and so out of judgement discretion and election able to make choice of his way and therefore it was meet there should be such a covenant made with him that he might according to Gods appointment serve him after a reasonable manner Secondly it was meet there should be such a covenant made with him to shew that he was not such a Prince on earth but that he had a Soveraigne Lord therefore God set a punishment upon the breach of his commandement that man might know his inferiority and that things betwixt him and God were not as betwixt equals Thirdly it was meet there should be such a covenant made with him to shew that he had nothing by personall immediate and underived right but all by gift and gentlenesse so that you see it was an equall covenant which God out of his prerogative royall made with mankind in Adam before his fall Nom. Well Sir I do perceive that Adam and all mankind in him were created most holy Evan. Yea and most happy too for God placed him in paradise in the middest of all delightfull pleasures and contents wherein he did enjoy most near and sweet communion with his Creator in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand is pleasures for evermore So that if Adam had received of the tree of life by taking and eating of it while he stood in the state of Innonencie before his fall he had certainly been established in a happy estate for ever and could not have been seduced and supplanted by Sathan as some learned men do think and as Gods own words seem to imply Gen. 3.22 Nom. But it seemeth that Adam did not continue in that holy and happy estate Evan. No indeed for he disobeyed Gods expresse command in eating the forbidden fruit and so became guilty of the breach of the Covenant Nom. But Sir how could Adam who had his understanding so sound and his will so free to choose good be so disobedient to Gods expresse command Evan Though he and his will were both good yet were they mutably good so that he might either stand or fall at his own election or choice Nom. But why then did not the Lord create him immutable or why did he not so over-rule him in that action that he might not have eaten the forbidden fruit Evan. The reason why the Lord did not create him immutable was because hee would be obeyed out of judgement and free choice and not by fatall necessity and absolute determination and withall let me tell you it was not reasonable to restraine God to this point to make man such a one as would not or could not sin at all for it was at his choice to create him how he pleased but why he did not uphold him with strength of stedfast continuance that resteth hidden in Gods secret Counsell howbeit this we may certainly conclude that Adams state was such as served to take away from him all excuse for he received so much that of his own will he wrought his own destruction because that act of his was a wilfull transgression of a Law under the precepts whereof he was most justly created and unto the malediction whereof hee was as necessarily and righteously subject if he transgressed for as by being Gods creature he was to be subject to his will so by being Gods prisoner he was as justly subject to his wrath and that so much the more by how much the precept was most just the obedience more easie the transgression more unreasonable and the punishment more certaine Nom. And was Adams sinne and punishment imputed unto his whole off-spring Evan. Yea indeed for saith the Apostle Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned or in whom all have sinned that is in Adam the very truth is Adam by his fall threw down our whole nature headlong into the same destruction and drowned his whole off-spring in the same gulfe of misery and the reason is because by Gods appointment he was not to stand or fall as a single person only but as a common publike person representing all mankind to come of him therefore as all that happinesse all those gifts and endowments which were bestowed upon him were not bestowed upon him alone but also upon the whole nature of man and as that Covenant which was made with him was made with whole mankinde even so he by breaking Covenant lost all as well for us as for himselfe as he received all for himselfe and us so he lost all both for himselfe and us Nom. Then Sir it seemeth that by Adams breach of Covenant all man-kinde was brought into a miserable condition Evan. All mankind by the fall of Adam received a twofold damage first a deprivation of all originall goodnesse Secondly an habituall naturall pronenesse to all kind of wickednesse for the image of God after which they were created was forthwith blotted out and in place of wisdome righteousnesse and true holinesse came blindnesse uncleanesse falshood and injustice the very truth is our whole nature was thereby corrupted defiled deformed depraved infected made infirme fraile malignant full of venome contrary to God yea enemies and rebels unto him so that saith Luther this is the title we have received from Adam in this one thing we may glory and in nothing else at all namely that every Infant that is born into this world is wholly in the power of sinne death Sathan hell and everlasting damnation nay saith Musculus the whirlpoole of mans sinne in paradise is bottomlesse and unsearchable Nom. But Sir me thinks it is a strange thing that so small an offence as the eating of the forbidden fruit seemes to be should plunge whole mankind into such a gulfe of misery Evan. Though at the first glance it seem to be a small offence yet if you look more wishly upon the matter it will appeare to be an exceeding great offence for thereby intolerable injury was done unto God as first his dominion and authority in his holy command was violated Secondly his justice truth and power in his most righteous threatnings were despised Thirdly his most pure and perfect image wherein man was created in righteousnesse and true holinesse was utterly defaced Fourthly his glory which by an active service the creature should have brought to him was lost and despoiled nay how could there be a greater sin committed then that when Adam at â—hat one clap brake all the ten Commandements Nom. Did he break all the ten Commanâ—ements say you Sir I beseech you shew â—e wherein Evan. 1. He chose himself another God when he followed the Devil 2. He idolized and defiled his own belly â—s the Apostles phrase is He made his belly â—is god 3. He took the name of God in vain when â—e believed him not 4. He kept not the rest and estate whereâ—â— God had set him 5. He
now heare of his performance of it Evan. Touching this point the Scripture testifieth that God according to his purpose before time and his promise in time Did in the fulnesse of time send forth his Sonne made of a woman made under the Law to redeeme them that were under the Law c. That is to say looke how mankinde by nature are under the Law as it is the Covenant of works so was Christ as mans suretie contented to bee so that now according to that Eternall and mutuall agreement that was betwixt God the Father and him he put himself in the roome and place of all the Faithfull and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all Then came the Law as it is the Covenant of Workes and said I finde him a sinner yea such a one as hath taken upon him the sinnes of all men therefore let him die upon the Crosse. Then said Christ Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a bodie hast thou prepared mee In burnt offerings and sacrifice for sinne thou hast no pleasure Then said I loe I come to doe thy will O God And so the law proceeding in full scope against him set upon him and killed him and by this meanes was the justice of God fully satisfied his wrath appeased and all true beleevers acquitted from all their sinnes both past present and to come so that the Law as it is the Covenant of workes hath not any thing to say to any true beleever for indeed they are dead to it and it is dead to them Nom. But Sir How could the sufferings of Christ which in respect of time were but finite make full satisfaction to the Justice of God which is infinite Eva. Though the sufferings of Christ in respect of time were but finite yet in respect of the person that suffered his sufferings came to be of infinite value for Christ was God and Man in one person and therefore his sufferings were a sufficient and full ransome for mans soule being of more value then the death and destruction of all creatures Nom. But Sir you know that the Covenant of workes requires mans owne obedience or punishment when it saith Hee that doth these things shall live in them and cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them how then could beleevers be acquitted from their sins by the death of Christ Evan. For answer hereunto I pray you consider that though the covenant of workes requires mans owne obedience or punishment yet it no where disalloweth or excludeth that which is done or suffered by another in his behalfe neither is it repugnant to the Justice of God for so there bee a satisfaction performed by man through a sufficient punishment for the disobedience of man the Law is satisfied and the justice of God permitteth that the offending partie be received into favour and acknowledge God after such satisfaction made as a just man and no transgressor of the Law and though the satisfaction be made by a surety yet when it is done the principall is by the Law acquitted But yet for the further proofe and confirmation of this poynt wee are to consider that as JESUS CHRIST the second Adam entered into the same Covenant that the first Adam did so by him was done whatsoever the first Adam had undone so then the case stands thus that like as whatsoever the first Adam did or befell him was reckoned as done by all mankinde and to have befallen them even so whatsoever CHRIST did or befell him is to bee reckoned as to have been done by all believers and to have befallen them so that as sinne commeth from Adam alone to all mankinde as he in whom all have sinned so from Jesus Christ alone commeth righteousnesse unto all that are in him as hee in whom they all have satisfied the justice of God for as by being in Adam and one with him all did in him and with him transgresse the Commandement of God even so in respect of faith whereby believers are ingrafted into Christ and spiritually made one with him they did all in him and with him satisfie the justice of God in his death and sufferings and whosoever reckons thus reckons according to Scripture for in Rom. 5.12 all are sayd to have sinned in Adams sinne In whom all have sinned sayth the Text namely in Adam as in a publike person all mens acts were included in his because their persons were included in his so likewise in the same Chapter it is sayd that death passed upon all men namely for this that Adams sinne was reckoned as theirs even so Rom. 6. the Apostle speaking of Christ sayth In that he dyed he dyed unto sinne once but in that hee liveth hee liveth unto God so likewise sayth he in the next verse Reckon ye your selves to be dead unto sinne but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And so as touching the resurrection of Christ the Apostle argues that all believers must and shall arise because Christ is risen and is become the first fruitâ— of them that sleepe CHRIST as the first fruits ariseth and that in the name and stead of all believers and so they rise in him and with him for CHRIST did not rise as a private person but hee arose as the publike head of his Church so that in his arising all believers did virtually arise and as CHRIST at his resurrection was justified and acquitted from all the sinnes of all believers by God his Father as having now fully satisfied for them wherefore the obedience of Christ being imputed unto believers by God for their righteousnesse it doth put them into the same estate and case touching righteousnesse unto life before God wherein they should have been if they had perfectly performed the perfect obedience of the covenant of works Doe this and thou shalt live Nom. But Sir are all believers dead to the Law and the Law dead to them Evan. Believe it man as the Law is the Covenant of works all true believers are dead unto it and it is dead to them for they being incorporated into Christ what the Law or Covenant of works did to him it did the same to them so that when CHRIST hanged on the Crosse believers after a sort hanged there with him and therefore the Apostle Paul having sayd I through the Law am dead to the Law addes in the next verse I am crucified with CHRIST which words the Apostle brings as an argument to prove that hee was dead to the Law for the Law had crucified him with CHRIST upon which Text Luther sayth I likewise am crucified and dead to the Law Forasmuch as I am crucified and dead with CHRIST and againe I believing in CHRIST am also crucified with CHRIST In like manner the Apostle sayth to the believing Romanes So yee my brethren are dead also to the Law
I Have perused this ensuing Dialogue and finde it tending to Peace and Holinesse the Authour endeavouring to reconcile and heale those unhappy Differences which have lately broken out a fresh amongst us about the Points therein handled and cleered For which cause I allow it to be Printed and recommend it to the Reader as a Discourse stored with many necessary and seasonable truths confirmed by Scripture and avowed by many approved Wtiters All composed in a familiar plain moderate style without bitternesse against or uncomely reflections upon others which Flyes have lately corrupted many boâ—es of otherwise precious Ointment May 1 0 1645. Joseph Caryl THE MARROW OF Modern Divinity Touching both the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace with their use and end both in the time of the Old Testament and in the time of the New Wherein every one may cleerly see how far forth he bringeth the Law into the case of justification and so deserveth the name of Legalist And how far forth he rejecteth the Law in the case of Sanctification and so deserveth the name of Antinomist With the middle path between them both which by Iesus Christ leadeth to eternall life In a Dialogue betwixt EVANGELISTA a Minister of the Gospel NOMISTA a Legalist ANTINOMISTA an Antinomian And NEOPHYTUS a young Christian. The second Edition corrected amended and much enlarged By the Author E. Fisher Before the which there is prefixed the commendaâ—â—â—â— Epistles of divers Divines of great esteem in the Citie of LONDON Whereunto is also added the substance of a most spirituall and Evangelicall Treatise called long since by the name of Patricks Places London Printed by R. Leybourn for Giles 〈◊〉 at the Black Spread-Eagle at the West end of Paris 16â—6 TO THE HONOVRABLE Collonel John Downes ESQUIRE One of the Members of the Honourable House of Commons in Parliament Justice of Peace and one of the Deputy Lievtenants of the County of Sussex and Auditor to the Prince his Highnesse of the Dutchie of Cornwall E. F. wisheth the true knowledge of God in JESUS CHRIST Most Honoured SIR ALthough I doe observe that new Editions accompanied with new additions are somtimes published with new dedications yet so long as he who formerly owned the subject doth yet 〈◊〉 and hath the same affectiouâ— towards it I conceive there is no need of a new Patron but of a new Epistle Be pleased then most honoured Sir to give mee leave to tell you that your eminencie of place did somwhat induce me both now and before to make choise of you for its Patron but your endowments with grace did invite me to it God having bestowed upon you speciall spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ for it hath beene declared unto me by them that knew you when you were but a youth how Christ met with you then and by sending his spirit into your heart first convinced you of sin as was manifest by those conflicts which your soule then had both with Satan and it selfe whilst you did not believe in Christ. Secondly of righteousnesse as was manifest by the peace and comfort which you afterwards had by believing that Christ was gon to the Father and appeared in his presence as your Advocate and surety that had undertaken for you Thirdly of judgement as hath been manifest ever since in that you have been carefull with the true godly man Psal. 112.5 to guide your affairs with judgement in walking according to the minde of Christ. I have not forgotten what desires you have expressed to know the true difference betwixt the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace and experimentally to be acquainted with the Doctrine of free grace the mysteries of Christ and the life of faith Witnesse not onely your highly approving of some heads of a Sermon which I once heard a godly Minister preach and repeated in your hearing of the life of Faith but also your earnest request to me to write them out faire and send them to you into the Countrey Yea witnesse your highly approving of this Dialogue when I first acquainted you with the Contents thereof incouraging me to expedite it to the Presse and youâ— kinde acceptance together with your cordiall thanks for my love manifested in dedicating it to your honoured name Sith then worthy Sir it hath pleased the Lord to enable me both to amend it and to enlarge it I hope your affections will also be inlarged towards the matter therein contained considering that it tends to the cleering of those forenamed truths and through the blessing of God may be a means to root them more deeply in your heart And truly Sir I am confident the more they grow flourish in any mans heart the more will all heart corruptions wither and decay Oh! Sir If the truth contained in this Dialogue were but as much in my heart as they are in my head I were a happie man for then should I bee more free from pride vain glory wrath anger self-love and love of the world then I am and then should I have more humility meeknesse and love both to God and man then I have oh then should I bee content with Christ alone and live above all the things in the world then should I experimentally know both how to abound and how to want and then shall I be fit for any condition nothing could come amisse unto me oh that the Lord would be pleased to write it in our hearts by his blessed Spirit And so most humbly beseeching you still to pardon my boldnesse and to vouchsafe to take it into your patronage and protection I humbly take my leave of you and remain Your obliged Servant to be commanded E. F. To all such humble hearted Readers as see any need to learn eyther to know themselves or GOD in CHRIST Loving Christians COnsider I pray you that as the first Adam did as a common person enter into covenant with God for all mankind and brake it whereby they became sinfull and guilty of everlasting death and damnation Even so Jesus Christ the second Adam did as a common person enter into covenant with God his Father for all the elect that is to say all those that have or shall believe on his name and for them kept it whereby they become righteous and heires of everlasting life and salvation And therfore it is our greatest wisdome and ought to be our greatest care and endeavour to come out and from the first Adam unto and into the second Adam that so wee may have life through his Name John 20.31 And yet alas there is no point in all practicall Divinity that wee are naturally so much averse and backward unto as unto this neyther doth Sathan strive to hinder us so much from doing any thing else as this And hence it is that we are all of us naturally apt to abide and continue in that sinfull and miserable estate that the first Adam plunged us into without eyther taking any notice
second thing and first tell us when the Lord began to make a promise to help and deâ—ver fallen mankind Evan. Even the same day that he sinned wâ—hich was the very same day he was created for Adam by his sin being become the child of wrath and both in body and in soule subject to the curse and seeing nothing due to him but the wrath and vengeance of God he was afraid and sought to hide himself from the presence of God whereupon the Lord promised Christ unto him saying to the serpent I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed He that is to say the seed of the woman for so is the Hebrew text shall break thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele This promise of Christ the womans seed was the Gospel and the only comfort of Adam Abel Enoch Noah and the rest of the godly Fathers untill the time of Abraham Nom. I pray you Sir what ground have you to think that Adam fell the same day he was created Evan. My ground for this opinion is Psal. 94.12 which text in the Hebrew is thus read Adam being in honour did not lodge a night in it Ant. But Sir do you think that Adam and those others did understand that promised seed to be meant of Christ Evan. Who can make any doubt but that the Lord had acquainted Adam with Christ betwixt the time of his sinning the time of his sacrificing though both on a day Ant. But did Adam offer sacrifice Evan. Can you make any question but that the bodies of those beasts whose skins went for a covering for his body were immediately before offered in sacrifice for his soulâ— Surely those skins could be none other but of beasts slain and offered in sacrifice for before Adam fell beasts were not subject to mortality nor slaying And Gods cloathing of Adam and his wife with skins signified that their sin and shame was covered with Christs righteousnesse And questionlesse the Lord had taught him that his sacrifice did signifie his acknowledgment of his sin and that he looked for the seed of the woman promised to be slain in the evening of the world thereby to appease the wrath of God for his offence the which undoubtedly he acquainted his sons Cain and Abel with when he taught them also to offer sacrifice Ant. But how doth it appeare that this his sacrificing was the very same day that he sinned Evan. It is said Ioh. 7.13 concerning Christ â—hat they sought to take him yet no man laid hands on him because his houre was not yet come But after that when the time of his sufferings was at hand he himself said The houre is come which day is expresly set down by the Evangelist Mark to be the sixth day and ninth houre of that day when Christ through the eternall Spirit offered up himself without spot to God Now if you compare this with Exod. 12.6 you shall find that the Paschall Lamb a most lively type of Christ was offered the very same day and houre even the 6. day and 9. houre of the day which was at 3 of the clock in the afternoon and the Scripture testifieth that Adam was created the very same sixth day and gives us ground to think that he sinned the same day And do not the fore-alleaged Scriptures afford us warrant to believe that it was the very same houre of that day when Christ entred mystically and typically upon the work of redemption in being offered as a sacrifice for Adams sin And surely we may suppose that the covenant as you heard being broken between God and Adam Justice would not have admitted of one houres respite before it had proceeded to execution to the destruction both of Adam and the whole Creation had not Christ in the very nick of time stood as the Ram or rather the Lamb in the bush and stepped in to perform the work of the covenant And hence I conceive it is that St. Iohn cals him the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world For as the first state of creation was confirmed by the covenant which God made with man and all creatures were to be upheld by meanes of observing the law and condition of that Covenant so that Covenant being broken by man the world should have come to ruine had it not been as it were created anew and upheld by the covenant of grace in Christ. Ant. Then Sir you think that Adam was saved Evan. The Hebrew Doctors hold that Adam was a repentant sinner and say that he was by wisdome that is to say by faith in Christ brought out of his fall yea and the Church of God doth hold and that for necessary causes that he was saved by the death of Christ yea saith Mr. Vaughan it is certain he believed the promise concerning Christ in whose commemoration he offered continuall sacrifice and in the assurance thereof he named his wife Heva that is to say life and he called his son Seth setled or perswaded in Christ. Ant. Well now I am perswaded that Adam did understand this seed of the woman to be meant of Christ. Evan. Assure your self that not only Adam but all the rest of the godly fathers did so understand it as is manifest in that the Thargum or Chalde bible which is the ancient translation of Ierusalem hath it thus Between thy son and her son Adding furâ—her by way of comment So long O serpent â—s the womans children keep the Law they â—ill thee and when they cease to do so thou â—tingest them in the heele and hast power to â—urt them much but whereas for their harm â—here is a sure remedy for thee there is none for in the last dayes they shall crush thee all to â—eeces by means of Christ their king And â—his was it which did support and uphold their faith untill the time of Abraham Ant. What followed then Evan. Why then the promise was turned into a covenant with Abraham and his seed and oftentimes repeated that in his seed all nations should be blessed Which promise and covenant was the very voice it self of the Gospel it being a true testimony of Jesus Christ as the Apostle Paul beareth witnesse saying The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Gentiles through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed And the better to confirme Abrahams faith in this promise of Christ it is said Gen. 14.19 that Melchisedec came forth and met him and blessed him Now saith the Apostle this Melchisedec was a Priest of the most high God and king of righteousnesse and king of peace without father and without mother and so like unto the son of God who is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec and both king of righteousnesse and king of peace yea and without
Church and under the externall Covenant are called the chosen of God and the people of God But though they had been all of them believers yet as the Lord delivered it to them it would have done them no more hurt than it did them that were Nom. But Sir was the same covenant of works made with them that was made with Adam Evan. For the generall substance of the duty the Law delivered on mount Sinai and formerly engraven in mans heart was one and the same so that at mount Sinai the Lord delivered no new thing only it came more gently to Adam before his fall but after his fall came thunder with it Nom. I but Sir as your self said the ten Commandements as they were written in Adams heart were but the matter of the covenant of works and not the covenant it self till the form was annexed to them that is to say till God and man were thereupon agreed now we do not find that God and these people did agree upon any such terms at mount Sinai Evan. No say you so do you not remember that the people consented Exod. 19.8 saying All that the Lord hath spoken we will do And do you not remember that the Lord consented Levit. 18.5 saying Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgements which if a man do he shall live in them And in Deut. 27.26 saying Cursed is he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them And doth not the Apostle Paul give evidenee than these words were the form of the covenant of works when he saith Rom. 10.5 Moses describeth the righteousnesse which is of the law that the man that doth these things shall live in them when he saith Gal. 3.10 For it is writen Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them And in Deut. 4.13 Moses doth in expresse tearmes call it a Covenant saying And he declared unto you his Covenant which he commanded you to perform even ten Commandamennts and hee wrote them upon tables of stone Now this was not the Covenant of grace for Moses afterwards Deut. 5.3 speaking of this Covenant saith God made not this Covenant with your Fathers but with you And by Fathers all the Patriarkes unto Adam may be meant saith Mr. Aynsworth who had the promise of the Covenant of Christ therefore if it had been the Covenant of grace he would have said God did make this covenant with them rather then that he did not Nom. And do any of our godly and moderne witers agree with you in this point Evan. Yea indeed Polanus saith the Covenant of workes is that in which God promiseth everlasting life unto a man that in all respects performeth perfect obedience to the Law of workes adding thereunto threatnings of eternall death if hee shall not performe perfect obedience thereunto God made this Covenant in the beginning with the first man Adam whilst hee was in the first estate of integrity the same Covenant God did repeat and make againe by Moses with the people of Israel And Dr. Preston saith the Covenant of workes runs in these termes Do this and thou shalt live and I will be thy God This was the Covenant which was made with Adam and the Covenant that is expressed by Mâ—ses in the Morall law And Mr. Walker saith that the first part of the covenant which God made with Israel at Horeb was nothing else but a renewing of the old covenant of works which God made with Adam in paradise And it is generally laid down by our Divines that we are by Christ delivered from the Law as it is a Covenant Nom. But Sir were the children of Israel at this time better able to perform the condition of the covenant of works than either Adam or any of the old Patriarks that God renewed it now with them rather then before Evan. No indeed God did not renew it with them now and not before because they were better able to keep it but because they had more need to be made acquainted what the covenant of works is then those before for though 't is true the Ten Commandements which were at first perfectly written in Adams heart were much obliterated by his fall yet some impressions and reliques thereof still remained and Adam himself was very sensible of his fall and the rest of the fathers were holpen by traditions And saith Cameron God did speak to the Patriarchs from heaven yea and he spake unto them by his Angels But now by this time sin had almost obliterated and defaced the impressions of the Law written in their hearts and by their being so long in Egypt they were so corrupted that the instructions and ordinances of their fathers were almost all worne out of mind and their fall in Adam was almost forgotten as the Apostle testifieth saying Before the time of the Law sin was in the world yet did they not impute it to themselves because there was no Law Nay in that long course of time betwixt Adam and Moses men had forgotten what was sin so that although God had made a promise of blessing to Abraham and to all his seed that would plead interest in it yet these people at this time were proud and secure and heedlesse of their estate and though sin was in them and death raigned over them yet they being without a law to evidence this sin and death unto their consciences they did not impute it unto themselves they would not own it nor charge themselves with it and so by consequence found no need of pleading the promise made to Abraham Therefore the Law entred that Adams offence and their own actuall transgression might abound So that now the Lord saw it needfull that there should be a new edition and publication of the covenant of works the sooner to compell the elect unbeleevers to come to Christ the promised seed that the grace of God in Christ to the elect beleevers might appeare the more exceeding gracious so that you see the Lords intention therein was that they by looking upon this Covenant might be put in mind what was their dutie of old when they were in Adams loines yea and what was their dutie still if they would stand to that covenant and so go the old and naturall way to work yea and hereby they were also to see what was their present infirmitie in not doing their duty that so they seeing an impossibilitie of obtaining life by that way of workes first appointed in Paradise they might be humbled and more heedfully minde the promise made to their father Abraham and hasten to lay hold on the Messiah or promised seed Nom. Then Sir it seemeth that the Lord did not renew the Covenant of workes with them to the intent that they should obtaine eternall life by their yeelding obedience to it Evan. No indeed God never made the
Ceremonies had a Star-light of Christ yet some of them had the light of the broad day a little before the Sun rising and did expresse him with the circumstances and vertue of his death so plainly as if his passion had been acted upon a Scaffold in so much saith he that I am fully perswaded and cannot but believe that God had shewed Moses the secrets of Christ and the very manner of his death aforehand and therefore no doubt but that they offered their sacrifices by faith in the Messiah as the Apostle testifieth of Abel I say there is no question but every spirituall believing Jew when he brought his Sacrifice to be offeroffered and according to the Lords command laid his hands upon it whilst it was yet alive he did from his heart acknowledge that he himselfe had deserved to â—ie but by the mercy of God he was saved and his desert laid upon the beast and as that beast was to die and bee off red in sacrifice for him so did hee believe that the Messiah should come and die for him upon whom hee put his hands that is laid all his iniquities by the hand of faith So that as Beza saith the Sacrifices were to them holy mysteries in which as in certainâ— glasses they did both see themselves to their own condemnation before God and also beheld the mercy of God in the promised Messiah in time to bee exhibited And therefore saith Calvin the sacrifices and satisfactory offerings were called Ashemoth which word properly signifieth sinne it selfe to shew that Jesus Christ was to come and performe a perfect expiation by giving his owne soule to bee an Asham that is a satisfactory oblation Wherefore you may assure your selfe that as Christ was alwayes set before the fathers in the Old Testament to whom they might direct their faith and as God never put them in hope of any grace or mercy nor never shewed himselfe good unto them without Christ even so the godly in the Old Testament knew Christ by whom they did enjoy these promises of God and were joyned to him And indeed the promise of salvation never stood firm till it came to Christ and there was their comfort in all their troubles and distresses according as it is said of Moses He endured as seeing him who is invisible esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for he had respect to the recompence of reward And so as Ignatius saith the Prophets were Christs servants who foreseeing him in spirit both waited for him as their Master and looked for him as their Lord and Saviour saying He shall come and save us And so saith Calvin so oft as the Prophets speak of the blessednesse of the faithfull the perfect image that they have painted thereof was such as might ravish mens minds out of the earth and of necessity raise them up to the consideration of the felicity of the life to come so that we may assuredly conclude with Luther that all the Fathers Prophets and holy Kings were righteous and saved by faith in Christ to come and so indeed as Calvin saith were partakers of all one salvation with us Ant. But Sir the Scripture seemes to hold forth as though they were saved one way and we another way for you know the Prophet Jeremie makâ—s mention of a twofold Covenant therefore it is somewhat strange to me that they should be partakers of one way of salvation with us Evan. Indeed it is true the Lord did bequeath unto the Fathers Righteousnesse Life and eternall Salvation in and through Christ the Mediator being not yet come in the flesh but promised And unto us in the New Testament he gives and bequeaths them to us in and through Christ being already come and having actually purchased them for us and the Covenant of grace was before the comming of Christ sealed by his blood in types hâ—d figures and at his death in his flâ—sh it was fully sealed and ratified by his very blood actually and in very deed shed for our sins And the old Covenant in respect of the outward forme and manner of sealing was temporary and changeable and therefore the types ceased and only the substance remaines firme but the seals of the new are unchangeable being commemorative and shall shew the Lords death untill his comming againe And their Covenant did first and chiefly promise earthly blessings and in and under these it did signifie and promise all spirituall blessings and salvation but our Covenant promiseth Christ and his blessings in the first place and after them earhly blessings These and some other circumstantiall differences in regard of administration there was betwixt their way of salvation or covenant of grace and ours which moved the Author to the Hebrews to call theirs old and ours new but in regard of substance they were all one and the very same for in all Covenants this is a certain rule if the subject matter the fruit and the conditions be the same then is the Covenant the same but in these Covenants Jesus Christ is the subject matter of both salvation the fruit of both and faith the condition of both therefore I say though they be called two yet are they but one the which is confirmed by two faithfull witnesses The one is the Apostle Peter who saith Acts 15.11 We believe through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we shall be saved even as they did meaning the Fathers in the old Testament as is evident in the verse next before The other is the Apostle Paul who saith Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse know yee therefore that they which are of the faith the same are the children of Abraham by which testimonie saith Luther wee may see that the faith of our Fathers in the old Testament and ours in the new â—s all one in substance Ant. But could they that lived so long before Christ apprehend his righteousnesse by faith for their Justification and salvation Evan. Yea indeed for as Master Forbes truely saith It is as eâ—sie for faith to apprehend righteousnesse to come as it is to apprehend righteousnesse that is past wherefore as Christs birth obedience and death were in the old Testament as effectuall to save sinners as now they are so all the faithfull forefathers from the beginning did partake of the same grace with us by believing in the same Iesus Christ and so were justified by his righteousnesse and saved eternally by faith in him it was by vertue of the death of Christ that Enoch was translated that he should not see death and Elias was taken up into heaven by vertue of Christs Resurrection and Ascension so that from the worlds beginning to the end thereof the salvation of sinners is onely by Jesus Christ as it is written Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever
the Citie and wee shall die there and if we sit still here we die also nâ—w therefore come and let us fall into the hands of the Assyrians if they save us we shall live and if they kill us we shall but die even so say I in mine heart if I goe back to the covenant of works to seek justification thereby I shall die there and if I sit still and seek it no way I shall die also now therefore though I be somewhat fearfull yet am I resolved to go unto Christ and if I perish I perish Evan. Why now I tell you truly the match is made Christ is yours and you are his this day is salvation come to your house your soul I mean for what though you have not that power to come so fast unto Christ and to lay such firme hold on him as you desire yet comming with such a resolution to Christ to take him you need take no care for doing it you may be sure that Christ will enable you to do it for is it not said John 1.12 But as many as received him to them hee gave power to become the sonnes of God even to them that believe on his name O then I beseech you stand no longer disputing but be peremptory and resolute in your faith and in casting your selfe upon God in Christ for mercy and let the issue be what it will yet let me tell you to your comfort that such a resolution shall never go to hell nay I will say more if any soule have a roome in Heaven such a soul shall for God cannot finde in his heart to damne such a one I might then with as much true confidence say unto you as John Careless said unto John Bradford Hearken ô ye Heavens and thou ô earth give eare and beare me witnesse at the great day that I do here faithfully and truly the Lords message unto his deare servant and singularly beloved John Bradford saying John Bradford thou man so specially beloved of God I doe pronounce and testifie unto thee in the word and name of the Lord Jehovah that all thy sins whatsoever they be though never so many grievous or great be fully and freely pardoned released and forgiven thee by the mercy of God in Jesus Christ thy onely Lord and sweet Saviour in whom thou dost undoubtedly believe as truly as the Lord liveth he will not have thee die the death but hath verily purposed determined and decreed that thou shalt live with him for ever Neo. O Sir If I have as good warrant to apply this saying to my self as Mr. Bradford had to apply it to himself I am a happy man Evan. I tell you from Christ and under the hand of his spirit that your person is accepted your sins are done away and you shall be saved and if an Angell from Heaven should tell you otherwise let him be accursed therefore you may without doubt conclude that you are a happy man For by means of this your matching with Christ you are become one with him and one in him you dwell in him and he in you Hee is your welbeloved and you are his so that the mariage union betwixt Christ and you is more then a bare notion or apprehension of your mind for it is a spirituall reall union it is an union betwixt the nature of Christ God and man and you it is a knitting and closing not onely of your apprehension with a Saviour but also of your soule with a Saviour whence it must needs follow that you cannot be damned except Christ be damned with you neyther can Christ be saved except you be saved with him And as by means of corporall marriage all things become common betwixt man and wife even so by means of this spirituall marriage all things become common betwixt Christ and you for when Christ hath married his spouse unto himselfe hee passeth over all his estate unto her so that whatsoever Christ is or hath you may boldly challenge as your own He is made unto you of God wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and surely by vertue of this neer union it is that as Christ is called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 so is the Church called the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 35.16 You may by vertue of this union confidently take unto your selfe as your own Christ watching abstinence travails prayers persecution slanders his tears his sweat his bloud and all that ever he did and suffered in three and thirty years with his Passion Death Resurrection and Ascention for they are all yours and as Christ passeth over all his estate unto his spouse so doth he require that shee should passe over all unto him wherefore you being now married unto Christ you must give all that you have of your own unto him and truly you have nothing of your own but sin and therefore you must give him that say thou unto Christ without fear I give to thee my dear husband my unbelief my mistrust my pride my arrogancie my ambition my wrath my anger my envie my covetousnesse my evill thoughts affections and desires I make a bundle of these and all my other offences and give them unto thee thus was Christ made sin for us which knew no sin that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him now then saith Luther let us compare these things together and we shall finde inestimable treasure Christ is full of all grace life and saving health and the soule is fraught full of all sin death and damnation but let faith come betwixt these two and it shall come to passe that Christ shall bee loaden with sin death and hell and unto the soule shall be imputed grace life and salvation who then saith he is able to value the royalty of this marriage accordingly who is able to comprehend the glorious riches of this grace where this rich and righteous husband Christ doth take unto wife this poore and wicked harlot redeeming her from all evils and garnishing her with all his own jewels so that you as the same Luther saith through the assurednesse of your faith in Christ your husband are delivered from all sins made safe from death guarded from hell and endowed with the everlasting righteousnesse life and saving health of your husband Christ and therefore you are now under the covenant of grace and freed from the Law as it is the covenant of works for as M. ball truly saith at one and the same time a man cannot be under the covenant of works and the covenant of grace Neo. Sir I doe not yet well know how to conceive of this freedome from the Law as it is the covenant of works and therefore I pray you make it as plain to me as you can Evan. For the true and cleer understanding of this point you are to consider that when Jesus Christ the second Adam had in the
satisfied or else I will take hold on thee â—hen answer you and say O Law bee it known unto thee that I am now marryed unto Christ and so I am under coverâ— and therefore if thou charge me with any debt thou must enter thine action against my husband Christ for the wife is not suable at the Law but the husband But the truth is I through him am dead to thee ô Law and thou art dead to me and therefore justice hath nothing to doe with me for it judgeth according to the Law And if it yet reply and say I but good works must be done and the commandements must bee kept if thou wilt obtain salvation Then answer you and say I am already saved before thou camest therefore I have no need of thy presence for in Christ I have all things at once neither need I any thing more that is necessary to salvation hee is my righteousnesse my treasure and my work I confesse O Law that I am neither godly nor righteous but yet this am I sure of that he is godly and righteous for me and to tell thee the truth O Law I am now with him in the bride-chamber where it maketh no matter what I am or what I have done but what Christ my sweet husband is hath done and doth for me and therefore leave off Law to dispute with me for by faith I apprehend him who hath apprehended me and put me into his bosome wherefore I will be bold to bid Moses with his Tables and all Lawyers with their books and all men with their works hold their peace and give place so that I say unto thee O Law be gon and if it will not be gon then thrust it out by force And if sin offer to take hold of you as David said his did on him Psal. 40.14 then say you unto it thy strength O sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 and the Law is dead to me and therefore O sin thy strength is gon and therefore be sure thou shalt never be able to prevail against me nor doe me any hurt at all And if Satan take you by the throat and by violence draw you before Gods judgement seat then call to your husband Christ and say Lord I suffer violence make answer for me and help me and by his help you shall be enabled to plead for your selfe after this manner O God the Father I am thy Sonne Christs thou gavest me unto him and thou hast given unto him all power both in heaven and in earth and hast committed all judgement to him and therefore I will-stand to his judgement who saith He came not to judge the World but to save it and therefore hee will save me according to his office and if the jury should bring in their verdict that they have found you guilty then speak to the Iudge and say in case any must be condemned for my transgressions it must needs be Christ and not I for albeit I have committed them yet hee hath undertaken and bound himselfe to answer for them and that by his consent and good will and indeed hee hath fully satisfied for them and if all this will not serve the turne to acquit you then Adde moreover and say As a woman that is conceived with childe must not suffer death because of the childe that is within her no more must I because I have conceived Christ in mine heart though I had committed all the sins in the world And if death creep upon you and attempt to devoure you then say thy sting ô death is sin and Christ my husband hath fully vanquished sin and so deprived thee of thy sting and therefore doe I not feare any hurt that thou ô death canst do unto mee And thus you may triumph with the Apostle saying Thanks be to God who hath given mee victory through my Lord Iesus Christ. And thus have I also declared unto you how Christ in the fulnesse of time performed that which God before all time purposed and in time promised touching the helping and delivering of falne mankind and so have I also done with the law of faith Nom. Then Sir I pray you proceed to speake of the law of Christ and first let us heare what the law of Christ is The law of Christ in regard of substance and matter is all one with the law of workes or covenant of workes which matter is scattered through the whole Bible and summed up in the Decalogue or ten commandements commonly called the Morall Law containing such things as are agreeable to the minde and will of God to wit piety towards God charity towards our Neighbour and sobriety towards our selves therefore was it given of God to be a true and eternall rule of righteousnes for all men of all Nations and at all times so that Evangelicall grace directs a man to no other obedience then that wherof the law of the ten commandements is to be the rule Nom. But yet Sir I conceive that though as you say the law of Christ in regard of substance and matter be all one with the law of works yet their forms do differ Evan. True indeed for as you have heard the law of works speaketh on this wise doe this and thou shalt live and if thou doe it not thou shalt die the death but the law of Christ speaketh on this wise And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud live And whosoever liveth and believeth in mee shall never die Be ye therefore followers of God as deare children and walke in love as Christ hath loved us And if ye love me keep my commandements And if they breake my statutes and keep not my commandements then will I visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Neverthelesse my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take away from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to fail Thus you see that both these laws agree in saying doe this but here is the difference The one saith doe this and live and the other saith live and doe this the one saith doe this for life the other saith do this from life the one saith If thou do it not thou shalt die the other saith If thou doe it not I will chastise thee with the rod the one is to be delivered by God as hee is a creatour out of Christ onely to such as are out of Christ the other is to be delivered by God as he is a Redeemer in Christ onely to such as are in Christ Wherefore Neighbour Neophytus seeth that you are now in Christ beware you receive not the ten commandements at the hands of God out of Christ nor yet at the hands of Moses but onely at the hands of Christ and so shall you be sure to receive them as the law of Christ. Nom. But Sir may not
justified by faith it is a very needless thing for him to endevour to keep the law and to do good works Evan. I remember Luther sayth that in his time there were some that did reason after the like manner if faith say they do accomplish all things and if faith be onely and alone sufficient unto righteousnesse to what end then are wee commanded to doe good deeds we may go play us then and work no working at all to whom hee makes an answer saying not so ye ungodly not so And there were others that said If the law do not justifie then is it in vaine and of none effect yet is it not therefore true saith he for like as this consequence is nothing worth money doth not justifie or make a man righteous therefore it is unprofitable the eyes doe not justifie therefore they must be plucked out the hands make not a man righteous therefore they must be cut off so is this nought also the law doth not justifie therefore it is unprofitable we do not therefore destroy and condemne the law because wee say it doth not justifie but we say with Paul the law is good if a man do rightly use it and that this is a faithfull saying That they which have believed in God might be carefull to mayntaine good works these things are good and profitable unto men Neo. Truly Sir for mine own part I do much marvell that this my friend Antinomista should be so confident of his faith in Christ and yet so little regard holinesse of life and keeping of Christs commandements as it seemes hee doth for I give the Lord thanks I doe now in some small measure believe that I am by Christ freely and fully justified and acquitted from all my sins and therefore have no need eyther to eschew evill or do good for feare of punishment or hope of reward and yet me thinks I finde my heart more willing and desirous to doe what the Lord commands and to avoid what hee forbids then ever it was before I did thus believe surely Sir I doe perceive that faith in Christ is no hinderance to holinesse of life as I once thought it was Evan. Neighbour Neophytus if our friend Antinomista do content himself with a meere Gospell knowledge in a notionary way and have run out to fetch in notions from Christ and yet is not fetcht in by the power of Christ let us pitty him pray for him and in the mean time I pray you know that true faith in Christ is so far from being a hinderance from holinesse of life and good works that it is the onely furtherance for onely by faith in Christ a man is enabled to exercise all Christian graces a-right and to performe all Christian duties a-right which before he could not As for example before a man believe Gods love to him in Christ though he may have a kind of love to God as he is his creatour and preserver and gives him many good things for this present life yet if God do but open his eyes to see what condition his soul is in that is if he do but let him see that relation that is betwixt God and him according to the tenour of the conant of works then he conceives of him as an angry Judge armed with justice against him and must be pacified by the works of the law whereunto he finds his nature opposite and contrary and therefore hee hates both God and his law and doth secretly wish and desire there were neyther God nor law and though God should now give unto him never so many temporall blessings yet could hee not love him for what malefactour could love that Judge or his law from whom he expects the sentence of condemnation though he should feast him at his table with never so many dainties But after that the kindnesse and love of God his Saviour hath appeared not by works of righteousnesse that he hath done but according to his mercy hee saved him that is when as by the eye of faith he sees himselfe to stand in relation to God according to the tenour of the covenant of grace then he conceives of God as a most mercifull and loving Father to him in Christ that hath freely pardoned â—nd forgiven him all his sins and quite released him from the covenant of works and by this means the love of God is shed abroad in his hart through the Holy Ghost which is given to him and then he loves God because he first loved him for as a man seeth and feeleth by faith the love and favour of God towards him in Christ his Son so doth he love again both God and his law and indeed it is impossible for any man to love God till by faith hee know himself loved of God Secondly though a man before he believe Gods love to him in Christ may have a great measure of legall humiliation compunction sorrow and griefe and be brought down as it were to the very gate of hell and feele the very flashings of hell fire in his conscience for his sins yet is it not because hee hath thereby offended God but rather because he hath thereby offended himself that is because hee hath thereby brought himselfe into the danger of eternal death and condemnation but when once he believes the love of God to him in Christ in pardoning his iniquity and passing by his transgression then he sorrows grieves for the offence of God by the sin reasoning thus with himselfe and is it so indeed hath the Lord given his own Sonne to death for me who hath been such a vile sinfull wretch and hath Christ borne all my sins and was hee wounded for my transgressions ô then the working of his bowels the stirring of his affections the melting and relenting of his repenting heart then he remembers his own evill ways and his doings that were not good and loaths himselfe in his own eyes for all his abominations and looking upon Christ whom he hath pierced he mournes bitterly for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne thus when faith hath bathed a mans heart in the bloud of Christ it is so mollified that it quickly dissolues into the teares of godly sorrow so that if Christ doe but turn and look upon him ô then with Peter hee goes out and weeps bitterly and this is true gospel mourning and this is right evangelicall repenting Thirdly Though before a man doe truly believe in Christ he may so reforme his life and amend his ways that as touching the righteousnesse which is of the Law he may be with the Apostle blamelesse yet being under the covenant of works all the obedience that he yields to the Law all his leaving of sin and performance of duties all his avoyding of what the law forbids and all his doing of what the law commands is begotten by the law of works of Hagar the bond-woman by the force of self-love
and apprehend him by faith as blessed be God you see our Neighbour Neophytus hath done and then shall you finde the like loathing of sin and love to the law of Christ as he now doth yea then shall you finde your corruptions dying and decaying daily more and more as I am confident hee shall Neo. I but Sir shall I not have power quite to overcome all my corruptions and to yield perfect obedience to the law of Christ as the Lord knows I much desire Evan. If you could believe perfectly then should it be even according to to your desire according to that of Luther If wee can perfectly apprehend Christ then should wee be free from sin But alas whilest we are here wee know but in part and so believe but in part and so receive Christ but in part and so consequently are holy but in part witnesse James the just including himselfe when he sayth In many things we sin all and John the faithfull and loving Disciple when he sayth If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us yea and witnesse Luther when he sayth a Christian man hath a body in whose members as Paul sayth sin dwelleth and warreth and albeit he fall not into outward and grosse sins as murther adultery theft and such like yet is hee not free from impatience and murmuring against God yea sayth hee I feele in my selfe coveteousnesse lust anger pride and arrogancie also the feare of death heaviness hatred murmuring impenitencie so that you must not looke to bee quite without sin whilst thou remain in this life yet this I dare promise you that as you grow from faith to faith so shall you grow from strength to strength in all other graces wherefore sayth godly Hooker strengthen this grace of faith and strengthen all nourish this and nourish all so that if you can attain to a great measure of faith you shall bee sure to attain to a great measure of holinesse according to the saying of Doctor Preston hee that hath the strongest faith hee that believeth in the greatest degree the promise of pardon and remission of sins I dare boldly say he hath the holiest heart and the holiest life And therefore I beseech you labour to grow strong in the faith of the Gospell Neo. O Sir I desire it with all my heart and therefore I pray you tell me what you would have me to doe that I may grow more strong Evan. Why surely the best advice and counsell that I can give you is to exercise that faith which you have and wrastle against doubtings and be earnest with God in prayer for the increase of it forasmuch sayth Luther as this gift is in the hands of God onely who bestoweth it when and on whom he pleaseth thou must resort unto him by prayer and say with the Apostles Lord increase our faith and you must also be diligent in hearing the word preached for as faith commeth by hearing so is it also increased by hearing and you must also read the word and meditate upon the free and gracious promises of God for the promise is the immortall seed whereby the spirit of Christ begets and increaseth faith in the hearts of all his and lastly you must frequent the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and receive it as often as conveniently you can Ant. But by your favour Sir if faith be the gift of God and he give it when and to whom he pleaseth then I conceive that mans using such means will not procure any greater measure of it then God is pleased to give Evan. I confesse it is not the means that will either beget or increase faith but it is the Spirit of God in the use of the means that doth it so that as the means will not doe it without the Spirit neither will the Spirit doe it without the means where the means may be had wherefore I pray you doe not you hinder him from using the means Neo. Sir for mine own part let him say what he will I am resolved by the assistance of God to be carefull and diligent in the use of these means which you have now prescribed that so by the increasing of my faith I may be the better inabled to subject to the will of the Lord and so walk as that I may please him but yet I doe perceive that in regard of the imperfection of my faith I shall not be able perfectly to apprehend Christ and so consequently shall not be able to live without sin therefore I pray you Sir tell me how you would have mee to be affected when I shall hereafter through frailty commit any sin Evan. Before I can give you a true and full satisfactory answer to this your necessary question I must intreat you to consider with me First that in Rom. 6.14 it is sayd concerning believers Yee are not under the Law but under grace And in like manner Rom. 1.6 it is sayd But now we are delivered from the Law And yet it is said concerning a believer 1 Cor. 9.21 Being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ And in like manner Rom. 3.31 it is sayd Doe wee then make voyd the Law through faith God for bid yea by faith we establish the Law Secondly That in 1 John 3.6 It is sayd That whosoeuer abideth in Christ sinneth not and in like manner ver 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin And yet it is sayd concerning such 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us and in like manner Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all Thirdly That in Numb 23.21 It is sayd concerning believers Hee that is to say God hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perversnesse in Israell in like manner Cant. 4.7 It is sayd behold thou art all faire my love and there is no spot in thee And yet it is sayd Prov. 5.21 as well concerning believers as others that the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and hee pondereth all his goings and in like manner Heb. 4.13 All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe Fourthly That in Isai. 27.4 the Lord sayth concerning believers Anger is not in me and in like manner Isai. 54.9 it is sayd As I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more goe over the earth so have I sworn that I would no more be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee and yet it is sayd Psal. 10.40 That because the people went a whoring after their own inventions therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against this people insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance And in Deut. 13.1 Moses a true believer sayth The Lord was angry with him Fifthly That in Isai. 40.2 The Lord sayth concerning believers Speake yee
comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned for indeed Christ paid God till hee sayd hee had enough hee was fully satisfied fully contented and therefore in Jer. 50.20 it is sayd that in those dayes and at that time the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sinnes of Judah and they shall not be found for by Christs death Satan sinne and Death were conquered and taken captive and whatsoever might bee brought against us was taken away as the least bill or scroule and yet it is sayd concerning the seed and children of Jesus Christ Psal. 89.30 If they forsake my Law and walke not in my judgements then will I visit your transgressions with the rod and their iniquities with stripes and in like manner 1 Cor. 11.30 it is sayd concerning believers For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you and many sleepe Now though all these Scriptures speake contrary one to another yet they all speake truth for they bee all of them the words of truth and that it may appeare to you that they doe so I pray you take notice that where believers are sayd not to bee under the Law and freed from the Law it is to be understood of the Law as it is the covenant of works and where it is sayd that believers are under the Law and that faith establisheth the Law it is to bee understood of the Law as it is the law of Christ now if believers be not under but are freed from the law of works or covenant of works then though they doe transgresse the law yet they doe not transgresse the Covenant of works and if they transgresse not the covenant of works then cannot God see any transgression of theirs as a transgression against that Covenant And if he see it not then can ye neither be angry with them nor yet chastise them for it But if believers be under the Law and faith doe establish the Law as it is the Law of Christ then if they transgresse any of the ten Commandements they transgresse the Law of Christ and if they transgresse the Law of Christ then doth Christ see it and if Christ see it he will be both angry with them and chastise them for it Now then neighbour Neophytus to apply these things to you and so to give you a particular answer to your question you are to know that you are not now under the Law but are by Christ freed from it as it is the Law of works and therefore whensoever you shall hereafter through frailty transgresse any of the ten Commandements you are not to thinke you have thereby transgressed the Covenant of works neither are you to conceive that God either sees your transgressions or is angry with you or doth chastise you for them as they are any way a transgression of that Covenant for you being freed from that Covenant and so consequently from sinning against it must needs likewise be freed from all wrath anger miseries calamities and afflictions as fruits and effects of any transgression against that Covenant But yet whilst you live you are to conceive that you are under the Law of Christ and therefore whensoever you doe swerve or goe away from the rule of any of the ten Commandements you must perswade your selfe that you have thereby transgressed the Law of Christ and that hee sees it and is displeased with you for it and if you be not grieved for it and doe not reforme it Christ will chastise you for it either by hiding his face and withdrawing the light of his countenance from you and so by depriving you of peace and comfort in him for a time or else by some outward losse or crosse in this World for that is the penalty of the Law of Christ so that if you or any believer else doe transgresse the Law of Christ if need be you shall bee as sure of temporall corrections as an unbeliever that transgresseth the covenant of works shall be of eternall damnation in hell wherefore I beseech you according to my exhortation and your resolution first be carefull to exercise your faith and use all meanes to increase it that so it may become effectuall working by love for according to the measure of your faith will be your true love to Christ and to his will and commandements and according to the measure of your love to them will be your delight in them and your aptnesse and readinesse to doe them and hence it is that Christ sayth If ye love me keep my commandements and hence it is that the believing soule according to the measure of its faith sayth with the Psalmist I delight to doe thy will ô my God yea thy law is within my heart for this is the love of God sayth that loving Disciple that we keep his commandements and his commandements are not grievous nay the very truth is nothing will be more grievous to your soule then that you cannot keep them as you would ô this love of God being truly rooted in your heart will make you say with godly Joseph in case you be tempted as he was How can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against God how can I doe that which I know will displease so gracious a Father and so mercifull a Saviour no I will not doe it no I cannot doe it Secondly If in case you be at any time by reason of the weaknesse of your faith strength of your tentation drawn aside and prevailed with to transgresse any of Christs Comandements then beware that you do not thereupon take occasion to call Christs love to you into question but believe as firmly that he loves you as dearly as he did before you thus transgressed for this is a certain truth as no good in you or done by you did move or can move Christ to love you the more so no evill in you or done by you can move him to love you the lesse no assure your selfe that as he first loved you freely so will he hereafter heal your backsliding and still love you freely Hosea 14.4 yee hee will love you unto the end John 13.1 And therefore as you must be nothing in your selfe in case of your most exact obedience so must you be all in Christ in case of your most imperfect and defective obedience the which if you be why then the love of Christ will constrain you to mourn with an evangelicall or Gospell mourning reasoning with your self after this manner and is it so indeed though I have thus sinned yet will the Lord love me never the lesse for all that and am I as much in his favour now and as sure of erernall happinesse with Christ as I was before I thus sinned ô what a loving Father is this ô what a gracious Saviour is this ô what a wretched man am I to sin against such
your believing that you have believed upon and so forcibly to hasten your assurance before the time for though this be not to turn quite back to the covenant of works for that you shall never do yet is it to turn aside towards that covenant as Abraham did who after that he had long wayted for the promised seed though he was before justified by believing the free promise yet for the more speedy satisfying of his faith hee turned aside to go in unto Hagar who was as you have heard a type of the covenant of works so that you see this is not the right way but the right way for you in this case to get your assurance again is when all other things fail to look to Christ That is go to the word and promise and leave off and cease a while to reason about the truth of your faith and set your heart on work to believe as if you had never yet done it saying in your heart well Satan suppose my faith hath not been true hitherto yet now will I begin to endevour after true faith and therefore ô Lord here I cast my self upon thy mercy afresh For in thee the fatherlesse finde mercy thus I say hold to the word goe not away but keep you here and you shall bring forth fruit with patience Neo. Well Sir you have fully satisfied the concerning that point but as I remember it followeth in the same Verse Know yee not your owne selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be repoobates wherefore I desire to heare how a man may know that Jesus Christ is in him Evan. Why if Christ be in a man hee lives in him as sayth the Apostle I live not but Christ liveth in me Neo. But how then shall a man know that Christ lives in him Evan. Why in what man soever Christ lives according to the measure of his faith he executes his threefold office in him viz. his Propheticall Priestly and Kingly Office Neo. I desire to hear more of this threefold office of Christ and therefore I pray you Sir tell me first how a man may know that Christ executes his Propheticall office in him Evan. Why so far forth as any man heares and knows that there was a covenant made betwixt God and all mankinde in Adam and that it was an equall covenant and that Gods justice must needs enter upon the breach of it and that all mankind for that cause were lyable to eternall death and damnation so that if God had condemned all mankinde yet had it beene but the sentence of an equall and just Judge seeking rather the execution of his justice then mans ruine and destruction and thereupon takes it home and applyes it particularly to himself and so is convinced that hee is a miserable lost and helplesse man I say so far forth as a man doth this CHRIST executes his Propheticall office in him in teaching him and revealing unto him the covenant of works And so far forth as any man hears and knowes that God made a covenant with Abraham and all his believing seed in Jesus Christ offering him freely to all to whom the sound of the Gospell comes and giving him freely to all that receive him by faith and so justifies them and saves them eternally and thereupon hath his heart opened to receive this truth not as a man taketh an object or a theologicall point into his head whereby hee is onely made able to discourse but as an habituall and practicall point receiving it into his heart by the faith of the Gospell and applying it to himselfe and laying his eternall state upon it and so setting to his seal that God is true I say so far forth as a man doth this CHRIST executes his propheticall office in him in teaching him and revealing to him the Covenant of grace and so far forth as any man hears and knows that This is the will of GOD even his sanctification c. And thereupon concludes that it is his dutie to endeavour after it I say so far forth as a man doth this Christ executes his propheticall office in him in teaching and revealing his law to him and this I hope is sufficient for answer to your first question Neo. I pray you Sir in the second place tell mee how a man may know that Christ executes his priestly office in him Evan. Why so far forth as any man hears and knows that Christ hath given himselfe as that onely absolute and perfect sacrifice for the sins of believers and joyned them unto himselfe by faith and himself unto them by his spirit and so made them one with him and is now entred into Heaven it self to appear in the presence of God for them and hereupon is emboldned to go immediatly to God in prayer as to a father and meet him in Christ and present him with Christ himselfe as with a Sacrifice without spot or blemish I say so far forth as any man doth this Christ executes his priestly office in him Neo. But Sir would you have a believer to goe immediately unto God how then doth Christ make intercession for us at Gods right hand as the Apostle sayth hee doth Rom. 8.34 Evan. It is true indeed Christ as a publike person representing all believers appeares before God his Father and willeth according to both his natures and desireth as he is man that God would for his satisfaction sake grant unto them whatsoever they aske according to his will But yet you must goe immediately to God in prayer for all that you must not pitch your prayers upon Christ and terminate them there as if he were to take them and present them to his Father but the very presenting place of your prayers must be God himselfe in Christ neither must you conceive as though Christ the Sonne were more willing to grant your request then God the Father for whatsoever Christ willeth the same also the Father being well pleased with him willeth in Christ then I say and nowhere else must you expect to have your petitions granted and as in Christ and no place else so for Christs sake and nothing else and therefore I beseech you to beware you forget not Christ when you go unto the Father to beg any thing which you desire either for your selfe or others especially when you desire co have any pardon for sin you are not to thinke that when you joyn with your prayers fasting weeping and afflicting of your selfe that for so doing you shall prevail with God to heare you and grant your petitions no no you must meete God in Christ and present him with his sufferings your eye your minde and all your confidence must be therein and in that be as confident as possibly you can yea expostulate the matter as it were with God the Father and say lo here is the person that hath well deserved it here 〈◊〉 the person that
M. Gray junior H Bishop Hall M. Thomas Hooker L Doctor Luther M. Lightfoot M Wolfangius Musculus Peter Martyr Doctor Mayor M. Marshall O Barnardine Ochine P M. Perkins Doctor Preston R M. Rollock M. Reynolds M. Rouse S Doctor Smith Doctor Sibbs M. Slater T M. Tyndall M. Robert Towne V Doctor Vrban Regius Doctor Vrsinus M. Vaughan W Doctor Willet Doctor Williams M. Wilson M. Ward THE MARROVV OF Modern Divinity Interlocutors EVANGELISTA a Minister of the Gospel NOMISTA a Legalist ANTINOMISTA an Antinomian NEOPHYTUS a young Christian. Nomista SIR My neighbour Neophytus and I having lately had some conference with this our friend and acquaintance Antinomista about some points of Religiâ—n wherein he differing from us both at last â—id he would be contented to be judged by â—ou our Minister therefore have we made bold to come unto you all three of us to pray you to heare us and judge of our differences Evan. You are all of you very welcome to me and if you please to let me heare what your differences are I will tell you what I think Nom. The truth is Sir he and I differ in very many things but more especially about the Law for I say the Law ought to be a rule of life to a believer and he saith it ought not Neo. And surely Sir the greatest difference betwixt him and I is this He would perswade me to believe in Christ and bids me rejoyce in the Lord and live merrily though I feel never so many corruptions in my heart yea though I be never so sinfull in my life the which I cannot do nor I think ought not to do but rather to feare and sorrow and lament for my sins Anti. The truth is Sir the greatest difference is betwixt my feiend Nomista and I about the Law and therefore that is the greatest matter we come unto you about Evan. I remember the Apostle Paul willeth Titus to avoyd contentions and strivings about the Law because they are unprofitable and vain and so I feare me yours have been Nom. Sir for mine own part I hold it very meet that every true Christian should be very zealous for the holy Law of God especially now when a company of these Antinomians do set themselves against it and do what they can quite to abolish it and utterly to root it out of the Church surely Sir I think it not meet they should â—ive in a Christian Common-wealth Evan. I pray you neighbour Nomista be not so hot neither let us have such unchristianlike expressions amongst us and let us reason together in love and with the spirit of meeknesse as Christians ought to do I confesse with the Apostle it is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing But yet as the same Apostle said of the Jews so I feare me I may say of some Christians that they are zealous of the Law yea some would be Doctors of the Law and yet neither understand what they say nor whereof they affirm Nom. Sir I make no doubt but that I both know what I say and whereof I affirm when I say and affirm that the holy Law of God ought to be a rule of life to a believer For I dare pawn my soule of the â—ruth of it Evan. But what Law do you mean Nom. Why Sir what Law do you think I mean Is there any more Lawes then one Evan. Yea in the New Testament theâ— is mention made of a three-fold Law 〈◊〉 wit the law of works the law of faith anâ— the law of Christ and therefore I pray yoâ— tell me when you say the Law ought to bâ— a rule of life to a believer which of their three Lawes you mean Nom. Sir I know not the difference betwixt them but this I know that the Law of the Ten Commandements commonly called the Morall Law ought to be a rule of life to a believer Evan. But the Law of the Ten Commandements or Morall Law may be either said to be the matter of the law of works or the matter of the law of Christ and therefore I pray you tell me in whether oâ— these senses you conceive it ought to be â— rule of life to a believer Nom. Sir I must confesse I do not know what you mean by this distinction but thiâ— I know that God requires that every Christian should frame and lead his life according to the rule of the Ten Commandements the which if he do then may he expect the blessing of God both upon his soule and body and if he do not then can he expect nothing else but his wrath and curse upon them both Evan. The truth is neighbour Nomista â—he Law of the Ten Commandements as it 〈◊〉 the matter of the Law of Works ought not to be a rule of life to a believer but in thus saying you have affirmed that it ought and therefore therein you have erred from the truth And now friend Antinomista that I may also know your judgement when you say the Law ought not to be a rule of life to a believer I pray you tell me what Law you mean Ant. Why I mean the Law of the Ten Commandements Evan. But whether do you mean that Law as it is the matter of the law of works or as it is the matter of the Law of Christ Ant. Surely Sir I do conceive that the Ten Commandements are no way to be a rule of life to a believer for Christ hath delivered him from them Evan. But the truth is the law of the Ten Commandements as it is the matter of the law of Christ ought to be a rule of life to a believer and therefore you having affirmed the contrary have therein also erâ—ed from the truth Nom. The truth is Sir I must confesse 〈◊〉 never took any notice of this three-fold â—aw which it seems is mentioned in the New Testament Ant. And I must confesse if I took any notice of them I never understood them Evan. Well give me leave to tell you that so far forth as any man comes short of the true knowledge of this threefold Law so far forth he comes short both of the true knowledge of God and of himself And therefore I wish you both to consider of it Nom. Sir if it be so you may do well to be a means to inform us and help us to the true knowledge of this threefold Law and therefore I pray you first tell us what is meant by the law of works Evan. The law of works opposed to the law of faith Rom. 3.27 holds forth as much as the covenant of works for it is manifest saith Musculus that the word which signifieth covenant or bargain is put for law so that you see the Law of works is as much to say as the Covenant of works the which Covenant the Lord made with all mankinde in Adam before his fall the summe whereof was Do this and thou shalt live And If
thou do it not thou shalt die the death In which Covenant there was first contained 〈◊〉 precept Do this Secondly a promise joyned unto it If thou do it thou shalt live Thirdly a like threatning If thou do it not thou shalt die the death Imagine saith Musculus that God had said to Adam Lo to the intent that thou maist live I have given thee liberty to eat and have given thee abundantly to eat let all the fruits of Paradise be in thy power one tree except which see thou touch not for that I keep it to mine own authority the same is the tree of knowledge of good and evill If thou touch it the meat thereof shall not be life but death Nom. But Sir you said that the Law of the Ten Commandements or Morall Law may be said to be the matter of the Law of works and you have also said that the Law of works is as much to say as the Covenant of works whereby it seems to me you hold that the Law of the Ten Commandements was the matter of the Covenant of works which God made with all mankind in Adam before his fall Evan. That 's a truth agreed upon by all Authors and Interpreters that I know And indeed the Law of works as a learned Author saith signifies the Morall law and the Morall law strictly and properly taken signifies the Covenant of works Nom. But Sir what is the reason you call it but the matter of the covenant of works Evan. The reason why I rather chuse to call the Law of the Ten Commandements the matter of the Covenant of works then the Covenant it self is because I conceive that the matter of it cannot properly be called the covenant of works except the form be put upon it that is to say except the Lord require and man undertake to yield perfect obedience thereunto upon condition of eternall life and death And therefore till then it was not a covenant of works betwixt God and all mankinde in Adam As for example you know that although a servant have an ability to do a masters work and though a master have wages to bestow upon him for it yet is there not a covenant betwixt them till they have thereupon agreed Even so though man at the first had power to yield perfect and perpetuall obedience to all the Ten Commandements and God had an eternall life to bestow upon him yet was there not a covenant betwixt them till they were thereupon agreed Nom. But Sir you know there is no mention made in the book of Genesis of this covenant of works which you say was made with man at first Evan. Though we read not the word Covenant betwixt God and man yet have we there recorded what may amount to as much for God provided and promised to Adam eternall happinesse and called for perfect obedience which appears from Gods threatning Gen. 2.17 For if man must die if he disobeyed it implies strongly that Gods covenant was with him for life if he obeyed Nom. But Sir you know the word Covenant signifies a mutuall promise bargain and obligation betwixt two parties Now though it is implied that God promised man to give him life if he obeyed yet we read not that man promised to be obedient Evan. I pray take notice that God doth not alwayes tie man to verball expressions but doth often contract the Covenant in reall impressions in the heart and frame of the creature And this was the manner of covenanting with man at the first for God had furnished his soule with an understanding mind whereby he might discern good from evill and right from wrong and not only so but also in his will was most great uprightnesse and his instrumentall parts were orderly framed to obedience the truth is God did ingrave in mans soule wisdom and knowledge of his will and works and integrity in the whole soule and such a fitnesse in all the powers thereof that neither the mind did conceive nor the heart desire nor the body put in execution any thing but that which was acceptable to God so that man endowed with these qualities was able to serve God perfectly Nom. But Sir how could the Law of the Ten Commandements be the matter of this Covenant of works when they were not written as you know till the time of Moses Evan. Though they were not written in tables of stone untill the time of Moses yet were they written in the tables of mans heart in the time of Adam for we read that man was created in the image or likenesse of God Gen. 1.27 And the ten Commandements are a doctrine agreeing with the eternall wisdome and justice that is in God wherein he hath so painted out his own nature that it doth in a manner expresse the very image of God And doth not the Apostle say that the image of God consists in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse and is not knowledge righteousnes true holines the perfections of both the tables of the law And indeed saith M. Rollock it could not wel stand with the justice of God to make a Covenant with man under the condition of holy good works perfect obedience to his Law except he had first created man holy pure and ingraven his law in his hart whence those good works should proceed Nom. But yet I cannot but marvell that God in making the covenant with man did make mention of no other commandement then that of the forbidden fruit Evan. Do not marvell at it for by that one species of sin the whole genus or kind is shewn as the same Law being more clearly unfolded Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 doth expresse And indeed in that one Commandement the whole worship of God did consist as obedience honour love confidence and religious feare together with the outward abstinence from sin and reverent respect to the voice of God Yea herein also consisted his love and so his whole duty to his neighbour so that as a learned writer saith Adam heard as much in the garden as Israel did at Sinai but only in fewer words and without thunder Nom. But sir ought not man to have yielded perfect obedience to God though this Covenant had not been made betwixt them Evan. Yea indeed perfect and perpetuall obedience was due from man unto God though God had made no promise to man for when God created man at first he put forth an excellencie from himself into him and therefore it was the bond and tie that lay upon man to return that again unto God so that man being Gods creature by the law of creation he owed all obedience and subjection to God his creator Nom. Why then was it needfull that the Lord should make a covenant with him by promising him life and threatning him with death Evan. For answer hereunto in the first place I pray you understand that man was a reasonable creature