is my Spiritual will In allowing the Brute to rule over the Angel the Slave to domineer over the Master In hurrying my self headlong into Sin and Death when I should and could advance my self unto Righteousness and Life What course shall I take to change my condition for a better shall I alwaies be a Slave and know it and never seek to help it O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this bondage shall I alwaies be a dying till I die everlastingly and know it and never seek to help it O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Oh I have found out a Remedy The Law of God in it self does not do it but the Grace of God which is above the Law can do it Grace a sole Remedy The law of my Mind cannot do it but the Grace of God which is above the Law can do it and faith in the Promises of Grace to keep Covenant with God is God's instrument in my mind to do it And by this Grace and by this Faith I am saved and not by the Law nor by Works And I can do all things by my Faith through this Grace of God that strengthens me and I thank God for this Grace which is sufficient for me and for this victory by Grace through our Lord Jesus Christ SECTION 2. By all bad Law II. By all bad Laws A bad Law does not deceive as bad but under the notion of a good Law Evil in it self is ugly and therefore frightful and therefore abhorred and shunned but when the faces of Good is dawbed upon it then poor ignorant Souls are cheated by it A lively Bait hides the deadly Hook Thus there are Statuets of Omri The stool of Wickedness that establisheth mischief by a Law Am. 5.7 that decrees unrighteous decrees and writes grievous things that turns Judgment to wormwood that turns Judgment away backward Is 59.14 and forceth Justice to stand afar off Making Truth to fall in the streets and not suffering Equity to enter So that he that departeth from evil must make himself a prey There are Laws of Rebellion Oaths Covenants and Leagues against the Powers and Lives of Princes called Holy God's Cause the setting of Christ upon his Throne under the specious Pretences of Liberty the Children of Disobedience rise up against their Lawful Superiors call themselves Saints and the sober part of the Nation and make themselves and others more sinful and miserable Private Laws and Orders made by Subjects without the stamp of Authority are of force and credit to call forth private men out of their houses into the high Places of the field and from handling the Ax and Hammer nay the Plow and Spade to brandish the Sword of War and traverse the Instruments of death in the field and upon the mighty Waters A pitiful Injunction of a sneaking Fryer shall prevail with a wise and brave Fellow to strip himself of his Tissues and rub himself in hair and course Sacking and to plow upon his own back long Furrows like a fool with whips of Scorpions to pine himself to a Skeleton to hurt his bare feet upon the stones and in the Ice and Snow upon a Pilgrimage to I know not who And when he dyes to forget his poor dearest and nearest Relations and give all that he hath to a company of cheating lazy Lubbards that will promise to redeem his Soul from roasting in Purgatory and laugh heartily in their Sleeves to see his Heirs wiped out of all when he is dead and gone And what Law of God hath required these things at any man's hands There is a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels and of Saints under a great Shew of Devotion against all Devotion The Law against Law and Schools and Learning makes me hate all Pen-and-Ink-horn-men all Princes Priests Lawyers Magistrates and Scholars There are Preachings against Preachings Prayings against Prayings preaching and praying by the Spirit extempore against both these by premeditation Prophets prophesie falsly they dawb with untempered Morter they preach pleasing things smooth things words of deceit The Prophet is a fool and the Spiritual man is mad The blind lead the blind and the People will be deceived and make much of them that cause them to erre and love to have it so There are Laws for Fornication Adultery Incest Plunder Piracy Sacriledge and all Villanies but above all to do the highest pieces of Injustice under the solemn forms of Justice and to wash their hands and wipe their mouths and protest their Innocency and their Piety too that they do it for good There are Laws among Thieves and Robbers and all unlawful Societies Cateline drinks Blood and makes the Conspiratours pledge him The Jews bound themselves with an Oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul The Invasion of 88 the Gunpowder Treason the Holy War the Holy League the Sicilian Evensong the Massacre of Paris and of the Albigenses the Rebellions in Germany France Flanders Scotland Ireland but especially in England for twenty years were all by the Covenants and Oaths of a godly Party for Religion for Laws when against Religion and all Laws so true is that saying Omne malum in nomine Dei If there chance to be a flaw in any Statute or a contrariety between Law and Law we can take occasion quickly to justifie our Transgressions thereby A cunning Lawyer will pick out enough Law to overthrow many good Laws Who so nice in the Law as those that break Law and yet study how to evade the penalty of Law by Prohibitions from Process in Courts Christian by Protections by Prerogatives How many by strictness of Law against Rogues and Vagabonds break all Laws of Charity In a word How do men study and take pains to deceive themselves and that by the Law too which is good and should guide them into good and by Laws which are bad to justifie them to some purpose in their ungodly deeds SECTION III. By one Law in the same Law 3. By one Law in the same Law There may be one Clause in Law which may deceive me in another Clause of the same Law because Words and Idioms of speech are full of various ambiguities When the Grammar or Common sense of the words of a Law suffice not to interpret the meaning of a Law Words and sense of Law then that is taken for the true meaning of the words of a Law that tends to the doing of the works of the Law As for instance The Law of Sicily forbad their Priests to resign their Benefices to their Sons Now Instances two Priests of Panormo agreed interchangeably to resign their respective Livings to each others Son So they kept the words of the Law but hindred the Law of its true end and so sinned against the meaning and mind of the Law which was that no Priest should resign his Benefice to the
prove that Testament so far as by his Death he is both a Mediator and Testator of that Testament so that a Mediator and Testator in respect of the same Testament are not functions inconsistent and incompatible but may easily though not usually concur in the same Person But this of Christ his Confirmation of his Father's Testament is an act extraordinary as may be amongst some men by Priviledge because of his Substitution to die in God's stead that could not die to Confirm that Testament of God whereof he was Mediator and Heir and therein to confirm God's League or Covenant with Mankind whereof he was the Agitator and Mediator also Christ therefore may be called the Testator though he was not the Author of the New Testament because he was the main Instrument and VVitness to spread it in his Father's Name who appointed him to die in his stead For we commonly attribute the same Action both to the Agent who is the pure Cause of it and to the Instrument who is the Means of it But really and truly what is done by the order and appointment of another is done by him that appointed him as in Acts of Proxies Deputies Vicegerents and Procurators or Attorneys of all sorts as to Marriages Livery and Seisin Instalments Inductions c. For it is a most true Rule in Law Quod quis facit per alium videtur facere per se VVhat a man does by another it is his own Act and Deed. So God is the Testator and Christ is in God's stead as his Deputy and Vicegerent in the place of his Father in that sense is the Testator also The CONTENTS Christ's Offering One God to Mediate to One Man to Mediate for One God and Man to Mediate One Ransom to Mediate by Christ a Man Christ the greatest and truest High-Priest Christ offered Self TITLE IV. Of Christ's Priesthood CHRIST Mediates the Business of Man's Salvation not only by Dying for God which may be done for a Man for even for a Righteous man some would even dare to die for the Confirmation of his Testament But also Christ's Offering By offering up himself in the same Death as an High-Priest to be a Sacrifice for the sins of the VVorld and to bring his own Blood into the Holie of Holies in heaven as an High-Priest to offer it unto God and thereby to make way for us to the Mercy-Seat through the Veil of his Flesh by that new and living way for access unto God by him for Grace sufficient to help us in the time of all our need And also as an High-Priest continually to make Intercession for us at the Right hand of his Father In this Great Subject therefore of Christ's Mediatorship for further illustration and proof I consider these four Points 1. One God to Mediate to 2. One Man to Mediate for 3. One God and Man to Mediate 4. One Ransom to Mediate by One God to Mediate to I. Because though many are called Gods and Lords many yet there is but one Most High God blessed for evermore One Prime Cause of all Causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Being of all Beings 2. Because one God is offended by all 3. Because one God is able to punish 4. Because one God able to forgive 5. Because one God able to reward II. One Man to Mediate for i. e. One Mankind One Man to mediate for Heb. 2.16 made after God's likeness Male and Female all of one Flesh Verily he took not upon him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham So only Man is capable of Reconciliation with God III. One God and Man to Mediate One God and Man to mediate Many Mediators and Intercessors there are and may be but there is but one Mediator and Intercessor between God and Man 1. Because it is most requisite for a mixt Person that is both God and Man to interpose betwixt God and Man 2. Because in Christ only God is absolutely well pleased and therefore whatsoever he doth or suffereth it is absolutely satisfactory And there is no other Name under heaven by which we can be saved but only by the Name of JESUS I am the Way and the Truth and the Life Act. 4.12 Joh. 14.6 Joh. 10.7 9. and no man cometh to the Father but by me and he that entreth in any other way is a Thief and a Robber I am the door of the Sheep c. If Christ were like God only he should be too far from Man Aug. if like Man only he should be too far from God Therefore no Saints nor Angels must come into this work IV. One Ransom to Mediate by One Ransom to mediate by Because one Sacrifice once offered was All-sufficient for ever and no other could be accepted Socinus ventures hardly upon this Rock which shivers him in pieces degrading the dignity of Christ's Mediatorship in making him 1. Only a Teacher of the Perfect rules of Righteousness 2. Only a Guide and Example of Holiness and Sufferings But the Scriptures teach that Christ's Mediation consists in these Particulars 1. In consenting to accept of this great Office 2. In actually taking our Nature upon him for that purpose 3. In fulfilling the Law 4. In Suffering to Death 5. In Preaching Repentance 6. In Rising from the Dead 7. In Ascending into Heaven 8. In entring into the True Sanctuary 9. In offering himself there unto God 10. In sending his Holy Spirit 11. In the Ministry of Reconciliation 12. In Intercession at God's Right hand 13. In coming to Judgment Thus Christ expiates and propitiates for Sin by one offering up of himself once offered he perfecteth for ever them that are sanctified being the Captain and finisher of their Salvation through Sufferings Christ a Man This Great Captain High-Priest and Bishop of our Souls that he might more aptly mediate on our behalf was made a little Lower as we are than the Angels and as our Brother took part of our Flesh and Blood that through his Death he might destroy Death and Sin and the Devil that had the Power of Death to keep us under it by the Law and deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject unto Bondage Heb. 2.17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a Merciful and Faithful High-Priest to make reconciliation for the Sins of the People For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted A Man therefore Christ must be that must die for Man and not an Angel Heb. 5.1 2 3 4 5. For every High-Priest is taken from among Men and ordained for Men in things pertaining unto God that he might offer both gifts and sacrifices for Sins Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himself is compassed with Infirmity and by reason hereof he ought
a Manuduction unto Christ Observe it then that all this while there was no other way of life given either in whole or in part beside the Covenant of Grace And therefore there was no inconstancy either in God's Will or in his Acts only such was his Mercy that he subordinated the Covenant of Works and made it subservient to the Covenant of Grace and so to tend to Evangelical Perfection And he that truly understands and considers what the Covenant of Works requires and how unable he is to perform it it being though ordained for righteousness and life an occasion of sin and death must needs see just cause to flie from Mount Sinai unto Mount Sion or from the Covenant of Works made with Adam to the Covenant of Grace made with Christ and to admire the unspeakable Wisdom and Mercy of God in suffering the Law to enter in Rom. 5.20 21. that the offence might abound that where Sin aboundeth Grace might much more abound That as sin hath raigned unto death even so might Grace raign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord. The Law then which was good was not made Death unto me God forbid But Sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good Rom. 7.13 that sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful Is the Law then against the Promises of God God forbid For if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin Gal. 3.22 c. that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe But before Faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterward be revealed Wherefore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith But after that Faith is come we are no longer under a School-master For ye are the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus The obscurity of this Great Point of Theology which I am forced to be so long upon new Notions arising continually is chiefly occasioned as Origen imagineth by the indistinct Aequivocation of the Word Law in the Epistle to the Romans let that place be viewed where it is said The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 6.2 3. The Aequivocal Word Law for 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 That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit May we not modestly say that the Word Law ascribed to the Concupiscence of the Flesh is not properly but abusively given As it is also in another Place Rom. 7.21 23. where he saith I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me for I delight in the Law of God after the Inward Man But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in my Members For if Lust be a Law and do bind it hath no Right so to do because Lust is not of force by God's Prime Institution from whence Law hath its virtue but by the occasion of his Justice in punishing the Fall of our first Parents thereby And hence is this Original way of sinning from our Lusts which we are led away with and deceived by though in themselves they are not naturally sinful but became exorbitant against reason and peccant upon forbidden objects by our own consent of Will and God's just Punishment therefore But when the Law of the Spirit of life is clearly meant to be the Gospel preached and alone having the Promise of the Spirit The Law that is weak because of the Flesh that is condemned by the flesh of Christ must needs be understood to be a carnal Law from whence Salvation can never be hoped But that Law by which Justification is had by them which walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh is Spiritual whether it be the same for the Law of Nature perfected by Christ for the Covenant of Grace or diverse as commanded by Moses for the Covenant of Works When these things are rightly distinguished the difficulty whereof St. Peter as well as Origen complains is taken off for when the Apostle saith Rom. 2.14 That the Gentiles which have not a Law are a Law unto themselves doing by Nature the things contained in the Law shew the Work of the Law written in their hearts It is manifest that although we usurp the Appellation of the Law of Nature indifferently St. Paul doth abstain from giving the Name of a Law to that Light that is in us when he says the Gentiles had no Law but were a Law to themselves because the usurping of the Name Law belongs to the solemn Imposition of that name in the Law of Moses and to the Law of Nature and of sin but by Trope and Figure The Law of Moses is carnal in all men the Covenant of Works The Law of Christ is Spiritual in the Faithful before under and after the Law the Covenant of Grace Therefore the Institutions of Nature in Moses's Law are Scriptures and the Word of God no less than the Gospel but not binding as delivered by Moses but by Christ by whom they were made perfect Neither doth a Believer receive the Moral Law at the hands of Moses but altogether at the hands of Christ Though it be the same Law for Matter and Substance yet in the lowest grounds that was delivered by Moses yet Believers are not to receive it as the Law of Moses but of Christ in the highest perfections thereof For when Christ the Son of God comes and speaks himself Moses the Servant of God must hold his peace as Moses himself foretold A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me Act. 3.22 Him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And therefore in the Mount Tabor when Moses and Elias were departed and had given place the voice from Heaven came and said Math. 17.5 This is my Well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye Him And though heretofore God hath spoken divers wayes and in sundry fashions to the World by his Servants the Prophets Heb. 1.2 yet now in these last dayes he hath spoken to us by his Son and this is he that we must trust to And they that believed in Moses must believe in Christ and they that believed before Moses did believe in Christ and they that believe after Moses must believe in Christ and so to the World's end For there never was nor will be
grievous in such cases The CONTENTS Writing Testimony Confirmation Execution Christ the Executor Executorship conditional Flesh and Blood Christ's Assention Spirit 's Mission TITLE VI. Of the Confirmation of the New Testament NOW the New Testament though it were not written as was the Old with the finger of God upon Tables of Stone but was Nuncupative yet this Nuncupation was by God himself not by any Angel and that unto Christ himself only to be published and accordingly was published by him in his own Person and by his Spirit in the persons of the Apostles and their Disciples through the whole World and afterwards committed to writing by the chief of the Apostles and not only so Writing but written again after a better manner by the spirit of God himself upon the Tables of Mens Hearts Testimony And as for the Testimony given thereunto to prove it to be the Will of God Christ himself did testifie thereof with such mighty miracles as never had been done before Besides the unquestionable Holiness of his life and the solemnity of his death Which things were not done in a corner but in the full view of a greater Congregation than was at Mount Sinai for he preached in their Temple and Synagogues and did wonders in all Judea and suffered death upon Mount Calvary Mat. 27.51 At which time the Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom the Earth did quake and the Rocks rent and the graves were opened and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose The Sun also was darkned after an extraordinary manner when the Moon was at the Full. And after all this was added as the last and greatest Proof of all the glory of his Resurrection and Ascention into Heaven He saith therefore of himself John 18.37 To this end was I born and for this cause I came into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth And the Apostle said of him 1 Tim. 6.13 Rev. 3.14 that before Pontius Pilate he witnessed a good Confession Hence he is called the Amen the faithful and true Witness the Martyr of the New Testament to testifie it with his Blood His death was not only a Testimony Confirmation but a Confirmation of the New Testament because his death doth wholly and for ever extinguish in him all will or power to revoke it and evidence that immediately from that Death God's Testament was ipso facto in force and began to take effect for the Justification of Mankind to all the Rights in that Testament contained by the Access of their Faith Thus the immortal God came as near to Death as he could by the Death of his Son in his Divine Nature immortal but made a mortal man to dye in his Father's stead and to demonstrate his own and his Father 's unconceivable Love to lay down his Life for Sinners Which thing deserves a perpetual Commemoration so commanded by Christ in the Holy Eucharist instituted by him for that purpose And as Wills are to be proved and confirmed Execution so they are to be executed and performed or else the Will it self is as dead as he that made it and so was made to no purpose The publick Wills of Legislators are to be put in Execution by sworn Magistrates or else the Law is in vain and a dead Letter And the private Wills of Testators are to be put in Execution by their Heirs or Executors covenanting and swearing so to do else the Will or Law of the Testator is frustrated Now of this New Testament Christ is the Executor or Mediator Christ Executor between God the Testator and the Legataries in the Will expressed to convey unto them from God as a Priest the Expiation of their Sins by his Sacerdotal offering up of himself to God in the Temple of Heaven and the Mission of his Spirit to cleanse their hearts and as a King sitting in the Throne of Heaven to rule his Church and protect them from their Enemies and to raise them up from Death and set them at his Right hand and at his left in heavenly places and as a Prophet to lead them into all Truth And Christ as an Executor and Mediator received to himself this benefit to be the universal Heir of God who was so by Nature and was so appointed by Grace to be Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 And for this purpose had all Power given unto him both in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 and universal honour also wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name That at the name of Jesus Phil. 2.9 every knee should bow of Persons in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth For let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 and he hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and triumphed over them openly 1 Cor. 15.27 and hath put all his Enemies under his feet The Reason is because Christ's Executorship was conditional Reason 1 Executorship Conditional that is charged upon the Condition of his own Death he must dye before he can enter upon it and therefore dye that he may perform it because every Testament is a Decree of things to be done after Death and this Testament of God hath this strange Prerogative above the Testaments of men that it is confirmed by the Death of a Man who was God and that the Executor not the Testator dyes and that the Disposition of things to be had or done is made after the Death of the Executor who for that purpose rose from the dead that he might justifie the faithful to the Inheritance of Heaven A Cause quite contrary to the Testaments of men wherin the Testator only dies to confirm his Testament and the Executor surviving performs it Therefore as Christ the principal Heir was fitted to receive his Inheritance ordained for him in that Testament whereof he was Executor So we that are Christ's Co-heirs must be fitted to receive the same Inheritance ordained for us in that Testament wherein we are Legataries Reas 2 Flesh and Blood 1 Cor. 15.5 Joh. â— 14 1 Cor. 15.45 Heb. 2.9 2. Because Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of heaven And CHRIST the Word was made Flesh but afterwards he was made Spirit For the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit And JESUS who was made a little lower than the Angels for or by they suffering of Death was crowned with glory and Honour And so Christ was made perfect For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons unto glory Heb. 2.10 to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through Sufferings And though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him And so Christians they are first Flesh For that which is
Heirs for ever 2. Arbitrary Pro libitu Domini so is Liberty Pro libitu sui ipsius A man is lord of himself 3. Unprofitable no Reward of slavery but pain all Profits redound to the Lord. Whatsoever Slaves acquire they accrue to their Lord because they themselves and their Wives and Children are their Lord's Goods and Possessions therefore whatsoever they get by their Labours is their Lord's for they have no Rights at all but are dead in Law to all intents and purposes But Liberty redounds to a Man 's own self Thus contrary things have contrary forms as Gluttony is a vice Temperance a vertue II. The second Reason is from the affinity which Liberty hath with Reas 2 Largeness A Prisoner when free is set at large Largeness being before confined to a narrow space Thou hast enlarged me when I was in trouble Psal 4.1 Thou hast set my feet in a large room When a man is free he may walk abroad at large whither he pleaseth Psal 18.19 otherwise he is confined to the Will of another The CONTENTS Soul TITLE IX Of the Seat of Liberty THE Seat of Liberty is the Spirit The Soul and her Faculties That of the Body is a counterfeit and bastard Liberty Soul this of the Soul is Liberty indeed David though a King wanted this liberty while he was under Murther and Adultery therefore he prays that God would bring his Soul out of Prison and stablish him with a free Spirit As Mammon is not the true Riches so the Liberty of the Body is not a true Liberty What greater bondage than that of the Mind when the Judgment is captivated to believe the Magisterial dictates of the Pope or perhaps an ignorant Confessor It is to be wondered that brave men otherwise Wise and of great Perfections should suffer themselves to be such slaves and fools as to be imposed upon in their Judgments and not suffered nor suffer themselves to use their own Reasons nor question any thing but do like fools all manner of absurd and intollerable Commands to the macerating and hurting of their Bodies by Whippings Pilgrimages Sackcloths and other Ridiculous fopperies Reas 1 1. The first Reason is from the Contrariety of slavery Slavery is in the Spirit therefore Liberty is in the Spirit Because things contrary reside in the same seat not concurrently but successively As because the Eye is the seat of Blindness therefore it is also the seat of Seeing The Ear is the seat of Deafness therefore of Hearing So because the Spirit is the seat of Slavery it must needs be the seat of Liberty Reas 2 2. The second Reason is from the Nature of the Spirir which is naturally Free GOD the Father of Spirits is supremely Free therefore Angels and spirits of Men must be free under him The Soul is not properly united to the Body but the Body to the Soul Death is a separation but the Body departs not from the Soul but the Soul from the Body There is no man hath power over the Spirit Eccles 8.8 to retain the Spirit neither hath he power in the day of death The CONTENTS Recess from Evil. Access to Good TITLE X. Of the Terms of Liberty THE Terms of Liberty are Good and Evil. Liberty is a loosness from Evil to Good held by no Evil and withheld from no Good I. Recess from Evil i. e. from the World the Flesh and the Devil Recess from Evil. which three are Evils Remission of sins is true Liberty from the bonds of Death Hell and Satan II. Access to Good Access to Good Good is the proper and principal object of Liberty the end and scope it aims at When we are hindred from no good but capable of all then are we free indeed As when all Egypt lay open to Joseph when all Canaan lay open to the Israelites When the Throne of Grace stands wide open for all that have need to fly thereunto for Grace sufficient to help them in the time of all their need The first is a Vulgar Liberty such as the Poor and Strangers have the second is a Royal Liberty for Children and free Denizens The Reason is from the affinity it hath with Repentance Reason Liberty is a preparative to Repentance Till the Soul be loose from Evil it cannot turn unto God As Repentance is a turning from sin to God so Liberty is a turning from Evil to Good As in Repentance the Right turning is from Evil to Good or else it is Apostacy so in Liberty the Right turning is from Evil to Good or else it is Licentiousness So loosness from the Law is slavery To be free from Righteousness is to be the Servant of sin The CONTENTS Loosness to proper End Loosness to proper Guide Loosness to proper Act. Loosness to proper Rule Loosness to proper State Loosness to proper Right TITLE XI Of the Cases of Liberty The Cases of Liberty Loosness to proper End I. A Loosness of Man to his proper End is Liberty The proper End of Man is Happiness Restraint from that makes slavery or true Misery When we are free from Worldly ends of Honour c. and clearly loose to heaven and heavenly things then are we free indeed As Bastardy bars from a temporal Inheritance As Infamy bars from temporal Honour so Liberty admits to Eternal Felicity As Capacity of Temporal Honours makes a Freeman so much more Capacity to Eternal Honours Loosness to proper Guide II. A Loosness of Man to his Proper Guide is Liberty A Man 's Proper Guide is a Right Spirit As a Restraint from that is slavery so a Loosness to that is Liberty All other Guides as Satan World Passions of flesh are Troublers rather than Leaders but when we are free from all these then are we free indeed Philo. 2 Cor. 3. pen. Revera liber est qui solum Deum sequitur He is free indeed that follows God only Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty Hence that great Question ☞ how Free-will can consist with God's Grace is easily decided for where God's Grace works upon the Will the more it works upon the Will to draw it and the more the Will conforms to God's Grace to follow it the more Free the Will is Grace then doth not destroy nor abolish Liberty but beget and nourish it for the more God's Grace doth loose the Will from evil and lead it on to good the more it frees the Will And as till then the Will is not free so then it is most free III. A Loosness of Man to his Proper Act is Liberty Loosness to proper Act. The Proper Act of Man is his Will And as a Restraint from that is Slavery so a Loosness to that is Liberty The Stoicks say Liber est qui vivit ut vult which thou may'st not construe as a School-boy but as a Christian He is free that can act his own Will i. e. after Resolution
the Jews only Ro. 3.29 30. is he not also of the Gentiles yes of the Gentiles also Seeing he is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and Uncircumcision through Faith There is one Body and one Spirit Eph. 4.4 5. even as ye are called in one Hope of your Calling One Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. God will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth For there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men even the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time Remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the Flesh who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision in the Flesh made by hands Eph. 2.11 c. That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the World But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the Blood of Christ for he is our Peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle Wall of Partition between us Having abolished in his flesh the Enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new Man so making Peace And that he might reconcile both unto God in one Body by the Cross having slain the Enmity thereby And came and preached Peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh for through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father Now therefore ye are no more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God And ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Corner-stone In whom all the Building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom you also are builded together Gal. 3.8 for an habitation of God through the Spirit And the Scripture fore-seeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed and all the Families which are parts that constitute the Nations shall be blessed in Abraham i. e. in Christ whose Seed he is so the Faithful are said to be accepted in Christ in whom God is well pleased and beloved in God Gal. 3.14 who is God's well-beloved That the Blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3.28 Neither Jew all are one in Christ Jesus 2. Reason All Nations Sinners Gal. 3.22 2. Because all Nations have sinned The Scripture hath concluded all under Sin that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe For before Faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed For as ye in times past have not believed God yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief Even so have these also now not believed that through your mercy they also might obtain mercy Ro. 11.30 c. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all 3. Reason Jews and Gentiles made one 3. Because Christ also is a Mediator between men and men i. e. between Jew and Gentile who are now united and made all one To worship one God in all places after one manner in Spirit and in Truth All are united by Christ into one among themselves and all unto God with whom they are one in Communion and God with them by the Spirit the unity whereof they keep together in one Body in the Bond of Peace Christ a Soveraign Mediator Heb. 9.15 But Christ is most eminently the Soveraign Mediator of the New Testament because he hath made it and sealed it with his Blood Testament includes a Covenant And here the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie a Testament and not a Covenant though elsewhere it may denote a Covenant For to speak accurately Testament and Covenant differ but alternly as Genus and Species For every Testament though it have no express Conditions for the Heir or Legataries to perform yet tacitly it implies a Covenant which is the consent of the Heir to receive the Inheritance And though the Heir doth not covenant with the Testator at the making of the Testament because that may be done altogether without his knowledg which is necessarily required in him that covenanteth Yet he covenants at the validity of the Testament for when the Covenant takes effect by his acceptance of and entring upon the Inheritance animo voluntate with mind and will then though before he were free he covenants or leagues to be his Heir and further to perform the Will of the Testator in what he hath required him to do So that every Testament at least when it is consummate and valid is a kind of Covenant And the best of Covenants 1. Because the Testator covenanteth with him whom he most of all loveth even so as to give and leave all to him and his own life that he may enjoy all that he hath given him 2. Because it is more solemnly testified than any other Covenant 3. Because it is most pretiously confirmed by the death of him that made it who establisheth his own Deed by his own Death 4. Because it proceeds with the greatest freedom in leaving the Heir to his Liberty whether he will accept of the Inheritance or no. Christ's Mediatorship consisted chiefly in these Acts. Wherein Christ's Mediatorship consists 1. In declaring and publishing the New Testament 2. In dying to confirm it 3. Interpreting electing and judging cum favore at the last day who are by right of Faith to receive the Inheritance and rejecting or reprobating those that have none 4. In putting the Elect into the full Possession of the Inheritance and condemning the Reprobate to have their Portion with the Devil and his Angels But how can Christ confirm that Testament by his Death who is but the Mediator or Heir and not the Testator himself Ob. I answer the solemn Act of any Person that hath right to make a Will Sol. testified by witnesses and confirmed by his Death is properly a Testament and he is the Testator of it amongst men For by the Civil Law Testament and Testator do commonly concur in one and the same Person yet not necessarily but accidentally Mediator and Testator how concurring For when a witness shall testifie upon his Death the verity and certainty of another man's Will and Testament such an one though he be not the Author yet he may be called the Testator to that Testament And by his Mediation to insinuate and