It beleeveth Heaven and worketh Heaven 2. We often go on imagining that we are in a way of back-sliding deserted souls not conscious of the reflect acts of beleeving and longing for Christ think themselves Apostates when they are advancing in their way In great water-works where there be a great multitude of wheels the standing of some five or six is the advancing of the work in other twenty or forty wheels In desertion some wheels are at a stand and move not as often acts of feeling joy self-delight in the actuall beholding of Christ are at a stand and then it s thus I said I am cast out of his sight yet other wheels are moving as 1. Humble and base thoughts of himself 2. Broad and large thoughts of Christ and his grace 3. Hunger and longing for Christ. 4. Self diffidence is much 5. Care and love-sicknesse Saw you him whom my soul loveth is vehement 6. Sense of sin and of wants and spirituall poverty increaseth now 7. Sense of the misery of the combate is much more then before O miserable man that I am c. 8. Believing under hope and against hope is strongest now 9. There 's more tendernesse and humble fear now then before 10. A stronger resolution to entertain Christ more kindly when he shal return again in his fulnesse of presence 11. Sorrow that remembring he said My head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night Cant. 5.6 Yet the sleeping soul kept him at the door We are to adore that Dispensation who will have us not stepping one foot to Heaven but upon Grace and upon Graces charges he could make Saints to be sinlesse Angels But what haste We should then not yet being habituated with glory nor confirmed in Heaven think little of Christ. If we be so dependent on Christ we have not ended with all Law directions the Law standeth us yet in good use I mean when Christ hath made us and the Law friends and hath removed the curse and made the Beleever say O how love I thy Law Obj. Can you saith M. Toun separate the directing or commanding power of the Law from the condemning power of the Law can the Law speak to any but to those who are under the Law Is it Law at all if it condemn not Ans. Actuall condemnation may well be separated from the Law as a Lyon is a Lyon and yet being chained cannot actually devour To condemn may well be removed from the Law it could not condemn Adam before sin entred in the world it cannot condemne the Holy Elect and sinlesse Angels yet it had and hath a commanding and obliging power to command and direct both to condemn is accidentall to the Law as the state of sin is accidentall to man 2. The Law may speak by way of direction to Believers but cannot speak to them by way of actuall condemnation because Christ hath removed the curse Obj. 2. Holinesse and walking in the way of holinesse contributeth not one jot to Salvation as causes or as the way thereto Christ hath done that perfectly Ans. I pray you consider three things here 1. The Will of Gad to save yea and to justifie the ungodly 2. Ius the Law right to righteousnesse and salvation 3. Actuall salvation Christs merits are neither cause nor motive nor condition moving God to will to choose or ordain persons for glory this is an act of eternall election to glory which is not from Christs merits nor doth any externall work or condition either good or evill in Iacob or Esau or in the surety Christ move God to such an act of free libertie Libertines are ignorant in so speaking yea faith is no condition cause or motive of such a will 2. Christs merits not faith not holinesse in us must be the cause of our Law-right to righteousnesse and glory Christ his alone gave the price of Redemption for us no Garments were rolled in blood for a patent and right to Heaven but his only his alone trode the Wine-presse of Gods Wrath in those two notions works of holinesse have no footing in the work But 3. as touching actuall salvation the way to it is holinesse without which none can see God It s expresly commanded Be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1.19 20. and Rom. 6.21 But being now made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit into holinesse and the end life everlasting 2 Pet. 1.10 If ye doe these things ye shall never fall for so an entrance shal be ministred unto you abundantly unto the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the Tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh wil I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set downe with my father on his Throne They answer overcoming is by faith But I reply Faith to Libertines is but a believing that Christ hath overcome in their person and place for faith is no more to them a condition or way to salvation then good works for Faith say they is not Christ Christ only is the way to Heaven but this were a vain promise if overcoming were not 1. A duty required of us in time upon the performance whereof we have an entrance made to life eternall 2. If overcoming be but only believing and so an act of the soul only those to whom the promise is made are to do no more but believe Christ hath overcome the persecuting world for them and yield and in profession deny the Faith and accept of conditions of life and so be foyled and yet claim right to the promise contrary to the intent of Christ Rev. 2.13 who commendeth Pergamus for not denying the Faith Now in all this as the walking in the way to a fair Palace to dwell in it in honour and happinesse cannot be the price the ransome the sum given to buy right to that place and to the honour and happinesse thereof so neither can our walking in the way to glory bee the price of glory Obj. 3. But we are saved by Christs merits before we can do any good works then good works cometh not to perfect and make up salvation Ans. So are we in regard of right of purchase saved before we beleeve yet that hindereth not but faith is a way to salvation 2. This concludeth that good works are no cause or way or meane of obtaining the right jus of purchase to Redemption which we yeeld but not that we are actually saved without walking in the way called the way of holines which the uncleane shall not passe over Esa. 35.8 Obj. 4. We are to do good works from the principle of the love of Christ constraining us not from the Law commanding or directing us Ans. 1. These are no way contrary the
double Notion of justification as D. Abbot teacheth us There is a universall and propâ—â—â—y so called justification There is a partiall and unproperly so called justification or give me leave to say There is a justification of the person of the estate or a justification repeated or rather a reiterated remission I doubt if it be called a justification The former justification doth include 1. The Act of Atonement made by Christ on the Crosse for all the sins of all the Elect of God past present and to come this Act is not tyed to believing nor are we properly justified in regard of this Act. But 2. There is a justification formall of which Paul speaketh Rom. 3. and 4. and Gal. 3 4 and 5. Chapters which goeth along in order of cause time and a required condition of apprehending Christs righteousnesse and this justification of the person while he believeth is but once done and that when the believer doth first lay hold on Christ and righteousnesse imputed in his blood There is 3. A remission and taking away of sin Now according to these are we to consider of doing away sin in a threefold Notion for though justification essentially include remission and pardon of sin yet every remission doth not include justification properly so called Asser. 2. This threefold taking away of sins I clear from the Scripture 1. Christ taketh away our sins on the Crosse causatively and by way of merit while as he suffereth for our sins on the Crosse So Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world 1 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us Col. 2.14 Christ blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to the Crosse. 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins on the tree Isa. 53.10 He made his soul an offering for sin This Atonement of blood was typified in Aaaron who Lev. 16.20 21. was to lay both his hands on the head of the Live-goat and to confesse the sins of the people and did translate them off from the people so as the Goat was to bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited v. 22. Now this was the paying of a ransome for us and a legall translation of the eternall punishment of our sins but it is not justification nor ever called justification there is a sort of imputation of sin to Christ here and a summe paid for me but with leave no formall imputation no forinsecall and no personall Law-reckoning to me who am not yet born far lesse cited before a Tribunall and absolved from sin when Christ had compleatly paid this summe Christ was justified Legally as a publike person and all his seed fundamentally meritoriously causatively but not in their persons There is a second removall of sin and that is when the beleever is justified by faith Paul Rom. 4.6 Even as David saith he also describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works 7. saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin This is the blessednesse of a man born living beleeving Now we say unproperly the heirs of a King not born are blessed Non entis nulla sunt accidentia So if Christs removall of sins on the Crosse were justification all Christs seed and we believers of the Gentiles who were not then born when Christ died should be blessed and justified before we be born Now in this which is formally the justification of the believing sinner the believers person is accepted reconciled justified and really translated by a Law-change from one state to another I mean not that there is a Physicall infusion of a new habit of sanctification and an expulsion of an old habit as Papists teach confounding regeneration or sanctification with justification But there is a reall change of the state of the person 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified c. then they were sometime not justified 2. There is here a reall removall of all sins and a pardon and relaxation from the eternall punishment of all sins as well of sins to come and not yet committed as of sins past present and already committed so as sins not yet committed shall no more involve the believer in the punishment of eternall wrath then sins past or present Yet 3. the sins not committed though virtually pardoned with correction and submission are not formally pardoned that which is not sin at all but only in a naked potency it must be pardoned only in that notion that it is a sin and not first formally remitted and then afterward committed yet it is paid for and the person freed from all actuall condemnation for it but with all conditionally and virtually so he believe in Christ and renew his repentance which graces God shall infallibly give him because the calling and gifts of God are without repentance And of this third removall of sin is that Petition that Christ hath taught justified persons to ask of God Forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sin against us And Nathan saith to David 2 Sam. 12.13 The Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die David before he contracted this horrible guilt of murther and adultery was a man according to Gods own heart and so his person was justified this way God daily taketh away sin Rom. 1.17 For therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith Now the life of faith justifying is not one single act of faith such as is at ouâ— first personall relative and universall absolution but the believer liveth by renewed and often repeated acts of faith such as is To walk from faith to faith The least faith even the Minimum quod sic doth justifie but the Gospel requireth a growth in faith In this sense remission is a continued and one prorogated act of free grace from our first moment of believing to the day of putting the crown on our head If any object that I am contrary to my self in that I sometimes did write that justification is a plenary Pardon in one indivisible act of all sins past present and to come and therefore sin cannot be oftner then once Pardoned If I should answer that the knowledge we have especially in so supernaturall a mystery is but the twilight or the day-Stars glimmering of sinfull men it might suffice but I judge that I speak nothing contrary to that Asser. 3. For two formall justifications of a Beleever I utterly deny which is that which Arminians presse not a little yea and the justification of the person and his acceptance in Gods favour is but one act I never fall from that acceptance
justice as we are ready to conceit of our Evangelick rejoicing and holiest works But they are to sorrow for offended love for the body of sin breaking out in scandals I may then have peace with God in the assurance of remission and removall of eternall wrath and yet not have peace with my own conscience 1. Because I may be perswaded that God in Christ hath forgiven me yet am I not to forgive my self 2. I am to beleeve that in Christ I am delivered from eternall wraâ—h and justified in Christ and yet to sorrow that I have sinned against Christs love 3. I may have peace sense of peace and Pardon in Christ and yea a necessary disquietnesse sorrow and tears that I should have been so unthankfull to so lovely a Redeemer so Christ doth commend the womans tears as a sign of love and of the sense of many sins pardoned Luke 7.44 Thou gavest me no water for my feet But she hath washed my feet with tears yet many sins were forgiven her v. 47. Hence I may 1. Beleeve the Remission of that sin for which I am to sorrow and for the Remission of which I am to pray and which I am to confesse Nathan said to David thy sin is pardoned yet the Spirit of God after that both confessed sorrowed prayed for pardon in David 2. We may comfort those that mourn for sin from assurance of Pardon and yet exhort them to be humbled and afflicted in spirit and to confesse sorrow and pray for Pardon so Antinomians rejoicing evermore after justification without sorrow remorse down-casting for sin at all is but fleshly wantonnesse I may have and ought to have a disquieted spirit and no peace with my self and yet peace with God even as the Sea after a storme and when the winds are gone and the Aire is calmed hath yet a raging and great motion by reason of wind inclosed in the bowels of the Sea and after the cool of a mighty Feaver yet are the humours in the body stirred and distempered But we are hence led to finde out resolution for divers cases of consciences after justification 1. Many dare not question their state of justification so are freed from the storms of apprehended wrath arising from the guilt of sin yet there is another storm within the bowels of the Sea arising from the indwelling of the body of guilt the storm before justification is lesse free lesse ingenuous more servile as looking to that Eternall wrath hanging over the soul for unpardoned sin this is more free and is a peaceable a gracious and heavenly storm raised not for sin unpardoned the Eternal punishment thereof but for sin as sin as indwelling not for the penall guilt and the sting of Hell in sin but for the sinfull guilt and the wounding of Christ. 2. It s unpossible this latter storme can be in the soul till the sentence of justification be pronounced as none can have the moved bowels of a son for the offence of a Father till he be a son 2. Another case is that many have an absolute loose and laxe peace and calmnesse great confidence of deliverance from Eternall wrath and so of a supposed pardon whose peace is convinced to be but a base outside and meer paintry and fairding because there is in them no storm for sin as sin and for the over-motions of boiling lusts no tendernesse to walk spiritually A Faith that eateth out the bottome and bowels of conscience of declining sin and walking with God is the justification of the Antinomians of the old Gnosticks of the naturall men all our professors are cured none or few are healed 3. Full assurance that Christ hath delivered Paul from condemnation yea so full and reall as produceth thanksgiving and triumphing in Christ Rom. 7.25 Rom. 8.1 2. may and doth consist with complaints and outcryes of a wretched condition for the indwelling of the body of sin Rom. 7.14 15 16.23 24. Then the justified that are whole not sick not pained are yet in their sins and not justified what ever Antinomians say on the contrary 4. The flesh in the justified cannot complain of indwelling sin but the flesh mixt with some life of Christ may raise a false Alaram of sins not pardoned which are really pardoned some false grief may and often hath its rise from a false and imaginary ground as a sanctified soul may praise God through occasion of a lying report of the victory of the Church of God when there is no such matter a sanctified child may spiritually mourn for the supposed death of his Father or that he hath offended his Father according to the flesh when his Father is neither dead nor offended at all So gracious affections as gracious may work spiritually upon supposed and false grounds when there is no cause as that the soul hath grieved his heavenly Father and that he is displeased when it is not so 5. Sin indwelling is a greater evill then the feared evill of ten hells and therefore there is more cause of sorrow for sin confession disquietnesse of spirit after justification then before because sin the only true object of fear and disquietnesse of spirit is both a ghuest dwelling in the soul and is more really and distinctly apprehended as a spirituall evil after the light of faith hath shown us the sinfulnesse of sin then ever it was discovered to be before 6. I doubt if justified souls are to be refuted in their complaints and fears for the indwelling of sin providing they fear not eternall wrath which fear is contrary to faith and so they fear not and sorrow not for that God hath changed the Court and the wind of his love turned in the contrary air and he hath forgotten to be mercifull 7. Faith chargeth us to believe that Grace shall at length finally subdue sin and as boat-men labour with oars to promove their course in sailing even when the wind sails and tide are doing somewhat to promove the course so doth faith which purifieth the heart set the soul on work to perfect holinesse in the fear of God and believeth also that God shall work both to will and to do It s not then good Physick for many exercised in conscience especially after their first conversion to apply only the honey and sweetnesse of consolations of the Gospel as if there were not any need of humiliation and sorrow for sin Yet it is to be cleared that 1. Sorrow for sin is no satisfaction for sin for the pride of merit is crafty and can creep in at a smal hole We think there is no repentance where there be no tears God of purpose withholdeth tears as knowing when water goes out wind cometh in 2. They are tenderly to be bound up and comforted in whom sin riseth up with a witnesse O what pity and humble on-looking should be here For a hell of pain in the body is nothing wheels racks whips hot irons breaking
2.9.10 Heb. 1.5.13 There is promised to Christ a seed a willing people the ends of the earth for his inheritance Isa. 53.10 Psal. 110.2 Psal. 2.8 9. Christs locks and his hair are bushy and thick Cant. 5.11 He is not bald nor gray hair'd but he hath a seed like the Stars for multitude that no man can number Rev. 7.9 but all those hairs grow out of a head of gold and his off-spring of children is as numerous as the dew of the morning dawning Psal. 110.3 Mica 5.7 though the devils locks be more numerous but its wofull that Christ and his children standing upon Mount Sion being a huge Army and a pleasant sight yet thou art none of that numerous house all round about thee are graced of him and thou livest and diest in the house but lay not in the womb of the morning and shall not abide in the house with the sons But there be other promises which go along with Christ and his seed and these of two sorts Generall speciall generall the Mother Promise I will be thy God is made both to Christ Psal. 89.26 He shall cry to me thou art my Father my God Joh. 20.17 Psal. 22.1 And to us I will be your God how sweet is it that Christ having God to his Father by eternall birth-right would take a new Covenant-right to God for our cause Oh what a honour it is to be within the Covenant with the first heir Quest. But why are all the promises inclosed in this one I 'le be your God Ans. 1. Because as Christ hath Covenant-right to the Promises by this Mother right that God is his God by covenant so we first must have God under the relation of a God made ours in a Covenant a Father a Husband and then by Law all his are ours 2. Christ God is more then grace pardon holinesse then created glory as the Husband is excellenter then his Marriage Robe Bracelets Rings and we are to lay our love and faith principally upon the Father and the Son more then all created graces the Well and Fountain of Life is of more excellency then the streams and the Tree of Life then the Apples of the Tree of Life Christ himself the objective happinesse is far above a created and formall beatitude which issueth from him as the whole is excellenter then the part the cause then the effect Speciall Promises are made first to Christ and then by proportion to us and they be these 1. God promiseth to grace his Son above his fellows that he may die and suffer and merit to us grace answerable to this A new heart and a new spirit Jer. 32.39 Ezek. 36.26.27 For out of his fulnesse we receive and grace for grace Joh. 1.16 2. Justification is promised to Christ not personall as if he needed a pardon for sin but of his Cause there is a cautionary or Surety-righteousnesse due to the Surety when he hath paid the debt of the broken man and commeth out of prison free by Law so he came out of the Grave for our righteousnesse but having first the righteousnesse of his Cause in his own person Isaiah 50.8 He is neer that justifieth me saith Christ who shall contend with me 1 Tim. 3.16 Justified in the Spirit So have we Justification of our persons and Remission in his blood Eph. 1.7 and that by Covenant Jer. 31.32.33 3. Victory and dominion is promised to Christ Psal. 110.1.2 Psal. 89.21 c. 1 Cor. 15.25 He must raign till he put all his Enemies under his feet and victory over all our Enemies is promised to us Iohn 16.33 and 14.30 Rom. 6.14.15 Gal. 3.13 Col. 2.14.15 4. The Kingdom and glory is sought by Christ Ioh. 17. 5. from his Father then he had a word of Promise from his Father for it Philip. 2.9.10 and we have that also Luke 12.32 Ioh. 17.24 Ioh. 14.1.2.3 5. Christ had a word of Promise when he went down to the grave as some Favourite by Law goeth to Prison but hath in his bosome from his Prince a Bill of Grace that within three dayes he shall come out to enjoy all his wonted Honours and Court Psal. 16.10.11 so have we the like Ioh. 11.26 6.38.39 SERMON VIII THe condition of the covenant is Faith holiness and sanctification is the condition of Covenanters Gal. 4.21.22.23.24 Rom. 10.4.5.6.7 This do was the condition of the Covenant of Works This beleeve is the condition of this Covenant because Faith sendeth a person out of himself and taketh him off his own bottom that in Christ he may have his righteousnesse works is a more selfy condition and giveth therefore 2. lesse glory to God Faith holdeth forth God in Christ in the most lively and lovely properties of Free-grace mercy love transcendent hence a believer as such cannot possibly glory in himself all that Faith hath is by way of receiving and begging wise But some teach that this Covenant hath no condition at all So Dr. Crispe and other Libertines For this is an everlasting Covenant Man is not now so confirmed in grace but he may fail in beleeving and so soon as the Condition faileth the Covenant faileth as we see in the first Covenant Ans. 1. That we have no confirming grace to establish us to the day of Christ is to teach with some Familists that There is no grace in sound Believers different in kinde and nature from that grace which is in many Hypocrites Yea but the pure in spirit are blessed and shall see God Hypocrites are not so And what else is this but the Kings Road way to the Apostacy of the Saints if believers have not Christ for their undertaker to bring them to glory To intercede for them Heb. 2.10 Luk. 22.32.33 2. And though they believe not at the first hour yet this Gospel-Covenant is not frustrated even if poor souls beleeve at the eleventh hour the former Covenant leaveth sinners for the first breach with out remedy or hope of life by the tenour of the Law not so this Covenant Christ knocketh while his locks be wet with night rain Object 2. I will put my Law in your inward parts is no condition to be performed by us but by God only and so all the tie lieth upon God if God do not this as he promiseth Ier. 31. Must not the fault or failing be his who is tied in a covenant to perform his part doth it not Now this God promiseth Ier. 31. Heb. 8.10 Ezek. 36.26.27 Ans. Either doth God promise to give us Faith and to cause us to walk in his wayes Ezek. 36.26.27 and to circumcise our hearts to love the Lord. Deut. 30.6 which Arminians deny contrary to the clear day-light of Scripture or then when ever we sin who are under the Covenant of Grace by committing and acting works of the flesh and omitting to beleeve pray praise humble our souls for sin God is to be blamed who worketh not in us
2.20 Receiving Christ Ioh. 1.11 Having Christ 1 Joh. 5.12 Married to Christ Eph. 5.32 Eating and drinking Christ by Faith Joh. 6.35 47 45. Coming to him as to a living stone 1 Pet. 2.4 Abiding in him as branches in the Tree Joh. 15.4 5. Now if we were justified before we believe we should have a Union by the vitall act of Faith before we be justified and so we should live before we live and be new creatures while we are yet in the State of sin and heirs of wrath 5. This justification without Faith casteth loose the covenant I will be your God But here a condition God is not bound and we free therefore this is the other part And ye shall be my people Now it is taught by Libertines That there can be no closing with Christ in a promise that hath a qualification or condition expressed and that conditionall promises are legall It s true if the word condition be taken in a wrong sence the promises are not conditionall For 1. Arminians take a condition for a free act which we absolutely may perform by free-will not acted by the predeterminating grace of Christ so Jurists take the word but this maketh men Lords of Heaven and Hell and putteth the keys of life and death over to absolute contingency 2. Conditions have a Popish sence for doing that which by some merit moveth God to give to men wages for work and so promises are not conditionall But Libertines deny all conditions But taking condition for any qualification wrought in us by the power of the saving Grace of God Christ promiseth soul ease but upon a condition which I grant his Grace worketh that the soul be sin-sick for Christ and he offereth wine and milk Isa. 55.1 And the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 Upon condition that you buy without money no purse is Christs Grace-Market no hire and sence of wretchednesse is a hire for Christ and the truth is it s an unproper condition if a father promise Lands to a son so he will pay him a thousand Crowns for the Lands and if the Father of Free-grace can only and doth give him the thousand Crowns also the payment is most unproperly a hire or a condition and we may well say the whole bargain is pure Grace for both wages and work is Free-grace but the ground of Libertines is fleshly lazinesse and to sin beâ—cause Grace aboundeth for they print it that all the activity of a Believer is to sin So to beâ—lieve must be sin to run the ways of Gods commandments with a heart inlarged by Grace must be no action of Grace but an action of the flesh 6. Paul in the Epistle to the Romans to the Galatians taketh for granted that justification is a work done in time transient on us not an immanent and eternall action remaining either in God from eternity or performed by Christ on the Crosse before we believe and so never taketh on him to prove that we are justified before we either do the works of the Law or believe in Iesus Christ but that we are justified by Faith which certainly is an act performed by a regenerate person for a new creature only can perform the works of the new creature and Faith is not the naked manifestation of our justification so as we are justified before we have Faith satisfaction is indeed given to justice by Christ on the Crosse for all our sins before we believe and before any justified person who lived these fifteen hundred years be born but alas that is not justification but only the meritorious cause of it that is as if one should say this wall is white since the creation of the world though this very day only it was whited because whitenesse was in the world since the creation justification is a forinsecall sentence in time pronounced in the Gospel and applied to me now and never while the instant now that I believe it s not formally an act of the understanding to know a truth concerning my self but it s an heart-adherance of the affections to Christ as the saviour of sinners at the presence of which a sentance of free absolution is pronounced Suppose the Prince have it in his minde to pardon twenty Malefactors his grace is the cause why they are pardoned yet are they never in Law Pardoned so as they can in Law plead immunity while they can produce their Princes Royall sealed Pardon 5. The properties of the Covenant I call 1. The freedom of it consisting in persons 2. Causes 3. Time 4. Manner of dispensation 1. Men and not condemned Angels are capable of this covenant 2. Amongst men some Nations not others Psal. 147.19 20. 3. So many not any other 4. The Father not the Son the poor not alwayes Kings the Fool not the wise man the husband not the wife not these who were bidden to the Supper but beggers halt withered lame 2. Causes in the first covenant there was Grace not deserving and therefore now as the Law is propounded it is a Pursevant of Grace and the Gospels servant to stand at Christs and the Believers back as an attending servant 2. Yea mercy unto thousands toward those who have but Evangelick love to Christ cometh into the Law Christ having in a sort married the two Covenants 3. I am the Lord thy God Exod. 20. Is Grace standing at the entry of the door to these that are under the Law to bring them out but in the Gospell all is unmixed Grace 1. Not personall obedience is my heaven but I stand still and another doth all that may merit glory Christ saith Do ye but stand still behold me and see friends my garments rolled in blood I bind for you only consent put your hand to the Pen but I am the only undertaker to fight it out for you 3. For time the first breach of the Law is wrath and no place by Law for repentance but here come to Christ who will and when you will after thou hast plaid the Harlot with many lovers bring Hell and sins red as scarlet and crimson come and be washen come at the eleventh hour and welcome fall and rise again in Christ run away and come home again and repent 4. The maner is 1. That so much as would have bought ten thousand worlds of men and devils was given for so many only an infinite superplus of love so as I may say Christ did more then love us Aegypt and Aethiopia was not given for our ransom 2 A sure and eternall Covenant bottom'd upon infinite love Why may not the link be broken and the sheep pluckt out of his hand Why the Father that gave them to me is greater then all Where dwelleth he In what Heaven Who is stronger then the Father The covenant with night and day is naturall and cannot fail confirming Grace in the second Adam is more connaturall 3. Well ordered Christ keeping his
do act in Faith a float especially because a strong faith is a great vessel and therefore more of Christs tide is required for weighing Anchor and lancing forth The wings of a Sparrow should not raise an Eagle off the earth the limbs of a Pismire could not suit with a Horse or an Eliphant there is need of a strong winged soul to believe especially against hope 4. To believe Christ when midnight speaketh blacknesse of wrath requireth eyes and light of miracles yea it s a greater work then the very miracles of Christ Iohn 14.12 But especially when Christ is absent it s with the soul as with a clock in which the wheels are broken the passes or weights are fallen down Obj. 1. But I aim and endeavour to believe but can do nothing and without his grace my violence to heaven is without fruit Ans. 1. It s true the Semipelagians halfing of the work of believing and the glory of it between co operating grace and will as if nature could divide the spoil with the grace of Christ is damnable pride but its Gods way to half the work between Christ within in regard of the habit of grace and Christ without in regard of the assisting grace of God Luke 15.20 While he was yet a great way off his father saw him and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him Christ rewardeth not natures aims with grace nor doth he make gifts the work and grace the hire or natures labour the race and grace the Garland but he rewardeth grace with grace and that of meer grace Joh. 15.3 He hath in his Decree and Promise marshalled such and such acts of grace to stand beside others and that by Covenant and therefore believe that you may believe pray that you may pray Obj. 2. But who can act saving grace without the blowing of saving grace I can no more do it then I can command the West wind to blow when I list Ans. I grant all nor do I speak this to insinuate that Free-will sitteth at the helm or that Grace sleepeth and Will waketh the contrary is an evident truth yet give me leave to say there 's ods between blowing of the winde and making ready the sails Though Sea-men cannot make wind nor is it their fault to want wind yet can they prepare the Sailes and hoise them up to welcome the wind we cannot create the breathings of the spirit yet are we to misse these breathings and this is a fitting of the Sails and we are to join with the spirits breathings Christ bindeth up the winds in his garment so as if one look of faith or halfe a spirituall groane should ransom me from hell I have it not in stock therefore hath God ordered such a dispensation that in all stirrings of grace the first spring Principium motus the fountain-rise of calling Jesus Lord shall be up in Heaven at the right hand of the Father and the farre end of any gracious thought is as far above me as the heart of Christ who is in the Heaven of Heavens is above the earth though ye think nothing of it and better Christ be my Steward and that the Gospel be at the end of all acts of grace as that Christ be Free wills debtor More reason Christ be Creditor then debtor to his Redeemed ones 2. I know the childe of God may be so far forth lazie as that its his fault that the winde bloweth not if we speak of a morall cause 3. It s his part to joyne with the working of assisting grace Col. 1.29 Whereunto I also labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily The Lord hath by free promise laid holy bands on himself to give predeterminating grace to his own children to persevere to the end and to prevent Apostacy and hainous sins inconsistent with saving faith 1 Cor. 1.8 Jude v. 24. Ier. 32.39 40 41. Isa. 54.10 Isa. 59.21.22 Luk. 2◠32 1 Ioh. 2.1.2 Yet so as he hath reserved a liberty to himself to co-operate with them in particular acts as it shall be their sin not his withdrawing of Grace that maketh them guilty to the end we may know we are in Graces debt in all good and supernaturall Acts so 2 Chron. 32.31 Ezechiah was tried of God in the businesse of the King of Babylons Ambassadors that the King might see that he could not walk to heaven on clay legs or by his own strength and the reason is clear God cannot make a Promise of contributing this bowing and predeterminating Grace but in a way suitable to Free-grace For God cannot change Grace unto naturall debt it remaining grace for so it should be Grace no Grace which is a contradiction 2. The Lord hath reserved liberty to himself in this promise that in this or this particular Act the omission whereof may consist with perseverance in Grace he may contribute his influence of Grace or not contribute it so David hath not actuall Grace at his will and nod to eschew adultery and murther as he pleaseth nor Peter to decline an evill hour when he shall be tempted to forswear his Saviour Christ nor hath Heman in his hand Psal. 88. nor the deserted Church power Psal. 77. to pray and believe and rejoice in the salvation of God at the disposition of Free-will But the key is up in the hands of the Kingly Intercessor At the right hand of the Father that must open the heart it s far to fetch as far as the Heaven of heavens to make winde and sailing to Christ-ward therefore 3. Seasons of Acts of Grace to believe to walk in any warmnesse of love to Christ and his members are fruits of Royall Liberty and Free-Grace who hath the key of the house of wine to stay the soul with the Flaggons and Apples of love Certainly it is the King himself that taketh the Spouse into His banqueting House Cant 2.4 And yet so as the omission of all supernaturall duties yea our lazinesse in the manner of doing our failings and sins are imputed to our selves and not to the not blowing of the wind of the holy spirit nor to the want of the efficacious motion of the spirit as Libertines teach with Arminians For we so sin through the want of the motions of efficacious Grace as through the want of a Physicall not of a morall cause and so as we are most willing to want that influence and so are guilty before the Lord God hath reasons strong and convincing why he worketh thus 1. It setteth not Grace to work by ingagement the spirit of the living creatures is within every wheel of Christ that it must move from an inward principle the motion of saving Grace is Christs heart wheeled about by it self and by no forraigne cause without it self Love worketh as Love without bud or bribe from Men or Angels Grace is both wages and work the race and the gold to it self 2.
chain of thy neck Holines and the image of God is the object of this love not the cause nor any hire it is not so properly love as the other God rather loveth persons desiring well and good to them then things Mr. Denne is not content with this distinction and why The love of Election and the love of Justification saith he are not diverse loves or divers degrees of love but divers manifestations of one and the same infinite love as when a Father hath conveyed an Inheritance to his son here is no new love from the Father to the son but a new manifestation of that love wherewith the Father loved the son before Answ. Men should not take on them to refute they know not what not any Protestant Divines ever taught that there is a new love in God or any new degree of love in God that was not in him before Arminians indeed tell us of new love new desires and of ebbing flowing love and hatred succeeding one to another in Gods minde these Vorstian blasphemies we disclaim it is indeed one and the same simple and holy will of God by which he loved Peter and John from eternity and choosed them to salvation by which he so loveth them in time as of Free-grace he bestoweth on them Faith Holiness Pardon in Christ and followeth these with his love and the former is called his love of good will to their person ere they do good or ill the latter his love of complacency to their State and the Lords new workman-ship in them as with the same love the husband chooseth such a one for his wife and loveth her being now his married Spouse Obj. 2. Men like those whom they love and so doth God Ans. We grant all these termes of Gods good loving and good-liking are chosen of Divines to expresse the thing God loveth and liketh Jacob not Esau from eternity ere he believe or do good but he doth not so love and like Jacob from eternity to bestow Faith and the Image of the second Adam on him while in time he hear the Word and be humbled for sin and the truth is the love of complacency is not a new act of Gods wil that ariseth in God in time but the declaration of Gods love of good wil in this effect that God is pleased to bestow faith his beauty of holinesse which maketh the soul lovely to God and it is rather the effect of eternall love then love And God hath a love of complacency toward the persons of the Elect love of good will though not of chusing good will toward them for their holiness Cant. 4.9 Obj. 3. It is absurd that God should love the Elect vvith infinite love to chuse them to salvation as touching their persons and withall to hate them with an infinite batred as workers of iniquity Answ. It were absurd I grant if Gods hatred to the Elect as sinners were any immanent affection in God opposite to his love by which he should be averse to their persons But Gods hatred to the Elect because they are sinners is nothing but his displicency against sin not against the person so as he is to inflict satisfactory punishment on the surety Christ for their sin A Father may so love his Prodigall Son as to retain a purpose to make him Inheritor of a Kingdom if he had a Crown for himself and to pay his debts and yet both hate and punish his profuse and lavish wasting of his goods Mr. Denne would teach us how love and hatred toward sinners doth consist The Law saith he and the Gospel speak divers things the one being the manifestation of Gods Justice tells us what we are by nature the other the manifestation of Gods mercy tells us what we are by Gods mercy in Jesus Christ. The Law curseth and condemneth the sinner The Gospel blesseth and justifieth the ungodly Ans. What is this else But that which Mr Denne and other Antinomians condemn in us How can one and the same unchangeable God curse condemn and so hate sinners as to punish them eternally and yet blesse justifie and love to eternall salvation their persons except they teach the same very thing which we do For the Law and the Gospel are no more contrary one to another then love to the persons of the Elect and hatred and revenging justice to their sins Mr. Denne would further clear the point thus What ever wrath the Law speeketh it is to the sinner under the Law although the elect are sinners in the judgment of the Law sense reason yea oftentimes conscience yet having their sins translated into the Son of God in whom they are elected they are righteous in Christ the Mediator Ans. The Law speaketh wrath in regard of its reign and dominion to death to the elect not yet converted and to the reprobate without exception of persons but it cannot speak wrath to the believer though he be one that daily sins and is under the Law that is under the rule of the Law now to be under the Law to Paul Rom. 6. and 7. is to be under the damnation of the Law in which regard believers are not under the Law but under the sweet reign of pardoning grace yet are they under the Law as a Tutor a guide a rule and that the rule and reign of the Law are different is evident 1. because the ruling power of the Law is an essentiall ingredient of the Law without the which the Law is not the Law the reign or damnation of the Law agreeth to the Law by accident in so far as man is a sinner which is a state accidental to the law 2. The Law is a rule and hath a proper guidance and tutory over the confirmed Angels and should have had over man if he had never sinned but the Law can have no reign to death over the confirmed Angels and man in that case as the Iayler hath no power over the man who was never an evil doer 1. We are sinners in the judgement of Law both sin dwelling in vs and 2. the guilt of the Law lying on us to condemnation But being once in Christ and justified we remain sinners as touching the indwelling blot but we are not sinners as we are justified in Christ as touching the Law-obligation to eternall condemnation from which we are fully freed But the justified and redeemed of Christ remain as formally and inherently sinners as Milk is formally white a Raven black Justification removeth not the indwelling of sin and so in regard of sense reason and conscience we are sinners to our dying day but not condemned sinners M. Denne objecteth We pray daily forgive us our sins then we are not righteous in Christ he answereth that Protestants say we begge greater certainty and assurance of forgivenesse but not content with this answer he addeth When we pray for forgivenesse we magnifie his grace who hath freely given us