this way though he will not have the soul to be in a saving state here yet saith there are three benefits such a soul hath He saith in that 118. page he saith first They that are thus made receivers of Christ are called out of the world to come out of that Heathenish state wherein men live as without Christ and without God in the world Truly this is a great benefit and surely whosoever is truly called out of the world is in a saving state to be called out of the worlds prophaneness hypocrisie will-worship formality called out of the worlds way in going about to establish their own righteousness and living to themselves and their lusts I think a soul that is thus called out of the world is in a happy condition whatsoever this Author saith for being by Christ called out of the world he shall not be condemned with the world and I am sure Christ John 15.19 makes a mans being of the world to be a natural man and his being not of the world to be a state of true Saintship such as the Disciples themselves had and so if we consider what it is to live without Christ to wit to live without the righteousness the spirit the grace the faith of Christ we may well say that a man that Christ hath truly called out of a state of living thus without him is in a saving state for it must needs follow that he being called out of a state of living with Christ he must needs now have Christ his righteousness his spirit his grace But the Author will grant us that a man may have Christ his righteousness and spirit and yet not be in a saving state For in the same 118. page he cometh to shew a second benefit which those receive from Christ that receive him in the first Covenant he saith Christ is made unto such righteousness in a way of justification and they are made the righteousness of God in him and that he affords such the benefit of his legal righteousness so that the Law hath nothing to say against such and page 119. he saith this justification the world hath in common with true Believers I think this opinion may call this Author father for I think he is the first that ever affirmed I mean one that went for a Christian that to be made the righteousness of God in Christ was not a saving state and truly we may say in this case as he said if I am bereaved I am bereaved if to be made the righteousness of God in Christ doth not save us eternally then we are bereaved indeed and are of all men most miserable and the generation of Gods children the most deceived that ever any were in the world but this Author must not think to carry it thus let us search the Scriptures Philip. 3.5.9 Paul counted all things but dross that he might win Christ and be found in him not having on him his own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith and doth any man think that this was not a saving state and 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And is not this a certain and unfailing way to bring us to eternal life to be made the righteousness of God in him the Lord our righteousness hath God appointed any other way to justifie sinners and bring them to eternal life and glory then by being made the righteousness of God in him when God out of his rich grace maketh a poor sinner accepted in the beloved righteous in the righteousness of Christ what should hinder his salvation for ever who should lay any thing to such a souls charge to condemn him when God justifies him through Christs righteousness and the Author here confesses that the Law hath nothing to say against such when a soul can truly say by faith as Isaiah 45.24 Though I have sinned and come short of the glory of God yet Christ Jesus was made sin for me that I might be made the righteousness of God in him and surely in him have I righteousnesse life and strength that soul is in a saving state and shall never come into condemnation but is passed from death to life let all the devils in hell say what they will to the contrary and though these places that I have already named be sufficient to prove that which I am about yet I shall name another that is as full as we can desire Rom. 5.17 For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they that receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reigne in life by one Jesus Christ Let us mind this blessed Scripture so full of marrow and fatness to feed our soules If saith the Apostle by one mans offence death reigned by one that is if by the one man Adams offence or his one offence of eating the forbidden fruit death reigned thereby that is we were all brought to death and condemnation that his disobedience being imputed to us we were brought to such misery and condemnation much more they that receive abundance of grace the grace of God which bringeth salvation and of the gift of righteousness that is Christs righteousness to have that imputed to them they shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ that is as certainly as death and condemnation came upon us by Adams disobedience so certainly shall we have salvation and reign in life and glory for ever receiving the gift of Christs righteousness the second Adam and this is more explained in the 21. verse of that Chapter That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign thorough righteousness unto eternal life thorough Jesus Christ our Lord which plainly affirms this that as Adams sin brings eternal death and condemnation so the righteousnesse of Christ brings eternal life and salvation Let us see whether he be not as much mistaken in the third benefit by Christ that men may have and yet not be in a saving state Page 119. he saith The third benefit inseparably accompanying this kind of Christs giving himself by the first Covenant is that which we call sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 consisting in a real and actual change of the heart which lyeth in our conformity to Christs legal righteousness That place 1 Cor. 1.30 saith Christ is made of God unto us sanctification and redemption unto us that is unto us that truly believe in him but he doth not say that he is made so to others what doth he mean by this real and actual change of the heart doth he mean that which is called a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36.26 if so he is out for that onely God giveth to those that are eternally saved and truly methinks that men instead of disputing that the natural man may be sanctified so as
only Jewes by nature but sinners of the Gentiles this mystery of salvation by Christ Jesus from the beginning of the world hath lain hid in God that though something of it was discovered to Adam Abraham Moses and the Prophets yet as v. 3.4 5. the mystery of Christ in other ages was not made knowne to the sons of men that is so fully and plainly as it is now revealed to the holy Apostles and Prophets by the spirit and so Colos 1.26.27 It s said this mystery hath been hid from ages and generations but now is made manifest to the Saints to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery that among the Gentiles Christ was Preached and believed to he the hope of glory so that this place is not meant of Christs being in the higher image the image of God in originall and substance as the Author would have it and for the other words that God created all things by Jesus Christ if we understand those words according to the 1 John that all things were made by the word so that without him was not any thing made that was made it will not make in the least for the Authors second image but this place I take rather to be meant of the new creation spoken of 2 Cor. 5.17 Eph. 2.24 that he saveth all his people Jewes or Gentiles and maketh them new creatures by Jesus but take it which way we will it is true that God created all things by Jesus Christ but I say I take it rather to be of the Spirituall creating and so saith the Apostle Paul Eph. 2.10 we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good workes which God before ordained that we should walke in them Page 89. He saith that the death of Christ must not be confined to his offering up in the daies of his flesh but what he did then in a visible manner in mans nature he did from all eternity in an invisible manner in his Heavenly and mysticall state That place Heb. 9.27.28 will be against the Author do what he can for it tells us Christ was once offered that is but once he speakes exclusively and see Hebr. 7.27 that he did it at once and so Heb. 9.12 and saith v. 25. that Christ doth not offer himselfe often as the High-Priests of the law that offered often entring into the holy place every yeare with the blood of others and Heb. 10.10.11.12 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all that is to offer himselfe but once as a secrifice for our sins not like the High-Priests that stood daily Ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifice but this man after he had offered up one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God and v. 14. for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified I know not how the holy Ghost could more plainly confute this Author then in these words I have set downe out of that Epistle doth this Author thinke that Christ from eternity was wounded for our transgressions was crucified and put to death in the flesh and his soule made an offering for sin was bruised and put to greife by Gods eternal decree and purpose he was thus to suffer for our sins in the body prepared him in the volume of Gods booke it was written of him that he should come thus to do the will of God in suffering for our sins the just for the unjust and in the daies of his flesh did suffer nothing but what God had appointed and afore determined but Christ never died and suffered for our sins untill he was made flesh and dwelt among us but I know what this Author means by Christs death that is to say his being broken and crucified to the lower image to goe up into the higher the image of God in originall and substance and thinketh this was from eternity and that we shall examine in its proper place The next thing we shall consider is what the Author saith Page 77. That they proclaime their short-sightedness into Christs fullness and rich grace I wonder who of us are not short-fighted herein as knowing but in part and seeing as thorough a glasse darkly 1 Cor. 13. That looke upon the Lord Jesus as an accidentall provision onely that God had in reserve in case of the entrance and coming in of sin and saith there was no other way whereby the creature could obtaine a sure safe incorruptible and immorall life but by faith in Jesus Christ who was from the begining the right object of faith to Angells and men if they would have received him on the seventh day before the coming in of sin This Author doth not very fairely lay downe the judgment of others in this business for they from whom he differeth in this matter doe hold that God from all eternity did purpose to save the elect by Christ and that fall of man did not make any change in God that he should do any thing upon it which he had not determined and purposed from al eternity to do which counsel of his stood firme and constant and the fall of man gives accasion to the Lord to shew what he eternally intended which was to mignifie his rich and free grace in saving his elect in such a wonderfull way of justice and mercy as by sending his onely begotten Son that we might live thorough him laying our iniquities upon him that by his stripes we might be healed but yet he that thus eternally intended to make Christs soule an offering for sin decreed the fall of Adam and to glorifie the riches of his mercy another way that considering Gods decree and eternall counsell it was impossible but Adam should fal and so it is a vain and frivolous question whether Christ should not have come if he had not fallen Servetus that we spoke of before O stander were of this opinion with this Author that Christ should have been incarnate whether Adam had fallen or no such entertainement unthankful men give to the glad tidings of the gospel that Christ came into the world to save siuners that instead of admiring the great inestimable love of God herein and coming to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant that they might have life dore about questions that instead I say of thankfulness for this great salvation and looking up to Christ this brazen serpent that they may be healed fall a disputing that this brazen serpent should have beene set up whether men had beene stung with the fiery serpents or no but instead of their speculation herein let us say with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.15 this is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the world to save sinners which we had never been if we had not fallen for God made man righteous and Gal. 4.4.5 God sent his son made of a
in his death and sufferings that he partakes of the benefit of that bloody sacrifice such a fellowship and share he hath in Christs sufferings that what Christ did in suffering for his sins is imputed to him by an act of the free arace of the Pather as if he himselfe had done it Again the believer is called into fellowship with Jesus in persecution that he suffers with him is despised with him and thus as the Apostle saith As Christ was so are we in this present World without form or comeliness of no reputation in the worlds account Sometimes Regeneration is set out by a planting into the likeness of Christs death Rom. 6.5 10 11. Christ in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God and we are planted into the likenesse of his death when as v. 11. we likewise are dead indeed unto sin and live unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord that as it follows v. 12. sin doth not reign in our mortal bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof Again sometimes Regeneration is set out by putting on the Lord Jâ—sus Christ as Rom. 13.14 Then it shewes how the true believer puts on the rigteousnesse of the Lord Jesus is willing to be uncloathed of the menstruous rags of his own righteousnesse that he may be cloathed upon with the righteousnesse of Christ Sometimes also it is set out in Scripture by comming unto Christ and taking his yoke upon us as Matth. 11. ult to shew us how the true believer is submitted and given up to Christ is his servant is under his voke under his rule and government is willing to be ruled and governed and commanded by Christ whose commandements are not grievous Sometimes Regeneration is set out by fleeing for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before as in the Gospel so Heb. 6.18 to shew us that the true believer seeth his lost estate without Christ and fleeth unto Christ as a City of refuge from the Avenger of blood and whereas there is mercy and life and pardon and righteousnesse tendred to sinners in the Gospel and open proclamation that whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely and sorgivenesse of sins grace and glory is preached in Christs name this soule hath laid hold upon this hope set before him accepted of this grace accepted of these terms of mercy and peaee and so layes down armes against Christ True Regeneration is a difficult thing and therefore there is great need of the Seal of the Spirit to satisfie us about the work of grace upon our hearts for there is a counterfeit faith and a counterfeit repentance there is both an acquired faith and an infused faith there is a believing that is only a work of a mans understanding and not the work of the Spirit Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth to righteousnesse It is not enough to assent with the understanding it s a marvellous difficult thing to find out the difference between that faith that is of a mans own making upon conviction and illumination and that faith that is wrought by the spirit of God by way of creation and infusion and therefore thousands in the world are everlastingly cheated and cousened in this matter But when a man comes to be outed of himself of self-righteousnesse and self-strength and self-wisedome and close with Christ in a word of grace in a free promise that is the work To rest in legal conviction to rest upon duties and qualifications to rest in amendment of life to rest in Notions and head-knowledge of Christ and free grace these are false rests but for the soul to be nothing and utterly lost in himselfe and to apply the blood and righteousness of Christ is a safe and saving state for this is the will of the Father that sent him That whosoever seeth the Son and believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life CHAP. V. Treats of Justification and shews that whosoever is justified by Christs blood and made the righteousnesse of God in him is in a sasing state and shall never come into condemation THe Doctrine of Justification was well called by Luther the Doctrine of the standing or falling of the Church of God this Doctrine so necessary so precious hath this Author miserably mistaken Page 118. He tels us that men in his first image who are not yet in a sasing state have Christ for their righteousnesse in a way of Justification and page 119. tells us this Righteousnesse and Justification the world hath in common with true Believers This Doctrine of his is most dangerous and is most highly dishonourable unto Christ making the blood of the Covenant a common and vain thing that men may be made the righteousnesse of God in Christ and yet not be in a saving state which this Author doth in so many words affirm in that page before mentioned therefore let us treat a little of this blessed doctrine of Justification Justification is to be considered either as an immanent or a transient act in God in the first consideration it is a gracious purpose in God from all eternity not to deal with the Elect according to their sins but to absolve them and forgive them all their trespasses Justification considered as a transient act is Gods justifying and absolving the poor sinner in his own conscience and actually imputing Christs righteousnesse to him when he believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly none but those that are eternally saâ—ed are thus justified for men are not justified and unjustified again as this Author fancies Christ hath taken away the curse of the law from them Gal. 3.13 Now as 1 Cor. 15.46 The strength of sin is the Law the strength and power that sin hath to cast any man into hell is from the Law that the Law is broken and the Law is not satisfied but now Christ having for any man taken away the curse of the Law sinne hath no power to condemn that man it hath no strength and power to doe it for it hath its power from the Law and Christ hath satisfied that and is become the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 Who can lay any thing to the charge of those that are thus justified by Christ the Law cannot for Christ hath satisfied the Law and paid it the uttermost farthing yea God through the righteousnesse of Christ is a just God in being a Saviour of them that believe in Christ Christ the surety of the better Testament having paid the debt God is just in being the justifier of him that in Jesus Rom. 3.26 Just to deliver them from going down to the pit for whom Christ hath paid a ransome And so Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the blood of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life by hum living and reigning in
the life of our spirits and therefore blame me not if I sometime speak plain English it s not against his person but against his doctrine The Lord make known his truth more perfectly and establish us in it and grant that all our poor labours may tend to the advancement of it and that we may neither speak nor write nor do any thing against the truth but all for the truth Tetuey the 29th of he Month commonly called March 1656. So prayes the Lords most unprofitable servant MARTIN FINCH CHAP. I. Concerning the first Adam the cause of his Fall and of the Angells the cause of their Fall GOD made man righteous created him in his owne image in respect of certaine divine excellencies and qualities he bestowed upon him placed him in the garden of Eden was pleased to forbid him the eating of the tree of knowledge nor to touch it lest he dye this state of happiness that Adam was in was mutable and uncertain because upon his disobedience he forfeites all his priviledges annexed to his state and God never resolved by his mighty power and over-ruling Spirit to keepe him from disobedience so that he stood a very little while in innocency but by disobeying God in eating of the forbidden fruit fell from his first purity and holyness of minde and openeth a wide doore for sin to enter into the world and death by sin this sin of A-Adam had many aggravations as he said to Naaman the Assirian if the Prophet had bad thee do som great thing wouldest thou not have don it how much more now he bids thee but wash and be clean so Adam if thy Creator that made thee so noble and excellent had required harder service then ever he required of thee wouldest thou or shouldest thou have done it and if he had forbidden thee al the trees of the garden but one shouldest thou not have obeyed him in it how much more when he forbiddeth thee but one tree among so many wouldest thou not forbeare it I might shew if there were need how this sin of Adam was spiritual Idolatry Adultery and ingratitude towards that God that had done so much for him having said this by the way let us examine what this Author saith of Adams state before the fall and how he fell Page 67. He saith that God did not give Adam sufficient grace and strength to doe what he required and commanded but it was Adams weakness to thinke so But I answer then his fall waâ— necessary whether he would or no even like our case that have cause to complaine with Paul Rom. 7. the evill which we would not do that we do for want of strength to resist the motions of sin and temptations to it though it be quite against our will and the desire of our hearts as to the inward man according to which we delight in the Law of God and would noe way offend him but this would lessen the sin of Adam in disobeying Gods commands if he had not power and ability given him by God to do what God required of him this impotency which we are sensible of came by the fall and was not before he and we in him lost that divine excellency and strength which God had bestowed upon him Page 70. He saith that the frame of Spirit and minde that God had in his eye to bring upon Angells and men stands in direct opposition and crosse constitution to what the Angells and Adam had at first Unlesse the Author meanes here that mens having life in the way of their own righteousness their having life by Christ and his righteousnesse stand thus in direct opposition I know not how what he saith is true and if he should mean so he should not have put Angels and men together for the Scripture tells us of no Angels that are justified by Christ blood and made the righteousness of God in him but I thinke this is not his meaning because he doth not say that the way of geting life in one state and another were so differing but he saith the frame of Spirit and minde in the one and the other stand in direct opposition I know the believer in Christs grace is in some things differing from Adams as in closing with Christ by acts of faith and seeing such sinfulness and unworthiness in himselfe which Adams state did not admit of yet neither is this the meaning of the Anthor neither is there such a direct opposition and crosse constitution here such a frame of Spirit is as suitable to the believers state as Adams was to his but surely he meanes that the higher Image which he supposes is the unvailed glory of the Father and this lower image in which Angells and man were made at first stands in direct opposition and crosse constitution now the Author makes the unvailed and original glory to be the witness of the first person in the Trinity and the state of the Angels and of the first Adam to be the witness of the second person in the Trinity and do these stand in such direct opposition and crosse constitution surely the operations of the blessed Trinity stands in the most compleat and perfect harmony that this direct opposition is not in the operations of the persons of the blessed Trinity but in our either mistaken or imperfect knowledge of them Concerning Adams state he saith further Page 54. That on the Seventh day there was to be ministred to him a far higher and more exalted capacity of minde for the enabling him unto an everlasting happy and compleat communion with God The Scripture saith nothing of this that we must reject it as being but mans conceit Adam was already in such a state as he might have enjoyed such happy communion with God as God thought fit to communicate to him while he obeyed him and did his will in what herequired of him such communion as was a high glorious priviledg the Scripture saith not a word of any higher state that God offered himâ— but there is one Scripture that the Author quotes for this 1 Cor. 15.44 45 46 47 48 49. he makes corruptible and mortall to be meant as the state wherein the first Adam was made incorruptible and immortality to be meant of the higher Image which Adam was offered and refused which he calls Christ in the Spirit and Christ in his Heavenly appearances Now that Scripture speakes of the resurrection that we shall be made alive and the corruptible shall put on incorruptability and the mortall immortality yea the the very wicked shall never goe out of being which would be a priviledge and mercy to them but body and soule kept up in being to beare the vengeance oâ— eternall fire and wrath for ever and so the Apostle goeth on to shew the difference betweene our bodies here and in Heaven how Spiritual they shall be there our vile bodies changed into the likeness of Christs glorious bodie as they are now in
mysteries in the 13. Chapter of the first booke of his Institutions saith Quos oblectat speculandio intemperies minime placandos suscipio he would not goe about to please those who delight in speculations so as not to be wise to sobriety no more shal I after this short digression let us examine his doctrine concerning Christ Page 2. He maketh Christ to be the similitude of God that is Immanent and eternally abiding in himselfe and as so is unexposed to any creature discerning and page 3. saith in this communion is one with God and is God this is that which up and downe his booke he calls the higher Image the glory of the Father and the like and yet he saith Page 2. and elsewhere that Christ thus considered is not to be taken for the second person of the Trinity but for the witness that is borne by all three Now promising this that it hath beene the way of those that have broached false doctrine in all ages to hide and cloud their opinions with subtil distinctions I ask first how Christ is God but as he is the second person in the Trinity for he makes him God in this state and yet he saith doth not here consider him as the second person in the Trinity Secondly I ask how any witness of the Trinity is God it is somthing from God but is not God for then we shall make so many Gods as there are witnesses to use the Authors words from the Trinity one Michael Servetus was hammering out such notions about Christ But now our Author makes this higher Image Page 12. to be the personal appearance which all the three persons in the Trinity make in Christ and if so he must make Christ none of the three pervons in the Trinity but only with Servetus som appearance Image and Idea from the Trinity but to what purpose should I follow the Author in these his deepe speculations it suffices us to know that our blessed Redeemer is the fellow of the Lord of hosts God equal with the Father though he was found in fashion as a man and humbled himselfe unto death even the death of the Crosse Page 2. He saith Christ in a second sense is the Image of God that proceeds out of his mouth to tabernacle with the creature in a temporary ministration and he saith Page 4. that this is the witness of the second person of the Trinity Before he had made Christ in that first Image the personal appearance witness of the three persons of the Trinity and now tells us of a second Image wherein Christ is and is the witness but of one of the persons of the Trinity but we take Christ to be the second person in the Trinity and not only some witness from him and image that he exhibits to the creature and the Author makes this the state wherein the world have union and communion with Christ which state he by the operation of the third person in in the Trinity was perswaded to offer up and exchange for the higher Image and yet faith he was in the higher Image first such divers and strange doctrine we meet with in that hooke if he was first in the higher Image how could he offer up the lower Image to get into it The Author quotes for these three Images and witnesses of the Trinity the 1 John 5.7 There are three that beare record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one But I hope that place doth not say it was the witness of the Father to bring forth Christ in one Image and the witness of the word to bring forth Christ into another Image and the holy Ghosts witness to bring him into another but if we mind the eleventh verse of that Chapter we shall see what the record or witness is This is the record that God hath given to us eternall life and this life is in his Son that God hath chosen and appointed Christ and none other to be the Prince and the Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sinnes neither is there life and salvation in any other and therefore the Apostle v. 10. chargeeth those that believe not this record of God concerning Christ that in him is righteousness and life and will not come to him that they may have life and be saved through him I say he there chargeth such with making God a Lyar by not believing the truth of the Record that the blessed Trinity beare in this behalf and so page 4. he quotes Rev. 1.8 he saith that Christ is there called he that is by way of distinction from himselfe considered as he that was in the witness of the Father and he that is to come in the witness of the holy Ghost This Scripture surely is not a little wrested for the foregoing verse speaketh of Christs second coming behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and I am Alpha and Omega which shewes the eternity of the Son of God which is which was which is to come the Almighty which is now set downe at the right hand of the Majestie on high which was found in fashion as a man and put to death in the flesh is to come the second time without sin to salvation the same Lord Jesus that after he had purged our sins by the sacrifice of himselfe was taken up to Heaven is to come againe Act. 1.11 Jude 14.15 So that this Scripture will no way serve his purpose nor beare his exposition besides his exposition will be very inconsistent with his owne judgment for he thinks Christ is now in the higher Image brought into it by the third person in the Trinity but if by Christ to come should be meant that Image and state Christ should not be yet in it but it were a thing yet to do Let us see whether a third Scripture which he quotes in many places will favour his judgement and that is Eph. 3.9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the world lay hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ This place he supposeth holds forth the first and second Image in which the Trinity brought forth Christ let us therefore consider what is meant by this Mystery which from the beginning of the world lay hid in God and how God created all things in Jesus Christ The Apostle is there treating of the Gentiles being partakers of the promise in Christ by the Gospel and of his being imployed of God to preach among them that unsearchable riches of Christs love righteousness and grace and so to make more evident and plain what is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellowship or dispensation of the Mystery which from the begining of the world lay hid in God which was that he would by Jesus Christ the seed of the woman break the serpents head and save his Elect among which there were not
Christ and lose it the notionall and historicall faith and beliefe of the Gospel may be lost and men may sin away such inlightnings and convictions of the spirit but such faith as truly receives Christ into the heart and unites us unto him in the greatest stormes will not be shipwrackt and that man having this faith and hope in Christ hath an Anchor for his soule both sure and stedfast Heb. 6. ult this faith swims in the sea of Christs blood in the Ocean of free grace where it cannot suffer shipwrack Page 221. 222. He saith concerning Abrahams calling that his first remove was out of the state of degenerate nature and his heathenish life into circumcision or experience of that commumon with God which is by the first Covenant which he made use of but as an Iun in his passage to the higher state If the Author had consulted with the fourth Rom. he would have bloted out this passage for in that Chap. the Apostle haveing spoken of justification Gods imputing righteousness without workes and remembering their sins no more he telleth us in the 9.10.11.12 verses that before ever Abraham received the signe of circumcision he was thus justified and therefore had true saving faith He received circumcision a seâ—l of the righteousness of faith which he had being yet uncircumcised that he might be the father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed to them also and the Author is mistaken to think that circumcision was a seale of the Covenant of workes for it was a seale of the righteousness of the new covenant which Abraham had believed in before Page 318. He saith these under the first image wherein yet there is not eternall life are planted into Christ as branches in the vine and good olive tree and so rendred righteous in the righteousness of their head and root That place John 15.1 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit is taken away the learned very well and according to the originall read thus Every branch that beareth not fruit in me is taken away and so the meaning is that though men beare never so much fruit by their husband the law yet all these children are but bastards unlesse they be married to Christ the true husband and though such may go for true saints yet they are not and doth not at all hold forth that any man may be truly in Christ and yet not be in a saving state which will be more evident if we compare this place with Rom. 8.1 where the Apostle saith That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus to them that are truly in Christ planted into him to such there is no condemnation but they are passed from death to life and this Author confesses that these men are rendred righteous in the righteousness of Christ their head and root and if so what hinders their eternall salvation will not Christs righteousness justifie them and save them for ever we are content to leave it upon that issue and venture our soules upon that score that if our being rendred righteous in the righteousness of Christ our head and root will not bring us to Heaven we are willing to miscarry for ever but we know assuredly that his righteousnesse will justifie us for ever and save us to the utmost that come to God by him In that Page 318. He saith these go about to establish their owne righteousness not submiting to the righteousness of God But hath not the Author often said that these men in the first image seek acceptance with God onely by the righteousness of Christ and in this same page saith they are rendred righteous in the righteousness of Christ their head and if so how do they go about to establish their owne righteousness but the mystery lieth in the Authors understanding of the righteousness of God distinguishing betweene the righteousness of Christ and the righteousness of God but it s the righteousness of Christ that the Scripture calls the righteousness of God and we have shewed before why the righteousness of Christ is called the righteousness of God not as if the righteousness of Christ by which we are justified was the eternall righteousness of the Godhead as Osiander dreamed which is not communicable unto us but whatsoever the Author saith here of men in the first image that they will not submit to the righteousness of God yet page 118. he saith they are made the righteousness of God in Christ Page 320. He saith these are begotten againe into Gods own likness wherein man was created at first and have the visible characters thereof shining forth in it not written with inke and on tables of stone but with the spirit of the liveing God and on the fleshly tables of the heart shewing it selfe a right change and a reall heart work above and beyond all that is accounted civility and morality and above all notion and spirituality that is but head work and fancy and the tempter perswades them to rest here and praise and blesse Gods word and makes them say its good for us to be here especially if we be upon the Mount and brought hither by Christ himself It being supposed what the Author confesses that these look for acceptance with God onely in the beloved this is a blessed state and all they that are brought into it are taught of God and not by the devill as the Author imagines to blesse Gods word and be thankfull for this rich grace and say its good for us to be here whither should we go we are with him that hath alone the words of eternal life we are with him that justifies us sanctifies us stays us with flaggons comforts us with apples quickens us influences us with his spirit kisses us with the kisses of his mouth whose love is better then wine guides us by his counsell and afterwards brings us to his glory surely we may blesse the word of the Lord and magnifie his grace and say its good to be here and blesse the Lord that he brought us to this blessed state and for sanctification who are partakers of it as the Author here describes it but the true believers its they onely that put on the new man which after the image of God is created in righteousnesse and true holiness 〈…〉 3.3 rejoyced in such as the Epistle of Christ whose hearts were so written on by the spirit of the living God and Hebr. 8.10 it s made a speciall blessing of the new Covenant of grace I will put my lawes into their minde and write them in their hearts such have God to be their God in Covenant for ever and they his people for ever and though the heart of a naturall man may in some sort be swept and garnished yet not thus written on by the spirit of God as the Author saith Page 325. He saith That these in the first image have their consciences purged from dead
Heaven where be maketh intercession for them whom he died for And though this Author thinketh that a man may be made the righteousnesse of God in him and not be saved yet surely Paul was of another mind when he counted all things but losse and dung that he might win Christ and be found in his righteousnesse and it s the first time I think that ever any man maintained this Doctrine that men men might be made the righteousnesse of God in Christ and yet not be in a saving state but what saith the Scripture Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus though there be enough in them that deserveth condemnation and wrath for ever yet there is no condemnation nor never shall be to such because Christ is Jehosah their righteousnesse his righteousnesse covereth all their sins for they are found in him and not in themselves but this Author fancies a conditional justification but God justifies none but those whom he justifieth freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation for our sins through faith in his blood and so the Author maketh the offering up the first image for the second thâ— condition of the continuance of justification and Christs righteousnesse and this second image he often calls faith and no man hath this righteousnesse and justification in his own person untill he doth truly believe The death of Christ hath both satisfaction and merit in it not only satisfaction to satisfie for all our sins to pay our debt and quit our score with God but merit to procure both grace and glory and so consequently the blood and righteousnesse of Christ sets us in another kind of state then Adam had in innocency And because this Author all along his discourse is telling us that our reparation and salvation by Christs legal righteousnesse is no more lasting then Adams state mistaking the nature of Christs obedience whereby we are made righteous and not considering Christs death to be both satisfactory and meritorious and the like I shall endeavour briefly to shew the grounds upon which the Believers estate by Christ is immutable that he can never come into condemnation which Adam state was not 1. Negatively and 2. Positively 1. Negatively not in regard of any strength that the believer hath which Adam had not I mean the believer in himself but as the believer is strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salâ—ation for the believer in himselfe is weak and 〈…〉 that is in his flesh dwelleth no good thing and as thus considered its impossible but he should fall having in him another law that when he would doe good evil is present with him as it is at large described Rom. 7. But 2ly Positively Let us consider upon what grounds the believer in Christs state is immutable that he can never come into condemnation and there are several reasons for it 1. That because the new Covenant according to which God deals with the believer is a covenant of grace Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed but thus was not Adams state it was not by faith and of grace and was not therefore sure but he stood upon his own legs upon his own righteousnesse he was not justified and accounted righteous freely by grace and therfore his state was not sure but as soon as he sins he dyes and this is excellently set forth 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Adam stood upon his own works and obedience we stand upon Gods purpose and grace in Christ Jesus and so Titus 3 5. Not by works of righteousnesse which we ha e done but by his mercy he hath saved us Adam stood upon the works of righteousnesse which he was commanded to doe we are saved by the free grace of God and mercy in Christ Jesus which mercy of the Lord endureth for ever Adams obedience was uncertain Christs obedience by which we are made righteous is certain his righteousnesse is everlasting the covenant of grace is everlasting and the gifts of God therein are without repentance Isa 55.3 The second reason is taken from the merit of Christs death and perfection of his righteousnesse it is the righteousnesse of him that is God and man which Adams was not however this Author undervalues it as if it will not justifie us for ever yet to those who believe it is precious by a compact and covenant between the Father and Christ it is decreed that by Christs obedience to death even the death of the crosse we should be made righteous and saved with an everlasting salvation and what is this Author that he should gainsay it and say men may be damned for all their being made the righteousnesse of God in Christ but the Apostle saith Heb. 10.14 That Christ by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And this Author saith that men in the first image when yet they are not in a saving state are both justified and truly sanctified but I would wish this Author to be more wise and wary then to clash thus with the Scriptures But let us believe the holy Scriptures which telleth us that Christ hath obtained eternal redemption for us Heb. 9.12 and he hath obtained redemption for none but it is an eternal redemption and so Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost all them that come to God by him and this Author saith men in the first image do come unto God by him and yet they are not in a saving state but Christ saveth such to the uttermost that is perpetually and perfectly fully and for ever and so Christ said upon the crosse when he had borne our sins in his own body upon the tree It is finisht the thing is done The third Reason is taken from the immutability of Gods counsel mentioned Heb. 6.17 18. God that cannot lye hath promised and sworn to keep them for ever that are found in Christs righteousnesse And if this will not fatisfie this Author yet we desire to be perswaded that he that hath thus promised and sworn by himselfe will perform the thing to us and so we have strong consolation who have fled for refuge from the curse of the Law to the hope that is set before us of being delivered from the wrath to come by being made the righteousnesse of God in Christ and doe assuredly believe that by this righteousnesse of Christ we shall be found of him in peace faultlesse before the throne of his glory Lastly Those that are made the righteousnesse of God in Christ are kept by the mighty power of
justification and his having died thus for our sins is as if we had all died the Law fully satisfied To explain a little what Christ according to this blessed Covenant of grace hath done for us in his death and sufferings for our sins 1. He hath taken away the curse of the Law by being thus made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 that the law cannot curse us or condemn us for ever he hath borne the curse of the Law for us that the Law hath lost its sting in Christ it inflicted its curse upon Christ he by the will of God and his own will spontaneously yeilded to it so that now the Law can lay nothing to the charge of the believer because Christ hath payed all thus as Psa 89.19 God laid help upon one that was mighty we could not pay the debt we could not satisfie justice but the Lord hath found out one that was able and willing to do it that was able to bear the curse of the Law and be more then a conquer or if that the Lord Christ hath not satisfied the Law to the full let the Law lay it to his charge then indeed we had not a perfect righteousness and remission of sins but help was laid upon one that was mighty that upon the Crosse said it was finisht all was pay'd all the curse borne all the wrath suffered 2. He purged away our sins by this sacrifice of himself Heb. 1.3 there was a commutation of persons he was made sin for us who himself knew no sin 2 Cor. 5. ult the sins that we had committed he according to the Covenant between him and the father is willing to bear and God laies all our iniquities upon Christ Isa 53. he hath all our sins charged upon him and he purgeth them all away by bearing the punishment of them which makes full satisfaction for them all the Law is satisfied either by our performance of what is required or hearing the punishment for not performing Christ he freely suffers for our sins bears the punishment the just for the unjust and so God accepting of his suffering in our stead according to the agreement between the father and Christ in that behalf we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace and if this Author will call this but a legal righteousness of Christs and will seek another to be justified by and have remission of sins let him we know that thus our sins are purged away for ever and we can never come into condemnation but are delivered from going down to the pit because Christ hath thus pay'd our ransome the God of all grace according to the Covenant of grace between him and Christ having thus set forth Christ to be a propitiation for our sins through faith in his blood and thus we are justified freely by his grace and all our sins purged away through this redemption which is in Jesus Christ as Rom. 3. and no man is justified through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ but he is justified freely by grace not upon the tenour of the Covenant of works as this Author imagines but upon the tenour of the Covenant of grace 3. Christ thus dying for us and in our stead hath obtained an eternal redemption for us Heb. 9.12 not a temporary redemption and upon the terms of the Covenant of works as this Author supposes Christ tells us John 16.10 that his spirit shall discover unto us that there is perfect and everlasting righteousnesse in him because he goeth to the father and we see him no more he having undert aken to expiate and purge away our sins for ever If he had not fully and perfectly done it the father might have sent him to die again but that maketh it evident that he had pay'd the utmost farthing in that he goeth to the father and we see him no more but there he sitteth down at the right hand of God Thus our redemption in Christ is an eternal redemption never to come into prison again an everlasting peace he hath made between God and us by the blood of his Crosse his righteousnesse and comelinesse he puts upon us which presents us to the father without spot or wrinkle or any such thing for ever 4. Christs death is not only satisfactory but meritorious so that faith and saving grace is Christs purchase also both grace and glory we are blest with all spiritual blessings in him this is the Covenant of grace and surely fitly so called for all in it is meer grace meer grace that God and Christ who had been happy for ever though we had all perished that there should be such blessed counsel and Covenant between them that the second person in the Trinity should suffer for our sins the just for the unjust and that by his stripes we should be healed if ever any thing was grace this was surely that God the Father should appoint his only begotten son to dye for us enemies and ungodly and that application is made of this blood of sprinkling is rich grace also which is the blessing of the New Covenant to give us new hearts faith and holiness is no this blessed Covenant truly enough called the Covenant of grace Iet this Author call it the Covenant of works we see cause enough to call it the Covenant of grace and to cry grace grace unto it Thus we have seen the nature of the Covenant of work and the Covenant of grace and we see there is no justification to be had upon the terms of the Covenant of works as this Author imagines but only by the Covenant of grace but alas this Author not well understanding the nature of the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace jumbles the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace together in our justification and so overthrows the Covenant of grace as will appear Page 334. He there saith that the Saints for their justification have the robes of Christs righteousness as they are worn by Christ in his own person made white by himself in his own blood imputed to them for justification of his legall righteousness for their justification upon the â—â—nour of the first Covenant And Page 120. He saith the spiritual seed receive Christ not in part only whereby they have in common with those in the first image all the forementioned benefits viz. calling justification and sanctification upon the tenour of the Covenant of works but in whole whereby they have over and above that which excels possessing and enjoying the riches of both Covenants absolutely and unchangeably From these passages of the Author it is plain indeed hath a perfect analogy with his judgment that the true believer is justified upon the tenour of the Covenant of works as well as a man in the first Image but this is not all his justification but over and above he is justified by the robes of Christs righteousness as they are worn
a little 2 John 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God but he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the father and the son No man hath the sons Kingdom in his heart but he hath the fathers Kingdom there ton if Christ be the souls husband the soul will acknowledge God that is Christs father to be his father Christs God to be his God the spirit of this son being sent into our hearts makes us willingly and gladly call God Abba father Ga. 4.6 and so we are taught Jo. 5.23 That we should honour the son even as we honour the father and he that honoureth not the son honoureth not the father and what more plain to our purpose then what Christ said to his Disciples Mat. 10.40 He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me which shews us that whosoever receiveth Christ receiveth the father which sent him there is no such thing as a mans receiving of Christs kingdom into his heart in opposition to the fathers Kingdom no man can come to Christ and have his Kingdom set up in his heart except the father which hath sent him draw him Joh. 6.44 And this is the will of the father that sent Christ that whosoever seeth the son and believeth in him should have everlasting life this sheweth us that the father and Christ have one will the same will design Kingdom in the Saints it s the father that setteth up Christs Kingdom in the heart for saith Christ no man commeth unto me except it were given him of the father Jo. 6.65 and so Jo. 8.9 Ye neither know me nor my father if ye had known me ye should have known my father also see how they go together and so Christ telleth us John 1479. He that hath seen me hath seen the father also I might quote twenty Scriptures more to shew the Authors mistake in this particular which is not without danger for here would scare and affright poor souls that they set up Christs Kingdom in their hearts in opposition to the fathers but we see that where any soul receiveth Christ he receiveth the father that sent him Page 326. He saith that the Disciples could cast out those Divels that dwell and acted in hearts unswept and ungarnished but they could not cast out that sort of Divels Mat. 17.14 to 22. which delight to rest in swept cleansed and garnished consciences No question but the Divel hath the strongest hold in those who have been swept and garnished as it is said Mat. 12.43 44. where the Divel is said to walk thorow the dry places seeking rest and finding none by those dry places may be meant the true believers that are baptised with the holy Ghost and with fire and that had the spirit of judgement and of burning this maketh them dry places and though the Divel doth in some particular temptations prevail upon these believers yet the Lord recovers them again that he can find no rest there but those that have only had common grace and enlightnings and so are like houses swept and garnished though the Divel seem to have left such men yet they will find at last a repossessing and their latter end to be worse then their beginning but what manner of Divels were these that are spoken of in this 17. Mat. that they delighted only they were so cleanly to dwell in swept and garnished consciences he that was there possessed it s said v. 15. was lunaticke and have all such men swept and garnished consciences what ground is there for the Author to gather this from hence no question but the Divels delight to dwell in a man that is in the height of profaness and impiety and where they cannot keep men such but they are pricked at the heart and convinced of sin and reform and yet are ignorant of Gods righteousness and go about to establish their own righteousness they are very well content to dwell in such hearts and the reason why they could not cast out the Divel out of the lunaticke person was because of their unbelief Christ saith and this unbelief was not such unbelief as men are condemned for the not receiving of Christ but the faith of miracles is that which is here spoken of I hope that every one that hath true saving faith in Christ cannot cure the lonatick but if they had exercised this faith here spoken of they might have cured the lunaticke person The Apostles had the faith of miracles but they did not alwaies act it not at this time and to overthrow this notion of the Authors we find Luke 9.1 That the disciples had power and authority over all Devils Page 333. He makes the sinning against Christ in his second appearance to be the sin against the Holy Ghost The Author leaves out nothing that might appall and agash the poor soul that won't close with his notions of a higher image and life and here telleth us this is the sin against the Holy Ghost a grievous sin indeed that shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come we have seen before that the Author makes Christ in his second appearance to be namely Christ shining forth in the glory and naked similitude of God but where doth the Scripture make this the sin against the holy Ghost the sin against the holy Ghost is an opposing of Christ and the truth knowingly wilfully and out of meer malice that it is not the pleasure or profit that men find in their wayes that makes them oppose and set themselves against Christ and his wayes but meerly hatred and malice against Christ and this is called the sinne against the holy Ghost because that the person thus sinning hath been so clearly and fully convinced and enlightned by the holy Ghost to the contrary of what he is resolved thus to do unto death this sin against the holy Ghost is not only a falling in the way for so a Saint may fall but a falling away from Christ and the truth and not every falling away from Christ and the truth neither but such a falling away from Christ the truth that is wilful and meerly of malice and hatred to the truth and Christ Jesus and so if a man fall from Christ and leave him in this manner as hath been said whether it be Christ in his first or second appearance as the Author distinguisheth it maketh him guilty of the sinne against the holy Ghost I hasten towards a conclusion lest I should quite tire my selfe and the Reader with these things but I cannot passe over what our Author saith Page 269. Where expounding Rev. 17. where it is said the whore sitteth upon many waters and with her the Kings of the earth have committed fornication he expounds it thus That by the Kings of the earth is meant men in the honour and dignitie of the first Adam's purity and principles that they