have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable Servants c. Therefore if the Saints works either in doing or suffering Isa 64.6 Isa 6.5 are unprofitable in any respect it must be in attaining that great reward of eternal life which is only attained by our Lord himself as formerly is proved And the Saints affirm of themselves selves That they are all as an unclean thing and all their righteousness as filthy rags Isaiah saith I am a man unclean because I am a man of unclean lips And the Psalmist saith I will take heed unto my wayes that I sin not Vers 1. yet Vers 5. concludes Verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity therefore this objection at the best is of no force because no weight of truth in it But secondly I answer to that Text which is the ground of the Objection because their sufferings is for the Son of mans sake therefore they are to leap for joy in respect of their great reward in Heaven and much to the same effect in the 10. Verse Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake It is one thing that our Lord comforts the Saints with presenting them with the heavenly glory Answ as the great reward of the gift of eternal life to leap for joy in all their sufferings and another thing that he should intend that their sufferings and works should be the efficient cause to procure that weight of glory man being in his best estate meerly vanity as is proved wherefore Christ gave them this as to comfort them as Paul in the like case to comfort the Saints in a suffering condition Our light afflictions which are but for a moment worketh for us a far more excellent and eternal weight of glory that is worketh this good effect in us to settle our mindes the more upon that glory to come and the lesse upon this worlds glory as the next words imply while we look not at things which are seen but at things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal But to avoid mistakes in this point of the Saints works it will be necessary to lay down this ground that the Saints in this World have a twofold righteousness which are to be handled in the next Chapter CHAP. IX In which is handled a twofold righteousness peculiar to the Saints and no men else THe first righteousness is this namely the imputed righteousness of Christ The second is their inherent righteousness As concerning the first Quest How can that be theirs onely which is extended not onely to the whole Creation but to all mankind the chief part thereof as before is proved I answer It is one thing That all had a right to eternal life Answ and another thing to be possessed of it for so it is the Saints onely by faith they therefore may leap for joy in all their sufferings which none else can The second righteousness which is inherent is their sanctification or Circumcision of the heart and this righteousness is theirs and theirs onely The first righteousness is wrought by Christ onely and alone personally considered and is received by the Saints as the Eye receives the light and so their own The second righteousness is their own actually wrought in their own person and not by Christs person onely his spirit doth assist them rightly to operate but the operation is their own as proceeding from their own counsel and voluntary choyce and so far forth righteous as agrees with the word of God and no further The Apostle commands the Saints to work out their own salvation Object that is salvation as to themselves with fear and trembling Phâ—l 1.12 13. therefore their own works attain to eternal life which is their salvation Salvation in the object is one thing Answ but in the subject another thing Salvation in the object is Gods gift of eternal life and pardon of sin reached to man in the word of truth Salvation in the subject is when a man by faith or beleef is possessed of that gift of imputed righteousness in which is contained pardon of sin and eternal life onely therefore all the works of the Saints is but to be more and more possessed of that gift of eternal life by the increase of their graces and in Union and Communion with God and to their Brethren under the same capacity But if it be objected Object that James affirms that Abraham and Rahab were justified by works I answer Answ James enveighing against those that bragged of their faith without works as to the fruits of righteousness he concludes their faith to be dead and because the said twofold righteousness in the Saints are ever distinct and yet never separated therefore of Abraham and Rahab and all right beleevers James might safely conclude they are justified by works as Abraham in offering up Isaac and Rahab by receiving the spies but to avoid mistakes in this Doctrine of works because the Scripture sometimes promiscuously attributes justification to the Saints works sometimes to faith and sometimes to Christ therefore we must remember this rule as a ground in this point for our direction That these things are spoken according to the rule of communication of properties as for example our Lord attributes that to the eye which is not proper to it saying The Eye is the light of the body yet the Eye hath no light in it self to enlighten the body but he attributes that to the eye which is onely proper to the light because the eye receives the light into the body so in this sense it is said that works saves faith saves and Christ saves attributing that to one thing which is proper to another by reason of that connexion in this point of justification by this rule of communication of properties so it is said that God redeemed the Church with his blood yet God bleeds not but that which is proper to the humane nature is attributed to the Divine by reason of the personal union so in this point by reason of the neer connexive relation between Christ and his righteousness which is the object and the wills and understandings of the Saints together with the motions of the whole man to Christ therefore it is thus promiscuously attributed each to other wherefore Cardinal Bellarmine from the force of divine truth while he endeavoured to prove justification by the Saints own works yet concludes That to cleave to Christs righteousness as to justification is the safest way as is affirmed by Divines And the truth is that right aspect of Christs imputed righteousness which he laboured to make void in those dark times It may be that implicite Aspect might stand him in as much stead to pardon of his sin and salvation as but a glimps of the Brasen Serpent to the salvation of mans body which had been bitten with the fiery Serpent he rendering this
ingenious acknowledgement of the divine truth Whereas you affirm Faith arises as a particular branch of the new Creature Object or Saints inherent righteousness yet it is affirmed by others that Faith is the first and Mother of all graces I answer It is one thing that Faith is included in the general nature of the Saints inherent righteousness wrought by the word and spirit of Christ Answ and another thing that in the exercise of their graces in order to perseverance That Faith is the first mover for in this case it is true Faith sets all graces a work and I suppose this is it they mean and I have proved in my second Book pag. 71.72 That mans beleef is the general ground of all his deliberate actions as to the avoiding of any danger and attaining any good hopeful And this is bottomed in the nature of the thing and not in the excellency of faith above the nature of other graces for justifying Faith simply considered in it self as to justification of a sinner is but a dark body till it hath received Christ and his righteousness which is the light of life eternal As is the eye a dark body till it receive the light And as by the Saints exercising all their graces all graces do grow so faith growes up with the rest Hence saith James thou seest that Faith was the helper of Abrahams works and by works Faith was brought to its end that is by offering up Isaac which figuratively was Christ to Abraham for saith our Lord Abraham saw my day and rejoyced Thus Christ is the Authour of eternal salvation to all that obey him otherwise not for that is implyed as to those professors in whom Faith dyed mentioned by James Jam. 2.22 If it be objected what I affirm in my first Book Object pag. 55. That Christ is the Authour of salvation to them that disobey him as old Eli and Miriam and Aaron and Moses whose carcases fell with others in the wilderness by the wrath of God 1 Cor. 1.29 30. and in the Church of Corinth for contempt of the Sacrament wherefore Christ smote some with sickness and some with death Moses and all the Saints that dye under a relaps Answ or back-sliding condition yet if any seed of Gods word sowne by the hand of Christs spirit remain in any degree of inherent righteousness though never so small then there is in them a virtual tendency by faith to Christs imputed righteousness as to the brazen Serpent the smallest tendency of sight that beheld it saved that mans body from death so that virtual tendency to Christs righteousness doth likewise save that man from the guilt and punishment of his sins and renders him eternal life after his departure out of this World yet the death of these Saints is under a Cloud of obscurity as to themselves and to others in respect of their eternal life as Salomon and Eli and those Corinthians which Christ stroke with death yet as for Moses although he dyed under a Cloud yet he dyed not as a barren and fruitless Christian but being filled with the fruits of righteousness although he disobeyed Christ eminently in one particular of unbeleefe for which Christ slew him his Carkasse falling in the Wilderness with the rest yet God rendered him this honour and comfort in his passage from this Vale of misery to eternal felicity for before he destroyed his body he led him to the top of a Mountain to let him see the figure of his eternal felicity Deut. 34.5 6 7. the promised Land of Earthly Canaan still proving that Christ is the Authour of eternal salvation to them that obey him as is formerly proved those that obey him most according to their measure of grace receive most To those Saints he most manifests himself to their secret minde and they that obey him least according to their measure he manifests himself least to their secret mindes for onely the pure in minde see God therefore the more purity of spirit the more sight of God and the lesse the lesse for the sanctified minde of the Saints is the onely Temple of the Holy Ghost and not the Saints persons as personally elected for as personally elected Christs humane body and soul was only the Temple of the holy Ghost as formerly is proved and therefore it is said the God-head dwelt bodily in that person or humane body but of none else for the Text saith In him dwelleth the fulness of the God-head bodily Col. 2.9 that is the fulness of the one Jehovah for that most properly is the God-head therefore the second in the one Jehovah to carry on his Fathers final end was personally elected God-man and his soul and body receives not the spirit by measure as doe the Saints but without measure as saith the Text. CHAP. X. Briefly touching upon the point of Faith but at large upon the point of Love FOr having formerly spoken of the works of the Saints whereof Faith is the first mover It were necessary that I should now treat what faith is but in regard I have handled it in my first Treatise here I passe it over for there I have proved that in justifying faith there are three degrees and shew the difference between that Faith and other Faiths and then I have proved what justifying Faith in its own nature is definitively and defined what its perfection is and also proved how God doth bring the Saints to that perfection and also that justifying Faiths perfection and dissolution are both in this life Pag. 128. to the 140 from pag. 128. to the 140. And because Faith works by love it is requisite to treat upon the nature of love and how that love doth arise in the mindes of beleevers and in a word all love in general in the minde of man arises from that suitable agreeableness between the subject and the object and so in this case of justifying Faith for no man can love that which is not suitable nor agreeable to his minde From this ground Jacob could not love Leah so well as Rachel but because there was a suitable agreeableness between the subject and the object therefore Jonathans love to David was more than the love of women so much to shew how love ariseth in the minde of man but the question will be What is love in its own general nature Quest In a word Answ It may be definitively thus laid down It is in the minde of man a liking and an uniting affection but the point will be more cleared by its natural properties the which are two What is the first property Quest It is to endevour as neer an Union and Communion with the thing loved Answ as possible may be therefore it was that Jonathan and David kissed one another and wept one with another until David exceeded and that David said concerning Jonathan I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan 2 Sam. 1.26 1 Sam. 18.1 very pleasant hast thou
Rebecca had conceived as God had promised the children strugling together in her wombe thereupon she said If it it be so Why am I thus wherefore she went to enquire of Jehovah whereupon concerning Esau and Jacob God declares his purpose That he considered those two children in her wombe not as two persons individually but as two roots universally in National respects For saith God unto Rebecca Two Nations are in thy wombe and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger than the other people the elder shall serve the younger Now the ground why God elected one Nation in the younger childe Jacob and rejected the other in the loyns of the elder childe Esau was to figure that the children of the flesh as such should not be counted as children unto God but the children of the Promise as leading to faith in Christ and born again not of the will of the Flesh but of the Spirit shall be counted the Children of God as faithful Abraham A second ground why God elected that Nation in Jacob's loyns was to be his onely visible Church in all the world to uphold his Name till Shilo came in the flesh namely Christ A third ground why God did so at that time was this Because when he declared this purpose to Rebecca his name in Christ to destroy the works of the Devil Gen. 11.8 10.32 12.1 2 3 4. Josh 24.2 23.15 Ezek. 16.3 4 5 6. was as it were extinguished out of the world And the ground why it was so extinct was this For at that time all Nations and all the Families of the Earth were Apostates from the said posture by which they might receive eternal life I say all Families except one and that was the family of Sem and that also began to Apostate to Idols as appears in Terah Abraham's Father therefore God commanded him to depart from his Fathers house and then promised him having no childe this Nation to issue from his loyns and Isaac's and Jacob's and all comprehended in these words So shall thy Seed be Again God did not onely then at that time elect the Jews unborn to be the visible Church of Christ but also at the same time predestinated the Gentiles into the same posture Gal. 3.8 by which also they might receive eternal life by promise to Abraham whence saith the Apostle And what that postture is is at larg declared in my second Treatise The Scriptures foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached the Gospel before unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed So that the scope and drift of all these Texts is so far from maintaining the aforesaid Elections that it is against them all for the Text onely speaks of a National not a Personal Election and of a National Rejection not a Personal A second Text which is supposed to speak for Personal Elections as a ground of the Saints perseverance are these words As many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved But as before so now to find the true meaning of this Text Acts. 13.98 is to keep close to that which it aims at Vers 42. The Apostle having preached Christ to the Jews in their Synagogue thereupon some Gentiles then present besought the Apostles that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath whereupon the next Sabbath day Vers 44. came almost the whole City together to hear the word of God And then some of the said Elect of God namely the Jews seeing the multitude they were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and Blaspheming Vers 45. whereupon the Apostle spake to the blaspheming Jews and said It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing you put it away from you and judge your selves unworthy of eternal life that is of that posture wherein you might have received eternal life Lo we turn to the Gentiles Vers 47. For so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation to the ends of the Earth Vers 48. When the Gentiles heard this that is those words of the prophecie concerning themselves to be admitted into the posture by which they might receive eternal life then they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord that is in beleef of the said prophecie for they had been 1800 yeers excluded from the said posture because the Oracles of God were before confined only unto the Nation of the Jews not at all to come amongst the Gentiles until Christ came yet did not all that multitude beleeve for some were in the case of final Impenitency through their precedent obstinacy as also were some of the Jews and therefore God denied them the spirit of faith to beleeve vers 41. Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your dayes a work which you shal in no wise beleeve though a man declare it unto you Therefore Vers 51. the Apostles shooke off the dust of their feet to witnesse against those unbeleeving Jews that were his visible members and so his sheep but being denied the gift of faith therefore not his sheep John 10.26 John 10. 26. Ye beleeve not because ye are not of my sheep as I said unto you So as the meaning of these words As many as were ordained to eternal life is no more but this That God predestinated or ordained by promise to Abraham that the Gentiles should be called into that posture by which they might receive eternal life From this ground it was that the Scriptures did foresee that God would justifie the Heathen through faith and upon this ground the Apostle doth apply to beleeving Gentiles That Gods calling of them is according to his purpose to be made like unto Christ and the first born among many Brethren Rom. 8.28 29 30. and to be justified and glorified was now fulfilled So that the scope of these Texts makes nothing for Personal Elections but sets forth the rejoycing of the Gentiles in the demonstration of Gods ordaining them to the said posture by promise to Abraham and conveyed to them under this prophecie CHAP. II. In which the 17 th Chapter of JOHN is opened THis Chapter is supposed to prove these Personal Elections as the ground of the Saints perseverance Some of the words are these which our Lord spake to his Father of himself Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him c. These words naturally divide themselves into four branches First The power given him by his Father Secondly The extent of that power over all flesh Thirdly The End wherefore That he should give Eternal life Fourthly The Restraint or Bounds to which this Eternal life is limited Not to all
gave him some part of all flesh which by Apostacie are become dead in sins and trespasses to that posture in which once they might have received life yet some of these men are given to him at one time and yet given him at another and some of them are denyed him for ever and these various respects are the grounds of our Saviours words in these cond verse That he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Thus God denied the Gentiles to Christ about 1800. years being dead in sins and in trespasses excepting some few as is proved in the 7th Chapter of my first Treatise and denied them the residence of his Oracles the said time for their Apostacy at Babel until Christ was come in the flesh Again When Christ came in the flesh Jo. 12. God gave him many of those Gentiles dead in sins to hear the voyce of the Son of God and live in that posture in which they might receive eternal life yet some are denyed him to this day and remain Heathens and shall till the fulness of the Gentiles come in in the interim many perish because denyed to Christ Again When God called us Gentiles to come to receive life in the said posture or to be either as is proved for before there was no way but death to most men yet at that time he denyed the Jews to Christ for crucifying the Lord of glory and his blood is upon them for to this day they remained dead in sins and trespasses for in Holland where the Gospel is preached it is no Gospel to them because God as yet denies them the spirit of faith as he hath done these 1600. years except it may bee to some few Again Thus were some of those denyed the gift of Faith while our Lord lived amongst them wherefore he said unto them Ye are not my sheep that is although my Sheep as from Abrahams flesh Jo. 1.16.25 26. yet not my Sheep as in Abrahams spirit of faith And although the whole body of that Church Elect still stands cut off for their unbeleef yet there will come a time when they shall be given to Christ The Apostle saith Rom. 11. If the casting away of them be the reconciliation of the World Rom. 11.8.12 15 16 20 25. what shall the receiving be but life from death Now I come to the fourth Quere How is it that Rom. 5.18 The Text affirms as by the offence of one Judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life And yet this 17th of John restrains that gift of life but to some I answer That justification was universal to all man-kind and to all alike and the extent of the imputation of that righteousness was to the whole Creation from whence it was put into a posture of travail from that bondage of corruption which it fell into by Adam to be partakers of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and it travelleth until now as saith the Text. Again I answer That the gift of eternal life in the 17th of John is particular and peculiar to him that receives that gift of righteousness by Faith in two respects which that universal justification was not As first He that receives this imputed gift of righteousness God pardons that mans sins although numerous against the mercy of God in Jesus Christ which that universal justification did not for it onely pardoned the gift and punishment of Adams one offence once committed to him and all his posterity but it pardoned no more Secondly That man which by beleef receives that imputed gift of righteousness is possessed of eternal life in this World for the Text saith he that beleeveth hath eternal life which that universal justification did not give it onely gave right to eternal life but no more And the truth is the Apostle in the fifth of the Romans points out this particular justification and that universal justification The particular justification in these words for if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ But mark the Text It refers this particular Justification onely to Beleevers that receive that gift of righteousness Vers 17. and in the 18. Verse the Apostle layes down that universal Justification in these words Therefore as by the offence of one Judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to Justification of life Obj. It will be objected Object our Lord saith Father I will that those which thou hast given me be with me even where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovest me before the foundations of the world Vers 24. Therefore those that are given by the Father to Christ cannot but be infallibly brought to behold that his glory to Eternity For it is impossible but that Christs prayer must be granted because he alwayes did that which was pleasing in his Fathers sight Answ True it is Answ that Christ did alwayes so and therefore so in this prayer and therefore it shall be granted But the question in hand is not whether his prayer shall be granted but in what sense he prayed for it cannot be in the sense alledged because it is proved in this Chapter that the Father gave him 12. men of all flesh and yet one of them which his Father gave him shall not behold that glory because our Lord affirmes it had been good for him he had never been born and in this Chapter he saith one of them is lost and became the son of perdition Again right beleevers of all flesh are given by the Father to Christ to be his mystical members and himself to be head to that body from which ground he made this prayer in behalf of them that they might behold that his glory but we must mark the reason and ground of his prayer why his Father should grant it In these words Thou lovest me before the foundations of the world And of his members he saith Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me V. 23. Now it is already proved in what sense our Lord himself was loved of his father before the world was namely to be the seaventh meanes or second Adam infailibly to accomplish his Fathers final end Therefore it necessarily followes That all his members are loved with the same love as they adhere to Christ in respect of his Fathers final end to his glory and not otherwise This is expressed by our Lord himself John 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me for where I am there shall also my servant be If any man serve me him will my Father love otherwise not for that is implyed because our Lord puts it upon if and if If any man
not in the power of his own seeking to finde what he sought but in his to give therefore he put him upon that which he was never able to do That was to sell all he had and follow him so he led him to become a fool in himself that he might submit to Christ to make him wise from this ground it is that God commands man to plow up the fallow grounds of his heart Deut. 10.16.30 Jer. 4.3 4. and to circumcise his heart and then promises that himself will circumcise it and thus man becomes a Saint How could Christ look upon him Quest and be so pleased with man before faith when another Text affirms Without faith it is impossible to please God It is one thing for God to be so pleased with man before faith Ans comming to Christ and another thing for God to be so pleased with man as to give him possession of eternal life as to all right beleevers he doth because it lies in the nature of the thing that is of right beleef to possess it self of eternal life in receiveing Christs righteousness as the eye possesses it self of the light which a man before faith can never do and so these Texts are reconciled What if these men so seeking honour and glory Quest c. die before faith shall these mens case be no better then those that sit down contented in this Worlds good and seek no further nor no better then men openly prophane The Universal Justification Answ it did not only pardon Adams sin to all men but also gives every man a right to eternal life and no man can loose that right but by refusing to come to Christ which those that so seek as is described do not therefore they loose not their right It may be objected Object that they dying without possession of it by faith do loose their right and consequently they perish for ever If they do die without possession of it by faith Answ yet die so seeking as is described actually or but virtually they shall hold their right and have possession to eternity when they die for God hath not only saved all mankind without faith from the damnation due unto them in Adams sin but also all mankind dying in infancy notwithstanding original sin shall be saved and be possessed of eternal life as is proved in my first Treatise p. 36 37. Again To binde mans eternal life to faith it is to make an Idol of our faith as for example because my eye which is a dark body which receives the light shall I therefore prefer this dark body before the light And I will ask any beleever this question if it were Abraham himself what gives him right to eternal life Is it not pardon of sin and that gift of eternal life as included in the imputation of Christs righteousness in which he is the light of life to man or is it the dark body of his own faith or beleef CHAP. VII In which is opened the manner how the Saints persevere in the Grace of God by Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures FIrst A word or two for introduction That although there be a difference between men that seek honour and glory as is discribed and betwixt those that are dead in sins and in trespasses before the gift of faith yet after there is no difference but both are alike possessed of eternal life for he that rightly beleeveth hath eternal life whatsoever he was before A second thing premised is this what is meant by the grace of God in Jesus Christ I answer Two things the first is Gods merciful acceptance of a beleevers person as a mystical member of the body of his Son and to be his adopted Son in him and so to no men else Secondly By grace is meant his endowing of them by the work of his spirit with inherent righteousness every man according to his measure as of Faith and love and patience c. and these men are called new Creatures and none else If you ask me Quest why I distinguish between right beleevers and true beleevers I answer An ungodly may beleeve truly but never rightly in order to his own eternal life So Balaam beleeved that Oracle truly which the spirit of God dropped from his lips but not rightly First Because his mind creeped on the earth or earthly contentments like the Serpent which God cursed for they run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward Secondly Because he leaped over a sanctified life Epist Jude 11. onely desiring to die the death of the righteous Thus did the proud and covetous Priests Pharisees and Scribes the great professors of those times truly beleeve the Oracles of God delivered them by Moses to be the word of God but they did not beleeve rightly for if so they would have embraced the Lord of glory and never imbrewed their hands in his blood therefore I distinguish between right beleevers and true beleevers so now I come to the point The Saints perseverance And in the first place it is grounded upon that which may ever be distinguished but never separated in this business that is the power of Christs spirit and the Saints exercise of their graces already received And thus they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation that is in perseverance unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5.9 Receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your souls Wherefore gird up the loines of your mindes be sober and hope to the end Vers 13.7 The trial of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold which perisheth Vers 1.21 That your Faith and hope may be in God from this ground it is the Apostle gives them this rule Gird up the loins of your minds for the Grace which is brought unto you seeing you have purified your selves in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfaigned love of the truth see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently in this work of the Saints perseverance the power of Christs spirit and the exercise of their graces formerly received may ever be distinguished but never separated as is formerly said Again Peter in his second Epistle 2 Pet. 1.3 comes more close to the point of perseverance even to be established immoveably according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and Godlinesse thereupon he enforces the exhortation Giving all diligence adde to your faith virtue and to your virtue knowledge add to your knowledge temperance and to your temperance patience and to your patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity and then renders them this reason why they should so do for if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Joh. 13.17 13. wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election
been to me thy love to me was wonderful Thus it is with love in the Saints which worketh by Faith according to their measure to God in Christ endevouring as neer an Union and Communion as may be Cant. 1 2. Cant. 1.2 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth Vers 13. He shall lie all night betwixt my breasts and thus John leaned on Jesus bosom And thus David Joh. 13.23 Psal 86.11 Unite my heart to fear thy name So Paul defires to be dissolved to be with Christ meaning in Heaven yet names not Heaven implying Heaven were no Heaven to him Phil. 1.23 if Christ were not there whom his soul loved And this love is the sum of the first Table of the Law so much for the first property of love What is the second property that naturally arises from true love Quest It is no more but this Answ to do good or to adde to the perfection of the thing loved thus did Jonathan to David he saved his life with the hazard of his own and himself being Heire apparent to the Crown 1 Sam. 18.4 yet he endeavoured to lay aside himself and to prefer David to the Crown and stripped himself of the Robe that was upon him and gave it to David Rom. 4.20 Jam. 2.21 and his Garments even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle Thus Abrahams love added to Gods extrinsicall glory for his Faith was the helper of his love to offer up Isaac his onely Sonne for he was strong in beleef and love giving glory to God Thus Moses when he came to years out of Faith and love to God refused to be called the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter Heb. 11.24 25 26 chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the Treasures of Egypt and in this he was faithful in his measure of grace received but he did not adde to the perfection of Gods glory in the point of circumcision for it came to passe by the way in the Inne that Jehovah met him Exod. 4.24 and sought to kill him so David when he was in his right minde in faith and love according to his measure did adde to the perfection of Gods glory 2 Sam. 17.45 46 47. in the destruction of Goliah but being not faithful in his measure of faith and love he greatly diminished the glory of God by his Adultery with Bathsheba and the murther of Uriah 2 Sam. 11. Thus Mary to whom much was forgiven loved much therefore added to the perfection of Christs praise Luk. 7.43 by odoriferous and costly Oyntments anointing his feet wiping them with the hairs of her head Thus the poor Widow honoured God with her substance rendering him all her livelihood Mar. 12.44 although but two mites Again True love to God in beleevers doth not onely endeavour to adde to the perfection of his praise according to the first Table of the Law but also according to the second that is they love the brethren that is each loves other according to their measure received and not onely endeavouring Union and communion as Saints but also to adde to the perfection and good of each other hence saith David I am a Companion of all them that fear thee Psal 119.63 and such as keep thy Statutes And Abraham out of love to the righteous that he supposed might be in the Cities of Sodom humbly prayed of God to spare those Cities for their sakes Thus Paul from love endevoured to preserve Peter and others from the danger of his dissembling Gal. 2.11 12. therefore openly reproved him to his face And thus to adde to the good of those that they loved the Brethren sent to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul releef to the Saints which dwelt in Judea If all love ariseth from that suitable agreeableness which is between the subject and the object Observ then hence all you that beleeve your selves to be Saints look how far your secret minde is suitable to Gods word for so far forth you are suitable to him and no further and on the contrary hence we may give a right judgement what those mens mindes are suitable unto that would extinguish the sacred Scriptures that is to the minde of the Devil whose children they are Secondly observe Is love in it self a liking and uniting affection Then you that are Saints look to your affections lest with Lot you love the plains of Sodom too much but with Abraham affect the mighty possessor of Heaven and Earth much more and so your mindes will lye loose to the wealth and glory of this World as it did his for he left Lot to choose the rich soil of Sodoms plains and took to himself what he refused And so Moses affecting him that was invisible his minde lay loose to the Treasures and pleasures of Egypt he being faithful in his measure received but on the contrary if by adulterous affections to this present World you return not speedily you may fall to despise the Commandements of the Lord yea God himself as did David for you must remember 2 Sam. 9.10 12. your sanctified minde is the Temple of God and while you detain that he is neer to you by a liking and uniting affection therefore increase the degrees of your graces as before is laid down and beware of backsliding by affecting other things so far that you destroy the Temple of God for it is to the Saints he saith by the Apostle Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy 2 Cor. 6.16 1 Cor. 3.16 17. for the Temple of God is holy which ye are Let no man deceive himself c. Again observe Is it the first property of love to endeavour union with the thing loved as neer as may be then it will be your wisdome to endeavour as close an union with God from degree to degree as may be for there is no union so close or neer unto God in this world but it may be neerer for although the perfection of parts may grow high as in Moses to God and John to Christ yet it is but the perfection of parts but not of the degrees but beware you dream not that you have attained to the perfection of degrees as do the Familists Quakers and Papists for when you so think of your selves that is your very houre and power of darkness to fall into temptation and all abominations The Apostle affirms that by his righteous works and sufferings he filled up the measure of Christs in his body and that is the ground from whence the Romanists say that their righteousness and Christs do attain eternal life I answer Answ It is one thing that Christs imputed righteousness is
understanding c. Again Chap. 39. from the 1. to the 8. Verse Moreover Jehovah answered Job and said Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him he that reproveth him let him answer it Then Job answered Jehovah and said I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further Then answered Jehovah unto Job the second time out of the Whirl-wind and said Gird up thy loins now like a man I will demand of thee declare thou unto me Wilt thou disannul my judgement wilt thou condemn me that thou mayst be righteous c To which Job answered Jehovah and said I know that thou canst do every thing and that no thought can be withheld from thee who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge therefore have I uttered that which I understand not things too wonderful for me which I knew not heare I beseech thee and I will speak I will demand of thee answer thou unto me I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eyes see thee Job 44. from the 1. to the 8. vers wherefore I abhorre my self and repent in dust and ashes that is Answer thou me in much mercy for now I see I have exceedingly erred concerning thy proceedings towards me for I perceive if I had been faithful to thee according to the measure of my graces in this second Commissions execution upon me then thou wouldest have assisted me in this as thou diddest in the first therefore shame belongeth to me but prayse and glory to thee In the first place here appeares Jobs most perfect patience as to the first Commission Secondly Hence it also appears by his seven dayes silence to his three friends and theirs to him they being in a prosperous condition and he reflecting upon his own misery not in faith and love to God as formerly but in consultation with the wisdom of flesh and blood was the ground of his great impatience Thirdly Hence it also appeares that his impatience augmented his misery for above what God limited Satan to lay upon him to the torment of his minde from his three friends and from Elihu who rightly charged him with his impatience and Jehovah charged him more deeply and dreadfully twice out of a Whirl-wind Fourthly Hence it also appeares that in his minde he unfainedly returned to God from whom he went out by his impatience and frowardness by his unfeigned acknowledgment of his error to God the first time but yet his minde was not come close enough as it was before but when God had appeared the second time against him in the Whirl-wind then his minde returned to its former neerness to God and then God returned to his former neerness of his manifestation of his love and favour to Job First he gave him this honour as to make his three friends that wronged him to come into Gods favour by Jobs Mediation Secondly Job 42.7.9 10 12. He gave him twice as much of all prosperity as he had before and saith the Text So Jehovah blessed the latter end of Iob more than his beginning Hence observe all you that are Saints of God in regard that patience in its perfect work is a quiet sufferance of bitter crosses to the end thereof liking it as proceeding from Gods will Hence you may give a right judgement of your selves I say your selves for this concerns none but Saints as capable of this blessed qualification and so far forth as you like your bitter crosses in a quiet sufferance thereof of what nature soever they be because sent by God to you so far forth you may comfortably conclude you are truly patient as Iob here in the losse of his whole Estate and Children he never mentioned the Sabeans nor Caldeans nor the fierce windes nor fire from Heaven but God onely was his object Jehovah hath given and Iehovah hath taken c. And this is the onely ground of the nature of right patience as in Iob so in any else Again observe Whatsoever your afflictions be from men or Devils the finger of God limits it as well as sends it for the extent of it either in weight or length as in the first Commission against Iob it was to extend but to his whole Estate and all his Children but not to Jobs person whatsoever instruments Satan did imploy And in his second Commission restrained but to his flesh and his bone but Satan in all his power could not take away his life therefore Oh you Saints of God whatsoever you are in your deepest miseries of want of meanes health or whatever if you look for help and comfort do as Iob did look onely to God as he that hath taken all that ye want from you and he alone to restore all to you for here you see second causes either for good or evil they come and goe at Gods Commands Again You that think your selves to be Saints hence observe also that here you may give a right judgement wherefore God layes bitter afflictions upon you for if it be for tryal of your grces then he sends it unto you when you flourish in the fruits of righteousness as here upon Job the uprightest man in the earth but if he sends you bitter crosses for your failings and being loose and careless then it is for chastizement at the least as here to Job for all his afflictions under Satans second Commission above the touch of his flesh and bones God laid it upon him for chastizement that is as I said before which he suffered from his three friends and Elihu and from Gods twice dreadful apparitions in the Whirl-wind and thus God chastized the Saints at Corinth for abuses of the Sacrament some by sickness and some he slew So Eli so David in the matter of Uriah so Miriam Aaron and Moses he slew them in the Wildernesse Again Hence observe That when you are laden with bitter crosses then as Elihu counselled Job humbly seek unto God for releef by your craving desires which indeed are your prayers not your words And so far forth as your craving desires are primarily to bring Gods will to yours you prayers are naught as those whom James reproved but so far forth as your craving desires primarily are to bring your will to Gods will your prayers are good and shall never want an answer in due season for saith John if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us that is he will give a seasonable answer and give quietness of minde in the interim to wait upon him Object You in general termes point at what as the ground of Iobs miscarriage under the second Commission as his consultation with the wisdom of flesh and blood but certainly there was some other particular I answer Answ It is true in this second Commission he did not with that faith and love receive the touch of
his flesh and bones with that reverence from God as he did the losse of his Children and his whole Estate as he did in the first Commission Another particular was this he had too high an esteem of his own uprightness wrought by the spirit of Christ in him who also assisted him to perfect patience under the first Commission consequently he did too much undervalue the glorious imputed righteousness of Christ in which was comprehended the pardon of his sin and eternal life included in the sacrifices which he daily offered therefore O ye Saints of God that are eminent in the fruits of righteousness beware you stumble not at this Rock but endevour with Paul to be found in Christs righteousness more and more in a sole dependencie onely on it for pardon of sin and eternal life And though ye endevour to grow in the fruits of inherent righteousness and at the best as compared to his esteem yours but as filthy rags or as drosse and dung as did Paul Formerly you affirm Object That man in order to become a Saint did in a patient seeking c. But now you affirm none have true patience but Saints According to the being or nature of a thing such is its workings Answ therefore that former patient seeking was but a shadow of this true patience or as to its perfect work for this patience in the Saints ariseth from the root of their inherent righteousness or sanctification which the former hath not but onely a previous disposedness towards it from a remote principle from whence they do by nature the things contained in the Law of Christ therefore the objection is without ground CHAP. XII In which is more fully opened the works of the Saints as under a dolorous and troubled minde IF it be objected The Apostle saith Object He that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him therefore the Saints are accepted of God for their own works of righteousness as to salvation Although this point be formerly answered Answ and also that I grant that their own works of righteousness is the ground of their acceptance yet I deny it in the sense objected for although Christs righteousness imputed is the Saints own righteousness and that upon a double ground the one is That righteousness is Gods free gift to all mankind as formerly is proved and so theirs with others and so accepted as others the other ground is this That work of Christs righteousness is by beleeving received by them Rom. 5.17 and in it abundance of grace and so a particular ground of their acceptance with God and no men else Again The Saints inherent work of righteousness in one particular branch doth act and work in the receiving of Christs righteousness namely Faith and so Christs righteousness is brought to be their own as the eye by its operation brings that light to be its own which was not its own Hence saith our Lord this is the work of God that ye beleeve so that the one righteousness as in it self is an external object of blessedness the other righteousness in this particular branch is the blessed act of reception and from this union with the subject and object according to the Text He that worketh righteousness is accepted of him and that in two respects First That mans person is accepted of God a member of Christs mystical body whereof he is the head Secondly That mans person is accepted the Son of God by adoption as saith the Text To as many as received him he gave this prerogative to be called the Sons of God even to as many as beleeved in his name You affirm formerly Object the reward from God proper to the works of the Saints is onely in this life by the increase of their graces consequently a more neerer and clearer union and Communion with God then what say you to Heman that holy man whose dayes of life from his youth were in dolor terror and horror Saith he to God Thy terrors have cut me off c. where was the increase of his graces Psal 88.16 either of Faith or love or the quiet fruits of righteousness the reward of his righteous works Questionless Answ He was a most holy man as appeares by his heavenly breathings from his woful minde thoroughout the Psalm therefore it is a hard case to give a right judgement in this particular whether his afflictions were for tryal or chastizement or for neither for this case is very rare and not ordinary for the sacred Scriptures as I remember doth not speak of one man the like as to the whole life of any therefore this is besides our point in hand as to Gods ordinary course of the Saints reward as is proved yet nevertheless in Scriptures we finde one extraordinary proceeding of God in the affliction of a particular man for a time as John 9. God denyed from the womb one man the light of this World being born blind whereupon the Disciples put the question to our Lord Who did sin this man or his Parents that he was born blind Jesus answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his Parents that is not to so transcendent a heighth as to draw on this judgement for that 's implyed but he was so born with respect to Gods glory that Christ might prove himself to be he that was sent of God to give sight and light to man sitting in the shade of death and darkness and accordingly Christ and he met together and the man born blind received sight as never man the like So doubtless as this man so Heman was in some eminent respect to the glory of God for although God thus deeply afflicted him in sorrow and troubles of minde yet it is apparent God secretly preserved him and his minde to himself Vers 1. He saith Oh Jehovah Elohim of my salvation I have cryed day and night c. For God sometimes brings men to a low ebbe of distraction some in respect of Estate some in body and some in minde Psal 9.3 Ps 116 3. but we read not at so great a length as this man as to a troubled minde And then God saith to such men Return again ye Sons of men The Psalmist saith The sorrows of death compassed me the pangs of Hell got-hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow whereupon Vers 4. He prayed to God to deliver his soul and Vers 8. His soul was delivered So without doubt God granted Hemans unfeigned prayers either delivering his soul out of those great troubles of minde in the latter end of his dayes or else over and above what he could think or speak secretly preserved him to his Heavenly Kingdom whereof his deep afflictions were but light in comparison of that glory now revealed Now the main ground why God doth so deeply sink some holy men in sorrows terrors and troubles of conscience as Heman is for the redundancy of his glory that maugre Satan I mean the Apostate Angels by all
their power and houre of darkness upon this distressed Creature sitting in darkness and can see no light yet God for his glory sake secretly preserves the minde so to himself That when Satan thinks himself surest of his prey God then will set the soul at liberty by his word and spirit in this life and then will in effect say to Satan as of Job What sayest thou to my Servant Job c. or else by taking him into eternal glory and so Satan looseth his prey for ever Doth not Heman mean Quest when he saith Thy terrors hath cut me off as did Job I choose strangling rather then to live then if Heman or Iob had strangled themselves had not God then lost his glory in that Satan had got the prey I answer Answ Satan had not got his prey though he had hanged himself nor God lost the glory of his grace but the redundancy thereof to eternity How is this possible to be true Quest for they which do so die in an act of sin which nature abhorrs that is the destruction of it self I answer You must consider what capacity Heman and Iob were in namely right beleevers therefore not in an estate of unbeleef as was Achitophel and Judas that hanged themselves for dying such they are cut off from all pardon of sin because the sin of unbeleef in such cuts off all hope of pardon And whereas you say they died in the act of sin it is true yet it is as true in this case they are not themselves by reason of their deep trouble and distemper of minde therefore if Iob had hanged himself yet it might be said of him as Paul in another case That which I do I allow not for what I would that I do not but what I hate that do I. If I do that which I would not I consent to the Law that it is good Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me So might Iob in this case say It is not I Rom. 7.15 but my most deep distemper that dwells in me which strangled me Again Whereas you sty that in this case he had departed this world in the act of sin I answer it is true a sin in a transcendent degree for if God forbids to murther another man much more a mans self yet saith our Lord Mat. 12.31 All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven therefore this being not the sin against the holy Ghost in Iob a beleever would have been pardoned unto him for there is no man in Heaven nor never shall but Christ himself but came thither by a pardon of his sin Again I answer It is proved that all men who by a patient well-doing seek for honour and glory immortality and eternal life having not as yet the gift of faith and dying without it they ascend to the heavenly glory through the universal imputation of Christs righteousness notwithstanding the universal imputation of Adams one sin one committed nor notwithstanding their own sin against Christ for they ascend to Heaven in the same right that all mankind do dying in infancy which have the seed of original sin in them therefore much more a right beleever as in this case of Iob is presupposed for this particular act of sin so committed cannot totally extinguish the internal habit of inherent righteousness wherof justifying faith is one branch which cannot be extinguished but by a custom in sin which in the minde of man produces another nature therefore this internal habit did detain in it self a virtual tendency to Christ its most proper Object although but as smoaking flax or a bruised Reed therefore in the very act of strangling Faiths virtual force will move to Christ its own objects as Ionas in the deep Seas from out the Whales belly the motions of his minde moved to Christ the true Temple then standing at Ierusalem so holy men in this disconsolate condition in the depth of sorrows and distractions their memory is renewed in beleef to receive comfort in the satisfactory righteousness of Iesus Christ as for example in London at the Counter in the Poultry Mr. Mercer being arrested in his passion slew the Sergeant and was hanged in the place The godly Ministers and his friends desired him when he was turned off the ladder during the time of his strangling if he did finde any divine consolation from God to give them some manifestation thereof the which he did by lifting up both his hands three times to his head notwithstanding his former deep sorrowes and his present pain his body so hanging yet he had the use of his minde and memory to give them the foresaid sign Doubtless so it is in this case concerning godly men that when Satan thinks himself surest of his prey he is furthest from attaining his desired end And thus God turns the rebound of his glory to himself in the salvation of holy men from so great a misery Also I remember Mr. Fox in the Acts and Monuments of the Church of a Martyr saith His godly friends desired him when he was in the flames that if such a sharp dissolution were sufferable with comfort to give some sign to them And notwithstanding the sharpness of the flame he being much burnt and their expectation as it were past hope yet then his comfort was internally so clear that his minde remembred the promise to his friends and gave a sign by lifting up both his hands three times to his head in those fierce flames to the great amazement of the people and the establishment of the godly at the which the people gave a great shout Is it so that the Saints of God by not improving their graces according to their measure received may turn that affliction which God inflicts on them for an honourable tryal into a dishonourable sharp chastizement as did Job under the execution of Satans second Commission Then hence observe that this case carries along in it a contingency as to the Saints of God and not an immutable current which cannot be turned by them another way for here we see Iob altered its course wherefore God proceeded against him for his fault as is proved therefore ye Saints of God keep to the exercise of your graces according to your measure or degrees given you by the word and Spirit of truth and be sure to operate according to the Scriptures direction for as from thence did arise the truth of your grace so from thence must arise your growth in grace and perseverance therein therefore make not the consultations with flesh and blood nor your vain imaginations your Religion as do those Saints which fall away to be Quakers and Familists not onely to the destruction of themselves but to the destruction of the Faith of many others by calling their fleshly wisdom and vain imaginations by the name of Christ and the divine
nature not meaning those former graces wrought in them by the word and Spirit of God But they fansie themselves to be the divine Essence essentially the one Iehovah this they name also by a light within them but do you be sure to make Christ your Religion who is personally God-man and none other and depend upon his righteousness imputed onely for Gods gift of eternal life Also beware ye destroy not that inherent righteousness which is in you for that is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Wherefore give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure because God if you so do by an act of merciful justice will establish you and keep you that you shall never fall totally nor finally to be seemingly deified Angels of light but indeed and in truth Angels of darkness the Children of the Devil a cursed crew of Familists who scornfully despise the sacred Ministery of Jesus Christ stilling the holy Ministers Priests and the godly which wait at wisdoms gates to be taught by Christ by their Ministery they stile them Priest-ridden fellows and stile the sacred Oracles of God to be but a dead letter and from beneath therefore O you Saints of God which yet rightly beleeve take heed of turning your graces which God hath endued you with into wantonness by a filthy greedy covetousness under a proud formality in Religion to walk after the flesh for by the just judgement of God at this time upon the Churches of Christ for so doing from amongst you and of you do arise these monstrous blasphemous Beasts the most dangerous Antichrist that ever was within the confines of Christendom therefore I say take heed for there may a time come upon you that yet stand for quenching the Spirit and loosing your first love and for making ship-wrack of that Faith and Conscience that once was good and for destroying the Temple of God which is holy which Temple ye are he will destroy you And the Text subjoynes these words speaking to the Saints Let no man deceive himself because then you are in the high way to the impardonable sin and then ye shall never beleeve more the sacred truth of God though never so cleared unto you for then God will deny you the gift of faith and then your damnation sleepeth not though you should deny as do the Familists No man shall be damned or saved Judas shall be in as good a case as Peter for say they all shall be turned into the divine Essence of the one Jehovah yet know this that the one Jehovah will not deny himself in his word of truth but make his final end good upon all flesh except as is excepted that is the case of dying in infancy that is every man according to his works that he hath done in the body whether it be good or whether it be evil that is some to be Vessels of dishonour to eternity and some to be for honour to eternity And Heaven and Earth shall fail before one jot or tittle of this truth shall fall short of what God hath said for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it as at large is proved in the 12. Chapter of my second Treatise CHAP. XIII Containing an answer to Lieut. Col. John Lilburn his six particulars viz. FIrst You deny the Trinity Secondly You deny the Scriptures to be the word of God Thirdly You deny there is any word of God but that light which is in man Fourthly You affirm in your Book Pag. 16. that that light in man is as the light is in God himself in whom is no darkness at all Fifthly You affirm the Scriptures are true as a witness-bearer or declarer of that light in man which you call Christ Sixthly You affirm Gods word the light in man was long before the Scriptures To the first I answer and thus I prove the Trinity Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord Deut. 6.4 and I told you the word Lord Deut. 6.4 twice in this Text was by the care of the Translators of the Bible ordered to be printed in Capital letters purposely to notifie unto the people that the word Lord in the Original was Jehovah as I have heard Doctor Gouge unfold many years agoe whereupon I told you that you must read the Verse thus Hear O Israel Jehovah our Elohims is one Jehovah so that here is Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Also I told you Gen. 1.26 the Elohims spake each to other and said Let us make man c. and John in his first Epistle the 5th and the 7th saith There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and saith he These three are one here also is Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity suitable to that of Moses Jehovah our Elohims is one Jehovah as Mr. John Brain most learnedly unfolds against M. John Biddle's most grosse Doctrine of the Trinity and as he sayes to him so say I to you Deny this if you can As to the second I will prove the Scriptures to be Gods word which is that which declares the minde of God to man as amongst men our words convey one mans minde to another It is written Heb. 1.1 2. God who at sundry times 1 Joh 5.7 Heb. 1.1 2. in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last times spoken unto us by his Sonne Again When the Elohims had spake each to other saying Let us make man c. Here note by the way that because the Elohims thus spake each to other the Trinity cannot be as some dream that is Distinctions and Relations onely but really Existencies in the Essence of Jehovah for Distinctions and Relations are such as cannot speak Man being thus made God conveys his minde to mans minde by his word and said unto them Be fruitful and multiply likewise he said Gen. 1.1 26 28 29 Gen. 2.16 Gen. 3.9 Gen. 4.4 6 9 15. Gen. 6.13 Behold I have given you every Herb c. Likewise Gen. 2.16 Jehovah Elohim commanded the man saying c. Likewise after the fall Jehovah Elohim called to Adam and said unto him c. Likewise he conveyed his minde to Cains minde three times by his word Likewise Elohim said to Noah The end of all flesh is come before me So also he conveyed his minde to Noah and to his Sons with him Gen. 9.8 Gen. 13.13 14. Gen. 12.1 Numb 15.30 saying c. And so to Abraham Are not these words which these Scriptures speak Gods own words by which he conveyed his minde to the minde of these men but I pray you hearken what God speaks to all such as you are The soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth Jehovah and do not you reproach Jehovah when you deny these and other Scriptures to be his word Yet he further saith That soul shall be cut