assoiling of this difficulty I shall now address my self that is to the proof of my second assertion which was this What was done by Christ viz. 2 Assertion his undertaking and answering the law was done for all ages of the Church and so it was and is the great foundation of that Justification by faith which the Apostle Paul contends to have been the only way of Justification in all ages And for proof of this I offer these things to consideration 1. The Saines in all ages before the death of Christ had this way of Grace then as well as we have it now that I have proved at large in the beginning of this Treatise therefore whence had it they but from this death of Christ which was certainly to follow at a prefixt time If it be said they had their way of Grace purely from the goodness of God I oppose 1. That if so many thousands vvere saved before by meer grace vvithout the consideration of a Saviour vvhy had not the Lord continued the same grace unto the end of the vvorld vvhich we see he hath not continued Why are the vouchsafements of Gods Grace in pardon of two such quite different kinds so as to save his people for 4000. years without a Saviour and the rest by a Saviour Nay to save them without a Saviour whom yet he had by multitudes of Promises Prophesies and Prefigurations made to hope for a Saviour 2dly If the Lord could in a consistency with his veracity in threatning death to sin pardon sin without either the sinners death or his sureties and that the law would be so well enough contented and satisfied why would the Lord put our Saviour to so much trouble in suffering a death which he might as well have escaped and which he so earnestly desired if it were possible that he might escape and all this to take off the Law from being our Head and Husband 3dly It is said expresly That the Covenant was confirmed to Abraham of God in Christ Gal. 3.17 which methinks must necessarily imply thus much that the consideration of Christ went into the confirmation of this Covenant whether Abraham or any of the Saints under the Old-Testament knew it or no as it is plain Abraham did He rejoiced to see my day and saw it and was glad John 8.56 Now this Covenant with Abraham is that which the Apostle doth mightily insist upon to prove Justification by Faith to be antecedent to the giving of the Law and therefore not to be nulled by the coming of the Law and yet this Covenant was confirmed of God in Christ that is as I think was sounded upon this consideration that Christ should aftervvards come into the World and pay that price vvhich God vvould accept for the redemption of all believers * 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. All the Fathers did drink of the some spiritual drink for the drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that rock was Christ Again 4thly Christ is said to be the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13.8 vvhich to me signifies thus much that though he vvere not actually slain yet he vvas reckoned by God as slain then and so God vvas attoned for all the Saints of all ages ensuing or to follovv the other reading of the Words in Rev. 13.8 so that from the foundation of the world should refer to the vvriting the Saints Names in the Lamb's Book of Life and not to the Lamb 's being slain this vvill make more for my purpose for if they that vvere elected from the foundation of the World vvere all enrolled in the Lambs Book of life hovv should this come to pass but because they were all to be redeemed to God by the Lambs blood And if this opinion of personal Election be true that Scripture vvould serve to countenance this interpretation vvhich vve have Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him that is Christ before the foundation of the world ver 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ c. And methinks Mr. Biddle who in a late Book of his which he calls An Essay to the explaining of the Revelations pag. 64. lays so much weight upon this passage in Rev. 13.8 for proof of personal Election as to say That this alone in his judgement seemeth sufficient to decide the so much agitated Controversie about Predestination might very well have gone one step further in his alteration of his mind by acknowledging the reason why all the Elect should be said to be written in the Lamb's Book of life to be this namely Because he was to pay the price of their Redemption as the most proper and pleasing Sacrifice for sins that ever was offered up to God But to proceed as Christ was slain in Divine designation and acceptation from the beginning of the world for I shall take liberty to follow that reading so when he came into the world to be slain actually it is said to be in the fulness of time Gal. 4 4 5. WHEN THE FULNESS OF TIME was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law c. Time went with this great birth of the Saviour of the World near 4000. years and then it was time Christ should be sent into the world to pay that debt which through the forbearance of God had been contracting for so long a space of time But 5thly for a pertinent and concluding Scripture-proof I shall insist a little upon Heb. 9.24 25. 26. For Christ is not entred into the holy place made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self there to appear in the presence of God for us Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High-Priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others for then must he often have suffered SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD but now ONCE IN THE END OF THE WORLD hath he appeared to put away fins by the sacrifice of himself Here are several differences which the Author of this Epistle observes betwixt Christ out High-Priest the High-Priest under the law who was the most eminent type of Christ The High-Priest under the law entred into the holy places made with hands ours into heaven it self The High-Priest under the law entred into the holy place often that is though but once in the year yet every year once which is often in many years ours but once in all Again the High-Priest entred with the blood of others ours by his own blood or the sacrifice of himself But yet herein there is a correspondence between our High-Priest and the legal High-Priest that as theirs went into the holy of Holies once in the end of the year for to make reconciliation for the sins of the year past so our High-Priest entred into Heaven with his own blood ONCE IN THE END OF THE WORLD to make attonement for
looking upon man as inwardly just and righteous by the worthy operation of Faith in and upon his heart and soul pronounceth him accordingly to be a just and righteous person With this conceit thou will â—ade the Author of the Treatise cast into somewhat a like passion with Paul at Athens when he beheld the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given to Idolatry the Text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his spirit was sharply-provoked or stirred within him Act. 17.16 I found him not so warm at any other work in all his Book as in his wrestlings against this Opinion His zeal in the case is very pardonable if not commendable rather the matter being exceeding weighty For if that be all the Justification we receive from God to be pronounced just or righteous by him according to that righteousness which he seeth truly and really inherent in us and for the same what becomes of our sins Are these still reteined and unforgiven Or if they be forgiven is the forgiveness of them nothing no part of our Justification And if they be forgiven are they forgiven for the sake of that inherent righteousness for and according unto which saith the Opinion God pronounceth us righteous that is justifieth us Doth not this notion wholly evacuate the first-born inter Magnalia Dei the most adorable Vouchsasement that ever the Grace and Love or Bounty of God issued forth unto the world I mean the propitiatory Sucrifice of Christ Besides if God shall pronounce us righteous onely for and according to that righteousness which he seeth and knoweth to be in us and this be our Justification the Grace of God will have but a saint and feeble hand in our Justification For it is but a kinde of debt for him that certainly knoweth another man to be righteous to give testimory unto him accordingly and to pronounce him such upon occasion But for the further eviction of this so Anti-Evangelical a notion I referr thee to the Treatise it self Onely if thou pleasest bear me a few words about what I conceive may be the occasion at least in part of the sad mistake When God in the Scripture calleth or pronounceth men righteous for and according to that righteousness which is really and truly vested in them 1. He speaketh not of an absolute district and perfect righteousness or such which without any more ade giveth them a right of claim to Heaven but first of such a righteousness which is inchoate only and wants many degrees of its perfect growth and stature admitting no small mixture of unrighteousness with it according to these and many like Scriptures In many things we offend all Jam. 3.2 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves c. 1 Joh. 1.8.10 Who can understand his errors Cleanse thou me from secret faults Psal 19.12 There is not a just man on earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7.20 There is no man that sinneth not 1 King 8.46 Secondly He speaketh of a comparative righteousness pronouncing the Saints righteous viz. in respect of the world which as John saith lyeth in wickedness Again 2. When God pronounceth Believers righteous for and according to that good and righteous frame of heart which he seeth in them he doth not justifie them in the sense of the word Justifie in the Questions and Controversies about the justification of a sinner namely sensu forensi as persons are said to be justified from Crimes laid to their charge by a Judge but sensu morali as when persons that are approved by whomsoever for any thing either done by them or known or supposed to he in them are said to be justified by them The word Justifie is frequently used in this sense in the Scriptures Job 27.5 33.32 11.2 Prov. 17.15 compared with Ch. 24.34 28.4 Matt. 11.19 Luke 7.35 Matth. 12.37 with many others Whereas when God is said to justifie those that believe with that Justification which is said to be of or unto life i.e. unto salvation Rom. 5.18 he is said to forgive their iniquities to cover their sins not to impute sin unto them c. Rom. 4.5 compared with 6.7 8. Acts 13.38 with 39 See also Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Luke 1.77 Rom. 3.25 with 8.26 The forgiveness of sins is indeed a most absolute district compleat righteousness in its kind having no mixture or tincture of any weakness or imperfection in it and as to the benefit and comfort of all that receive it comprehending in it the constant observation of the whole Law of God to every the least iota or tittle of it In respect of this most exquisite absolute and divine perfection of it as well as in others it may well be term'd as it is Rom. 3.21 22. twice together THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF God It is like the non-advertency of these particulars might render the Judgements of some learned men the more obnoxious to the error now impleaded Yet further he that desires to understand himself like a Christian in so material a piece of his profession as Justification had need be able and expert to distinguish the terms and phrases which frequently occur in the Scriptures relating to it out of their ambiguities and diversities of significations and imports and so likewise to know when different words or expressions are the same in sence and import either expressly or implicitly and by consequence otherwise they will never sit easia and light some in their judgment about many particulars belonging to it I must not stand to instance in particulars I have already exceeded the intended proportion of my Advertisement But in this concernment also thou wilt find the Treatise at hand a good Benefactor unto thee This will inform thee that the word Righteousness doth not always signifie the principle or virtue of righteousness inherent in the soul but sometimes that which we may call an adherent or a relative righteousness viz. a non-imputation of sin or the forgiveness of sin called also as we lately shewed the Righteousness of God and sometimes the Righteousness of Faith that is which is obtained by Faith So again it will acquaint thee with different significations of the words Just Justifie Justification and some others by the knowledge whereof the rough wayes of the study of Justification will be made smooth But the carriages or passages of the Treatise hitherto pointed at are in the eye of my comparing faculty but as Pictures of Silver the Apple of Gold amongst them and which to me is vena basilica the Master-Vein of the Discourse is that quarter of it in which the Evangelical purity and simplicity of Justification is asserted against the importune yet subtile and close insinuations of a legal spirit For as I know no Doctrine greater then that of Justification within the whole Hemisphere of Christian Profession as before was hinted so neither do I apprehend any thing more threatning the world with the loss of the great benefit and blessing of this great
that meat which perisheth not John 6.27 3. The truth is I cannot apprehend any fault in this principle of acting for a reward except it should have that formality or Quatenus in it that it is for a reward as of debt Doth the Scripture any where complain of any of the servants of God that they served him for what they got by him Or forbid them to serve him for this reason because they got by him 'T is true our Saviour upbraids some of his Followers that they followed him because of the Loaves John 6 26. But if they had been followers as well of his Doctrine and Life as they were of his bodily presence though it had been as well for the Loaves of Bread for a natural life as of the Bread of Life from Heaven they had never received such a check 'T is onely an accusation made by the Devil that Job served God for what he got by him Doth Job serve God for nought Hast not thou made a Hedge about him c. Job 1.9 10 11. And what if Job did serve God for this reason partly Is it not better to serve God for something then to serve the Devil for nothing but lying-pleasures and Hell at last But as I intimated before so now I affirm That no true Saint of God acts towards God onely from this principle of Self-love there are other Gospel-principles that are in the heart of every Saint more or less as love to God ingenuity gratitude yea there are in some strains of highest nobleness and generosity We love God saith the Apostle 1 John 4.19 because he loved us first there is Love and Gratitude Shall we sin that Grace may abound God forbid This I have said to be ingenuity There have been Saints that have demonstrated to all the World that they did not serve God barely for a reward either for a temporal reward no nor for that which is Eternal in some strains of obedience for the temporal reward I think all the Saints do usually discover this because they look upon it as their portion when they come into the service of God to meet with sufferings in the World and there is an evident instance for this in Job whom God made an example of the greatest outward yea and inward troubles too in a great measure for this very end as one great reason that he might make the Devil a lyar who accused Job to have served God only for these many blessings which the Lord had conferred upon him as we may see in the 9.10 11. ver of that 1. of Job Put forth thine hand saith the Devil to the Lord and touch all that he hath and he will curse thee to thy face which yet Job never did though yet the Lord did more against Job then here Satan desired to have done But I shall touch at higher instances they are those of Moses and St. Paul The first of which was content to have his Name blot ted out of the Book of life Exod. 32. the other to be acoursed from Christ Rom. 9.1 2 3. each for their Brethren their Kinsfolk according to the flesh that so God might be glorified in their salvation Ergo whilst these men were thus spirited they served God rather for his glory then for their own salvation for they that would fain have been instrumental to serve others by their preaching and exhortations and yet were content for their sakes so they might be saved not to be saved themselves did not serve God in preaching to men for their own salvation onely chiefly nor indeed at all whilst they are thus considered Here you see I acknowledge thus much to the Antinomians and I think I meet them half way and I would it might satisfie them I acknowledg that no Saint acts to God purely from a Principle of self-love there are other good Principles in association with it and in the next place I acknowledge that some Saints may act at least in some strains so nobly so generously as to serve God faithfully and yet not mind their own salvation at all witness Moses and Saint Paul and Job as to temporal good things at least But yet upon these instances of Saint Paul and Moses Moses and St. Paul their nobleness in serving â—od I would make these Observations 1. That high strain in which they both met was but occasional and upon a supposition it was no constant rule by which they walked Moses's strain was this That if God would destroy his people he should e'ne destroy him too if he would not pardon their sin in making the calf he should e'ne blot his name out of the Book of life there was such a near conjunction betwixt himself and his flock or people that he could not endure to out-live them nay perhaps that he did not desire to go to heaven without a considerable number of them here was as it were a provocation to his noble love of his countreymen But I would fain know how this strain could be any rule to Moses in his walking Or whether it signifies thus much That he did not for his own particular in his conversation endeavour to please God with this design partly that he might obtain eternal life Nay is it not expresly said of Moses Hebr. 11.29 That he had respect unto the recompence of reward So I might say of Saint Pauls action that it was a strain onely upon a supposition which supposition not coming to pass nor possible could be no ground for a Series of actions For this was St Pauls action upon supposition that the Jews might be saved by his damnation he was content to be accursed from Christ which was a supposition impossible that for the sake of a man that had been and still was a sinner thousands of sinners should be pardoned and saved 2. It is not perfectly out of question Whether Moses his action were warrantable I have seen Commentators who say that This great zeal of his might have some mixture of corrupt passion in it which might make him to speak unadvisedly with his lips Psal 106.33 And methinks there is some sign of a reproof of this expression of Moses in the very place where he speaks it Exod. 2.32 For that the Lord in the next verse seems to repeat Moses his words with a reflection upon them as when any is angry at expressions they wil be apt to repeat them again with a displeasure vers 33. And the Lord said unto Moses whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my book Why shouldst thou desire to be blotted out So I might perhaps aggravate Saint Pauls action Why should he desire to be accursed from Christ that others might be blessed by Christ Why should he express his love to the Jews in such an high instance especially when it could stand them in no stead Nay for my part I know not whether it be lawful for any man to be content for any ones sake to
the holy Spirit is ready to fill ouâ— hearts with laughter and our tongue with singing in Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. in Eph. 5.18 19. Be ye filled with the Spirit speaking 〈◊〉 your selves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. So we see 't is the great duty of the Gospel for Saints to rejoice in the thoughts of God But there are several ways by which the Saints may and many do deprive themselves of comfort by falling into sins which to be sure will break their peace or else by admitting Satans subtilties against their peace hearkening to all the whispers of the Serpent against themselves who sometimes tells them they are not elected at other times that they have committed the sin against the Holy Ghost another time that they have out-stood the day of grace or that the spirit of God is departed from them and these things I believe many that have the Spirit of God dwelling in them have not out-stood their day of grace much less committed the sin against the holy Ghost may yet call into question and hear Satans suggestions about them so long till they be brought into a perfect maze and labyrinth of thoughts doubts and fears so that except the Lord should bring them our by a Miracle almost I cannot imagine how they should get out This fear and terror therefore was from their own faust at first though now they cannot help themselves 4thly Yet still I think it may be asserted that even for these very persons concerning whom the objection is made and which are mentioned in the last particular that even these when they are themselves and have the right use of their understandings for I reckon that such sad souls pass through many deliriums and irrational imaginations have all of them more kindly strains of ingenuity to God and of filial boldness than any Legallist in the world ever hath they have their lucida intervalla the smiles of God sometimes and feel the supports of the everlasting Arms or if they have not that which you may call comfort yet at least they are enabled to act towards God with a better spirit then that of a slave 5. But for others that are not thus and I hope I may say the greater part of true Saints they have a comfort and joy in the service of God and their hearts are mightily lightened and quickned by it Thy word saith David is sweeter to me then the hâ—ney or the honey-comb Psal 19.10 thy word hath quickned me Psal 119.50 I rejoiced in thy word as one that sindeth great spoil Psal 119.162 their joy bore the Apostles up above all their sufferings 2 Cor. 15. for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us siour consolation also aboundeth by Christ accordingly we are advised by our Saviour that when we suffer for righteousness sake we should rejoice and be exceeding glad or leap for joy as the word signifies Mâ— 5.12 And certainly if the joy of the Gospel be such as will carry us thorough the greatest sufferings it may well carry us thorough all the ordinary affairs and occasions of this life Yet for this see one place in the Book of Ecclesiastes ch 9.7 8. Go thy way eat thy Bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart why so it follows for now God accepteth thy works When a man's ways please the Lord and he hath a sense of it which none but a Gospel-Saint ever hath it will make him go chearfully through all the actions and occasions of his life Now if there be such a general joy upon the true Saints of God arising from their Gospel-way of serving God as will carry them through sufferings and through all the actions of their lives and by consequence into the presence of God with a chearfulness and holy boldness is it not most injurious that the troubles and sadness of a few Saints brought upon themselves against the design of the Gospel through the subtilties of Satan and the Saints own default should be thought able to make this assertion too light viz. that a Gospel-spirit hath an holy boldness and a chearfulness in it and is freed from the Spirit of bondage which accompanies a Legal Spirit into the glorious liberty of son-ship and adoption I shall onely make one observation more before I pass off from the explication and proof of this Character which I think will add some light unto it and it will be of a very contrary nature from the observation which the objection fastens upon and it is this It hath been laid to the charge of the Puritans that they are too familiar with God in their Prayers Now truly I will not undertake to defend those good men that have been honoured with that Name in every thing but I think in this particular as in many other things they have a great excellency in that they know better than their adversaries how to use an holy boldness at the throne of grace And yet to shew that I am not altogether sensless of the danger that there is of erring this way I do here acquaint my Reader that I verily believe that many have grosly erred herein I have heard of one very famous once in London a Tradesman that being gotten in a Pulpit made thus bold with the great God in prayer Thou hast said O Lord that concerning thy sons and concerning thy daughters we should command thee we command thee therefore c I need not go to aggravate this boldness I have heard others my self unreasonably as I thought bold in their expressions in prayer but I dare not charge this upon those good people in the general which have been called Puritans But I am sure however it is with them in one extream it is as bad and worse with the Papists and those that are superstitiously addicted in the other that they dare not use that holy boldness which is allowed them nay which is necessary to be used They think it too great a boldness to go to God in prayer without the mediation and intercession of some Saint or Angel or if they go to the right Mediator they dare not go to him but by the intercession of the Virgin Mary all which are but over-servile fears and denials to themselves of that true liberty and boldness which the Lord admits us unto If they go to celebrate the Eucharist the Supper or Feast of Christ's body blood which we are to eat and to drink at the Lords Table for our souls health first the people must not have the Wine then the Bread must be carryed about and worshipped like a god the Table upon which it is consecrated must be an Altar it must not be received but upon your knees nor taken as the command is Take eat but received from the Priests hand into your mouths which are all