as a description much lesse a definition of repentance but only an occasionall expression holding forth some single Act thereof Secondly I desire that they would be pleased Severally to enter into their closets and there for a while commune with their owne hearts and be still Selah And having compared their notes with what is written in their consciences tell of a truth ethice for Logicee I thinke they cannot First Whether or no they ever heard this passage delivered by mee in these very words Secondly Whether or no by the rules of Orthographie it should be closed with a period or space left for some thing Exegeticall to extend or explaine it Thirdly whether or no this Repentance or not saying in the heart doe this i. e. this or that commandment had expresse reference to any other commandment than this and that of ascending or descending mentioned in the text which being proposed at first by way of Querie by a desttessed distrustful soule came afterwards oftentimes to be imposed upon the soule it self as commandments from God though really they be the dictates of its owne tormented conscience For 1 the soul enquires who shall c. and if not stopt there by the word of grace the next Querie is shall I And then Thirdly neglecting the word of faith is too apt in the time of Temptation to turn back to the Covenant of works and look upon it self as bound by the law of God or legal Covenant either to ascend that is as Diodate to undertake by its own works to obtain a right to eternal life or to descend that is to take upon its self the pains of death and hell for satisfaction for its own sins And doubtlesse Evangelical repentance includes in it a not saying in the heart do this that is this or that commandement whether of ascending or descending which are accounted by a distressed distrustful soul to be the commandments of God or of Gods law yet in force Of the first for the attempting to do that is to bring down Christ from above And of the second for the attempting to do that is to bring up Christ again from the dead Rom. 10 6 7. And if ever such a passage as this fell from me in a publick Assembly Nisi mentis memoriae inops I am verily perswaded and speak it as in the presence of the Lord that first it was grounded upon and occasioned from that Text Rom. 10.6 7. Secondly that it was intended per dicentem by me that spake it in that sense or to that effect as is before explained Though thirdly I dare not aver but that the Dicta or the words spoken simply considered might sound harshly in such mens ears that first are accustomed to press an active obedience from the law of works secondly came filled with prejudice and thirdly never heard me preach nor expresse my thoughts upon any such a subject either before or since these passages were collected I have answered thus farre to this passage in Hypothesi though not to any of the rest because I have some special hints from the Text which containes part of it 1. To what purpose I might possibly speak 2. What might be the ground of these Informers misapprehensions and mistakes 3. That the unprejudiced reader from this to which De facto I can say a little may be directed in some measure how to judge of their dealings with me in the rest I shall now declare as if this had not been said what I conceive of the passage it self in Thesi 1 Repentance is either legal which consists chiefly in a sense of and sorrow for the transgressions of the law and a restlesse fear of the judgements threatned and deserved and this I grant is often followed nay commonly accompanied with a saying in the heart do this or that or what shall I do this commandment or that commandment to free my self thereby from fear and bondage Thus the Jaylour cries Sirs What must I do to be saved Or Evangelical which includes a Renunciation of a mans own Righteousnesse or the works The Ismaels begotten of his own flesh by the law and a turning unto Christ who is the Lord our Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption and this is that hereafter spoken of 2. By this or that commandment of God may here be meant either first those Vtopian fancied commands Deut. 30.12 to which the Apostle seems to allude Rom. 10.5 6. Or secondly some of the ten commandments which are and as they are the condition of the Covenant and Law dispensed by Moses or thirdly such scriptural commands which are and as they are given by Christ himself who hath all authority for a Directory and Rule to the lives and conversations of christians 1. If by this or that commandment be meant those Vtopian fancied commands which the deceitful heart of man not being able to hear or do the word that is nigh enquires to have fetched from heaven or beyond the Sea that it may hear and do them Then doth Repentance include not only a not saying in thy heart Do this but what is not a not saying in the heart So much as who shall ascend or who shall descend to inform thee of this or that commandment For 1. This is a sinful evading of the just sentence of the Law already given by God instead of submitting to judgement and acknowledging the sin and guilt And an hypocritical arrogance enquiring for some new Law as if God knew not how farre short all men come of keeping the old Rom. 3.23.2 It s a neglecting to look up to the Brazen Serpent now when stung with the fiery and a seeking for devised remedies run for a covering but not of Gods Spirit and so an adding sinne to sinne like as Adam did when he sewed Fig-leaves Isa. 30.1 2. If by this or that commandment be meant this or that of the ten as dispensed by Moses and have their bent by him described Rom. 10.4 He that doth them shall live in them then doth repentance include a not saying in thy heart Do this that is this or that commandment of God that by doing of them thou maist live in them For thereby 1. Thou shewest thy self ignorant of Gods righteousnesse 2. Thou vainly goest about to establish thy own righteousnesse And 3. Thou rebellest against instead of submitting to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10 3. 3. If by this or that commandment be meant the scriptural commands which are and as they are given by Christ himself according to that If ye love me keep my Commandements John 14.15 Then doth repentance include a saying in the heart Do this that is this or that commandement of God nay all the commandements of God together with a deniall of all ungodliness and worldly lusts which war against the spirit and are contrary thereunto Tit 2.12 Acts 3.36 1 Cor. 7.10 11. The fifth Passage There be two sorts of people first the uncalled to them only
and he goeth to another come he cometh to my servant do this and he doth it Secondly There would be no sin against the Holy Ghost but only against the letter whereas the great sin is called the sin against the Holy Ghost and offering dispite to the Spirit of Grace Acts 7.51 Heb. 10.29 Mat. 12.32 Thirdly Christians now should be in the same bondage as the Iewes were under the Law Scilicet bound Sub poena peccati mortis to act at the meer commandment of the letter Rom 7.9 But the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus haeth made them free from that law of sinne and death Rom. 8.2.14 So that it is not the letter it self when of it self commanding or as simply spoken by our neighbour but to Iesus Christ himself speaking in the letter or speaking the things contained in the letter that Christians nextly and immediately owe their obedience And hence it is clear for ought I yet see that though sin De facto when committed be firstly and formally the transgression of the letter or law without yet in fieri or in committing it is firstly and more directly against the Spirit or law of the mind that is within And though it be granted that to crosse the Spirit is not that which firstly maketh the fact sin yet it is that which firstly maketh this or that Christian a sinner If thou wilt know in the definition of it what is Rebellion and what is sin consult with the letter or Law 1 Iohn 3.4 But if thou wilt know in individuo what is rebelling and sinning or who rebells and sins look within thine own heart even now standing out against some or other of the personal commands which are alwayes legal of Jesus Christ our King and Lord Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice c. Rev 3 20. The words that I speak are Spirit and life John 6.63 If any ask how shall Christians know when to do this and when that or which of these in particular is to be done First must they set down the time themselves wherein they will perform such and such duties Shall they appoint aforehand such an hour they will pray and such an houre they will mourne for sinne and such an houre they will do acts of charity c. No For first Christians should stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free Gal. 5.1 And as in respect of times and seasons they are not to be enbondaged or imposed upon by others so much lesse by themselves what hath any man to do to be his own Law-maker By multiplying lawes to multiply sins Or to bind himself in such things as these in which Christ hath left him at libertie Gal. 4.9 10 11. Sith secondly It is clear that Christ never appointed any set times for his Disciples nor ordered them to appoint any for themselves to perform such and such duties in but left them free both as to the particular times to perform the duties in and as to the particular duties to be performed in such and such times He said When ye pray pray thus not ye shall pray then and there and this Mat. 6.6 7 9. and in like manner When ye give almes and when ye fast and as often as ye do this do it c. Mat. 6.2 3. Mat. 6.16.7 1 Cor. 11.25 26. Nay where do the Apostles throughout their Epistles ever enjoyn any such thing to Christians or ever reprove them for the neglect of any such a duty Thirdly There is the same reason for Christians to limit themselves unto certain places subpoena peccati as unto certain times which yet none do which know in any measure what is meant by christian liberty Though neverthelesse fourthly Christians out of a consideration of one anothers infirmities while here in the flesh as well as for order decency and conveniencies sake both may and should appoint times and places for assembling themselves together to provoke unto love and to good works and so much the more as they see the day approaching Heb. 10.24 25 1 Cor. 14.40 and are then in a special manner to stir up the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or gifts that are in them 2 Tim. 1.6 being strengthened {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in or by the grace that is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 2.1 Secondly must Christians wait for extraordinary impulsions of the Spirit No For first though sometimes and upon some special occasions Christians are said {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to be vehemently stirred or sharpened in Spirit as Acts 17.16 yet not alwayes The work of the Spirit may be irresistible in it self and infallibly produce its effect in or upon and yet not work irresistibly as unto us For secondly our Spirits are not said to be forced but freed made free or freely carried out to work by the Holy Ghost He worketh in us to will Phil. 2.13 Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power Psal. 110.3 Thirdly The Spirit ordinarily worketh us to or in us this or that by proposing to us objects sutable to the eye or eare as appeareth from those Ordinances appointed by Christ himself And therefore thirdly Christians like the wise Virgins With oyle in their vessels with their lamps Matth. 25.4 should continually watch and wait for their Lord and Master Jesus to call them forth to all or any of these either immediately by spiritual suggestions and heavenly impression upon their hearts and minds or mediately by providential objective administrations and occasions as and when it shall seem good unto him For first Christianus verus as Luther Class. 3 loc. 1. nec liber est nec servus neque Indaus neque Gentilis neque masculus neque foemina neque Clericus neque Laicus neque orat neque legit neque facit neque omittit Sed ad omnia prorsus indifferens est faciens omittens sicut ad rationem sese res rel obtulerit vel abstulerit A true Christian is neitner free nor bound neither Iew nor Gentile neither male nor female neither Clerk nor Layman neither prayeth nor readeth nor doeth nor omitteth but is altogether indifferent unto all things doing and omitting each as the matter or occasion shall either offer or withdraw it self Secondly This is agreeable to the Evangelical {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} form or letter which pointeth not out for Christians a Tempus Physicum of houres dayes moneths c. calculated by the motions of the Sun and Moon accordingly as was done to the Iewes under the Law as appeareth by their new Moons and their other appointed solemnities which continued till the time of Reformation or the passing away of old things Heb. 9.10 2 Cor. 5.17 But a Tempus Theologicum or Evangelicum calculated by the motions of the Son of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 which by its distance and
work of God c. Actively and Passively The work now commanded to be done by you and yet the work which onely is must and can be done by God John 6.28 29. Men and brethren what shall we do say those Acts 2.37 Repent answereth Peter or abandon the present thoughts and actings of your minds whereby you are alienated from God and yield your selves up as dead lost men to be baptised or buried under water with Christ in Baptisme thence to be raised up by his mighty power alone to newnesse of life It is therefore good for a man instead of doing what he can in his own formal Hypocritical way of obedience to the outward commands First to learn experimentally from the lusting and rebelling of his own heart against Gods commandments that he can do nothing but sin That when the commandment comes Sin reviveth that sin taketh occasion by the commandment and worketh in him all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 9. Secondly to acknowledge himself a sinner and guilty of death Rom. 3.19 20. Thirdly To digest judgement or admit without pleading for himself the letter or law to condemn and kill him Rom. 7.10 11. Fourthly Not to stick to save himselfe actively by doing and conforming to the letter But passively to suffer God to work in him upon him and concerning him the whole power of his will by the power of his word for if dead he may perhaps hear that which he never did nor could while he was alive even not the letter nor Epistle only sent by messengers but the voice of the Son of God and in hearing Believe and live Joh. 5.25 And here we conclude that it is hurtful for a man in the state of nature to be active or do all that he can or any thing he is able to imagine he either can or should do in reference to the procuring the spiritual goods or blessings purchased by Christ and firstly conferred upon his Elect as Regeneration conversion faith and Repentance and that we may the more particularly prove and clear this consider that here and in order to the collation of these it is true that the summe of all the commandments is that of the Sabbath or a ceasing of man from his own works or working according to a form or letter Nos praedicantes fidem omnino dehortamur ab operibus homines ut praedicemus Sabbatum non operando sed patiendo boni sumus cum patimur divinas actiones quieti ipsis Your strength is to sit still Isa. 30.7 For if man must act or be active in reference to his Regeneration and conversion which is the first special blessing that is conferred by Christ I ask first whether as an efficient principal or instrumental Not as principal for if so he might be said to Regenerate or beget himself the old man to be the father of the new man nay the new man the workmanship of the old made in himself by works Antecedent and not created in Christ unto works subsequent That which is born of the flesh be spirit contrary to John 3.6 Not as instrumental under God for first We are not begotten by corruptible but incorruptible seed by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 Of water and the Spirit not water and the flesh John 3.5 Secondly If a man were actively instrumental in his Regeneration he might of necessitie be actuallie alive before regenerated for how should man act before he have life But man is not actuallie alive before Regenerated But dead in sin and trespasses Ephes. 2.1 And therefore not activelie instrumental in his regeneration nay he is so far from being an instrument that he is not so much as the matter out of which life is educed but only into which it is induced by the Spirit of life in materiâ privativâ non positivâ operatur Deus Thirdly Quid insanius fingi potest as Luther Doth not the flesh fight against the Spirit at actu and how then should it act for and with the Spirit before or in Regeneration Fourthly he should not for the Law doth not command any man to be born from above or of the Spirit of Christ And Christ doth not require any man to regenerate himself from below or in the power of his flesh All in this Kingdome of heaven is to be done in the power of his own Spirit the commands presupposing the giving of it in the Gospel And hence is that as the Ministerie of the Spirit to be preached antecedentlie unto those even to every creature And then doth this new husband Christ call for the bringing forth of those children to God which he hath already begotten by that immortal seed of the Word Secondly If man be or should be active herein he must needs antecedently know and will his conversion and the means of it for otherwise he acts sensuallie as a beast not as a man but he neither knowes nor wills either of these antecedentlie or till he be regenerated but opposes and accounts them foolishnesse That he knows them not is plain first from 1 Cor. 2.14 and Nicodemus cast Iohn 3.4 who could neither apprehend the thing nor tell any means or way to it though Christ had already told him But entering the second time into his mothers womb The new man in this resembling Melchisedech Heb. 7.3 being to a natural man for oughr he can find in Scriptures without Father without Mother and without Descent neither having beginning of daies nor end of life and that because he is made not after the manner of the sonnes of men but like unto the Sonne of God Secondly Christ saith The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whether it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.8 Thirdly We must be known of God before we can know God 1 Cor. 8 2 3 Gal. 4.9 Quia cogniti sunt ideo cognoscunt I know my sheep and am known of mine John 10.14 Man must be born again or from above before he can so much as see the Kingdom of heaven John 3.5 Nor can he antecedently will either of these First because he cannot know them and it is a general maxime Ignoti nulla cupido If there be none that understandeth there is sure for being any that seeketh after God Rom. 3.11 He knowes doing the old way and naturally can will as the old end so the old way to do to be saved but not suffering which is the new He can as little think of dying in and to his own flesh with which he so sweetly now converseth as the Disciples of Christs suffering those things and so entring into his Glory Luke 24.26 Oh what living man can think that either we must or that the Captain of our salvation was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.10 Secondly the Text is plain Iohn 1.13 Which were born not of blood nor of the will
praevenitur quisquis fide danatur in Christo ad solum verbi auditum caetera omnem nostram aliam operam and witnesse to the truth of Rom. 10.20 I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest to them that asked not after me Priùs oportet nos à Deo inveniri quà m ipsum quaeramus Beza in Heb. 11.6 Antevertens venit ad vos regnum Dei {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} propriae significat antevertere seu praevenire sane regnum Dei ita ad nos pervenit ut praeveniat hoc est veniat antequà m nos ipsum quaeramus Piscat. in Mat. 12.28 Abraham the father of the faithful was called when he served other gods and Paul a patttern to them that come after when he breathed out threatnings against the Church and Matthew when he sate at the receit of custom See Ball covent pag. 324. Fourthly It is Bonum in se bonum sibi Good in it self and good for a man in the state of Grace to do all that he can in Gods own way of obedience to the commandments which are given and as they are given by Christ for such reasons and in such respects as are shewen in the explanation of the eighth passage The second Querie 2. Whether that of the Sabbath be the summe of all the Commandements The Commandement of the Sabbath may be taken either literally or mystically when taken literally if we attend only to the outward form and draught thereof forbidding for divers reasons all servile works on the 7th day enjoyning it to be kept holy It is true that then it is no more than one amongst the ten But if we attend to the consequents that depend upon the due keeping and neglecting thereof It is frequently in Scriptures put for all the rest and the keeping of it calls for as if it implied vertually and consequentially all other duties and the polluting of it declares against as containing or making way for all other sins Isa. 56.2 Ier. 17.22 when taken mystically as relating to the spiritual internal Sabbath figured thereby which Calvin conceives Primarium in Sabbato locum tennisse that of the Sabbath is the summe of all the Commandments For first All the commandements except the fifth though implicitly they may be called affirmative and said to require those duties the contrary whereof they forbid Yet explicitly and according to the letter of them they are Negative enjoyning a cessation from our own works or forbidding man to sin which is in effect a bidding man be quiet for he can do nothing but sin And the commandment of the Sabbath requires this very thing Scilicet Feriationem â propriis operibus ut Deum in nobis operari sinamus A ceasing from our own works that we may suffer God to work in us Secondly the Apostle Paul reduceth all the commandements to two Rom. 8.4 Walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and this of the Sabbath compriseth both these for though it be not lawful to do evil or walk after the flesh any day yet are Christians required to do good or walk after the Spirit even on the Sabbath day and as the Priests prophaned the Sabbath by killing Sacrifices and were blamelesse So may Christians crucifie the flesh with its affections and lusts and do nothing but what is acceptable to God and their reasonable service Thirdly In the state of glory when faith and hope shall cease 1 Cor. 13.13 what other things shall the Saints do but keep this everlasting Sabbath and thereby be compleatly conformable to the will of God which could not be unlesse the Sabbath were the summe of that eternal rule of Righteousnesse and law of love The third Querie 3. Whether to a Christian the Sabbath is to cease from his own works The Spiritual Sabbath or rather the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signified by the Iewes though it be not simply a ceasing from works yet it is a ceasing from our own works that is works done by our own strength according to the counsel of our own wills and for our own ends as is evident because the Apostle expressely so describeth it Heb. 4.10 He that is entred into his rest he also hath ceased from his own works as God from his There remaineth another Sabbatisme another I say besides that Sabbath of Canaan which Sabbatisme he defineth in the following verse Pareus in loc. Secondly the Prophets call for this cessation or abnegation of self as the main thing intended in the commandment Is 58.13 Upon which saith Calvin the Prophet reckons the several kinds by which he might make it evident that the true observation of the Sabbath doth consist in a denial of self and entire conversion Hence do we clearly see wherefore God doth so highly commend in Scriptures the observation of the Sabbath for he looked higher than the external ceremony that is the rest and quiet in which the Iewes did think their holinesse to be But rather would have the Iewes bid adieu to the affections and lusts of the flesh and yield up themselves in obedience to him Because no man can live the life of the heavenly Kingdome unlesse he be dead to the world and to himself Now when that ceremony is abrogated neverthelesse the truth doth remain because Christ is dead and is risen again that we may have a perpetual Sabbath that is may keep holy-day or cease from our own works that the Spirit of God may act powerfully in us Thirdly the example of Gods resting from his works proposed for our imitation both in the commandement it self and Heb. 4. as likewise the injunction to the Iewes for a total cessation from all servile works teach and confirm the same thing Whosoever doth work therein shall be put to death ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations Exod. 35.2 3. quod nisi eximiuâ—n aliquid c. But unlesse there had been some excellent and singular thing in the Sabbath it might seem more cruel than was meet to command a man to be slain only because he had cut down a piece of wood Tantum quoniam ligna exciderat Calvin Fourthly though this Sabbath doth not imply a ceasing from but a spiritual acting of good works yet it implies a ceasing to account the good works acted to be ours or our own according to that Not I but the Grace of God that is within me 1 Cor. 15.10 I am crucified with Christ nevrthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 And hence love joy peace faith long-suffering c. are called by the Apostle Not our works but the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Vsque eo patet haec hominis exinanitio ut in bonis quoque operibus violetur Sabbatum quamdiu ea deducimus nostra esse rectè enim Augustinus ultimo capite libri vigesimi secundi de civitate Dei Nam ipsa bona opera nostra
quando ipsius potiùs intelliguntur esse quam nostra tunc nobis ad hoc Sabbatum adipiscendum imputantur dum vacamus ad videndum quod ipse est Deus quia si nobis ea tribuerimus servilia erunt quum de Sabbato dicatur omne opus servile in eo non facietis Cal. Harm. Exod. Levit. c. pag. 354. And that to a Christian the spiritual internal Sabbath or Sabbatisme is a ceasing or to cease from his own works is as evident For first The Apostle saith there remaines therefore a rest or keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God Heb. 4.9 And he that is entred into his rest and we which have believed not only shall but do enter into Rest Heb. 4.3 hath ceased from his own works as God from his verse 10. Secondly Christians are exhorted to enter in Let us labour to enter into that rest verse 11. Let us therefore fear least a promise being left to us of entering into his rest any of you seem to come short of it verse 1. And not only so but thirdly It remaineth that some must enter therein And they to whom it was first preached entred not in because of unbeleefe verse 6 and then by consequence those who believe the word preached do enter in by faith It profiteth for that end when mixed with faith in them that hear it verse 2. for as Beza Si infidelitas arcet ab aditu fides certè introducit Fourthly Christ invites {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} All those that labour and are heavie laden to come unto him and promiseth to give them this very rest or Sabbath and that doubtlesse not only from their passive being burthened under guilt vanity but their own active fruitlesse labouring to free themselves from it they shall rest as well qua {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Mat. 11.28 Fifthly Faith in the very nature of it hot only implyeth a resting on Christ by way of remembrance for some good and happinesse to come by him but a resting {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in Christ by way of satisfaction and complacencie as our present good and happinesse In him all fulnesse dwells Col. 1.19 In {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} ye are compleat of filled full through faith in him we have the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 Sixthly Mr. Shepherd as he doth most learnedly argue for an external Sabbath to be observed at certain times and on special dayes so doth he acknowledge an internal Sabbath from Isa. 66.3 Heb. 4.1 2. which ought continually or every day to be observed it resting from all sin and resting in God by Jesus Christ Thes. 77.80 And yet I do not hold that Christians in this life can perfectly keep the Sabbath For first the flesh is against the Spirit Gal. 5. They find a law in their members warring against the law of their minds they cannot do the things that they would when to will is present with them how to do that which is good they find not Rom. 7. Secondly Paul pressed towards the mark trying if by any means he might attain unto the resurrection from the Dead and yet confesseth that he had not yet already attained neither was already perfect He followed after and was perfectly apprehended of Christ Iesus but could not perfectly apprehend Phil. 3.11 12 13 14. And hereupon as a wretched man crieth for deliverance from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 Desireth to depart and to be with Christ which he reputed gain and farre better Phil. 1.21 23. And that Paul not attain to a perfect conquest over the flesh till death or his departure hence and so no to a parfect sabbatising from sinne and in Christ seemeth evident First from the time in which he maketh this acknowledgement of his not having attained which was doubtlesse not long before his death This Epistle being writ by Eupaphraditus from Rome where he was then imprisoned and as some vinculis secundis Chapter 1. verse 13. he had writ if we credit either the Histories of others or what is evident from his own writings ten of his Epistles fulfilled the greatest part of the course of his ministery being a Professor and a Preacher at least thirty years and pressed still toward the mark trying if by any means he might attain And if after all this he acknowledged that he had not attained shall we professe our selves actually to have attained that which he could not Secondly After he had been caught into Paradise or the third heaven and heard unspeakable words not possible for man to utter There was given to him a Thorn in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet him and that upon this ground because after that he was imperfect and in danger to be exalted above measure through the abundance or Revelations 2 Cor. 12.7 And for this thing he besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him verse 8. But it was denied as inconsistent either with his safety or the advancement of Gods Grace Power and Glory vers. 9. and fourteen years after this he confesseth himself the same man to stand in need of the same pricks and buffettings and that therefore most gladly will he rather glory in his infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon him vers. 2.9 10. Thirdly there is no such thing mentioned either in any of his own or the Epistles of others that bear a latter date and it is his own rule 1 Cor. 4.6 not to think of men above that which is written Thirdly the life that we live in the flesh is not a life of sence or of the flesh as if we did not die daily through the strength of sin or had not matter of confession 1 John 1.8 6. Of contrition 2. Cor. 7.10 and self-condemnation 1 Cor. 11.31 But the life that we live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 we walk by faith and not by sight 2 Cor. 5.7 The God of hope filleth our hearts with peace and joy not in seeing but in believing Rom 15.13 And hence I do assert with Calvin That Nostram in illo beatam quietem hic inchoamus c. in it we here begin our blessed rest in it we do daily proceed in profiting more and more But because we have still a continual warre with the flesh it shall not be consummated untill that saying of Isaiah 66.23 be fulfilled concerning the continuing of new Moon with new Moon of Sabbath with Sabbath Even then when God shall be all in all Here is indeed had here perfection of the object but not of the subject Christ whom we enjoy is perfect and can admit of no addition But our manner of enjoying him is not so That then which we Christians hope for is not to enjoy a more perfect rest than now we do but more perfectly to enjoy the self-same rest The same yesterday to