climb up to a knowing state with God which the Lord in his â—atent purpose and decree did deny to man So the divels quarrel is not with their own apostasie but with the holy Lords dispensation art thou come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to torment us and which is another fault before the time Matth. 8. 29. nor can we move questions concerning the decrees and deep dispensations of God but we must fall upon the Almighty to defend our own sin the damned in hell eternally rail against the decrees of holy and spotless justice and his decrees of giving to them life and being and denying to them the benefit of death Rev. 6. 15 16. but as they blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pains so they never repent of their deeds Rev. 16. 11. 6. It 's safe sailing in declining of rocks when we adore the Lords withdrawing of influences and justifie him and bewail our own sinful choice and condemn our selves in the Psal 51. David and in the confession Daniel c. 9. Ezra 9. the humbled people of God do not hint at any heart wrestling with the decree of God but only bewail their own rebellion and not hearkening to the voice of the prophets and desire to sit patiently and in silence in their lot of suffering and reproach and shame It is true they complain Lam. 3. 13. He hath caused the arrow of his quiver to enter into my reins but yet they believe 24. the Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him And 2. they check unbelieving complaining 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sinne 7. It cannot be conceived how a soul in guiltiness must be in a case of invincibly necessitated despair if he conceive and believe the Lord gave me a power to will or not to will free from all divine determination and before any act of his foreknowledge or decree I was finaly and wilfully to reject the Physitian Christ and this the Lord did foreknow but could not efficaciously hinder what place can be left for consolation in God or submission to the holy will of God for this was invincibly to come to pass before any act of his will or praescience 8. Nor can I pray in faith Lord encline my heart unto thy testimonies if the voluntary determination of my own heart to his holy testimonies or the wicked vital refusing to yield unto or to be led by his testimonies go before the act of the Lords knowledge or will or before any efficacious congruous internal and victorious drawing of me to Jesus Christ 9. It cannot be denied but this very way which the Lord hath taken in denying of his influences to the eternal standing of Adam and to law-doing and law-living is the most excellent course and that flesh and blood dare not to appear to countermand herein either infinite wisedom or admirable soveraignty For 1. The Law-heaven the Garland the crown and reward of Law-merit should have been a paradise where there is no tree of life as Rev. 2. 7. no river of water of life no Lamb which is in the midst of the throne to feed and to lead them to the fountain of living waters as Rev. 7. 17. yea it should be darker and a less glorious heaven then the Gospel-heaven For 2. There should have been there no new heaven nor new earth no chair of estate no high lifted up throne for the power of the Kings of the earth who hath loved us and washen in his blood Nor 3. Should there have been any new song nor any such redeemed Musitians who sing with a loud voice as Rev. 5. 12. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisedom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and what an heaven should that be that wants the fairest rose in that garden it should be only the heaven of God Creator which though glorious yet not so kindly nor so desirable to us wanting the savour and delicious smell of the man Christ head of men and Angels 4. Nor can there be more lovely Christians then that great and fair mystical body of the ransomed of the Lord the lovely company that are before the throne cloathed in white with palms in their hands in sign of eternal victory who have come out of great tribulation and have washen their garments and made them white in the blood of the Lamb and with them their glorious head so that here shall be compleated and perfected Christ mystical It is boldness to weave a web of carnal difficulties against the Lords holy providence he hated the first sin as he doth all sin but to say he was weak and impatient about its entrance in the world blames his omnipotency to say the watchman of Israel was as to all care and vigilance of holy providence sleeping or slumbring and was thoughtless and drowsie not valuing whether his noble Sons of creation Angels and men should fall and irrecoverably and eternally be broken and become fewel for everlasting fire or stand and be eternally happy is injurious to infinite wisedom and the perfection of his holy will to say that the Lord loved such a guest as sin must blame his spotless holiness but if any say Obj. But did man by any necessity of a divine decree sin Answ A compelling necessity everting the creatures liberty there was none but a necessity by which the man was determined to one distinctively to stand or fall not copulatively both to stand and not to stand to obey and disobey there was in created free-will if we suppone there had been no decree Now the holy decree brought no necessity 1. Compelling such as is of a man bound hand and foot 2. No natural necessity such as that of the Sun to give light the fire to cast out heat Nor 3. No bruitish necessity void of a discoursing faculty such as that of the swallow building her nest the Bee making honey but we must say there was some eminent holy and spotless necessity of decree in Christs thrice rather then seven times praying why King Joash smites the ground thrice and stays and smites it not six times 2 Kings 13. 19. why the Lord writes in his booke Psal 139. 16. such a number of drops of rain such a number of drops of snow to make up such a treasure and God determined Job 38. 22. such a number of pound weights of mountains Isa 40. 12. and it was necessary the Lord should determine the names and number of the Stars Psal 147. 4. and why ten acres of a vineyard should yield one bath not two why every mans number of his months should be determined by the statute of a divine decree Job 14. 4 5. 2. Nor wrong we the Lord or free-will either to say God decreed that Joseph should be sold by his brethren David cursed and reproached by Shimei Judah carried away captive by the Babylonians Israel oppressed
descend more particularly to enquire 1. What influences are 2. Whencâ— they come 3. The necessity of influences 4. How they are above us and of the Soveraignty of him who best ows them 5. What we may doe to fetch them INfluences are acts of God concurring with created causes under him and a sort of continued Creation as God of nothing makes all things so in his providence he gives a day to all borrowed beings in their being preserved by him and they are the Lords debtors in being acted by him or then they could not stir nor move 2. The same free goodnesse which is a sort of grace which moved God to create the Sun and give it being so also â—â—ts him to give influences to the motions and actings of the Sun the end that moves the Man to make the Plough and the Cart moves him to draw the Plough and drivâ— the Cart by Beasts so that in reference to the end there is debâ—tum quoddam connaturale some connatural dueness of influences all Creatures are dead Cyphers which sigâ—ifie nothing except the influence of God add a figure to them and they lie dead if he stir them not Some Cows let not down their Milk but to their own Calves and the Creatures are as Pictures and Idols who let out no Efficacy no Vertue except the Lord act upon them Sometimes the Sea ebbs not the Wind blows not the Sun shines not the Fire burns not because this influence is as it were the Charm that is a wanting and he hath a sort of a checklock upon all second causes 3. Though God move and must act in all in causes natural and free so as in some sense he must concur in willing and nilling yet he out of Soveraignty of grace stands more aloofe in bestowing influences to gracious and supernatural nilling and willing for Predestination and free Election to glory here hath place for that he prepared in his eternal decree so many outlettings and emanations of free acts of grace to carry to glory so many selected Angels and Men and denyed these outgoings of free love to others he intending they should be to Angels and Men both their grace and song of praise he hath not given out such refined influences of free love to other Creatures to the motions of Sun and Moon to the Seas ebbing and flowing 4. Q. What then is the fountain cause of gracious influences and breathings of the Spirit Ans Sure Jesus Christ must be the meritorious and fountain cause of such influences For 1. We suppose that Christ is the head of the elect Angels God having purposed to save man of grace he gave this mighty separating influence distinguishing the Standing and Elect Angels from the falling and reprobate Angels else it cannot be said they are Elect Angels as 1 Tim. 5. 21. nor can their standing be of free grace for they could not stand except the Lord had chosen them to stand as the means as he chose them to glory as to the end except the Lord had joyned his predeterminating acting to cause them to stand and reconciled them Colos 1. 20. to himself giving to them medicinal confirming grace that they never should be sick Now the Elect Angels are the special Messengers and New Covenant Officers miniâ—tring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. And the Angels Ezek. 1. are acted in all their motions by that Jehovah whose glory Isaiah saw Isa 6. 1 2 3. John 12. 37. of which Jehovah also Ezekiel 1. v. 28. as v. 12. And the four living creatures went every one straight forward whither the Spirit was to go they went and they turned not when they went And also verse 20. They are then rightly called the Angels of the Lord Jesus 2 Thes 1. 7. for they cover their faces it is noâ— blushing for sin and their feet with wings Isa 6. while they stand before and see the face of their Soveraign and high Master and so its clear that the actings of special and supernatural providence toward and about the redeemed Church come from Christ as head of Angels and as the heir of all things who makes all things new Heb. 1. 2 3. Rev. 21. 5. and who works with the father Joh. 5. 17. in a new-covenant providence to make new Heavens and new Earth and to act all for the elects sake Colos 1. 16. 17. yea and this Spirit at whose direction the living creatures move and rest come and go Zech. 1. 12 20. is the same spirit promised and sent by Christ John 16. 7 13 14. of which Christ he shall receive of mine and give it to you by the influences of this Spirit sent by Christ are the Redeemed led Rom. 8. 14. directed Acts 16. 6 9 10 14. sealed and confirmed Eph. 4. 30. having received the earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1. 22. taught guided the Word made effectual John 16. 13. convinced of sin and throughly rebuked vers 7 8 9. comforted Joh. 14. 16. and the memory sanctified and quickned to remember necessary truths Joh. 14. 26. and the whole man made able by the anointing for all things 1 John 2. 20 27. Hence these influences of grace are from the spirit not as from the third person of the blessed Trinity simply for so the spirit is the power of God sometimes as Judge sitting and by a Judicial power making tormenting convictions dreadfully effectual upon the consciences of Divels Matth. 8. 29. Luke 4. 34 35. of which the chains of darknesse may be a part 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude v. 6. as also neither from the spirit as the power of God Creator Job 26. 13. Job 32. 8. in making and governing all Psal 104. 30. but from the Spirit as the fruit and purchase of Christs death and merits and as saving grace is from Christ the fountain so also the saving influences of Christ as Mediator and of stirring us up to will and do Phil. 2. 13. and to stand and persevere in the state of grace must be dispensed covenant ways Jerem. 32. 3 37 38 39 40. Isa 59. 20 21. Isa 54. 10 11 12. by his bloud So Christ speaketh to the spirit Cant. 4. 16. Stir up thou North wind come forth thou South blow upon my garden that the spice thereof may flow out Where Christ commands influences of the spirit of the North and South wind though of contrary qualities of cold and heat moist and dry both in sharp rebukes and sweet consolations to fall upon his Church and garden and it is his desire as Spouse and Mediator that the Spirit breath upon and make efficacious the word otherwise there is but deadnesse Ezech. 37. 9. Come from the four winds O wind How upon these slain that they may live John 3. 8. And the flowing of the spices is the souls being quickned revived comforted and the graces increased by the breathings of the spirit Hence 1. the
faithfully acquit himself in the duty of his Office for by office he conferrs influences 2. It s to question his nature whether the Head shall inlive its members CHAP. IV. The necessity of influences of Grace Of the Soveraignty of God in dispensing influences IT is easie to determine that there is a sort of necessity of the Lords bestowing influences upon all natural causes of this before In so far as willing and nilling are acts of second causes in the same sphere with natural causes there seems to be no more reason for denying influences to nilling and willing simply yea or for literal hearing and praying then for plowing and sowing except that here God acts in a dreadful way of Justice toward Pharaoh and other reprobates in leaving them to the actings of their own heart only it may be said that God finding his child under deadness and acting in a dead and literal way as he hath bowels of compassion toward his chosen under the evil of sin that are ready to be drowned he joynes his help of influences seeing his own goe about duties with wrestling and pain since he knows some one way or other they must be over the water and helped otherwise they cannot stir 2. As there are some saving graces from the Mediator so must there be some mediatory influences bestowed covenant wayes upon the chosen of God But 1. Free goodness and not natural necessity made the world and that same freedome intervenes in continuing being and acting in creatures which act by nature Fire casteth heat the Sun light and influences the Sea ebeth and floweth by nature yet there must also be a free new commission sealed from eternity to every acting of nature he commandeth the Sun and it riseth not forbideth the fire to cast out heat and it obeyeth Job 9. 7. Heb. 11. 34. Dan. 3. 27. and it is an obliging and an indearing of the heart to God to come dayly under new debt and multiplied free gifts and it renews acts of love in us as fresh actings of salvation flow whether it be new deliverances Psal 18. 1 2 6 7. Psal 116. 1 2 3 4. or new acts of keeping faith from drying up in the fire 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. so as you being tried as gold verse 8. y◠love having not seen him 2. It extracts acts of praying sense of spiritual slownesse seems to pray Cant. 1. 4. Draw me we will run and sense of spiritual dulnesse Psal 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes 3. Hence comes humble relying upon God when faith is put to believe that at every stirring of the members and at every lifting of the foot for a new step the head must stir in heaven and let down new influences of life and the bottles of Heaven and well of life must let down new flowings of rain every moment upon the withered garden if as much rain fell in one day as would suffice the earth for seven years and a man might eat so much at one meal as he should neither be hungry nor thirsty for five years there should not be such dayly dependance upon new influences for rain and dew dayly and for our dayly bread this day We can but 4. hence but believe the infinite wisedome of the Lord who well knows how to husband and steward his showres for in the man Christ they are continual John 8. 29. He that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor dismissed me for I do always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing that please him When ever we do what is displeasing to God the Father of Christ leaves us out of the depth of his soveraignty of dispensing influences Christ was never so morally deserted 1. As the Lord would have a falling law Adam to whom he denied influences that nature might be nature so he also would have a standing and never sinning-Adam that grace might appear to be grace 2. Upon supposition that the second Adam is God man it was impossible but the man Christ in all his actions moral should want influences or ever sin or be left alone of the Father but he must always do the thing that pleaseth the Father nor is there any murmuring to be against the dispensation of deepest wisdom why we have not at our pleasure influences of grace that we should never sin as the man Christ never sinned 3. Say we could see no reason the thing is notire the Lord acts in the first elect Angels that they never sin he denied in the first fall influences to the reprobate Angels and since the Lord hath condemned them and tied them with chains of darknesse that their whole actions except the acts of intellectual being and living and the acts of knowing believing desiring fearing c. in the substance of the act should be only moral and only sin in all the substantial circumstances John 8. 44. Satan was a man-slayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and stood not in the truth being created in the first truth adhering to God 1 John 3. 8. the Divel sinned from the beginning hence he is called 1 Peter 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the contrary party in law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may drink over So that though there be in men actions of the phansie as to claw the head rub the beard actions of the vegetative life to grow to age to decline in old age senescere pubescere adolescere that are under no Law and so no sins yet all Satans actions are moral these excepted of which we spoke and influences to moral actions granted to reprobate men as to gives alms to go and hear the word visit the sick and imprisoned are denied to Satan Some men are also 2. Reprobate to good works Tit. 1. 16. and cannot believe and here is soveraignty that God works in some vessels of mercy to will and to do not in others 3. As touching the measure of grace and the degrees of saving influences the Lord walketh in a latitude of freedome all men have not alike measure of saving grace and faith 4. His freedome shines in the work of conversion John Baptist is filled with the holy Ghost from the womb Luke 1. 15. but 2. the woman of Samaria Matthew Zachaeus Magdalen Abraham Saul go on in a wretched state of nature for some considerable tract of years and then are visited with influences of life and 3. the Thief that was crucified with Christ upon the Cross in his outgoing is converted and not till then except the soveraign liberty of God silence us no other reason can occur of these things to mans understanding 4. In the Saints this liberty is clear fewer falls in Joseph then in David and so he must be nearer to dayly influences to the one then the other So the Lord left Hezekiah to try him that he might know all that
Master who gives all the Kingdomes of the World to his Worshippers then God who denies Bread to his own wel-beloved Son thus doth Satan but in another kind fret So Gen. 3. it s a bad providence that Adam and Evah are not as knowing as God and Luke 5. 34. What have we to doe with Christ But may not conscience accuse providence in the Lord 's withdrawing of grace especially being wakened Ans The Conscience of Divels and the Damned is awakned either penally or sinfully these may be distinguished here the Conscience as penally wakned by the Judge primarily gnaws and torments it self for sin as punished I have sinned saith Judas and he casts down the seven pieces feeling the worm but as the Conscience is sinfully wakned by it self in blaspheming the God of Heaven Rev. 16. 9 11. because of pain it also frets against providence but is is not pain'd for the want of saving grace and holy influences which might have prevented sin yea their blasphemings of God eternally is a seal and a closeing with the state of unrenewed nature which is never moved for sin but wrestles against the providence which sometime did permit sin which now hath such tormenting consequences though the conscience in the mean time being taken with the Iustre and apparent good in sin did also close with the opportunity of sin and with providence opening the way to tentations Prov. 7. 15. and seek such a providence Gen. 39. 11 12. and embrace it Mark 14. 10 11. yet is there saving good in a regulated spiritual complaining of the want of saving influences So as 1. They be not looked on as misdeeds of providence and we say not the Lord might have lent me the influence to such a self-denying death as Abraham's journey in aiming to sacrifice his only son for God but he would not 2. It s good if there be a holy submissive complaining of the want of gracious influences as terminated upon duties Isa 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy ways and hardened our hearts from thy fear and not looked on as withdrawings of meer providence Though there be a holy claimbring to God ver 19. we are thine yet we are so thine as thy grace is Soveraign Thou never bearest rule over them they were not called by thy name and yet no praise or thanks to Israel that they were called by his Name rather then the Heathen 3. We may pray for and so earnestly suit and desire influences as Draw me quicken me encline my heart unto thy testimonies Therefore we may pray against withdrawings of influences as sad privations of dreadful consequents and so much is held forth in that Petition lead us not unto temptation 4. Yet so as there is no deserving in us of having eyes to see and spiritual influences to see to hear to perceive with a new heart Deut. 29. 2 3. as its not the merit of one part of the Earth the South that it lie nearer the Sun then another Northern part nor the good deserving of one Horse that he wear a golden Saddle and a silken Bridle rather than another this would be minded What am I Lord as it was Christ's mind to cry down works in point of salvation yet not to cry down all actings by way of duty in the New-covenant way Therefore 5. since grace may be desired and all gracious influences are grace so is there a conformity betwixt the believers will suiting influences and the revealed and approving will of God I say not his high decree and ordaining will for sure New-Testament or New-Covenant prayers new oyl and new supply of grace do import a fresh supply and watering of influences to be furnished to believers especially since we may pray Hallowed be thy Name in me thy Kingdome come to me thy will be done by me in the Earth is it is in Heaven 5. We may and ought to suit of God what the Lord promiseth in the Covenant of grace but the Lord promiseth to bestow predeterminating grace in this Covenant as after shall be cleared Now the faultiness of this I will not pray untill the Spirit act upon me and move me to pray is seen in that it importeth that the moral ground of praying is not the command of God pray continually and that command call upon me in the day of trouble which is most false for another warrant for all moral obedience then precept promise or practise can no man give yea it supposeth that the warrant of prayer is the influence of grace Now the influence of grace is the efficient helping cause not the rule not the objective cause of either our praying or any acts of our obedience Yea it is the way of Enthysiasts to make divine impulsions and not the word of precept the Rule of our obedience 2. This I will not pray untill the Spirit first act upon me must have either this sense I will not pray untill the Lord first give a praying disposition or untill the Lord first actually breath upon me This latter saith indeed I will not pray until I pray for the Lord 's actual influence includes praying The former cannot be said For there is no warrant to disobey the command pray continually untill I get a new disposition from Heaven for then might all praying of the renewed be shifted and the three Disciples in the garden might have said to Christ our Master bids us pray but we are heavy with sleep and indisposed and cannot pray and so must we be excused 2. Upon the same account Magus Acts 8. 21. and other unrenewed men should shift the command of praying for while we be translated out of nature to the Kingdome of grace we want the habit of grace and spirit of adoption by which only we can pray acceptably 3. How unsavoury shall this be a man falls over a Bridge and is a drowning another is going to the place of Execution to die another is sick to death all of them may by this shift say we must not pray lest we take the Name of God in vain untill the Spirit breath upon us heavenly impressions of speaking in the Spirit to God 4. This shift cannot stand to suspend praying until the Spirit breath from on high for we are to pray for the spirit 's breathing and for teaching quickning enlarging of heart that we may pray and praise Psal 51. 15. Psal 119. 36 37 40 48. Wind fetches wind here and fire begets fire as cold flint creates hot fire so the Atheists let them pray that can pray I 'me no Minister But it hath this I am ready to pray but the blame of my not praying is to be laid on the Spirit for the wind blows not but this is but witty laziness as when the Sea-man will sleep and attempt no Sea-voyage and lay the blame which is his fall upon the wind which blows not after his mind it appears he is but a sleeper
nor receiving of a new heart is our sin The sowrness and naughtiness of the Earth in bringing forth poysonable weeds is the Earth's own indispotion the Sun and Clouds extract these poysonable herbs the natural driness of some rocky Earth and the not raining of the clouds meet both in one to wit the barrenness of the earth and this takes not away the faultiness of this earth so rocky 2. Our guiltiness that appears is evident in our eik which we make to original and natural malice for acquired pravity meets with natural and original corruption like two floods to make a Sea or a great River or as when a man forceth a wound to bleed which of it self would bleed And again what ever may be said of the result of the Lord 's withdrawing of influences we add an impulsion to his withdrawing as the adding of the heat of an Oven neer the root of a fruit tree to cause it to ripen adds something to the heat of the Sun and the Influences of the Heavens and when the heart walketh after the heart of our detestable things as it is Ezech. 11. 21. and with the intended bensil of the free-will we put our seal and consent to the Lord's withdrawing there is no ground to complain of his withdrawing Q. But does not the Lord 's withdrawing of his influences since without his concurrence of that kind our actings are impossible doe violence to free-will which must be indifferent to act or not to act to doe or not to doe Ans This is a weak reason for to our willing the influence of God is natural and so is it to our nilling the Lord â—akes his influences and the withdrawing thereof connatural to all our actions to both willing and to nilling driness and barrenness is as connatural to the tree as budding and fruit-bearing if God add his influences either to the one or to the other yea since the Lord's concurrence is sutable to the nature of second causes the fire leaves not off to be fire nor is its nature destroyed if the Lord withdraw his influence so that the fire burns not the three children nor is violence done to nature by the Lord 's joyning of his influence to the fire to burn in acts of righteousness or of sin there is still nilling and willing And suppose that the Martyr chose to die a violent death for the confirming of the truth there is no violence done to free will nay there is no miracle in the Lord 's concurring to the material acts of sin 2. To have dominion over the Soveraignty of God is no part of the creatures liberty but only it is free in order to its own actings nor is it essential to the free-will of Men or Angels or any creature to have the influences of God in its power or at hand As it is no part of the Sun's power of yielding light or of the fires quality of casting heat to have dominion and command over the influences of God the supreme and first cause but the Lord hath so a dominion over second causes both in acts natural and supernatural that his influence as Midwife ever attends saving his holy Soveraignty the bringing forth of all births and effects of second causes So as in the free-wills moral actings the not acting of free-will or the marring of the birth of new obedience to a law of God is never from the Lord 's physical withdrawing of his influence as from a culpable cause but the sinfulness of the action is ever from our own sinful withdrawing of our will from under the moral sway of the holy command of God and let it be a mystery how the Lord withdraws his concurrence as being above a law he is holy and spotless in so doing and how we are under a law and sinfully guilty in that we love to want his holy influence and it s our sin and he loves to withdraw his influence and it is his holy Soveraignty Both which are clear in Scripture if we confess that we are debters to the Lord and to his just Law and his holy Soveraignty in that he yieldeth his influences and in his having mercy on whom he will and in hardning whom he will in the Lord 's drawing of men or his not drawing of them to Christ in revealing the Gospel mystery savingly to whom he will Rom. 9. 18. John 6. 44 63. Matth 11. 26 27. nor can the Lord be a debter to the Creature in these And this mysterie is a clear revealed truth if we yield that the Lord 's active drawing calling inviting of sinners to come to Christ is his holy and sinless work and our passive not being drawn and not being effectually called and invited to come to Christ is our sin of unbelief and our refusing and rebellious rejecting of his call Isa 65. 1 2. Prov. 1. 24 25 26. John 5. 40. and that he so calleth and hath mercy on whom he will because he will as it is the flesh and carnal wisedom that objecteth But God so calling some as they must come because so he willeth and so calling other some as they must be hardened because he willeth gives a seeming ground to two great Objections 1. Why then doth God find fault and rebuke and eternally refuse the so called for if they were called with that drawing power that others are called with sure they would believe and come but they are not so called therefore God cannot blame us find the fault in unbelievers Rom. 18. 19. 2. If God so call some as they obey and others as they obey not because he will who can resist his will his will is as himself then do we reject God's calling and eternally perish because God so doth will Now not any ever breathing moved any such Objections but the carnal Jew in Paul's time and the Socinians Jesuits and Arminians in the age we now live in and stumblers at the word for all such enemies to grace turn the Objection into an argument against the absolute will and invincible grace of God and answer not with the holy Ghost who Rom. 9. calls it a bold fleshly replying unto God v. 20. for the holy Ghost asserts the Soveraignty of God as the potter over the clay the guiltiness of vessels of wrath Rom. 9. 22. and their disobedience in refusing the call of God v. 29. their following like Pharisees Law-righteousness by works and stumbling at Christ the stumbling stone laid in Sion Rom. 9. 31 32 33. wheras the Gentils were called of free grace v. 24. 25 26. therefore they must be of the same stamp with the fleshly Jews who thus object against us and such are the Patrons of universal grace and free-will Hence let that be discussed 1. Would God give me grace I would be a man according to God's heart as well as David But 2. I was born in sin and I cannot have more grace then God hath given me
Lord upon the head upon the head Christ and the influence of that anointing upon the members to wit on the meek on the broken-hearted on the captives on those that are bound and sold Then saith the man Christ the Spirit of the Lord hath sent the strong and fountain-influences of the abounding anointing on me and I may send the fruits of these holy influences upon the meek to preach to them glad tidings that they may believe and influences upon the broken hearts that they may be bound up and influences on the captives and prisoners and the sold and oppressed with debt that they may be made free for binding up of hearts and freeing of captives and prisoners are impossible without the healing influences of Christ Then saith he God lets out to me and to the members 〈◊〉 the head receive anointing and a full fountain and I issue out streames and life to the members look then as the dry earth hath a sort of connatural right of meanes and end to the full clouds and bottles of heaven and the rain in the clouds and the cold and dead earth hath a sort of connatural right by the Lords holy appointment to the influences of the Sun so by a decree of free grace the broken-hearted the meek the captives the prisoners have a right of meanes in order to the end to the influences of compassion and tenderness and of real grace that in its fulness is in the soul and heart of the Mediator Christ toward their brokenness bondage and misery who are his Then may the captive and prisoner claime influences from Christ as the dry earth in its kind suites and â—egges that raine that is in the bosome and womb of the clouds for its refreshments and so much the more that fulness of Christs anointing is not only ordered by a free and gracious decree as the meanes for this end to supply the emptiness of the meek and the poor captives but 2. also which is more the influences of the fulness of Christs anointing is due by way of merit and of buying and selling to those captives as when there is a large price of blood given for to redeem the man in his vain conversation as 1 Pet. 1. 18. from the present evil world Gal. 1. 15. from the living to sin and in sin 1 Pet. 2. 24. from all iniquity and the bondage and filthiness thereof Tit. 2. 14. There is a due right in law by way of bargain and payment made to Justice upon Christs part that such ought not to be detained slaves captives and prisoners Now the earth hath no such right by buying nor any Jus emptionis to have rain and influences from the clouds and the sun for the Lord may without violation of any bargain turn the earth into iron and the heavens into brass and so may the Lord simply and absolutely deny the fruits Christs anointing binding up of wounds and freedome to the broken-hearted and to the captives and slaves of sin for any deserving in them yet as touching the bargain and engagement of redemption from sins and the dominion masterdome and law imprisonment thereof the meek and the captives have a more noble right in the surety Christ by way of buying and selling to the healing influences of Christs holy anointing then the world can express See also how the spirit in its fulness is given to Christ Isa 11. 2. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him the spirit of wisedom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. Isa 42. 1. I will put my spirit on him he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles These be mighty influences on him to whom said John the Baptist God gave not the spirit by measure John 3. 34. 3. There is a right of promise to influences Rev. 2. 7 17 26. Rev. 3. 12 20 21. John 14. 18 21. John 15. 1 2. In Christ promissio facit legale jus Christ as it were oweth me showers of grace for he promised to water me This promise is a draught of the river of life to the deadned spirit 4. There is a mystical dueness and connatural love-right The head by natures law is a sort of debtor for influences of life to the members Here are sweet grounds for the streams to beg from the fountain the members dry and withering from the living head 2. It was fit there should be another higher providence about the head then about the members and so more admirable and transcendent influences extended toward Christ then toward any of the sons of men as that a new star should be created at his birth That 2. God should give testimony of him from heaven immediately This is my beloved Son c. 3. That Angels immediate messengers from heaven should preach his birth-day and place Luke 2. should minister to him in his agony in the garden should watch the corps of this King sleeping in the grave should witness his ascension and what mighty influences above nature must be in his raising the dead commanding devils c. In his coming down from heaven to be man in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily and that the holy body should ascend visibly through the air and through the heavens cleaving yielding and giving way to him what influences in that the clouds are his chariots and that the man Christ intercedes at the right hand of God and sends influences of life all the world over to his members rules all Empires and Kingdomes the languishing and fainting believer is comforted O how suitable is Christs fulness and life to my death and emptiness 3. These must be strong influences that with the anointing Isa 61. 1 2. is given a power to preach the year of vengeance to judge and trample upon the necks of all his enemies that the man Christ shall come visibly and locally from the highest heavens and the heavens bow and yield to his blessed manhood when he comes with his mighty Angels to judge all And he sends 4. influences of judgments through the stars which fight against his enemies Judg. 5. 20. through winds seas and rivers fire and sword and evil Angels that are armed against his enemies Exod. 14. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. Exod. 15. 10 11 12. Judg. 5. 21. Gen. 19. 23 24 25. Numb 16. 31 32 33. Psal 78. 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 c. All which teach us not to murmure at providence government of the world Why say we this is sad and yet fallen out God might otherwise have disposed of all and we reflect upon his providence while as we offend at second causes but be comforted in a new world and in a more glorious providence of influences in ruling heaven and earth and in carrying the chosen of God to glory then if all were ruled to our will 1. None shall wither or be blasted that are
planted in Christ and committed to his husbandry 2. We could not in the other first providence which was before sin entred into the world have claimed to influences of glory from the fulness of the anointing that is in Christ for Christ then was not the publick good and communicable treasure of his redeemed he was not our God nor our Emmanuel nor our Goel or Kinsman-redeemer but a reserved and estranged God to be made our God by our own earning and law-merit 3. The Lord Jesus was infinite God and the fountain as large as now but he was not our own fountain nor the influences and waterings due to in our witherings as now 4. Christ is made the new great Lord Factor and publick Agent for his Church to rule all for their good and salvation and heaven and earth and the world and life and death and things present and things to come are put over in Christs hands the morrow the next years deliverance the believers outgoing in death are all made over to Christ and then in Christ all things are ours 1 Cor. 3. 21. and the watering of my witheredness and the quickning of my deadness hic nunc in this same moment of time is first Christs and I got it seasonably from him in a better time and way then according to my time and way Object Many things fall out which may be well otherwise Answ Not so one godly husbandman prayers for rain to his ground another godly husbandman prayes for drought as more useful for his field for he hath rain enough Now is it not good that there is a wise providence in Christ which fits both their prayers and does the business well A number of believers are to fail to such a land they pray for a North-east-wind another number of believers are to sail to another land they suit from the Lord a South-west-wind is it not best that Christ in his new spiritual providence take a course to hear both their prayers to deny both the winds they suit and to bring both in his own way to their desired harbours Object 2. It were better God should hear the prayers of his people in their straits Answ The Lord neither casteth off his foreknown people nor their prayers though visible Israel externally called be rejected 2. God heares wicked mens prayers and grants them not in a way of promise but in his wrath 1 Sam. 8. 22. 1 Sam. 12. 13. Hos 13. 11. Psal 78. 20 24 27 28 29 30. 3. God heares the prayers of his people in way of promise which is better then simple hearing See the judicious Treatise of the servant of God Mr. Gee Obj 3. Many wicked men are green and flourishing that they may swallow Jacob. Answ Nor is it evil that the Lords fire in Sion be hot and fierce that he may remove the dross though the coals that melt the gold be digged out of hell and their flaming against his people sinful and cruel it is not only in relation to him who is above his laws binding Angels and men not evil but equally done in wisedome and righteousness for as much may be said by carnal reason in the Lords efficacious permission of sin which he may hinder in the reprobate as well as some way he hindered it in the elect Angels and in chosen heirs of glory 1. Against the wisedome 2. goodness 3. soveraignty 4. righteousness 5. and love of God as Jesuits Arminians Socinians and others say against the holiness of God No earthly Father but he should fail both against natural love goodness and wisedome should he permit if he could hinder his children to commit sins which shall procure their eternal misery and woe Let all flesh be silent here is holy dominion 8. Divis Some influences of Christ are fundamental and simply necessarâ— and principally promised some not fundamental and less necessary As 1. The influences by which the Lord gives a circumcised Deut. 30. 6. an one and single Ezek. 11. 19 20. a soft and a new heart and spirit Ezek. 36. 26. Zech. 12. 10. Isa 54. 13. John 6. 45. Isa 44. 1 2 3. These are simply necessary 2. These inâ—uences are also fundamental in which the Lord promiseth and doth put in act the habit of grace for the persevering of believers Ezek. 36. 27. Isa 54. 10. Isa 59. 21. Psal 1. 3 4. Psal 89. 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35. John 10. 27 28 29. John 15. 1 2. If Christ plant his planting layes on him some necessity so far to give watering-influences as not to suffer his planted trees to dry up by the roots and to wither root and branch and Christ so builds on a rock his people and believers never to be prevailed against by the ports of hell as he must watch the city that it be not surprised nor the living stones hammered to nothing and removed off the rock and the foundation Christ Christ so buyes with a price his own that he carries them on to the purchased glory and bringeth them actually to the fruition of life eternal for Christ is an established high Priest to intercede for his own and the intercession of Christ is nothing but a continual showring down upon the redeemed ones new vigorous influences as the head so long as it lives night and day sleeping and waking sends down influences of life to the members ever-living and ever-interceding Christ is the fountain running along through the roots of the Lords planting so that they are ever green ever blooming and budding and in old age bring forth fruit John 14. 19. Isa 27. 3. Christ interceding is that live fire on the Altar Isa 6. ever sending forth live flamings and heat of life through his live coals to all his John 14. 19. Because I live ye shall live also Now there is no interruption of Christs living by sickness sleeping or death and so he lives alwayes Just as the Sun-beams and rayes of light and heat are kept in their being by the presence of the body of the Sun casting out these influences and the darting out of heat and warmness and light and the flamings are kept in being by the presence of the fire which by new fuel is continued still in the act of flaming so are the Saints kept still in a spiritual living being by Christ issuing out his influences upon them So sweet is the union of dependency daily and momently upon Christ that blessed root of Jesse Ah if we knew what it were to live in Christ to breath in Christ pray in him love in him rejoyce in him suffer and triumph in him praise in him wait in him for the Lord but our actings separated from Christ and his influences of life not known to be such through our unwatchfulness are dreadful Now there be some single influences hic nunc that the Saints may want and be saved as the influence necessary for Peters confessing of Christ when he denied him
thorn-tree brings forth a thorn-tree and the thistle-seed a thistle it 's clear in Cain the Pharisees So gracious dispositions produce acts of love faith hope godly sorrow works of righteousnesse and mercy As wine-grapes grow out of the vinetree and the Lord fits influences of grace for such dispositions like sowing like harvest and here also men gather not figs of thistles the vessel smells of good or sour wine Some must foam out their own shame and all wonder at the gracious words that proceed out of Christs mouth For dispositions in Christ were strong habits of grace and the running-over fountain and fulnesse of the holy Ghost the savour of the breath of the anointing and the dispositions that accompany the fulnesse of the holy Ghost is a very garden and a heaven and here there is some truth in that Cant. 2. 13. The vines with the tender grapes give a good smell Cant. 5. 8 9 10 11. Psal 45. 1 2 3 4. 2. Psal 119. 136. Rivers of teares run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law Some fountaines that are lesse have small streams and ebb-brooks other large fountains have mighty rivers and floods issuing from them we may judg what a fountain both of habits dispositions are within where there comes out joy unspeakable and full of glory leaping for joy fulness of assurance like a ship with full sails and full wind As fulnesse of love and of all spiritual dispositions of tendernesse must be in the bowels and heart of Christ who sends out acts of enduring pain blood shame death horrour of wrath and the curse of a revenging God for sin The love of Christ needs no exhortation to acts of love nor is there need of earnest request and intreaties to the fire to cast out heat and the Sun to give light need you exhort an extreme pined-away sick man to be pained and weak or request the Sunne to shine How mighty and strong are the acts of longing and languishing after Christ that flow from love-sicknesse and then what suitable influences of grace must goe along with these actings what pullings of strength to pluck up mighty cedars what an influence of love in God to bear up all things and so to bear mountaines to bear torments to bear new deaths O what a mighty arm of omnipotent grace Col. 1. 11. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness A power above all that we think or ask Thoughts even of men can goe far and far in apprehending of power and strength ever that can remove out of their place as many millions of mountains and whole earths as Angels and men can write on the outmost and highest heavens East West South and North. Suppose they were all paper and double and treble and multiply them again to millions of millions of heavens and writ new figures of signes and excellencies on them yet the power of grace furnishing influences is above these acts of thinking and counting and yet the short thinkings of unbelief are at this can he help me to spit at fame glory riches and a whole earth of pleasures know ye his strength and his mighty puls that have translated many 3. When the disposition of grace is on a small object brings forth suitable actings Christ lets out one cast of his eye upon Peter and he went out and wept bitterly a small shake of the tree brings down ripe apples they fall of their own accord a gentle quiet gale of wind will cause a light swift vessel to make twice as much way as a huge ship a rent in the garment of a deadly enemy seemes a small transgression but to David it hath a mighty smiting of heart We are afraid to come under the pull of Christs arm as if it were pain and death to be loved and translated by Christ John 5. 40. Isa 30. 10. Jer. 51. 9. Ezek. 24. 13. Some will not be cured and are averse from being drawn to come to Christ and be saved and an hating of meanes is a virtual hating of the sweet and special alluring attractions of grace and we value actings of grace at so low a rate as if we could doe all our alone by pure nature I my self will awake early What was David sleeping or his tongue sleeping or his harp sleeping yea even when the heart is prepared and strongly fixed to praise there is some sleepinesse on the man I insist not on this that none run so swiftly for the price and wager of glory but a cramp or a stitch may come on so as they need a spur and turn dull and slow But the 5th Property of a heavenly disposition is to cause the man reflect upon himself and his own sleepinesse 8 my self will awake early What if tongue and voice awake what if harp and the gift of musick wake if mans heart sleep 1. Grace hath an immanent working and a reflect acting on it self and the mans own heart as well as a transient and a direct acting the vessel of honour or the chosen man purgeth himself 2 Tim. 2. 21. And every man that hath this hope purifies himself even as he also is pure 1 John 3. 3. Jude exhorts so v. 10. Building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost Some think if the holy Ghost act pray sigh believe praise in them they need to doe nothing the holy Ghost prayes in me and in my stead Nay but Jude wills you to edifie your self the actings and influences of the holy Ghost are not given to this end that we should sleep and sport and play 21. Keep your selves in the love of God Will not the love of God keep the man in the love of God Shall not Christ in you the hope of glory keep Christ himself in you nay what need were there then of watching Watch thou in all things 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed to thy self and to thy doctrine Then may one take heed to reading and not take heed to himself Acts 20. 28. Paul to the Elders of Ephesus Take heed to your selves and to the flock They shall not heedfully watch over the flock who doe not carefully watch over themselves Is this right that men should doubt of the influences of God and fear that God forgets himself and his own begun work of grace and never fear their own lazy back-drawing Why but we should be on our wings and waken our selves and crow more loudly It 's a gracious complaint Cant. 1. 6. My mothers children were angry with me they made me the keeper of the vineyards but mine own vineyard have I not kept Ask hourly what your own heart does how the husbandry at home thrives The Spirit of the Lord was in Jehoshaphat without doubt but 2 Chro. 20. 3. When he heard of the host coming against him he feared and set himself to seek the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord came
Rev. 2. 5. But that proves nothing it 's because the elect in that place doe fail and there be not any chosen thereto called 5. Nor should the glory of conversion be due to the grace of God but to our well-guiding free-will and to the works of righteousnesse that we had done contrary to 2 Tim. 1. 9. Tit. 3. 3. Eph. 2. 4 5. if we could procure by our good endeavours our own conversion 6. But so much the man fallen in sin is under the state of enterditement as the eldest Son of a King who is a fool is declared an idiot and the government not committed to him In the Gospel the Lord hath declared man a simple fool and laid the Princedome of grace and glory upon the Catholick Tutor and chief heir Christ Jesus yet we fools will needs be Masters and Free-men before we have served our apprenticeships Gladly would we be from under the dominion of Christ and free grace and be our own yea even fools and mad men take it not well to be fettered and in bands 7. Influences of free grace and the gracious actings of the spirit are paid for by the price of blood Heb. 13. 15. Let us by him then offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 15 20 21. 2 Thess 2. 16. The budding and blooming of the branch in every act of growing depends upon the immediate impulsions of life and from the sap of life that is in the root and the vine-tree Christ Assert 2. But the habit and seed of God being within though the indisposition be great yet we would act doe well 2. Because a natural heat in literal stirring doth pre-paratively work upon the soul though not by way of any Gospel-promise to make it ready to receive an influence of believing Moses his wondering at the bushes burning and it was not consumed made him draw near to see more of God and the acting of faith and wondering ripened Christs hearers for influences of believing so Cant. 5. 6. Moving of the bowels makes way for influences of opening to let the Beloved in and of praying and seeking 2. The very noise and literal stirrings in these actings have far-off acting upon the dead habit to awake it up so beating of the lump of perfume wakens up the smell The blowing of the wind on the garden of delicious flowers extracts sweet smelling the first three or four throwings of the iron bolt in the ship brings not out water but five or six causes the water to flow out apace The two disciples conferring Luke 24. concerning Christ crucified seem cold and indifferent yea there is much unbelief and deadnesse on the Spirit v. 21. We trusted that it should have been he which should have restored Israel though they say he was a Prophet mighty in word and deed before God and all the people v. 19. Yet their speech saith their heart was very cold concerning his office as Redeemer and concerning his Resurrection but they goe on in the conference and pursue the duty though literally till he begun v. 25 26 27. to open the Scriptures to them and then the heart begins to burn with heat v. 32. It 's considerable that the woman of Samaria's is very literal at the beginning and only concerning Jacobs well yet she going on in the conference there comes a warmnesse and a liking and a seeking of the water of life and a discerning of Christ to be a Prophet and at length a warmnesse of faith in believing him to be Christ and a leaving of the water-pot and a running to the City to invite others to come to Christ Here it is that the first three or four steps bring not heat upon the man but to walk a mile brings warmnesse To strike the flint oftner then once brings out fire at length and when there is a kindled and a fixed habit of grace and gracious dispositions flamings of heavenly dispositions follow apace because creation is a mids to the execution of the decree of predestination to life eternal therefore he who in predestination to life giveth his own to Christ John 17. 2 6 11 12. v. 6. hath established a new supernataral providence or a providence of redemption different from that providence of God Creator which should have been if Adam had never sinned Of this providence these Scriptures are to be understood John 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work Col. 1. 16. All things were created by him and for him 17. He is before all things and in him all things consist Hence Rev. 3. 14. He is the beginning of the Creation of God Col. 1. 15. Who is the image of the invisible God the first born of every creature Rev. 21. 5. And he that sate upon the throne said Behold I make all things new Heb. 1. 3. Vpholding all things by the word of his power 1. As by the first fall all things fell 2. The first Adam was the publick catholick misguiding Tutor who marred and destroyed all and the Creation and the workmanship of heaven and earth was made subject to vanity because of mans sin and is now as a woman travelling in birth crying in pain under corruption and vanitie Rom. 8. 20 21 22. So the second Adam coming to the throne made a new heaven and a new earth and as a Midwife to the travailing woman brings forth the birth the free sons of God carries on the work in bringing the man Christ in the world for the man Christ is not created and brought in the world by God simply as Creator and Law-giver by the covenant of works but by God as now acting to redeem the world and making a new Creation and a new world 3. Hence the blessing of the creature and of the earth which was under a curse for mans sin Gen. 3. 17 18. is now from Christ whom he hath appointed heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. and by reason of Christs reigning and sitting at the helm of the world and governing all things all the creatures because of this King are called to rejoyce as Psal 96. 11. Let the heaven rejoyce aâ—d the earth be glad let the Sea roar and the fulness thereof 12. Let the field rejoyce and all that is therein then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce Psalm 98. 8. Let the floods clap their hands let the hills be joyful together See Isa 49. 13. Isa 65. 7. Jer. 31. 11 12 13. 4. And look as when a Kings son and heir is married all the servants and Courtiers are cloathed in Scarlet and gorgeous apparel So when Christ is declared Mediator husband and head of the body the Church the whole servants of the creation have a new right through Christ the heir of all to the liberty of the sons of God and to be delivered from bondage And hence the Saints have a right through Christ to the influences of this new providence the chief of which
but a mock to say that God's speciall grace doth make men willing for Americans and Brasilians are Lords having in their power both general and special grace except Mr. Baxter yield to us a grace which doth predetermine or indecâ—inably bow fix and set the free will the way the Lord decrees and that the Lord must infuse a new supernatural power and it is above us to have special saving grace and that the Lord bestows on his chosen because he hath freely chosen them and then the matter is not in their may have or may not have 7. Mr. Baxter would have done well to have put one Scripture at least to this For neither in that John 7. 37 38. nor Rev. 22. 7. cries the Lord to Brasilians and Indians Whosoever will let him come and drink of the water of life for that promise is made only to those within the visible Church who are the called of God and doe and may hear it But the Brasiilians and millions of that kind are not the called of God 8. A remedying Law we acknowledge in the new Covenant but it is remedying to clear the justice of God and to make these within the visible Church the refusers of the Gospel more inexcusable then Sodome Matth. 10. 15. then Tyrus and Sidon Matth. 11. 23 21 22 23 24 then a people of an unknown language Ezech. 3. 5 6 7. But 1. It should be proved from Scripture by Mr. Baxter before he had asierted with Mos Amyrald and other Universalists his new remedying Law as remedying the justly deserved misery of Americans and Brasilians For sure if Christ died for them and hath stricken with all the savages on earth â—ews and Gentiles for whom he died and with all generations of men a new Gospel-covenant of the greatest love among men in Christ's dying for them and yet this Covenant is never revealed to them by either revelation made by preachers nor by the works of Creation and Providence nor by the Law of the Gospel written in the hearts of these men There is 1. little Remedy for clearing the glory of divine justice to make their furnace hotter in Hell for a Chymerical and imaginary sin of which their conscience cannot accuse them for how can they be guilty in rejecting a Christ they never heard of and by no superable providence could hear in that the Gospel came neither by Angels nor by Men gifted with tongues nor by inspiration to their knowledge and this darkens the glory of God's justice It s true Abimelech and Pharaoh and others may be plagued for sins they actually know not but light of conscience teacheth that Adultery and Oppression of innocent strangers deserve judgement But read we ever that Brasilians Indians or the wisest of Heathen Socrates Plato Cicero and the most tender of them die with any such challenge ah we sinned against the blood of the Son of God shed for us What and shall the Lord write and speak to Israel in their hearing I brought you ouâ— of Egypt and yet he will not tell the millions of the Heathen Christ dyed for them and saved them from the guilt of sin and everlasting wrath as touching their everlasting destruction which love yet he expressed not to them 2. Though it ill becomes us to censure the wisedom of God if the Lord rebuke those within the visible Church for refusing offered mercy as Jer. 3. John 5. 40. John 8. 21. how doth he not reprove the Brasilians for rejecting a promise of so much love 3. As no reprobate can be guilty of love of Election to glory from eternity suppone such a love had been in the heart of God towards them because it was never revealed to them So if there be such a law of grace and Covenant-promise the Law-giver the Mediator God-man was never revealed to the Brasilians 2. Where is this wide promise and Covenant to be found in Scripture who are the parties 3. What is the nature of the Covenant whether is it a Covenant of works do this and live or a Covenant of grace believe this and you have the reward of the Gospel preached to wit the restored image of God and where is this in Scripture 4. A remedying Law must bring a remedy to men the remedy is either real and so some real help must be conferred upon fallen man shew if there be one Brasilian healed and saved thereby a real power of believing in Christ and laying hold on the Gospel-promise remote or nearer cannot be given to all in Christ for any thing we read in Scripture since the Brasilians are heirs of wrath cannot receive the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. cannot believe or come to Christ John 6. 44. cannot submit their wisedom to the Law of God Rom. 8. 7. cannot bring forth good fruit more then thistles or thornes can bring forth figs or wine grapes Luke 6. 43 44. Matth. 7. 16 17. being dead in sins Ephes 2. 2 5. Walking in the vanity of their mind having their underâ—tanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness that is in their hearts Ephes 4. 17. 18. Enemies in their minds by wicked works Colos 1. 21. Foolish disobedient deceived serving divers hearts Tit. 1. 3. having an heart of stone Ezek. 36. 26. uncircumcised Deut 30. 6. Jer. 9. 26. deceitful above all things desperately wicked Jer. 17. 9. every imagination of mans heart only evill every day Gen. 6. 5. from his youth Gen. 8. 21. So that a Brasilian must be born over again or he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God John 3. 3. Nor can flesh and blood but the Father of Christ only cause us believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God Matth. 16. 16. Now this is but a moral work to Mr. Baxter to cause a dead man live and if there were no intrinsecal wound impotency and deadness in the soul but only moral dimness of mind so as the literal clear external and objective proposal of the Gospel which wakens the stupid will as Pelagians and Arminians say perfects the whole work of the new-birth and grace is nothing but the letter of the Gospel and the strongest operation of this grace is onely moral swasion and counsel as if by Rhetorick and good words the mid-wife could bring forth the birth and this remedy that Christ brings to Brasilians is at best the raising of man dead and rotten in the grave by blowing a Trumpet beside him and by making a perswasive oration over his dead corps if so the man so raised was never dead Nor is the remedying Law so much for a preaching of the Gospel comes never to the ears of millions with whom this remedying Covenant is made and it were a strong inducement as any can be to move Brasilians Americans those of China and Turkey to receive the Gospel to shew them Christ by the blood of his Crosse hath made
peace between God and you ye are all of you old and young bought with a price ransomed by the blood of God ye are not your own Christ hath taken away your sins and does now begin upon a new score God hath exprest the greatest love imaginable he hath redeemed you his enemies this in the Old or New Testament is never told them for then the Ministers of the Gospel should find all the Pagans a Church bought with the blood of Christ and the reality of a Church should be in all societies of the earth But such glad news are preached to the chosen in the visible Church only never to Brasilians Paul preaches at Athens Acts 17. Creation not one word of Redemption as also Aristotle Plato and others should beget over again to God Creator all their disciples whom they find rude and ignorant and infuse by moral swasion and teaching a new life of learning and all rude and ignorant men before they be taught Methaphysick Mathematicks should be dead in ignorance enemies in their heart to knowledge and Philosophy and the same ground should make Ministers suppose there were no learning and teaching of the Father in drawing of men to Christ by that Omnipotency which raised Christ from the dead and created the world John 6. 44 45. Ephes 1. 17 18. 19. 2 Cor. 4. 4. as true real Fathers of the new-birth by only the letter of the Gospel as Aristotle and Plato are fathers to beget Philosophy in men Now for any remedying Gospel-promise that is made to Brasilians to purchase by way of merit we shall believe it when Mr. Baxter shall prove that to Indians and Brasilians who lived and dyed without the sound of the least notice or rumour of the Gospel Christ hath purchased and merited grace to believe the Gospel 2. That Christ by the blood of his Crosse hath made peace betwixt God and the Brasilians who so lived and dyed without the Gospel that Christ hath satisfied upon the Crosse for their sins against the Law and born their fins in his own body on the tree that Brasilians being dead to sins should live unto righteousness by whose stripes Brasilians are healed 1 Pet. 2. 24. that Christ suffered for Brasilians to bring them to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. that Christ bought Brasilians from their vain conversation with his blood 1 Pet. 1. 18. that Christ gave himself for wild Indians that he might redeem them from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. And who so tell us of a general dubious and conditional intention in the Father giving his Son to death and of the Son's giving himself to death for all these poor savages to whom he would never send the air of a rumour that he so loved them and of a special intention going along with the free decree of Election to glory that so many only should live unto righteousnesse be redeemed from all iniquity are holden to prove two such redemptions two such loves of Christ dying two such intentions and decrees two such providences one special redemption one special greatest love one special intention one fatherly providence indeed toward the elect we find John 10. 10 11. John 3. 16. John 11. 51 52. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Rev. 1. 5 6. Rev. 5. 9 10. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Tit. 1. 14. Gal. 1. 4. John 15. 13. Rom. 8. 32 33. Isa 53. 4 5 6. Rev. 14. 4. all which places make the redeemed to be loved with the greatest love sanctified bought from their vain conversation redeemed from among men made Kings and Priests to God delivered from this present evil world redeemed from all iniquity c. we leave the other General dubious love intention and reconciliation of Brasilians to our Adversaries to be made out by Scripture And Q. What is the grace of Christ's meritorious blood if it be shed for all and every one if it put the nature and free will of all and every one in a better condition and if his merit restore not the image of God into a more firm and excellent condition then we had in the first Adam and what healing of nature and the restoring of the image of God is made to the savages who eat men as we do beevs kill their aged fathers use wives promiscuously and never heard one word of the Gospel CHAP. XIIII The Law discovereth the disease but heals it not 2. How nature begins and the spirit acts 3. We not God in withdrawing his grace must be the culpable cause of non conversion 4. Some truth we must first physically hear and consider before we believe KNowledge or the commanding Law strengthens the wicked desire by forbidding it A strong stream runs with more strength that a dike of stone and clay stands in its way I know not saith Augustine epist contra Hilarium 89 c. de spir lit 4. how that which is desired becomes more pleasant because it is forbidden Nescio quo enim modo hoc ipsum quod concupiscitur fit jucundius dum vetatur the letter of the Law or bare knowledge meets with unrenewed nature and then a severe master and a froward servant make no work betwixt them the Law came in that sin might abound Rom. 5. Jubet Lex magis quam juvat docet morbum esse non sanat imo ab eo quod non sanatur augetur ut attentius sollicitius gratiae medicina quaeratur The Law commands but it helps not it teacheth the disease to be there but heals it not There are two extremities here we love on the one hand the barbarous opus operatum the literal deed done in praying the charm of the external work is by hand if God sell not the blessing yet I have blown words of praying up to Heaven and told down the price It 's heavenly wisedom to go about praying and other means not as acts of trading for our nighest ends but as acts of serving and glorifying of God though no thing should redound to us but we use praying and hearing as a man doth his horse or his ship all for self-use and self-ends Ah can the man charm the blessing of the Holy Ghost with bare words when scarce the literal attention goes along and here our Idolatrry saith I buy and God will not sell I plow and God binds up the clouds the Lord pays not the reward of a rich harvest to the merit of plowing on the other hand let ordinances reading praying and hearing of the Bible sleep until the spirit blow and we forget it is not the Spirit of the Father which works without the word and the testimonies the tools of the Father is this God's Spirit or a delusion plow not sow not until it be first harvest blow not at the fire until it first flame boldly pray not until the Spirit breath strongly but first give words I pray you to be a
patiently for the harvest to sayl and wait till the Jewels and Gold come home and the Ship land is commendable this is to bring forth fruit with patience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. To wait upon the flowings of the Spirit which out of holy Soveraignty comes in a larger measure then is ordinary as an high spring-tyde as my heart is confirmed or prepared my heart is confirmed or prepared Is 1. To welcome and adore the Lord in these high manifestations and wisedom requires that the soul which is taken into the Kings chamber and finds many outlettings and sweet and rich accesse in praying should multiply bills and being heard for his own pardon as David was Psal 51. should put in a bill for building of the walls of Zion and so should the soul being in a higher strain and admitted to a more then ordinary feast of fat things eat and drink more abundantly Cant. 5. 1. as Esther finding the King on a strain of graciousness to her Esther what is thy Petition follows her suit and lays hold on the opportunity and her suit is not for the safety of one single man but for the lives of the whole Church of God even all the Jews 2. To leave off wrestling too soon is a sort of violence done and a damming up of the mighty flowings of the Spirit No doubt a lazy pursuing of the victory when we prevail with God is a mighty neglect 4. So to wait for the Spirit 's high manifestation as to set bounds to him and to look this shall be a great feast and the instruments are eminent is a limitting of God hope of that kind would be humble and submissive there being no word of promise as concerning the quantity and measure of the emanations and outlettings of the Spirit for that is his own Soveraignty to doe with his own as he thinks good we would be more careful to receive and believe and praise then to widen hope in order to instruments to wit such a shining Prophet beyond what is revealed sure believing his word is better then censuring Soveraignty Idolatry is here crafty and subtil Ass 6. If we speak of preparations going before the real and physical stirrings of saving grace there are not any upon our part except we say with Pelagians that we begin and the Spirit follows CHAP. XI 1. Our impotency to duties being reproved cannot excuse us in the omitting of them 2. The wicked habit in sleeping men is faulty 3. Therefore the withdrawing of influences excuses not 4. The Creatures sin is not from the Lord 's withdrawing of influences of grace formally but from our withdrawing of our hearts from his moral Commandment 5. The Objection of many if God would give me influences of grace as he did to Moses and David I would be as holy as any discussed the Objector and the Objection both answered 6. The non-sense of the Objection opened 7. A natural man hates influences both physical and moral though he wish physical influences 8. The Objection exalteth nature abuseth grace and many ways reproacheth God his Grace Soveraignty Wisedom c. Q. WHether or no doth our impotency to pray and believe clear and justifie us in that we believe not and pray not Ans Not at all for one and the same cannot be a just excuse and a due rebuke but the holy Ghost rebukes our cannot as a sinful cannot and so our impotency cannot be a just excuse So Joshua chap. 24. 19. Ye cannot serve the Lord. Isa 29. 11. I cannot read the book that is I am sinfully ignorant of prophecy Isa 44. 18. They cannot understand no more then blind men Jer. 6. Their ear is uncircumcised they cannot hearken The Lord grievously challengeth the people ver 11. I am full of the anger of the Lord and denounce wrath against this rebellious cannot for not only is the tree rejected as bearing evil fruit but also because the sap is sour and the bulk rotten Christ speaks rebukingly of some impotent cannot of the world Joh. 14. 17. I will send you the Spirit of truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the world cannot receive Rom. 8. 7. The wisedom of the flesh is not subject to the law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither indeed can be Ver. 8. They that are in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot please God 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man cannot know the things of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a condemning of the natural man as he is opposed to the spiritual man who is praised as one who knows the secrets of God 2. And he is condemned as one who judgeth the things of the Gospel foolishness John 6. 44. No man can come to me except the father draw him And that is a most wicked shift of him who married a wife Luke 14. 20. therefore I cannot come we excuse such wicked weakness with this God help us we cannot without his grace doe better 3. The very sinful habit and power is reproved in the Word even the power as it is contra-distinguished from the sinful act Psal 14. 1. The habitual fool hath said in his heart there is not a God The habitual blindness and hardness of heart that may be in sleeping men the state of non-regeneration and the state of death and of uncircumcision of heart is condemned Eph. 2. 1 2. 3. Col. 1. 13. 14. Psal 14. 3. their poyson of nature Psal 58. 4. the uncircumcision of heart Jer. 9. 26. the sinful frame of the heart Gen. 6. 5. Gen. 8. 21. Hence of force it must follow that this is no good consequence the sleeping man or swooning man acting and committing no actual guiltiness and making no use of free-will is guilty and rebukable before God as the sleeping Wolf is bloudy the sleeping Lion is cruel because of the bloudy and cruel nature that is inherently in both when neither of them do actually devour so though influences to the material acts of sin be not in our power yet since we lodge that sinful power and virtually as is said consent to want the breathings of God and consent that the sinful acts have hous-room in the sleeping man we are thence guilty upon that account though we sleep and are patient in carrying sinful powers and sinful acts now inherent in us and the withdrawing of influences of grace upon the same account cannot be an honest excuse why I pray not yea the wicked impotency and indisposition and the three Disciples drouziness and sleepiness the same way physical being on them in the night Matth. 26. is a new guiltinesse moral for Christ commanded watching in vigorousnesse then and their actual not praying is another guiltiness 3. Under withdrawings of influences of grace we are guilty 1. In not considering the temptation signs and wonders we see and hear Deut. 29. 3. yea though the Lord 's not giving a new heart be not our sin formally yet our not having