separate from him He is the Saviour of the body his merits and righteousness cover only those that are in him the effectual working of the Divine Spirit is only in those that are parts of him and united to him as their head a man can no more continue in the Divine life and walk in holiness without this union than the old Dionysius as the fable runs could walk a great way with his head off The opinion against this mystical union if practical would in a moment murder all the new creatures in the world and make a more bloody day with the Church than that of the Parisian Massacre This at one blow beheads the Church Catholick and cuts off that neck of Faith through which all Graces and Divine influences are derived from Christ unto believers But now let us hear the Author Those Metaphors which describe the relation and union between Christ and Christians Mr. Sherlock do primarily refer to the Christian Church not to every individual Christian Christ is the head but of his body which no particular Christian is Christ is an husband but the whole Church is his Spouse as St. Paul tells the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin to Christ Christ is a Shepherd and that concerns the whole flock Christ is a Rock a corner stone and the Church an holy Temple All these Metaphors in their first and most proper use refer to the whole Society of Christians the union of particular Christians to Christ is by means of their union to the Church the Church is the body of Christ and every Christian by being united to this body becomes a member of Christ As the Apostle tells us Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular 1 Cor. 12.27 The Church is the Temple of God and every Christian a lively stone in it the Church is Christs Spouse and every Christian a member of that Society but every Christian is not Christs Spouse he is an enemy to Polygamy and hath but one Spouse as he hath but one body and one Church which quite spoils the prettiness and fantastical wit of a late exhortation to young women to take Christ for their husband which would have sounded much better in a Popish Nunnery than among such pretenders to reformation and to give every one their due the Papists are the most generous sort of sutors for Christ for they perswade them to forsake all other husbands for Christ which is more honourable and meritorious These Metaphors refer to the whole Church or body of Christ very well Answer but are not particular Christians united to Christ as their head espoused to him under him as Sheep under a Shepherd built on him as on a Rock Yes surely The Church of Corinth which is the Authors instance was in proper speech no more the whole body of Christ than a particular Christian is and yet it was espoused as a chast Virgin to Christ if a particular Christian because not the whole body of Christ cannot be espoused to him then neither can a particular Church because not such be so espoused And so the grave words of S. Paul about the Corinthian Church as well as the phantastical wit of the late Exhorter must spoil together But if a particular Christian may be espoused to Christ why should Ministers who are Sutors on that behalf be checked with a Popish Nunnery as if those Espousals smelt of a superstitious Vow The Author himself tells us pag. 180. Every devout Soul is Gods Temple an inlightned mind is his Debir or Oracle a pure heart is his Altar devout Prayers are spiritual Incense and sweet Perfumes the body it self is a consecrated place and called Gods Temple All which is excellently spoken and I think by the same reason a particular believer may be called Christs Spouse but saith the Author The union of particular Christians to Christ is by means of their union to the Church that is to the whole Catholick Church the whole body of Christ which is made up only of Believers and Saints being as Ignatius calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Tral This is the Church the Author here means by the whole Church or body of Christ that body hath none but Believers and Saints in it Now if particular believers are united to Christ by their union to this Church how was the first believer united to Christ Or afterwards how was the Church Catholick united to him Surely not by another Church but immediately and then to me it is unimaginable that the whole Church should be immediately united to him and never a part so united or that all believers should be so united to him and never an one of them so united Besides the Church Catholick is part militant on earth and part triumphant in Heaven Those in Heaven are no part of the visible Church afterwards mentioned by the Author and withal they are at so great a distance from us that we may as easily imagine an immediate union to Christ as to them Those on earth are not all the body of Christ and so not properly within the Authors discourse however if we consider the business those vincula unionis the holy Spirit and Faith which unite them all immediately to Christ are resident in particular Believers and therefore it is a wonder to me that those particular Believers in whom the Divine Bonds reside should not be immediately united to Christ It is apparent that in case those Bonds in particular believers should be dissolved the whole Catholick Church on earth would be dissolved also and how then can particular persons be less than immediately united to Christ Add hereunto that none are in the Church Catholick but reall Believers and in the very instant of believing they are united to Christ and therefore it is not at all supposeable that they should first be united to the Church and by that means to Christ That place in the Corinthians quoted by the Author Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular proves it not The Church of Corinth was not the whole body of Christ neither is there any syllable in it to prove that first we are united to the Church and then to Christ Christ speaking of himself Mr. Sherlock saith I am the true Vine John 15. The meaning is that Church which is founded on the belief of my Gospel is the true Vine I signifies Christ together with his Church which is his body upon which account the Church is elsewhere called Christ The Author is a little various here for he saith Answer I signifies Christ together with his Church but a little after I and in me cannot be meant of his own person So there it is the Church alone and not together with Christ neither doth the Author agree upon the Church First he speaks of the body of Christ which is
the Church Catholick and a little after of the visible Church which the Church Catholick is not but that I doth not here signifie the Church is apparent The same I runs throughout the whole Chapter I have loved you vers 9. I have kept my Fathers Commandments vers 10. I have spoken to you vers 11. I have heard of my Father vers 15. I have chosen you vers 16. I came vers 22. I did the works vers 24. I will send the comforter vers 26. In none of these I's is the Church meant no more is it meant in that first I when he saith I am the true Vine however the Author offers some reasons for it The first is this The Church in the old Testament is compared to a Vine Esay 5. Jer. 2. Hosea 10. and so John 15. The Church is the Vine Christ applies the parable of the Vineyard to the state of the Gospel Matth. 21.33 And the Christian Church is called an Olive and the members of it branches Rom. 11. But I fancy not this arguing In some places the Vine is the Church therefore it is so in all this is the very same with that which the Author would charge upon his adversaries pag. 4. Christ sometimes signifies the person of Christ therefore it must do so alwayes after the same rate the Author In some places the Vine is the Church therefore it is so in all But in the 15. of John the context will not bear it one and the same I runs through the whole Chapter and in many passages no way sutes to the Church The Vine in this Chapter differs from those quoted out of the Old Testament in those the Ghurch is the Vine no mention at all is made of branches but in this the branches are set distinct from the Vine as appears verse 5. I am the Vine ye are the branches The Branches and the Vine are distinguished by I and ye the Church is included in the branches as the branches taken asunder signifie particular Christians so put together they import the Church The second reason is God is called the Husbandman but he dresses not Christ but the Church which is Gods Husbandry To which the Answer is easie God is the Husbandman with reference to both planting the Vine Christ and dressing the Branches Christians The third reason is Christ speaks of branches in him which bear no fruit and there can be no such branches in the person of Christ But as the Learned Whitaker hath observed against Stapleton that place Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away Joh. 15.2 May be read thus Every branch which beareth not fruit in me he taketh away The words in me being referred not to the Branch but to the Fruit But being read as is usual the answer is obvious our Saviour in this Verse speaks not of true real Branches which are always fruitful but of seeming ones which are barren they seem to be in Christ but are not When Christ speaks in the first Person Mr. Sherlock I and in me he cannot mean this of his Person but of his Church and Doctrine according as the circumstances require Thus Ver. 5. I am the true vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing I would willingly learn what sence can be made of this if we understand it of the Person of Christ for it is not very intelligible how we can be in the Person of Christ and it is more unintelligible how we can be in the Person of Christ and the Person of Christ in us at the same time which is a new piece of Philosophy called Penetration of Dimensions and that our fruitfulness should depend upon such an Vnion is as hard as all the rest How various is the Author on this Vine First I Answer is Christ together with the Church then the Church only and now the Doctrine is usher'd in to eek out the Interpretation and after this rate we may come to the seventy Faces which the Jews talk of in Scripture But that 5. Verse in the 15. of John cannot be meant of Christ's Person why not The Milevitan Council Can. 5. and afterwards the Arausican Council Can. 24. did so interpret it the words of the last are remarkable Vitis sic est in palmitibus ut vitale subministret eis non sumat ab eis ae per hoc manentem in se habere Christum manere in Christo discipulis prodest non Christo 1. Hom. of good works Our Church interprets it of no other but Christ but it is not intelligible How we can be in the Person of Christ and the Person of Christ in us Luther in his Conference at Marpurg with Zuinglius about the Eucharist told him Mel. Ad. in vita Brentii that he must not Mathematica huic negotio admiscere nec carnem Christi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so will I say to the Author Physicks and Mathematicks must here lie by here is no room for Penetrations or Dimensions all is spi itual and divine The Union between Christ and Believers though a new piece of Philosophy or rather no part of it at all is old Divinity and though a very great Mystery not altogether unintelligible Our Divines express it plainly according to Scripture to be made by the Spirit and Faith The most Reverend Vsher tells us Scrm. before the Commons 1620. That it is altogether spiritual and supernatural no Physical nor Mathematical Continuity or Contiguity is any way requisite thereunto it is sufficient for the making of this Vnion that Christ and we be knit together by those spiritual Ligatures the quickning Spirit and a lively Faith If by he that abideth in me Mr. Sherlock we understand the Christian Church he who makes a profelsion of Faith in me and continues in society with those who do so and by I in him the Christian Doctrine the Sence and Reason of it is very ovident Why in me Answer should signisie one thing and I another why in me should be construed in the Church and I the Christian Doctrine there is no reason in the Text however the Author had some reason to interpret it so For if in those words I in him I should fignifie the Church as those words in me are made to do then every particular Believer should have a Church in him which would be as unintelligible as that of Christ's being in us Mr. Sherlock To abide in Christ is to make a publick and visible Profession of Faith in Christ to be Members of his visible Church but because many are so who do not credit their Profession hence to distinguish true Christians from hypocritical Professors he adds And I in you that is my words abide in you Ver. 7. Thus you see that the Vnion of particular Christians to Christ consists in their Vnion to the
Christian Church This Opinion Answer which denies that particular Believers are immediately united to Christ being as I take it but novel hath not yet found its Center but rowls about from the Catholick Church which is made up all of Saints to visible particular Churches which are made up of Believers and Unbelievers First the Author spake of our Union to the Body of Christ now of it to the Church Visible Before I made it appear that particular Believers were immediately united to Christ in respect of the Church Catholick and it is as evident that they are so united to him in respect of the Church Visible On the one hand all that are in the Church Visible are not really united to Christ the hypocritical Professors do but seem to be so It is observed by the Learned Whitaker that Eccesiae particulares visibilibus nexibus colligantur Ecclesia verò Catholica invisibilibus A Visible Church as such is connected by visible Bands and more the Connection cannot be because Believers and Hypoctites of both which the Church is made up cannot otherwise be knit together and how is it possible that the Union of Believers to Christ which is made by invisible Ligatures should consist in their Union to the Visible Church which as such is only knit together by visible Bands On the other hand those which are not of the Church Visible may yet be really united to Christ Thus the Catechumeni were but in vestibulo and not actually in the Visible Church and yet if Believers were united to Christ The same may be said of unbaptized Believers The Emperor Valentinian died before Baptism but in real Union to Christ hence St. Ambrose saith that he had in se imaginem Christi and that his Soul was in refrigerio Believers if unjustly excommunicate are no longer in the Visible Church and yet they are in Union to Christ The Apostles as Christ foretold them were to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cast out of the Synagogues but never to be parted from Christ Believing Merchants may be at a vast distance from the Visible Church and yet in near spiritual Conjunction with Christ And what if a Visible Church turn Apostate from the Gospel True Believers will come out of her and I hope without any loss of their Union to Christ Those 7000 which in the time of Elias bowed not the knee to Baal were I suppose joyned to no visible Church and yet they were a choice reserved people unto God Thus it appears that Believers are immediatly united to Christ in respect of the Visible Church As for what the Author adds Those words I in him Joh. 15. 5. are the same with those My words abide in you Ver. 7. I answer The 5. vers saith that Christ is in Believers and the 7. denies it not but declares that where Christ is there are his words also Hence it is Mr. Sherlock that the ancient Fathers interpret all those Metaphors which decypher the Vnion between Christ and Christians to signifie the cntire Love and Vnity of Christians among themselves Thus St. Chrysostome expounds Eph. 2.19 20 21. to signifie the Unity of the Church in all Ages the Jewish and Christian Church being both united in Christ Thus also St. Ambrose to the same purpose Thus St. Chrysostom on 1 Cor. 3. observes That the Apostle disswades from Schisms and Factions and tells us that the Branch draws nourishment and fatness from the Vine by its Union to it and the Building stands firm by the strong adhesion of its parts Which plainly signifies that our Vnion to Christ consists in our Vnion to the Christian Church Thus the same Author argues from Joh. 14.21 He unites us to each other by many Examples and Patterns of the closest Union he the Head we the Body he the Foundation we the Buildding c. According to the sence of this holy Man Christians are united to Christ by their Vnion to the Church otherwise I can-not understand how our Vnion to Christ can be an argument to Vnity among our selves if we are immediately united to the Person of Christ without being first united to the Church The Fathers interpret those Metaphors Answer which decypher the Vnion between Christ and Christians to signifie the Love and Vnity of Christians among themselves so the Author And is there no Union between Christ and Christians according to the Ancients Or do they deny that particular Believers are immediatly united to Christ Oh! no St. Chrysostome on that place Eph. 2.19 20 21. saith expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every one of you is a Temple for God And upon 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ he adds as our Author hath it Let us be built on Christ and cleave to him as to a Foundation and as a Branch to the Vine that there may be no distance between Christ and us for if there be we immediatly perish By the way observe Christ is the Vine in St. Chrysostome and for the point in hand if there be no distance between Christ and us surely we are immediatly united to him And this is very emphatical in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let there be no Medium between Christ and us and if there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any Medium we immediately perish Nothing could be more emphatically spoken for immediate Union And in that place Joh. 14. he expresses as the Author quotes him plainly the Vnion of Christians to Christ And for St. Ambrose I shall quote but one place on 2 Cor. 13.5 he saith Qui fidei suae sensum in corde habet hic scit Christum Jesum in se esse But saith the Author If our Vnion to Christ be immediate it can be no argument to Vnity among our selves But the consequence fails there can be no greater argument to Unity among our selves than this That we are all built upon one Foundation Christ and have all one and the same Spirit in us so it is with all that are mystically united to him The Sacraments our Saviour hath instituted as Symbols of our Vnion with him are a plain demonstration of it Mr. Sherlock Baptism is the Sacrament of our admission into the Christian Church For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 In which the Apostle seems to allude to Baptism which confers the holy Spirit on us all and thereby makes us all members of the Body of Christ But more expresly in Eph. 4.4 There is one body and one Spirit as ye are called in one hope of your calling One Lord one Faith one Baptism That is the Christian Baptism is but one and is a Sacrament of Vnion making us all members of that one Body This is called being baptized into Christ that is admitted into the Church by a publick Profession of our Faith in Christ Thus the Lord's Supper is a Sacrament of Vnion and signifies the
visible Church is external and our union to Christ internal and spititual our excision from the Church is one thing and our separation from Christ another a man may be united to the visible Church and yet not really united to Christ for so is the hypocrite a man may be cut off from the visible Church and yet not cut off from Christ for so is the unjustly excommunicate Mr. Sherlock The union between Christ and the Church is not a natural but a political union Christ is a King and all Christians his Subjects and our union to Christ consists in our belief of his Revelations Obedience to his Laws and subjection to his Authority If you continue in my words then are ye my Disciples indeed John 8.31 Which is the same thing with being in Christ And by keeping his Commandments we abide in his love John 15.10 and 14.21 And to have his word abide in us Is a description of the closest and fir mest union to him John 15.7 Thus Christ is a Shepherd and Christians his Sheep To signifie the Authority he hath over his Church Shepherd is used as a name of power thus Christ is a head and the Church his body a Husband and the Church his Spouse which are names of power Eph. 5.23 Christ is called an Head an Husband because he hath the Rule and Government of us Head is a name for Princes and Governours Deut. 28.13 The Apostles alwayes expound the Metaphor of Christs being a head by power Eph. 1.20.21 Col. 1.18 So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place signifies one that hath Authority Christ is the head of all principalities Col. 10. He is an head and husband because he is invested with authority to govern the Church is the body and Spouse because it must obey also these Metaphors signifie the mildness and gentleness of his Government as a good Shepherd he lays down his life for his Sheep John 10. He loves his Church with the natural kindness of an head and husband his Government is only for the good of his Church and therefore his yoke is easie he gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie it Eph. 5.25 26. Upon which account we may be called members of his body of his flesh and bone verse 30. The Church being taken out of his crucified body as woman out of man Christ hath reconciled the Gentiles that is taken them into his Church in the body of his flesh through death because the Covenant which was the foundation of the Church was sealed with his blood Christ owns himself our friend John 15. Ye are my friends if ye do what I command you which shews the tenderness of his Government He exercises his authority in methods of Love hence he is called a Father Our union to Christ Answer consists in a belief of his Revelations Obedience to his Laws and Subjection to his Authority Thus the Author To whom I answer A belief of Revelations is only a dogmatical faith which is found in many not united to Christ Obedience is not our mystical union to Christ but a fruit of it Christ and the Soul being once espoused out-comes a blessed progeny of good works as so many reall proofs of that Divine conjunction which is made by the Spirit and Faith and shews forth it self in such effects as the dead womb of nature could never have produced Subjection to Christ's Authority is either a formal actual one standing in doing his commands and that is the same with Obedience a fruit of our union to Christ or a virtual one consisting in accepting Christ as our Lord and this is part of that Faith which is a bond of that Union Those words If ye continue in my words then are ye my Disciples indeed John 8.31 Were spoken to Believers to men in union with Christ to exhort them to perseverance as a reall proof of their Discipleship and Union to Christ If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love John 15.10 They were in his love before Verse 9. But Obedience will shew it forth Thus St. Austin on the place Ostendit non unde dilectio generetur sed unde monstretur hinc apparebit quod in dilectione meâ manebitis si precepta mea servaveritis Christs promise to the Obedieut is That he will love him and manifest himself to him Joh. 14.21 Christ loved him before but now he will manifest it Thus St. Austin on the place Quid est diligam tanquam dilecturus sit nunc non diligat Absit diligam manifestabo id est ad hoc diligam ut manifestem Our abiding in Christ and Christ's words abiding in us are very well joyned together Joh. 15.7 To shew us that where the Soul and Christ are in union there the holy words will have a mansion in the heart Christ is a King a Shepherd an Head an Husband and all in a superlative transcendency above all others in those relations He is a King who hath his Laws without us and an inward Scepter in our hearts making the unwilling will to become a willing one in the day of his power A Shepherd who speaks to his Sheep nay and brings them into the Fold John 10.16 who before were not in it A Head who stands above all in eminency and influences spiritual life and motion into the lowest meanest Believer on the earth An Husband who espouses us unto himself and invests us with a rich Dowry out of his incomparable Graces and Perfections The Church was taken out of the crucified body of Christ But that place We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 plainly declares the mystical union as man and wife are one flesh so Christ and Christians are one spirit One thing more may be observed Christ saith the Author hath reconciled the Gentiles that is taken them into his Church in the body of his flesh through death Col. 1.21.22 This is a little strange reconciled that is taken them into his Church Socinus on this place De Servat pars 1. cap. 8. saith That the reconciliation here is Omnium rerum non cum Deo sed secum ipsis per Christum parta concordia And a little after Vniversi tà m Gentes quà m Judaei unus Dei populus sunt facti But I hope our Author doth not exclude reconciliation to God Christ doth not govern us immediately by himself Mr. Sherlock for he is ascended up into Heaven where he powerfully intercedes for his Church and by a vigilant providence superintends all the affairs of it but hath left the visible and external conduct and Government of his Church to Bishops and Pastors who preside in his name and by his authority He governs his Church by men who are invested with his authority which is a plain demonstration that the union of particular Christians to Christ is by their union with the Christian Church which consists in their regular subjection to
Laws which the Author after mentions calling it a conformity to his nature the new creature is not the effect of Subjection or Obedience but the cause of it true Obedience is too pure a thing to issue out of an unregenerate heart before it can come forth Enchir. cap. 106. Ipsum liberum arbitrium liberandum est As St. Austin speaks Lapsed nature must be new-natured and its deadly wound healed by regenerating Grace First according to Scripture there must be a good tree and then good fruit De Eccles Hierar cap. 2. First a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Divine state or being as Dionysius calls it and then Divine operations issuing forth in a sweet connaturalness to the Heavenly principles within To this purpose let us hear our Church 2. Hom. of Almes As the good fruit is not the cause that the tree is good but the tree must first be good before it can bring forth good fruit so the good Deeds of men are not the Cause that maketh men good but he is first made good by the Spirit and Grace of God that effectually worketh in him and afterwards he bringeth forth good fruit As for such as are regenerate and new Creatures I acknowledge them to have the same temper of Mind with Christ and that every Grace in the new Man answers to that in Christ and morally unites to him but the Mystical Union is made by the holy Spirit and Faith which hath this above other Graces to receive Christ and incorporate us into him That place Phil. 2. of having the same mind with Christ holds out the same temper in both that in Matt. 4.11 calls us to an imitation of him that Gal. 4.19 expresses the State of the new Creature which is moulded after the Image of Christ But the other two places quoted by the Author prove the Mystical Union the one is that Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his By Spirit is not meant an holy temper of Mind but the Spirit it self the very same which just before the words is called The Spirit of God and ver 11. The spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead and by which our mortal bodies shall be quickned This is that Spirit which unites us to Christ in such an admirable manner that Christ is said to be in us ver 10. St. Chrysostome on the words saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath the holy Spirit hath Christ himself the Spirit being present Christ nay the whole Trinity must be so The other is that 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit that is one and the same holy Spirit is in Christ and Believers mystically uniting them together This appears as well by the opposition of one spirit in this 17. Verse to one flesh in the 16. Verse For as the Learned Beza notes on the place Vt constet expositio exterioris corporum copulae nostrae cum Christo interoris spiritûs nomen usurpavit Apostolus as also by the after-words What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you ver 19. The holy Ghost is that one Spirit which unites Christ and Believers Hence the Reverend Vsher quoting this place among others concludes That the Mystery of our Vnion with Christ consists mainly in this that the self same Spirit which is in him as in the Head is derived from him into every one of his true Members There is yet a closer Vnion Mr. Sherlock which consists in a mutual reciprocal Love when we are transformed into the image of Christ he loves us as being like to him and we love him as partaking of his Nature he loves us as the price of his Blood as his own workmanship created to good Works and we love him as our Redeemer and Saviour I acknowledge there is a Moral Union between Christ and Christians by holy Love Answer but this Moral Union supposes a Mystical one made by the Spirit and Faith Where these are not there can be no such thing as Love to Christ Hence the Apostle Eph. 3.16 17. first lays down the Mystical Union with its two Bands the Spirit in the inner man and Faith whereby Christ dwells in the heart and immediately after adds the Moral one That ye may be rooted and grounded in Love Where-ever the Mystical Union is there is holy Love to Christ What the Author afterwards adds touching God's dwelling in the Church as his Temple is so far from opposing that it points out the Mystical Union especially seeing as the Author confesses Particular Christians are in Scripture stiled the Temple of the living God That place quoted by the Author Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3.16 is very emphatical Christians are the Temple of God and made so by the indwelling Spirit which is the bond of the Mystical Union Indeed the Author saith That the indwelling of the Spirit primarily refers to the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit which God in that Age bestowed on the Church this was the true Shechinah or divine Glory resting on them But I conceive the holy Spirit hath been in Believers in all Ages God dwelt in the Jewish Temple in Types and Symbols of his Presence but which was far more excellent than those outward shadows and appearances of Glory he dwelt even then by his Spirit in all true Believers The sweet strains of Devotion in David did plainly evidence that the holy Spirit was in him the spiritual Imbroidery or Needle-work in every Psalm tells us that the Finger of God was there The believing Israelites in Mannâ Christum intellexerunt saw Christ in their Manna and fed on the same spiritual Meat as believing Christians do which is a clear proof that the holy Spirit was in them The Son of God coming in the Flesh the holy Spirit was poured down in extraordinary Gifts and though those Epiphanies of divine Glory went off yet the same Spirit hath been and ever will be in Believers This our Church acknowledges 1. Hom. for Whitsunday Neither doth the holy Spirit think it sufficient inwardly to work the spiritual and new Birth of Man unless he do also dwell and abide in him And a little after our Church breaks out in an holy admiration O what comfort is this to the heart of a true Christian to think that the holy Ghost dwelleth in him The Apostle tells the Ephesians that they are builded for an habitation of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the Spirit Eph. 2.22 Indeed the Author interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual Temple in opposition to the material one which St. Peter calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual house but I take it the Spirit it self is meant Thus Grotius as I have him quoted in the Criticks saith Non tantùm tota fidelium
their spiritual Guides and Rulers and in concord and unity among themselves For if our union to Christ consist in our subjection to him as our Lord and this authority is not immediately exercised by Christ but by Bishops and Pastors it follows that we cannot be united to Christ till we unite our selves to the publick societies of Christians and submit to the publick instructions Authority and Discipline of the Church Christ hath left the visible and external conduct of his Church to Bishops and Pastors Very well Answer But the internal Scepter and Rule over hearts is in his own hand only and therefore the Papists who make the Bishop of Rome Head of the Church secundum exteriorem gubernationem are yet so modest as to leave Christ to be the only Head secundum interiorem insluxum Our union to Christ is an internal spiritual one made by the Spirit and Faith such as cannot consist in any thing external such as subjection to Ecclesiastical Governours who have the visible conduct is Hence the Reverend Vsher tells us Without that quickning Spirit Serm. before the Commons 1620. no external communion with Christ or his Church can make a man a true member of his mystical body this being a most sure principle that he which hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8.9 A wicked man may be subject to Ecclesiastical Government yet while such is not cannot be a member of Christ or his mystical body Bellarmine himself was so struck with the evidence of this truth that he confessed That wicked men are but membra mortua arida quae solum adhaerent reliquis externâ conjunctione non de Eeclesiâ nisi secundum apparentiam exteriorem putativè non verè that is they are no members at all which makes it clear that our union to Christ stands not in subjection to Ecclesiastical Governours and what for such a thing is possible if the Ecclesiastical Governour be a wicked man himself Is it imaginable that the union of one wicked man to another should produce an union to Christ Or what if such a case should fall out as once did when under the Emperour Basiliscus Evag. Hist L. 3. no less than five hundred Bishops condemned the Council of Chalcedon It would be very hard in such a dismal lapse to say that all the Christians under them had without any default in themselves lost their union with Christ and yet we must say so unless we allow that union to be made and supported by the internal bonds of the Spirit and Faith Schismaticks are in the Church Mr. Sherlock just as Rebels are in a Kingdom not as parts of it but enemies The Apostle tells us wherein the unity of the Church consists In Eph. 4.16 Christ is the Head from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part making increase of the body to the edifying it self in love That is The supreme power is invested in Christ as Head to whom the Church is obedient and subject but to make this union firm and lasting there must be a regular subordination of the several members and a mutual discharge of Christian offices which advances their growth in Grace and especially in love this supposes a visible society of Christians professing the Faith and living in communion with each other if there be no such visible Society as in persecution or degeneracy of the Church Our union to Christ consists in an acknowledgment of his Authority and Subjection to his Laws which makes us members of the universal Church but when there is a visible Church we are under an obligation of communion because herein our Subjection to the Authority of Christ and our Vnion to him consists Schism is the concern of visible Churches Answer but that place Eph. 4. speaks not of visible Churches which are made up of believers and unbelievers but of the Church Catholick made up of Believers and Saints only This is plain the Church Catholick is that whole body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly joined together all being Saints in it but in the visible Church there are believers and unbelievers who can no more stand in harmony than light and darkness Christ and Belial the Temple of God and Idols In the Church Catholick there is an effectual working in every part but in the Church visible there is no such energy in the wicked And so in that parallel place Eph. 2.20 The Church Catholick is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That whole Building fitly framed together which groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord But in the Church visible the wicked grow not into a Temple nay there is not a stone of the spiritual Building laid in them And Eph. 1.23 The Church Catholick is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only the body but fulness of Christ Every member of it helps as it were to fill up the mystical body but in the Church visible the wicked do not complete the body but corrupt it they do not adorn but deform it I have before shewed that our union to Christ stands not in communion with a visible Church or its Rulers It is made by internal and spiritual ligatures and is invariably one and the same whether there be a Church visible or not But saith the Author We are under an obligation of Communion with a Church visible when there is one But it is one thing what our Duty is and another what constitutes our union with Christ it is our duty to be subject to civil Magistrates but I suppose our union to Christ consists not in it it is our duty to hear the Ministers of Christ Luke 10.16 But our union to Christ doth not consist in it indeed it is a sacred Ordinance which God is pleased to use to bring us to Christ but the only proper immediate bands of that union are the Spirit and Faith If any particular Church apostatize from the Faith of Christ Mr. Sherlock we are then under the same necessity of deserting their communion as we are of obeying the Laws and submitting to the Authority of our Lord and Master We must indeed desert an apostate Church Answer but if as our Author holds our union to Christ consists in communion with a visible Church then upon our departure from it though never so just our union to Christ must fail Which yet I think can never be the lot of a true believer he is part of that Church built on the Rock against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail Matth. 16.18 Part of that building which is an holy Temple an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2.21.22 and that Spirit makes and maintains that union This Political Vnion betwixt Christ and his Church Mr. Sherlock may be either only external and visible and so hypocritical Professors may be said to be
never so much yet as long as he is in his old Sphere in corrupt unregenerate nature he lives in some one sin or other in an unregenerate heart while such Gods throne is not cannot be and therefore sins must be there Such an heart as yet not elevated by Grace to the true and immense goodness which is above hunts after an happiness in the lower Sphere of its self and the world embracing some vain Image or Shadow instead of a Deity The young man in the Gospel for all his smooth innocent life had yet a regnant World within Trajan and Antoninus the Philosopher as fair Moralists as they were were yet enemies to Christianity But a regenerate man however he groan under the indwelling sin doth not indulge his lusts his heart having found out God the true center of Blessedness rests no where else But saith Mr. Shephard an unregenerate man cannot be poor in spirit and so carried out of all duties to Christ Upon which saith the Author if an unregenerate man do good he is conscious to himself that he doth it if he have a good heart he feels it And is it so indeed If an unregenerate man may have a good heart and do that which is truly spiritually good Regeneration is altogether useless internal and supernatural principles of Grace are to no purpose Nature though lame and lapsed may do its own work But I suppose rather that all this in the unregenerate is but pride and presumption his feeling a good heart in himself but a lye and imposture But saith the Author the regenerate man is either to have no good in himself or to think he hath none either of which is an odd sign of Grace To which I answer To be a regenerate Man and to have no good in himself is not possible to think he hath none if he know he hath some is as little possible as the other The regenerated man hath a Divine Life and Principle in him yet by reason of inherent corruptneâ—s sees little or nothing in himself and is ever in dependance upon the treasures of Grace in Christ An unregenerate man may come to Christ in Profession or Ordinances but not in believing He takes not up his rest in Christ He would saith Mr. Shephard like Judas have Christ and the bag too Or as the young man have Christ and the world too He would live in his Lusts and if at last Christ would save him from Hell it would be enough But the regenerate are in love with Christ himself Epist ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Love Christ was crucified and with him my love to all other things sait Ignatius and the Reverend Vsher as Mr. Baxter relates was of opinion That by the first act of Faith we receive Christs person and by a second his benefits Mr. Shephard Jaith Mr. Sherlock That men tyred and weary in themselves go to Christ to remove their sins If they get these sins subdued and removed if they find power to do better they hope to be saved here is the evidence of Sanctification whereas thou mayst be damned and go to the Devil at last though thou dost escape all the pollutions of the World and that not from thy self and thine own strength but from the knowledge of Christ Woe to you if you dye in this state with your sins mortified and subdued by Christ and the reason is because this is to come to Christ to suck juyce from him to maintain his own Berries his own stock of Graces Alas he is but the Ivy he is no Member nor Branch in this Tree And hence he never grows to be one with Christ So that Holiness and Obedience is no evidence of our Vnion to Christ though we fetch strength from Christ to do his will we may only grasp about Christ all this while as the Ivy about the Oak but never be united to him and become one with him Mr. Shephard's plain scope is no more but this Answer that poor sinners tyred with their sins should not rest in any thing no not in some power to subdue sin and do better without Union to Christ And the Scripture-Method calls for this that we should have our being in Christ put on Christ and receive Christ that we may have all benefits from him 1. Hom. of the Sacrament Hence our Church tells us That we must make Christ our own and apply his merits to our selves Thus the Learned Zanchy Tota verae justitiae De verâ dispensat vitae salutis participatio ex hâc pernecessariâ cum Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pendet The whole participation of Righteousness Life Salvation depends on our Vnion with Christ which is most necessary A man through the knowledge of Christ may escape the pollutions of the World that is gross sins he may learn to do better in his life but true mrtification of sins flows from our Union to Christ and is effected by the holy Spirit in Believers Holiness and Obedience such as indeed is true and spiritual doth not go before Faith and Union to Christ but follow after it and so evidence it as the Fruit doth the Root As for the Authors subjoyned exclamation Good God! into what mazes and labyrinths do these men lead poor distressed souls I must leave it to the Reader to determine whether there be any just cause for it or not The testimony of the Spirit concerns the general adoption of Christians for the sons of God Mr. Sherlock not to testifie to any particular man that he is a good Christian or in the estate of Grace It is not a private but a publick testimony given to the whole Christian Church That holy Spirit which God bestowed upon the Apostles and Primitive Christians which enabled them to work Miracles speak Languages and Prophesie was a plain argument to all the World that God now owned the Christians not the Jews for his chosen and elect people for his sons and children For this was the great dispute of those days whether Jews or Christians were the sons of God whether God now owned the Jewish or Christian Religion and the Apostles decide this Controversie by the Testimony of the Spirit for God could not give a greater Testimony to the Christian Church than the gift of the holy Spirit for it was a plain argument that he owned them for his sons when he bestowed the Spirit of his Son on them as the Apostle argues Galat. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith that is did God bestow his Spirit on you while you were Jews or upon your conversion to Christianity For if God bestowed his spirit on Christians This is a sufficient seal to the Christian Religion This is plain and intelligible the Testimony of the Spirit assures us that all Christians are the Sons of God and Heirs of the Promises and every mans conscience will tell him whether
Glory of them all from our Likeness to God from the Peace of Conscience from the Conviction and Conversion of others from the aversion of Judgments from the State of justified Persons from the Work of Sanctification are but poor insignificant things with the Author which yet with me are of great Moment This is all pertinent saith the Author but it contradicts it self and overthrows their Darling-opinion What the necessary way to eternal Life and yet neither Cause Matter nor Condition At least it might be Causa sine qua non and so a Condition But the Author might have observed that the Doctor did not speak ad idem to one and the same thing his words are Holiness is neither the Cause Matter nor Condition of Justification yet it is the way to Salvation both stand well together without any shadow of Contradiction Obedience is subsequent to Justification and so neither Cause Matter nor Condition of it but it is antecedent to Salvation and the way thereunto Well the Author is content that it only be a necessary way to eternal Life but what then becomes of Christ the only way What of Christ's Righteousness and of free Grace I hope there is no matter of fear our Holiness unless it be lifted up above it self into the room and Throne of Christ very well comports with Christ and Grace it is a way but not as Christ an Expiatory Meritorious one it stands as necessary in Sanctification but eeks not out Christ's Righteousness in Justification It flows from free Grace and doth not overturn but magnifie its Fountain Afterwards our Author draws up a long Charge against these men That they prepossess their Fancies with arbitrary Notions pervert the Scriptures to justifie their Darling-opinions and that sometimes with so ill success as to break some stubborn Truths into palpable absurdities and contradictions their Fancies and Scripture agree no better than the Church of Rome and Scripture do They add such limitations distinctions glosses to Scripture as are necessary to make them orthodox Their Acquaintance with Christs Person is only a work of Fancy teaches men Hypocrisie undermines the Design of the Gospel makes men incurably ignorant yet conceited of knowledge impertinent talkers and censurers of Mankind despisers of their Teachers as if ignorant and meer Moral Preachers Their Acquaintance with Christ's Person warms their Fancies moves their Passions sometimes they find breakings of heart and feel the horrors of damned Spirits sometimes they are ravish'd with his love and Beauty refresh'd with the sweet caresses of his love All which may be no more than the working of a warm Enthusiastick Fancy the transportation of frantick Raptures and Extasies of Love Unto all which I say two things only the one is this In general Charges which may be drawn up against the most innocent Souls under Heaven the intelligent Reader must measure the truth of them only by the Instances which before have been examined The other is this that the Author tells us That their breakings for sin and ravishments in Christ may be but the working of a warm Enthusiastick fancy In which Censure I suppose there is no over-measure of Charity There are yet Two things behind which because interwoven with the general Charge I have hitherto omitted but shall now recite them the one is this Prepossessed Fancies force men saith the Author to pervert the Scriptures to make them speak the Orthodox Language to this we owe all those nice and subtil Distinctions which constitute the Body of Systematical Divinity which commonly have no other design than to evade the force of Scripture or to bribe it to speak on their side I will now wonder no longer that the Author treats a few Nonconformists with such rough hands Behold an universal blast put on those excellent Divines which have stood in the Protestant World like burning and shining Lights and have set forth so many learned and worthy Systems of Divinity for the Churches use But this is All-a-mode with the Remonstrants who as Vedelius tells us De Arcan Armind have poured forth convitia atrocissima in Formulas not being afraid to say Ista ars est Sathanae calling them humanam tyrannidem and proceeding so far as to say That that Preface in Athanasius his Creed Qui vult salvus esse ante omnia credat c. was a proud one Systems of Divinity are to them as Bonds and Fetters which they would willingly break off that they might have the better Scope to introduce their unsound and novel Opinions The other is this It is not saith the Authour the Person but the Gospel of Christ which is the way the truth and the life It seems the new and living Way through his Flesh may be stop'd up the great Prophet may want the Title of Truth the vital Influences of Grace from Christ may be intercepted and all this after Christ himself hath told us expresly I am the Way the Truth and the Life These things I suppose will hardly be passable with Christian Ears or Hearts If he be not the Way there is no approach for us to the Father if not the Truth we are not bound to believe him or his Gospel if not the Life to quicken our dead and unbelieving Hearts we should never believe in him though he were both the former CHAP. IV. Sect. I. NExt to the Knowledge of Christ Mr. Sherlock there is not a greater Mystery than our Vnion to him and Communion with him on which as these men represent it are built all those wild and fanciful Conclusions which directly oppose the Doctrine and Practice of Christianity Therefore it is of great concernment to state this matter and to examine what is meant in Scripture by Vnion to Christ and Communion with him for the Scripture mentioneth such a Relation between Christ and Christians as may be expressed by an Vnion and the phrases of being in Christ abiding in Christ can signifie no less The Author owns some kind of Union Answer but our enquiry is after a spiritual mystical union between Christ and believers who are knit together by the Divine Ligatures of the holy Spirit and Faith The quickning Spirit as the right Reverend Vsher hath it descending downward from the Head Serm. before the Commons 1620. to be in us a Fountain of supernatural Life and a lively Faith wrought by the same Spirit ascending from us upward to lay fast hold upon him This Union is fully set forth in Scripture We are called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 Our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Communion cannot but import Union We are said to have the Son and to have life by him 1 Joh. 5.12 To eat his flesh and drink his blood so as to live by him Joh. 6.56 57. And unless we dream of an oral Manducation what can this be but a Mystical
near conjunction between Christ and the Church and the mutual fellowship of Christians Hence the Apostle calls the Cup the Communion of Christ's Blood and the Bread the Communion of his Body For we being many are one bread and one Body one Body represented by this one Bread for we are all partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. 10.16 Sacraments are Symbols of our Union with Christ Answer and why not of an immediate Union the Elements are immediately applied to individuals and why may not the signified Union be immediate else how doth it correspond to the Sign But to clear this point first for Baptism Unbaptized Believers are really united to Christ even before their Baptism how else should the Thief on the Cross ever arrive at Paradise Or which way should the unbaptized Martyrs get thither Baptism admits men into the Church Visible but if Believers they are in the Church Catholick that one Body of Christ before nay Baptism supposes them to be so because it is a Seal of the Covenant If thou believest with all thine heart saith Philip to the Eunuch thou mayest be baptized Act. 8.37 and after the holy Ghost poured down on the Gentiles water could not be forbid them Act. 10 47. And on the other hand baptized persons may yet not be really united to Christ they may be admitted into the visible Church and yet not in that one body of Christ which is made up of Believers Simon Magus was baptized Acts 8. but for all that in the bond of iniquity many are partakers of baptismal water in whom appears not a Scintilla Spiritûs Sancti In like manner for the Lords Supper men may be nay should be in union with Christ before their receiving of it and yet many outwardly receive it who are not in union with him receiving only Panem Domini and not Panem Dominum as S. Austin speaks and eating only forès non intùs in Sacramento tantùm non usque ad Spiritûs participationem To conclude Sacraments and visible Churches must not be disparaged yet truth must be owned a reall union to Christ may be before the use of Sacraments nay before entrance into the Church visible and therefore it must be immediate or else it could in no case be before them The intention of our Lord and Saviour Mr. Sherlock in what he did and suffered for us was not meerly to reform and save some single persons but to erect a Church and combine all his Disciples into a publick Society to unite them by holy mysteries and to engage them to a mutual discharge of all Christian Offices whereby the whole body may edifie it self in Love and therefore our Saviour doth not own any relation to particular men as such but as they are members of his body for he is the Saviour of the body and redeemed his Church with his own Blood Hence St. John tells 1 Epist That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that you may have fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ First That ye may have fellowship with us become members of the Church by which means you have fellowship with God and Christ. Christ intended to erect a Church How so Answer Common Philanthropy which does alike for all men doth no such singular thing as to cull and call a Church a select company out of the rest of mankind No it is impossible because the Love is common and the work singular no less than special love must do it such as God sets upon his chosen ones Christ intended to set up a Church very true and he hath pitched upon the individual persons which shall make it up he hath set down their names in the Book of Life or else his providence which is so accurate in the little Flies and Gnats as to set down every wing and little part which makes up those minute animals should be very lame and imperfect in that great design of a Church a Church only being designed and not the persons of which it should consist Christ intended to set up a Church Yes and he resolved to give such Grace as should infallibly effect it Providence such is its wisdom and accurate perfection never fails or falls short of its intent no not in a design of Justice and that to come to pass through the hardest medium can be used by it we need not scale Heaven for this but have a Scheme let down from thence to assure us of it 2 Chron. 18. God intended that Ahab should go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead and though the manner of it were by a lying spirit yet it infallibly came to pass how much more must providence be unfailable in such a design of Grace as that of a Church It s true suasory resistible Grace cannot secure it because it leaves the issue of all upon the will of man irresistible Grace must come in or else we may lay by the design of a Church and confess with Corvinus Finis mortis Christi constaret etiamsi nemo credidisset As for that place of St. John That ye may have fellowship with us and our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ By us is meant S. John or the Apostles not the Church or body of Christ But were that Church meant it hinders not but that they in the use of the Evangelical Truths and Ordinances might come to an immediate Communion with God and Christ as the Apostles had thus the Learned Grotius on the place Vt vos ipsi non minùs quà m nos frucium inde percipiatis societatem cum Deo cum Christo Those publick censures Mr. Sherlock whereby rotten or dead members are cut off from the body of Christ consist in casting such persons out of the Christian Society in debarring them from the Communion of Prayers and Sacraments and all religious Offices which is a plain demonstration that our union to Christ is not an union to his person but consists in a sincere and spiritual communion with the Christian Church otherwise this external communion with the Church could be no visible signification of our union to Christ nor could our excision from the visible Church signifie our separation from him The Author argues thus Answer If union to Christ be immediate then our external communion with the Church cannot signifie our union to Christ nor could our excision from the visible Church signifie our separation from him To which I answer just before our Author saith Our union to Christ is not an union to his Person but consists in communion with the Church that is the visible Church as he afterwards calls it and therefore our communion with the Church doth not signifie our union to Christ but is it and our excision from the Church doth not signifie our separation from Christ but is it according to our Author which cannot possibly stand Because our union to the
the power of sin and that by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Thus the Author to which I answer God sent his Son indeed into the world that we might be sanctified by his Spirit but that was not all he sent him that we might be justified by his Blood and Righteousness to which purpose it will be worth while to consider that place Rom. 8. The Apostle in the first verse sets forth believers men in Christ by two excellent things first by Justification There is no condemnation to them no though there be reliques of corruption in them as is imported in the seventh Chapter there is none and then by Sanctification which is in conjunction with the other they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit And in the other verses he confirms both but inverso ordine first he confirms their Sanctification from the great Origen of it the holy Spirit The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death vers 2. The power of the holy Spirit hath subdued the power of sin and then he confirms their Justification from the sufferings of Christ with which his active obedience is to be taken in conjunction What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh vers 3. Their sins were condemned in the flesh of Christ there was an atonement made for them which certainly must relate to Justification from these sufferings of Christ with which his active obedience must be taken in conjunction the Apostle inferrs That the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us vers 4. The Law was not able to justifie us for want of a perfect obedience in us but God translated the impletion of the Law upon Christ Christ fulfilled all Righteousness for us Christ bore the wrath of God for us and these things being imputed unto us the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us But then the Apostle returns again to Sanctification and subjoyns Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit assuring us that those who are justified by the imputed Righteousness of Christ are also Sanctified and led by his holy Spirit This I take to be the meaning of the place But let us hear our Church treating upon this place in conjunction with other Scriptures r. Hom. of Salvation St. Paul saith Rom. 3. We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ And Rom. 10. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth And Rom. 8. That which was impossible by the Law in as much as it was weak by the flesh God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh by sin damned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us which walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit In these places the Apostle toucheth three things which must go together in our Justification upon Gods part his great mercy and grace upon Christ's parts justice that is the satisfaction of God's justice or the price of our redemption by the offering of his body and shedding of his Blood with fulfilling of the Law perfectly and throughly and upon our part true and lively Faith in the merits of Jesus Christ which yet is not ours but by Gods working in us So that in our Justification is not only Gods Mercy and Grace but also his Justice which the Apostle calleth the Justice of God and it consisteth in paying our ransom and fulfilling of the Law And so the Grace of God doth not shut out the Justice of God in our Justification but only shutteth out the justice of man that is to say the justice of our works as to be merits of deserving our justification And therefore St. Paul declareth here nothing upon the behalf of man concerning his justification but only a true lively Faith which nevertheless is the gift of God and not man's only work without God and yet that Faith doth not shut out Repentance Hope Love Dread and the fear of God to be joyned with Faith in every man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying so that although they be all present in him that is justified yet they justifie not all together These are the excellent words of our Church worthy without flattery be it spoken to be written in Letters of Gold but much more in the hearts of all true Christians We see here that there is in justification nothing on the behalf of man but Faith only no internal Holiness Repentance Hope Love Fear of God are in the justified but shut out from the office of justifying God's Grace and Christ's Righteousness are the great causes of justification But saith the Author Is there here any mention of Christ's Righteousness or the imputation thereof I answer Our Church surely thought so and we have his passive Righteousness expressed vers 3. and where that is expressed the active is implied This is clear when the Scripture saith That we are made righteous by Christ's obedience Rom. 5.19 It doth include his blood also and when he saith That we are justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 It doth include his active obedience also so that the Scripture because it expresses justification by both and because it must be consistent with it self in expressing the one includes the other When therefore Rom. 8.3 his sufferings are expressed his active obedience is also included both therefore are intended and withall an imputation without which they cannot be profitable to us But saith the Author The Law could not do it that is the Law could not deliver from the power of sin I answer The Law could not do it of it self and without the Spirit of Christ but if that divine Spirit take the Law into its hand and write it in the heart I suppose there will be a New Creature But the Author saith That the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit vers 4. How can imputation come in here What pretty sence will this make of the Apostles argument I answer The sence is very clear the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us by Christ's Righteousness imputed to us and withall we to whom that is imputed walk after the Spirit the one is our Justification the other our Sanctification Both the Apostle proves to be in Believers and both consist very well together as appears from the first verse There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit The No condemnation appertains to Justification and the walking after the Spirit to Sanctification and both stand very well together As to what the Author saith afterwards That there was no reason to abrogate Moses ' s
he be a Christian whether he heartily believe and obey the Gospel and herein consists our Vnion to Christ and fellowship with him let us then leave those other dim notions to men who can believe what no man can understand who despise every thing that can be understood as if it were no better than carnal reason The Author Answer who hitherto hath highly though without cause charged his opposites with violating the evidences of Christians doth now himself blast the highest of all evidences the Testimony of the holy Spirit which is so clealy asserted by the holy Apostle that the Jesuits themselves though hotly disputing against assurance never yet attempted totally to deny it The Testimony of the Spirit saith the Author concerns the general adoption of Christians not to testifie to any particular man It is not a private but a publick Testimony given to the whole Church But let us consider the Text it self in the Apostle The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit the Apostle speaks not of the Spirit as shewing forth it self in Miracles and Tongues but as sanctifying and sealing Believers he speaks of the spirit dwelling in them vers 9. Mortifying the deeds of the body in them vers 13. Leading of them vers 14. Making them cry Abba Father vers 15. And then follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the self same spirit beareth witness Here is not one jot or tittle of Miracles or Tongues the testimony of the Spirit in Miracles or Tongues is an external one which runs into the senses But the Testimony of the Spirit in the Text is internal it beareth witness not to our senses but to our Spirits It is said to be sent forth into our hearts Gal. 4.6 The Testimony is not without in Miracles or Tongues but within in the heart The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit the Apostle saith not it beareth witness with the Spirit of the Church for there is one body and one spirit the Spirit of the Church Catholick is the holy Spirit which quickens the whole Mystical Body of Christ And these words The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit cannot be translated thus The Spirit beareth witness with it self but the plain meaning is It beareth witness with our spirit that is with the spirits and consciences of particular Believers And what doth it testifie The Apostle tells us That we are the children of God We particular Believers are so Thus in another place ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise Eph. 1.13 Ye particular Believers were so And again He hath sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.22 He hath dealt so with us in particular The Testimony of the Spirit in the Gospel is that all Believers are the Sons of God But the Testimony of the Spirit in our spirits is that we are Believers and so the Sons of God in particular This Testimony of the Spirit though so fully asserted in Scripture Nay and I will add though so sweetly experimented by the dear Saints of God that they have thought themselves in the very borders of Heaven in respect of it is yet with the Author no better than a dim unintilligible notion and as he speaks a little before a private Enthusiasm But why unintelligible cannot the holy Spirit so illustrate and irradiate the heart that the truth of Grace may appear to the Believer that he may certainly see in his own heart that this is precious Faith and that is love in incorruption and so of other Graces there Or what if it were unintelligible Shall we cast off the Divine Revelation because above our narrow reason What then must become of those Mysteries of the Trinity and hypostatical Union What of that peace of God which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passing or transcending all understanding Phil. 4.7 Surely in such things reason must vail and do homage to Revelations Ephraem Syrus discerning an heretical propensity in his Disciple Paulinus gave him that excellent advice Vide Pauline ne te submittas tuis cogitationibus sed cum te perfecte comprehendisse Deum putaveris crede nec intellexisse We must not commit Divine Mysteries to the measures of Humane Reason but take them as they are in Scripture But this Testimony of the Spirit is but a private Enthusiasm saith the Author To which I answer We are now more afraid of Enthusiasm than they were of old Dyonisius would have the Hierarch to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Eccles Hierarch to be a divine man and a kind of Euthusiast Ignatius in the Epistle to the Romans saith That he wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum arbitrium Dei as if he had wrote by impulse and Inspiration And as Dr. Arrowsmith hath it in Suidas and Hesykius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Enthusiasm is when the whole soul is irradiated by God And in this sence I wish with him Vtinam essemus omnes Enthusiastae Would we were all Enthusiasts It s true there is not now an Enthusiasm of gifts in an extraordinary way but sure there must be still in the use of the means an Enthusiasm of Graces in Regeneration and an Enthusiasm of comforts in the Testimony of the Spirit or else which is quite contrary to Scripture there must be no new Creatures but what are of Mans own making nor no Divine comforts for them but what are of Mans own gathering The Just need no longer live by Faith or in dependence upon the Divine Spirit but may have his being and well-being his graces and comforts all from himself CHAP. V. Sect. 1. CHrist hath reveiled the whole mind and will of God Mr. Sherlock in such a plain and familiar manner that every one may understand it who will but exercise the same reason in it that he doth to understand the Laws of his Prince Before the Author took away the witnessing Spirit now the illuminating one Answer A Man may according to him understand the things of God by the exercise of his reason Thus Episcopius Men may by meer natural perception without any supernatural superinfused light understand the Will of God After the same manner speak the Socinians The darkness for such are all the unregenerate Men may it seems comprehend the Evangelical light But the Apostle tells us That the natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 That flesh and blood doth not reveil these things but our Father in Heaven Matth. 16.17 Hence the Apostle prays for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation for the Ephesians Ephes 1.17 Hence our Church tells us 2. Hom. of Scripture That the Revelation of the Holy Ghost inspireth the true meaning of Scripture into us In truth we cannot without him attain true saving knowledge According to these Men Mr. Sherlock the love of Christ is a love to the person of a Believer without considering any