be Holiness to Jehovah in Christ our Sanctification And this is also so worthy a Head as to be determined single and for its own own sake as who will deny 4. God hath Chosen Children who shall be Conformed to the Image of his Son in Glory who is in us the hope of Glory Colos 1. 27. And this is it self so Blessed and Worthy a Point that it may be considered by it self As all will readily grant It is true None of those can be One without the Other but that They most necessarily implicate infer and include One the Other Yet there is not One of Them but Scripture speaks of it singly Not only because It includes the Other but because It is worthy to be alone in the Eye of God and to be the Supream Point of his Eternal Council wherein it can be considered as Distinct as how often are the Fore known Predestinated Elected spoken of without any thing else The People whom he Fore-knew Rom. 11. 1. Knowing Brethren your Election of God The Lord knows them that are his Predestinated according to the Council of him who worketh all Things after the Council of his own Will So of Justification Scripture speaks often by it self In him shall all the Seed of Israel be Justified and Glory Justified by his Grace and so throughout Rom. c. 3 c. 4 c. 5. Galat. 3. 6. So of Sanctification Inheritance among them that are Sanctified He hath for ever Perfected them that are Sanctified So of Glory Written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the Foundation of the World And another Book was Opened which was the Book of Life Heirs of Life bringing many Sons to Glory an exceeding great and Eternal weight of Glory Now if this were Considered It would take away much of the Dispute about Conditions and Qualifications Seeing every Link of the Golden Chain is it self a Jewel of inestimable Value and hath in it self the Oâ—iâ—ncy and Riches of all the Other Yet notwithstanding It is to be freely acknowledged that God for the Manifestation of his own Grace hath setled an Order and Connection but not so as to lessen the Dignity of any Head below the Worthiness it hath in the Eternal Council of God to be one Head with the Other and were It not even as all the Other Freely given of God according to the Riches of his Grace Take any One of them that seems fittest to be look'd upon as a Qualification or Condition and it would as much deserve to have some Qâ—alification Means or Condition found out for it as any of those which seem most Removed from being so and to which Any of the Other may seem to be so But not in a Secondary Consideration but equal with the First All This is to be Considered in Christ the Image to which All is to be Conformed The Eternal Love of God is in Him Calling is to and in Him The Righteousness of Christ is imputed to us Holiness is derived from Christ not only by one Act of Sanctification but by a continual Efflux from Him our Head and Root Even as it is through his whole Meritorious and Efficacious Sanctification of himself that we are Sanctified John 17. our Glory is seeing Him as He is being made like to Him Appearing with Him in Glory in the Beams falling from his Glory Encompassing and Filling us with his Light Now as All these are in Him for us as the Head and Foutain and Example One as well as the Other without any Notion of Condition or Qualification or Means and so They are to be look'd upon therefore in Saints And so He stood in Eternity before God in that Everlasting Covenant wherein All was settled in Him as the Exemplar Head and Root of the Church and not only so but as a Mediator Surety and Testator upon the Foresight of Man a fallen Lost Sinful Nature out of which the Elect are recovered by Christ as such Mediator Testator and Surety Now if this Eternal Settlement had the Solemnity and Sanction of a Covenant For so the Apostle tells us There was an Everlasting Covenant in Christ And if All be settled thus by an Everlasting Covenant It must be in the same Eternity wherein the grace and purpose of God was whatever then was settled in that purpose and Council was Established in and by that Covenant and so must stand Fast for ever And the Apostle there instances a Point that One would be as ready to suppose a Condition or Qualification as any whatever And yet he makes it a Point settled by the Everlasting Covenant viz. To be made Perfect in every good Work to do his Will and the Working whatever is well pleasing in the sight of God What can be more supposed to be a Condition or a Qualification than these Things and the Apostle enough assures us These were settled by the Everlasting Covenant because He prays to Him that brought again from the Dead the Shepherd of the Sheep by the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant to make perfect in every Good work Now as It is most observable The Spirit of God singles out those Attributes of God that are most enforcive of a gracious Answer seeing then God bringing back the Shepherd of the Sheep by the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant is chosen as most moving of God in Prayer for the making perfect c. It shews there is a like certainty of the Everlasting Covenant availing to Perfect Saints that there was in bringing Christ back from the Dead The same for the Shepherd and the Sheep One from the Grave dying for Sin the Other from the Death of Sin Now then if there was such an Everlasting Covenant in Christ For It must be as Old as the Purpose and Grace in Christ That may be most infallibly argued That there can be no Change For as the Apostle saith Though It be but a Mans Covenant Yet if it be Confirmed no Man disanulleth nor addeth thereto And this saith He I say The Covenant that was before Confirmed of God to Christ The Law that was Four hundred Years after cannot disanul Galat. 3. 15. 17. Now how much higher will the Argument run concerning the Everlasting Covenant If every Link of the Chain of Salvation was equally Settled and Established that it should be freely given and most certainly Given No after Model nor manner of promiscuous universal Preaching of the Gospel can add to or take from the Everlasting Covenant settled between God and Christ that every part of Salvation should not be as unchangeably Conserved and Secured by God in Christ One as Another nor turn any part into Condition and Qualification or so much as a Means on our parts on which any thing Relating to Salvation should be dependent any Law or Usage of Scripture speaking to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding For to this Standard Covenant must every Thing be Reduced Adjusted and Reconciled when the Gospel according to the Universal Preaching
Let me have my Portion of good all in my own hands Thus all Mankind had been secured and not left to the hazard of every single Person betraying himself For it is most apparent by Adam what every one would have done he having all possible Advantages in a fresh Vigorous Holiness an unstained World Such a lively Invitation of the Tree of life Such a short Act of Self-denial or refusing to be a God to himself as he thought to be by Eating of that Forbidden Fruit. But now let us see what all this contributes to the Points we are upon which will be found to be exceeding in Enlightning both the Law and the Gospel to us 1. From hence it appears the Law is an immutable and unchangeable Law of Holiness and of Everlasting Obligation while there is such a Being humane Nature For it arises from the Being of God to be enjoyed in Holiness and Blessedness by Man made so to enjoy And it arises from the Image of God Jesus Christ in and by whom that State was to have been Confirmed and so for ever Enjoyed and by whom it is to be so Recovered 2. From hence it Appears there can be no new Law but what must of Necessity entwine and incorporate into that First Law and merge into it so Adequate to the Being of Man Enjoying the holy and Blessed God by Jesus Christ the Image of God Such was that Law of not Eating the Forbidden Fruit It was a Law of Trust in Christ the Image of God the Way and the Truth and the Life by way of Confirmation and so was immediately Adopted into that Law of Righteousnoss and Holiness The Law of Faith in Christ the Redeemer and of Repentance is in this Sense no new Law but that Old Commandment and a New Commandment only by being new Illustrated by a more glorious Light but it unites with that Law first given of Holiness in and by Christ the Image of God for the enjoying God in Conformity to him now in away of Redemption Expiation and Recovery and thereby a Return to our First State according to the first Law 3. From hence it Appears the Everlasting Covenant of God in Predestinating a Number of Mankind to be Conformed to the Image of his Son cannot be disanulled or added to nor taken from by any Dispensation or manner of Speaking that comes after it according to that Fore-mentioned Rule of the Apostle Gal. 4. 3. understanding it of the Elect of God controlling all Doubts so that what Christ was to do as the Image of God by way of Confirmation He now does by way of Redemption by that mighty Eflectuating Image of the Glory of God in Christ by his Spirit 4. From hence it Appears that Jesus Christ in the first and original Right of being the Head of every Man and the Image of the invisible God by whom and for whom All Things were made and without whom nothing was made that was Made and in whom they consist upholds a present State of the World in the Patience and Long-suffering of God and also bears up as he pleases the Natural Law in which Man was made enforcing the Reasonableness Justice and Equity to Turn by Repentance to that God Who leaves not himself without Witness in giving Fruitful Times and Seasons and filling Mens Hearts with Food and Gladness and so signifies Grace and Mercy and to Recover themselves as far as to the utmost they can to that State of Righteousness of which they find such plain mentions of in their Hearts and finding the shortness of their own Power to cast themselves upon Divine Grace and Help And where the Light of the glorious Gospel comes according to all degrees of Divine Revelation the Obligation rises higher and becomes stronger For the Transgression and Ruin of Humane Nature does not take off the Obligation of Duty but it stands wherein soever God does not immediately execute the Penalty or vouchsafes any Remainder of Power at first given or increase and Advantage of that Remainder and wherein soever Men do not thus there is a Just particular Personal Condemnation But yet it Remains according to the first Standard Law of Creation every Man must be miserable for ever and die the Death whoever is not found in the Image of God in Christ in Righteousness and true Holiness for the Enjoyment of him 5. From hence it lastly Appears The Elect of God in Jesus Christ must be perfectly restored into a state of Righteousness and freedom from Guilt into a state of Holiness and Purity for the Enjoyment of God and seeing this cannot be in Man Fallen Sinful Unholy and so Miserable for ever It must be by the Sacrifice Righteoâ—sness and Obedience of Christ imputed by the Restoration of his Spirit and all according to Grace and Riches of Grace and to the Praise of the Glory of that Grace which Adam first refused but is hereby exalted to a far higher Glory by Jesus Christ appearing thus a Redeemer a Reconciler an Eternal Spirit so closely united and fully declar'd in Redemption For the Lord even Christ and his Increated Spirit is that Spirit changing into his own Image from Glory to Glory by that Spirit who is Himself Jehovah That I may now make a nearer Approach to resolve this great and weighty Question Whether the Gospel can be in true proper and strict Sense stiled a Law I will now propose these Two Heads to discourse it upon 1. I will shew how far the Law as it is a Law must yet needs join its Authority for and with the Gospel according to its eternally Holy and righteous Nature and then I will on the other side shew how far the Gospel without any Abatement of its purest Gospel-Nature makes use of the Law as a most righteous holy Law to its own most graoious Ends. 2. I shall make it yet most evident from Scripture that the Law can never as it is Law in the Scripture Definings and Discourses of it become Gospel Nor on the other side can the Gospel as it is Gospel and drawn out according to the Everlasting Covenant pass into the nature of Law according to Scriptures describing of Law I begin with the First Head to shew how far the Law cannot even as Law but join its Authority to the Gospel 1. That the Law of Reason and Understanding of Righteousness Holiness Goodness that God hath engraven upon the Heart of Man and seated in his Conscience cannot but Establish the Revelation of Christ and Grace by him manifested by such a mighty Power from Heaven and asserted by so many Infallible Proofs to be from God so full of Goodness and Grace above the very Law of Creation it self Implanted in Mans Heart It cannot I say but Establish it as a Faithful Saying and worthy of All Acceptation of both Faith Love and Obedience So that in this very Regard it may be truly and properly stiled a Law of Faith and Obedience to the Gospel
as well as to the Elect the first thing to be offered is Chrsst himself to be Received and Believed on He then is the Foundation and Fountain of all even of that which is called Condition and Qualification For if we do but weigh two things it must needs resolve us in this matter Arg. 1. If Redemption be Redemption it must it self be before all things of Qualification or Condition else it were not Redemption according as Christ is said to be the Author of Salvation to them who He being the Author of it obey Him forasmuch as that is so great a Point of Salvation and he the Author of all Salvation is therefore of that viz. Obeying Him Does not Christ draw all to him Is not the Grace of our Lord abundant with Faith and Love that are not brought to Him but in Him Does not the Eye the look of the Grace of Christ upon any Sinner move him as Peter to Sorrow after God to Faith Repentance humble sense of Sin And therefore what is a Sinner to do but to look to Christ to be Saved to look on him whom he hath Pierced And even such Prescriptions to look to Him to come to Him are held out to Souls principally tho our Duty be included but in attendance on the Grace of Christ to see how where and on whom it will move And in the very Nature of the thing it is impossible any Qualification should be before hand to Him who is come not only to Save but to seek that which is lost It is most true therefore if any be Christ's these things shall in their time be all Manifested in them for they are prepared for them Arg. 2. What is it by which we are Redeemed Is it not the Righteousness Sufferings Death Blood and Obedience of Christ Must not these then be in their Power Motion and Actuation before any thing else Seeing by Faith we are Saved which is the Gift of God must not the Author of Salvation and of Faith give that And does God give any such Grace by which we are Saved but through the Redemption of Christ for his sake And because he hath first given his Son does not he give all these to unite us to him Does not his Blood Purchase and bestow that Faith in his Blood Must it not needs be then true as we Believe that we may be Justified so also most true Those Sheep for whom Christ hath laid down his Life Those he must bring in and now are they brought in but by Believing If therefore They are brought in by Faith he that must bring them in must take effectual Care that they may Believe And seeing he laid down his Life for his Sheep and gives them Eternal Life All must be on the same Title and Tenure viz. his Life laid down So Faith is no more a Condition or Qualification than Justification or Eternal Life nor any other Grace Preparatory or Perfectory but what Free Grace it self undertakes for Object But it may be said there is an order of the Links of the Chain of Salvation and Vocation wherein Faith and Repentance are contained is in order before Justification and so may stand as a Qualification and Condition to Justification and none may presume to touch at Justification or Pardon till they are qualified by Faith and Repentance given in Vocation before Justification Rom. 8. Answ It hath been already acknowledged there is a Wise and Holy Order in the several links of the Chain of Salvation but not by such a way of Dependance as should lessen the Dignity the equal Determination and certainty of each part in the Eternal Fore-knowledge and Electing Love of God in Christ Accordingly therefore it is acknowledged there is an Order of Vocation or Calling before Justification Rom. 8. and of Wisdom before Righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 31. But this Calling is the first Change of the State of every Elect Person from sin to God the delivery from the Power of Darkness and Translation into the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus the Dear Son of God For he hath called us saith the Apostle out of Darkness into his marvellous Light It is the turning from Darkness to Light it is the cutting out of the Olive and Vine wild by Nature and the implanting into the True Vine and Olive it is the beginning of Faith and Repentance and of all Holiness and Sense of Eternity though they have a further state in Sanctification and distinct from Calling which is the true passing from Death to Life and always abides so It is a Voice alarming the Soul at the first It is the Voice of the Son of God quickning whom he will But then that which shews this is not a Condition or Qualification only is that Vocation or Calling does not go off it is still Vocation it is a holy Calling even until Glory It is Wisdom without any change as the word certainly assures There can be no more Return to Folly It is a Calling in this regard It is a certain Abiding therein with God So Scripture every where speaks of it It is a Calling to Glory and Virtue a Calling to obtain Salvation So saith the Apostle You see your Calling who hath Called us with an holy Calling Called according to purpose As He who hath Called you is Holy All these Expressions plainly shew this Calling is a settled established Grace even as Justification and together with it entring into Glory So that to make Calling a meer Qualification or Condition is to degrade it from the high Dignity Scripture hath invested it with I account it the first Hand of Grace still holding the Soul so that though there be Justification and Sanctification a Work of Faith fulfilled with Power Repentance never to be Repented of and the whole Course of Sanctification goes on to the Day of Christ yet that first Work is it self secured by Grace as all the rest of the Works of Grace So that as the Apostle says the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance it is never recalled And in the same manner may be discoursed concerning Sanctification It is no Qualification for or Condition of Glory But there is real Self-subsistence of each of these for their own Worth and Excellency and though they are sitted for and connected one with the other in Infinite Wisdom and Prudence Eph. 1. 8. Yet they are also Independent and Self-subsistent also in the Divine Decree each one by it self and All from Free Grace This then assures none of those great Links of Salvation however joined one to another but is yet of it self and by it self but all still of Free Grace Because none of them go off but remain together with all the others to Eternity The very first Call hath an Eternal Abiding Justification by the Righteousness of Christ Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ abide and continue even as Glory it self Calling is as free as Justification For except that grand Foundation Being
thus I have laid down the great Doctrin of the New-Testament in these Points as I have Reason from such an abundant Scripture Evidence to be assur'd Let me for a Conclusion recommend to all the Ministers of the Gospel the due Consideration of the whole matter For it is of most exceeding Concernment to our Ministry This is our Enablement our Sufficiency as Ministers of the New-Testament to Preach not the Letter but the Spirit to Preach it as a Ministration of Righteousness and not of Condemnation as a Ministration not of the Letter but of the Spirit For the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life Thus we shall Minister it in its Abiding Continuing Glory as it shall continue in the Kingdom of Christ set out in all its Freeness and in all its Efficacy We cannot else Triumph in manifesting the Savor of the Knowledge of Christ nor will our Ministry be of Sufficiency to be a Savor of Death unto Death to the lost as it ought to be according to the Divine Ordination laid down by the Apostle 2 Cor. c. 2 3. For if the Full and true Grace of the Gospel be not set out as a Ministration of Righteousness of Life and of the Spirit It does not offer to Men the great Gospel Experiment whether it is unto them a Savor of Life unto Life or of Death unto Death They have not that high Savor of the knowledge of Christ that is the Instrument of Grace as by a most Divine and heavenly Suffumigation or Perfume of Life to excite and bring to Life such a stream of Life to give Life from the Spirit nor on the other side till This be Administred can it according to this Gospel Canon or Rule be said That the Ministry of it is a savor of Death unto Death for to whomsoever this high savor of Life is not Administred there is not that conclusion to be made it is of Death unto Death herein being the strength of the Crisis or distinction If the highest savor of the Gospel give not Life the only flavor of Life be not effectual to Life be but like a dead Savor effect nothing produce nothing of Life it must needs be argued such are unto Death And even the Gospel Preached concludes them unto Death when it does not prevail if the most irradiant Light of Christ the Image of God shining to Men does not Enlighten Such a hiding demonstrates such Lost and their Case Desperate Rationalizing Moralizing upon the Gospel yea Scripture Legalizing upon it without a continual interweaving this high Spirituality and rich Grace of it cannot thus Conclude Seal and Bind up If the Fountain and Sources of Light and Life be not kept clear and open tho Men do indeed die and perish for want of Life and Light yet they are not Sealed and bound up for Death as the true Preaching of the Grace of the Gospel by this Ordination of God declared here by the Apostle does The close Experiment for want of this Ministration of the New Testament is not made For the Apostle says Who is sufficient so to Preach the Gospel as that it should be if not a Savor of Life unto Life the principal purpose design and scope of it then of Death unto Death This sufficiency saith he is of God who hath therein Sufficientized to Minister the New Testament not as of a Letter that Kills but as of the Spirit that giveth Life so that tho it be not indeed to all a Ministration of the Spirit giving Life to all yet it is not our Male Admistration for we are by such a faithful discharge of our selves a Savor of Death unto Death without which so faithful a Discharge we could not be so for such a Preaching only as was said puts such a Crisis upon Persons makes such a Tremendous Gospel Experiment which the only Wise God hath yet Ordained should be made by the Free Gospel Preaching And that this Experiment may be made saith the Apastle we take great care not to allay the high flavor of the Gospel by any mixture of the Doctrin of Works with that of Grace as they who minding thir own Advantages make a Trade of Debasing what is most Excellent by vending worse in Temperament with Nobler Liquors But with greatest Sincerity as in the sight of God we bring forth only pure Gospel Supream Grace and herein we use all Freedom Clearness Frankness Openness and Boldness in manifesting this No darkned unintelligible Doublings between Grace and Works as Moses who veiled so the Gospel-part of his Ministry that it became a Ministration of Death And because Paul knew how distasteful this purity of Preaching is to the Condemned World that would yet be Righteous and to the proud and stately Powers of Reason and Free Will He says we arm our selves with a Divine Courage and constancy in pursuing this Ministry and will not on any account whatsoever use Art or Guile but with all integrity represent Truth in its own Light and leave to God the Discrimination of the Lost to whom this Preaching is as the Jealousie-Water to discover them when their very Mind the highest Rational Part being Blinded by the God of this World find not the Rays of the Glory of the Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God and all our Perfection is Likeness to Him shining to them Wherein the Apostle manifestly alludes to what he had said of the Superior Glory of the Gospel to that of the Law tho that gave such a Gloâ—y to Moses his Face And he alludes also to the Veil on Moses his Face upon that Glory and to the Veil on the Hearts of the Jews to this day Implying That not to receive this Pure Gospel Light is like Jewish Unbelief who Stumbled at that Stumbling-Block of Exalting Works and their own Righteousness above Christ and Grace It is true indeed this Preaching up of our Works Endeavours relying upon our own Action is very plausible and seems to carry greater force as being more a kin to our first Constitution under the First Adam And of this the Apostle also gives a Secret as we say Gird when in this so great Point he interposes not without great Design We Preach not our selves As if Preaching intermingled with Works and Humane Powers of Holiness were setting up and exalting our selves into a Dominion over mens Consciences but saith He we Preach Christ the only Lord and our selves Servants iâ— so high a Ministry And in this Epistle Chap. 11. They who even with design against the Grace of the Gospel Teach the Law are as the Apostle says in the appearance of Angels of Light and Ministers of Righteousness Zealous enforcers of Holiness and good Life if yet they stop up these Springs and are Enemies of this Grace they are False Apostles and Ministers of Satan Evil Workers as the Apostle calls them in a taunt of their high pretence to Works and others for want of true distinguishing Thoughts desirous and most propended to be Teachers of the Law and yet dare not desert the Grand Gospel-Principles Know not what they Speak nor whereof they affirm that is do not accurately Think nor Speak nor Reconcile themselves to themselves For the Law is good if a Man use it Lawfully that is according to the Gospel direction of it But pure perfect Law is only pointed set against those upon whom the Gospel hath not Effect who are given up by it as Incurable and unto Death This I speak not I appeal to Him who Searcheth Hearts with Reflection on any Person or sort of Persons and least upon Mr. Williams of whom I desire much other Esteem But to move and perswade him and all Preachers of the Gospel to reconcile all their Notions Disputes Preaching the Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God commited to their Trust which the Apostle hath defined to be then sufficiently Preached when it is Primarily and till the Gospel hath remanded the Lost under the aggravated Condemnation of the Law for refusing the Grace of the Gospel 'till then I say the New Testament is to be Preached as a Ministration of the Spirit and not of the Letter for the Letter Killeth but the Spirit giveth Life a Ministration of Life not of Death not of Condemnation but of Righteousness which Ministration shall in a short time be with Open Face and all Veils removed the Lord drawing near and all Turning to Him beholding Christ the Image of God and the Glory of God in the Face of Christ we shall be Changed into the same Image from the Glory of a lower degree now to the Glory that shall be in perfection by the mighty Effusions of that Spirit who is Jehovah that shall so soon be Now this high and richest Gospel Treasure we have saith the Apostle at the present but in Vessels of Earth Men of like Corruptions and guilt low and base Appearances of outward Condition and State and of the vile and dying Bodies for Sin that the excellency of Divine Grace and Power may be Exalted alone throughout and throughout For at the present we have as the Apostle saith all this Glory but in hope we see yet but as in a Glass tho with an Open Face this Glory But when the Angelical Ministry Rev. 14. 6. shall in the Kingdom of Christ be Missioned and sent out this Ministration shall so Exceed in Glory that all other Glory of Humane Righteousness shall utterly Disappear and when it comes it shall for ever Remain And this shall he when the Israel of God shall be Called and Turn'd to the Lord and that shall be when 〈◊〉 Times are at an End as Christ says Luke 21. 24. And when the Eclipse on the 〈◊〉 Churches going off they shall have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full Orbed Light as that Word Rom. 1â— 25. Opposed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Eclipse in that Chapter properly signifies and All this shall I doubt not begin at 1697. FINIS