Now I grant neither Man nor Angel can so work upon the will it is proper to the Lord and communicable to no creature to know what congruous wayes can efficaciously draw the will And 2. It s God onely who can attemper irresistible strength and sweetnesse and delectation of consent together Vse 4. It s not a good nor a comfortable way nor would I love a heaven that is referred to a may be or a may not be it s not a good heaven that is referred to a venture 2. Weaknesse left of God turneth wickednesse It is kindly to our corruption to be uncouth strange froward to Christ and undiscreet to strong love 3. Free will is now like a bankrupt Merchant or a young and loose heire who hath lost all credit Christ dare not venture a stock in our hand 4. Christ is a Shepherd who in feeding his flock stands on his feet Isai. 40.11 and sits not down to lie and sleep the fiâ—st Adam sat down all his sons lie down never man on his owne bottome can come to heaven Let us chuse this sure way that broken men may be tutored by Jesus Christ. Vse 5. If hee be a drawing Christ it s a terrible thing to be at holding and drawing with Christ. 1. Gods soule loaths with-drawers Heb. 10.38 If any man draw-backe my soule shall not be pleased with him The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word from souldiers that leave their standing out of feare the feared souldier sends himselfe away out of the Army But Habac. 2.4 from whence this is cited seemes a farre contrary word The soule that is lifted up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towred up or lifted up as a high tower is not upright in him Isai. 31.14 Feare makes men low and base and pride makes them high and lofty how then is withdrawing from God so base and low a word in the Apostles stile expressed by the Prophet Habbacuc in so high a word as the towring up the soule There is a reciprocation of things in the word signified for unbeleefe resisting of Christ and the sinners withdrawing is an act of the highest pride hee that will not be converted and refuseth Christ thinks hee can fend without Christ hee hath a stronger Castle to run to then Christ and imagines that his sinnes and lusts shall shelter him in the ill day And unbeleefe is a base timorous and cowardly thing when men for feare of a lesse evill and a poorer losse steale away from Christ And both is base or poore pride and high or lofty beggarlinesse in stealing away from Christs colours which the Lord abhorres 2. Withdrawing looks hell-like Hee that is not saved in the nick of conversion is eternally lost Heb. 10.38 But wee are not of the withdrawing to perdition Withdrawing hath no home but hell 3. It s a sign of an obdurate heart Zech. 7.11 But they have refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eare lest they should heare And so judgement-like is withdrawing and smells so of vengeance that God plagues withdrawing with withdrawing Hos. 5.4 They will not frame their doings to turne unto their God And what is the issue of that They shall goe with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord but they shall not find him for hee hath withdrawne himselfe from them Pro. 1.24 I called and yee refused Vers. 26. then this must follow Vers. 28. as also Joh. 8.21 the like is they shall call upon me but I will not answer Vse 6. It s a terrible plague of God which wee would eschew as hell to wit provoking of God by such sins as may procure that God should in his judgement marre the lock of the heart the will that the doore should neither shut nor open and cast poyson into the soule so as Angels and Men heaven and earth cannot help or cure it Christ is good at opening hearts and drawing sinners and hee is as good at judiciall closing of hearts If hee but put his finger in the eye and snap in pieces the optick nerves all the world cannot restore sight or open the heart Hee that is nearest to be drawne to Christ and yet never drawn is deepest in hell An Evangelike-fire of Gods fury is worse then a Sinai-fire though it burne up to mid-heaven 1. Sinning against the light of nature and the known will of God as Idolatry and the principles of your own Religion true and known to be so brings delivering up to judiciall blindnesse Rom. 1.21 2. If yee put your finger in natures eye and blow out that candle God will give you up to vile affections Rom. 1.24 and a reprobate mind Vers. 26 27 28. Some blow out the candle of nature and God blowes out the sun of the Gospel that it is to them like sack-cloth of haire and a moon like bloud 3. Resisting of the call of God brings on the plague of hardnesse of heart Pro. 1.24 25 26 27. Act. 28.23 24 25 26 27. Joh. 8.21 Vse 7. Wee are hence taught to put our heart in Christs hand hee and hee onely who makes all things new hath a singular faculty in making old hearts new hearts Now there is no such way as to lie at the tyde and wait on a full sea and a faire wind and ship in with Christ attend the ordinances watch at the posts of the doore of Wisdome Object I have been a hearer thirty fourty yeares I am as farre from being drawn this day as the first day Answ. 1. Such a soule would not be oyled at the first with the perswaded assurance of an everlasting love of election as Libertines cure poore soules but would be brought to see sin and be humbled and plowed that Christ may sow 2. They would be taken off their owne bottome and discharged to confide and rest on humiliation or any thing in themselves 3. The manner motives and grounds of their
with all the fulnesse of God Of this fulness 1. A word of the measure of it 2. Of the meanes of it 3. Of the sufficiency of it in the kind and nature Randall in his Epistle before the Treatise called The Bright Star I have therefore observed the ever to be bewailed Non-proficiency of many ingenious Spirits who through the policy of others and the too too much modesty and temerity of themselves have precluded the way of progresse to the top and pitch of rest and perfection against themselves as being altogether unattainable and have shortned the cut with a Non datur ultra and are become such who are ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth But for the measure sure it is not as Antinomians and Familists dream compleat and full in this life 1. Because according to the manner and measure of the manifestation of Christ and knowledge so is love and the perfection of beleevers This is a truth in it self undeniable and granted by the Author of the Bright Star cap. 5. p. 52. For Christs excellency and drawing beauty in love goeth in to the soul by the port and eye of knowledge But 1 Cor. 13.9 We know in part and we prophesie in part 2. Paul disclaimeth perfection as being but in the way and journeying toward it Phil. 3.12 Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Jesus Christ. Now this perfection which Paul professeth he wanteth is opposed v. 13.14 To his pressing toward the garland For the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ Heb. 11 40. 3. Perfection such as wee expect in heaven is in no capacity to receive any farther addition or accession of grace or glory nor is there a growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ enjoyned us there as is expresly here in the way to our Countrey 2 Pet. 3.14 and to runne our race to the end Heb. 12.1 and be carried on to perfection Heb. 6.1 It s true our good works are washed in the Fountaine opened for Davids house in which our persons are washed but that washing removeth the sinfull guilt and Law-obligation from them but not the inherent blot and sinfull imperfection of our works to make them perfect for then might wee be justified by our good workes if Christs bloud make them to leave off to be sins but that bloud hindereth them to be imputed to us only but removeth not their sinfull imperfections as Antinomians say that so they may make us perfect in this life nor doth that bloud as Papists say adde a meriting dignity and vertue to them by which wee are justified by workes made white and meritorious in Christs bloud and merits God hath so portraicted and chalked the way to heaven that all the most supernaturall acts even those that have immediate bordering with the vision of glory should need a passe of pardoning grace and to beleeve that Christs grace shall work in us acts voyd of sin is not faith Therefore wee are to beleeve the pardon of such ere they have being and not sanctifying grace to eschew them It seemeth to me unbeleeving murmuring to be cast down at these sins in such a way as to imagine wee can eschew them or that grace sanctifying is wanting to us in these for grace is not due to sinlesse acts Nor doth the growing in grace which lieth on us by an obligation of a command stop the way to the journeying toward perfection and heaven nor shorten the cut to heaven because heaven is not attainable in this life but by the contrary if perfection were attainable in this life the man that attaineth it might sit down rest there and goe not one step farther for except hee should goe beyond the crown and to the other side of heaven and over-journey Christ at the right hand of God whither should hee goe And those that are ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth are 2 Tim. 3.5 lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God such as wee are to turne away from as have a forme of godlinesse and have denyed the power thereof and are led away with divers lusts and are never entered into one onely degree or step of the way of the saving knowledge of the truth of which Paul speaketh and not the truly regenerate who beleeve witâ— Paul and the Scriptures that our greatâ—st perfection is to sweat and contend for the highest pitch of perfection even that which is beyond time 4. Those that are perfected as wee hope we shall be in heaven feed not with the Beloved among the lillies till the day breake and the shadowes fly away but the perfectest the Spouse of Christ so feedeth on Church-ordinances Cant. 2.17 The perfect ones have the fullest pitch of the noon-day Sun of glory it shall never be after-noon nor the evening or twy-light sky with them nor shall any night-shaddow nor cloud goe over their Sun 5. In the Kingdome of perfect on there shall be no in-dwelling of a body of sin no sin no uncleannesse of heart no turning of the love and liking of the soule off God but the perfectest in this life sin and carry an in-dwelling body of sin with them Pro. 20.9 Eccles. 7.20 Job saith chap. 14.4 The perfectest that beget children are unclean Rom. 7.17 18 19 20 21 2 23. 1 Joh. 1.8 9 10. 1 Joh. 2.1 All that have need of an High Priest at the right hand of God to intercede for thâ—m have sin and in so far are imperfect as all the Saints are Hâ—â— 7.25 4.15 1.17 18. 8.1 2 â— 9.23 24 25 26. And 1 Cor. 13.8 Love never faileth 〈…〉 abundantly and is filled to satisfaction that tâ—e 〈◊〉 I can containe no more of God and is transformed in 〈…〉 of transcendent light and highest love as it were lâ—st in the deep fountaine of universall and immensurable love and light and the creatures soule and love liveth and breatheth resteth in the bosome in the heart in the bowels of him who is an infinite masse of love is wrapped in the sugared flouds in the honey-brooks and over-flowing waves and rivers of pure and unmixed joy sleepeth and solaceth it selfe in the innocent embracings of the glory that shineth rayeth and darteth world without end out of Christ exalted farre above all heavens all principalities and powers the soules there are sweetned more then sweetned over-solaced with the noone-day-light of the Bridegromes glory having in it the sweetest perfections of the Morning-Sun they flee with Doves-wings of beauty after the Lambe they never want the actuall breathings of the Spirit of gloâ—y they can never have enough of the chast fruition of the glorious Prince Immanuâ—l and they never want his inmost prâ—sâ—nce to the full thâ—y â—uck the honey the flouds of milke of eternaâ—l consolations
creature to seeke and will in all things 〈…〉 doth or leaveth undone it selfe and those things wâ—ich 〈◊〉 it s owne and this or that here or there Theologia 〈◊〉 Cap. â—9 pag. 109 110. Hee who is illuminâ—ted with 〈…〉 and divine love 〈◊〉 divine and deified man Thâ—olog 〈◊〉 cap. â—8 pag. 7â— Those who are led by the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 the Sonnes of God and not subject to the Law the senâ—â— of which words is they are not to be taught what they should 〈◊〉 or leave undone seeing the Spirit of God which is their instructor will teach them sufficiently neither is any thing to be commanded or injoyned them For hee that teacheth them commandeth them they need no law by meanes thereof to get profit to themselves for they have obtained all already and thus Pag. 70. Christ needed no Law but was above Law and removes Ordinances c. Theol. German cap. 11. pag. 23. The soule of Christ was to descend to Hell before it could ascend to heaven and the same must befall the soule of man and this commeth to passe when hee knoweth and beholdeth and findeth himselfe so evill that he supposeth it to be iust he should suffer all even bee damned for ever and when he neither will nor can desire deliverance and comfort but doth beare damnation neither waywardly nor unwillingly but loveth damnation and paine because it is just and agreeable to Gods will And pag. 25. when man desireth in this hell nothing but the eternall good and understandeth the eternall good to bee above measure good and this is his peace joy rest satisfaction to him this good becommeth mans and so man is in the kingdome of heaven this hell hath an end this heaven shall never end Man in this hell cannot thinke that ever hee shall bee comforted againe or delivered and when hee is in this heaven nothing can hurt him nether can he beleeve that hee can bee hurt or discomforted and yet after this hell hee is comforted and delivered and after this heaven he is troubled and deprived of comfort Man can doe or omit nothing by his owne meanes whereby this heaven should come to him or this hell depart from him For the wind bloweth where it listeth c. and when man is in either of these he is in good case and he may be as safe in hell as in heaven and so long as man is in this life he may often passe from the one to the other In opposition to these wicked fooleries and for further clearing of the truths formerly proposed let these Positions for the unfolding of the drawing lovelynesse of Christ be considered Posit 1. The Scriptures are given by divine inspiration able to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3.16 17. the onely mean to find Christ for they bear witness of him Jo. 5.39 And are written that we might beleeve and in beleeving have life eternall Joh. 20.31 And all that Christ Jesus heard of his Father he made known to his Apostles Joh. 15.15 And of these one Apostle Paul who also received the Gospel not from flesh and blood but by revelation from Jesus Christ Gal. 1.12 2 Pet. 3.15.16 Acts 9.1 2 c. did declare to the Ephesians the whole counsell of God Acts 20.27 and yet beleeved and preached no other things then theâ—e that are witten in the Law or in Moses and the Prophets Acts 24.14 Acts 26.22 And the Majâ—stie divinity power harmony doctrine above the reach of flesh and blood the â—nd which is not in this side of time and death but beyond both as the places in the Margin witness doe demonstrate that the one Book of the Old and New Testament can be fathered upon none but on God only Position 2. The Scripture and all the ordinances are but created things and not the ultimate object of our faith and highest and compleatest love that is reserved to God in Iesus Christ yea the most perfect we read of Paul a chosen vessell stood in need of comfort from Titus 2 Cor 7.5 6. and the Saints at Rome Rom. 1.11 12. and Peter of a rebuke Gal. 2. and the beloved Disciple Iohn of the joy and comfort of the walking of the children of Gaius in the truth Ep. 3. v. 4 5. And of a commandment of the Law which forbiddeth Idolatry and Angel-worship Rev. 19.10 Rev. 22.8 9. and of an Evangelike precept to beleeve and not to fear Rev. 1.17 and the excellentest and perfectest member of the body hath need of counsell exhortations from the lowest member Rom. 12.3 4 5 6 7 8. Gal. 6.2 1 Cor. 12.14 c. and all the Saints to whom Paul Peter Iames Iohn wrote amongst whom there were that had the annointing that teacheth them all things must hear and obey many exhortations precepts and commandements out of the Law as Evangelized then the most perfect are not above the Law the Gospel and Ordinances as Familists say else all the New Testament and Canonicall Epistles were written to the Saints for no purpose But that we may understand this the better we are to remember that 1. There is a a twofold happinesse of the Saints one formall and another objective 2. That there is a mediate seeing of God one by ordinances and meanes another immediate 3. That there is a two-fold will of God one that is revealed in Scripture or the Law of Nature and that is the Morall good that God approveth and injoyneth to us rather then the will of God this the Familists call the exterior or accidentall will of God because Gods will as his essence should have beene entire and selfe-sufficient though God had never revealed any such will to Men or Angels yea though he had never made the World or Men or Angel There is anoâ—her will essentiall in God which is not the thing willed but the essentiall faculty of desiring or willing in God Now to come neerer the point the formall blessednesse of the Sainâ—s is in the act of seeing knowing loving enjoying God which on our part are created things and so empty nothinâ—s and are not essentially the happinesse of man but meanes by the which we enjoy God our happinesse so the using of all the meanes and ordinances are not our happinesse It s true our Saviour saith Its life eternall to know God and his Sonne Christ Joh. 17. But he meaneth it is the way and necessary meanes to happinesse and life eternall God in Christ and in the in-commings and out-slowings of the Spirit of glory or the Blessed one God in three persons is the object and happinesse of the Saints and therefore we are to preferre Christ himselfe to all the kisses visions out-slowings of glory and all ouâ— acts of seeing loviâ—g and enjoying of God wee may love ordinances and prize highly the vision of God but God himselfe and Jesus Christ we must not onely prize but be ravished overcharged
God is formally all things that God is man that God is the Spirit and forme that acteth in all that a holy man is God incarnate and Christ God man and that Christ the Mediator is nothing but God humanized and man Godded and deified and that Christ dwelling in a beleever by faith and the inhabitation of the holy Ghost is but God manifested in the flesh of every man This destroyeth many articles of Faith as Familists care not boldly to subvert all Scriptures for Christ then is not true man borne of the seed of David and he is not God blessed for ever in one person 2. All creatures and created beings compared with God the first being of himselfe subsisting and the infinite God may be denied to bee beings comparatively And so our created selfe is nothing to wit nothing in dignitie or excellencie beside God or nothing in the kinde of a being that essentially is of it selfe as God is in genere entis per essentiam yet man is a being in the kinde of being by participation in genere entis per participationem man compared with God is a poore worthless sorry little-nothing a weeping melting evanishing Cipher Yea sweetest ordinances because it s but created sweetness that is in them are neare of blood to nothing and in comparison of God meere shaddows that cannot bottome the immortall soule and nothing and partake of vanitie common to all creatures So the Scripture saith Man at his best state is altogether vanitie Psal. 39.5 Behold thou hast made my dayes as a hand breadth and mine age is nothing before thee verily every man at his best state is altogether vanitie Esai 40.17 All nations before him are nothing and lesse then nothing and vanitie Yet a heathen may say and thinke and demonstrate by reason that selfe and man and all the world are lesse in incomparison of the infinite God then nothing to all things a droppe of water to the Sea the shaddow to the body a peny-torch to the light of ten thousand millions of Suns in one and yet be as farre from selfe-denyall from puting off the old man and mortifying the lusts of the flesh as light is from darknesse It is most vaine to say as its the property of the creature to seeke and will it selfe and its own and this or that here or there as it is the property of God to bee without this or that without selfiness egoity or the like Because every thing created even worms frogs trees elements such creatures as beget creatures like themselves they have such a sweet and naturall interest in being that without sin or deviation from law or rule or any leading or directing principle of nature they desire themselves their owne being and when they cannot keepe being in themselves they desire to keep it in the kind by propagation and will fight it out against all contraries and enemies to preserve their owne being though but borrowed from God and I know no sin they are guilty of in so doing nor was Christs conditional desire of life and deprecating death any whit contrary to innocent selfe-denyall 2. The Lord seeketh himselfe and his owne glory and made all things for himselfe even the wicked for the evill day Prov. 16.4 And that is a most holy and pure act which God ascribeth to himselfe Esai 43 21. This people have I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise Now in all dwelling in Christ there is a continuall acting of life by beleeving joying resting in God As Phillip saith Iohn 14.8 Lord shew us the father and it sufficeth us Here life seeks a soule-satisfying union with life for life is onely a satisfactorie object to life Living things seeke no dead things as such to be their happinesse if reason doe rightly act them and God as revealed in Iesus Christ is that in which the Saints find a soule sufficiency for themselves and the act of seeing God in Christ whether in this life or in the life to come is an act of life for the soule liveth in the Ocean Sea and bosome of a fair eternall truth But doth it act there yea it doth and the Scripture expresseth its acting by seeing God drinking the fountain of life Then thâ— soule thus in Christ drinketh in love and milketh and sucketh in the soule-reioycing irradiations of Christ and Christ letting out the breathings of the sweetness of his excellency on the face of the soul draweth and sucketh in reciprocally acts of admiration and wondering Cant. 2.8 The voice of my beloved behold he cometh leaping upon the mountaines and skipping on the hils behold is a word of wonder 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed on us Not love onely but the manner and the kinde of the Fathers love in Christ is a worlds wonder and 2 Thess. 1.10 Christ when he cometh shall be wondered in them that beleeve 2. Then again when wee see and injoy the drawing lovelinesse of Christ hee as the fountaine and well of life powreth in in our intellectuall love and in the glancings and rayes of our understanding acts of divine light lumpes of fresh love from the spring of heavens love and the soule openeth its mouth wide and taketh in the streames of Christs nectar hony and milke his consolations and love breathings and in his light we seeing light and in his love feeling love he maketh out light and love as it were coeternall with borrowed eternitie and we goe along with the out-shinings of Christs bright countenance to shine in borrowed light to flame in borrowed coals of love and as Christ is said to feed his flock among the Lilies the garden of Christ his Church being the common pasture for the lambes of the flock so he feeds the soules of the Saints that enjoyeth him with the marrow fatness and dainties of his light and love that shine in his face even as the oyle feeds the lampe but with this difference Christs dainties are not lessened because wee feed upon them as the oyle is consumed with burning Pos. 10. There is a living and solacing of the soule in Christ even to saciety in this enjoying of Christ. Hence 1. Love giveth strong leggs and swift wings to the soule to persue an union with Christ. Love putteth the hand to the bottome of the desire and draweth with strong coards the lover to it we have heard of Christs invitation Come to me But suppose Christ had never outed his love in such a love-expression Come to me Christ himselfe is such a drawing object that beauty the smell of his garments his mountaine of myrrhe and hill of Frankincense the Sea and rivers of salvation that capacious and wide heaven of redemption are intrinsecally and of themselves crying drawing and ravishing objects as gold is dumbe and cannot speake yet the beauty and gaine of it cryeth Come hither poore and bee made rich 2. Loves wings move sweetly
72.12 All Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall serve him it s meant of Christ and in the letter cannot be true if many refuse him to be their King Psalm 2.9.2.3 Lâ—k 19 14. Psal. 110.1 So is it said Psal. 22.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turne to the Lord and all the kindreds of â—he Nations shall worship before thee Now that he meaneth of spirituall turning to God and of Repentance is cleare Vers. 18. For the Kingdome is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations Vers. â—3 A seed shall serve him it shall be counted to the Lord for a Generation Except there be a restriction of this All how will Arminians eschew this that all and every man of the heathen shall repent and be a holy seed devoted to the Lord as his Righteous ones For sure the same expression of all Nations Esai 40.16 are taken for all and every one of mankinde Psalm 66 9. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name Esai 66.23 And it shall come to passe that from one new Moone to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come â—o worship before me saith the Lord. Let Arminians speake if all flesh that commeth before God from Sabbath to Sabbath under the New Testament to worship be as large and comprehensive as the same expression Esai 40.6 All flesh is grasse Sure the latter comprehendeth all Adams Sonnes without exception even including infants the former cannot beare so wide a sense So Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the Families of the earth be blessed Gen. 22.18 If the meaning be that without any figure or exception all and every family be blessed in Christ then shall I inferre that all the families of the earth without exception are justified by faith in Christ Gal. 3.10 11 12 13.14 And that the Nations of the earth without exception are heires of the promise have right to strong consolation are fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope laid before them and have anchored thâ—ir hope up within the veilo whither the fore-runner Christ hath entred for of these Nations the Apostle expoundeth the promise Hebr. 6.13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. So Esai 27.6 Israel shall blossome and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit then shall there bee none on earth but the blossoming Iâ—rael of God Rom. 11.26 And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written there shall come out of Sion a deliverer c. These that Paul calleth all Israel Esaiah 69.20 21. calleth Jaakob and the seed and the seeds seed Esaiah 59.19 So shall they feare the name of the Lord from the West and his glory from the rising of the Sunne Mal. 1.11 For from the rising of the Sunne even to the going downe of the same any name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering for my name shall bee great among the heathen saith the Lord of Hosts If from the East to the West and in all places of the Gentiles men feare the name of the Lord then sure the whole inhabitants of the earth between the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same must bee converted to Christ and offer prayers prayses spirituall service to Christ except some restriction be made the most part from the East to the West are enemies to the Gospel And how would Arminians triumph if so much were said for universall Redemption as here is said for universall Regeneration and Conversion of all except we say there must be a figure a Senechdoche of All for many Or Christs all and universalitie of converted ones must bee here meant Joh. 1.9 That was the true light that inlighteneth every one that commeth into the world What Even infants who come into the world and all and every one of Adams Sonnes it cannot bee true in any sense except it be meant of the light of the Gospel that yet never came to the halfe part of the world For Vers. 10. The world knew him not and Vers. 6. There was a man sent from God whose name was John ver 7. the same came for a witnesse to beare wâ—tnesse of the light that all men through him might beleeve Can any divinity teach that God intended that all and every mortall man should beleeve by him that is by the Ministery of John the morning starre which was to fall and disappeare and shine no more at the rising of Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse 1 Joh. 2.27 Yee need not that any teach you but the anointing that yee have received teacheth you all things Why should then fewer have the Spirit of holy unction in them then the world for whom Christ is a propitiation and all the visible Saints that John writeth unto 1 Joh. 1 2. 2.1.2 4.9 God sent his onely begotten Sonne to the world that we through him might live nor need we flee to that exposition ever and anone that Christ dyed for all that is all ranks of men For All is put in Scripture ordinarily for many as Deut. 1.21 Psal. 71.18 Ier. 15.10 and 19.9 and 20.7 and 23.30 and 49.17 Ezech. 16.27 Exod. 33.10 Col. 1.28 Isai. 61.9 Gen. 41.57 Mark 14.4 Joh. 3.26 Acts 17.31 and 10.38 Mark 1.37 2 Cor. â— 2 Luke 24.47 and 4.15 Isai 2.2 3. Otherwise I could say Christ died for no man because the Scripture ascribeth an universality to the wicked Jer. 6.28 c. 9.2 Mic. 1.7 1 Iohn 2.15 16. and 1 Iohn 5.19 And surely that election and redemption move both in the same spheare and or be of the free love of God is cleare to me from that place Ioh. 3.16 on which Arminians confide much for Gods love to save mankinde by the death of Christ is the very love of election to glory of such certaine persons as the Lord therefore gives grace to beleeve because they are ordained to life eternall so that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as many and the number of beleevers and of the chosen to life are equall Acts 13.48 Ioh. 10.26 Rom. 8.29.30 1. That love cannot bee a generall confused antecedent conditionall love offered to all the world on condition they beleeve for that the Scripture freeth thousands of the sinne of unbeliefe of that love if Christ come not to them and speake not Ioh. 15.22 and Paul saith Rom. 1.14 How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Now the loved world Ioh. 3.16 is obliged to beleeve 2. That love that is the cause of Christs death is Ioh. 15.13 the greatest love that is it is such a giving love whereby Christ gives his Sonne that with him hee cannot but give his Holy Spirit faith and salvation yea and all things Rom. 8.32 But the conditionall generall love is not the greatest love for the Lord beareth not the greatest
never to bee repeated did that which all the thousands of reitâ—rated Sacrifices were never able to doe that he is no dying Priest but lives for ever to intercede for us at the right hand of God And for what is all this but that we should beleeve the aâ—sufficiency of Christ to save and because wee have too low thoughts of Christ as conceiving him to bee but a man or lesse then an Angel or a common Priest that can do no more by his blood as touchâ—ng remission of sinnes then dying Priests could do wiâ—h the blood of beasts and that he is dead and now when we sinne he cannot advocate for us at the right hand of God that his redemption he brings in is not eternall yea all this saith that saving faith rests upon Christ as God as able and compleatly perfect and sufficient to save though sinners doe not in the formall act of faith beleeve his good will decree and intention to redeem and save them by name 5 I should think that these who have high and precious thoughts of the grace tendâ—r mercy perfection and sufficiency of Christ to save all that beleeve and fiducially rely on Christ as a Saviour sealed for the wâ—rk of Redemption though they know not Gods minde touching their own salvation in particular have such a faith as the Gospell speaks of and doe savingly beleeve that Christ came to seek and to sâ—ve that which is lost to save sinners that Christ is the Son of the living God the Saviour of mankind and this no Divell no temporary believer no hypocrite can attaine unto Obj. 1. But I believe not then that I am in particular redeemed and without that I am a stranger to Christ for Devils and Reprobates may believe all the generall promises of the Gospel Answ. 1. It s true in that act formally you believe not you are redeemed in particular yet virtually and by good consâ—quence you believe your own redemption in particular and so you are not a stranger to Christ. 2. It s true Devils and Reprobates may yeeld an assent of mind to the generall promises as true but it s denyed that they can rest on them as good as worthy by all meanes to be embraced or thâ—t in heart and affections they can intrust the waight and burthen of their soule on these generall promises or that there is any taste of the honey and sweetnesse of Christ in these promises to their soule as it is with the soules that fiducially rest upon Christ in these promises Object 2. Suppose I know of a ship offering to carry all to a land of life where people are never sick never die have Summer and day light and peace and plenty for ever upon condition I should believe the good will of the Ship-master to carry me to that land if I know nothing of his good will to me in particular I have no ground to believe I shall ever enjoy that good land so here if I know nothing of Chrâ—sts good will to me how can I believe he shall carry me to the heavenly Canaan Answ. Yea suppose what is in question that to be perswaded of the good will of Christ the owner of the ship to carry you in particular is the condition upon which he must carry you but that is to be proved there is no other condition but that you rest on his good will to carry all who so rest on him and that is all Object 3. But I cannot believe Answ. You are to believe you cannot believe of your self and of your own strength but you are not farther from Christ thaâ— you are farre from your self Object 4. It s comfortable that Christ the Physitian came to heal the sick but what is that to me who am not sick nor of the number of these sick that Christ came to heal for any thing I know Ans. It s true it s nothing to you that Christ came to heal the sick cure the distemper of sin is on you you want nothing but that the Spirit working with the Law let you see your lost condition and the Gospel-offer be considered and compared with your estate But whether you be of the number of these sick that Christ came to heal is no lawfull doubt and comes not from God for what that number is or whether you be one of that number or no is a secret of the hid counsell of election to glory a negative certainty that for any thing yee know you are not of the contrary number nor are ye excluded out of that number is enough for you to father kindnesse upon Christ though he should say from heaven thou art not a Son Object 5. I shall never have ground of assurance to believe Christs good will nor either hope or comfort in the Gospel covenant or promises if Christ dyed for a few elected and chosen absolutely to glory for all must be resolved on doubtsome hopelesse sad and comfortlesse grounds by your way thus These for whom Christ laid down his life and have ground of assurance of hope and comfort in Christs death and in the Gospel promises are not all men and all sinners but only some few handfull of chosen ones by name such as Abraham David Peter Mary Hannah c. and not one more not any other But I am one of these few handfull of chosen ours by name I am Abraham David Peter Mary Hanna c. and of no other number therefore I have ground of assurance of hope and comfort in Christs death and in the Gospel-promises Now the Proposition is poore comfortlesse and a very hopelesse field to all within the visible Church and the assumption to the greatest part of mankind evidently false because many are called but few are chosen and so the syllogism shall suggest a field of comfortlesse and hopelesse unbelief and doubting yea of dispairing to the farre largest part of mankind whereas the doctrine of the Lords good will to save all and every one of mankinde and of redeeming all and covenanting in Christ with all removes all ground of unbeliefe and doubting from any offereth grounds of faith hope and comfort in the Gospel of peace to all Answ. 1. We shall consider what certaintie and assurance of faith Arminianâ— furnish to all and every on from the Gospel 2. What the Scripture speaks of the assurance hope and comfort of al and every one and 3. The argument shortly shall be answered as for the first that Arminians mâ—y make their syllogâ—sm of assurance hope and comfort in Christs death as large as Christs death they must exâ—end the Gospel-comfort and hope to the heathen who never â—eard of these comforts now how this can be let us judge a very learned and eminent Divine sheweth from the matter it self and confession of Amayrald an Arminian that twelve Apostles could not in so short a time have gone through the whole world yea they must have passed many partâ—cular
12.10 and of the Spirit on the thirsty ground Esai 44.3 is a work of creation Ephes. 2.10 Psal. 51.10 a quickning of the dead Ephes. 2.1.2.3.4 Ioh. 5.25 2 Cor. 4.6 and the wildernesse is not here a coagent for the causing roses to blossome out of the earth 2. The effect is not wholly denyed of the collaterall cause and ascribed wholly to another If Peter and Iohn draw a ship between them with joynt strength you cannot say the one drew the ship not the other But Christ said flesh and blood maketh no revelations of Christ but his father only Mat. 16.17 Mat. 11.25.26.27 Iam. 1.18 Ioh. 1.18 Then neither blood nor the will of man contribute any active inâ—â—uence to the first framing of the new birth nor can clay divide the glory of regeneration with the God of grace who maketh all things new Asser. 2. The soule or its faculties are not destroyed in conversion Peters will which he had when he was young was the same when converted but renewed Ioh. 21.18 the Saints that Peter writeth to are not to â—unne to the same excesse of ryot as of old they wrought the will of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4.3.4 Paul and Titus were the same men when dâ—sobedient and serâ—ing divers lusts and when converted and now washen regeneratâ—d and justified heirs Tit. 3.1.2.3.4 Paul the same man a persecuter and an Apostle but Grace made a change 1 Cor. 15.9.10 the same minde and spirit remaineth in nature but they are renewed in the spirit of the minde Rom. 12.2 Eph. 4.23 It is the same heart but turned to the Loâ—d 2 Cor. 3.15.16 Christ but removeth the scum and the drosse and the false metall and frames the man a new vessell of mercy Asser. 3. The person of the holy Ghost is not united to the soul of a beleever nor are there two persons here united or made one Spirit by union of person with person but the person is said to come to the Saints and to dwell with them and to be in them Ioh. 14.16.17 and God hath sent the Spirit of his son in our hearts crying Abba Father not that the holy Ghost in propper person doth in us formally and immediately beleeve pray love repent c. We being meer patients in understanding will affections memory as Libertines teach But the holy Ghost cometh to the Saints and dwelleth in them in the spirituall gifts and saving graces and supernaturall qualities câ—eated in us by the holy spirit and acted excited and moved as supernaturall and heavenly habits to act with the vitall influence of our understanding will and affeâ—â—ions I prove the former part 1. Because such a union of the person of the holy Ghost in us beleeving loving joying praying and immediately in us were that blasphemous dei-fying and Goding of the Saints so as beleeving loving praying were not our works but the immediate acts of the holy Ghost and either the faint manner of beleeving or the cold slacked loving and praying of Saints or their not beleeving and sinfull omission of the acts of faith love praying rejoycing could not be more imputed to Saints as their sinfull defects and transgressions but must be laid on the holy Ghosts score then we can impute the splitting of a ship to the ship it self and not to the negligent and willfull pilot who of purpose dashed the vessell on a rock but we must not in reason blame the ship but the Pilot for the losse of the ship is the onely and proper fault of the man that stirred the ship and the ship is innocent and harmlesse timber Now what sinne can be in the Saints in these supernaturall acts if the holy Ghost immediately in his owne person stirre the helme and only without us act these in us we might with as good reason say the shop that a man worketh in doth make the portrait which is a great untruth since the artificer in the shop doth it as say that the Saints doe pray beleeve rejoyce if the holy Ghost immediateâ—y doe all these in them as in a shop 2. Vpon the same ground the Lords coming down and filling Iohn Baptist from his mothers womb and the Apostles and Steven full of the holy Ghost should be the holy Ghosts personall filling of them and his immediate acting in them without any action of them in preaching praying and their heavenly bold confessing of Christ before men and there should be no difference betweene the Ark and Temple of Ierusalem filled with the immediate presence of God in the Lords manifestation of his glory there and these Saints filled with God in these works of free grace I shall not beleeve that the person of God can be said to be united to either Ark Temple Apostle or Martyr all the union is in the effects and manifestations of graces or tokens of Divine presence which are creatures rising and falling with time 3. That excellent and living â—rk the most gloâ—ious and admirable thing that heaven hath the Lord Iesus is God and man two natureâ— united in one person But both the word of God making that He that same Holy thing borne of the virgin Mary the Son of God Luke 1.5 and that same He and person who came of the Iewes according to the flâ—sh to be God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 Hâ—br 7.3 Matth. 16.13.16 and the third generall Councell called that of Ephesus and after the counsell of Chalcedone ver 4. and 5. doe evidence to us that Christ cannot be two persons as Nestorius dreamed and one person Paul spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to Iliricum about ten hundreth miles I know not he but the Grace of God that was with him 1 Cor. 15.9.10 not hee but the Lord True but the question now is whether Paul and the holy Ghost in all these works of grace were two persons become one Spirit by union as some dreamers affirme because both did the work I beleeve not God and cloudâ— rained down Manna to Israel O but Christs father Ioh· 6. gave the Manna but the question is if the person of God were united with the clouds or any second caâ—ses producing Manna so the Lord maketh rich and poore killetâ— and maketh alive maketh snow froast fair weather dâ—outh and raine the Sunne to rise and go downe and that in his owne person Father Sonne and Spirit He he onely made Heaven Earth Sea and all creatures and the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.25 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 33.9 doe prove him to be a person who doth all these But we cannot say that the person of God must be united with Clouds Ship Sea Sunne Heavens Men fighting and Men Saving and Killing and that God personally filleth all creatures only God in the immensitie of â—is nature is all these and every where and is in them by his operation so the holy Ghost is with the Saints and dwelleth in 〈◊〉 not by union of his person to them or the immensitie
in all things that concerne salvation nor doth the Lord work in us to will and to doe if we will not doe without any prior dependence on the â—nfluence of the grace of God we as much work in our selves willing and doing as the Lord doth and the Lord in his grace shall follow and not lead our will 3. Grace doth not conferre any help on the will to â—ctuate it and to strengthen it in doing good in believing â—epenting loving God hoping as Grevinchovius saith but will and grace doe both joyntly meet in one and the same effect in which 4 Free-will divideth the spoyl with Christ and what need we say worthy is the Lamb who has redeemed us if free-will in the application of redemption share equally with the Grace of Christ 3. The third way is that free-will is said to believe repent love God by a meer extrinsecall denominationâ— because it carieth that graceâ— which formally and only doth perform all these supernaturall actions so Grace doth all and free-will is a meer patient that conferreth no vitall subordinate and active influence in these acts as we say the Apothecaries glasse healeth the wound because the oyl in the glasse worketh the cure when the glasse doth actively contribute nothing to the cure or the Asse maketh rich when it carieth the gold that enricheth only this sense Antinomians hold forth and make us meer patients and blocks in the way to heaven and this sense Jesuites especially Martinez de Ripaldâ— falsly chargeth upon Luther and Calvin and the Councell of Trent inspired with the same lying Spirit saith the same 4. The fourth sense is that Grace and free-will doth work so as Grace is the principall first inspiring and fountane cause 1. It being a new supernaturall disposition and habite in the soule Joh. 14.23 1 Joh. 2.27 1 Ioh. 3.9 Ioh. 4.14 Esai 44.3.4 Ezech. 36.26.27 Deut. 30.6 A good treasure or stock of grace Matth. 12.35 Luk. 6.45 And also actually it determineth sweetly enclineth and stirreth the will to these acts yet so as free-will moveth actively freely and confeâ—reth a radicall vitall subordinate influence is not a meer patient in all these as Antinomians dream Psal. 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shall enlarge my heart Ioh. 14.12 he that believeth in me the works that I doe he shall doe and greater then these Matth. 12.50 He that doth the will of my heavenly Father the same is my brother c. 1 Cor. 9.24 So runne that ye may obtaine Revel 2.2 I know thy works and thy labour 1 Thess. 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of Hope 1. We are not dead in supernaturall works and meer blocks Rom. 6.11 Wee are alive unto God in Iesus Christ Ephes. 2.1 He hath quickned us Revel 2.3 For my names sake thou hast laboured and had not fainted 1 Cor. 15.58 Be ye steadfast unmoveable alwayes aboundant in the work of the Lord there is activity in the Spirit to lust against the flesh Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7.15 Nor is the blessednesse of the Saints only passive in receiving though to be justâ—fied and receive Christs righteousnesse be the fountain blessednesse Psal. 32.1 Rom. 4.6.7 Gal. 3.13 But the Scripture speaketh of a true and solide blessednesse in action Psal. 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way Esai 56.2 Blessed is the man that doth this Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Psal. 119.2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies Psal. 106.3 Blessed are they that keep judgement Revel 22.14 Blessed are they that doe his Commandements Math. 5. Blessed are they that mourn that hunger and thirst Then there must be a part of blessednesse in sanctification as in justification though the one be the cause the other the effect Asser. 6. The Lords working in us the condition of the Covenant of Grace such as faith is by his efficacious grace doth not free us from sinne when we believe not nor involve God in the fault when he worketh not in us to believe as Crispe imagineth Here let me by the way remove the arguments of Dr Crispe by the which he imagineth that there is no condition at all in the covenant of grace Argum. 1. The Covenant should not be everlasting if it depended on a condition of faith to be performed by us for wee faile in our performances daily and the Covenant is anulled and broken so soone as the condition is broken Ans. â— We speak not so that the Covenant of grace depends on a condition in us dependency includes a causality in that of which the thing has deâ—endency we know nothing in us either faith or any other thing that is the cause of the covenant of grace or of the fulfilling of it a cause is one thing a condition caused by grace is an other thing for the peâ—pâ—â—uity of the covenant there is not requiâ—ed a condition always in act 1. If at the elevenâ—h or at the twelf houre you come to Chriâ—t the nature of this covenant promiseth you welcâ—me 2. Particular failings and acts of unbeleif doe well consist with the habite and stock of faith that remaineth in him that iâ— borne 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 is the act so tyed to a time But 3. There is by â—enuure of â—he Covenant a Priviledge twofold here 1. If by the Law a man step a haire-breath wide off the way the doore of Paradise is bolted on him and in againe can he never enter hee must seek another entery the man has done with heaven that way the law knoweth not such a thing as repentance but the Covenant of grace being made with a sinner a slip an act of unbeliefe doth not forfeit the mercy of this covenant But Christ saith if you fall there is place to rise againe if you sin there is an Advocate there is a blood of an eternall covenant the covenant stands still to make up roome for repeated grace for a thred and continued tract of free-grace and mercy all along that your foot never go out of the traces of renewed pardon while you be in heaven though the child of God ought not to sinne yet can he not out-sin the eternity of the new covenant nor can he sin an eternall priest out of heaven 2. The Law requireth a stinted measure of obedience even to the superlative with all the soule and the whole strength any lesse is the forfeiting of salvation But the covenant of grace stinteth no weak soule Christ racketh not nor doth he as it were play the extortioner and say either the strongest faith or none at all he maketh not Abrahams foot a measure to every poor sinner many smoaking flaxes and broken reeds on earth are now up before the throne mighty Cedars high tall green planted on the banks of the river of life if Adam bee the first in Heaven what though I be the last that enter in though I
Ioh. 6.44 and another refuseth and actively and wilfully withdraweth from the call of God if the omnipotency of never enough praised grace bee not the cause the adequate highest and principall cause I deny not but corrupt and rebellious will is the inferiour culpable and onely culpable and morall cause why Judas denyeth obedience to the holy call of Christ. It is a sweet contemplation that Angels and Men sing the same song and Psalme of free grace in heaven to the Lamb to him that sitteth on the Throne and a question it is if a more ingaging and obliging way to free grace could be devised then that as many as are in the glorified Troops and triumphing armies in heaven clothed in white should bee also the sworne subjects and the eternall debtors of the freest grace of him who is the high Lord Redeemer and head of Angels and Men. But in the engagement it selfe of the winde of the Spirit for the tryall of the Saints there is great ground of admiration as 1. the blowing of the soft and pleasant breathings of the South-winde of free-grace lying under the only work of soveraignty when and where and in the measure the Lord pleaseth is a high and deep expression of the freedome of grace for in one and the same prayer the like by proportion may bee said of the acts of faith love patience hope we often begin to pray with sad and fleshly complaints of unbeliefe as is evident in many Psalms and Prayers of the Saints in Scripture Jeremy Lament 3. of Iob of David yet going on the breathings of thâ— holy Ghost will fill the sailes and he returneth therefore this is a ground yea a demonstration to me then when I finde no motion of the holy Ghost no spirituall disposition but meere deadnesse I am not to abstaine from praying because I finde the Spirit not acting nor stirring in me as Antinomians say but 1. I am to act and doe though the principle of motion be naturall as if the first stroak on flint make not fire we are to strike againe and againe and if the fire blowing of the bellows kindle not the sticks let us be doing and the Lord will be with us A kindling and a flame may come from heaven say that the Lord were wanting to me in a dead and low ebbe he will not once roll about the sight of his eye nor let out one blast or stirring of aire and winde of the Spirit toward me yet my deadnesse is my sin and freeth not me from an obligation to pray and to seek to God the doore is fast bolted shall I not therefore knock accesse is denyed and the Lord in angâ—r shuteth out my prayer Lam. 3.8 May not I look and sigh and groane toward his holy Temple deadnesse is not the Lords revealed will forbidding me to pray because I am dead and indisposed 2. Deadnesse and indisposition is a sinne then must we confesse to God and tell the Lord when we are indisposed to pray that we cannot pray and let the dead and the blind but bow his knee and lay a dead Spirit and naked wretched soul a paire of blinde eyes before God for we are commanded to confesse this to God as may be gathered from Revel 3.17 1 Joh. 1.9 Prov. 28.13 Psal. 32.5 3. We are expresly commanded in the day of trouble and of our temptation to pray and seek help from God under our temptations Psal. 50.15 Matth. 6.13 1 Thess. 5.17 As the Saints have done Psal. 18.6 Psal. 34.6 Psal. 61.2 2 Cor. 12 ver 7.8.9 If then wee judge the no breathing of the holy Ghost a temptation and a cause of humiliation as it is and the Saints doe judge it then are we to pray though most indisposed why doth David complain that he was as a bottle in the smoak and pray so often that God would quicken him if under a dead disposition we were not to pray 4. If often the Saints beginning to pray doe speak words of unbeliefe and from a principle of nature and if words flowing from the deadnesse and misgivings and rovings of the flâ—sh interwoven in with the spirituall and heavenly ravishments of the Spirit of grace and supplication in one and the same complaint and prayer to God as Psal. 38. Psal. 102. Psal. 77. Psal. 88. Lament 3. Ier. 20. Job 8. ch 16. ch 19. and in many other passages where the Spirit and the flesh have Dialogues and Speeches by turnes and by course then may and ought the Saints to pray under deadnesse and do as much as theiâ— present indisposition can permit them and the Spirit is seene to come and blow not by obligation of Covenant or promise on Gods part as Iesuites and Arminians with Pelagians have taught but in his ordinary free practises of grace as Philip was commanded to come and preach Christ to the Eunuch while he was reading the Book of the Prophet Esay not because he was reading Scripture or because such a promise is made to these who read Scripture as the Angels revealed the glad tydings of the birth of Christ while the shepheards were attending their flocks in the field not because they were so doing as if a promise of the Gospel bâ—longed to men bâ—cause they wait one their calling and Annanias is sent to preach Christ to Saul and open his eyes while he was praying not because he was praying but of meer free-grace which moveth in this ordâ—nary current and sphere of free love congâ—uously to the Lords freely intended end to save his people even as the Lord joyneth his influence and blessing to give bread and a Harvest to the sower Esay 55. yet not that he hath tyed himself by promise to give a good Harvest to every industrious husbandman yet this ordinary practise of Grace with the Commandement of God is enough to set us on work to pray to believe to acts of love to Christ in the saddest and deadest times 5. It should be no sinfull omission in us not to pray when the Spirit stirreth us not if our deadnesse should free us from all sin because we cannot run when the Bridegroome doth nâ—t draw Christs drawing goeth along with the secret decree of Election but is not to us a signification of the Lords revealed will that we should not follow Christ when he suspendeth the influence of his drawing power 6. Now as in nature men may so dare the Almighty in his face that God in juâ—tice may deny his influence to naturall causes as when malice opposeth the Spirit of God in the Prophet of God that the Lord refuseth to concurre with the oyle in Iereboams whithered aâ—m that he cannot pull it in againe to him 2. When the Lord is put to a contest with false god's to work a miracle as in his refusing to concurre with the fire in burning the three children for in all causes naturall or morall or whatever they be God has a negative
voyce and more 3. When the axe or the saw boasteth it selfe against him that lifted it the Lord may use his liberty So to come to the second consideration when Peter proudly trusteth in himselfe I will dye with thee ere I deny thee the Lord to punish his pride must deny his assisting grace when Peter is tempred that he may know that natuâ—e is a sâ—rry undertaker that the man rideth to heaven on a whithered reed who aymeth to climbe that up-hill-city one his own flesâ—y and clay strength and God to show a black spot on a faire face in heaven will have it said there standeth David before the Throne who once committed adultâ—ry and to cover the shame of it from men killed most treacherously an innocent godly man God here out of the ashes of our sin will have a rose of free grace that filleth the foure corners of heaven with its smell to grow green up in the higher Paradise for a summer of eternity and will have no Tenants in heaven but the free-holders of grace it is a question wâ—ithâ—r there be more grace or more glory in heaven for the crown of glory is a crown of grace that vaâ—ie sea of the redemption of grace issued from under our sâ—nfull falls 7. Yea upon this reasonlesse and fleshly ground if we may omit prayâ—ng and so believing loving repenting mortifying our lusts when the Spirit stirres us not to these acts and say if God will suffer me to sinne let him see to it then upon the same ground all the justified Saints I should think them Devils not Saints might sin muâ—ther blaspheme whore oppresse commit Sodomy Incest as Lot deny Jâ—sus Chrâ—st as Peter did and say as wâ— are not to pray nor obliged to a constant course in prayer when Christ draweth not and when the Spirit moveth us not as Antimonians say with Mr Crispe and others error 49. pag. 9.10 Rise Reign so neither are we to abstaine from murther denying of Christ blasphemy Sodomy when the spirit of Christ draweth us not and moveth stirreth not our soule to abstinency and a holy feare and circumspection that we commit not such abominations and Peter might say I am not obliged to a constant course of confessing Christ before men unlesse the Spirit stirre me thereunto and David or any Saint might say If the Lord will suffer me to murther the innocent let him see to it for the Lords drawing and the Spirits stâ—â—â—ing is as necessary in a holy eschewing of sinnes â—f commission as in sins of omission and by as great and an every way equall necessity if the Lord withdraw himself and the Spirit stirre not we must fâ—llâ—n such abominations when tempted by Sathan and the flâ—sh as in the sins of sinfull omitting of praying praysing believing when the Spirit stirres us not thereunto but the truth is this necessity can neithâ—r lay the blame on the holy spotlesse dispensation of God nor free us from guiltinesse because between Gods withdrawing influence and the sin there doth interveen an obliging Law that forbids sin and our free-wâ—ll and reason acting the sin freely But we are commanded 2 Tim. 1.6 To stirre up the grace of God in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s on allusion to the Priests who were to keep in the fire that came from heaven grace is resembled to fire under ashes which with blowing of bellowes is made to revive and burn again it is the Prophets complaint Esa. 64. â— There is none that calleth upon thy name or stirres up himselfe to lay hold on thee the habit of grace may be warmed â—lown upon and kindled that as fire makes fire so grace may put forth it self in acts of grace and the seed of God in the Saints 1 Joh. 2.9 may bring forth births like it selfe motion here produceth heat Object But the actuall predetermination of grace is not in your hand and without this acts of praying and believing are unpossible to me Answ. If this were a sufficient reason then all works of nature whatever the creature doth were unpossible for the plow-man should not goe to till sow and reape because without the blessing of the common and naturall influence of the first cause he could do none of these things 2. Because the Saints know not the counsell and minde of God in his decree of joyning of his supernaturall influence or his suspending of the same to this or this act of praying beleeving hoping loving of Christ c. Therefore upon all occasions the Saints what ever be their present deadnesse and indisposition are to pray beleeve and to stirre up themselves to lay hold on God 1. Because as in naturall and morall actions men are not to neglect plowing earing journeying eating drinking sleeping buying and selling upon this ground because they are ignorant whether in the work the Lord shall be pleased to joyne his influence as the first cause without whom all inferiour causes can doe nothing So are not the Saints to neglect to pray because they are dead and indisposed upon the ground of their doubting and not knowing whether the Lord of grace will be pleased to adde his actuall assistance of grace to worke in them to will and to doe for the Lord may be pleased to adde his supernaturall influence in a moment his winde bloweth when it listeth his grace moveth swiftly when and where he pleaseth our good disposition is neither rule condition worke nor hire to move him to work 2. It is all one as if we willfully neglected to pray and resisted the predeterminating grace of God when wee know not whether the Lord shall deny his influence or no Yet we disobey the Lord commanding and so obliging us to pray for as if wee had his influence at our elbow attending us so wee are to pray and set to work yea our voluntarie refusing to pray wee onely conjecturing evil of God and of his free grace without ground must come from sinnefull wickednesse not from impotency and weaknesse for who told you that Christ would bee wanting in his influence You knew it not from any word of God and shall you fancie a jealousy against Christs love without any warrant even as a servant commanded to lift a burthen upon a sluggishnesse should say It came thither in a Cart and two horses when hee would never move an arme to take a tryall what he could doe though the burthen were above his strength when he will not doe as much as he can his disobedience is wilfull Therefore wee may say if wee speake of a voluntary willfull and groundlesse forsaking of God in order of time we first forsâ—ke God ere hee desert us but in order of nature God first forsaketh us that is he withdraweth his heavenly influence from us but so as before and after the act of withdrawing wee are willing that God should withdraw and be gone for we love in all the acts of sinning to havâ— a world
of our own 3. Wee are to beleeve in the generall we being within the covenant the Lord will keep his promise Deut. â—0 6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heaâ—t and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest live Ezech. 11.19 And I will give them one heart and I will put a new Spirit within you 20. that they may walke in my Statutes Ezech. 36.27 then are we so to set to these duties of waâ—king in the Lords way as wee are to beleeve he will nor deny actuall grace necessary for our perseverance because it is his expresse promise Ier. 31.33.34.35.36 Ier. 32.39 â—0 Esai 59.19 20 21. Esai 54 10.11 Ezech. 36.26.27 1 Ioh 2.1.2 Matth. 16.18 Luk. 2â— 3â—.32 though in acts not fundamentall and simply nâ—cessary for our being in the state of grace the Lord hath reserved a latitude of independent Sovâ—raigntie to act the soule in these and these particular aâ—ts as seemeth good to him that every new breathing of the Spirit of â—esus may bee a new debt and obligation of free grace to Christ. We are absolutely to pâ—ay for the breathings of Christs Spirit to goe aâ—ong wiâ—h us in all the particular acts of a gracious and spirituall walking but we know the Lords absolute good pleasure is his rule hee walks by so here our desires may bee absolute in seeking where the Lord gives upon condition of â—is owne good will nor are our desiâ—es in prayer to bee conformable to Gods decree or free pleasure but to his revealed will Grace is the culours of the inhabitants and citizâ—ns of the house of the lower and higher roomes of the new Ierusalem all the way and all the home the Sainâ—s walk in this white Christ keeps not his Spouse in a close chamber it is not one great act of free grace onely when all were in one day redeemed on the crosse but dayly Christ weareth his Church as a bracelet about his neck as a seal on his heart as his Royall diadem and a crowne of glory on his â—ead as his love-ring on his hand this day grace to morrow new and fresh supply of grace the next houre grace hee has strowed all the way to heaven with new grace every day new wine new Spiknard new peâ—fume new ointments When will Christ grow old and gray-haired Never Will his heart evâ—r grow cold of love No Will hee tyre of love will he weare out of delight in the Spouse that lyeth for eternity betweene his breasts No no The love of â—hrist is alwaies greenâ— as young-like as fair and white today as from eternity this rose is not altered a whit Who knowes how grace and love in Christs breast solaced themselves in these infinite revolutions of ages before the creation how Christs heart was cheering it selfe and rejoycing to have the first day of the creation dawning that he might enjoy the love of the sonnes of men not then created Proverb 8 3â—.31 as if grace and love had thought long to finde a channell with wide banks to flow in as if Christ having infinite love within him in that long long age to borrow that expression should say when shall time begin and sinfull men and my mysticall body and desired spouse my Church have being in the world that I may out that grâ—ce on her I have love within me and lying beside me I rejoyce to have a lover as if grace in Chriâ—t hâ—d been in too naâ—row banks in the inâ—â—nite acts of the infinite minde of God and the heart of Christ and longed to have Men and Angels to give a vent to his love And that long avum the ages that were before the world was brought it green to us that long long endlesse and vast duration when time shall bee no more cannot make Christs love change the colour or grow lesse or root one Saint out of his heart When God leaveth off to bee God â—râ—ce will leave off to bee Grace Make Christ repent of Grace if you can as Christ has washen his Spouse and in regard of the guilt of sin has made her all fair and spotlesse so doth he dayly lick and purge and cleanse her in regard of the inherent bâ—ot while shee bee faire as the Sunne and all a new heaven Asser. 7. In the third consideration from this suspension of divine influence cometh our sinne as a necessary consequent and result yet so as the Lords suspension and our transgression fall both in the bosome of divine providence The Lord knoweth why be withdraweth his grace that we mâ—ght know how weighty a thiâ—g grâ—at heaven is laid upon our poor shoulders and that we would make foule woâ—k out of all wee have received and the flock the second Adam has given is if we had not Christ to stirre the ship to lead the minors to heaven to keepe the inheritance to the little heirs of Christ should evanish to nothing Poâ—tion 9. If wee consider the Lords denyall of Christ from wicked men they câ—nnot turne to God but that impotency lay in the womb of will it is not weaknesse onely but also wilfulnesse Matth. 23. verse 37. I would have gathered you saith Christ yee would not Ioh. 5.6 Christ saith to the sick man wilt thou bee made whole Then there was a stop in his will as well as in his weaknesse er 44.16 As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord we will not heaâ—ken to thee 2. Love and delight to do ill is from the strength and marrow of the will not from weaknes only the seruant that would not leave his master because he loved him is a slave for ever through love to slavery rather then through impotency to bee free In those that dâ—light to doe eâ—il Will hath a strong influence in the evil they doe every sinner esteemes his prison of hell a heaven hiâ— fetters of sinne on his legs as a gold chain about his neck 3. It is a journey of a hundreth miles to Christ it is unpossible to the naturall man to compasse it yet he may walk two of these hundreth miles though not as a part of the way he will not so much as cast a sad look after Christ the will not bestow one sigh after Christ nor know his own weaknesse nor dâ—spair of his own hability nor lie at the water-side and câ—y Lord Iesus come carry me over he positively hates Christ were it possible that the unrenewed man had the two eyes of a renewed man to see the beauty and high excellenâ—y of Iesus though he had still his own lame legs he would weep out his eyes for a Chariot to carry him to Christ hee would send sad love-challenges after Christ could these that ' are scortched in hell-fire and hear the howling of their fellow prisoners and see the ugly Devils the bloody Scorpions with which
to be instructed and ordered in all things inwardly and outwardly after the minde of God but no unconverted man can bee said so to doe except Antinomians be grosse Pelagians But I think Antinomians with Mr. Crispe think the person under the Law in all this chapter to bee the beleever personating or acting the person of a scrupulous beleever under a temptation of doubting but cleare it is Paul speaks of a man under the Law in the flesh and in opposition to him of one under grace of one married to the Law and of one married to Christ in the first part of the chapter of one in the flesh and so unrenewed vers 5. For when wee was in the flesh c. and of one that is dead to the Law married to Christ and serves the Lord spiritually and its clear that the Apostle counteth it a part of deliverance from the Law and a fruit of our marriage to God that vers 4 weâ— bring forth fruits to God and walk holily 2. That the motions of sinnes bring forth wicked works as children to the second death vers 5. 3 that wee serve the Lord vers 6. in newnesse of Spirit and walk in Christ. Now Mr. Towne as setting himselfe to contradict Paul saith pag. 6. This is an addition and mixture of works and faith and cannot stand with a covenant of meere grace Towne pag. 8. How can Christ redâ—eme us fâ—om the Law being under the Law for us except beleevers be redeemed from the Law in that same very sence and extent that Christ was under it as a mediator But was not Christ under the Rule and obedience also as well as under the Raigne to death seeing he came to doe the will of his father and fulfill all righteousnesse Mat. 3.15 Answ. 1. Wee cannot every way be said to be redeemed from the Law in that same sence that Christ was under it For Christ was under the Law of Ceremonies to free the Iewes from observing that Law I hope we Gentiles are not that way freed from the Law of Ceremonies for that Law did never oblige the Gentiles except the Gentiles had adjoyned themselves in some profession to the then visible Church 2. If Christ was under the Law as the rule to free us from the Law as the rule then why did Christ command us to imitate him in doing his fathers will and submitting to that same Ruâ—e that hee submitted to as is clear Matth. 11.29 learne of mee that am meek Ioh. 15.10 If yee keepe my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my fathers commandments and abide in his love Ioh. 14.15 If yee love me keep my commandments Ioh. 13.15 For I have given you example that yee should doe as I have done unto you Ephes. 5.1.2 Rev. 3.21 Heb. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.21.22 Ioh. 15.23 but Antinomians say that these that be in Christ are not under the Law or commands of the word even of the letter of the Gospel as the rule of life and that Christians are not bound to conforme themselves in their life to the directions of the word contrary to Psal. 119.9 Esai 8.20 and contrary to all the gospel-exhortations given in the New Testament by Christ and his Apostles and they say that the example of Christs life even in subjecting himselfe to the law as a rule of righteousnesse is not a paterne according to which we are to act and live In a word they will have the Spirit separated from the word and from the example of Christ and all the cloud of witnesses to be no rule to us to which I oppose that one precious word of the beloved disciple 1 Ioh. 2.26 He that saith he abideth in him ought so to walke even as he hath walked But observe 1. All means that doe not efficaciously bow the will to obedience to God and convert the soule are rejected by them as not obliging the conscience such as are the Law the letter of the Gospel all the promises exhorâ—â—tions and precepts of the Gospel the example of the Lord who commandeth us 1 Pet. 1. to be holy as he is holy the example of Christ of all the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Saints because all these are some other thing then grace and may prove ineffectuall hence 1. The Gospel as contradistinguished from the Law is not the Gospel written or preached but the grace that resideth no where but in God and in Iesus Christ is the Gospel so say they The faith that justifieth us is in Iesus Christ and never had any actuall beeing out of Christ. 2. There iâ— no habituall grace inherent in beleevers all such must bee a created thing Grace is an uncreated favour only in God for all that which is called habituall grace in us is in effectuall to act graciously and cannot produce supernaturall acts except the holy Ghost act and move it Hence they say that the new creature or the man or the new heart or new Spirit the circumcised the opened heart the Law in the inward parts the one heart the renewed minde the inner man the Law of the mind Christ dwelling in the heart by faith mentioned in the Gospel is not meant of Grace but of Christ and therefore we must not pray for gifts and graces but only for Christ and so a man may have all graces and poverty of Spirit and yet want Christ. 2. We are patients in justification Sanctification beleeving in Christ and we are blocks all the way to heaven minde will affection memory love desirâ— joy feare and all in us act nothing in supernaturall acts there is not such a thing as grace in any of the Saints but Grace is nothing but Christ without us drawing us as blocks as dead stones in the way to heaven having no activitie but to sin even after we beleeve in Christ and Christ works in the regenerate as in deadmen 3. Omissions of duties commanded in the Gospel are no sins for none are to be exhorted to beleeve but such whom we know to be the elect of God or to have his Spirit in them effectually and a man may not bee exhorted to any dutie because he hath no power to do it then Law Gospel exhortations commands promises threatningâ— are to no purpose these that want grace to obey are not lyable to obey nor guilty nor under wrath because they beleeve not in the Son of God and these that are under grace are under obligation to no commands at all and farewell all Scripture from henceforth Yea Mr. Town is frequent in this we are not under the Law as our rule Why because saith he it cannot effectually work obedience in us but so all the word of God the Gospel without the Spirit must be no rule of obedience at all because the Scripture the Gospel and all the promises without the Spirit are just alike and uneffectuall to work us to obedience But not
one word of old or new Testament frees us fâ—om the Law as our rule of righteousnesse and all the scriptures that speake of our freedome from the Law doe directly speak of our freedome from the curse and condemnation of it because we cannot be justified thereby as Gal. 3.10 For as many as are of the work of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them this must be to doe them in a legall way 1. Hee must doe them all in thought inclinations motions of the heart and all the strength of the soule in all his actions in all his words and in a spirituall manner as the law charges otherwise hee is cursed then all mankinde both such as are in Christ or out of Christ are cursed now if the simple doing of the things of the law as its a rule of our life did involve us in a curse then to honour Father and mother which Paul certainly commandeth as a Gospel-dutie Ephes. 6.1.2 and the loving of our brother to which Iohn 1. Epist. c. 2. c. 3. c. 4. c. 5. exhorteth us unto should involve us in a curse which is absurd 2. He must continue to the end in doing all the Law if ever he fail he is under a curse Now thus it is cleaâ— Paul saith wee are freed in Christ from a necessitie of justification by the works of the law For Paul addeth in the next words vers 11. But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident for the just shall live by faith if the living by faith did exclude workâ— and keeping of the law in anâ— respect at all as the keeping of the law is a witnesse of the life of faith then to doe the things of the law as its an eternall rule of righteousnesse should also involve us in the curse and argue that we seeke to be justified by the law and so that we are fallen from Christ even as to be circumcised doth involve a man to bee a debtor to the whole law and argueth a falling from Christ and the grace of the Gospel for Antinomians contend that we are the same way freed from the morall law as it is a rule of Righteousnesse that we are freed from the Ceremoniall law But wee are freed under the paine of a curse and of falling from Chriâ—t and the grâ—ce of the Gospel from the literall observing of circumcision Act. 15. Gal. â— 1 2 â— 4. as the Ceremoniall Law is a rule of righteousnesse and if any should pretend the impulsion and leading of the Spirit not any letter of the Law and thereupon be circumcised and should renounce the law of â—eremonies as a rule of righteous walking as Antinomians professe they obey father and mother and love their brother and abstaine from Idolatry not because the Law is their rule or the letter of the Law swayeth their conscience but because the Spirit of Christ leadeth them if I say any upon this Spirit would be circumcised and eat the passeover and sacrifice Lambs and blood to God now this Spirit is no Gospel Sâ—irit but the spirit of Sathan leading such from Christ If then we are not to obey the Morall Law as a rule of life and righteousnesse but are fâ—â—ed from it the same way that we are freed from the Ceremoniall Law then to love God and our brethren in any notion should bee sinne as to be câ—rcumcised in any notion is to fall from Christ Act. 15. Gal. 5. Mr Towne has a strange evasion for this Page 138. The Spirit is free why will yee controule and rule it by the Law whereas the nature of the Spirit is freely to conforme the heart and life to the outward rule of the Law without the help of the Law as a crooked thing is made straight according to the line and square and not by thâ—m and thus while a believer serveth in newnesse of the Spirit the Spirit freely and cheerefully moving him and inclining him to keep the Law which is meerely passive herein they doe wickedly who hence take liberty to sinne Answ. 1. To doe the will of God meerely as commanded from the power of an outward commandement or precept in the word is but legall and brings forth but mixt obedience or finer hypocâ—isie saith Saltmarsh and Mr Town saith that it is to controule the free Spirit and to rule it by a Law and Familists of new England as the old Libertines say all verball Covenants or covenants expressed in words are covenants of works and such as strike men off from Christ and the whole letter of the Scripture holdeth forth a covenant of works and its dangerous to close with Christ in a promise of the Gospel because the promise is an externall created letter and the Spirit is all this is to make a battell and contrariety between the Word of God and the Gospel as written or preached and the Spirit whereas 1. that which the Scripture saith the Spirit of God saith the command and Gospel promise is the sense and minde of the holy Spirit for that the Scripture is qâ—ickned by the Spirit 2 Tim. 3.16 and the Word is the seed of God and of the new birth 1 Pet. 1.23 and mighty in operation and powerfull and sharper then a two-edged sword Hebr. 8.12 nor is it possible that any can believe the report of the Gospel because it is the Gospel-report but the arme of the Lord and the power of God in the Gospel must be revealed to them Esai 53.1 Ioh. 12.37.38.39 For Iohn saith the not receiving the report of the Gospel is judiciall blindnesse and unbeliefe when Ioseph dare not oppresse his brethren and Iob dare not lift his arme against the Fatherlesse because the sixth command saith thou shalt not murther this is but finer hypocrisie in Ioseph and Iob and a controuling of the free Spirit better believe David Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have a respect to all thy Commandements no doubt the Lord concurred freely with Adam in the act of obeying God in abstaining from the fruit of the forbidden tree if therefore Adam should obey God out of conscience to Gods command eat not he should either controule the free Lord in his working which none in conscience can say or then Adam must have been loosed from obedience to that command if yee eat yee shall die as we are now loosed from the Law and the second death though we break the Law according to the Antinomian way yea it s unconceivable how these that are under grace doe obey the Gospel enjoyning faith because the Lord â—esus commandeth them but they must sin in so doing because they controule the free Spirit of God in not obeying for the free impulsion of the Spirit but for the literall command of God for sure to controule
the law ruling and directing and this law-ruling of it selfe giveth no grace to obey buâ— this is a calumnious consequence the promises of the Gospel in the letter giveth no grace to obey the Spirit bloweth when and wheâ—e â—e listeth and giveth grace freely to the gospel preached yet we reach not that any can beleeve and obey the gospel without the grace of Christ. 3. The law so is passive of it selfe to Christ to Adam in the sâ—ate of innocency in this sence that the law as the law commandeth obedience to both but containeth not any legall promise of giving grace to obey to either Adam or Christ As the Gospel containeth a promise of bestowing grace to beleeve in all the elect Now if this be the cause why the justified are freed from the law as a rule of Righteousnesse because there is no legall promise made to them by which they aâ—e inabled to keep the law then was Christ Ieâ—us and Adam in his innocency freed from the law as a rule of Râ—ghteousnâ—sse which is most absurd for the law as the law commanded Christ to fuâ—fill all righteousnesse Matth. 3.15 but so did it Adam â—uâ— show a legall promise made to Christ by the law that he should have grace to obey the law indeed the Lord promâ—sed hiâ— the Spirit above measure but this was no law-promise So God created Adam according to his own image with perfect concâ—eated strength and power to keep the law but the law as the law made no promise to Adam that hâ—e should be kâ—pt in obedience But if this be called action or activitie in the law to rule guide direct and command obedience as a rule then the law is no wise passive it s more then the Kings high-way No way cryeth to the conscience of the traveler this is the way no Kings way showeth the traveller his errour as the law in its directing ruling and teaching power breaketh in upon the conscience and declareth to the justified man the way he should walk in and convinceth him of his unrighteousnesse and dayly faults Towne pag. 10. The Law wrappeth every man in sinne for the least transgression so that while a man remaineth a sinner hee necessarily abideth under this fearfull curse Answ. Still Antinomians bewray their engine If wee say even being justified we have no sinne we lye and who can say I have cleansed my heart I am pure from sinne and There is not a just man on earth that sinneth not 1 Ioh. 1.10 Prov. 20.9 Eccles. 7.20 Then there cannot bee a man on earth but he is under the curse of God but Antinomians say and that truly that the justified persons are freed from the curse then they have no sinne nay they cannot sinne by their arguing for they will have the curse essentially and unseparably to follow sinne which is most false sinne dwelleth in all the justified so long as they are here but they are here delivered from the curse Our deliverance from misery and the bondage of the law is two fold as our misery is twofold 1. There is a guilt of sin or our obligation to eternall wrath and all the punishments of sinne according to the order of justice by the law of God The other misery is the blot of internall guilt of sin by which sin dwelleth in us by nature as a King and lord Tyrant awing us by the law of sinne In regard of the former Christ is our Saviour meritò by the merrit of his death in regard of the latter Christ is our Saviour efficacia by giving us the holy Ghost and faith to lay hold on Righteousnesse in Christ and grace to walk holily before him In regard of the former wee are freely and perfectly justified and pardoned at once from all sinnes in our person and state through the sence of this and in regard of deliverance from temporall judgements and doubtings and fears of eternall wrath eveâ—y day while we seeke dayly bread we desâ—â—e â—hat our sinnes may be forgiven nor is this prayer a temporâ—rie pattern that perished with Christ as some perveâ—sly 〈◊〉 for Peter aâ—ter the Lords ascention saith to Simoâ— Magus Act. 8.22 pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may â—e forgiven thâ—â— In regard 〈…〉 are saâ—ctified by dâ—gâ—ees nâ—ver 〈…〉 sin is removed in 〈…〉 thâ—reof in justification only sin â—welleâ—h in us while we aâ—â— here In regard of the â—ormer miserie faith in Christ is the only 〈◊〉 and way to gâ—t out of our bondage and misery in â—egaâ—d of the â—â—â—ter Râ—pentance and the whole trace of our new obedience are the the means to escape out of this miserie nor do we make acts of sanctification compartners and joynt causes or conditions in the work of justification for this is from Christ alone solely immediately as by looking on the brazen serpent onely the stung Israelites were cured Nor doth weeping or acts of mens obedience move the Lord to wash justifie and pardon our sinnes but repentance and new obedience are means tending to our escaping out of the latter bondage as the rising of the sunne is a way to the full noone-light day though we can attaine to no Meridian nor full noone day of sanctifications while the body of sin keepeth lodging in us in this life but the Law of works is not so enwrapt and entwined together as Mr. Towne dreameth that if a man lay hands on any even the least linke he inevitably pulleth the whole chaine on himselfe as hee that is circumcised Gal. 5. made himselfe debter to the whole Law For circumcision not only in the matter of justification but also of sanctification is now unlawfull So to repent and love the brethren to obey our parents as looking thereby for remission of sinnes should be unlawfull and a falling from Christ but in the matter of Sanctification and of testifying our thankfullnesse to Christ for the work of our redemption and as the way to the possession of the kingdome they are noâ— unlawfull but commanded as necessary duties by which an entrance is ministered to us into the heavenly kingdome Yea our holy walking since it is no merit but a fruit of grace and a condition required in such as are saved and have opportunitie to honour Christ that wâ—y taketh not away the freedome of Grace for where the Scripture saith wee are sâ—ved by Grace without works as Tit. 3 Ephes. 2. salvation is spoken of there in regard of the title right jus or claim the Saints have to heaven excluding all merits of works our obedience is not full compleat and perfect only they are counted so and accepted in Christ Phil. 4.18 Heb. 13.15 16. Col. 3.17 Mr Towne answereth with other Antinomians The just and wise God who accepteth every thing by due weight and measure as it is found to bee hee doth not nay cannot account that which is but inchoat and partiall for full and compleat obedience nor can it stand with justice
to accept any thing which is not first perfect seeing that perfection and absolutenesse is the ground of acceptance both of our persons and performances yee must make both the tree and the fruit perfectly good before God 2. What God saith he hath manifested to be detestable and accursed that he cannot accept but hee hath manifested by scripture that what ever is not absolutely perfect is detestable and accursed Gal. 3.10 Hab. 1.13 Rom. 1.18 The proposition is grounded on the immutablenesse of Gods nature who cannot deny himselfe Iam. 1.18 and his exact justice who will not suffer the losse of the least title of his righteousnesse Mat. 5.18 God is no respecter of persons his Law inviolable and can suffer no abatement Answ. God in justification accounts us righteous in Christ and positively guiltlesse as freed from obligation to eternall wrath and cloathed with Christs righteousnesse but hee accounts not us non-sinnets and free from indwelling sâ—nne that should be an unjust account for wee are not so but God accounteth our works perfect only negatively that is such they are before God as he will not enter in judgement with us for them but graciously pardoneth the sinnes of thâ—se works but God doth not account these works positively worthy of life eternall even in Christ as he accounteth our persons far lesse doth he judge them meritorious hence there is a twofold accâ—eptation one of Good will to our persons in Christ that is that Good will of free election by which he renderâ—â—h us accepted in his beloved there is another acceptance of complacencie according to which God is said to love and reward our good works even to a cup of cold water Ioh. 14.21.23 Matth. 10.42 2. Thess. 1.7 Heb. 6.10 and that of free-grace they are called perfect as perfection is opposed to hypocriticall but not perfect simply Phil. 3.12 but the acceptance of our works in Christ is an acceptance inferior to the acceptance of our persons in justification hence God takes pleasure in thâ—se that feare him because they feare him not as though his love quoad affectum in it selfe had a cause in the creature or can wax or encrease or can admit of a change but because he bestoweth the fruits of his love out of free-grace and a gratious promise to our sincere walking and this is rather the fruit of his love amor quoad effectum then Gods love it selfe all this proceedeth from a grosse mistake of the nature of justification I answer 2. to that That which is inchoat sinfully defective and imcompleat that the righteous and unchangeable God cannot account perfect and compleat or that which is sinfully defective or that which is sinfull God cannot account not sinfull It is true it were an erroneous and unjust account now the proposition is true but the assumption most false the good works of the regenerate and justified are sinfull But Gods accounting of them perfect putteth no contradiction on them to account them not sinfull God accounts not Davids adultery to bee an act of chastity This is the Papists argument against the imputed righteousnesse of Christ which Antinomians being utterly ignorant of the nature of justification bring against us the other part of the distinction is That which is sinfull and defective in it selfe and inherently or really and physically that God cannot account perfect that is God cannot account it and the doer legally free from obligation to eternall wrath for the satisfaction of another the surety of sinners who has payd and suffered for it that is most false and should destroy the Protestant justification when we say God accounteth the good works of believers good and perfect so as the imperfection and sinne of them is removed we meane not by removing of the sinne of these works the totall annihilation of sinne in its essence root and branch it dwelleth in us in its compleat essence while we are here Rom. 7.17.23 Prov. 20.9 1 Ioh. 1.8.10 only the dominion by sanctification is abated and the guilt or obligation to eternall wrath is removed in justification and this Argument may well be retorted Who ever is a sinner the righteous and immutable God whose judgâ—ment is acâ—ording to verity and cannot suffer the losse of the least titlâ— of his righteousnesse Matth. 5.18 cannot esteeme him just and perfectly righteous But all men even the regenerate are sinners No answer no distinction can be accommodated to this Argument which may not be applyed to their argument for God is no lesse just righteous immutable true no respecter of persons and his Law inviolable in his accounting of persons righteous and perfect then in accounting of works righteous and perfect Now that the fruits and the tree are both good and simply perfect and all the works of the justified perfect in Christ is a point of new divinity very contrary first to Scripture which saith Iam. 3.2 in many things we offend all 1 Ioh. 1.8 If we say wee have no sinne we deceive our selves ver 10. If we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in us Antinomians say Iohn speaking of a mixt multitude is to bee meant to speak of the unregenerate mixed with the justified Answ. 1. Iohn takes in himselfe 2. He speaketh of such as confesse their sinnes and are pardoned ver 9. 2 of such as have an Advocate in heaven if they sinne chap. 2.1 and these are the justified and regenerate and Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne hee speaks not there of a mixed multitude but sendeth a Law-defiance to all mankinde justified or not justified yea Eccles. 7.20 There is not a just man on earth that doth good and sinneth no these words are so wisely framed that they exclude not the justified in Christ who undoubtly do good but they do not so good saith Salomon but they sinne so Paul complaineth of sinne dwelling in him Rom. 7. 2 Sinne originall after justification to Antinomians must be no sinne as to Papists its no sinne after baptisme 3 If our works bee perfect in the sight of God then wee may be justified by our works for Antinomians say if Christ esteeme our works perfect he may account us righteous for them and we may bee said to be justified both by works and by grace because its free grace that the Lord accounts our works Righteous 4 Wee constantly deny that Christ by his death hath given to our good works a power of meriting heaven but if God in Christ count then simply perfect there is no reason to deny this because our works are simply perfect by Antinomians way this is more Pharisaicall then Popish justification FINIS Psâ—â— 53 8. Town asser of 〈◊〉 pag. 76 77.78 Eaton Honey combe of justifiâ—atiâ—n ca 11 pag. 338.339.340.341 c. Saltmarsh Free grace pag. 140. Luther in an Epistle to D. Guttel against the Antinomians Zach. 13.7 Opening of the words It s
from the love of God The love of God is prior to our faith to redemption to a Mâ—diâ— or oâ— shedding of blood To beleeve is not to 〈…〉 was justifâ—ed eâ—e â—ver I beleeved Grace changeth both the principles the action and the State The head of grace acteth in all the members moves their naturall faculties The actuall influence of gâ—ace is most necessarie to every act above nature Christ only not a creature Man or Angel can calme a sâ—ule-feaver of desertion The Lords deniall of grace falls under a threefold consideration Asser. The freedome of grace evidenced highly in Angâ—ls The freedome of grace is evidenced in the conversion of one man not of another Wee are to pray and 〈…〉 our sâ—lvâ—s to supernaturall duâ—iâ—s when we are â—ndisposed We are obliegâ—d to pray when under â—ndisposition 〈◊〉 Flâ—sh and spirit in their severall ups and downes in one and the same prayer Assert 1. In what casâ—s God useth to 〈◊〉 are his influence We are to stirr up grace in ourselves and â—low the mâ— How oâ—r â—ot praying and sinfull omissions are wâ—llfull sinnes even though we be indisposed and not Masters of the Lords predeterminating grace How we leave God â—re hee leave us and God leaves us first also How we are to beleeve the Lord will joyn his influence of actuall grace for our perseveâ—ance Christ cannot be weary of bâ—ing gracious Grace aâ— immoâ—tal sparkle and ray of God Wicked mens impotâ—ncy to comâ— to Châ—â—st essentially wilfull Naturall men do not obtaine Christ as they can doe If natural men shoâ—ld see they wâ—uld be much affectâ—d with Christ. The condition of Chrâ—sts drawing Christs dying a leaving oâ— the earth Grounds of leaving of the earth The earth the slaughter hous of the Saints The earth the Saints Pilgrimes-Innes The earths Dooms day The earth is a shoâ—t induring stage The earth a poore narrow piece We should willâ—ngly leave the earth and follow Christ. Ioh. 14.2 Psal. 146.4 Christs dying a special ground of mortification Thâ— manner of Christs dying speaketh the love we ow to him To be crucified to the world what it is How base the world is to a Saint Denne his doctrine of Iohn Baptist pag. 48. (b) Rise Reigne unsavory speeches cr 7. pag. 10. Antinomians fleshly doctrin of mortification (c) Free Grace chap. pag. 84.85 (d) Free Grace chap. 3. observ 5. pag. 60. (e) pag. 66. Chap. 18. pag. 450 Si Dei samus veterem hominem iâ— nobis crucifigi oport re veterum Adamum interire Antinomian Mortification is the brood of the fleshly senslesnes of the old Libertines pag. 541. Quia hoe Ade peccatum suit comedere de fractuscientiâ—e boni mali Sic ex Libertinorum sententia veterem Ada mum mortifica renihil aâ—rud est quam nâ—d dis cernere quasi ma icognitione sublata ac puero um more naturalem sensum etque inclinationem sequi huâ—c Orationi Locos Scripturae accommodant quibus puertis simplicitas commendatur 451. Calvi ibid. Pag 451. Calvin Ibid. Si quem vident mali consciâ—ntia moveâ—i O Adam inqâ—iu nt adhâ—nâ— aâ—iquid cernis vetus homo nondum in te câ—ucifixus est Si quem videant â—â—moâ—e iudicii divini percelli adhuc inqu unt pomi gustum Labes cave ne buccella ista te strangulet si quis peccata sua considerans sibi displceâ—â— ac marore afâ—â—siatur seccatum adâ—uc in ipso regnare aiunt sensu carnis sâ—ae captivum teâ—eâ—i Calvin opuse advers Libert cap. 13. p 451. Vtautem inquâ—t sacilius Libeâ—tinorum turpitudo innotescat Noâ—andu est peccatum mundum carnem Veterem hominem nihil aliud esse apud ipsos quam id quol oâ—inatioâ—em vocant Sic modo ne amplius opiâ—emur ex emum sententia non peccamus sub haâ— autem opinat one comprehendunt omnem synteresin scrupulum dâ—inque omnem sensum judicii qui nullâ—m habent rationâ—m peccati ipsum pro nihilo ducentes novas creaturas vocant quod ab opinatione vacni sâ—nt sicque nulâ—um in se peccatum habeant En in quo censtituunt beneficium redemptionis per Christum facte nempe quod opinâ—tionâ—m illam â—estruxit quae Adam culpa in mundum ingressa cum haec opinatio abolita est nulâ—us ex eorum sententia supeâ—â—st aut mundus aut diabolus nullum enim alum à quo insestentur inimicum habent The sinnes of the justified to Antinomians are not sins in themselves and in the sight of God but only sins to their crooked sense and erroneous opinion What sense and feelâ—ng oâ— sinne is to Antinomians Calvin p. 452. Fioguaâ— regeneration in â—star Angelici esse status in qâ—o â—omo deâ—i quere aut labi non possit cum reprehendâ—â—tur de mâ—lesiciis dic in t se illâ— minimè admisisse sed Asinum suum Not to feele sin is mortification to both Antinomâ—ans now and to Lâ—bertines of old M Toâ—n asser 〈◊〉 free 〈◊〉 pag. 7. Calvâ—n Instructi adver â—â—beâ—â—i cap. 1â— pag 455. Pâ—â—mum cum Scripâ—uâ—ae â—stendaâ—tâ—â—s a lâ—gis mâ—ldâ—â—â—ione exemp os esse siâ—que in libertatâ—m vind catos c. subâ—aiâ— omni distinctione â—olâ—m legem abolere volunt inquiente nullam amplius ejuâ— aâ—â—onâ—m bahâ—â—daâ—â— Calvin 16 Iâ—eâ—nque â—ulla extat 〈…〉 remittit â—o sideâ—es tanquam ad benâ— viâ—eâ—d regalam ad quant 〈◊〉 conformaâ—iâ— deâ—et (f Pag. 68. (g) Pag. 66.67 (h) Pag. 70 71· (i Rise Reign oâ—â—or 16. p 4. k Error 12. pag. 3. (l) Vnsavory speeches error 6. pag. 19. How a Convert cannot fall in the same sinne after conversion that he committed before conversion (m) Saltmarshs free-grace p. 70. Sorrow for sin is habituall in the Saints Denne Doctrin of I. Baptist p. 48. Mortification is not formally an apprehension of the miâ—d nor an act of faith as Antinomians say Mortification is a deadnesse of the powers of the soule to the pleasures of the creature The Scripture holds forth a reall and physicall and personall mortification inherent in us and saith nothing or the putative or apprehensive morâ—ification in Christ. If one Gospel pâ—ecept for â—cts oâ— sanctâ—ficaâ—ion lâ—y no oâ—ligâ—tâ—on or personall or inherent obediâ—â—ce on us then neiâ—her caâ— any of them aâ— alâ— oâ—lige us Crisp Serm. 4. voluâ— 2. pag. 1. â— Antinâ—mâ—ans deny any sin to be in the â—ustâ—fiâ—d and so that they can siâ— or that the body of sinne can be sinne Denne Serm. The man of sin discovered pag. 9.10.11 12 13. Mr. Dennesâ—leâ—hly â—leâ—hly distinâ—tion of sin in the conâ—cience 〈…〉 in the conversation reâ—uted No sin in the jâ—stâ—fied accordiâ—g to the Antinomians Sin in the conversatiâ—n is â—n in the conscience and before God Mortification is in abstaining from siâ— and in the remissenes and faintnes of the powers of the soul to act sinne To live be 〈…〉 sanctification aâ— the 〈◊〉 A sinner as a sinner not humbled iâ— noâ— to believe â—pplicâ—â—orily The mortificatiâ—n of David George (a) Risâ— Râ—ign
shall seek the Lord. Zech. 12.11 And in that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon It s good to lie and wait at the doore and posts of Wisdomes house and to lie and attend Christs tyde it may come in an houre that you would never have beleeved O what depth of mercy when for naturall or no saving-one-waiting or upon a poore venture What if I goe to Christ I can have no lesse then I have beside any gracious intention the Lord saves and the wind not looked for turnes faire for a sea-voyage to heaven in the Lords time Asser. 12. The ground moving Christ to renew his love in drawing a fallen Saint out of the pit is the same that from heaven shined on him at the beginning Love is an undevided thing there are not two loves or three loves in Christ that which begins the good work promoves it even the same love which Christ hath taken up to heaven with him and there ye find it before you when ye come thither 2. Some love-sicknesse goes before his returne Cant. 3. I was but a little passed I found him whom my soule loves the skie devides and rents it selfe and then the Sunne is on its way to rise the birds begin to sing then the Summer is neere the voice of the Turtle is heard then the winter is gone when the affections grow warme the welbeloved is upon a returne 3. You die for want of Christ absence seemes to be at the highest when hunger for a renewed drawing in the way of comforting is great and the sad soule lowest he will come at night and sup if hee dine not 4. Let Christ moderate his own pace hope quietly waiteth Hope is not a shouting and a tumultuous grace 5. Your disposition for Christs returne can speake much for a renewed drawing as when the Church findes her own pace sâ—ow and prayes draw me we will runne then hee sendeth ushers before to tell that he will come 6. Sick nights for the Lords absence in not drawing are most spirituall signes Antinomians beleeve that all the promises in the Gospel made upon conditions to bee performed by creatures especially free-will casting in its share to the worke smell of some graines of the Law and of obedience for hire and that bargaining of this kind cannot consist with free grace And the doubt may seeme to have strength in that our Divines argue against the Arminian decree of election to glory upon condion of faith and perseverance foreseene in the persons so chosen because then election to glory should not be of meere grace but depend on some thing in the creature as on a condition or motive at least if not as on a cause worke or hire But Arminians reply the condition being of grace cannot make any thing against the freedome of the grace of election because so justification and glorification should not be of meere grace for sure we are justified and saved upon condition of faith freely given us of God The question then must bee Whether there can be any conditionall promises in the Gospel of Grace or whether a condition performed by us and free grace can consist together Antinomians say they are contrary as fire and water Hence these positions for the clearing of this considerable question Pos. 1. The condition that Arminians fancie to bee in the Gospel can neither consist with the grace of election justification calling of grace or crowning of beleevers with glory this condition they say we hold but they erre because it is a condition of hire that they have borrowed from Lawyers such as is betweene man and man ex causa onerosa it s absolutly in the power of men to doe or not to doe and bowes and determineth the Lord and his free will absolutly to this part of the contradiction which the creature choseth though contrary to the naturall inclination and Antecedent will and decree of God wishing desiring and earnestly inclining to the obedience and salvation of the creature Now works of grace and infinite grace flow from the bowels and in-most desire of God nothing without laying bonds chaines or determination on the Lords grace or his holy will Could our well-doing milke out of the breasts of Christs free grace or extrinsecally determine the will or acts of free-bounty Grace should not be grace But without money or hire the Lord giveth his wine and milke Isai 55.1 Ephes. 2.1 2. Ezech. 16.5 6 7. 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 3.3 2. Because such a condition is of work not of grace and so of no lesse Law-debt and bargaining then can be between man and man And the party that fulfilleth the condition is 1. most free to forfeit his wages by working or not working as the hireling or labourer in a vineyard yea or any Merchant ingaged to another to performe a condition of which he is Lord and Master to doe or not doe 2. He is no wise necessitate nor determined any way but as the hire or wages doe determine his will who so worketh but the wages being absolutely in his power to gaine them or lose them determine his will which cannot fall in the Almightie 3. Such a condition performed by the creature putteth the Creature to glory but not in the Lord but in himselfe Rom. 4.2 For if Abraham were justified by works hee hath whereof to glory but not before God Yea Adam before the fall and the elect Angels hold not life eternall by any such free condition of obedience as is absolutely referred to their free will to doe or not to doe so our Divines deny against Papists with good warrant the free-hold of life eternall by any title of merit Sure if God determine freewill in all good and gracious acts as I prove undeniably from Scripture 2. From the dominion of providence 3. The covenant between the Father and the Sonne Christ. 4. the intercession of Christ. 5. The promises of a new heart and perseverance 6. Our prayers to bow the heart to walke with God and not to lead us into temptation 7. The faith and confidence wee have that God will worke in the Saints to will and to doe to the end 8. The praise and glory of all our good works which are due to God onely c. If God I say determine free will to all good even before as after the entrance of sinne into the world and that of Grace for this grace hath place in Law-obedience in Men and Angels then such a condition cannot consist with Grace For such a condition puts the creature in a state above the Creator and all freedome in him Pos. 2. Evangelike conditions wrought in the Elect by the irresistible grace of God and Grace doe well consist together Joh. 5.24 Verily Verily I say unto you hee that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not