so do without his holding and keeping you cast more folly and blasphemy upon Christ And you further teach all Nations that men that God hath had mercy on that Christ hath redeemed and bought that God hath given his grace unto and so he in the state of salvation may by their wilfull sinne fall away from grace mercy and the Love Heb. 12. 15 Rev. 2. 4 of God by forsaking their first Love and so become the children of wrath and destruction And by repentance may returne to God have mercy grace and love of God againe and be the children Ezech. 18 of God againe and may often rise and fall into these conditions which is not the teaching commanded of Christ It is Psa 12 1. 5 uncomfortable untrue and against the Scriptures of the Testament For there Christ is said to be the Keeper of his Israel which Joh. 18. 9 he bought and redeemed That hee loseth not one That none shall Joh. 13. 1 take them out of his hand That those that hee loveth hee loveth to the end and many like places 2 Tim. 2. 19 Heb. 6. Jer. 32. Indeed a man may fall away from grace and forsake his first Love that Christ hath redeemed before men in the sight of men and in the estimation of men c. but not before God in Gods Sight and estimation Gods Love is an everlasting Love to the end The foundation of God is sure the Lord knoweth who are his and Jesus Christ is the yesterday and to day And I will be their God and they shall be my people I will never forsake them and I will put such a feare into their Hearts that they shall never depart from mee Jerem. 32. 40. Another Meditation of the Law THe Law is good and holy and the use of the Law and Commandement appointed of God to be manifested and published to mee in the holy Scriptures is so evident both to the Reprobate 1 Tim. 1. 8 and to the Elect as the Apostle saith The Law is good to man if a man use it lawfully The reprobate and the Elect in their corrupted estate the one as the other hath remaining corrupted reason wisdome and knowledge of God in the corrupted nature of man whereby they have some corrupted sight of the righteousnesse of God in the common Law and the penalty of breaking thereof So the Apostle saith of the Church That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto Rom. 9. 19 them For the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and God head are seene by the Creation of the World being considered in his Workes to the intent that they should be withâ—â—t excuse which men though they know the Law of God how Vers 31. that they which commit such things are worthy of death yet not onely doe the same but also know them that doe them This righteous Law and command of God remaining in the corrupt Reason Wisdome Knowledge and Nature of men is called of the Ethnick Philosophers the Law of nature of the Lawyers the Law of Nations And of this Law the Law of Moses which temperate meeknesse was a plaine Exposition and manifestation of Yet this Law and righteousnesse of God remaining unto the corrupted nature of man was that which by Gods providence forced the Philosophers so called of the Ethincks to write many bookes of Ethicks to the people wherein wee see many notable Rules and directions for mans safety and society And likewise in the Lawes of Nations for civilizng and moralizing of men And no Nations of people that wee have heard of read of there are or have been but there have beene Rules and Lawes amongst themselves for some civility and morality according to their corrupt reason and understanding of God and God not to sanctâ—fie or justifie men before God for that is onely Christs Worke but to civilize and moralize them before men for the more safety of Gods Elect. And this was the use of the more cleare Exposition and manifestation of this Law of God remaining to man in his corrupt nature by a speciall providence of God written by Moses to the People of Israel and so remaining written to all people to whom it commeth as unto us to moralize and civilize men or as it may be said to sanctifie and justifie men before men in the sight of men in the estimation of men And that upon the proportionable temporall penalties to the breakers and like reward to the Keepers thereof for the good and society of men without which mans life would be miserable But not to justifie or sanctifie men before God by the worke thereof That being onely the work of Christ and onely in the power of Christ and his performance And the Acts 13. 39 Rom. 3. 20 Scriptures largely and plainly manifesteth that from all things which yee could not be justified by the Law of Moses by him that is Christ every one that believeth is justified By the worke Rom. 10. 6. of the Law shall no man be justified in his that is Gods sight saith Rom. 3. 24 the Apostle If it be of works it is no more of grace wee are justified freely through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Christ Jesus is 1 Cor. 1. 30 made unto us Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption The Law saith the Apostle came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17 If any Law and the marke of any Law of Moses might sanctifie or justifie before God then the Leviticall or Ceremoniall Law and the workes thereof might have done that as the Offerings Sacrifices shedding of Bloud Purifyings Clensing and Washing Sprinklings and the like which all figured Christ and his performances But the Apostle saith that all these were nothing to purifie and sanctifie men before God but onely outwardly touching the flesh in the sight and estimation of men as Heb. 9. 13. for saith the Apostle It is impossible the Bloud oâ— Bulls and Goats should take away sinne and againe in burnt Offerings sin Offerings thou hadst no pleasure therein said I that is Christ Loâ— I come to Heb. 10. 4 do thy will O God Man is not justified sanctified or purified before God by any of mans workes of the Law of Moses no God Heb. 10. 6 7 hath no pleasure in them but onely in his Christ and his workes And yet God was pleafed his Law and Commandements should remaine to corrupt man even that that Moses Law the more cleare exposition of the Law of nature should be added because of transgression as the Apostle saith to shew sinne more cleerly to Gal. 3. 19 man and the righteousnesse of God in condemning The transgressions of his Law first and last and to abate and shake the current of corruption in the reprobate to the more safety of his Elect among them as Wolves to them and for the mortifying
his precious Blood to have shed it for a Ransome and Redemption of those which his Father had not Elected in him and given him to Ransome and Redeeme and which he knew his Father hated to be Elected and Redeemed And which he knew would not receive but reject the benefit of his Bloud Who is it that knew the Scriptures that will not acknowledge that mankinde â—n generall upon the generall fall of Adam were judged and condemned of God to be the Children of Gods wrath and everlasting death And that God of love free grace and mercy was pleased to Elect some of those in Christ which were the Children of wrath as well as the other out of whole Eph. 2. 3. company of the Children of wrath to be adopted the Children of God through Jesus Christ that is by his performing the righteousnesse of the Law of workes for them and by giving of himselfe unto death for them and shedding of his precious bloud for them for a full satisfaction to God in his justice for the Ransome Redemption Justification eternall life and glorification And this for them onely and not for the least ones in their hardnesse and refused ones of God Surely to say hold forth that Christ gave himself for a Ransom of these to shed his blood to redeeme these is to lay upon God and his Christ inconstancy indiscretion prodigality and folly to the great dishonour of God and his Christ and to say that Christ did Ransome and Redeeme them with his death and bloud is unrighteousnesse and salsehood We finde and read in the Scripture that Christ redeemed the Elected of God in Christ as Paul saith of himselfe and all other Elected of Christ God hath Elected us in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4. world and Christ hath redeemed us from the curse But we finde no Gal. 3. 13. where in the Scripture to be said expresly that Christ redeemed reprobate ones which were not Elected in Christ The greatest power of their assertion is in the word all or all men which word they stretch forth to Elect and Reprobate good and bad as we say But it is cleare that where this word all in such manner and matter importeth onely all the Elect. So Paul to the Romans As by the offence of one the fault came on Rom. 5. 18. all men to Condemnation So by the justifying of one the benefit abounded to all men to justification of life meaning all the Elect beleevers I thinke these men will not say that justification of life is to all men Elect and Reprobate in generall by Christs justifying them So Paul to the Corinthians saith As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive meaning as all mankinde being then in 1 Cor. 15. 22. Adam when he transgressed and dyed then dyed so all being Elected in Christ shall be made alive I hope these will not say that all men Elect and Reprobate in generall shall be made alive in Christ then none must be damned and if these will have these to be confined in the Scriptures to that why may not they admit of those also to be likewise confined to the Elect they being in the like expresse of the same matter But they say by Preaching that Christ hath given himselfe for all men in generall Elect and Reprobate that he hath shed his blood for the peace of all men with God they procure great honour and the hardest harted men will be moved to relent when they heare that Christ hath had such pitty and mercy on them as to give himselfe to death for their life to shed his most pretious blood to make their peace with God This will move the worst of men to imbrace Christ to thirst after Christ and to beleeve and close with Jesus Christ Yet I wish these to consider that the Apostle of Christ saith We may not doe evill that good may come thereof whose damnation is just We may not preach falsehood that Christ may have honour Rom. 3. 8. thereby This was the great sinne of Saul that brought upon him his woefull destruction He spared the best and fattest Beasts of Amilech contrary to the command of God to offer up in Sacrifice to the honour of God but Samuel told him he had done wickedly to obey was better then Sacrifice 1 Sam. 15. 19. It is to be well observed which the Apostle saith That in that excellent Sermon which Paul preached at Antioch As many as Act. 13. 48. were ordeined to eternall life believed No doubt but there were many which heard that Sermon did not believe for the Apostle saith that onely so many as were ordeined to Eternall life believed And what was the reason that the rest of the hearers did not believe Certainly by the part of the Apostles words it was because they were not ordeined to eternall life they were not elected in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame Eph 1. 4. 5. before God in love nor predestinate to be adopted the Children of God through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will as the Apostle saith but were the reprobate and the left of God in their owne hardnesse God being bound to none but to have Rom. 9. 18. mercy on whom he will and whom he will to harden That is to leave them in their owne hardnesse as the Apostle saith for God leaving them they grow into more hardnesse Man hath no power in himself to close with Christ or to believe as he ought nor more then to pray as he ought but the Apostle saith of himselfe and other the Elect We know not what Rom. 8. 26. we pray for as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities that is doth it for us and maketh request for us c. It is God our Christ Phil. 2. 13. that worketh in us the will and the deed of his owne good pleasure The praying believing and the rest of that sort are the works of our God Christ Jesus by his spirit in us they are none of mans works Christ Jesus is the Priest and the Sacrifice which said Lo I come to doe thy will O God See 1 Chron. 29. 14. The Apostle saith they were ordeined to eternall life before Eph. 10. 9. they believed They had their ordination to life that is their election in Christ and the life also which is Christ for Christ is our life saith the Apostle Christ is the way the truth and the life before they believed a dead man can doe nothing and Joh. 14. 6. Christ saith without me you can doe nothing Faith followeth after election ordination and life Faith is Joh. 15. 5. onely the manifestation of election ordination and Christ to those which God hath elected in his Christ when and as he pleaseth to worke the same in them to his glory and their comfort Heb. 11. 1. Reprobate men which have not
or not to will and desire they may choose if they will and desire they may heare if they will they may believe and receive the Plaister of Christs Bloud and Death and if they will they may apply the same to their wounds and be healed For it hath all sufficient vertues and in tendered to them And they teach that the Justification and Salvation of men whatsoever the Father or the Sonne hath done in Mercy Love and Grace consist and rest in themselves their own will and worke for the Procuring Setling Having and Injoying of the same Whereby I have thought that they thinke better of themselves then they are and that they are some what when as the Apostle saith they are nothing and deceive themselves in their own imagination Gal. 〈◊〉 3. For how can a man being still the child of Gods wrath in the curse death and losse of Adams sinne and his own without his deliverance yet made which losse was the losse of all good before God given of God unto man in his Creation have so great a good as Free-will unto so great a good Work and Deed before God as to heare and believe unto eternall Life lost unto justification and salvation and to have so great a good still before God as power to do the same being yet in the Death Losse and Want of all good before God This is as I thought to rob our God to inrich our selves For the Apostle saith It is God that worketh Phil. 2. 13. in us the will and the deed of his own good pleasure It is not mans own will and his own deed And I thinke it much contrary to the Scriptures of the Gospell that Life and Justâ—fication should come to man by his own will or worke any way but onely by grace and mercy as the Apostle saith we are justified by Grace It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth Rom. 3. 24. mercy If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else grace were no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more of grace Rom. 9. 16. or else work were no more worke But saith the Apostle election Rom. 11. 6. hath obtained it and the rest have been hardned atlthough Israel hath not obtained that sought it viz. by his own will and worke They would strip God of his Election in Christ before the world being the first Act of his grace to man Quest What may be thought of these in your Christian Judgement and of their teaching I desire to understand Answ I take it the condition of these is farre more out of hope then of Infants and Idâ—ots for these desperately discover Mat. 5. 19. their own nakednesse and shame These break the Commandement and teach men to do so There are as you said Theeves and Robbers 1 Tim. 3. 7. and teach others the same They are fallen into and holden in the snare of the Devill The Devill spake many truths alwayes leaving something Mat. 4 3. 6 out that he may deceive in the end they are like a cunning Fowler that layes scraps of wheat to catch the Birds So these tell men a part of Gods Love Mercy and Free-grace that they may catch them in the snare and pride of their own will and words of robbery and Idolatry Nicodemus a Ruler of the Jewes a Master in Israel yet understood not that which Christ said Except a man be born againe he Joh. 3. 3 cannot see the Kingdome of God unto whom Christ said Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things These may be Rulers Masters and Teachers and yet be ignorant of these things And I conceive these are ignorant of Gods eternall Almighty Power Wisdome Fore-knowledge Foresight Will Purpose Decree and Acts with and before himself and of the rest of God and his Christ which if they were not they would not deny that God might and did choose in Christ whom hee pleased of the children of wrath to be his children so called and justified through Christ before himself even before the World of Mercy and Free-grace without any will or work of their own Eph. 〈◊〉 3 4 5 6 unchangeable Indeed they alledge and cite many places of Scriptures supposed to their purpose of Christs commanding to will to do to heare to believe to aske to seeke to knock to labour to speak to run to come to take to receive to give and the like And the condition that is annexed of reward and penalty unto these commanded to be eternall And therefore they conclude it is in every mans will and power to will and doe these things commanded unto eternall Life otherwise it were oppression and not Love and Justice of Christ our God and Law-giver to command his Subjects to doe that which it not in themselves to doe which they cannot do upon such penalty eternall But alas they do not consider that this Law of Christ to his Church as it includeth the Law of God given to mankinde in generall in Justice absolute is written in the hearts of Heathens as also of such as have the name of Christians which Law of God is therefore knowne though weakly and corruptly to the Heathens and all Mankinde as the Apostle saith of the Heathens Rom. 1. 31 They know the Law of God their consciences accuse and excuse one another And the Heathens have made many Lawes from this Rom. 2. 15. Law of God written in their hearts of Justice and righteousnesse before men in mens estimation good which with the will and power of men have beene obeyed For as Adam and all mankinde had Soul and Body and the faculties thereof temporall Life at Gods will for a time all weakened and corrupted by sinne and the curse left to them so they had Free-will Reason and power in naturall humane and temporall things left all weake and corrupted to choose and refuse to will and to nill to doe things good and righteous before men in the estimation of men although they had lost and had no power left them to will choose desire or doe any thing at all good righteous acceptable and availeable before God unto eternall Life lost to justification before God to their peace with God or to any good in Gods sight good And that the Lord Jesus upon whose shoulders the Government Isa 9. 6. of his Church lay was pleased in great grace as a most gracious Law-giver to manifest in written Tables to his people the chosen of God in him which hee had redeemed and performed all for unto Life Justification Salvation and Glorification before God all to appeare in appointed and fulnesse of time this his gracious Law of greater grace then the first given unto mankinde in generall that it might be established and remaine for ever to his people already redeemed before God for the government of his Church upon earth in worship to God
Peace Righteousnesse Society Safety and Comfort among themselves which without a Law could not have government Peace Righteousness and Safety before men especially in regard of many Hypocrites in closing themselves among the Elect of God as Wolves among Sheep And that those his redeemed People should do and performe in the will and power that they had left them these his Commandements in righteousnesse before men for worship to God Peace Safety Society and comfort among themselves upon temporall reward and penalty And that the will worke and doing of the same his Commandement being the fruits of his Spirit wrought up in their hearts where and as hee pleased might witness unto them that they are Christs redeemed ones that they have his Spirit and are the children of God as the Apostle saith the spirit received doth witness with our soules and spirits Rom. 8. 16. that we are the children of God So these confounding the Law and Commandement of God given to man in absolute Justice having absolute Free-will and power upon the condition of absolute eternall life and death for keeping and breaking the same still remaining written in the hearts of all Mankinde their Free-will and power being wholly corrupted and weakened through the transgression and the Law and Commandement of Christ given in grace to his Church the chosen of God in him whereby Mercy and Truth met together Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other upon temporall reward Psal 85. 10. and penalty for keeping and breaking the same before men for the condition of the reward and penalty could not be eternall of keeping breaking the Commandement of Christ given in grace For that the eternall reward of righteousnesse to man before God consisteth onely in the Work and Merit of Christ for man in Christ himself performed before God imputed unto man Gods chosen without any will or worke of mans And the eternall penalty of all the sinne and transgression of Gods chosen and Christs redeemed is paid and satisfied by Christs Death and Bloud from the beginning before God in the fulnesse of him before them Although those that are Gods chosen and those that are not Gods may have will and power to keep the Commandement before men yet they neither have such will or power as to keepe it before God to eternall reward Quest Christ commandeth those hee called and sent to go and teach all Nations what is that teaching of Christ that hee intendeth Mat. 28. 89. Ans First I take it In that Christ commandeth to go and teach Mar. 16. 6. all Nations hee intendeth not to all of all Nations not to cast Pearles among Swine which turning againe will rend them that teach them but to teach such of all Nations as will submit to their Mat. 7. 6. teaching Secondly that they should teach all them of all Nations that did submit to the Gospell of Jesus Christ Which is the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ That is that God so loved the world which hee intended to make that hee fore-knowing that mankinde would transgresse his command and become the children of wrath did purpose and in his Mercy and Love did choose some as he pleased of the world of those children of wrath in Christ his onely Son eternall with himselfe before the world to be his children holy and without blame before him in love as the Apostle saith and the Father of love and mercy having Eph. 1. 4. pleased to give his Sonne the Christ to performe all things both in doing and suffering to the full satisfaction of his Justice for their delivering from thence full setling of those his chosen ones his love and favour for ever who did in present understand to doe the will of the Father saying Lo I come to doe thy will O Heb. 10. 7 8 9 God did also in present performe the same undertaken before God and before men in fulness of time to Gods satisfaction evermore that nothing hereafter is to be shall or can be laid to the charge of Gods chosen before God as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 33 shall 〈◊〉 any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth the◠That Gods chosen People are no more under the law of eternall condemnation but under grace evermore And that those of Gods chosen people unto whom it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ to give his holy Spirit so farre as by his Spirit to worke in their hearts the fruit of his spirit of believing and faith the same which the spirit doth witness and evidence to their hearts and soules that they are the chosen of God in Christ and justified of God through Christ before the world in Gods sight Rom. 6. 14 that they are no more under the Law but grace that they are the children of God c. This Gospel is the draw-net of Christ that Mat. 13. 47 gathereth of all kindes some This was that which the Gentiles Acts 13. 42 hearing desired Paul to preach the same word to them the next Sabbath Day Quest Is the teaching of Christ commanded to those he sent no teaching but of his Gospel to all Nations Answ Yes it is the teaching of his Law for the government of those before men which hee hath gathered by his Gospell for worship to God for Peace Society Safety Comfort and Righteousness among men themselves which could not be without a Law and government and this government of his Church lieth upon Christs Shoulders as the Prophet saith God which was pleased to suffer the children of wrath for the Esa 9. 6. time hee pleased to shew his wrath and make his power knowne was pleased to write his Law in their minds given to mankinde Rom. 1. in generall for government among themselves before men and whereby their consciences accuse and excuse one another and Rom. 2. whereby they know sinne and what deserveth death and there as the Apostle saith other wise there could have been no society among them But Christ giveth his Law for government to his Church not onely to know sinne by the teaching thereof and to shunne sinne as all naturall men have will and power to doe although weakly in their corruption but also that they may yeild themselves to be Rom. 6. 13 instruments of the worke of his spirit in the shunning of sinne inwardly in their hearts and of knowing what Christ hath done for them in himselfe before God in performing of the full righteousnesse of his Lawes and Commande to their peace with God and that the worke of the spirit in those of his Commandements being the fruits of his Spirit whereof they are made instruments may evidence witnesse and assure to them Rom. 8. 16 that they are the children of God chosen of God in Christ justified through Christ and redeemed by Christs payment to God and his performance of all to God for them in Gods sight and acceptance before the
Christ saith in earnest of himselfe and all Believers In many things we sin all and all the evill Jam. 3. 2 which I would not that I do meaning in the body And againe by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified by no works done in the body Rom. 7. 15 And againe the Law maketh nothing perfect meaning holy and righteous in the sight of God And again If perfection had been by the Rom. 3. 20 Law what need had there been of Christ saith the Apostle And so Heb. 7. 19. because from hence with the other forecited Scriptures It must necessarily follow that no man neither Believers nor Unbelievers Heb. 7. 11 shall be justified saved and inherit the Kingdome of Heaven Therefore they adde that God hath his Book wherein he hath the number of all the sins and good deeds of men as Job speakes Thou hast numbred my steps and dost not delay my sins And God hath the Job 14. 16. Ballance of his Sanctuary wherein he shall weigh the sins of men as he commanded the Prophet to cut off the numberlesse haires of his head signifying the sinnes of the People and weigh them in the Ballance And God charged Moses that hee should do justly in judgement Ezek. 5. 1. according to line weight and measure which no doubt he doth Lev. 19. 35 and will ever doe himself And God cried woe to the Scribes and Pharises for omitting the weighty matters of the Law whereby it appeareth that God weigheth and will weigh the workes of his Law done by Mat. 23. 23 men And as God shall finde at the time of his judgement the sinnes of men Believers or Unbelievers to be in his arithmeticall account more or lesse then his righteous and good deeds and in his geometricall account as he shall find his good deeds weighty or lighter then his evill done in the body so he shall give to every man as his worke shall be every man shall receive according to that he hath done in the body whether it be good or evill Yet say they It is the Justice of God which is alwayes mixt with mercy That to the man whose good deeds overcome his bad the good reward should be given unto him and that hee should receive the same which the Apostle proveth in plaine words say they To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God See more Rev. 2. 17. and Rev. 2â— 7 3. 21. And therefore say they the Apostle adviseth Believers to provide that they may overcome when they are judged and to overcome evill with that goodnesse And this say they is according to Rom. 3. 4 Rom. 12. 2â— the proportion of Justice shewed of God to men and practized of the wisest To give the Crown and reward according to the greater voyce And likewise that the reward of evill should be given accordingly unto him whose evill deeds overcome his good in Gods said account And yet further they adde because the Apostle saith the unjust shall not inherit the Kingdome of Heaven That the man which overcometh in the number and weight of his good deeds because Rev. 14. 13 the works of every man followeth as the Apostle saith his works follow him They and their workes must before they shall inherit Heaven go through Purgatory The evill of the workes must be burnt and themselves purged with the fire of purgatory which 1 Cor. 3. 13. 15 they confirmed by the words of the Apostle It shall be revealed by fire The fire shall try every mans worke of what sort it is but hee shall be safe himselfe yet as it were by fire And they adde further that whereas some of the sinnes of Believers are not unto death called veniall sinnes which are to be prayed and offer pardon for upon repentance and for repentance thereof as the Apostle saith there is a sin which is not unto death for which let him aske and God shall give him Life for the sinnes which 1 Joh. 5. 16 are not unto death And there is a sinne unto death called mortall sinne I say not that thou shouldst pray for it for pardon or repentance All unrighteousnesse is sin but there is a sin not unto death They are For the veniall sins sins not unto death of Believers which they or other have prayed for and repented of Life is given already as purged those sinnes are done away and come not to account of number and weight But onely the mortall sinnes and the veniall sinnes of Believers unprayed for and unrepented of But I take it such as these erre not knowing the Scriptures unto whom the Gospell is hid For although all shall appeare before the judgement Seat give account and receive according to their workes done in the body good or evill yet all shall not appeare alike give account alike c. The Gospell is that believers shall appeare by and with their advocate 1 Joh. 2. 2. Jesus Christ the righteous we have an Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2. 1. 2 Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins The Believers shall appeare as vessells of honour The Believers shall appeare in glory when Christ shall appeare wee shall also appeare in Rom. 9. 21 glory Collos 3. 4 Believers shall appeare with boldnesse as Lyons The righteous shall be bold as Lyons Pro. 28. 1. Christ is their Judge and Advocate and Mediator for their sinnes Eph. 3. 12 as he was the Sacrifice and Sacrifices None shall lay any thing to their charge for it is Christ their Judge that justifieth them 1 Joh. 2. 1. 2 But Unbelievers and Reprobates shall appeare naked clothed Rom 8. 33 with nothing but the Fig Leaves or the unavailable workes of the Law by themselves without any advocate to plead for them or Rev. 3. 17. maketheir peace As vessells of dishonour with shame and reproofe In feare and trembling having sinne the Law the Divell death and Isa 53. 6 Hell all against them laying those which they have done in the body to their charge So Believers shall give account by their undertaker their advocate Jesus Christ the righteous which is the propitiation for their Collos 2. 14 sinnes upon whom God hath laid all their iniquities and which hath taken their infirmities upon him which hath put out the hand writing of Ordinances that was against them he even tooke it out of the way and fastened it upon his Crosse of whose Soule God did see the travell and Esa 53. 11 was satisfied with it for their sins of his Elect to their justification for he shall beare their iniquities saith the Prophet is discharged and satisfied and nothing is to be â—aid 〈◊〉 the charge of Gods Elect Christ is the Account and the Accounter for Believers But infidels and reprobates must and shall account
Scribes and the Pharises did and as Christ saith the Heathens and Publicanes doe the same but not in singlenesse of heart without dissimulation Therefore note the command of Christ to Reprobates is as he is God and commander his command to the Elect Believers is as hee is Undertaker to performe all righteousnesse impossible to them by his Spirit in them promised and sent to them to performe all The Mediatour betweene God and Man the Man Christ Jesus our Saviour Undertaker and God that worketh in us Phil. 2. 〈◊〉 the Will and the Deede of his owne good pleasure as the Apostle speaketh doth all in us which the same Apostle saith worketh all in all It is hee that worketh in Believers Believing Loving Repenting Forgiving Mercy Obeying Praying Praising and Thanksgiving and the 1 Cor. 12. 6. rest In singlenesse of Heart and sincerity farre otherwise how and wherefore should hee bee said to worke in Believers the Will and the Deede and to worke all in all if it were not that hee worketh these and such like things of his owne good pleasure in them which their owne corrupt power they have cannot worke and doe in singlenesse of Heart unfainedly and without dissimulation The Deed is Christs Deede of these things according to his owne good pleasure in Believers Therefore Christ himselfe tells his Disciples That hee is the Vine and they are the Branches and that they without him can doe nothing The Grapes and Fruit that are borne of the Branches are not usually nor properly called the Grapes of the Branches the Fruit of the Branches but the Grapes Joh. 15. 5. of the Vine and the Fruit of the Vine which Grape and Fruit of the Vine are by the Spirits and power of the Vine wrought up in the Branches which are onely the instruments of the Vine fitted to beare them as Christ saith Every Luke 22 18. Branch that beareth not Fruit in Mee speaking to his Disciples of professing Believers Believers onely are the Branches and the Instruments of Christ whith hee hath fitted to beare the Fruits of True Joh. 15. 2. and Good Believing Obeying Repenting Praying Praising Thanksgiving and Loving c. Which Fruit which Worke and Deed is Christs by his holy Spirit wrought up in their Hearts And of grace by Christ being made and fitted the Branches and Instruments to beare the same Fruits of grace also hee imputeth to them and accounteth to them the sinne and therefore calleth them his Elect ones Believers Obeyers Repenters Prayers Thanksgivers and Lovers c. And calleth the Fruits theirs which are but the Branches as if they were the Vine whose the Fruits are in Truth The Apostle saith speaking of himselfe and all Believers Wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh Rom. 8. 26. request for us Corrupt Man knew not to pray as hee ought nor to Believe Repent Obey Praise or Love as hee ought but the Spirit sent to him of Christ doth all for him And this was the cause and reason why CHRIST did ever sithence his Church was upon Earth give his Spirit to the Elect of God for whom hee had undertaken of Grace and Love to doe such things of the Holy and Good Law for the Government of his Church as is commanded therein to bee done before men which hee knew themselves not able to doe as hee pleased And therefore the true Faith Peace Obedience Repentance Praise and Love are called Spirituall gifts Spirituall things Spirituall Sacrifices and 1 Cor. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 12. 1 Cor. 9. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 5. why so certainly because they are the Deeds of the Spirit the fruit of the Spirit as so the Apostle calls them Gal. 5. 22. And upon this same ground That renowned Father in Christs Church said Fac Domini quod jubes jube quod vis O Lord doe thou that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And let no man marvell that Christ should bee the Law-giver and the Law Keeper for his Elect. The commander and the doer of the Commandement for them whereas the Scriptures hold forth his Grace to bee the Judge and the Advocate The Priest and Sacrifice Hebrewes 2. 17. 5 6. 7. 3. Eph. 5. 2. 9. 26. And thus much of the Error of those which hold forth no Law remaining to the 1 Joh. 2. 42. Elect. And I take it the Errour of those which hold forth that Christ is not the End of the Morall Law and all Law for Righteousnesse before God to Believers but onely of the penalty and condemnation of the breaches thereof is much dishonourable to Jesus Christ and unrighteous to his undertakings and performances and to the Apostle of Christ called to set forth the truth of his Performances and Merit and most of all to the Great Just and good God the Covenant-maker of Workes upon Life and Dâ—ath with Mankinde in generall and on remembrance of Mercy The Covenant-maker of Grace and promise to his Christ for all his Elect. For where all Mankinde having transgressed against the Covenant of Workes before God were in the state of eternall Death the God of Love Mercy and Free-grace having elected some of them in his Christ with a covenant and Promise of Grace that upon his Christs fulfilling of the Law of Workes And the paying of the whole Transgression of the Law by his Death Passion and Bloudshedding for them his Elect to satisfaction Those his Elect should have eternall Life the condition and promise of the covenant of Workes as if themselves had performed the same to the full and should bee also freed from the penalty of Eternall Death into which all Mankinde was fallen And Christ hath done and fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law and paid the full Debt of the Transgression thereof to God by his Passion Death and Bloud-shedding for the Elect even to the full so much as the Law and covenant of Workes required in Justice either for righteousnesse before God or for payment of the Trangression to full satisfaction of God for those Elections for ever for past and to come Now then why should the Law and covenant of Workes remaine still binding the Elect Believers to righteousnesse of Workes before God which they cannot in the least doe and for that in respect of their utter unablenesse CHRIT undertooke and performed all for them And if CHRIST God being so pleased have fulfilled the whole Law both for performing the righteousnesse thereof before GOD and payment of the transgression thereof Why should not Christ bee the end of all Law Morall and the rest for righteousnesse before God to Believers as they say hee is the end of and for the penalty and condemnation for the transgression thereof to them Seeing the full is performed of the righteousnesse required as the full of the Debt of transgression is paid Will these lay such cruelty upon God and charge God with such oppression and wrong as to
angry and displeased still where Christ hath satisfied and appeased who shall satisfie and appease If God be angry still when Christ hath finished his satisfaction who shall satisfie afterward Obj. The Apostle saith That the Ethnicks which have no evidence but of the children of wrath do know the law or righteousness Rom. 1. 31 of God how that they which commit such things as are contrary are worthy of death and their thoughts or consciences are accusing or excusing one another and this they have by the corrupt light of Rom. 2. 14 15 Nature left them Therefore the Ethnicks know when their conscience accuseth them that they displease God in their performances and when their conscience excuse them that they please God in their performances A. It is certain the Ethnicks and all natural men know the Law of God yea that which is to be known of God as the Apostle saith enough to charge their consciences with good and evil with life and death in their performances And although their accusing conscience do manifest to them that they displease God and are worthy of death for committing such things yet their excusing conscience cannot assure them that they please God by any of their performances For the Apostle saith Although I know nothing by my self 1 Cor 4. 4. yet I am not there by justified I have no assurance that thereby I please God although my conscience excuse me Q. Was not the Law written in Tables of stone by Christ and given after by Moses to the Church of Israel the chosen people of God then in visibility the same Law that was given of God to man when man had power to perform the same before his Fall Ans It was the same partly in matter and wholly in form of holiness and righteousness but not the same in condition and circumstance For first The Law given to Adam was by God as the Creator when man had power in himself to have performed the full righteousness of the same before God and man but Moses Law so called was given by God the Undertaker and Redeemer of Gods chosen to them when they had no power to perform the righteousness of this Law before God nor of that Law Secondly That Law was That man should do it and live evermore and should dye eternally if he did it not but this Law is That man Gen. 3. 3. Luk. 10. 18 shall have temporal reward long life upon earth and the like if he doth it and shall have temporal death and punishment if he doth it not or doth the contrary to it so held forth in the whole discourse of this Law written Thirdly In that Law Justice had only place If thou dost this thou shalt live If thou dost not this thou shalt dye but in this Law of Moses faith in Christ self-denyal prayer and repentance have place and upon faith in Christ self-denyal prayer and repentance mercy and forgiveness have place but neither faith in Christ self-denyal prayer repentance mercy nor forgiveness have place in that Law only of Justice made and given of God to man in power and if prayer repentance mercy and forgiveness had had place in that Law no doubt but the good God would of Justice have had patience for Adams repentance for Adam in time might have repented had mercy and forgiveness and lived eternally and his posterity and so there should have been no need of a Christ a Saviour and Redeemer of man Fourthly The Preface to the Decalogue where it is said God spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage c. do shew plainly the giver of this Law was our God and Christ the Undertaker Redeemer Saviour and Deliverer of Gods chosen people in grace and that the same was given in grace for the Government of his Church and people for worship to God before men for righteousness society and safety among themselves Fifthly That Law was given to Adam requiring performance of the righteousness thereof before God and before men but this Law was given requiring performance of the righteousness thereof only before men for if this Christs Law were for performing of righteousness before God as Adams Law was with condition of everlasting death for breaking of the same then sin would have the dominion then all the chosen of God should be under the Law of death and not under the grace of life because no man can keep this Law in righteousness before God in the least Q. Have Gods Elect power to perform the righteousness of this Law of Christ before men A. This Law of Christ is outward in appearance to men and man seeth but according to the outward appearance and this Law is inward 1 Sam. 16. 7 Rom. 7. 14 and spiritual as the Apostle saith the Law is spiritual Now as this Law is outward in appearance to man man hath power to perform the righteousness thereof before men for although the power of man be so corrupted that he can perform no righteousness before God yet he may perform the righteousness of the Law in appearance before men So Christ said the Pharisees did perform the outward righteousness of this Law before men and Herod did many things in the righteousness of this Law as he was taught of Iohn Baptist and Paul called his performance of the righteousness of this Law his own righteousness Phi. 3. 8 9 which he desired he might not be found in but counted the same loss and dung in comparison of the righteousness which is of Christ David said I will run the way of thy Commandments and Ps 119. 32 Zachary and Elizabeth are said to have walked in the Commandments of the Lord without reproof of men So we see that men may Luke 1. 6. perform the righteousness of this Law of Christ before men in appearance to men yea hypocrites as the Pharisees and Herod much rather the chosen people of God which have the work of the Spirit thereto in their souls and hearts If man had had no power to perform the righteousness of this Law before men it had not been love nor justice in Christ to have charged Gods chosen people to perform this Law upon pain There is no just and charitable man that will lay a burden upon his beast that he knoweth he cannot bear Q. But can the Elect of God perform this Law of Christ as it is spiritual A. No that cannot be for Paul said The Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin and transgression meaning of the Law as it is spiritual Q. How is this Law of Christ given to Gods chosen performed of them which cannot perform the same themselves as it is spiritual A. Christ their Undertaker and Giver of this Law as it is spiritual doth perform the same in them by his Spirit promised and sent unto them and this is the special
preaching of the Law of Christ for the Government of his Church upon Earth unto them A. Yea the Gospel and the preaching thereof by those that are sent is for their everlasting comfort and good That setteth forth unto them the everlasting love mercy and free grace of God in his chusing them in Christ before the world unchangeably their ordination to eternal life their predestination to be the children of God for ever their calling thereto in the Image of his Son â—esus Christ their justification and glorification then before God to be manifested in fulness of time to the creature And clearly sheweth the way and work of all these by Christs undertaking with God to his satisfaction of justice in doing of his Will as the Lamb slain before him from the beginning and taking flesh upon him came into the world and performed the full righteousness of the Law of God in doing and suffering before men whereby they have deliverance from all sin and death by sin before God and are made coheirs annexed with Christ Jesus of all his riches triumph and glory in heavenly places And that Christ hath promised and sent his holy Spirit to them to do the spiritual work of the Law in them as he pleaseth for witness and comfortable assurance to them that they are Gods chosen children and therefore is called the Spirit of Adoption because he witnesseth the same Rest to the Souls of Believers GOd hath revealed himself unto man to be one eternal invisible incompr 〈…〉 ible essence in whom is all foreknowledg and will as he pleaseth all love almighty power wisdom justice goodness and mercy and in three persons in this one essence Father Son and Holy Spirit according to which eternal qualities of his eternal Deity he hath in his foreknowledg and foresight purposed predestinated and decreed all things according to his will and according to his Will Purpose and Decree made Heaven Hell Earth and all Gen. 1. Isai 30. 33 things therein And with his purpose to make man he also purposed to make a Covenant of works with man which works if he did he should have the promise and assurance of life for ever But if he did fail in the work and break the Covenant he should dye presently And God foreknowing that man would break the Covenant of his great and meer love of his free grace compassion and mercy to mankind did provide purpose and decree to give to mankind in Christ a Covenant of Grace or promise of grace which was to give his own only Son to be made of a woman by taking mans flesh upon him to be born and brought forth of a woman to take upon him the form of a servant to be of no reputation among men yet as a general person and undertaker for all intended of the Father in acceptance to full satisfaction to do and perform the full righteousness of the Covenant of Works Law and commandment therein and to pay the whole and uttermost debt of and for the transgression made or to be made by those of mankind which he purposed to make choyce of for the glory of his grace to be performed by his Son Christ Jesus and to be preserved by the power of his Spirit until Psa 37. 18 19 1 Thes 5. 17 Eph. 1. 4 they were presented blameless at his coming to Judgment And according to the purpose of the Father he did Elect some of mankinde before the foundations of the world were layd to be his vessels of honor life everlasting and immortal inheritance in and with his Son Jesus Christ which had undertaken in acceptance and to full satisfaction of God leaving the rest to the merit and punishment of their own transgression And having made Heaven and Hell he made also the Earth and all creatures therein in their kind And placing man his creature in Paradise there made and manifested his purposed and decreed Covenant of Works with man with condition of life and death when man was endued with full power and free will to stand or fall And mand did fall and break the Covenant of Works which in duty as the creature he ought to have kept and performed to the Creator having of him power and free-will given to him to hve performed and done same And although God did foreknow that man would fall and break the Covenant yet God did not decree that man should fall and destroy himself by falling neither having given unto him power and free-will to stand or fall had he resisted the Will of God if he had stood but by falling and so destorying himself he resisted the Will of God that would not the death of a sinner For there was Ezek 18 32 one and the same end in the intention of God of both the Covenants purposed towards man which was the life of man yea in his Covenant of Works he intended the life of man This do and thou shalt live saith God to man although he set before him life and Gen. 42. 18 Rom. 7. 10 death in that Covenant of Works And after mans fall and loss of all he was endued with all of God being yet in Paradise God manifested to his Elâ—ct of mankind his purposed Covenant of Grace in his Son Jesus Christ to be performed of him without any condition of any performance by man but in Christ now being without power of believing as appears in the words of the Promise or Covenant of Grace The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents heaâ— The seed of the woman was freely promised to do and perform all that was to be done and performed for mans salvation to the end to break the serpents head and to destroy the works of the Devil as the Apostle speaketh and all this grace to be manifested in time to those in particular which should 1 Joâ— 3. 8 in manifestation receive the Spirit of adoption and bear the fruits of the Spirit the believing in the Son of God Jesus Christ so that in the righteousness of his Son Christs doing the work of the Covenant in himself as an undertaker for and a representative of all his Elect in acceptance to the full satisfaction of God all the Elect might have this righteousness accounted imputed and so made theirs of God as if themselves had done the full work of the Law and Covenant of Works And by his paying of the full debt and price for their transgression they might be assured of the forgiveness of their sins past Isai 53. 6 1 Pet. 2 24 1 Joh. 1. 7 and to come as if there had been no transgression at all in them of the Law and Covenant of Works And that they thus being justified fully by the obedience and performance of Christ before God and freed by the full payment of the price and debt with Christs precious blood Gods Elect might know themselves to have an absolute discharge from the Law and Covenant of Works before God and
to be no more under the Covenant of Works but only under the Promise and Covenant of Grace And hereupon it is said by the Apostle of Christ touching the Elect Ye are no more under the Law but Rom 6. 14 Gal. 5. 1. Rom. 10. 4 3. 24 under Grace The Son of God hath made you free Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to those which believe We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus And this was not only the end of the Promise or Covenant of grace to justifie freely the Elect and to free them from the Covenant of Works before God and set them only under the Promise and Covenant of Grace Jesus Christ but also that the same Christ should Psa 121. 8 Joh. 17. 11 1 Thes 5. 23 1 Cor. 1 8 rule them preserve them and keep them by the power of his Spirit and present them blameless at his coming to Judgment For this cause is Christ said to have three offices of a King a Priest and a Prophet A King to rule govern and order his Elect as the Scripture saith The Government is upon his shoulders A Priest to pray and Isai 9. 6 Rom. 8 26 make request for them as it is said The Spirit maketh request for us A Prophet to teach them powerfully and effectually not as the Scribes and Pharisees as is said which taught but had no power upon their hearers further to their good as it is said They shall be all taught of God even to the forming of Jesus Christ in them as â—oâ— 6 45 Gal. 4. 19 the Apostle speaketh And Christ doth not execute his Offices only in the universal Church of his Elect but also in the particular and every member thereof So that every of his Elect when how and where he pleaseth hath a better Governor in him then himself a better Orator a better Teacher and Directer then himself So that although as the Idolatrous Canaanite remained still in the Land when the Israelite had Ioshua 17. rule the flesh remaineth still in the Elect whil'st Christ hath the rule at his pleasure and although the flesh bringeth forth many transgressions yet Christ by his Spirit having the rule doth though not without resistance curb the flesh and bring it in subjection at his Gal. 5. 17 pleasure and maketh the corrupt members instruments of his service and therefore the Apostle saith Sin shall have no more dominion over you for you are no more under the Law but under grace meaning the Spirit of Christ that ruleth swayeth and doth all things Rom. 6. 14 in the Elect unto good where his Grace and Spirit is present fiting and making by his powerful and sanctifying Spirit all and any of 1 Cor. 15 his regenerate Electones to yield their members both of soul and body instruments of righteousness unto God that is instruments of the works of his righteous Spirit in them which he of his grace imputeth Rom 6 13 to them and calleth them their works although they be his only in truth as is manifested in the holy Scripture Christ told his Disciples that he sent forth to preach the Gospel That it was not they that did speak but the Spirit of the Father that did speak in them although it was spoken by the instruments of their mouth Mat. 10. 20 tongue and lips And Paul when he said that he had labored in the Ministry of the Gospel more then all the rest recalleth himself saying 1 Cor. 15. 10 Yet it was not I that labored so but the grace of God with me His instrument my self being only by the grace of God Jesus Christ fitted and made an instrument of that labor and work and of his grace only accounted my labor and work which is his work Thus we may see the end of the promise or Covenant of grace made of God to man in Christ to be that of the unsearchable love of God to the Elect through his grace in Jesus Christ his Elect in Christ before the foundation of the World was layd being of those which were faln into the misery and danger of everlasting death by their own transgression of the mutual Covenant of Works agreed upon and made betwixt God and mankind in the first Parents all of them then being and to be in the posterity of mankind to the end of the world after their Election are freed from the Covenant of Works the Law and commandment thereof before God and the penalty of the transgression of the Law and commandment thereof through the performance made of Jesus Christ their undertaker and to be preserved kept and ordered by the performance to be made in Psa 121. 5 Ioh. 17 11 15 1 Thes 5. 23 them by the Spirit of Christ until they be presented blameless at his coming to Judgment And as the Covenant of Works was manifested in Paradise in the time of mans innocency when man had full power and freedom of will to have performed all required and the same broken by man there being in his full power unto the tainture and corruption of all mankind then in Adams loyns So was the Promise called the Covenant of grace touching the Elect of God first manifested in Paradise unto man soon after the general Transgression Fall and corruption when God said The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head which seed was Jesus Christ born of the blessed Virgin Mary Mat. 2. 25 And as afterwards the Covenant of works in grace was manifested to many by the providence of God repeated and revealed in holy Scriptures to set forth the equity of Gods Justice in the death and misery of the reprobate still under the Law and curse of the first transgression of the Covenant of Works and the succeeding transgression thereof first especially commented opened and interpreted by Moses then by the Prophets and after by the Evangelists and the Apostles of Jesus Christ the penmen of the Holy Ghost and also that by the thunderings threatenings and terror of the penalties of the transgressions of the said Law the current and violence of the corruption of reprobate and carnal men might be hindered abated and bridled through fear to the more safety of Gods beloved ones which are amongst the reprobate as sheep among wolves as Christ himself said of his chosen ones I send you forth as sheep among wolves Mat. 10. 16 So the Promise or Covenant of Grace was after opened and manifested to many by the providence of God and specified and repeated in holy Scriptures by Gods penmen of the same to set forth the love compassion mercy and grace of God toward his Elect and the praise and glory of his grace for the same always to be published by those whose blinde eyes are opened to behold the misery bands and dâ—ath from which they are delivered and freed by the love of God in the