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A87161 A glimpse of divine light, breaking through a cloud of errours. Being an explanation of certain passages exhibited by anonymus, to the commissioners of White-Hall, appointed for approbation of publick preachers, against Joseph Harrison Gospel-preacher at Lund-Chappel in Lancashire, for the supposed delivering of which, he was denied approbation. / Published by the said Joseph Harrison, and proposed to the consideration of all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Harrison, Joseph. 1655 (1655) Wing H897; Thomason E841_7; ESTC R207225 67,448 83

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Burgesse it was Adams Abrahams c. then though Christians may heare read speake of and hearken to the letter which saith labour and it may be but useful in divers respects as is hereafter shewne yet are not Christians bound to an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or obedientiall hearkening thereunto as when it saith unto them labour upon that accompt but they are to hearken to the word which is nigh them even in their mouthes and in their hearts That is the word of faith which we preach and to looke for the Spirit in faith to worke in them through the ministrie of the Spirit all such effects as Christ hath purchased and the Father hath promised in that new covenant of which the Man Christ Iesus is the everlasting Mediatour The Antecedent of this position which is Negative is evident for first the Apostle opposes the Letter or law as dispensed by Moses unto the word of Faith or doctrine of the Gospel which we preach and dehorts from an obedientiall hearkening unto that and exhorts to a hearing and Cordiall beleeving of this as holding forth Christ the end thereof for righteousnesse and salvation to every one that beleeves Rom. 10.4.5.6 8.9 Secondly We are not under the law but under grace Rom. 6.14 I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Gal 2.19 Wee are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ that we should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held Rom. 7.46 Thirdly The binding of Christians to obey this Law renders Christ unprofitable to them for circumcision did it not simply for if so doubtless Timothy should not have been circumcised by any consent of Paul but because it was looked upon as making them debtors to doe the whole law Gal. 5.2 3 4 and necessarily putting them under the curse for not doing of it Gal. 3.10.12 If it be granted that Christians are freed from the Damnatorie but not from the Mandatory power of the Law and that the promissory being accidental to a Law this and the Directory essential Then note 1. that the question is not about a Law but this Law nor what is essentiall to or will make up the definition of a Law Politique but what is essential to and wil make up the Definition of the Mosaicall Law which was dispensed at Sinai subratione foederis and so not after the usual manner of other Lawes And now if wee beleeve Paul and will not be so very Logicall as to deny Moses description to be a Definition He describeth the righteousnesse which is of the Law That the man which doth these things shall live by them Rom 10.5 And Paul proves that as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse Because 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 Gal 3.10 He proposeth these texts as containing the Sum essentials of Moses Law And can no more be denyed so to doe for ought I See then that of Gen. 12.3 cited Gal. 3.8 to containe the Summe and essentials of the Gospel Secondly The Law is said to be dead Rom. 7.2.6 But how dead if both essentiall parts be vnited and in their vigour Can a man be said to be dead because he wants some Integrall part as a leg or Arme So Long as the body and Soule which are the essentials remain in vnion Thirdly Beleevers under the Old Testament were freed from the Damnatory power of the Law for they were blessed with faithful Abraham as well as beleevers now Gal. 3 9. But beleevers under the New Testament are freed from this Law or covenant as beleevers under the Old Testament were not and therefore cannot their freedome be Interpreted of a freedome from the curse or Damnatory power thereof as is fully cleared by Mr Shephard Thes Sab. part 1. pag. 73. they must therefore of necessity be said to be freed from the obligatorie power of the Law at least quá foedus and if so quá dispensed by Moses which is the point to be confirmed Secondly Christians are to serve God not in the oldnesse of the letter but in the newnesse of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 whereas the Law or letter demands the service to be done in the power of the old man menaces death for the least failing therein and is disenabled either from accepting or rewarding any obedience unlesse so done Rom. 8.4 For though it be not against the service done in the newnesse of the spirit Gal 5.23 any more than the satisfaction made by Christ in the flesh yet as this so that is not exactly Idem the same there required at least not done per eundem by the same though being spirituall and proceeding from the spirit of Christ it be really the tantidem the tantamounts nay the Supramounts and farr more acceptable to the Father who is both the Soveraigne over and was the giver of the Law The consequence of this position which is affirmative is as plaine For first Christ hath promised to send the Spirit Iohn 16.8 And the Scriptures plentifully declare both that and what he shall worke when hee is come Ezek. 36.27 nay what he hath already wrought Gal. 5.22 And sure then Christians should looke for the spirit to work and to work those very works in upon them in measure which are promised and have been wrought in others Secondly Christians are encouraged to pray for the holy Spirit Luke 11.13 and sure not to be idle but to worke either by in or upon them and shall they not looke for an answer to their prayers Thirdly Christians are exhorted {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Phil. 2.12 to work their own salvation That is as Chamier Interprets it from the like phrase Gen. 2 Rev. 18 to be employed and worke in those things which concern their own salvation with feare as in the presence of God and with trembling at the sense of their own weakenesse and unworthinesse and that upon this ground because it is God that worketh in them c. And if though wee be called upon and said to work It is indeed not so much wee that worke as God that worketh in us shall we presume to set our selves to worke in conformitie to the letter and not firstly nay continually in much weakenesse fear and trembling looke to and for God to worke both the will and dead by his own Spirit And fourthly Seeing we received not the spirit by the workes of the Law but by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 wee are to looke for the spirit to worke not by the ministrie of the Law which saith labour but by the word of faith or doctrine of the Gospell For as Reynolds The Law can onely shew what is good gives no power at all
presence and various workings in and upon things by an Occult influence causeth to Christians their Seed-time and Harvest cold and heat Summer and Winter day and night a time to be born and a time to die a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to keep silence and a time to speak a time to love and a time to hate c. Eccl. 3.2 3. c. according to that Mar. 2.19 Can the children of the Bride-chamber fast or as Luke can ye make the children of the Bride-chamber fact while the Bridegroom is with them As long as they have the Bridegroom with them they cannot fast The presence of the Bridegroom pointeth out and maketh it a day of feasting unto such children what ever be the condition either of Iohn or the Pharisees Disciples But the dayes will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those dayes The absence of the Bridegroom pointeth out and maketh it a time of fasting mourning to those children though may be neither the Disciples of Iohn nor the Pharisees be troubled at the want of any such thing to which accordeth that of Iam. 5.13 If any among you be afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing And hence it is that neither the Priest nor the Levite that pretended to walk precisely according to the Mosaical rules but the good Samaritan a man looked upon as irregular and an Antinomian by them is said by Christ to be neighbour to him that fell among theeves and proposed as an example to the Lawyer Do thou likewise that is shew mercy as this Samaritan hath done when thou seest a man in misery for that is the time to love indeed and he is thy neighbour which way soever he travels or what countrey-man soever he be Luke 10.29 and see 1 Iohn 3.17 2 Cor. 9.7 Secondly The Leper of Samaria that returned back and gave thanks as the present occasion required according to 1 Thes. 5.18 Ephes. 5.20 is commended above the nine that came from Iudaea and went on forwards according to the letter of the legal command to shew themselves unto the Priests Luke 17 15 16 17 18. Thirdly The blessed man is said to be like the tree by the Rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season Psal. 1.3 not so much working rationally or upon consideration of what will follow his doing or not doing as bearing fruits naturally from an internal principle of life in such a time as the husband-man expects and comes to seek for it Luke 13.6.7 Such a one was Timothy Phil. 2.20 who naturally or from his birth-principles as the word implieth cares for their estate And the blessed man Ier. 17.7 8. Thirdly we read not that either the Patriarks before the Law or Christ and his Apostles since the Law prescribed certain times afore-hand wherein they looked upon themselves as bound to perform such and such duties But they stood alwayes ready as in the volume of the Book it is written of them to do the will of their God yea his law was in their hearts Fourthly Christians now in the time of their darknesse or rather in the time of lights apperance which makes them truly see darknesse and their own blindnesse and in the confessionary part of their prayers acknowledge that they know not what to do or say unless it please God in much mercy by his Spirit to direct their minds and move and work their hearts to that which is the good acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12.2 we know not they will say in the very day of trouble when they ought to pray indeed what we should pray for as we ought But the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8.26 27. The seventh Passage Christians when they Glory glory in their sins THis passage seems to relate to the practice of Christians what it is that De facto they do glory in when they glory and not to the faith of Christians what it is that they believe De debito when they glory they should glory in And now there is a great difference in Theology betwixt these Queries Scilicet what Christians should do De debito and what Christians ordinarily do De facto To the first though it be not directly contained in the passage yet for clearing both the truth and my self I answer First negatively Christians when they glory should not glory in their own righteousness for first we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesse as filthy ragges Isa. 64.6 Accounted by Paul {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} quasi {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Dutig or dogs-meat fit to be thrown to the dogs of the concision and not to be reserved as food for the spirits of those that have Jesus Christ to rejoyce in Phil 3.3 8. Secondly Christ adviseth Not to let the left hand know what the right hand doth Mat. 6.3 And though he himself be pleased in mercy to say Well done thou good and faithful servant Mat. 25.21 yet he teacheth us to say though we did all things that are commanded us That we are unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 Thirdly The Pharisee is checked for preferring himself before the Publican though he acknowledged all the distinguishing works to come from God Luke 18.11 14. See Phil. 2.3 And those that pleaded Lord Lord have not we c. gathering acquaintance with God from a recital of the more than ordinary works which they had done in his name Hear God professing unto them I never knew you Depart from me ye that work iniquity Mat. 7.22 23. Mat. 25.44 Fourthly It is of grace not of works least any man should boast Eph. 2.9 I will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine only Psal. 71.16 Fifthly Glorying in our own righteousnesse and duties or performances argues a resting and rejoycing in them and seven of our eminent Divines five now Commissioners appointed c. Assert That Christians when they abound in much doing and well doing should be still as much afraid of resting in doing well as of committing ill And be content to have all flowers withered that refresh them without Christ And when after humiliation and casting down for sin they begin to stand upright as they think upon the legs of their prayers performances inherent graces and qualifications and righteousnesse and holinesse expressed in their lives and conversations They may yet notwithstanding all this be brought not to glory in themselves but in Jesus Christ and willingly come down from the throne of their own conceits sufficiencies abilities and lye at the footstool and threshold of Iesus Christ That seeing they know nothing are nothing have nothing do nothing they may be