born of the flesh is flesh but afterwards they are made Spirit For that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3. And except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven which is the first Resurrection And again Christians must first die as all Flesh must do and afterwards must live as all Spirits must do And as the Soul is alwaies Spirit but not fully sanctified nor fully glorified till after the Bodie 's Resurrection so the Flesh is alwaies Flesh but yet made spiritual by Regeneration but not fully Spiritual till the full Regeneration of Glory after death which is the second Resurrection For thiis Mortal must put on Immortality and this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Earth must put on Heaven and this Flesh must put on Spirit and this Terrestrial must be made Coelestial for as we have born the Image of the Earthly so we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly There are Natural Bodies and there are Spiritual Bodies but first that which is Natural and then that which is Spiritual So without Death Temporal we cannot be prepared for Life Eternal For except we fall we cannot rise and except we rise from the Earth we cannot ascend into Heaven and except we ascend into Heaven we cannot enter into the Inheritance of Glory SECTION I. Christ's Ascension Christ therefore after his death and burial ascended in his own Person far above all Heavens that he might as a King Priest and Prophet fully execute the Will of his Father and our Father which is in Heaven Now he that ascended Eph. 4.9 what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth And he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things or more truly that he might fulfil all things that is by a Plenary Administration and discharging all the Gifts and Legacies devised by God For when he ascended up on high Eph. 4.8 he led Captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And for the preparation of his Church Militant that they may be Triumphant He from thence gave some to be Apostles Spirit 's Mission Eph 4.11 12. and some to be Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now to do these things is to execute and fulfil the Will of God Wherefore it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God 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 Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise i. e. the Promised Possession of Eternal Inheritance This Doctrine was taught by Christ himself Joh. 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you And after his death he said Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day Luk. 24.46 And that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Thus Christ died for the Testification Coroll Confirmation and Execution of the New Testament and consequently for the Remission of sins Mortification Justification Sanctification Resurrection and Glorification of all the Scripti haeredes whose Names are written in the Book of Life The CONTENTS Spiritual Lively In force for ever Literal Deadly Abrogated for ever Consequences Cautions Instructions Exhortations TITLE VII Of the Testaments compared THis last and greatest and best Disposition of God's Grace to all the World called the New Testament that we may yet the better understand let us compare it with the former and lower way of God's Disposition to the Jews only called the Old Testament as it was established by the Law given upon Mount Sinai in these two points The New Testament is Spiritual lively and in force for ever The Old Testament is Literal deadly and abrogated for ever SECTION I. Spiritual I. The New Testament is Spiritual lively and in force for ever 1. Spiritual 1. Because it is perfect agreeing to the Spirit of God which the other was not being imperfect and Carnal 2. Because it conveyeth Spiritual gifts and graces plentifully which the other did not 3. Because it was written by the Spirit in the Tables of the heart whereas the other was only in Tables of Stone Lively 2. Lively 1. Because it creates the life of Grace and Glory In force for ever 3. In force for ever Because it is God's last Will and ratified by the Death of Christ and therefore unalterable SECTION II. Literal II. The Old Testament is Literal deadly and abrogated for ever 1. Literal Because Carnal rigorous weak rude and beggarly as Rudiments and the lowest principles of Morality and Ritual worship 2. Deadly Deadly Because working nothing but wrath and death making sin appear to be exceeding sinful and affording no Remedy against it 3 Abrogated for ever Abrogated for ever Because ordained only for a time as being shadowy and typical of Substances to come The Law made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 but the coming in of a better Hope did The Gospel is the only true Service with which God is well pleased For God is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth God will now be served in the newness of the Spirit Ro. 7.6 not in the oldness of the Letter Say not in thine heart Ro. 7.6 Who shall ascend into Heaven to bring Christ down from thence or who shall descend into the Deep to bring Christ again from the dead For the word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart Ro. 10.6 The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and Life Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The Law of the Spirit of Life hath made
for sin Who needeth not daily as those High Priests to offer up Sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the Peoples for this he did once Heb. 7.17 when he offered up himself For the Law maketh men High-Priests which have infirmity but the Word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for ever more Heb. 9.7.11 But into the second went the High-Priest alone once every year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the Errors of the People But Christ being come an High-Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained eternal Redemption for us Christ hath suffered once for our sins 1 Pet. 3.18 the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened in the Spirit 1. Because of the All-sufficiency of this one Sacrifice in perfecting Reason 1 for ever them that are sanctified so that there needs no Remembrance of Sins any more Christ being the Author and Finisher and the Captain of our Salvation made perfect through his Sufferings 2. Because if Christ had offered more than once he should have broke Reason 2 off his first appearance before God in Heaven and gone out again out of that Sanctuary and then have re-entred or come in again for the same purpose which he shall never do till the Resurrection when he shall come about another business of Judgment belonging to his Mediatorship and to bring those into the Sanctuary for whom he hath once and for ever made way by the offering of his blood in Heaven once shed upon Earth thereby opening the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers 3. Because that which being once done is of Eternal Vertue cannot Reason 3 needs not be iterated 4. Because Christ entred into the Sanctuary by his blood and the blood Reason 4 of Life can be shed but once for It is appointed for all men but once to dye and after death the judgment so Christ once entred Heb. 9.27 28. and shall never enter more till he go out at the last day and enter again after his Judgment to give possession of the Kingdom of Heaven saying come ye blessed Children of my Father receive the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for you from the beginning of the world In that Christ dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God And Christ being raised from the dead death hath no more Dominion over him Reason 5 5. Because Christ bore our Sins and Punishments once upon Earth therefore not in Heaven for there he offered himself without spot and blameless ie without Sin or Punishment for that is no place for Sins and Sorrows or Infirmities to enter into for flesh and blood and no unclean thing can enter into that Holy place But all sins and all uncleannesses are done away by virtue of this One offering of Christ once and for ever SECTION VI. In Heaven Heb. 9.24 c. Christ offered himself in Heaven It was therefore necessary that the Patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these but the Heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifices than these For Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High-Priest entreth into the Holy Place every year with Blood of others c. But once hath he appeared in the end of the World to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 8.1 c. We have such an High-Priest as is set at the Right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the True Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man For every High-Priest is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of Necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer For if he were on Earth he should not be a Priest for he hath nothing to offer nor was he to enter into the Holy of Holies seeing that there are Priests that offer Gifts according to the Law who serve unto the Example and Shadow of Heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God See thou do all things according to the Pattern shewed to thee in the Mount Heb. 9.7 c. Into the second went the High-Priest alone once every year not without Blood which he offered for himself and for the Errors of the People The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing Which was a Figure for the time then present in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the Service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Which stood only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and Carnal Ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation But Christ being come an High-Priest of Good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made wich hands that is to say not of this Building Neither by the Blood of Bulls Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us For if the Blood of Bulls and of Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the Unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God without spot purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the Living God Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Burnt-offering thou wouldest not but a Body hast thou prepared me Heb. 10.5 c. In Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure Then said I Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God he taketh away the first that he may establish the second By the which Will we are sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all And every Priest standeth daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same Sacrifices which can never take away sins but this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sate down at the Right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool The High-Priest in the Law stood and offered the Blood he brought with him and stood trembling and sprinkling till he went out But Christ after he had stood offering his own Blood sate down boldly having ended his oblation of Himself and began his Intercession and Advocation for others and his Protection and Rule over all things for
with Penances and Reliques and Indulgences and Outward performances never regarding the Inward killing of Lusts nor expecting a Living Law written in the heart This is to forsake our Husband Christ and cleave to the bondage of the Law which is dead to us by Christ's Cross and might be dead in us by his Spirit if we would believe And the ground of all this Error is from a Novel Interpretation of that Paragraph of the latter part of the seventh of the Romans contrary to all Antiquity Sense or Reason SECTION IV. The Reasons for this Victory over the Law are these Because Grace is stronger than the Law Grace stronger than Law Mercy rejoyces and prevails over Justice The absolving power of the Gospel is stronger than the condemning power of the Law The Mercies of God are above all his Works Prerogative is above Law Custome overcomes Law Mercy much more The Sword of Justice is strong and sharp but Mercy keeps off the blow and holds the hand of Justice from striking If the Law calls aloud for Justice Christ's blood calls louder and pleads for pardon If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father and the blood of Christ is the Propitiation for all sins God will have mercy because he will have mercy and what is that to the Law It is the will of God to pardon and pass by Iniquities Transgressions and Sins and to remember them no more When the strong man enters into the house he keeps it and all that is therein but when a stronger than he comes upon him he binds him hand and foot and casts him out So is the Gospel to the Law 2. Because the Spirit of Grace is stronger than the Spirit of the Law Spirit of Grace stronger than Spirit of Law The Spirit of Sin is strong in it self Lust hath a violent impulse and vehement motion The Spirit of Sin is stronger by the Law and rages and takes on much more for being opposed Like a Lion scorns to be kept in but breaks down all barrs and bounds to run abroad at randome But the Spirit of the Law is stronger for though it cannot curb sin from sinning yet it keeps it under the Curse that it cannot escape it But when the Spirit of Grace in Christ comes it preacheth deliverance to the Captives and recovery of sight to the blind and opens the prison doors to them that were fast bound in misery and iron and publishes the acceptable Year of the Lord. The Word of God is mighty in operation throegh the Spirit for the beating down of the strong holds of Sin and Satan As Light is stronger than Darkness to destroy sin so the Blessing of Grace is stronger than the Curse of the Law to take it quite away Though the Spirit of the Law be the Spirit of God's Justice yet the Spirit of the Gospel is the Spirit of God's Mercy which God will have to be more effectual than the other and Blesses whom the Law curses yea and they shall be Blessed 3. God delights more in Mercy than Vengeance Because God delights more in shewing Mercy than in executing Vengeance in sparing than in punishing As I live saith the Lord I delight not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and live Judgment is his strange work Bowels of mercy tender pity and Compassion are his delightful properties 4. Because Man is made to be the object of God's Love not Wrath Man Object of God's Love his Blessing not a Curse Life not Death Heaven was prepared for Men and Angels till they sinned and then Hell was prepared for them and since that for all Hypocrites like unto them We cannot imagine in any reason that God made his poor Creatures for everlasting Destruction We may observe it in our selves though we be evil yet we are not so unnatural as to beget children to starve them or beat out their brains or leave them to the wide World or send them to the Hangman to be tormented to death And if we that are evil know well enough notwithstanding to give good things to our children not a Scorpion for a Fish nor a Stone for an Egg how much more then shall our Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him and how infinitely more pitiful and compassionate is he than we can imagine or express Christs Pleading undeniable to God 5. Because the Pleading of Christ for Mercy purchased by his own Blood is undeniable to God above all the Pleading of the Law or the Devil that lays the Law against the Brethren whose malicious accuser he is God will not cannot deny his own Son and whatsoever we shall ask the Father in his Name he will deny us nothing SECTION V. Victory procured meritoriously by Christs death 1. This Victory is meritoriously procured for us by Christ's Death O Death I will be thy death O Grave I will be thy destruction And his Resurrection was the pledg to assure us thereof 2. This Victory is really effected and performed in us by the Spirit of Christ raising our Souls from the death of sin to the life of righteousness and our Bodies from the Grave to the life of glory If the Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you Rom. 8.11 he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you As if he should have said If the Spirit of Christ dwell in you regenerating your Souls to a New Creature which is the first Resurrection from the first death then the very same Spirit shall also immortalize your Bodies which is the second resurrection from the second death that upon them the second death shall have no Power Thus abundantly hath God provided for us by Jesus Christ both in respect of our Souls and of our Bodies Our Souls raised from the death of sin and the curse of the Law Our Bodies raised from the Grave The Natural Body is raised a Spiritual Body the Corruptible puts on Incorruption Dishonour turn'd into Glory Weakness into Power a Change to be as the Angels in Heaven Rom. 8.23 2 Cor. 5.2 We Groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies In this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven Victory obtained by the Spirit of Faith 2. But no obtaining this Victory over death purchased for us till by the Spirit of Faith we obtain a Victory over Sin which is also procured for us by Christ who hath received the Promise of the Spirit for all that believe This is that Crown of Life that Christ the first born of God and first begotten from the dead shall set upon the heads of all those that have fought the good fight of faith and have been more than Conquerours For as death proceeds only from Sin for sin is mortal so life
and improbous as well as originally miserable and calamitous that is oppressed blemished distressed and especially tainted or corrupted from the womb Eccles 25.24 This is the Original sin with which all Men are defiled Rom. 5.12 for which death entred into the world Of the Woman came the beginning of sin and through her we all die By one Man sin entred into the world Chrys and death by sin so death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisd 1.12.16 All the Generations of Men were healthful and there is no poyson in them nor the kingdom of death but ungodly Men by their wicked works and words have called it to them Contractio Causae SECT I. This cause of original sin may be thus contracted into these Corollaries or Aphorisms Accounting Corol. 1. All are made sinners in Adam as all are made righteous in Christ so accounted but both are really sinners and really righteous in their own actions 1. Because Adam had our Nature and we his but his Will was not ours Reason Adam's Will not ours nor ours his We were as to our Bodies in his loyns but not as to our Souls nor actually our Bodies neither but seminally causally and virtually But which way can any Man imagine that our Souls were propagated from him or that our Souls were in his Soul as our Bodies were in his Body Did not he judg for himself and choose for himself and do not we judg for our selves and choose for our selves for his Will was his own and our Wills are our own How can we imagine it otherwise He was deceived not we Reason He eat the forbidden fruit not we He was thrust out of Paradise not we 2. Because as it is just in Men to account the Sons of Traitors sinners Reason and punish them accordingly so it is much more just in God to account the Sons of Adam sinners and to punish them accordingly Adam sinned for himself and was punished for himself so that neither his sin was ours nor his punishment ours really but by imputation We are by Nature the Children of wrath Object Because we are Children of sin and of a sinner Solut. Adam a Representative of all Mankind as a Parliament is of a whole Kingdom If a Parliament err the Kingdom erres if they suffer the Kingdom suffers A Representative Will is a real Will in Law not in Nature Parliament's Wills are our Wills their Decrees oblige us because of our consent given to choose them to act for us How did we make such a Compact with Adam Yet Adam was a Corporation and we in him are included so as to stand or fall by him Adam was obliged to obey not to sin but he was obliged to suffer because he sinned We are obliged to obey not to sin but we are obliged to suffer because we sin And we are obliged to suffer because he sinned but how we are obliged to sin because he sinned I cannot understand SECT II. Object Solut. Levi's paying of Tithes Levi pay'd Tithes in Abraham's loyns A token of subjection in the Father which is derived to the Children If the Head yielded the Members must So they pay'd Tithes virtually in their Father before they were born but they must pay them actually in their own persons and for themselves after they are born As heirs have rights to Honours and Estates in their Father's Honours and Estates and also in their shames and Debts while they live but after their death they enjoy the profits and bear the burdens and shames of their Fathers How were our Persons in Adam Seminally as the plant in the root and seed potentially not actually But where were our Wills even where our Souls were with God that gives us them when he frames us in the womb Yet a Jural will we had in Adam to have a right in him and by him or else a wrong as people have in their Knights and Burgesses who nevertheless have distinct wills for themselves in other things as they have in whose wills for their election only their wills are included So Adam was for us all to stand or fall for us all not to do good or bad for us all and now we must all suffer by him though we did not act actually sin in him but virtually We have the same natural Body and inclinations thereof as Adam had But as his Body and his inclinations were personal to himself so our Bodies and our inclinations are personal to our selves If Adam in nature had been created a Child he could not have sinned because he as a Child could have no use of his will When I am born into the world I cannot sin in the world till I come to the use of my reason and will in the world how then could I sin before I was born or had a being in the world any more than as I was as the fruit is in the winter fast asleep in my causes How then say some we were sinners before we were and how indeed not so as they mean let them prove it if they can Corruption of Bodies is manifest and so Health is by weak or strong Progenitors Diseases and Health are much hereditary in Nature but virtues or vices of Souls I could never apprehend any descent or conveyance of them from Parents to their Children Estates Honours and Shames are convey'd and pass upon posterity but not by the passage of Nature but of Law We are all concluded by Adam's will yet how If he had done good altogether his goodness was personally his own nor is it or ever was or ever will be ours but we should be the better for it But being he did evil his evil was personally his own nor is it or ever was or ever will be ours but we shall fare the worse for it Adam was obliged to do good so are we Adam was not obliged to sin no more are we We are as free to good or bad as Adam and Eve were How is a Traitor's blood that runs in his veins or his Son's blood tainted the Wise can tell We put a great stress upon many things as upon this of Original sin and upon Hoc est corpus meum and upon Tu es Petrus and of being born in sin and of the power of the Keyes and of the Free-will and of Imputed Righteousness as also of Predestination Election Reprobation and of a Judg in matters of Faith of Infallibility and Universal Supremacy Heresy c. It was the custom then to speak yea think so as they declare in these matters Who can hinder or blame us justly for labouring to understand the meaning of these things and not be abused as our Fathers were We all agree concerning these matters of Original sin Election Reprobation Free-will Imputed righteousness the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist the washing of Baptism but we cannot agree concerning the manner If we would leave
an hereditary bondage to be drudges about the Temple Now therefore ye are cursed and there shall none of you be freed from being Bond-Men Jos 9.23 and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God Such sinners are all they who are made heirs to the misery of their Parents those transgressors whose punishment the Law makes hereditary to pass upon themselves and consequently to descend unto their Children As the Sons of Achan Jos 7.24 25. who for their Father's Sacriledg were stoned to death in the Vally of Achan And the seven Sons of Saul who for their Father's cruelty were hang'd in the Hill before the Lord 2 Sam. 21.9 And the Sons of Gehezi 2 Kings 5.25 if he had any who for their Father's bribery were to be heirs of his Leprosy And all Mankind who for the transgression or Legal sin of Adam are made Quasi-trespassers or Jural sinners to be afflicted with death and mortality For by one Man's disobedience many were made sinners Rom. 5.19 i. e. Quasi-trespassers or Jural sinners to lose the right of Paradise and Blessedness And this Jural Sinner is opposed to an owner Lastly such sinners as are oppressed by force fraud or colour of Law who are criminated by calumny and suffer death by an unjust Sentence as Bathsheba and Solomon in case Adonijah had prevailed for the Kingdom had been made sinners 1 Kings 1.12 Otherwise it shall come to pass when my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers that I and my Son Solomon shall be counted offenders Such a sinner is a Man who in dangerous times when terrible ones watch for iniquity is made an offender for a word Is 29.21 And with all Religious reverence be it written such a sinner was Jesus Christ who though he be very true God and true Man the truest and justest Man that ever lived who did no sin nor spake no guile yet he suffered as a sinner For He poured out his Soul unto death Is 53.12 and was numbred with the transgressors He was made a Quasi-transgressor and so handled God made him to be sin for us who knew no sin i. e. he who really was no sinner 2 Cor. 5.20 was made a Quasi sinner and was afflicted as a sinner Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us i. e. he who really was not a curse was made a Quasi-curse and was afflicted as if a cursed person These three several sinners the Legal the Moral and the Jural are not three opposit sorts of sinners so contradistinct that the one is repugnant to the other or that one sense excludeth the rest but they are different degrees of sinners whereof the one may be without the other and yet so consistent that they may all concurre in one and the same person For Christ was a sinner Jurally only but no way Legally nor Morally And Dives was a sinner Morally only not Legally for we read not that he was a transgressor against the Law nor Jurally for he had great Possessions But in the sight of God Men are sinners all three waies Legally Morally and Jurally being transgressors against the Law and offenders against Equity and Aliens Forreigners and Strangers to the rights priviledges and inheritances of the Kingdom of Heaven whereto Man as Man and as the Son of Adam hath no right interest or claim but is born and stands in the state of a Quasi trespasser and Quasi sinner Adam was created upright i. e. not a transgressor Legally nor a trespasser Morally and he was created an owner for upon his creation God gave him a humane right of Dominion over Fish Foul and Beasts But by virtue of his creation he had no Supernatural or Divine right for he had no right to Paradise and the Blessings thereof For when Adam was created Paradise was not yet planted but after the creation of Adam follow'd the plantation of Eden and God by putting Adam into Eden did further justify him for unto that right which was at first given him by Nature God superadded another right by Grace in setling and seating him in Paradise And this right was hereditary to him and his heirs But Adam by his transgression in offending against the Law of Paradise made himself a transgressor and all his heirs Quasi trespassers For the punishment or curse upon him for his transgression was his ejection and mortality which ejection and mortality descended also to all his Posterity For according to God's Contract with Adam and according to the rule of Equity and Reason sueing the Blessing was hereditary to him and his heirs therefore the curse also became hereditary to him and his heirs This affliction of Man or his ejection from Paradise and his mortality that now he is born to no divine inheritance but is born an out-cast from God's Blessing born a mortal Creature that must necessarily die this is the condition that makes Man a Quasi-trespasser and puts him into the state of a Jural sinner and this Quasi-trespasser or Jural sinner is the Man who in the next verse shall be justified by the Faith of Jesus Christ For the Person who is the proper subject of Justification is Man considered as a Jural sinnner not excluding his legal or moral sins from which he is also justified yet they unto his justifying are but accidental for although legally and morally he were never so righteous yet unless he be justified he cannot be saved for he is still a Jural or Quasi sinner 1. Because he is not a sinner actively by committing any act of sin as were the two former sinners who were offenders legally and morally by acting against Law and Equity but he is a sinner passively by suffering that loss or pain which is inflicted on him who is a sinner actively For the Verb Sinning is sometimes put passively for suffering as Gen. 31.39 That which was torn of Beasts I brought not unto thee I bare the loss of it where the Hebrew word is Chata i. e. I sinned for it 2. Because he is not a sinner really in whom sin is inherent but putatively to whom sin is imputed and who being innocent is reputed a delinquent and put into the state of a sinner that he may suffer that affliction which is the usual punishment of a sinner As the Beasts which the Law declared unclean were not in themselves unclean really and inherently but imaginarily and putatively for uncleanness was therefore imputed unto them that they might be forborn as if they had been really unclean 3. Because the fact which constituteth a Man thus a Quasi-sinner to be miserable and wretched is no act of his own but is either the act of some Law which justly imputeth unto him that sin whereof some other is guilty or is the act of some adversary who unjustly imputeth and chargeth upon him that sin whereof he is not guilty
Birds and all sorts of Prodigies as Omens and Prognosticks of Casual contingencies in this life and the Futurities of another World as if by such absurd conveyances God had made a Divine discovery of Religious concernments The CONTENTS Of Scriptures Writings Traditions Inspiration Testament Ethnick Theology TITLE IV. Of Scriptures FOr the better settlement of all Mediums for ever in the concerns of true Religion God saw it most convenient That all his Will revealed by Moses for that Dispensation Temporal and by Christ for Reformation Eternal should both be assigned to Writing Writings because written Laws and Testaments are far more evident and lasting Monuments and Records than verbal or transient oral Traditions can possibly be 1. Because by oral Traditions when Men were few Traditions and their Ages long and Doctrines few they might the better be preserved but when Men were multiplied and their Ages cut short and Doctrines multiplied they must be the harder to continue and the sooner lost But by Writing notwithstanding Mortality the Monuments and Records might be immortal 2. Because there will be a failure of unwritten Traditions and vocal Reports by carelessness and contradictions of Delivery and Debauchery succeeding in the place of the simplicity and honesty of first Generations Hence it came to pass that the old Ethnick Laws were lost for want of writing and such as are preserved are fabulous and ridiculous for want of wit and honesty and men are lapsed thereby into Polytheisme and absurd filthy ceremonies of Religion Therefore it came to a necessity Inspiratio◠to prevent a decay of Knowledge and divine Fear that some eminent Persons should be stirred up to commit the laws of Nature and other Positive laws of God to Writing by Divine Inspiration Which was done accordingly for matter of Fact and God himself first began to do this thing by writing his own Law with his own Finger upon two Tables of Stone and delivered them to Moses and commanded him to write other Statutes in a Book to be laid up altogether in the Ark for Posterity Till he should cancel that and make another and better Law which he did and delivered it to Christ who confirmed it by his Death so as to continue for ever by way of Testament which therefore was not of force till the death of the Testatour and therefore should never be disanulled because Testamen◠Christ being dead from henceforth dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him And so we are given to understand according to the manner of Men That it can no more be changed than a mans Testament who being once dead and to live no more it is impossible he should alter his last Will having no Will after his Death because his Will died with him And for the preservation of this Testament after it was delivered by Christ to his Apostles by word of mouth They by inspiration from God committed it to writing in the Book of the New Testament as now it is preserved for us and transmitted to us I. A Testament barely nuncupative cannot be permanent 1. Because words spoken vanish into air and may be mis-heard and mis-understood or forgotten 2. Because the Hearers and Witnesses must die and then all is lost only by hear-say from others who must die also and so the farther the Testimony passes from one generation to another the more it loses or varies till at last it dies and comes to nothing II. A Testament Written is most permanent 1. Because Litera scripta manet and though errours in ignorant Souls may be committed yet the sense and comparing of Copies will direct to Orthography Thus the Testatour dies but his Will and Testament lives and never lives till he dies and ever lives after his death because none can put his Will to death but he that made it who is dead himself and therefore can have no will or power to do it 'T is true a Man may make Testaments and unmake them again as long as he liveth as God did the Law of Moses and as men may do to their Laws and Statutes but when a man dies his last Testament stands if there be a thousand before it they all fall and come to nothing And whereas Publick Laws may be changed by new Law-makers upon new occasions for a new People and are ambulatory in every Age yet the last Wills and Testaments of men which are private Laws can never be changed by their Heirs and Successours but must stand in force for ever because they are dead that made these Laws for their private Families to tie up them and their Heirs for ever For if it be but a mans Testament no man disannuls it For the fastening therefore of the Gospel for ever amongst men this is the way that God hath taken for men after the manner of men to settle his Commands and to settle his Estate upon men And all this is left written in a Book which is the Scriptures which no other Book can rival in this pretence of a Divine Will Ethnick Theology Ethnick Legislatours Poets Philosophers in all their writings of Mythick Politick or Natural Theology they and all became vain in their Imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lost the seeds of God which were in them and though they knew God yet they glorified him not as God but deified the Creatures that might have led them to the Creatour Hence came Sabaisme and all the Oriental Idolatry in which Statesmen bore their part not a little pretending conversation with Numens for the better obtruding of their devices And Satan abused them all by Oracles from Oracular Priests and Pythian Virgins those mad organs of the Daemons and evil Spirits in those daies Poets they say were the first Authors of Ethnick Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by these saies Plato God speaks unto us The same Philosopher saith that Philosophers were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God such were ranck Magicians who brought in prophane Dogms and impure Worship Ergo not Divine but Diabolical and Inhumane even to the sacrificing of their Sons and Daughters unto Devils If we look to the Alcoran six hundred years later than the New Testament it is answerable to the genius of the Arabians fertil of Dreams full fraught with carnal Precepts and sensual Rewards mixed with Heathenisme Judaisme and Christianity by Mahomet prompted by the Monk Nestorius and advanced by the Sword As for the Bible it is for Words plain for matter pure for stile clear in the Testamentary parts thereof The Prophesies thereof are fulfilled the History most ancient the Spirit of it most Majestick and convincing those Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither is there any Eloquence like it without meretricious ornaments of Oratours and demagogues whose end was ostentation and faction The Harmony admirable the End the glorious restauration of Mankind the quality of the Pen-men venerable the Antiquity highest and
the Preservation and Increase of it against all oppositions in all Ages unparallel'd All which things speak it of more than Humane Original THE First Volume OF THE WILL OF GOD Concerning things to be done by Men. The First BOOK OF A TESTAMENT The CONTENTS Owners Proprietaries Power Gods absolute Propriety Gods Disposition TITLE I. Of Ownership EVery one that is a Testator must be an Owner Transition Owners 1. Of his Person free to dispose 2. Of his Power over others to command 3. Of his Honour to enoble 4. Of his Estate to enrich As for Wisdom and Holiness they are not devisable by men at all but by God they are altogether Such an one within his own Sphere can create Rights declare Rights bestow Rights destroy Rights or translate them from one to another And he or they that are or shall be the Heirs and Successours must be 1. Free in their Persons to receive 2. Subject to Power to obey 3. Capable to understand 4. Willing to consent 5. Able to keep enjoy and use both Honours Commands and Estates given and bequeathed They that have power over their own Persons Things and Actions internal or external or over the Persons Things or Actions of others corporeal or incorporeal Proprietaries as Owners Proprietaries and fole Possessours of them all are Sui juris and have free power over themselves and all that they have or can do to use what they have such right unto themselves or to dispose of them to others to become Usuaries Usufructuaries Emphytenciaries Vassals or otherwise and if they please to alienate and pass them over from themselves by investing others in the direct Dominion of them and that conditionally upon terms totally or in part for a time or absolutely and freely to convey them quite away fully and wholly for ever And this they may do not only in their life time but at their death so far as it is possible or as the Laws will give them leave in Licitic and honestis which things are only possible in Law Power So they that have Publick Power Rule Authority and Jurisdiction over the Persons Things or Actions of their Subjects may order and ordain such things to be had or done or lost or left undone or inflicted or suffered as are in their power by Command or Interdict for Possession Ejection or Restitution in integrum or otherwise by way of Reward or Punishment Especially they that have absolute Supream Power as Soveraign Princes who in this respect are justly stiled Gods having power of Life and Death to make alter and vnmake Laws for the Rule and Government of Mankind so imitating and resembling God for those God-like works of Guidance Protection Justice and Mercy Gods absolute Propriety And as this Power is given by God to the Sons of Men so it must be infinitely more in God himself who also is the sole absolute independent and true Proprietary or universal Owner and Ruler of all things both in Heaven and Earth Because he is All in himself from all Eternity and All in all in his Creatures without Himself which in time he hath made and therefore must have all Right in the Works of his own hands to possess or dispose of them how where when to whom how long and how often he pleaseth without all opposition or controll and all for his glory and their good Gods Disposition All Right therefore to all things for ever is originally in God and He maketh and disposeth what rights he pleaseth to all his Creatures to have and to hold during his good will and pleasure But the best of his Rights to the Best of his Creatures he disposes to the best of his Children after the Best way of Disposals even by his Last Will and Testament ratified and confirmed after the best manner of Ratification Death and that by the death of the Best Mediatour his Best beloved and only begotten Son Jesus Christ substituted to die in his stead This last Will and Testament contains his most perfect Laws and Commands to perform the most perfect Righteousness as well as his most perfect Grace to dispose the most perfect Holiness and Happiness and to impose the most perfect Punishments and Miseries in this and in the World to come The CONTENTS Testament Berith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenant Sanction Asseveration Title of Scriptures Other Covenants Old Covenant New Covenant Proofs for the Title of a Testament Acts of a Testament Confirmation of a Testament Instrument Inheritance Dispositions Oath Testament to Christ. Law no disannulling of Testament Law given 430. years after Promise TITLE II. Of a Testament THE Word Testamentum in the Latin as the Lawyers say Testament is as much as Testatio Mentis Because partly it doth actively testifie the Mind or Will of the Testator But more fully as I may humbly conjecture because passively it is a Deed solemnly testified by the Testimony of old of seven Testable Persons that are free men and worthy to be believed and who have themselves power to make a Will and that under their hands and seals altogether in one contexture of time The Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berith Berith the Septuagint do constantly translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as most proper Berith being derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bara which signifieth to create ordain or constitute as every Law of God or Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Divine or Humane Constitution The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in like manner a general Disposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether it be by Covenant or Testament but most especially by Testament This is my Blood of the New Testament c. Matt. 26.2 Mar. 14 2◠Luk. 22 2◠But the Hellenists or Jews that spake Greek as the Septuagint and others use it sometimes for a Covenant omitting the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is most genuine for a Covenant Other words there are that do indifferently signifie Agreements Contracts and Covenants but Berith is never interpreted by any other than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which well denotes the Constitution of an Everlasting Testament Thus this Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as generally it is used for a Publick Law Ordinance or Constitution of a Prince or Magistrate which may be changed so especially for that kind of Law or Ordinance which is made by the last Will and Testament of God or Man which cannot be changed And this is the private Law of a Testator concerning the disposal of his Estate after his own Death or one that is substituted to die for him if the Law should so allow it Hence the word Legatum and Legare is used i. e. to give any thing in Legacy by Will which by the Law of the Twelve Tables must stand as a Law Uti quisque Rei suae legassit ita Jus esto Covenant So the same General
Physick presently these were their Gods and were worshipped by them after their Death as Jupiter Mars Bacchus c. They tasted the pretious things put forth by the Sun and the pretious things put forth by the Moon and fell to worshipping those glorious Lights and forgate that God that made them and gave all that Glory and virtue to them They considered not the first Cause that moved all the rest Thus they looked short at the Deities they saw which were but Creatures as themselves and the vilest of all Creatures they were not ashamed to worship and forgate God that made them and all the World Ro. 1.21 c. So though they knew God yet they glorified him not as God neither were thankful to him but became vain in their Imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened professing themselves wise they became foolish And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four footed Beasts and creeping things Wherefore God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own Bodies between themselves Who changed the Truth of God into a Lye and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Amen c. Knowing therefore that God is and must be our God by Right of Creation whether we will or no why should we fly to them that are no Gods And be in Covenant with them When God calls upon us every way but especially in his Gospel to be his People and promises to be our God as by Nature so by Grace if we will take him to be our God and enter into Covenant with him A great Grace for God thus to offer himself and promise his Grace if we will accept it he first loveth us that we might love him because he loved us Therefore how ingracious a thing must it be for a Creature beloved of God to refuse the offer of his Grace who is the Creator and will be their Redeemer and Saviour if they will but chuse him for their God and keep his Covenant What more can be done by God or Man in this Case And how can a Covenant be made without the Consent of both Parties Salvation it self cannot save those men that thus reject the Promises of God against themselves No man can receive a Grace from God or man without or against his Will Salvation it self is not able to save those that will not be saved God nor man can do any good unto a wilful Soul If we perish we perish and destroy our selves But in God is our help if we will take it It is natural reason that teacheth us to be in Covenant with God Natural to be in Covenant with God If he made us and not we our selves if he preserve us and not we our selves then he is to give us Laws and not we our selves and we are to obey his Laws and not our own Lusts It is a perfect Covenant that we are bound to make with God Who saith do ut des facio ut facies I give you your Being and Preservation therein that you should give me your Obedience and Subjection I do this for you that you may do something for me even what I shall command you The Stoick says well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Duties are measured out by Relations the care of the Father calleth for the honour of the Son the Rule of the Master commandeth the Duty of the Servant These are domestici Magistratus Houshold Lords If they say go we must go if they say do this we must do it And there is Reason for it because we have benefit from them and this obliges to Service Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is my honour And if I be a Master where is my fear To be in Covenant with God is to keep his Laws and they are not grievous but his yoke is easy and his burden is light And it is in our power to do what God requireth by the help of his Grace And he is Faithful and true that will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able but will together with the Temptation give strength that we may be able to bear it The Law is a Contract or Covenant because he that cometh under a Law hath bound himself to keep it as the Law-maker himself hath done All other Creatures without Life Reason or Will obey their Creator The Sun knoweth his setting and the Moon her Seasons and all the Stars observe their Motions by a Quasi-Covenant but reasonable Creatures do perfectly oblige themselves by their free Consent and Agreement with God their Lord besides their natural Obligation common to them with all other Creators Therefore to conclude the Benefit of our covenanting with God is that thereby we have Right to all that we have or can have in order to our Blessedness and without it we have right to nothing but Cursedness There must always be means for the obtaining of the end which we aim at when the Will by it's own Motion cannot immediately effect that the End should approach to the Agent or the Agent to the end This Rule therefore must be observed Qui jus dat ad finem censetur etiam jus dare ad illa media sine quibus finis obtineri nequit aliàs enim nihil esset actum He that gives Right to the end doth give Right to those means without which that end cannot be obtained or else nothing is done From whence it follows that if these means be unlawful or impossible I am not obliged to that end so far forth as it is attainable only by using such means Thence it is that evil is not to be done that good may come thereof No man can be bound to do that good to which without sin he cannot arrive So that he may come off from such unlawful Vows But when a man is bound to good Means for a good End he cannot come off safely but if he do the Covenant is broken and the other Party free as both may be if they so agree The Matrimonial Covenant by the divine Positive Law hath this special Prerogative That the essence of the Conjugal vow not being violated it cannot be dissolved though by consent of both Parties as other temporary Covenants are It is commonly denyed that any man can be obliged to himself because when the same Person is the Obliger and the Obliged the obliger may free the obliged when he pleaseth and he that can do this is actually free And so a Prince cannot be obliged to his Subjects because they have resigned up their wills to his will absolutely without reserving any power to themselves According to that common Rule of Law That in Covenants there must be two Parties and when the Debtour succeeds the Creditour the debt ceaseth or the obligation is taken away by confusion when of two persons one is
himself This is his original Right whereby he was not only morally righteous but had a legal right over the Creatures Ergo much more over himself All other rights whereby he enjoys Houses Lands or Goods are improper to Man alien and forreign not natural but positive grounded upon humane Contracts Now for a man to be restrained from his proper Right that he cannot or may not have propriety possession or usufruct of himself but is forced to become the propriety possession and usufruct of another by selling or letting or losing the free-hold of himself this is true slavery Hence the Civil Law describes slavery to be subjection Contra naturam dominio alterius and Servus dicitur nullius Juris Against Nature for a man not to be his own but another's man and to have right to nothing not so much as to himself When Subjects have not the property of their Goods they count themselves slaves If he be rightly stiled a slave that hath not property in any goods much more is he a slave that hath no property of himself Constraint â—o base Actions VII Constraint of a man to vile and base Actions is true slavery For as Restraint from good makes slavery so Constraint to evil makes slavery out of measure slavish Hence the Israelites were slaves in Egypt constrained to make Bricks and Pots of Clay The Prodigal was a slave to the Citizen to feed his Swine and yet not to be sed with them The Possessed in the Gospel were slaves to Satan and forced often by him into the fire and water Put all these three together and they shew the full Nature of slavery that is bondage of Spirit restraining Man from his several properties and constraining him to their several contraries The use of all is to shew thee thy Error Thou complainest of Temporal slavery it is a false and counterfeit slavery the Spiritual slavery is the true slavery To feel the burthen of that and complain of the misery would argue a good increase of God's grace in thee and if God's grace free thee from that slavery then art thou free from all the World which God grant The CONTENTS The Sinner habitual TITLE XI Of the subject of Slavery THE subject of Slavery Who is a true slave the Sinner The Sinner habitual He that committeth sin is the servant of sin To commit sin is not to commit one single act of sin for the godly have their falls and surprizes of sin But habitually the course and practice of sin such an one is termed a sinner The extent of the Sinner is universal whosoever he be though otherwise never so free by Birth State or Tenure yet if he be an habitual sinner he is the servant of Sin The Jews alledged their freedom by Birth as they were the Children of Abraham and never in bondage to any man yet for their sins they were in spiritual bondage saith Christ David hinted this saying Bring my Soul out of Prison that I may praise thy Name Psal 142.7 What Prison could this be but the spiritual prison of Sin Christ hinted this saying The Spirit of the Lord hath sent me to preach deliverance to the poor c. Luc. 4.18 What poor how bound in what Fetters c. even the Sinner fast bound in spiritual bonds St. Paul tells the Romans that they had formerly been slaves voluntary slaves by yielding their Members as instruments of Unrighteousness from sin to sin Ro. 6.20 and were very free from Righteousness that is slaves to sin for freedom from Righteousness is the true slavery Sin is a Captive to Satan who is a Warrener and layes snares for Vermin What snares are Riches but such whereby men fall into divers foolish lusts and drowned in perdition and led captive by the Devil according to his will The CONTENTS Restraint from proper End Restraint from proper Guide Restraint from proper Act. Restraint from proper Rule Restraint from proper State Restraint from proper Right Captivity Constraint to base Actions TITLE XII Of the Reasons of Slavery THE Reasons why the Sinner is a Slave are according to the seven Cases of Slavery Restraint from proper End I. Because the Sinner is restrained from his proper end which is True Happiness For by the Law of God the sinner is deprived and disabled from all those priviledges of Eternal Joy and Glory whereof the Saints are capable For as it is the Glory of the Saints to enjoy the presence of God to see his face and know him as he is So the Misery of a Sinner is to be an Exile or out-cast from God never to see his face nor know him as he is Gal. 5.21 As by Man's Law a Bastard hath no Inheritance in Earthly Kingdoms so the Sinner hath no inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven For they that do such things shall not inherit c. But the end of the sinner is Torment his Wages Everlasting Death and Pain Go ye Cursed c. Restraint from proper Guide II. Because restrained from his proper Guide which is a Right Spirit The guide of the sinner is the Flesh he is led by it and a debtor to it he is put on by it upon every beastly service The Pride of the flesh to dishonour Parents Wrath to murther Lust to commit Adultery c. So silly Men and Women are laden with sins and led away with divers lusts The guide to the sinner is Satan he leads his lust as when he possesseth the Body he carries it and moves it so when he Masters the Soul he leadeth it captive as he pleaseth For the great and famous Master-pieces of Villany are acted by men led on by the instigation of the Devil Judas was the guide to them that Crucified Christ but Satan was his guide for he entred into him twice first for his resolution when he bargained and sold his Master secondly the execution of the Treason after the delivery of the sop Ananias sells his estate and keeps back part thereof when Satan had first filled his heart Acts 5.3 The sinner is made blind by Satan that he might go for his God and be his guide 2 Cor. 4.4 The God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not III. Because restrained from his proper Act i. e. his Will Restraint from proper Act. The sinner hath a Will yet not a free Will but a Captive Will He hath the faculties of a Natural Will but cannot actuate that faculty to perform the proper acts thereof by choosing the good and refusing the evil But rather he acts quite contrary by choosing the evil and refusing the good which is not Liberty and Will but restraint and want of Will As to take Error for Truth is not Understanding but want of Understanding so to choose evil for good is not will but want of will For because God is the proper object of the Will that heart that cannot choose the
Spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience Satan is a warlike Prince fights daily against the Saints His Army consists of Principalities and Powers Rulers of darkness Spiritual wickednesses in high places i. e. several Regiments of Devils Eph. 6.12 We wrestle not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers c. All these Spirits are enemies to the godly for he fights against them but they are Commanders over the Sinner for he serves under them As the poor Gadaren had a Legion of Devils that possest him so the poor Sinner hath a Legion of Lords that command him This makes the slavery out of measure slavish because the multitude of Lords doth multiply slavery For one Father to have many Children is an honour but for one Child to have many Fathers to be Filius populi is true Baseness and Bastardy So for one Lord to have many Slaves is a glory but for one Slave to have many Lords is extreme Baseness and Slavery The Use of all is to draw thee from Sin because sin is true slavery Thou detestest Slavery in the least degree when it bars thee of the propriety of thy Goods and wilt thou endure the slavery of Sin the basest-slavery that is Wilt thou fear the highest degree of it when it bars thee from the propriety of thy self and forces thee to vile and base acts Set thy Soul against this slavery by striving to oppose it and God give thee grace to be free from it for Jesus Christ his sake Amen The CONTENTS Grace cannot deceive TITLE XIV Of the Innocency of the Law Transition NOtwithstanding all that hath been said of the weakness and insufficiency of the Law and of the deceit and bondage thereby still the Law is holy just and good because God is so that made it That must needs be Spiritual because God is a Spirit A thing therefore may be the occasion of sin though in it self it be never so harmless As all the good Creatures of God which being abused groan again after their manner and long to be delivered from their servitude So the Law of God gives no occasion to Sin of it self but Lust takes occasion from the Law to stir up sin contrary to the Law And therefore the Law retorts upon Sin again to condemn it so much the more and to punish it so much the more So that the effect of the Law through the sinfulness of sin is to work sin and wrath deceit fear and bondage and to hold men down continually under this trembling condition all their life long through the horrour of death And the Law of Morality besides the penalty of scourging or Death without mercy annexed thereunto to keep men from Transgressions hath also a Ceremonial Yoke to put upon the Shoulders of such as otherwise would fall to Idolatry c. which altogether could not do but was a heavy Yoke too heavy for them to bear And therefore the Law it self for that part thereof which was Typical and Ritual fell of it self as altogether unprofitable and that small part thereof which was Moral fell not but longed for greater perfection and Grace to be added above the Justice and Rigour which was so ineffectual and accordingly the Law was delivered from the Insufficiency thereof as it was but the lowest part of Morality and was fulfilled to the highest pitch of Spiritual Perfection by Christ who came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And those that were under this Law either written or not written either Jew or Gentile were delivered from this State of Bondage and Fear into the glorious liberty of the Children of God So the Law of Justice must needs be a just Law to direct and a severe Law to punish and when it had directed and punished it did all it could do but reformed none from Sin at least inwardly nor saved none from Punishment so that still it left men sinful as it found them and more too and left men miserable as it sound them and more too So that there is an Impossibility that ever any man should be saved by the Law and an Impossibility that any man can be saved by any thing but Grace II. In all God's Dispensations he giveth us to understand 1. That the Law of nature was not sufficient to keep man in the Innocency in which he was created because he was deceived by his Lust a-against which that Law gave him no strength by the strength of his Will he might have stood but not by the strength of the Law So he was deceived in that 2. That when the Law of Nature came to be written for him to read with his bodily eyes as he might before with the eyes of his mind yet still it would not do And when Poenal Laws were added they might keep him in bondage and bodily fear of Death as they did but never secure him from offending nor spare him when he did offend and still it would not do So Justice still shews us every way and by the Law so much the more So the Law deceives us by shewing us the way into which it had no power to put us but left us to take that right way and threatned us if we should offer to leave it So still alas we are deceived by Law and Justice which both intended us good but our own Lust hindred it from coming upon us But as for Grace and Mercy they can no way deceive us Grace cannot deceive nor will they suffer our Lust to deceive us Law and Justice in themselves do not deceive us but Lust does properly deceive us by them Grace and Mercy in themselves do our Work for us and can no way deceive us directly nor indirectly Law and Justice though they did not directly deceive us yet Lust did for all them for they could not help it though they stood by all the while and looked on But Grace and Mercy they do no ways deceive us nor suffer us to deceived So that there is more power in Grace and Mercy than in Law and Justice For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through Lust that Grace did do in that it was strong through Faith And not only condemned Sin in the flesh as the Law did not but destroyed Sin in the flesh and out of the flesh as the Law could not do by Christ's taking in mercy our Flesh upon him See how God gives us wonderfully to understand the power of his Justice to humble us for sin so much condemned and punished in us and to know the greater power of his Mercy to raise us up from sin so much pardoned and unpunished in us 1. God put Mankind under the administration of the Law of Justice to convince him of his sin and of God's just wrath That he might see there was no help for him in himself nor from any Creature no not from God's Law it self that he might abhor himself and bewail his
due yea Grace gives much good when much evil is due The Law is inexorable and spares none but Grace is easie to be entreated and spares all For Grace is a priviledge above Law rather than extremely contrary to Law An act of Super-justice rather than contrary to Justice For Mercy rejoyceth and triumpheth over Justice as being the special and highest work of God in which he most delighteh This is the Trone of Grace this is the Mercy-Seat Throne of Grace the great Court of Requests and of Chancery Ubi Jus fit Jus datur where Rights are made and where Rights are bestowed whereas in other Courts of Law Rights are only declared Such Courts are much inferior Ubi Jus dicitur where Rights are declared upon Justice to those higher ones where they are created and granted upon Mercy and Bounty and God's Mercies are above all his Works 3. So God's Grace is opposed to Wrath in extremes Wrath. As Grace gives more good than is due by Law so Wrath gives more evil than is due by Law And this Wrath God executes by taking the Sword into his own hands and punishing our sins himself beyond the ordinary way of the Law as Kings by their Prerogatives may do by Wrath to execute Vengeance more than the bare Law calls for upon some extraordinary offences on some extraordinary occasions which they themselves can best judge of especially when the Inferior Judge is negligent of his duty in not inflicting the Punishment which the Law required and when sins have been done with a high hand in open defiance of Rule and Law to the endamagement of the Commonwealth Unto this Wrath God's Grace is extremely opposed For when Law and Anger were heavily against an obstinate Sinner and the Sword of both threatens to devour in an extraordinary way then steps in Mercy and stops the Flood-gate of Anger and saves the dying Soul from the Pit of Ruine which was ready to swallow him up because God sees remorse in him though he have been notoriously wicked yet it is the good will and pleasure of God for the Glory of his Grace to spare as a Father spareth his Son that serveth him to blot out iniquities transgressions and sins and to remember them no more but that they shall be as though they had never been and now that Soul shall live he shall not die SECTION I. Works 4. So God's Grace is opposed to Works which are the Merit of the Creature but this is the Grace of the Creatour Works deserve wages but Eternal life is the gift of God Grace dignifies a Person that deserves it not No man can deserve to be born of his Father or after he is born he cannot deserve to be made the Son and Heir of another man But the only cause of a Son is Love either by Nature or by Adoption and therefore the only cause to be made the Son of God is the Grace of God not the Works of Man Free Grace Such love of God is the Grace of God whereby the Receiver is honoured and profited and yet he never deserved it This is free Justification by Grace Ro. 3.24 of Faith and therefore not of Works that it might be by Grace only otherwise Grace were no more Grace and Works were no more Works This is the Riches of God's Grace whereby we are accepted in the Beloved The gift by Grace the kindness and good will of God This Grace of God is without Cause it is it self the supreme and high cause having no other Cause above or beyond it to actuate and move it Nor can any Works so much as concur with Grace because Grace is the sole Cause For if Salvation were of Works it should be of Debt and then it could not be of Grace They are inconsistent and contrary the one to the other Ro. 4.4 Now to him that worketh is the Reward reckoned not of Grace but of Debt But if it be of Grace it is of Gift and then it cannot be of Works Ro. 11.6 And if of Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done Tit. 35. but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost By this Grace I a poor miserable Sinner attainted in the attainder of Adam's sin and born to temporal and eternal Miseries am looked upon with the eye of Mercy to be justified from all my Sin and Misery and to be invested with Holiness and Happiness And the farther Love and Grace of God to me is that all this should be done in a Testamentary way whereby I should be the more sure of it For such an Instrument as a Testament is requires all the favourable construction that can be imagined that it may take effect according to the best meaning of the Testator Rich Grace And still the Exceeding riches of his Grace appears that he did settle this his Testament by the Death of Christ who was his own and only Son whom he substituted to die in his stead For God could have setled his Testament by means less chargeable than was the precious Blood of his own Son but he could not to shew the abundance of his Love who so loved the World as that he sent his only begotten Son into the same and gave him over unto death that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And lastly all this is Grace for Grace that is freely and out of mere Grace and only for the Thanks of the Receiver SECTION II. I have enough then to uphold my Soul withal till I die Assurance and when I die to lie down with my Body in hope of a glorious Resurrection And after my death my Soul shall wait for it and at last it will come at which time my Saviour will come again and call me from the Regions and Receptacles of Rest to put my Soul and Body both into the full possession of the Inheritance to which I have a present Right by Faith in the New Testament of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Against this New Testament established by Jesus Christ the Jews did mightily stickle Jews loth to leave the Law Because the Old Testament was God's Testament written and God had made a solemn Testimony thereof on Mount Sinai where with terrible Lightning and Thunder and the shrill sound of the Trumpet and by the Fire and Smoak and the quaking of the Mountain and the voice of the Angel who represented God it was testified in the sight and hearing of all the People And also because this Law and Testament had a long prescription of fifteen hundred years together and in such cases men do use to struggle very hard and are loth to part with their so ancient Laws Customes and Priviledges especially concerning their Religion and Worship and a Change is commonly very
is not hindred from acting it nor forced to act the contrary Thus God doth act his own VVill and the Angels and glorified Saints act their own VVills and this is Liberty IV. A Loosness of Man to his Proper Rule is Liberty Loosness to proper Rule The Proper Rule of Man is the Law As a Restraint from that is Slavery so a Loosness to it is Liberty All other Rules as the Wisdom of the Flesh and the World are strong and impediments When thou art clear from these and loose to live by the Law Jam. 1.15 then thou art free to walk according to the perfect Law of Liberty Not that the Law leaves us to our Liberty whether to keep it or no much less gives Liberty to transgress it but because the observing of it argues Liberty freely to run in the waies of God's Commandments The Law not Conscience is the Soveraign Rule of Man i. e. God's Law or Man's Law where no Law of God declares it unlawful for the Conscience must have a Guide i. e. a Law to rule it or else it is unruly For where there is no Law there is no Conscience seeing Conscience is but the dictate of the Law of Equity which is a Law prescribing to the Law of Justice and over-ruling it And Conscience pretended is but blindness of mind or hardness of heart unless it can see or feel it self in some Law Therefore for a Man to be restrained from his proper Rule that he cannot or may not live by the Law but forced to live without or contrary to Law only at the will and pleasure of another is slavery but the contrary is true Liberty V. A Loosness of Man to his Proper State is Liberty Loosness to proper State The Proper State of a Man is to be a person after God's own Image And as a Restraint from that makes Slavery so a Loosness to it is Liberty All other States as of Sin and Corruption are exotick and forreign heterogeneous and troublesom but when none of the Manacles restrain the Spirit there is Freedom Hence Natural Corruption is a state of Slavery because it deteriorates and depraves thy proper Person diminisheth thy head and defaces God's Image in thee But thy Spiritual Regeneration is a state of Liberty because it meliorates advances thy head and restores thee to the New Man after God and Christ in Righteousness and Holiness And that Spirit of God that doth Regenerate doth thereby adopt and therefore Enfranchise For if Children then free the Spirit of Adoption is contrary to the Spirit of Bondage and the Law of the Spirit of Life makes us free from the Law of Sin and Death The state of Servitude is Death for Slaves as Dead men have no Will no more than Beasts to act any thing in Law VI. A Loosness of Man to his Proper Right is Liberty Loosness to proper Right The Proper Right of a Man is the Propriety in himself and over himself And as a Restraint from that is Slavery so a Loosness from that is Liberty All other Rights as Lands Goods c. are forreign and extraneous When none of these are Clogs and Impediments to the Spirit then there is Liberty Hence Liberty is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a Power over ones self and such as have it are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free to Rule over themselves A Man that hath a Dominion of a thing doth dispose and use that thing to his own end so he that hath Dominion of himself doth dispose and use himself to his own end and is Lord of himself and therefore Free God's Dominion over Man doth not extinguish Man's Dominion over himself no more than the Power of a Prince or Father doth extinguish the Liberty of a Subject or Son but rather the more God is thy Lord the more free art thou his Servant The more God is thy Father the more free art thou his Son Because God's service and Sonship is the most perfect freedom for it laies thee open to all his Favours and Rewards Thus the Form Seat Terms and Cases of Liberty shew the true Nature of it which is a Loosness of the Spirit from all Evil unto all Good in all the Proprieties thereof The Use of all this is to confute the Vulgar opinion That Liberty is an Indifferency to do or not to do this or the contrary An Opinion which hath bred many intricate Questions and hard Speeches against God I have therefore laboured to overthrow it not expressly by confuting the Absurdities of it but tacitly and consequently by shewing what is the Truth and proving it so to be ☞ A way which though it be least practised yet is of most dispatch and fullest of Charity for when the Truth shines out clearly all Errors against it do quickly vanish and no ill words pass upon it for they are sooner cut off with one dead stroke at the Root than singly cropt each by it self in the Branches to grow again and increase much more For otherwise there is no end of Disputes and consequently of Sects and so of Animosities and so Pride and all Mischief as woful Experience doth demonstrate in all places But we have learned no such Custom nor the Churches of God VVe know better things and labour to do them And thou Beloved Christian learn thy Duty to perceive those Truths that are evident to them that will use their Reason humbly and to believe those that are not so evident The saying is good if well taken In Necessariis Unitas in Dubiis Libertas in Omnibus Charitas In Necessary Doctrines let there be an agreement of Unity in those that are more obscure a Mutual Liberty but in all things let there be Charity And this is for the Nature of True Freedom The CONTENTS God Christ Faithful Term of Recess Bondage Term of Access Sonship TITLE XII Of the Subjest of Liberty SEcondly The Subjects of Liberty are of three sorts viz. 1. God is the Father of True Liberty 2. Christ is the Son of it 3. The Faithful are the Members of it SECTION I. I. God is the Father of True Liberty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely Free GOD. holding from none the Author End and Pattern of all Liberty in the Creature As the Sun is the Fountain of Life so God is the Fountain of Liberty Liber Liberator Free and making all Free that are free As Liberty is the Priviledge of the King for where the King is there is Freedom to himself and others no Man may be affronted arrested or beaten in his presence 2 Cor. 3. pen. So where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty 1. Because God is naturally Infinite no Bounds upon him Reason Omniscient Omnipotent and Omnipresent Ergo Naturally Free 2. Because God is naturally Loose no Bonds upon him So Mighty that he cannot so Constant that he will not be let or hindred Who shall say unto him What dost
then of Earthly holy things Christ's Blood dedicates the Holy of Holies the Sacrifices of Beasts were sufficient but for the purging of Heavenly things with better Sacrifices than these that is the blood of Beasts might and did suffice to Consecrate the Earthly Tabernacle but no Blood but that of Christ's could Dedicate the Heavenly Sanctuary for the reception of Souls and Bodies made holy for into that place no unclean thing could enter Heb. 9.23 But Christ being entred into Heaven and appearing there in the presence of God as a Priest to consecrate the place and those that should enter into it he is become a Priestly Advocate with the Father to make propitiation for our sins and not for ours only 1 Joh. 2.1 2. but for the sins of the whole World And all this was done at Once and by one offering Dying but once One Offering and entring into the Holy place to offer but once to put away sin and from Heaven he shall appear the second time without blood to offer for Sin because all is done away Heb. 9.28 to give his people the full benefit of that Offering by vindicating them from Death and enstating them in eternal Life who look for this Salvation and wait for the Time of the Restitution of all things when at his Coming they shall lift up their heads because their Redemption draweth nigh and they love his Appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 All the Legal Sacrifices were imperfect 1. Because shadows of perfect good things to come 2. Because they were offered year by year The same Sacrifice recurring year by year made by the same persons and so for many Ages could never be perfect nor make the Comers thereunto perfect for if they had been perfect or could have made the Comers thereunto perfect they would have ceased to be offered because the Worshippers being once purged should have had no more Conscience of sins Where Health is fully recovered and settled the Medicine needs not to be iterated till Relapses come Heb. 10.3 But in those Sacrifices is a Remembrance again made of sins every year i. e. When the Solemn Fast-day came about wherein those Sacrifices were to be offered the High-priest did lay both his hands upon the head of the Scape-goat and confess over him all the Iniquities of the Children of Israel Lev. 16.21 And when the year before all their Sins were laid upon the head of the Scape-goat and banished into the Wilderness yet in the next year and so successively every year after another Goat must be banished because the People contracted new sins to be forgiven But in this great Sacrifice of Christ all Sins of all People being laid upon his head and shoulders who only was able to bear them are fully remitted for ever so that there needs no more Sacrifice for sins For he shall finish the Transgression and make an end of sins Dan. 9.24 and make Reconciliation for Iniquity and bring in Everlasting Righteousness SECTION IV. Christ offers his self in Heaven Heb. 10.5 And because it is impossible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away Sins therefore Christ cometh into the World to do it Psal 40.6 saying Lo I come to do thy will O God He had a Body therefore fitly prepared for that Heavenly Sanctuary wherein he offered up himself to God As if he had said unto his Father Seeing the Legal Sacrifices please thee not therefore Lo I come to do thy Will i. e. to offer thee such a Sacrifice that is wholly according to thy good will and pleasure that every one might be freed from the guilt and punishment of all his sins and in the end have Everlasting life And to this end I have offered my Body so perfected to Immortality as the Septuagint read it and I have addicted my self wholly and for ever to the Service of the Heavenly Tabernacle as the Servant addicted him to his Master by having his Ears opened and bored to the Door as the Hebrew reads it that I might do thy Will for ever Because in Burnt offerings and Sacrifices for Sin thou hast no pleasure nay because thou wouldst endure them no longer therefore I come into this thy Heavenly Sanctuary to do thy Will and please thee with the oblation of that Body which thou hast prepared me wherewith to serve thee in thy Sanctuary for ever in whom thou art well pleased Heb 9.13 Heb. 10.8 By the which Will we are sanctified by the offering of the Body of Christ For that was God's will and not the Legal Sacrifices Christ reigns in Heaven After Christ the High-priest had offered this Great Sacrifice of Himself in the Temple of Heaven he did not stand daily ministring nor offering the same Service Heb. 10.12 but after he had offered this one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sate down at the Right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Foot-stool He hath offered so sufficiently that he needs never offer more he hath done his work of Conquest and sits down to triumph over his Enemies and to expect their subjection to him For God saith unto Christ Sit thou on my Right hand until I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool Psal 110.1 It appears therefore that CHRIST is our great High-Priest mediating our Salvation 1. By Dying to confirm God's Testament a Sacrifice slain on the Cross 2. By offering the Blood of that Sacrifice being quickned through the Spirit unto God in Heaven A Man therefore he must be that his blood might be shed and a God that by the power of his Divine Spirit his blood might be offered for the sins of the World For every High-Priest is taken from amongst Men and ordained for Men in things pertaining unto God Heb. 5.1 2 c. that he might offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for Sins who can have compassion on the Ignorant and them that are out of the way for that he himself is compassed with Infirmities And by reason hereof he ought as for the People so also for himself to offer for sins and no man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So Christ glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee 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 suffered he is able to succour them that are tempted And forasmuch as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death Heb. 2.14 that is the Devil The Order of this Priesthood of Christ was according to that of Melchisedec who was a Type of
it self is the Mercy-Seat in Heaven and everlasting Grace and Glory with God The Way thereunto is Christ Jesus who first preached it and made his Personal Sacerdotal entrance into the highest Heavens Therefore the Veil of the Temple was rent in twain at the Death of Christ to shew the opening of the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers The Temple-Service went on constantly by Law for its own time but after Christ's Death Resurrection Ascension and the Mission of the Holy Ghost there was a New Dispensation and a Cessation and Nullity in Law as to God of all the Jewish Worship For the Time was come after Christ offered in his Holy Temple of Heaven and from thence bestowed gifts of Doctrine and Government upon his Church that Men should no longer worship God at Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim in either of the Temples there after the manner as formerly but in a way of Reformation all Men are called to worship God in all Places after one pure spiritual and perfect manner For God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth which is highly acceptable to God through the most efficacious Ministry of our Great High-Priest before his Father in Heaven This shews the infelicity of those Times of the Law comparatively to these of the Gospel in which they were ignorant of that Grace and Glory that is now revealed and the poorness and baseness of the Service as of rude and beggarly Elements after the manner of the World in comparison of the rich and magnificent Ministration of the Gospel of Grace unspeakable and full of Glory performed by Christ himself in the immediate presence of his Father and of those that are Christ's by his Mediation offering their Spiritual Services in his Name and by him acceptable to the Father By all this Spiritual Discourse we learn to understand the great Offices of Christ's Mediation as Prophet Priest and King by which he shews himself the Author and Finisher of our Salvation and how and where and when they were performed in those two Estates so vastly different from each other viz. his Humiliation on earth and his Exaltation in heaven His obedience to Death Shame and a Curse his Rules to Life Glory and Bliss The CONTENTS Extent of Christ's Obedience To all Law Above all Law Against all Law Extremity of Christ's Obedience Rarity Shame Curse Reasons of Christ's Obedience To confirm Testament To expiate Sin and Misery TITLE VII Of Christ's Humiliation ALL aim at Happiness or at least to that which is Pleasant and gets a Name but we mistake the way know not the Lets neglect the Furtherances viz. chiefly Pride they are the Lets they carry us in a smooth way tending to Death but the Furtherances and Means are chiefly two to wit Humility and Obedience they carry us in a rough way that brings us to Life These St. Paul shews us by the Example of Christ He attained to the height of happiness God gave him a Name above every name All Power both in Heaven and Earth Phil. 2.8 9. How By Humility and Obedience I. Humility in stooping from the Majesty of God to the Meanness of Man 1. The Majesty of God equal with God and yet robbed him of no glory but sate him down at the Right hand of the Majesty on high 2. The Meanness of Man He made himself of no reputation but took upon him the form of a Servant and was found in fashion as a Man II. Obedience in yielding from the life of a Man to the death of a Malefactor SECTION I. I. The Extent of his Obedience In CHRIST are two Natures of God and Man Extent of Christ's Obedience and therefore two Carriages or Deportments 1. As God to Rule and Command all 2. As Man to Obey and Submit to all By Birth he is the Son of God by Obedience the Son of Man below Man A Worm and no Man For though he was the Son of God yet learned he Obedience by the things which he suffered 1. Obedient to the Will of God by fulfilling it and suffering it God's Will was done by him and done upon him Joh. 4 24. Joh. 6.38 It was his Meat and Drink to do the Will of his Father He came down from Heaven not to do his own Will but the Will of him that sent him I delight to do thy Will O God yea it is within my heart 2. Obedient to the Will of Man Obedient to Pilate to the Souldiers to the Jews As a Lamb that is dumb before the Shearers so he opened not his mouth When he was reviled he reviled not again he turned his Cheek to the Smiters and suffered the Plowers to plow upon his back and made long surrows This was the vast compass of his Obedience from doing of all Right to the suffering of all Wrong 1. Obedient to all Law never committed Sin To all Law neither was Guile found in his mouth 2. Obedient above all Law payed Tribute Above all Law Math. 17.24 though free and priviledged because he would give no offence 3. Obedient against all Law suffered all wrong Against all Law suffered his own Disciple that eat of his bread to betray him endured Bonds Stripes Buffetings Spitting Mocking Crucifying The Obedience of the Rechabites was something to drink no Wine The Obedience of Hosea more to Marry a Whore Yet all this was but a Living Obedience for Wine Houses Wife c. But Christ's Obedience was beyond Life to Death Abraham's Obedience was great to offer Isaac his only Son miraculously born to him by Promise This Obedience came near unto death but not to death yet had he slain him he had but been obedient to the death of another his son but Christ was obedient to the death of himself Isaac was obedient to the death of himself but was rescued and did not die so was not Christ for he died the death indeed Christ his death was for no fault of his at all Pilate cleared him Luk. 23.22 so did the Thief and the Centurion Christ his death came from no force of others as he took his life when and how and of whom he pleased so he laid down his life when and how and by whom he pleased no man could take it from him he bowed freely and yielded up the Ghost SECTION II. Extremity of Christ's Obedience II. The extremity of his Obedience to the death even of the Cross an Ignominy beyond death To suffer death and to be put to death is common some have offered themselves to death and dared to die But this is the worst kind of death As there are several kinds of life so of death some are better than others As a life with ease pleasure honour and riches is better than another so a death with shame and a curse is worse than a plain simple death Christ then did worse than die for he hanged upon the Cross and was Cursed In
power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to his Death Phil. 3.10 If by any means I might attain to the Resurrection of the dead not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus This is the New man put on and the old man put off and the renewing of the Spirit the New Birth and the new Creature Christ formed in us our crucifying dying rising with Christ This is the internal real inherent Righteousness of Poorness of Spirit Mourning Pureness of heart Meekness Patience Love to Enemies c. According to the Precepts of Christ far exceeding the negative Righteousness of Moses to be no Adulterers no Swearers no Murtherers c. And farther Act. 3.26 God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities 1 Cor. 7.18 The Preaching of the Cross is to them that perish Foolishness but unto them which are saved it is the wisdom and power of God beating down the strong holds of Sin and Satan Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquities and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good Works ye were not redeemed with corruptible things 1 Pet. 1.18 as Silver and Gold from your vain Conversation c. The Gentiles that followed not after Righteousness have attained to Righteousness Ro. 9.30 c. even the Righteousness which is of Faith But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness have not attained to the Law of Righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone Ro. 10.3 They being ignorant of the Righteousness of God and going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Act. 26.18 I have sent thee to open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of Sins and an Inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith that is in me I have searched all I can to make out this Imputed Righteousness but cannot for my heart find it I should be glad to be better informed But the true Inherent Righteousness by Faith is plentifully discovered in the Scriptures to be the True Gospel Righteousness which Christ came to set up in the heart And this is the wish of every true Christian to have an inward healing and not an outward hiding of his inbred Corruptions The Principle of a new Life the Seed of God the Spirit of Christ inclining our Spirits to the love of God and of all Righteousness And this is a thing correspondent to our true Nature which is desirous to act freely and ingenuously in the waies of God out of the Principle of a Living Law written in the heart and to eschew Sin as contrary to a Vital Principle This was somewhat hinted at by the Philosophers of Old who judged Vertue not to be merely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing taught by outward Rules and Examples like an Art or Trade and Aristotle is bold to affirm that Men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good by a divine Inspiration Whether or no this be not that Evangelical Perfection which St. Paul called the Resurrection from the Dead Phil. 3.12 towards which he so much pressed I leave it to others to judge And doubtless they that by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern Spiritual things and understand the wisdom of Perfection and hunger and thirst after it notwithstanding the Irregularities of sensual Motions and violent assaults of Passions and daily incursions and obreptions of Infirmities through Ignorance or Inadvertency shall be accepted of God in the honesty and meekness of their Souls through the worthiness of Jesus Christ 4. There is a Jural Righteousness Jural Righteousness For our Faith is imputed to us for Righteousness or which is all one we are justified by Faith as will be proved hereafter But this is not the Moral or Legal Righteousness of another made ours but our Faith gives us a Right and Title to be the Righteous Sons and Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Jesus Christ who maketh us partakers of his Rights not individual his Personal Rights but specifical procuring for us the Right of Adoption and Sonship after his likeness by Grace who is the Son of God by Nature and by the Means and application of Faith made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption Thus I have endeavoured to prove by the Scriptures That by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ God hath given us through Faith a Spiritual Resurrection from sin and a Victory over Sin inwardly by the inherent Righteousness of the Spirit SECTION II. I shall farther labour to prove the same comfortable Truth by these Reasons Victory over Sin We have a real Victory over Sin and a real Righteousness of heart by the Spirit of Christ 1. Because it is the property of Light to conquer Darkness Light conquers Darkness Truth is the Light in us This Truth is of God who hath made it innate and cognate with the Soul Falshood and Lies are Darkness This Falshood is of the Devil who hath made it adnate and allied accidentally to the Soul When the Natural Light which was created in the Soul is used by Faith in the Promises it is enlightned farther with the supernatural light of Grace and so the unnatural Darkness of Sin is dispelled by the Beams of a Heavenly Illumination 2. Because Sin is no Native Sin no Native but a Stranger and Intruder into the Mind which is the Lord's inheritance therefore Sin may be conquered and beaten out and shall be beaten out when a stronger than she is come upon her An adventitious and extraneous thing is expellible by the Original The true and ancient Nature of the Soul suffers violence by these Strangers Sin is the Praeternatural state of Rational Beings Men are born free and ingenuous Servitude is unnatural Therefore as Sin was not Primary or Connatural with the Soul so we have no reason to think that it should be perpetually adherent or unalterable there-from A jarring Instrument may be set in tune A dyscrasy of Body may be rectified A discomposed ruffled Passion may be laid The Soul was harmonious as God first made it till Lust disordered the strings and faculties thereof And God the great Harmostes is able easily to put it in perfect Concord again The Soul was perfectly sound and Righteousness was the health thereof till Sin made the dyscrasy And God the great Physitian of Souls is able to bring it to the right and
concernments is much pleased with them that after a little pain and patience there may be the greater indulgence unto carnal things for which they quickly hope for expiation by carnal sufferings A great cheat in carnal Religion Thus the outward man is much pleased 1. With the History of the Cross of Christ 2. With the pictures of the Cross of Christ and sheds many a melting tear at the actings of this Tragedy 3. With Whippings Fasting Sackcloth Pilgrimages c. Col. 2.18.23 A voluntary humility a shew of wisdom in Will-worship and humility in neglecting of the body and not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh 2. The Inward Cross is the power and virtue of Christ's death the spirit of Mortification and Self-denial the Spirit the Inward Man is much delighted with these exercises of the Spirit the Mystery of Christ's Cross the Memory and Love of Christ crucified the Joy and patience of suffering for Christ 2. The Effect of the Cross Crucifixion Effect of Cross Crucifixion Procured by Outward Cross which is 1. Procured and merited for us by the outward Cross and Passion Sacrifice and Oblation of Christ for us By these is Salvation from the victory of Sin Death and Hell all conquered by Christ Propitiation and Attonement made Security from the barr of Justice that Scopulus Reorum and Curse of Law Solus calcavit Torcular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ trod the Wine press of God's wrath alone no Angel nor Man to help him He left nothing undone that he might be the Author and Finisher of our Salvation and was made perfect through sufferings 2. Wrought and effected to us and in us by the Inward Cross and Passion of Christ sacrificed and offered in us This is the spirit and power of his death the virtue of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings Philosophy 1. Philosophy did combate much with sin Vertue kills Vice Reason destroys Passion Brave Seneca cries out like a Christian O when shall I see the day when all my Passions shall be subdued and that I shall say Vici I have overcome them Christianity 2. Christianity much more more than Conquerors I thank God through Jesus Christ Thanks be to God which hath given us Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Only be valiant and of a good courage Flie from sin as from a serpent resist the Devil and he will flie from you stand still and see the salvation of God This power of the Cross will do our work for us and in us this death destroys death this is to conquer by suffering Depressu Resurgo the more kept down the more we rise A Divine virtue in Christ's sufferings a great conquest made by the Son of God in his own person for us in our persons for our selves under him and by him From hence we have power to conquer Sin Law Satan Death I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Hence we overcome the world are dead unto it using the world as if we used it not this is our victory even our Faith this is Self-denial Mortification Crucifixion with Christ Regeneration a New Creature Thus Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquity and purified to himself a people zealous of Good works perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord that they might obtain an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ Jesus It is not therefore good to glory in Carnal things such as Eloquence Wit Beauty Health Honour Riches c. It is not good to glory in Carnal Religion such as are 1. Ceremonies Judaical or Heathenish 2. Ordinances Opus operatum Prayers Fastings Hearings c. It is good to glory in Spiritual things such as are Faith Love Hope Patience Joy Peace Rejoyce in the Lord evermore and again I say rejoyce But this is counted no Joy but Melancholy or Religious Madness in Sequestrations from worldly Policies and Glories and Conversation wit God and our own Souls The gaieties of this world affect the senses and they are counted little better than stark Fools that prefer undiscerned contentations of the spirit before them When Paulinus a Young Noble Man and Senatour of Rome renounced the World and became a Christian the whole City wondred at it and all the Wits jear'd at his retirement from the splendour of the Court What a Gallant so young ex illâ formâ ex illâ prosapiâ illâ indole so beautiful of such a family and of such ingenuity and leave all his companions and pleasures Such men are counted mad men and weary of their lives scorning the delights of Nature Paula and Melania two Noble Ladies left their honours and estates for the Cross This was presently Table-talk for all Rome St. Paul so noble so learned so honour'd as he was counted all but Loss and Dung to gain Christ was as a man crucified and dead unto the world the world had no favour for him nor he for the world so is a Christian not of this world dead to it looks to higher things As the Jews had no dealing with the Samaritans so Christians have not their conversation with the world As a man Proscribed is pursued from place to place hiding his head so is a Christian As a Woman divorced from the Bed and Board of her Husband lives still in the family walks up and down like a shadow hath food and clothing only upon courtesie but no countenance from her Husband nor respect from her children nor command over her servants So are those that take up the Cross of Christ and follow him Cast therefore your eye once more upon this great Mediator in all his Transactions Here 's a Conception Birth Life Cross Death Here 's a Resurrection Ascention Entrance and Oblation in the Holy Place Session and Intercession And what a coming to Judgment will that be at the Last Day How is all this apprehended Why was all this Action and Passion Shame and Glory Was not a Deity offended and thereby appeased How Affected what Joy what Sorrow what Hope what Faith what Obedience what Thankfulness what Love what Oblation of all that we are and have and all nothing to what is due from us but is all accepted of God More would a Soul inflamed with divine love do or suffer She cannot do what she would but she will do what she can and throw her self into the arms of her dear Lord praying him to accept her as she is and make her such as he would have her for to be for his own great Mercies sake I. Christ the true Sacrifi◠and Priest Christ therefore is the Absolute and true Sacrificer and Sacrifice in se per se in himself and by himself 1. Because he only perfectly pleased God This is my Well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He only was without sin he only fulfilled the Will of his Father 2. Because he only is the cause of all our
of God have been thoughts of love and kindness in him all along from the beginning of the world but especially in the days of the Gospel And that God's love was always to mankind though not so clearly demonstrated as it is now by Christ How therefore this frowning face of terrors and amazements in his dealings here giving mortals no rest for the little space he hath afforded them to stay in this world and plunging them into eternal torments in the world to come can consist with the gentleness and justice of his nature I can in no wise be satisfied I am not able to conceive of a good Prince but that he will be always careful to preserve the lives and fortunes of his good Subjects and use all possible means to reduce the rebellions and still to be sparing of the blood of his People even where his Justice calls for it Nay every petty King of a Town or Family will do the same within the circuit of his power How much more then shall the Great and Gracious not only Potentate but Creator and Redeemer of the World hover over his poor creatures and servants for good and be infinitely and therefore inexpressibly tender of their Temporal and Eternal Wellfare But I am told that God reprobates the far greatest part of the world to shew the Glory of his Justice and absolute Soveraignty over his creatures And here I must cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the Depth and if I be one of these Cast-aways must be as the rest contented and for ever silent 'T is true I must if so and there can be no help for it nor must Mortals complain for who art thou O Man that thou shouldest dispute against God But how these men more than others of equal judgments should come to this pitch of Knowledg to determine this thing thus I cannot imagine nor whence they had this revelation And how this agrees with God's declaration of himself to be willing that all men should be saved and come to the knowledg of the Truth and not to delight in the death of any Sinner will put them to a stand Well however it is I am sure that God is good and if God hath given men reason to understand what is Justice and Mercy how the wisdom of God though infinitely above should be as infinitely contrary to this our humane understanding will be very hard to conceive Still Justice is Justice and Mercy is Mercy in God or Man though in vast differences of degrees We shall never know how but we may always know that God is Just and can and will do us no wrong I take the safest side therefore I hope if I interpret humbly all his dispensations though seemingly never so harsh to be cum favore that if he do as certainly he does severely punish yet he will as graciously reward those that fear him for all their miseries in this life And if God inflicts as he doth the same Calamnities now under the Gospel as he did before under the Law yet it is in a different manner in the Church's Majority from what it was in her Minority And that though the former Dispensation was in wrath yet now it is in Grace and was always just Well let the Inhabitants of the earth work righteousness as well as they can and trust God for his Mercies and through the tender mercies of God they shall be sure never to miscarry I am certain Grace is Grace and above Wrath though I suffer never so much And that God does not dodgenor lie upon the catch with mankind to destroy them but rather waits for their conversion to save them I will trust in God therefore though I am never able to understand the reasons of his workings From henceforth I will never go about to measure the depths of God's Providences by the shallowness of my comprehensions I will be meditating and doing good and leave all to God But it is high time to leave this dreadful Subject of mis-representing God in his Counsels so fatal to mankind Gospel-Dispensations Let us see what other mis-understandings there are of God's Dispensations God was pleased suitably to the non-age of the Church to address himself very much to the lower faculties of the Soul and the outward senses that were nearest to them and did most affect them Therefore he ordained splendid Types solemn services and many miracles as the pillar of a Cloud and of Fire the walls of water in the Red Sea the burning Mount Sinai the tabernacle and rays of Glory visible therein the Temple c. But they which look for any such apparent Expressions of Divinity now mistake the Genius of a Gospel-Dispensation to a Church Adult and capable of higher Administrations All things since Christ's coming are managed in a sedate smooth and serene temper The mysteries of the Gospel came forth in plain and intelligible forms of Speech from Mount Sion without drawing the Soul into Raptures and Extasies of amazements God doth not fright men into heaven by visible Terrours God expects now a reasonable Service a Judicious Religion acted by the Spirit of Love and of a sound mind under the Graces Truths and Glories of a Gospel-state for ever to endure This Spirit of the Gospel arriving to our Spirits in this aimable and winning manner creates a generous Spirit above the Evils or Goods in this world resolved to go through them and overcome them and settle upon absolute Eternal Goodness When men's hopes and fortunes are most embarqued in the Ship of this World without Faith They are in continual fears of Shipwrack because then all is lost that is before their sense But when men's hopes and fortunes are all embarqued in one bottom of Divine Faith they are in continual Hopes and Assurances of arrival in the Haven of Glory because then all is found that was before their Spirit in the Eye of Faith This Hope so full of glorious and blessed Immortality hath supported the spirits of such as live by their Faith better than all the Fatality of the Stoicks or the Jollity of the Epicureans These can look Sin and Death in the face by the Spirit and not be daunted by the Flesh The high Religion of the Gospel teacheth higher things than ever that of Moses or the Law of Nature or Nations or Philosophy could do Reformation This great Reformation of Religion in the World Christ declared plainly to the woman of Samaria requiring of him as a Prophet to tell her the place of worship whether it was not to be upon Mount Gerizim in Samaria where the Fathers had worshiped and not in Jerusalem as the Jews believed Upon this occasion he told her that neither she nor the Samaritans her Country-men nor the Jews nor yet the Gentiles of the World should from that time ever trouble themselves about the place or manner of Divine worship For it should be neither confined to Samaria nor Judea but should
about with Powder and Shot to a man of War Farewell THE Second Volume OF THE ESTATE OF GOD Concerning things to be had of God The First BOOK OF RIGHTS The CONTENTS Transition Testament Things Method God's Donation Things to be had Things to be done Free-will Right TITLE I. Of Things A Testament is a just Disposition of things to be had or done Transition Testament and the things disposed to be done are the conditions of the things disposed to be had And because the conditions or things disposed to be done are contingent for daily experience shews that many of them are not done therefore the Legacies or things disposed to be had are contingent for daily experience shews that they are not had Because where precepts or things devised to be done are not done there Legacies or things devised to be had are not had And this is a just Disposition The object of God's Predestination or purpose to dispose are not Persons only but things also with relation to persons and it is all one in effect to predestinate the person to have or do a thing and to predestinate a thing to be had or done by a person For there is no difference between these two dispositions I purpose such a Mannour for my Son John and I purpose my Son John to have such a Mannour SECT III. Things All Entities or Beings are Things Rights Persons and Actions that is things to be had or done or actually had or done i. e. Corporeal or Incorporeal things by all Persons The best Disposition that can be made by God or Man is of an Inheritance because an Inheritance is an universal right to the whole Estate of the Testator And such is the Inheritance of the Estate of God by Jesus Christ For the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord in whom we are heirs and co-heirs for all things are ours and we are Christ's and Christ is God's and if God hath given us Christ How shall he not with him also freely give us all things Now because by the works of the Law which is the first Disposition by way of Testament no flesh living can be justified to the Inheritance of Eternal Life which was by promise therefore Justification is without the works of the Law by faith in the promises of the Gospel which is the second Disposition by way of Testament So then Legal Righteousness by works is altogether insufficient as to give us any Right or Titles to the Kingdom of Heaven and Evangelical Righteousness of Faith is the only means to obtain the Inheritance of Promise SECT IV. Method The Nature therefore and Differences of the Old and New Testament being understood a way is fairly laid open to the true understanding of the great and so much controverted point of Justification which is very easie in it self but hath been made obscure and grievous by the perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and reprobate as concerning the right apprehension of true and saving Faith First therefore to treat of Rights and then of justification to the best of Rights in the best Testament of God to the best Inheritance will be the natural method herein to be followed After this order we will now begin speaking first of Things then of Persons then of Rights belonging to them and last of all of the Actions of those Persons for the obtaining of those Rights in those things that belong to those Persons for an Estate consists not only of Material goods of Lands Persons Cattel or Utensils or things immoveable and moveable but of immaterial goods as Rights to Lands Persons Cattel or Utensils or things immoveable or moveable And Actions Pleas Services or Priviledges in all these which are both beneficiary and honorary and burdensome parts of mens Estates of all which they may make a voluntary Disposition SECT V. God is an Eternal Being of all things in himself God's Donation and from him all things have their being and by him they are preserved and governed All things beside God are either Spiritual or Corporeal with or without life have or have no end and they all serve for the glory of their Creatour These things thus framed upheld and ruled by God are the Heavens and the Earth with the Waters and all that belong unto them The use and benefit of them all together with the regiment of some he hath given to the Sons of men Besides all this he hath of his abundant grace and bounty given and granted eternal blessedness to them in his Son the Principal Heir of all things that by him they might be made the Sons of God and Heirs together with him of the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven In order to this great donation we must consider the Things to be had by it and the Things to be done for it SECT VI. I. Things to be had The Things to be had by it are 1. Present all Spiritual and Temporal Things 2. Future all Celestial and Eternal Things For Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come and all things are ours whether the world or life or death or things present or things to come and we are Christ's and Christ is God's and God is all in all SECT VII II. Things to be done The Things to be done for it are 1. Natural to understand desire remember put forth and exercise the faculties of Soul and Body in God's Service 2. Spiritual to receive and use higher illustrations affections memorials and aids for the exercising of Soul and Body in Divine Faith Hope and Love Now there is great reason that where there is something to be had there should be something to be done for it But especially in gifts of this nature where all things are to be had it is honourable for the giver and reasonable to the receiver that some small thing should be done which can no ways be commensurable nor proportionable to the liberality of the donor and those Temporal Spiritual and Eternal things bestowed by him yet at least in acknowledgment and gratitude they are justly and honourably expected and required by the benefactor at the hands of the beneficiary Obj. It is objected that all is given by the free-grace of God and nothing to be done by us Answ All things are given indeed freely because Christ is given but not absolutely without any condition for such a gift is not in wisdom and honour to give all and expect no return no not so much as of Love and Obedience As for Recompense and Requital there can be none in the Receiver nor is expected or needed from the Giver But every gift ought to be disposed prudently else it is no true bounty but waste and prodigality And all such gifts are thrown away from which there ariseth no true benefit to the Receiver nor honour to the Giver Now God doth all things most freely and with the greatest love imaginable
Law his right of assembly to him and his heirs for ever Deut. 23.2 who stand excommunicated For A Bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. As an Alien Forreigner or Stranger is disabled and debarred from the rights and priviledges of inheritances freedoms votes and other common benefits of the Laws Municipal which the Natives do enjoy So the Romans Greeks and other Nations inhabiting Judaea were by the Jews accounted and called sinners We are Jews by Nature and not sinners of the Gentiles Gal. 2.15 Because they were Strangers and Aliens who had no right equal with the Native Jews and Proselytes that were made free of their Nation As a villain or Bastard-born who is no actual transgressor against any Law yet by the Law of Nations is made a quasi Transgressor being wholly depersonated and degraded from the common Condition of a Man and depressed into the state of a Beast dead in Law having no Will nor Action nor Possession of any thing but is at the will and in the possession of his Lord subjected to all wrongs and excluded from all Rights having no Estate Office nor Suffrage must be no Witness can have no power to make a Testament Such was the state of Servitude a state of death not life Thus by the Law of God the Gibeonites were accursed Now therefore ye are cursed Jos 9.23 and ye shall none of you be freed from being bond-men and hewers of wood and drawers of water SECT VI. 3. The Distressed who justly according to the secret will of God Distressed for reasons best known to himself are afflicted with some notable and lasting misery such as the Blind and the Lame the Deformed the Lepers the Monster the Deaf and Dumb Innocents Fools and Frantick persons the proper objects of pity and compassion that neither sinned they nor their Parents but that the power of God might be seen and his Name glorified These are generally censured for sinners upon whom God hath layd such extraordinary calamities And so are such as suffer loss of Children Friends Honour Estate by storms and tempests by wars famines or any other fatal changes or chances in this world Such a one was Job yet a perfect and upright Man one that feared God and eschew'd evil yet Job's Friends erroneously condemned him for an hypocrite because so fearfully handled in his Person Children and Estate not considering That though sin be the cause of affliction yet it is neither the perpetual nor total nor sole cause thereof but that there are other good causes and considerations that flow from the secret and good will of God though they be hid from our eyes Thus those upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell were counted greater sinners than others because they suffered such things Thus those Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices were counted greater sinners than others because they suffered such grievous things Thus Lazarus a beggar and lying at the Rich Man's gate and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the Rich Man's Table Luc. 16.20 and was deny'd and the dogs came and licked his sores yet was he carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom Thus the Man Blind from his birth and sate and begg'd was judged either for his own sins or for the sins of his Parents to be made so miserable but it was that the work of God might be manifest SECT VII 4. The Tainted or stained in Blood Tainted who justly according to the will of God are made heirs to their Fathers misery either natural by hereditary diseases or ill conditions or legal by Confiscation of Goods Infamy Bastardy Slavery or other attainder or corruption of blood but especially for crimes of Treason or other high mis-demeanors against the Common-Wealth for which the Children of those Parents are debarred from being heirs to their Estate or Dignity Thus the seven Sons of Saul were hang'd in the Hill before the Lord for their Fathers cruelty against the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.9 Thus the Sons of Gehezi were made heirs to their Father's Leprosy which clave unto him and to his Seed for ever 2 Kings 5.27 Thus Eli's Sons were turned from the Altar for their Father's neglect besides their own enormities Thus for Achan's Sacriledg his Sons and his Daughters his Oxen and his Asses and his Sheep and all his Tent Jos 7.24 and all that he had were stoned with stones and afterward burnt with fire Thus the Children of Corah Dathan and Abiram and all theirs went down alive into the pit for the Rebellion of their Parents Thus the Children of the Ninevites should have been destroy'd whereof six score thousand could not discern their right hand from their left had not their Parents repented at the preaching of Jonah The CONTENTS Rom. 5.12 explained Recapitulation Accounting Adam's will not ours Levi's paying of tithes All mortal in Adam Righteous in Christ Immortal in Christ Every Individuum acts for it self Sinner legal Sinner moral Sinner jural Psal 51.6 explained Ephes 2.3 explained Soul a spirit Good most common Good lovely v. lib. 7. Tit. 3.2 Vol. Argumenta Laciniana TITLE II. Of Original Sin Rom. 5.12 Explained IN this rank are all the Sons of Adam who for his disobedience are made heirs of his mortality By one Man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all Men for that or in whom all have sinned not actively by transgressing in his transgression but passively by being prejudicated in his judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In his doom all Men were condemned to the state of transgressors These words In whom all sinned signify the same thing with those Vers 15. Through the offence of one many be dead and with these Vers 16. The judgment was upon one to condemnation and with these Vers 19. By one Man's disobedience many were made sinners And with these 1 Cor. 15.22 In Adam all die All which sayings amount to no more but this That by the sin of Adam he and all his Children were made mortal As by the sin of the Gibeonites they and their Children were made bound-slaves and by the sin of Gehezi he and all his Children were made lepers By one Adam sinning sin entred upon all Mankind and for that one Man's sin death came upon him and all Mankind by diminution of strength which caused grief diseases and death For though Adam was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. was made a living Soul not a quickning Spirit yet if he had continued to obey God he had ever remained alive in paradise and whether any higher condition was appointed to him is uncertain to us and was not certain to him Some think after a most long life God would have delivered him from the Body without any grief or pain which the Jews do not call death but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Osculum Pacis the Kiss of peace others think he
should have been translated as Enoch or Elias were But of this let others judg while we hold with the wise Hebrew Wisd 2.24 Eccles 25.24 that by the envy of the Devil death came into the world and with the son of Sirach By a Woman was the beginning of sin and from thence we all die For God made not death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living for he created all things that they might have their Being and the Generations of the World were healthfull and there is no poison of destruction in them Wisd 1.13 c. nor the kingdom of death upon the Earth for Righteousness is immortal and ungodly Men with their works and words have called it to them Thus death came upon all the posterity of Adam by the Law of his original by which the Bodies that were extracted from him could not but be obnoxius to the same evils to which his Body was subject from whence for their substance and qualities they were derived For the benefit that might come to the Bodies of Men from the Tree of Life being taken away they remained fading and frail as Potsheards made of earth just like the Bodies of other Creatures Thus say the Rabbies and St. Cyrill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As for the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they yet stick I say farther it is no strange Metonymie among the Hebrews and those that do hebraize to use the word sin for Punishment and therefore by a Metalepsis they are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sin who suffer any evill though without their fault as Gen. 31.36 Jacob answer'd and said to Laban What is my trespass what is my sin that thou hast so hotly pursued after me And Job 6.24 Teach me and I will hold my tongue cause me to understand wherein I have erred where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is interpreted by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by whom as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Luke 5.5 Act. 3.16 1 Cor. 8.2 Heb. 9.17 Rightly therefore St. Chrysostome speakes upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul in the next verse renders the reason of this assertion That all Men therefore die because they are all descended from Adam Because they had no Law given them which for the breach thereof did threaten the punishment of death upon the transgressors He denyeth not but that sin was in the world from Adam till the Law was given as the sin of Cain and of those before the Flood of Cham Noah Sodom the Brethren of Joseph Pharaoh and others after the Flood but never no death menaced till Moses by his Law did inflict death for the more hainous offences because sin is not imputed and consequently not punished where there is no Law that is sin was not therefore imputed to any that it should be to them the cause of death to wit to every particular Man For God then did not punish each particular Man with death for their sin but he punished all Mankind and amongst them Infants and Children that were never guilty of any sin But the Law speaks to every person that sins saying That Soul shall die the death that is God him-himself would cut him off by death if either the Judges were ignorant of his crime that had deserved it or if they neglected to do their duty Nevertheless death reigned all that while strongly even from Adam to Moses which was a long time even two thousand five hundred Years and spared none no not those that never sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression that is that had committed no sin like unto that which Adam committed such as Abel Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph And because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ambiguous and in some sense may be attributed to all therefore the Apostle distinctly explains himself concerning what kind of sin he speakes to wit of that sin which may be esteemed equal with that sin which Adam had committed for great sins use to be compared to the sin of Adam Hos 6.7 The judgment given upon Adam for his offence was Banishment from Paradise A curse upon the ground for his sake a miserable painful life and at last an everlasting death and this judgment was not personal only to determine with him but it was reall and hereditary to him and to his heirs for ever For as by his offence his innocency was corrupted so by his judgment his Posterity was tainted and his Blood stained For first none of his Children shall be heirs to that immortality and Blessedness which he once was to enjoy in Paradise Secondly all his Children shall be blemished and tainted to inherit the curse of Banishment misery and mortality which he incurred Thirdly this corruption shall not be remedied but by the extraordinary Mediation of Jesus Christ Recapitulation Thus the Jural or calamitous sinners are of four sorts The oppressed the blemished the distressed and the tainted And the word Sinner doth sometimes carry all these senses for sometimes one and the same person may be oppressed blemished distressed and tainted And the three first sort of sinners Legal Moral and Jural are not essentially different but that one and the same person may be a transgressor unkind and calamitous as the Gentiles were transgressors and improbous or unmerciful Rom. 1.29 being Filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness Full of envy murder debate malignity wisperers back-biters haters of God despiteful proud boasters inventers of evill things disobedient to Parents without understanding Covenant-breakers without natural aflection implacable unmerciful And they were calamitous and blemished being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the world The Jews in the sight of God generally were as great sinners as the Gentiles but legally and morally What then are we better than they No in no wise for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin Yet jurally they were not such sinners nor so calamitous as the Gentiles because they were not such aliens and strangers from God but had many reall rights and priviledges peculiar unto them as the Peculiar People of God Yet the right which the Jew had in God was but a puerile or servile right to be as Children in the condition of Servants under age in hardship under the Law From which state Christ came to emancipate and deliver them that he might advance them and invest them into a filial right of being the Sons of God In a plenage and fulness of years Gal. 4.2 3. Thus Men are sinners three several waies Most Men generally are transgressors and improbous or unkind and all Men universally are calamitous oppressed blemished distressed and tainted wherefore this last way Man as he is a Man is a sinner and over and above legally and morally sinful being actually transgressors
condemned as Children of wrath that is after the Hebrew phrase such as have deserved punishment as Sons of deat hare such as have deserved death Vide 2 Sam. 12.5 John 15.12 2 Thess 2.3 1 Câ—r 11.13 14. So the Apostle disputeth Judg in your selves i. e. according to your natural Reason is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered Doth not even Nature it self teach you that if a Man have long hair it is a shame unto him c. That is not plain Nature but Customs far and neer in all Ages observed which are the Laws of Nations which are secondary Laws Rom. 1.18 c. springing from the original Laws of Nature For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shew'd it unto them But they when they knew God glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned professing themselves wise they became fools For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their Women did change the natural use into that which is against Nature And likewise also the Men leaving the natural use of the Woman burned in their lusts one toward another Men with Men working that which is unseemly and receiving to themselves that recompense of their error which was meet And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledg God gave them up to a reprobate mind to do those things who are not convenient without natural affection Col. 4.8 c. doing service to them which by nature are no Gods Others of the Gentiles which had not the Law writen on Tables did by nature the things contained in the Law these having no Law were a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another SECT XI Thus it appears that Nature teaches good and by her Dictates they that walk contrary to the course of Nature are condemned as guilty of the wrath of God and are therefore called Sons of wrath But to call these unnatural courses of Adult persons by the name of Original Sin Actual in which we are conceiv'd and born and for which we are liable to eternal death is so strange and so heterogeneal a consequence as by no considering unbiast way of reasoning can justly be deduced from such premises That Nature is good and teaches good appears in that all Men naturally desire good enquiring what is good what is Truth and who will shew us any good as 1. To do good to our selves and to others not to hurt our selves nor others 2. To keep our promises to all 3. To give every one their due This is God's Image It is as natural for Man to be good Quintil. as for Birds to flie and Fishes to swim 1. Because the Soul is a Spirit Reason and it is the nature of a Spirit to desire God and Goodness Soul a Spirit I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man Spirits delight not in corporeal things the Soul draws near to his proper object God and Goodness The breath of God breathes after God The Soul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Receptacle of God as mattter is of form As there is a sympathy between the Seed and the Womb to conceive thereby so there is a sympathy between God and the Soul God the Seed the Soul the Matrix Man is a kind of Mortal god Tertul. In homine quid optimum Ratio hâc antecedit animalia Deos sequitur saies Brave Seneca Senec. what is the best thing in Man It is Reason by this he excels all other living creatures here below and follows God himself The Soul hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certain formative quality from the kindly aspect and incumbency of God's Grace hovering and brooding over it Ephes 4.24 which makes the New Man which after God is created in Righteousnes and true Holiness SECT XII 2. Because Good is the most common and communicative thing that is Good most common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith Hope and Love are the Common Laws and Notions tending to the common salvation God dispenses not Good sparingly he shuts it not up as Gold and Metals in the bowels of the Earth or Pearls and Jewels in the bottom of the Sea Say not therefore who will shew us any good or ascend into Heaven to fetch it down from thence that we may hear it and do it or who will go down to Hell if it were there to fetch it up from thence that we might hear it and do it for it is nigh even in thy heart it is the light that is in us which if it be darkned how great is that darkness The most excellent things of God are the most common and offered to all when other things are rare and present themselves to few God is every Man 's good that will Aquinas his Sister ask'd him how she might be saved he answer'd her If you will The Predestinarian makes a cross consequence from this Object That Salvation depends upon Man's will If the King pardon and the Malefactor sues it out and takes it Answ does the King's Grace therefore depend upon the Malefactor's will should he be forc'd to take it whether he will or not Is this reasonable If Men reject the Grace of God their destruction is from themselves but their Salvation is from God The goods thing of God arrive certainly at the persons that desire them So is it not in the things of this world Every covetous person is not rich though he rise up early and goes to bed late and eats the bread of carefulness yet all will not do Every Ambitious Man is not the highest though he aspire and labour never so much to climbe up to the top of Honour yet he is forc'd to stay below and move in an inferior Orbe Every Student that sits in the Vatican is not a great Clark and there are few good in any one Trade But in Divine things it is far otherwise for every one that asketh hath and every one that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh the gates of Wisdom are opened Every one that hungreth and thirsteth after Righteousness shall be satisfied Fastidiosior est scientia quà m virtus Learning Riches Honours c. are more nice and coy than Virtue is though Virtue be most lovely yet she is not so delicate and scornful as they that have far less beauty and worth in them Paucorum est ut literati seu Divites c. omnium ut Boni Very few can attain to great Learning Honor c. But all may be good and besides Honours Wisdom Power c. when they are gotten are
still very shy to be kept they can hardly be lookt upon or handled they are desultorious and slippery and long to be gone from us But God sticks by us and delights to dwell with us A Servant abideth not in the house Joh. 8.35 but the Son abideth for ever Wisdom invites and courts all to her embraces O ye simple how long will ye love simplicity and ye fools delight in scorning Get wisdom get understanding wisdom shall preserve you understanding shall keep you Put her on as a Robe as a Crown as ornaments of gold and pretious stones and keep her as thy life God is not lapt up in the Ephod for the Priest alone nor wrapped up in the Diadem for the Prince alone All are equally concerned to enjoy God as well he that groveleth on the dunghil as he that sits on the Throne as well the dweller in the smoky Cottage as the Lord of stately Palaces The Gospel is preached to every Creature his Messengers are equally sent to the Captains and Scribes as to the common Souldiers that sit on the Wall God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him Christ disdained not the society of Publicans and Sinners and the Kingdom of Heaven is pressed into by all sorts and the violent take it by force SECT XIII Good lovely 3. Because Good is lovely and amiable to all and praised by the worst because Nature teacheth all Men to reverence Virtue though they choose the contrary It striketh an awe into those that scorn it A Man of God a Magistrate carries such gravity in his Countenance and habit and Majesty in his life and Calling that his presence will daunt the stoutest Atheists and Ranters and stop their oathes and lewdness till Cato be gone they start at him and beg of him to depart out of their coast and pray him not to come among them to torment them The preaching of Paul of Justice and Judgment made Felix tremble Bonum tunc vincit cum laeditur tunc intelligitur cum arguitur When good is most opposed she conquers most and is then understood when she is reproved so hard a thing it is to loose the Instinct of Nature which when put by will come on with the greater force to our greater conviction and shame in refusing that good which is so obvious and easie to be practised and hunt after that evil which is more remote and painful to be performed Herod was troubled to cut of John Baptist's head because it was unjust and dishonorable yet for his Oath 's sake and those that were with him and to please a wanton Damsel in Point of Honour falsely so called he commanded it to be done contrary to his conscience and was troubled after he had done it when hearing of the famous works of Christ he cryed out it was John the Baptist that was risen from the dead Christ's innocency evicted Pilate's heart while his tongue condemned him saying to the People Be it as you require And yet he could not but say I find no fault in this Man The malice of Tyrants raged against the Martyrs to kill them while their innocency acquitted them even in the Judgments of their murtherers fain would they have spar'd their lives if they would but conform to their idolatrous courses so contrary to nature for an Idol is nothing there is no reason in Nature for it nor in many other things which unreasonable and unnatural Men presume to do Wicked Men are glad when they can get companions in their sins and glory most when for fear of torments they can bring godly Men over to their ungodly courses thinking thereby to strengthen themselves in their sin and to salve their own sores and lull the loud cries of their conscience condemning them for what they do What Traitor ever praised Rebellion and what Devil will not commend a Saint Let me die the death of the Righteous saith the most profane and let my last end be like unto his yet they will not give themselves leave to do that which in reason they allow to be good and just so strongly are Men confuted by themselves and so powerful is the Law of Nature in all Men. Besides what satisfaction ever had any wicked Man in his wicked courses Eat drink and be merry take thine ease let loose the reins to all licentiousness beat at every bush crown thy head with Rose-buds before they be withered taste of all the delights of the Sons of Men will this do in the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowful Vanity of vanities saith even Nature it self all is vanity and vexation of Spirit Nothing can fill the heart but God nothing can comfort but a good conscience Lastly to make all sure remember that undeniable principle of Reason mentioned in the first Book and first Title of the first Volume to be written with Letters of Gold and to be engraven in the Rock with the point of a Diamond for ever which is this That every Action that is in our Power to do or not to do is imputable to us and may justly be imputed to us by God or Man But on the contrary every Action that is not in our power to do or not to do is not imputable unto us nor can be justly imputed to us by God or Man That is not of debt to the hurt of any but of Grace it may be imputed for their good For favours may be imputed where they are not due But sins and plagues can never be imputed but only where they are due The Rule is unquestionable It is impossible rightly to lay the guilt of sin upon any Man unless he by his own individual Act of will hath made himself guilty of the transgression of a known Law If this be true then consider what rightly follows Vide l. 7. T. 3. of Christ's feudal Kingdom Sect. A publick person c. SECT XIV Argumenta Laciniata Aculeata 1. God pardoned Adam's sin upon his repentance Ergo he suffered not for it any more than a temporal death which was threatned him how then shall his Children be unpardoned and suffer any more than a temporal death threatned in Adam to all his posterity 2. Our Birth is involuntary and without our knowledg how then born in sin involuntary and unknown except God by decree included our knowledg and wills by interpretation How can these things be No being no life no Action no Understanding no Will. Then we must charge God who makes us consent before we were or could consent 3. Our will was fast asleep in its causes The cause of our will is God's will not Adam's will The Soul is immediately created and infused by God Ergo was not in Adam's Soul 4. God did not punish the Devils but for their own most perfect choice why are Men punished for no choice 5. If Adam had notice of the Law what notice had we
we shall be saved from wrath c. Do we then make voyd the Law Rom. 8.32 through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law In all the letter and scope of Scriptures upon this point the form of our Justification appears to be the Imputation or Accounting of our Faith for our right or Justification to the rights promised Ro. 5.17 8. There is mention made of Abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness And that by the righteousness of one the free-gift came upon all Men unto justification of life And that by one Man's obedience many were made righteous Phil. 3.9 St. Paul also desires That he may be found in Christ not having 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 No Man is justified by the Law in the sight of God for the just shall live by Faith and the Law is not of Faith but the Man that doth them shall live in them Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us For it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree That the Blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith And the promise that Abraham should be the Heir of the World Ro. 4.13 was not to him or to his Seed through the Law but through the righteousness of Faith SECT III. But in all those places or any other Christ's Righteousness I cannot find any imputation of Christ's Righteousness The Righteousness of Faith and the Righteousness of God by Faith I find but no other By the Righteousness of Christ must be meant his personal obedience to the moral Law which cannot be made ours or translated to us or accounted to us and reckoned as ours for diverse and weighty reasons First because Christ's obedience was the obedience of a Mediator fitted exactly for such a Person and Office and no other A High Priest harmless undefiled separated from sinners c. Hebr. 7.26 one that makes all Men just and righteous and is made unto them righteousness sanctification and Redemption and is God our Righteousness That hath the Spirit of Righteousness without measure that is anointed above all his Fellows with that fulness from which we all receive Grace for grace whose Glory is the Glory of the only Begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth and much more than the Tongue of Men or Angels can express Now for a Man to be clothed with the Robes of this Righteousness as they speak is to appear before God not in the habit of a righteous and justified Man but of the justifier of the Sons of Men whose righteousness is too excellent and glorious for our condition of a Mediator God and Man We are the better for his active and passive obedience for it is the cause of our Righteousness by Faith The Members partake of the benefit of the Head The Wife is endow'd by Marriage with all her Husband's goods but the virtue of the Head is not appropriated though communicated nor made over to the Members nor is the estate of the Husband past away or made over to his Wife The Endowment of the Wife is no formal cause nor ingredient of Marriage but a fruit or consequent thereof So our justification or our right to the Righteousness of Christ that is to his Rights and Priviledges accrues to us by our Marriage with Christ which is by Faith the formal cause thereof The Estate Wisdom and Righteousness is Christ's but the benefit of them and of all that is Christ's is ours as is the Wealth and Wisdom and Honour of the Husband to the Wife In a word Christ's Righteousness is that for which Faith is accounted to us for Righteousness Ergo the Personal righteousness of Christ himself is not accounted to us Secondly Because Personal moral virtues cannot be past over to others by act of Nature or Law as by Descent Donation Succession Cession Dereliction Degradation Deprivation or any other way or means Because they are inherent habits of the Mind and therefore inseparable from the Mind and if separable altogether inconveyable to the Mind of another by deed of gift Descent of Blood or any other conveyance whatsoever during life or after death But Jural Rights are of that nature as that they may be derived by act of Law not Nature from Parents to their Children from Predecessors to their Successors or Alienated from the Proprietary to any other Person not only to be reckoned but to be really his or theirs to whom the alienation reversion or derivation is made by any act or deed according unto Law to take place in life or after death Also some act of mine may be accounted for a right to my self as my labour for my wages my purchase for my Estate my Faith for my justification Thus Moral Righteousness is inseparable from the Person to which it doth belong and cannot be reckoned to another but Jural Rights are separable and may be accounted to another I may possibly be respected and saved for another's Virtue and Worth but his Virtue and Worth can no waies be made mine Virtue Learning Vice and Ignorance are habits and qualities which are a Man 's own without accounting but Riches and Honours we have as rights accounted unto us or else we cannot have or hold them My Health or Sickness of Body may be propagated to me and from me to another but not the Health or Sickness of my Soul Who can be healthy by another Man's health while he possesseth it Who can be sick by another Man's sickness while he possesseth it Who can be rich by another Man's riches while he enjoyeth them Who can be honourable by another Man's honour while he enjoyes it Who can be disgraced by another Man's disgrace while he suffereth it Who can be poor by another Man's poverty while he endures it Who can be learned by another Man's Learning while he hath it Who can be virtuous by another Man's virtues or vicious by another Man's vice These Virtues or Vices are really his who hath them not really mine whose they are not or how can these things in another be so much as reckoned or accounted to be mine I may be reckoned guilty of another Man's sin and so of his punishment by consenting or helping c. but not for his acting or suffering I cannot be reckoned virtuous by another Man's virtue or sinful by another Man's sin or miserable by another Man's misery If I have many virtues others may have as many virtues or more than I and I have no less than I have but if I have many rights to such or such things others can have no rights to the same things If they be taken away from me in part I have the less if in full I have none at all but others
punishment 9. Judicium discernens voluntatem Dei pertinet ad quemlibet pro semetipso The judgment to discern the will of God belongs to every one for himself 10. Lex Dei in mente est regula Conscientiae The Law of God in the mind is the rule of Conscience 11. Conscientia est ignis Inferni Vermis rodens The Conscience is the fire of Hell the Worm that never dies 12. Coelum Terra in Corde humano Heaven and Hell are seated in the Heart of Man 13. Conscientia ante bonum calcar post bonum consolatio The Conscience is a spur unto good and a comfort afterward 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We do not easily fairly judg of our selves without partiality 15. Inter Deum Conscientiam noli vereri nisi causam tuam Betwixt God and thine own Conscience fear nothing if thy cause be good if thy Heart be honest The CONTENTS Transition Old Man Old Leaven Natural Man Carnal Mind New Man New Lump Spiritual Mind New Birth First Resurrection Old Creation Concurrency of God and Man TITLE VI. Of a New Creature Transition THe Conscience being rectified to do all its offices faithfully argues the rectification of the Understanding and Will and all the passions which is the change of the whole Man or the New Creature SECT I. Old Man The New Creature implyes the Old Creature done away which is called in Scripture 1. The Old Man Our Old Man is crucified with him Old Man Ro. 6.6 that the Body of sin might be destroy'd that from henceforth we should not serve sin Put off concerning the former conversation Eph. 4.22 which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renew'd in the Spirit of your minds Put off the Old Man with his deeds and put on the New Man Col. 3.9 which is renew'd in knowledg after the image of him that created him SECT II. 2. Old Leaven Purge out therefore the Old Leaven Old Leaven 1 Cor. 5.7 that ye may be a New Lump as ye are unleavened for Christ our Pass-over is sacrificed for us SECT III. 3. Natural Man Natural Man 1 Cor. 2.14 The Natural Man received not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither indeed can he because they are spiritually discerned SECT IV. 4. Carnal Mind The Law is spiritual but I am carnal Carnal mind Ro. 7.14 Ro. 8.7 sold under sin Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be I speak unto you as unto Spiritual not unto Carnal even as unto Babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3.13 Ro. 8.6 2 Cor. 10.4 c. To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual mighty through God to the pulling down strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and being in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled 5. Gall of bitterness Act. I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and bond of perdition 6. Flesh That which is born of the flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit 7. Old Birth Joh. 3. Except a Man be born again of the Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This is the old heart the old Spirit the stony-heart the wrong Spirit old affections and lusts c. SECT V. 2. The New Creature which is called in Scripture 1. The New Man Put on the New Man New Man Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 2 Cor. 5.17 which after Christ is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Put on the New Man renewed in knowledg after the image of him that created him If any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature SECT VI. 2. The New Lump Purge out therefore the Old Leaven New Lump 1 Cor. 5.7 that ye may be a new Lump c. SECT VII 3. Spiritual mind To be carnally minded is death Spiritual mind Ro. 8.6 Ro. 12.2 Tit. 3.5 but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may know what is that good and perfect Will of God By the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost For this cause we faint not but though our outward Man perish 2 Cor. 4.16 yet the inward Man is renewed day by day Be ye renewed in the Spirit of your mind Hebr. 6.6 c. If they shall fall away to renew them again by repentance Col. 3.1 c. Set your affections on high seek those things which are above c. SECT VIII New Birth Joh. 1.13 4. New Birth Born of God born not of Blood nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of Men but of God He that is born of God doth not commit sin 1 Joh. 3.9 for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot commit sin because he is born of God 1 Joh. 4.7 Every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God 1 Joh. 5.4 18. He that is born of God overcometh the World and this is the victory that overcometh the World 1 Joh. 2.29 even our Faith Every one that doth righteousness is born of him Tit. 3.5 The washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost SECT IX First Resurrection Rev. 20.5 6. 5. The first Resurrection He that hath his part in the first Resurrection upon him the second death shall have no power This is the New heart the heart of Flesh the new Spirit the right Spirit Ez. 11.19 I will put a new Spirit within you I will take the stony-heart out of the Flesh Ez. 18.31 and I will make you a new heart and a new Spirit for why will ye dye Ez. 36.26 O ye House of Israel A New heart will I give you and put a new Spirit within you Ro. 7.6 and I will take away the stony-heart and give you an heart of Flesh 1 Pet. 2.2 Serve God in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Gal. 2.20 This is crucifixion with Christ I am crucified with Christ I live yet not I Gal. 52.4 but Christ that liveth in me They that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the affections and lusts Gol. 6.14 This is living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit Glorying in the Cross of Christ by which the World is crucified unto us and we unto the World This is a death unto sin a burial with Christ a rising with him a partaking of the Divine
my poor wife and Children for I know my doom and accordingly am hastening as I am driven into Hell And I can expect no help from thee And this he expressed with a sedate mind as one that was earnestly going a journey The example of Francis Spira is fearful although there were not wanting some signs of hopes in him Alas the Church of Rome is a sad Mother leading her Children in a Maze affording them no assurance in Life or Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the most part her Teachers deny the certainty of Salvation unless it be to some choice and eminent Saints and that not without a special Revelation As for others they have but poor hopes Yet Ambrosius Catharinus and Martin Eisengenius incline to the orthodox judgment Catharinus and Sotus oppose one another and Vega both The sense of the Council of Trent is versatile like the Oracles of Apollo Some were for a revealed Assurance some for no Assurance at all Some confessed ingeniously their ignorance in the point SECT I. 1. Doctrines of Masses c. The subtilty of maintaining this Doctrine of the uncertainty of Faith is contrived to uphold the Doctrine of Masses Dirges Indulgences Purgatory visiting of Saints Shrines c. such filthy gains as they daily make by such delusions which otherwise would altogether come tumbling down headlong to the ruin of the Politick Church One of them saith I have many a time and often visited the sick M. Eisenc and them that have died and no Man can say of me but that after they had declared their repentance and Faith I exhorted them with all diligence to have an undanted and certain confidence He farther saith That all the chiefest Divines of the World taught the same Doctrine ever since the Apostles daies So say Fisher of Rochester Gropper the Divines of Colen Ruard Dean of Lovain Castalius Vega c. So forcible is the Truth that falls from the mouths and pens of those that unreasonably oppose it SECT II. Doctrine of no Salvation without the Pale of the Church 2. The subtilty of maintaining the Doctrine of the certainty of Faith and absolute Assurance of eternal Justification is invented to uphold as the Doctrine of the Romish Church no hope of salvation without the Pale of that Church so to maintain the Doctrine of other Selected Churches of no hope of salvation without the narrow precincts of their several Conventicles So that as the Great Vicar holds the Keyes of Heaven and Hell at his girdle and hath all his Children at his beck even so the Petty-Vicars pin their Election or Reprobation on their sleeves And make their Subjects admire or fear their favours or frowns and dare not stir or budge from them upon pain of eternal damnation This Great and Lordly one over God's free People and Inheritance makes them 1. Slaves in their Judgments to believe all that their Grand Superintendents magisterially dictate unto them though it be never so absurd painful and costly 2. Slaves in their Persons to ride go or row dig or torl in the Gallies or Mines like Beasts or any other slavish and foolish actions even to Planting and watering of a dry stick to try their obedience To marry into what Families they please to enrich the Church or State 3. Slaves in their Estates to give all they have at or before their death from their Parents Children or Kinsmen Friends to Strangers of their own Sect. SECT III. Doctrine of lying still in Sin 3. The subtilty of this Doctrine of maintaining the Certainty of Faith and absolute Assurance of Eternal Justification is invented by Satan as his greatest stratagem to make him who is his vassal and lives in sin to believe that he is the Child of God and in the state of Grace that he may commit sin and not be the servant of sin but have his share in Christ An Assurance without a Warrant from the Spirit subscribed with the hands of Flesh and Bloud Perfection we would learn and pretend to attain it without ever learning to attain it by working it out with fear and trembling and making our Calling and Election sure Freedom we like but not to be restrained by the Laws of Christ which makes perfect Freedom Assurance we build upon but never build up our Assurance SECT IV. Imputed Righteousness We dare to talk of the imputed Righteousness of Christ while we have no real Righteousness of our own Boast of God's Spirit and Grace while we grieve the one and turn the other into wantonness This we call appearing clothed in our Elder Brother's Robes or as Jacob did we may steal away his Blessing Thus the Adulterer may say I am chast with Christ's chastity the Drunkard I am sober with Christ's temperance the Covetous I am poor with Christ's poverty the Revenger I forgive with Christ's charity The irregenerate and voluptuous dead in trespasses and sins I am born again mortified crucified dead and buried in Christ and with Christ Sen. Calvisius Sabinus fancied that he did every good work which his Servants did If they were Poets Orators Artificers c. he was all this So we say what Christ did we do what he suffered we suffer though we never so much as do or suffer any thing like him Therefore as Seneca said of that Grand Opimator I never saw a Man whose happiness did less become him So may it well be said of these who like Men clothed in Lions Skins or Owls with the Feathers of other Birds Their borrow'd Graces and Vizards do full ill become them their gay apparel sits ill upon them We talk of applying the promises to our selves which they may do that as enemies to the Cross of Christ never perform any one of them The applying of the promises of Christ is not a speculative but a practical thing an act much rather of the Will than of the Understanding If we keep God's word the promises will apply themselves when the Will of Man is subject to the Will of God The Blessing of God will fall like dew from Heaven of it self If we walk according to God's Rule God's Grace Mercy and Peace shall be upon us and upon the Israel of God If we put on the Lord Jesus Christ by imitation of his Righteousness obedience and Love in this his likeness he will own us and approve of us SECT V. 1. We may not think uncharitably Collections Uncharitableness that every one that is not of our Sect though he be an honest Man and feareth God is a Reprobate by the same uncharitable Rule they may think the same of us who differ just as much from us as we do from them and are as confident of their being in the right as we are of our being in the right 2. We may not think that our judgment of our own Estate or our Enemies judgment of our Estate shall be the rule by which God will proceed to judg both
us and them at the last day 3. We may not think of our selves or others that when we or they have honestly and constantly endeavoured after goodness and come short of what is indeed perfection therefore we shall be all rejected and left under woful disappointments God is not so hard a Master 4. We may not think that every one that in heat of passion despairs or makes away himself is lost for ever or every Mad-man or Fool is damned These have no Will and therefore no sin for the time and therefore cannot suffer justly for such actions but for what they did while they were themselves if ever they were so If never they are sufferers not Sinners no shame to them but for God's Glory 5. We may not think that every one that boasts of his Assurance is sure and of his Perfection is perfect There is cause to suspect such most who least suspect themselves 6. The Cares and Loves of God are not altogether without some fears and jealousies Pietas etiam tuta aliquindo pertimescit Piety though in a safe condition is now and then fearful The liberal Man mistrusteth his Bounty The Believer his Unbelief Lord I believe help thou my unbelief If this be a fault it is a safe one Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Be not high minded but fear Every Man hath not a Mansion in Heaven that pretendeth to it nor is every Man shut out who doubteth of his evidence for Heaven Diffidence is a character of a good Man who would fain be better Though he hath built up his Assurance as strong as he can yet he thinketh himself not sure enough but seeketh farther for Assurance and fortifieth it with his fear and assiduous diligence to make it stand fast for ever The case of every one that uses desperate words is not desperate if they proceed from distempers of Body or ignorance of Mind and not from corrupt consciences We may be bold to say If real despair hath killed her thousands Presumption hath slain her ten thousands Despair is the Daughter of Sin and Darkness but Presumption is the ludibrium of Hope But holy confidence is the Genuine Off-spring of a pure conscience 7. Neglect not the Grace of God nor receive it in vain nor turn it unto wantonness nor sin that Grace may abound But be vigilant and careful and wisely fearful Fortis saepè victus cautus rarissime A strong Man over confident oft falls but a wary Man seldom SECT VI. Proofs For a Close to leave my own Conceptions I will lay most of the Scriptures together concerning this point and let the Reader try what I have said from them or what he himself can gather out of them And they are these Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God by which ye are sealed unto the day of your Redemption And not only they that is the Creation but our selves Ro. 8.23 which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our Bodies Eph. 1.14 The Spirit which is the earnest of our Inheritance untill the Redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Ro. 8.15 Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4.5 6. To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons and because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts crying Abba Father Joh. 1.12 As many as have received him to them gave he power to be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 John 5.16 If any Man sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death There is a sin unto death I do not say ye shall pray for it Ro. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Joh. 16.22 I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no Man taketh from you 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoicing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our conversation in the World 1 Joh. 3.21 Beloved if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 1 Joh. 16 17. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Joh. 5.15 And if we know that he hears us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of him Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name he will give it you 2 Pet. 1.10 The rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure For if ye do these things ye shall never fall Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect Ro. 8.33 c. it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Being perswaded that he that had promised was able also to perform Ro. 4.21 Ye know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 even to them who are the called according to his purpose We know that we have passed from death unto Life 1 Joh. 3.14 16. because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren Verily verily I say unto you he that knoweth my Word Joh. 5.23 and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from Death unto Life The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want Ps 23 1 c. he maketh me to lie down in green pastures c. In thee O Lord do I put my trust let me never be ashamed c. Ps 31. i. He that
Prince though it were possible for him to fulfil his whole Law exactly And therefore the Prince can be a Debtor to no Subject but as he is pleased to make himself so by his free and gracious Promise which gives him to whom th Promise was made a right by grace which by works he could not have Yet God and Princes who have power perfectly to oblige their Subjects do confer good things upon those that obey their Commands to stir up their readiness to obey not as Rewards due but as Free gifts promised The Reason is Because those things which I perfectly owe to another he to whom they are due from me hath already a right unto them so that if I do them properly I part with nothing of that to which for the present I have a right because if I withhold my duty or deny it to him to whom it is due I do him wrong because the right of that office is no longer mine but his to whom I am obliged and therefore if I do what I should do there can be no place left for any Merit at all But when without any perfect obligation on my part I do what I do to another that right which issues from me accrues to him and leaves me a right to be had from him upon whom I did bestow as much work as did countervail the wages he gave me and this is Merit If this Merit be expresly stipulated for it is called Wages if it be left for the manner time quantity and quality thereof to the free will and equity of the Donor it is called a Reward which is either corporeal as Mony Cattel Fields Houses Houshold goods c. or incorporeal as Immunities Priviledges Honours c. Supererogation So that a Merit is a kind of work of Supererogation issuing from our own free will more than we need to do and of which we may glory and for which we may expect thanks And this being a grace to God or man must of necessity destroy the grace of God or man as if they were the better for us When the contrary is most true that we are the better for them and so they merit of us in this case and not we of them at all And therefore all School Disputes of Merits on mans part are but idle talk If there were any such thing as Merit in us Then first we should be the better for doing that good which we were never obliged to do and God should be the better for that good which he could never exact from us But this is absurd SECT I. Demerit On the contrary a Demerit is the Non-performance of a work which is due to another or to which a right on our part should compel us and the Party to whom it is not done had a right to compel us to the doing of the same but we would not do it Therefore all mortal men do demerit many things at Gods hands when they are obliged to obey his Laws and do not and therefore all men are debtors to God and do demerit against him by their evil works Therefore all mortal men do demerit many things at the hand of Princes when they are obliged to obey their Laws and do not and therefore are debtors to their Prince and do demerit against them by their evil works In all Demerits or sins against another there are two things The defect it self or distance from the Rule of the Law according to the execution or intention thereof and the loss accruing thereby to the Law-maker directly or indirectly The Party therefore that demerits or sins is accountable to the Lawmaker for the sin it self or the breach of his Law and for the loss that accrues to him thereby For both which he is bound to suffer punishment commensurable to the offence of the Law and to the loss or damage received thereby And therefore every mortal man is a debtor to God to satisfie for his sin against his Law and for the damage to speak after the manner of men which he received thereby by repentance and amendment and sufficient caution if it could be to do so no more These things may and do hold in Foro humano but how they can or do hold in Foro divino I confess I do not understand And therefore I break off this discourse abruptly what I have said already is come hardly from me and the rest is altogether out of my reach Only this I think I may say That Feudal Subjects can do no more than is due and therefore cannot merit but may do less than is due and therefore do demerit The effect of their work in coming up to the Rule of Feudal Law is their virtue and the benefit if any may be said to be to the Law-maker is their reward But the defect of their work in coming short to the rule of the Feudal Law is their sin and the damage if any may be said to be is their punishment And as every Merit supposeth a work of Supererogation undue and uncommanded and therefore is not imputable to any but to them that do it for the vertue or for the reward thereof So every Demerit supposeth a work of Supererogation unrequired and unforbidden and therefore is not imputable to any but to them that commit it for the vice or for the punishment thereof And therefore as it is contrary to nature Rewards and Punishments for any one to be rewarded for that good deed which cannot be imputed unto him because he never did it so it is contrary to nature for any one to be punished for that evil deed which cannot be imputed unto him because he never committed it For as by Rewards men are encouraged to vertue and the reward ought to be distributed upon the consideration of the good deed so by Punishments men are deterred from vice and the punishment ought to be inflicted upon the consideration of the evil deed And as none are properly capable of the rewards but those persons that have done the vertue as the cause of those rewards so none are properly capable of the punishments but those persons that have committed the sin as the cause of those punishments Therefore as the pleasure and profit of the Reward is properly due by merit to him who acted or concurred to the good done So the grief or disprofit of the Punishment is properly due by demerit to him who acted or concurred to the evil committed So Children are not properly rewarded by Merit when their Father for his vertue is invested with the Fee And Children are not properly punished by Demerit when their Father for his vice is devested of the Fee Because as in that respect Children are not directly rewarded with the investiture of that right which was not properly their own So neither are Children in that respect directly punished with the devestiture of that right which was not properly their own But only by consequence both they are rewarded
when they have the Fee which their Fathers had and kept by their Allegiance to their death for them to succeed after them and they are punished when they have lost their Fee which their Fathers lost and did not keep by their felony to their death for them to lose after them what they might have had if their Fathers had performed the Condition So if Parents for their Vertue be made free their Children shall be free but this hath no true respect of reward but good fortune So if Parents for their Fine be reduced to slavery their Children shall be slaves but this hath no true respect of punishment but evil fortune Because no body before he is can have right that he should be born in such or such a condition but when he is born so or so it is his good or bad chance As an Infant in his Mothers womb is not properly acquitted when his Mother is acquitted and saved her life nor properly condemned when his Mother is condemned and loseth her life The CONTENTS Transition Demonstrations Traditions Scriptures Representative Church Some body must determine Pride Calumnies Scriptures Collections TITLE V. Of a Judge of Christs Laws Transition AFter all the discourse of Laws and the Law-maker there is a great cry that makes a great disturbance Who shall be the Judge and Interpreter of Christs Laws No hopes ever to convince such that take all upon trust and will be blinded for Policy and Interest but let Wisdom still speak and she will be justified of her Children and none but wilful Souls will stop their ears A Judge they lack and such as must be infallible but they cannot agree who this should be If some Moral Truths are as demonstrable as others which they call Mathematical then what need of a Judge When such moral Propositions are as Scientifical of themselves and create as full an assent to the understanding as Natural things which are perceptible of themselves and create a full apprehension to the sense The Laws of Nature are plain and as plain consequences may be made from them As that no man should steal or kill and from thence it is demonstrated That if Sejus or Titius do steal or kill they sin against the Law of Nature And such Ratiocinations as are rightly framed from necessary Principles create as undeniable Demonstrations As that a man is Risible Demonstrations because he is Rational That a Horse is one true and good because he is an Ens or that the Periphery of a Circle is Equidistant from the Centre Now if the Laws of Nature be so plain then they need no Judge And if the Positive Laws are so plain as they are or ought to be then they need no Judge also All Intellectual Entities have hitherto by the most of men been accounted probable only allowing by great favour infallibility to Revelations and therefore have been the more slighted and nothing thought worthy of credit but material Entities and objects of sense Now if Revelations come as they may do to the understanding as well as Natural notions and Sensual objects why may they not as plainly be apprehended supposing them as they must to be as plainly revealed as the rest are imprinted in the Soul or conveyed thither by the sense But still the Question is Who shall be the Judg and this Judge must be infallible too The old beaten way is to believe as the Church believes and the Churches Faith is resolved into the Pope or a general Council with or without him not yet agreed Surely there is a fallacy in the word Church as in the word People The Church is either taken for all the Church and the People for all the People which cannot meet to agree all or for the most part or best of the Church or People which can hardly meet to agree all So there is no certainty in either SECT I. Universal Traditions are doubtful Traditions The Eastern Church had one Tradition about Easter from St. John the Western another from St. Peter the Millenaries received their Tradition from Papias St. John's Disciple the rest denied it Councils were hardly ever universal or universally agreeing and mostly packt a few popular Orators and Politicians swayed all the rest So that we are at no certainty by these Certainty is either in Nature things actually existent to sense or in Morality from prime principles undoubted conclusions in the mind by Rational or Mathematical Demonstrations actually existent to Reason The Law of Nature is plain enough Consequences from thence are clear if rightly deducted by the help of Art Laws Positive are to flow from thence Subjects may know by these Laws what they are to have and what they are to do SECT II. Scriptures The Scriptures are God's Positive Laws commanded in his Will and Testament with Promises of Rewards so that by them all Subjects and Legatees understand what they are to have and what they are to do And as the Laws and Testaments of wise and good men are evident so much more the Laws and Testaments of God And therefore in all these Laws there is sufficient Certainty to every one who when all comes to all must judge as well as they can for themselves and the Laws fundamental and necessary are so plain that they may judge Else why should those Promises be made and those Duties be commanded if they to whom they were made and enjoyned could not possibly apprehend them and what other infallible Judge can be imagined especially when besides their own Judgments the Spirit is promised to all that will use what God hath already given them to lead them into all truth And so Christ the only Infallible Judge hath promised to be present by his Spirit unto the end of the World If in this state of Imperfection there remain doubts as there will we must be content to doubt as we do about such manners and circumstances of things as are not absolutely necessary to salvation the ignorance whereof may safely consist with our salvation If others be given over to believe lies it is a just Judgment of God upon them for their carelesness and sensuality As is the case of the Heathen Idolaters who though they knew God yet they glorified him not as God but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened But still Wisdom is justified of all her Children and the true Faith hath been kept by them and will be kept unto the end of the World and Truth is Truth still In natural Principles all conceptions agree as to worship God to do as we would be done by c. and in supernatural Principles there is the same harmony of Faith in God and a good life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thus the whole Church i. e. all Christians in all ages have received the Gospel and kept the Faith and so the Church is the pillar and ground of Truth The Church of God is guided
and Piety and ought to be tolerated till they may be amended 5. Who separate for corruptions not directly impious contrary to the express word of God but only by way of consequence which consequence the party defendant doth not acknowledg but if they could perceive it would be ready to forsake them 6. Who separate for matters in themselves indifferent and no waies determined by any word or Law of God either for the affirmative or negative but either are orders instituted by the Church or Customs insinuated by tacit consent 7. Who in a Synod super-determine Doctrines of Faith by a major part and expel the minor for dissenting for though matters of Manners Order and Policy may and ought to be determined by a major part yet matters of Doctrine seem to require an universal concurrence and joint-consent of the whole Synod or else with more safety are left undetermined Now if they seem hereticks or Sectaries who desert or expect those whose opinions and manners are but somewhat corrupt much more they are so who desert or expel those who in their Tenets and manners are the sounder party for these of all sorts of Hereticks are the most carnal and sinful It may appear therefore from what been said upon Heresy and the Name and Thing That no error in fundamentals is or can be meant thereby but only a separation for some Grand corruptions real or pretended in Doctrine or Manners The Name of Heretick is now become odious and a Nick-name to all that differ in opinions styl'd fundamentals which whether they be so or no is yet undetermined and God knows but that they shall ever so remain And those that hold these contrary opinions each party being alike confident of the Truth on their side do persecute one another not only to Excommunication but to confiscation imprisonment banishment and death But what course ought to be taken indeed with such Men SECT IV. Concerning those turbulent Persons that were amongst the Galatians How Hereticks are to be dealt with Gal. 5.12 who would subvert their state of Christian Liberty The wish of St. Paul was that they might be cut off i. e. not castrated for that is barbarous nor excommunicated for then he might have commanded it but destroy'd by the immediate hand of God Yet in this wish of the Apostle this must necessarily be supposed that he wished not positively the execution of it unless those persons continued incorrigible For who can possibly doubt but that S. Paul's velle went with a malle to have them rather reform'd than destroy'd And again if they would not be reform'd who sees not but that St. Paul might lawfully wish that some few turbulent deceivers should rather be cut off by the hand of God than that by them the whole Church of the Galatians should be seduced and their state of Christian Liberty subverted This fact of St. Paul in wishing the death of these impostors must not by us be drawn into example as if to us it were therefore lawful to wish a curse upon those whom we account Hereticks and troublers of the Church For 1. Christ hath given us a precept to the contrary That we should bless and not curse yea bless them that curse us and pray for them that persecute us Matth. 5.44 And our Rule is to practise by precept and not by any example from Men or an Angel from heaven Unless the precept admit exceptions and the cases of those exceptions be as manifest to us as to those Divine Persons who made use of them against the generality of the Precept 2. Where among us shall we find the Man in whom there resides that measure of wisdom which was in Paul who by help of the Spirit wherewith he abounded was a true discerner of Spirits and could exactly know who was a spreader of Error who a troubler of the Church who was refractory herein and whose repentance was either to be expected or to be despair'd 3. Where among us is the Man whose Soul is qualified with the affection of Paul to be led to the like wish with the like mind For without all doubt all the motive Paul had was a sincere zeal to God's glory and a true love to Man's Salvation But we in the like case what ever words we may pretend can hardly say We have purged our Souls from the leven of malice and hatred 4. Paul as we have seen wished not their death simply and absolutely but with a potiority of their repentance that they might rather be reclaimed and therefore he referres the issue wholly to the pleasure of God leaving his wish to depend on God's will If it be therefore unlawful it be to wish the death of one whom we call Heretick in that meaning we put upon it much less is it lawful to put him to death Nay this latter is unlawful though the former were supposed lawful For he that wisheth another Man's death doth commit the act ot the will of God as it shall stand with the pleasure of God that he live or die but he that attempts another's death by Mans hand hath already determined what is to be done without any farther discuss of the matter And it is lawful to wish many a thing were done which notwithstanding to do we have no lawful Power Although then to Paul it were lawful to wish the death of Hereticks yet it follows not therefore that it is lawful for the Magistrate to put them to death For hath God granted to the Magistrate power over the conscience or given him the Sword with such a large commission that thereby he must needs be armed not only against offending Hereticks but also against all true and innocent Christians which equally lye open to the stroke of his sword seeing the less Christian any Man is the more prone he is to condemn another for an heretick and the more carnal he is the more violent he grows to maintain an humane tradition against a Divine Verity because this latter suiteth less with his carnal waies and many Men in Authority do not embrace the sincerity of Religion but use it rather as an instrument for their worldly policy Or hath God given to the Magistrate the Judgment of the conscience or the discerning of Spirits to determine truly between the true and the false Seeing Men of Rule and power whose entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven is a thing of great difficulty and who are commonly imploy'd in other affairs than the care of Religion are not alwaies competent Judges in these cases especially seeing many such Persons are not studied in the cases of Heresy neither are their cases laid out by any Law either of God or Man How then can the Magistrate judge of that wherein by his calling he hath no judgment And for him to commit a matter of that moment to the arbitrement of another is hard adventure seeing he can with no safety execute the sentence but alwaies with danger of
are so by generation to their Parents The one must be rightly chosen the other rightly begotten The one may be disfranchized and lose their right of Tenure the other may be disinherited and lose their right of succession By Marriage is not only the generation of the World in the kingdoms of Men but the Regeneration of the Church in the kingdom of God By carnal Marriage there is a just off-spring to be the Sons of Men. By Spiritual Marriage there is a just off-spring to be the Sons of God Devil an Enemy to Marriage For this cause the Devil being a King of the kingdom of Darkness is the greatest promoter of the works of Darkness of which Incestuous and Adulterous lusts are not the least The Devil therefore is and ever hath been and ever will be a very great enemy to Marriage because that tends to a lawful generation towards a holy Seed to increase the kingdom of God but the contrary tends to an unlawful brood towards a prophane Seed to increase the kingdom of the Devil The Devil is the Father of ill begotten Children of Lies God is the Father of right begotten Children of Truth Great Commands under the Law against Uncleanness and promiscuous Conjunctions of the Body much more purity is required under the Gospel both of Soul and Body SECT II. Excellent Civil Laws for Marriage In Civil kingdoms great care hath been taken for the honour and preservation of Marriages and that for many rare ends and mighty reasons of State but more especially amongst the Romans who gave great encouragements thereunto and priviledges to fruitful procreations denying many honours and benefits to haters of or abstainers from lawful marriage To this end they made most excellent Laws in veneration of this honourable state and in detestation of all Incestuous and Spurious broods whereby they counted their noble Roman blood to be defiled and their old Heroick spirits debased That Sacred bond they generally kept inviolable and those that dared to break it by Divorce preventing death were counted infamous in the highest degree as Tully that great man who is upbraided and that deservedly for putting away the Companion of his youth his Wife with whom he had grown old and superinducing another into her place Such an Example of him and one or two more had not been seen in the Commonwealth of Rome for many Ages before or after To the great shame of such as make it a common practice and farther to vilifie the Sacred ordinance and Institution of God himself In order to just Marriage and as a Solemn preparation thereunto Espousals fair Espousals ought to precede which are no more than the mention and serious resolution of future Marriage 1. The original of Marriage in respect of the Institution thereof Originals of Marriage Gen. 2.22 c. Math. 19.5 is Jure divino 2. The original of Marriage in respect of the Instinct of Corporal conjunction is Jure Naturali L. 1. Sect. 3. ff de Inst Jure 3. The original of Marriage in respect of the Consent of Wills is as other Contracts are Ex Jure Civili L. 5. ff eod 4. The original of Marriage in respect of the Solemnities thereof and Prohibitions of degrees are Ex Jure Civili Inst de Nuptiis SECT III. Marriage as the Emperour Justinian defines it Definitions of Marriage Is the conjunction of a Man and a Woman containing an inseparable acquaintance and familiarity of the whole life of them both Sect. 1. Inst 12. Marriage as the Lawyer modestly defines it L. 1. ff de Eitu Nupt. Is the Conjunction of a Male and a Female The Company of the whole life the Communication of Divine and Human Rights In which are many things remarkable As 1. First Marriage is a Conjunction but for the honour of it of minds and affections rather than of Bodies Siquidem Nuptias non concubitus facit sed Consensus For says the Law modestly It is Consent not Copulation that makes Marriages 2. Secondly Marriage is of Male and Female because between more than two at one and the same time it cannot be Gen. 3. Math. 22. 3. Thirdly Marriage is a Consent because the Wife is the Companion of life and for life and Matrimony is the foundation of all Society and by the Civil Law admits no Separation of the Bed undefiled stante Matrimonio while the Marriage is in hope 4. Fourthly Marriage is the Communication of divine and humane Right because God is the Author of Marriage and both the married Couple ought to be of the same religion and devotion to the same God and partakers of the benefits of the same Laws Quia Mariti uxor fortunam Domicilium forum sequitur ejus hominibus decoratur ejus genere nobilitatur privilegiis personalibus gaudet nisi post mariti mortem viro inferioris conditionis nubat Because the Wife follows the fortune family and jurisdiction of her husband is adorned by his Honours ennobled by his Stock rejoyceth in his personal priviledges except after the death of her husband she marries with a husband of inferior quality Effects of Marriage So from just marriages proceed a just Father and Mother to distinguish from a natural Father and Mother So from just marriages proceed just Children to distinguish them from natural Children uncertain and vulgarly derived from the people they know not from whom So Inheritances of honours and estates descend lineally to a direct Issue of true Parents lawfully begotten and to their heirs for ever SECT IV. Who may lawfully marry 1. They that married by the Roman Law must be Citizens and Quirites of Rome not Slaves nor Latins nor Deportati nor Strangers as Cleopatra was to Mark Antony and Titus to Berenice both Egyptians matches very ill resented by the State Nor might the Nobles intermix with the Plebeians by the Law of the twelve Tables 2. They must be ripe of age and fit for Generation 3. They must be free to consent and in their right minds not fools nor mad men and a Matrimony caused by just fear or force was none at all 4. They must not marry without the consent of their Parents first had and obtained as long as they are under their power 5. Amongst Christians they must be promulgated and blessed by the Church 6. Lastly they must be confined within the limits of lawful Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity to prevent incestuous and nefarious mixtures For this purpose the Jews and Romans and other civiliz'd Nations had respect to Tables of Consanguinity and Affinity for the regulation of wandring and the prohibition of too near approaching lusts Members of Christs Church Just generations of men All the Members of Christ's Church and Kingdom are sprung from Adam and Eve that were married by God The Generations of Men have broken and intangled their lives by excursions from lawful beds stopping the never to be interrupted courses of Blood and letting