of the deeds of the Flesh in the Elect by power of the spirit in them And though the Law of Moses was added because of transgession servient to civilize and moralize by the reprobate and the Elect by the common corrupt Light Reason Knowledge and Understanding there is remaining to them both in their corrupt nature whereby they also do many things though fayling and corruptly and that according to that Law good in the estimation of men yet there is great difference betwixt these corrupted workes and doings of the Law of Moses wrought by the onely Power Light and Reason of Nature so remaining in man and the works and fruits of the spirit of Christ in the Elect of God which have received the spirit of adoption whereof by grace they are made the instruments of the spirit the branches of the Vine to beare forth the fruit of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Love Joy Peace Gentlenesse Long-suffering Goodnesse 〈◊〉 Temperance and such like commanded in the Spirituall Law of God For the corrupt Power Light Reason of Nature bringeth forth love fained more or lesse Love to Friends to those that Love Mat. 5. 10 Rom. 12. 2 them But the spirit of Christ bringeth love without dissimulation love to enemies The corrupt light of nature brings forth faith that Joh. 14. 1 is such as drinke love from God but not in Christ But the spirit of Christ bringeth forth faith unfained faith in God and in love of 1 Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 Christ For mans power of believing can go no further then Adams in innocency know God but no other Eph. 14. 1. Therefore Christ said you believe in God believe also in Mee Certainely man hath corrupted power left him in his corrupt nature That hee can weakly and corruptly know the righteous Law Rom. 1. 19 and Commandement of God for that the Apostle saith what so ever is to be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them yea the Apostle saith they know the Law of God how that they which commit such things are worthy of death And man hath not onely power left by nature to know the just Law though weakly but also to believe God in the same That hee that doth it shall live and he that doth it not shall die yea also hee hath reason though corrupt to discerne to judge to pray to obey to repent to endeavour the same though all these weakely and corruptly Which of these powers of nature and duties of the Law did not Caine Ismael Esau Pharo Saul Ahab Baalam Balach and Judas doe exercise and use the Scribes and Parisees Heathens and Publicans did and doe the same yea the Divels themselves confesse God and his Christ They believe and tremble they pray Christ for many things this power of theirs conrupted Iam. 2. 19 Mat. 8. 31 nature remaineth to them all the power of mans nature corrupted remaineth to him And naturall man doth not of his power left these things onely outwardly but also inwardly and according to his corrupt heart termed conscience and therefore counteth it righteousnesse yea in some through morall helpes of Examples Education Teaching and Industry is exceeding Righteousnesse in the Estimation of men as Paul accounted those of himselfe advantageous righteousnesse righteousnesse that would doe him much good with God but Christ manifesting himselfe Phil. 3. 7 8 9 unto him hee then thought counted and judged them all to be losse and dunge for Christs sake for the excellent Knowledge of Christ for to injoy Christ And desired to be found in Christ not having his own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ even the righteousnesse which is of God through Faith because that which is Christs imputed and accounted to man of grace is onely in estimation with God and nothing of mans own though never so seemly according to the Law and Commandement as his Faith and obedience repentance and all righteousnesse thereof Object Christ commandeth Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Christ calleth their workes good workes that he exhorteth Mat. 5. 16. them to doe yea shining good workes before men such as whereby the Father in Heaven is or may be glorified as may bring glory before men to God surely Gods glory is in estimation with God as good and so these are good workes that cause and bring Gods glory even in Gods respect Answ Christ as God hath authority to exhort and command men what hee pleaseth in his corrupted state to do the righteous workes of the Law and Commandement God lost not of his Power by mans sinne though man lost of his own power that God had indowed him withall in his Creation by his sinning And man corrupted is still under the command and Law of God as hee is naturall and hath corrupt knowledge of the same and the righteousnesse thereof and corrupt power left him to indeavout or doe the worke of the Law and Command yet his knowledge and power being wholy corrupted leavened in every part by sinne for the Apostle saith A little leven leveneth the whole Iump all mans indeavours and woe therefore must needs be 1 Cor. 4. corrupted and leavened and so not good and righteous in the sight and estimation of good though never so seemly good in the sight and estimation of men God doth not approve of the same as good to his honour and glory being leavened with corruption and sinne which is loathsome and pollution to his Purenes Yet these workes may be good and to Gods glory in the corrupt sight estimation of men And that which Christ exhorteth unto is the good and righteous worke to Gods glory in the estimation of men Man doth not the worke that glorifieth God in Gods owne estimation nor can doe that Yet those which are Christs Elected of God doe the righteous and good workes of the Commandement in Christ and the same done of Christ is of grace is imputed and accounted to them whereby God hath great glory yea and is held forth in them and by them as hee pleaseth to make them the instruments of his Spirit then to elect to Gods glory Usefull Meditations and Resolutions THe Apostle saith Christ is all in all Col. 3. 11. I take it the meaning is all goodnesse righteousnesse holinesse to God all that pleaseth and is in acceptance to God for man And Christ is in all that are good righteous holy pleasing and acceptable to 2 Cor. 13. 5 God through him do yee not know that except Christ Jesus be in you yee are reprobates saith the Apostle And it is only in Christ in them that they are good righteous holy pleasing and accepted with God it is Christ and that which is Christs which is only in respect and esteem with God and nothing of our own as David saith my goodnes
if any man will come after me let him deny himself BY the words it seemeth there were many then that shewed themselvs to come after Christ for he said these words to them all in the 14. verse It is said there was five thousand then it is like there are multitudes now and of all sorts But Jesus it seemeth did not approve of their coming after him and therefore he setteth to them all the way to come after him that they were not yet in which they must needs be in that come after him in truth which way he saith is every man to deny himself All bearing name of Christians pretend coming after Christ following of Christ they pretend it in coming to Church in coming to Sermons and Sacraments therefore this way prescribed of Christ to these to deny their selves is the way that Christ prescribeth to all Christians that come after him to deny their selves Christ gave this advertisement to all in a legall imperative and commanding way to do the will of God let him deny himself although he had undertaken before God and manifested himselfe that he came to discharge the Elect of that burden Lo I come saith Hob. 10. 〈◊〉 Christ to do thy will O God for thy chosen ones J came to fulfill the Law Mat. 5. 17. to fulfill all righteousnesse and although he knew commanding them would little avail to the doing of the work commanded because he knew they were not able to do this nor other his commandements before God yet because he knew mans corrupt estate knew more of the Law and commandement which they had broken ever sithence the first Adam then they did of the last Adam the Christ undertaker and redeemer therefore he spake unto them in their own natural corrupt light knowledge thereby to set up more light thereof to them that so they might more behold and see their nakedness want poverty and blindnesse And Rom. 3. 17. this Christ did for the Gospel sake as the Apostle said he often did This was done of Christ with these much after the manner as Rom. 9. 23. he did with the man that asked him what he should do to inherit eternall life who answered him thou knowest the commandements which saying that he had kept all those yet Christ knowing he had not set him one hard part of the commandement yet to do viz. to go and sell all that he had and give to the poore whereat he being damped went away sorrowfull Mark 10. 1◠18. 19. 20. 22. Luke 18. 1◠Doct. The Doctrine here held forth of Christ is this That all that call themselves Christians ought to deny themselves Two things to be considered 1. What it is to deny our selves 2. The mystery and strangenesse thereof to naturall man For the first to deny a mans self is not meant of Christ that a a man should deny himself to be that which he is in truth or to have that which he hath in truth or to do that which he doth in truth But to deny a mans self here intended of Christ is to deny himself to be that which he thinketh himself to be and is not in truth and to deny himself to have that which he thinketh himselfe to have and hath not in truth and to deny himselfe to doe that which he thinketh himselfe to doe and doth not in truth wherein these particulars are intended specially to be good holy wise just and righteous in himself To have goodnesse holinesse wisdome righteousnesse c. in himself To do good c. himself or at least to behave and do somewhat of these c. And there is no man in this his corrupt estate but thinketh himself verily to be all these to have all these and to do all these before God or at least to behave and to do somewhat of all these which he neither is hath nor doth nor can do in himself before God no not in the least of any of them as shall be made plain If any man or woman here should be asked if he did not think himself to be at least a little good holy wise just and to have at least a little some holinesse goodnesse wisdome justnesse in Gods sight as to do some good in Gods sight sure though he or she did answer as they thought they would say they were had and did somewhat at least that they had and did something that was good holy wise just and righteous in Gods sight If a man should come to any of you here and should say to the same man or woman there is no goodnesse in you before God and the rest you would be angry and think he did you wrong And if any should dissemble and consent in present that he were not had not or did not that which is good in the sight of God yet in their converse and competitions with men and women they would be found to hold themselves forth to be good to have good and do good and the rest yea in controversie and contention to be better wiser juster and honester then the other before God and would not deny themselves as Christ here teacheth them And this is the cause and raise of warres and contentions among men yea among Christians that professe themselves to come after Christ that they will not nor can deny themselves in these things For the wise man saith only by pride cometh contention Prov. 13. 10 Men may alledge what they will to be the cause of their wars and contentions but the assertion of the Holy Ghost will only stand before God that only pride is the cause of contention and wars But if Christians professing themselves to come after Christ would deny themselves to be good wise holy just or to have any goodnesse wisdome holinesse justice and righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 1. Iam. 4. 1. in themselves in truth and to do or be able to do any good thing holy wise and righteous thing in the sight of God as Christ here teacheth they would lay down all wars and contentions and humble themselves one to another and make themselves equal to them of the lower sort as the Apostle adviseth and onely look upon Christ to exalt them which exalteth the humble and meek and giveth rest to their souls Quest Some may ask Is there no man that is good wise holy or just in the sight of God that hath goodness and can do good in the sight of God and the rest or at least somthing thereof Answ There is none nor have been any sithence the fall and general loss in Adam The Scripture to be believed make it clear David saith God Psal 53. 2. 3. looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God But they are all gone back they are altogether corrupt there is none that doth good no not one And Paul saith joyntly with David There is none righteous no not one
much if it be fervent Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for Righteousnesse Moses prayed and Gen. 15. 6 Rom. 4. 3. Israel overcame the Amalekites Elijah prayed and God sent rain God promiseth to do good to them that love him and perform the duties of love and hath shewed love and requited much good to them which have performed the duties of love unto him Therefore say they the Scriptures hold forth that the love of the Elect to God and their performance of the duties of love to God in this world do cause move and incite God to love them and do them much good c. Answ These seem to know the Scriptures in the history But they know them not yet in the mystery of God and Christ and in the mystery of faith and godlinesse as the Apostle speaketh Colossians 2. 2. Eph. 3. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Tim. 3. 9. I find the continual practise of Antichrist is by his instruments alledging the history of the Scriptures to advance the honour of man and to abate the honour of God and his Christ And this is the certain note and mark of this deceiving Spirit as the Apostle expresseth to the Thessalonians and elsewhere This is a great advancement of mans honour to teach that being 1 Thess 1. 2. 4. the Elect of God he hath power to do that which shall cause move and incite God to love him and do him good and others yea and doth so by his believing praying and the rest of his performances of his love and service to God Were it not a great honour to that poor subject which for his fidelity love and performances to a great Potent and rich King should have the assurance of love assistance and good he would request and desire of the King and that he by his performances to the King could cause the King to do such things for him when he would Surely any man that were not envious would praise and honour the happinesse of this subject So they which teach that the love of men to God by their love do cause and make God to love them and by their Faith do cause God to justifie them and by their asking and praying do cause move and incite God to grant and give them that they desire and by their repentance do cause God to forgive them and by their other performances to God do cause God to do them good do much advance and honour men and their performances Whenas the very Elect although they be elected in Christ c. yet as the Apostle saith in themselves are nothing unto Epâ— 44. good before Godâ— If any man saith he esteemeth himself to be somewhat when as he is nothing he deceiveth himself in his own imagination Gal. 6. 3. No they can perform nothing that is good before God so Paul said of himself I find no means to perform that which is good Rom 7. 8 26 21. when I would do good saith he evil is present with me and the evil which I would not do that I do So that it is clear from hence that the faith or believing the praying and repentance and all the performances of the very Elect in themselves to God are evil and sin which is a mystery indeed unto such as the Gospel is hid And therefore they cannot cause move and incite God to love them justifie them give to them assist them or forgive them by their love faith prayer repentance or any other performances to God which are evil in themselves and the advancing and honouring of man for such his performances to God as shall and can so prevail with God as to cause him to do men good for the same is the work of the deceiving spirit to the greatest abasement of the power of Christ or a share of that which is onely Christs which as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12. 6. Phil. 2. 13. Hâ—b 12 2. worketh all in all yea which worketh in us the will and deed of his own good pleasure The work of all is the work of the Work-man which is Christ Christ is the Author and finisher of our faith and the rest the honour of all is his due it is Christ and his performances that onely causeth moveth and inciteth God to love to give to the Elect to assist and forgive not any performance of their own and it is Christ that covereth the sin of their performances and therefore to Christ the whole prayes and honour of procuring the love and the goodness of God to man is due and it is extream sacriledge to rob our God Christ of his honour and to give it to another and these of God and his Christ are great mysteries unto those which are lost to whom the gospel is hid the thing wrought doth witnesse the work-man but not that it self was the workman Object But they say God hath promised to love them and to shew mercy on them that love him and to justifie and save them that believe and to give to them and assist them that pray to him and ask him and to do them good that do obedience to his commandements Therefore God hath bound himself by his promise to be a debtor to those that love him believe pray and obey his commandements As promise is a debt if the condition be performed And therefore the love of man to God the Faith Prayer and Obedience of man to God must needs cause move and incite the just God in his promises to love them save justifie assist and do them good the work being done is enough to cause move and incite every just man to pay the work-man his promised wages much more doth the same the great God Answ This Objection is spread with the deceit of of the deceiving spirit for the promise was to Christ as Gal. 3. 16. Not to the seeds as speaking of many but to thy seed as of one which is Christ saith the Apostle The promise was not to the Elect as they are the corrupt man in themselves but to Christ and to them onely as they are elected in Christ It was and is Christ onely that is able to perform the condition and not man corrupted whereas it is said the promises were such made to Abraham the Apostle meaneth they were repeated and clearly manifested to Abraham which we made before to Christ who was before Abraham although of Abrahams seed is manifestation according to the flesh If the promise had been made to corrupt man as Abrahams also was it had been in vain for there was never any man that was able to have performed the condition nor hath done but in Christ which performed it for him If a great Emperor should bind himself by promise to a poor Begger to give him a Kingdome if he did pay twenty hundred thousand pounds which was not able to pay him one pound were not this a vain promise and bond or could this Begger look for this Kingdome
he had in his acceptance by Christs undertaking so soon as Christ had undertaken If now there are many that hold so th the history of the Scriptures to affirm and prove the temporal afflictions of the Elect to be ordered unto them for their sins against God and men for their sins before God and before men But the mystery of our God and Christ of faith and godliness doth hold forth that afflictions are not ordered of Christ to the Elect for their sins either against God or men as the payment of the debt thereof or as in revenge of wrath which are never under wrath but under love but are alwaies ordered to the elect of God in the love wisdome and goodnesse of one God Christ either to take them away in love from sin and the misery of sin as the Prophet saith The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth Isa 57. 1. that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come or are Zach. 2. 5 Hos 2. 5. ordered to them to keep and preserve them from sin as by a wall of fire and a hedge of thornes as the Prophets speak upon which if their corrupt nature presse drive and force them they are by this means of Christ constrained to return to Christ as the Prophet Hosea at large sheweth in the second chapter of his Prophesie v. 5 6 7 c. A loving father will not chastise his child for the offence done if he knoweth that he will offend no more but will passe by the fault and if he doth chastise him it is that he might not offend afterward to keep him from offending And Psa 119. 71. upon this David said It is good for me that I have been in trouble for thereby I have learned to keep thy Statutes Davids troubles were Gods goodness to him although he was punished every day Daily have I been punished saith he The goodness of his troubles Psa 73. 14 and afflictions drive him back to Christ as the Apostle saith The love of Christ hath constrained us 2 Cor. 3. 14. But still there are some that it may be in earnest object if the elect do know they can do nothing of the holy commandement and if they know that Christ hath undertaken to do all and will do all for them commanded to be done before God Then they may live without care fear or regard of godlinesse to walk uprightly before God so that they live warily before men and give content and satisfaction to men This objection is not made from the spirit of Christ but from the spirit of Antichrist not from the sense of an elect believer but from the sense of reprobates such as God hath delivered up into a reprobate mind as the Apostle speaketh and are reprobate Rom. 1. 28 2 Tim. 3. 8 concerning the faith as he faith For although the elect believers denie themselves and see nothing in themselves but 〈◊〉 crying alwayes Lord be mercifull to me a sinner and know that themselves can do nothing of the holy commandement and know that Christ of free grace doth all for them of the same by his holy Spirit sent to them as he pleaseth yet they know also that because God careth 1 Pet. 5. 17. Psa 91. 12 Psa 25. 1â— for them he will keep them in all their wayes that he will teach them the way that they shall choose that he will mortifie the deeds of the flesh by his spirit sent unto them That the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost sent to Rom. 8. 13 them will act in their souls and hearts the love to God and man Yea they know that Christ hath promised to put such a fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from him and hath made Jer. 22. 40 41. such a covenant that he will never turn away from them but will delight in them to do them good So their knowledge of Christs grace to them doth not make them worse but better in themselves Christ saith naturall Heathens or Publicans love them that they know love them and shall not the love of God to the elect Mat. 5. 46 47. Rom. 14. 14. unto whom it is manifested constrain them although they be still carnall as Paul said he was to love God and man Ob. 2. But the deceiving spirit doth further object If our believing praying praising thanksgiving to God do not cause move and incite God to love us and do us good then wherefore should or do the elect pray and praise God all is in vain they do Answ Indeed all that they do to cause move and incite God to love them and do them good is in vain for it is Christ only that doth and can do that the doing of the elect cannot do it which is sinfull and corrupt Yet because Christ the undertaker for the elect which hath authority to command commandeth in the government of his Church to love pray praise give forgive and the rest The elect do the same not in vain but of duty because Christ their undertaker hath commanded although they do not nor can do the same according to the holy command A Scholler which is commanded of his favourable Schoolmaster to write his copie given him and which he knoweth can write never a letter right yet ought to write the same because he is commanded but it were folly in the Scholler to look to be praised of his Master for his bad writing And if any man shall ask why â—hrist commandeth the elect which he knoweth can do nothing of the command the answer may be First for his good pleasure and will and their humiliation Secondly â—â—â—ist would have his people exercised and not idle although weak Thirdly because although the goodnesse of their doing the holy command is nothing or extendeth not unto God is no goodnesse before God yet before men in mens estimation it is goodnesse as David saith My goodnesse extendeth not to thee O Lord but to the Saints which are upon the earth It is good and profitable Psal 16. 2 3. Tit. 3. 8. as the Apostle saith to men Fourthly for example to and another and edification of one another Fifthly for their knowledge of their transgressions of omission and commission as Paul said I had not known sin but by the law If Christ had not a commandement to bid â—nd forbid the elect had not known Rom. 7. 7. their sins and transgressions The Scholler which writeth never a letter well of his copie knoweth by his copie if he regard it and perule it well his fault in every word and letter although he cannot mend it So by the holy and righteous command of Christ the Elect may see and know their errour if they mind it and look upon it well although they cannot amend their errour themselves Sixtly Christ commandeth them to
man in himself of free grace chosen of God in Christ and given to him of God to undertake and perform all for unto life which they do when they teach and say that they by their Inherent holinesse and righteousnesse have power and free-will to do and can do themselves the works of righteousnesse such as please God are accepted with God and do move and cause God to do them good which all are the works of Christ and no part thereof mans but by account and grace of imputation therefore the same and the rest of that sort are no better then robbery sacriledge and idolatry Those which hold forth Inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in man do boast themselves to be in a better estate and condition for life then Adam was ever in to have more power then Adam had in innocency unto holinesse and righteousnesse and the work of the holy and righteous commandement of God for life which saith do this and live then Adam ever had for Adam in innocency had no power to repent if he fail'd that he might live by repentance if he failed of life by obedience and words nor had Adam power to pray for mercy and forgivenesse to move God by repentance and prayer and to obtain the same of God by prayer For if Adam had had this there had been no need of the provision of a Christ for falne man for Adams repentance and prayer for mercy and forgivenesse had been enough to have prayed with God for forgiveness of the transgression But they say they have not only power and free-will to doe the righteousness of the command through their inherent holiness and righteousness but also such a sanctified will that their will cannot fail or hinder their power as Adams did to do the work They have power to repent and convert themselves unto life if they fail in the righteous work and power to pray and so to prevail with God by their prayer that they shall obtain mercy and forgiveness of all by vertue of their inherent holiness and righteousness in themselves Oh sure they must needs be as proud of this inherent holiness and righteousness in themselves by the santification of the Spirit and be as thankfull to God also that they are not as other men are as the Pharisee was for his righteousness that he had in himself of the Spirit of God in his own account for which he thanked God that he was not as other men Luk. 18. 11. were unrighteous sinners And herein the late upholder of inherent holiness and righteousness in man by the sanctification of the Spirit go beyond the Papists which were the founders thereof in exalting that Idol For the Papists wil not allow every man that hath the same to be inabled thereby to convert himself if he have failed in the work of holiness and righteousness and to satisfie with the repentance of his own frame but he must be ordered and injoyned penance by the Pope or other his Substitutes Confessors to men offending which must be obeyed and all performed accordingly by the Delinquents for absolution and recovery of life and safety to themselves And they must not pray as they will themselves to move God to mercy and forgiveness and to bestow good things upon them but they must be ordered and appointed of those Agents and Confessors how many Pater-nosters and Ave-Maries they must say for the same c. But these conclude that by his own power that every man hath of his inherent holiness and righteousness he is not only inabled to do the work of holiness and righteousness acceptable to God but also if he fail to convert himself to repent at will to move God to mercy and forgiveness and to do him needful good when he will intentionally and devoutly pray for the same And to this purpose for manifestation of the premises to be so as is said the upholders of inherent holiness and righteousness in man teach and exhort all men to do the works of holiness and righteousness commanded upon eternall gain and pain and to repent of their fallings that they may not perish but live thereby to pray intentionally in publike and private to do duties commanded and to do all these to please God to pacifie God to move God to do them good by these their performances without any doubt of going well with them so doing as if all men assembled had this their supposed holiness and righteousness and thereby power in themselves to do the works of holiness and righteousness to repent pray and prevail with God to obtain all good at Gods hand thereby and divert the wrath and judgements from them as if they had God in a bond When as the Prophets of God and the Apostles of Jesus Christ themselves do acknowledge that they had no such inherent holiness and righteousness in themselves by the sanctification of the Spirit whereby they were inabled to do the works of holiness and righteousness before God and do acknowledge that themselves did no such works of holiness and righteousness before God nor had any such power in themselves The Prophet David saith God looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God but saith he they were all gone out of the Psa 5 3. 2. 3. Rom. 3. 10 11. way they were altogether corrupt there is none that doth good no not one And the Apostle Paul joyntly with him saith the same The Prophet Isay saith of himself and the rest like him We are all as an uncleane thing all our righteousnesse is as filthy rags And Paul saith There is none righteous no not one there is none that understand and seek God all are become unprofitable there is Rom. 3. 10 11 12. Mat. 19. 17 none that doth good no not one and Christ saith there is none good but one and that is God And again when you have done what ye can say we are unprofitable servants And Paul saith of himself in his best estate I am carnall sold Rom. 7. under sin in me that is in my flesh the corrupt man dwelleth no good thing And if any man saith he is somewhat whereas he is nothing Gal. 6. 3. he deceiveth himself in his own imagination and Paul saith further when he would do good evill was present with him and the good which Rom. 7. he would do he did not and the evill which he would not do that he did Where was the power and inablement of these to the works of holiness and righteousness or the deeds of these of the holiness and righteousness of the command above Adam or indued in innocency in themselves which deny all and any such thing to be in man and in themselves And again the Apostle saith If it be of grace meaning that Rom. 11. 6. God is pleased pacified moved to do man good it is no more of works and if of works