work a work of God towards man not without the actual concurrence of man such in which neither God nor man are sole efficients nor any act of God or man can be sole instruments but there must be a mutual concurrence of both This must needs be granted unlesse we will bring in Doctor Crispes passive recipiency of Christ Christs abode in man without man in spight of man and suppose him to be justified in unbelief And hereupon faith is disabled from this office in justification by this argument If Faith be an instrument it is the instrument of God or man 1. Not of man for man is not the principal efficient he doth not justifie himself 2. Not of God For 1 It is not God that beleeveth though it is true God is the first cause of all actions 2. Man is the causa secunda between God and the action and so still man should be said to justifie himself 3. For as Aquinas the action of the principal cause and of the instrument is one action and who dare say that faith is so Gods instrument 4. The instrument must have an influx to the producing of the effect of the principal cause by a proper causality who dare say that faith hath such an influx into our justification I answer It is the instrument of man and though man do not justifie himself yet he concurres as a willing ready agent with God in it God is a justifier of those that beleeve in Jesus Rom. 3. 26. God hath set Christ forth a propitiation through faith Rom. 3. 25. It is one God which shall justifie the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith Rom. 3. 30. And because it is the instrument of man in a work of this nature it is also an instrument of God As some have observed a communication of Titles between Christ and his Church the Church being called by his Name so there is a communication of actions in these relative works Christ dwells in our hearts by faith Eph. 3. 17. We believe and not Christ and yet faith there is Christs instrument whereby he takes up his abode God purifies the hearts of the Gentiles by faith Acts 15. 17. They beleeved and not God yet faith is Gods instrument in the work of their purification so on the other side the Spirit is Gods work yet we by the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. Man neither justifies nor sanctifies himself yet by faith he is raised to close with God in both and so Faith as an instrument receives righteousness to justification and therefore is called the righteousness of faith which is our justification and works sanctification provided you understand not the first work which is properly regeneration and precedent to faith but the farther progresse and increase of it The Spirit working faith faith takes in a larger measure of the Spirit John 7. 37. He that beleeveth on me as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water but this he spake of the Spirit which they that beleeve on him should receive The Spirit will do nothing without our faith and our faith can do nothing without the Spirit Man cannot justifie himselfe by beleeving without God and God will not justifie an unbeleeving man Faith then is the act of man man beleeves yet the instrument of God that justifies onely beleevers so that what is here spoken by way of exception against faith as an instrument holds of efficients and instruments sole and absolute in their work and causality But where there is a concurrence of agents and one makes use of the act of another to produce the effect that in such causality is wrought it will not hold The promise or grant of the new Covenant in the Gospel is insted of faith made the instrument in the work of justification This is indeed Gods and not mans It is the covenant of God the Promise of God the Gospel of God but of it self unable to raise man up to justification It is often tendred and justification not always wrought so disabled from the office of an instrument by Keâ—ker in his Com upon his first Canon concerning an instrument Assoon as the instrument servs not the principal agent so soon it loses the nature of an instrument He instanceth in an horse that obeys not the reins of his rider but grows refractory then he ceaseth to be an instrument for travel A sword is not an instrument of slaughter where it slays not nor an axe an instrument to hew where it cuts not neither is the Gospel an instrument of justification where it justifies not without our faith it never justifies Where the Minister is a Minister of condemnation the savour of death to death there the Gospel becomes an instrument of condemnation and of death The efficacy that is in the Gospel for justification it receives by their faith to whom it is tendred Heb. 4. 2. Vnto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it 1 Thes 2. 2 13. You received not the Word of God which you heard of us as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeve So that the Gospel in it self considered is wanting in that honour assigned to an instrument to have influx to the producing of the effect of the principal cause by a proper causality If none dare say faith hath such an influx they may much lesse say that the Word hath such an influx The Gospel is an outward instrument saith Ravanellus Faith an inward They both making up one instrument full and compleat yet Faith is more aptly and fitly called an instrument Seeing that faith gives efficacy as an instrument to the Word the Word may be without Faith and so no instrument at all but Faith always presupposeth the Word of Promise is not without its object Therefore to wind up this whole dispute in which I have studied to be brief though I fear some will think I have been too tedious Seeing that those that make Faith the instrument in justification make the Gospel an instrument likewise and dare not go about to strip it of its honour I hope that they that make the Gospel an instrument will acknowledge Faith to be an instrument in like manner being in their efficacy as instruments so inseparably joyned and so all the controversie may be fairely ended and concluded CHAP. XXII Objections against the conditionality of Faith answered AGAINST this which hath been said it is objected by one that Vnbelief is not a barre hindring one Objections from having part in Christ God bestowes Christ without any regard to our belief or unbelief Which words how high soever against the Gospel yet he undertakes to salve with a distinction There is a twofold receiving of Christ saith
in the same Church of Christ and not any of them did set up new Churches 3. The old Church-way of administration among the Jewes was then to fall that present administration to be taken down by Gods appointment and a new one to be set up according to his prescript 4. John set up a new Sacrament in a new way which after his days was the alone Church-way If any can shew as our seekers look after that Jesus Christ shall now put an end to this way and that they have a Commission for a new Sacrament of initiation then they speak somewhat for setting up new Churches in like manner CHAP. XLIII A dogmatical Faith entitles to Baptisme 3. IT farther follows by way of consectary that a dogmaticall Faith ordinarily called by the name of Faith historical such that assents to Gospel-truths though not affecting the heart to a full choice of Christ and therefore was short of Faith which is justifying and saving gives title to baptisme The Covenant is the ground on which baptisme is bottomed otherwise Church-Membership would evince no title either in Infants or in men of years to Baptisme But the Covenant as we have proved is entred with men of Faith not saving and therefore to them Baptisme is to be administred How the consequent can be denyed by those that grant the Antecedent Baptisme denied in foro Dei to men short of saving faith when they are in covenant I cannot imagine yet some that have confessed their interest in the covenant now deny their title to Baptisme and affirme If men be once taught that it is a faith that is short of justifying and saving Faith which admitteth men to Baptisme it will make foule work in the Church 1. All that hath been said for the latitude of the covenant may fitly be applyed in opposition to this tenent for the like latitude of Baptisme 2 All the absurdities following the restraint of the covenant to the Elect to men of Faith saving and justifying follow upon this restraint of interest in Baptisme 3. To make the visible seale of Baptisme which is the priviledge of the Church visible to be of equal latitude with the seale of the Spirit which is peculiar to invisible members is a Paradox 4. The great condition to which Baptisme engages is not a prerequisite in baptisme This is plaine to man is bound to make good his covenant conditions before his engagements to conditions no servant is tyed to do his work to gaine admission into service no souldier to fight in order to get himself listed under command But Faith that is justifying is the condition to which baptisme engages and no condition necessarily required to vest him in it 5. That Faith upon which Simon Magus in Primitive times was baptized is that which admitteth to baptisme Simon himself beleeved and was baptized Act. 8. 13. But Simons faith fell short of saving and justifying 6. In case only justifying faith give admission to baptisme then none is able to baptize seeing this by none is discerned and to leave it to our charity affirming that we may admit upon presumption of a title when God denies I have spoken somewhat chap. 38. and I refer to Master Hudson in his Vindication whom learned Master Baxter so highly commends to shew the unreasonablenesse of it Here it is objected First Objections answered When Christ saith make me Disciples of all Nations baptizing them he means sincere Disciples though we cannot ever know them to be sincere Object I answer Answ In case I make this first objection brought against me my seventh and last argument for me it will fully discover the weaknesse of it and thus I forme it All that are Disciples unto Christ and made disciples for Christ are to be baptized but some are made Disciples to Christ that are short of faith saving and justifying as hath been proved at large This Discipleship that Christ there mentions is such of which whole Nations are in capacity as is plaine in the Commission to which this Nation with others hath happily attained according to the manifold prophecies before cited of these the whole universal visible Church consists as is irrefragably proved by Mr. Hudson in his Treatise of that subject and his Vindication and most amply spoken to by Mr. Baxter in his plaine Scripture-proof of Infants Church-membership and baptisme page 279 280. Sir if you were my father I would tell you that when you say Christ makes no one City Countrey Tribe his Disciples you speak most malignantly and wickedly against the Kingdome and dignity of my Lord Jesus Hath he not commanded to disciple Nations Hath not the Father promised to give him the Heathen or Nations for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Psalme 2. And that Nations shall serve him And that the Kingdomes of the world shall be become the Kingdomes of the Lord and his Christ and do you not see it fulfilled before your eyes Are not Bewâ—ly Keder Minsters c. and England till of late as full Christs disciples and so Church-members as the Jewes were in covenant with God and so Church-members We are not all sincere True no more were they for with many of them God was not well pleased but shut out all that Nation of covenanters from his rest save Caleb and Joshuah We may have Pagans and infidels lurk amongst us unknown but they had many amongst them known In the mean time we as generally professe Christianity as they did to serve the true God And are you sure there is never a City or Town that are all sincere I think you be not or at least is there never a godly family as Abrahams was you cannot be ignorant that the terme Disciples in Scripture is given to more to the sincerely-godly And if whole Nations yea the whole Universal visible Church consisting of discipled Nations were all beleevers it were a happinesse then election would be as large as Vocation when Christ saith many are called but few chosen Secondly Object When he saith he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved here faith goes before baptism and that not a common but a saving faith for here is but one faith spoken of and that is before baptism 1. This is the weakest of all arguments to reason for a precedency of one before another Answ from the order in which they are placed in Scripture So we may say John baptized before he preached the baptisme of Repentance for his baptizing is put before his preaching of baptisme Mark 1. 4. and that those that he baptized did confesse their sinnes after their baptisme seeing it is mentioned after that it is said that they were baptized Mat. 3. 6. and both of these with a farre greater probability of reason seeing in both there is a narrative of the thing by the Evangelists and in the place in hand there is neither commission given for the work of baptizing nor yet any
narrative of the work but onely doctrine given in charge which they were to deliver which least of all speaks the order in which the duties specified must necessarily be practised All that can be collected is that we must in Gods ordinary way of conferring salvation have both Faith and baptisme though there be not the like absolute necessity of baptisme as of Faith baptisme being necessary necessitate precepti Jesus Christ having instituted it and commanded it but Faith is necessary both necessitate medii and praecepti seeing Christ not only commanded it but salvation at no hand can be obtained by men in capacity of it without it And therefore it hath been well observed that in the words following the like stresse is not laid on Baptisme as on Faith not he that is not baptized but he that beleeveth not shall be damned 2. Let Peter where he speaks of salvation by baptisme interpret these words Baptisme doth now also saith he save us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3. 21. and then explaines himselfe Not the pntting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God This answer or restipulation unto the outward administration of baptisme is that which follows upon baptisme but justifying Faith is that restipulation at least a principal branch of it and therefore there is no necessity that it go before but a necessity that it must follow after baptisme It is true that in men of yeares justifying faith sometimes goes before baptisme as in Abraham it went before Circumcision but it is not of necessity required to interest us in a right neither of baptisme nor circumcision Thirdly Object That faith to which the promise of Remission and Justication is made it must also be sealed to or that faith which is the condition of the Promise is the condition in foro Dei of the title to the seal But it is onely solid true faith which is the condition of the promise of Remission Therefore it is that onely that gives right in foro Dei to the seal Here is an Argument first proposed Answ secondly in a parenthesis paraphrased for the proposition I say faith is not sealed to but remission of sinnes or salvation upon condition of faith A professour of Faith that goes no farther may engage himself to a lively working faith and upon those termes God engages for and puts his seale for Remission and Salvation For the parenthesis That faith which is the condition of the Promise is the condition in foro Dei of the title to the seale I judge the contrary to be undeniable That faith which is the condition of the Promise is not the condition in foro Dei of title to the seale An acknowledgement of the necessity of such faith with engagement to it is sufficient for a title to the seale and the performance of the condition of like necessity to attaine the thing sealed To promise service and fidelity in war is enough to get listed as to do service is of necessity to be rewarded Fourthly as for the Argument ad hominem framed against those who make initial or common faith sufficient to entitle to Baptisme and yet affixe remission of sins to all Baptisme even so received without any performance of farther engagement I leave to them to defend who maintaine such doctrine and to speak to the absurdities that follow upon it Fifthly that of Philip to the Eunuch seems to carry most colour The Eunuch must beleeve with all his heart before he be baptized and I have known it troublesome that are fully convinced that a dogmatical faith gives title to Baptisme satisfying themselves with this answer That howsoever Philip called for such a faith which leads to salvation yet did not expresse himself so far that no Faith short of this gives title to baptisme It may be answered that a dogmatical faith is true faith suo genere as well as that which justifies therefore I know not why men should give it the terme of false faith seeing Scripture calls it faith and such as those beleevers and the heart in such a Faith as to an entire assent is required If we look into the Eunuchs answer on which Philip did rest satisfied and proceeded upon it to baptisme it will take away all scruple his answer is I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God There is no more in that then a common faith this is beleeved by men not justified yet this faith entitles to baptisme and upon this confession of faith the Eunuch is baptized CHAP. XLIV Impenitence and unbelief in professed Christians is breach of Covenant 4. IT yet follows by way of consectary that men in impenitence and unbelief that lie in sin and live in neglect of the sacrifice of the blood of Christ live in a continual breach of covenant They engage by covenant to believe in Christ and forsake their sin when yet they lie in unbelief impenitence are convinced that they are Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effeminate abusers of themselves with mankinde thieves covetous drunkards revellers and extortioners These do not only transgresse the Law which on the severest penalty forbids these wayes but break covenant with God and so are shut out of the Kingdome of Heaven the reward upon covenant to those whose hearts are upright For howsoever I fully assent to learned Master Baxter that all weaknesses are not covenant-breaches and therefore with him judge it to be their mistake who in their confessions acknowledge that we break covenant all that we do yet those men in the list mentioned having given their names to God and entred covenant with him walking in these forbidden wayes are found covenant-breakers and therefore the Psalmist deservedly sayes to them Psalme 50 16 17. What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee that is to claime any mercy or favour by vertue of Gods grant in covenant as appeares in the context Engaging to him and thus flying off from him they desert the mercies which they might receive from him As a wife by adultery so they by sin forsake the covenant by which they stand betrothed and by consequence it must needs follow that Christ died for breach of the covenant of Grace as well as for breach of the covenant of Works unlesse we will say that all men by name Christian and found in any of these sinnes are in a lost and unrecoverable condition joyning with them that have said that there is no grace or pardon for those that fall into sinne after baptisme That he died not for their sinnes that live and die in final impenitence and unbelief may be easily granted and that rises to no more then that he died not for those that finally and unrecoverably break covenant with him It is granted by a learned adversary that final unbelief and impenitence are violations
dwells in us by Faith so we in Christ Ephes 3. 17. 2. All ingraffing is into that which gives sap and juice to the ingraffed as the stock from the root to the syens Now Christ gives sap to the Elect beleeving not the Church and therefore it is not into the Church but into Christ 3. If saving faith ingraffe the branch into the Church invisible then the Church invisible is the proper object of such Faith but the Church is no such object of Faith but Christ 4. That supposed ingraffing into the invisible Church is either known to the body invisible or unwitting if know then it is no invisible They have no light to discerne an invisible work if unknown then there could not be such a dispute about the new ingraffing of Gentiles nor complaint of breaking off of the Jewes all being done by an invisible translation and so the subject of the question is taken away To dispute whether ingraffing into the Church be into the Church-visible or invisible is to dispute whether the Mount of Olives be a Mountaine of Earth or Aire I shall assoon finde a Mountaine of Aire in Geography as this ingraffing into the invisible Church in Divinity And here I tie not any up to the word which I conceive in reference to any Ecclesiastical or Spiritual station is not elsewhere used in Scripture but to the thing All that accesse to the Church from Gentile Nations which is so large fore-prophesied in the Old Testament and Historically related in the Acts of the Apostles was an ingraffing into the Church visible and this ingraffing here mentioned The visible Church did immediately receive these new branches and so the whole body of Jews and Gentiles professedly beleeving Ephes 2. 15. became one new man The visible Church communicates sap and juice which is the fatnesse of the Olive in Ordinances This is known by the Church visible they were sensible of and full of praises for the new addition to this number Argument 4. Fourthly That ingraffing is meant verse 17. whereby the wilde Olive is co-partaker of the root and fatnesse of the Olive-tree as is asserted there But such is only Election and giving of Faith Ergo. The minor I prove by considering who the root is and what the fatness of the Olive-tree is 1. Negatively the root is not every beleeving parent Answ I suppose I may answer for my self that I never said that every beleeving parent is the root I willingly yeeld that every beleeving parent is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the root but I affirm that every beleeving parent is a root I cannot reach this mystery that Abraham can be a root of all the branches in Israel reaching down to the Apostles times no intermediate rootes intervening no more then Adam can be a natural root of mankinde to this time without intermediate fathers of our flesh deriving us from him as Jacob with Rachel and Leah was a root from whom Israel sprang as branches of an Olive so Judah and Tamar Boaz and Ruth were roots likewise They built up the house of Israel Ruth 4. 11 12. The house of Israel was this Olive-tree these several Metaphors expressing the same thing the building of the house and bringing out the branches are one and the same All builders are roots these are builders therefore roots Abraham may be called the builder laying the first foundation so the root from whence every branch was derived yet every particular Beleever that had issue a builder a root Those Israelites that had no holinesse of inhesion but only of relation that were members of the Church visible not invisible were fathers by way of communication of this holinesse 1 Cor. 10. 1. All our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea It is as necessary to have intermediate fathers between us and Abraham as to have intermediate mothers between us and Eue. Eve may as well be the mother of all living and no other mother between us and her as Abraham can be the father of the Faithful and no intermediate father to derive from him and communicate to us But his proof is very well worth the hearing that every beleeving parent is not the root For then all the branches should be natural the childe of every beleeving Parent is a natural branch from his father But here Apostle makes the Gentiles branches and a wild Olive graffed in besides nature and the Jews only natural branches growing from the root verse 21 24. The Apostle makes them wilde onely at their first ingraffing and so was all Terahs race wilde likewise till that change of Faith wrought in Abrahams call and the covenant of God entered with him We now are natural as they were and cannot be called wilde but in our first Original Positively he sayes the root is no other then Abraham that Abraham onely is a holy root or at most Abraham Isaac and Jacob. If this have any face of Argument it runnes thus If Abraham be the root and not every beleeving Parent then the ingraffing is by Election and Faith that justifies The truth is the sequel is undeniable on the contrary If Abraham be the root then the ingraffing is not into the invisible Church which he strangely calls by Election but onely into the visible This Master Blakwood saw and faine would have maintained that Christ is the root for ingraffing into Christ and not into Abraham makes a member of the Church invisible If the ingraffing be by a saving Faith only to derive saving Graces personally inherent as a fruit of Election from Abraham then it must needs be that we are Elect in Abraham Abraham may say Without me ye can do nothing and he that beleeveth in me out of his belly shall flow forth rivers of living water and we may say The life that we live in the flesh we live by faith in the sonne of Terah This must necessarily follow if Abraham be the root not only respective to a conditional Covenant but to the grace under condition covenanted It had been more safe for our Authour with Master Blackwood though in contradiction to himself to have made Christ the root when these consequences must follow To which he answers If I made Abraham a root as communicating Faith by infusion or impetration mediatory as Christ this would follow But I make Abraham a root as he is called the father of all them that beleeve Rom. 4. 11. Not by begetting Faith in them but as an exemplâ—ry cause of beleeving as I gather from the expression verse 12. That he is a father to them that walk in the steps of our father Abraham which he had yet being uncircumcised A root not by communication but example an ingraffing not to have any thing communicated from the root but to imitate it is such a Catacresis as may well make all Rhetorick ashamed of it and if the Sun ever saw a more notable piece of nonâ—sense I am to seek what sense is A
duty which is either expresly or Synecdochically either directly or else interpretatively virtually and reductively I very well know that the Law is not in all particulars so explicitely and expresly delivered but that 1. The use and best improvement of reason is required to know what pro hic nunc is called for at our hands for duty The Law layes down rules in affirmative precepts in an indefinite way which we must bring home by particular application discerning by general Scripture Rules with the help of reason which sometimes is not so easie to be done when it speaks to us in a way of concernment as to present practical observation 2. That hints of providence are to be observed to know what in present is duty as to the affirmative part of the commandment of God If that man that fell among theeves between Jerusalem and Jericho had sate by the way on the green grasse without any appearance of harme or present need of help the Samaritane that passed that way had not offended in case he had taken no more notice then the Priest and Levite did But discerning him that case as he then was the sixth commandment called for that which he then did as a present office of love to his neighbour according to the interpretation of this commandment given by our Saviour Mark 3. 4. When the Pharisees watched him whether he would heale the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath day He demands of them Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day or to do evil To save life or to destroy It was not their minde that Christ should kill the man onely they would not have had him then to have cur'd him But not to cure when it is in our power according to Christs interpretation is to kill If diligent observation be not made the commandment may be soone transgress'd 3. Skill in Sciences and professions is to be improved by men of skill that the commandment may be kept The Samaritane poured wine and oyle into the travellers wounds knowing that to be of use to supple and refresh them Had he known any other thing more sovereigne which might have been had at hand he was to have used it As skill in medicines is to be used for preservation of mens lives so also skill in the Laws by those that are vers'd in them for the help of their neighbour in exigents concerning his estate and livelihood 4. We must listen to Gods mouth to learne when he shall be pleased at any time further to manifest his minde for the clearing of our way in any of his precepts There was a command concerning the place of publick and solemn worship Deut. 12. 5. Vnto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your Tribes to put his Name there even to his habitation shall ye seek and thither shalt thou come Now thou must depend on the mouth of God to observe what place in any of the Tribes he would choose for his habitation When God commands that all instituted worship shall be according to his prescript This is a perfect Rule implicite and virtual tying us to heed the Lord at any time more particularly discovering his will and clearing this duty to us Was not the Law of worship perfect to Abraham unlesse it explicitely told him that he must sacrifice his Sonne And if any take themselves to be so acute as to set up a new Rule as some are pleased to stile it then they antiquate and abolish the old Rule and singularly gratifie the Antinomian party Two Rules will no more stand together then two covenants calling it a new Rule men make the first old Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away Heb. 8. 17. It is added moreover doth not the Scripture call Christ our Lawgiver and say the Law shall go out of Zion c. Isa 2. 3. And was not the old Law his Saint Paul I am sure quotes that which belongs to the preceptive part of the Moral Law and calls it the Law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. His Laws were delivered in the wildernesse whom the people of Israel there tempted and provoked This is plain for they sinn'd against the Law-giver and from his hands they suffered And who they tempted in the wildernesse see from the Apostles hand 1 Cor. 10. 9. And as to the Scripture quoted the words are exegetically set down in those that follow them The Law shall go out of Zion and the Word of the Lord out of Jerusalem Which is no more but that the Name of the Lord which was then known in Judah shall be great from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof It is further demanded And is he not the anointed King of the Church and therfore hath legislative power For answer I desire to know what King the Church had when the old Law was before Christ came in the flesh The Kingdom was one and the same and the King one and the same then and now as I take it Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven The Gentiles coming in at the Gospel-call are under the same King and in the same Kingdom And if all this were granted which is here pleaded for it is no more then a change in some positive circumstantial Rites and what is this to the question handled by our Authour That our righteousnesse which is imperfect according to the old Rule is perfect according to the new when old and new in that which is naturally Moral is one and the same When the Law required heart-service and love with the whole heart upon spiritual ends and motives upon which account all fell short in their obedience and performance shall we say that Christ did dispense with any of this that so the Rule being lower our obedience now may answer Others that make Moses and Christ two distinct Law-givers and agents for God in holding out distinct precepts give the pre-eminence to Christ and account his Law to be of more eminent perfection This Authour on the contrary seems to make the Laws of Christ to stoop far beneath those of Moses 2. For Justification of this accusation of the Moral Law of imperfection it is added the Moral taken either for the Law given to Adam or written in Tables of stone is not a sufficient rule for us now for beleeving in Jesus Christ no nor the same Law of nature as still in force under Christ For a general command of beleeving all that God revealeth is not the only rule of our faith but the particular revelation and precept are part c. To this I say 1. As before I think I may answer out of his own mouth where he says Neglect of Sacraments is a breach of the second commandment and unbelief is a breach of the first If we break the commandment in unbelief then the Commandment
bindes us to believe 2. Much of that which I have spoke by way of answer to the former may be applied to this likewise 3. I shall hereafter speak to this that faith is a duty of the Moral Law where the Reader may have further satisfaction 4. If Adam had no command for faith then he was not in any capacity to believe and by his fall lost not power of beleeving And consequently it will not stand with the Justice of God to exact it at our hands having never had power for the performance of it 5. I say there was power in Adam for that faith that justified but not to act for justification Adam had that habit and the Law calls for it from all that are under the command of it But the Gospel discovers the object by which a sinner through faith is justified 3. The same answer may serve to the third exception which indeed is the same with the former only a great deal of flourishing is bestowed in discourse of the understanding and will paralleling them with the Prefaces grounds and occasions of Laws not needful to be repeated And at last bringing all to the Articles of the Creed to which enough already is spoken 4. It is said But what if all this had been left out and you had proved the Moral Law the only Rule of duty doth it follow therefore that it is the only Rule Answ If the Moral Law be the only Rule of duty then I take it to be the only Rule for I enquire after nothing but duty and I take righteousnesse to be matter of duty and then the only Rule of duty is the only Rule of righteousnesse It is further said Sure it is not the only Rule of rewarding And I say Rewarding is none of our work but Gods and I look for a Rule of that work which is ours and that we are to make our businesse I confesse an imperfection in it to give life but assert a perfection as the Rule of our lives It justifies no man but it orders and regulates every justified man 5. It is further said The same I may say of the Rule of punishment To which I give the same answer It is not our work but Gods either to reward or punish And here he speaks of a part of the penalty of the new Law And I know no penalty properly distinct from the penalty of the old He is wont to compare it to an Act of Oblivion and Acts of Oblivion are not wont to inflict penalties but serve to remove them when another Law imposes them That of the Parable is instanced None of them that were bidden shall taste of the Supper when the sin for which they there suffer is a breach of a Moral command 6. It is said The principal thing intended is that the Moral Law is not the only Rule what shall be the condition of Life or Death and therefore not the only Rule according to which we must now be denominated and hereafter sentenced Just or Vnjust To this I have already given a sufficient answer and if I had not our Authour answers fully for me where he says The precepts of the Covenant as meer precepts must be distinguished from the same precepts considered as conditions upon performance of which we must live or die for non-performance And I speak of them as meer precepts and so they are our Rule of righteousness not as they are conditions either of the covenant of works or grace And a man may be denominated righteous by the Laws Rule when he cannot stand before the sentence of it as a covenant of which we have heard sufficient After a long discourse against all possibility of justification by the Law of works as though I were therein an adversary or that the Antinomian fancy were above all answer that a man cannot make the Law his Rule but he makes it withal his Justification he goes about to prevent an objection and says If you should say this is the covenant and not the Law he will reply 1. Then the Law is not the only Rule To which I say When my work is to make it good that the Law is our only Rule I marvel that he will so much as imagine that I will say that which makes it not the only Rule But perhaps he thinks I do not see how it cannot follow as indeed I do not neither can I see any colour for it 2. He replies It is the same thing in several respects that we call a Law and a Covenant except you mean it of our covenant-act to God of which we speak not who knows not that praemiare and punire are Acts of a Law And that an Act of Oblivion or general pardon on certaine termes is a Law and that the promise is the principal part of the Law of Grace To which I say that praemiare and punire are essential in a Law Some have power of command so that their words in just things is to be a Law where most deny any power of punishment as an Husband over the Wife Some parents have Authority to command children children remaining under the obligation of the fifth commandment as long as the relation of a childe continueth when they have neither power to reward or punish Jacob took himself to be in power to command Joseph among the rest of his Sons as appears in the charge concerning his burial Gen. 47. 29 30. and chap. 49. 29. So compared and yet he was not in power either to reward or punish him And though they be acts of a law where he that gives the Law is in power Yet they are no parts of a Rule nor any directory of life to him to whom they are proposed I know that an Act of Oblivion or general pardon may be called a Law as many other things are catachresticè and abusivè but that it should be a Law properly so called I know not The Romanes defined a Law whilest that a Democratie was in force among them to be Generale jussum populi aut plebis rogante magistratu Afterwards when the State was changed and the Legislative power was in other hands they defined it to be Jussum Regis aut Imperatoris And Tully's definition of a Law is that it is Ratio summa insita in natura quae recta suadet prohibetque contraria Here jussio suasio and prohibitio are express'd which are not found in Acts of Oblivion That every man who is within the verge of such an Act may be said to be acquit by Law I willingly grant seeing that act takes off the force of the Law condemning him But that it is a Law strictly so taken I know not CHAP. XII The Moral Law bindes as it was delivered by the hand of Moses A Third branch of the general Proposition before delivered follows which is that the Moral Law as delivered by the hand of Moses is obligatory to Christians This I
thorow with it here is pure justice without relaxation as to the value confest by those who yet contend whether idem or tantundem be paid by Christ the same in kinde as was owing by man or the like in value and estimate He that is brought under a divine attachment must not come out till he have paid the uttermost farthing which man in torments is ever in discharging and never can discharge It is as easie to make a world as by way of ransome to deliver a soul Christ therefore that knew no sin is made sinne that is an offering for sinne God manifest in the flesh he that was God and man hath undertaken the work man to suffer and God to satisfie in suffering and so God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Corinth 5. 19. The immediate effect or result of this price of mans redemption I suppose is the putting of man into a capacity of a covenant with God yet when this is done till more be done by Christ in the way of his Mediatourship for man men are not yet in covenant not the Elect among men This is evident in those Ephesians that were raised up together and made sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2. 6. There was no time in which Christ had not paid the price of their ransome yet there was a time and then but lately over that they were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. Elect Infidels are not till their call in covenant they stand not actually reconciled and one with God before Faith for then there needed no Ministery of reconciliation to follow If this were granted then Christ did the whole for mans salvation on the crosse by himself and doth nothing now in heaven by way of intercession nor any thing by his agents in a ministerial way upon earth neither could man before faith be underwrath in which he is yet concluded by our Saviour himself John 3. 36. A state of wrath and an actual reconciled estate cannot stand together There is a price paid and as I may say in the Fathers hand but to be applyed according to the good pleasure of the Father and the Sonne A man may purchase a prisoners liberty so that he hath it in his just and legal power to set him free and yet take what time he pleaseth in discretion to impart it to him and actually deliver him In this work there are three parties God the Father as Creditor Christ Jesus the Surety Man the Debtor The Father might have refused this discharge from the hand of Christ and exacted it of the principal Christ might have refused to have made such payment he was not in the Obligation There was a relaxation of the person as is agreed on all parties Man must come in and manifest his acceptance Till he is content to leave his old master sin and Satan This new Lord gives him no entertainment he must be content to come out of bondage or else he can enjoy no freedome 2. The next work of Christ is to bring man within the bond of the covenant professedly to accept it for which there is yet a double work First to make tender of it this hath been Christs work as the Prophet of his Church in all ages In what latitude in was carried in the dayes of the fathers before the flood it is rather obscurely pointed at then plainly shewed yet there was then a distinction between the posterity of Seth and that of Cain and so contiued till the dayes of Noah when the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men children of the covenant saw those out of the covenant Men within the visible Church saw women without the Pale and joyned themselves in marriage with them From Abrahams dayes it was confined to his posterity and held within his line and those few that as proselytes joyned themselves unto them In Gospel times it is enlarged the tender is made not to Jewes only but also to every Nation under heaven the Commission being to preach the Gospel to every creature none by Nation so contemptible that is to be excluded In Christ Jesus there is neither Barbarian nor Scythian Jew or Gentile Col. 3. 11. And as there is to be a tender so also it is his work to shape the heart for acceptation of it to embrace the terms and enter into it God shall perswade Japhet and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem Gen. 9. 27. The inhabitants of the Isles peopled by Japhets posterity shall become the Israel of God shall succeed the Jewes in a Church-state and vissible profession of the name of God The hand of the Lord was with them namely those that preacht at Antioch and a great number beleeved Acts 11. 21. where beleeving after the manner of the History in the Acts is no other then embracing the Doctrine of Faith they were made Disciples many of which after fell off even from their profession A third work is to enable those whom he brings to glory those among them in covenant that are called according to his purpose to performe the duties of the covenant to be stedfast and upright in it and this is by Circumcising their heart giving them a new heart writing his Law in their hearts putting it into their inward parts keeping them by his mighty power through faith unto salvation of which more hereafter The last work is to crown with glory those that by grace he raises up to the termes of the covenant thus qualifying them he crowns them I have fought a good fight I have finished my course henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self John 14. 2 3. Here some difficulties offer themselves If the covenant of works past between God and man in his integrity were immediate and the transactions of it without reference to Christ then if follows that faith in Christ is not commanded in that Law Obj. which was given to man for a rule There being no possibility of it there could be no command for it and there was no possibility of Adams beleeving it seeing Christ was not revealed and was not as Mediatour of any use This opinion is strongly maintained by Arminians Armin. in resp ad artic decimum nonum Corvinus Contr. Molin cap. 11. And to this end that they may make it good that God cannot in justice require faith in Christ from man in his fallen condition unlesse he withal confer upon him abilities to believe seeing he never had that power from him in his integrity and state of purity and upon this supposition
onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that thorough his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Acts 13. 38 39. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you forgivenesse of sinnes And by him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 16. 31. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy whole house Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth In all these texts and several others faith is required of men in covenant and if men did not engage to beleeve they could not be so much as professed covenanters This is in reason further evident 1. That which gives us interest in the Mediator of the covenant without which we have no title to him or portion in him is a condition of the covenant This is plain of it self without interest in the Mediator of the covenant we are as though no covenant were entred and the former distance held up But it is faith that gives us interest in Christ the Mediatour He dwells in us by faith Ephes 3. 17. He is set forth a propitiation through Faith in his blood They that believe receive him John 1. 12. Others hold a distance from him To as many as received him to them he gave power to be the sonnes of God even to those that beleeve in his Name 2. That which receives all that grace gives must needs be a condition of the covenant of grace This is as plain to be under a covenant of grace and void of the gifts of grace is a vain entrance upon it and the reception of the gift is a condition necessarily requisite But Faith receives all that grace gives It is of Fath that it might be of grace Rom. 4. 16. God gives nothing at least tending to eternity but he puts it into the hands of Christ He is the Fathers treasury and store-house Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell And that of his fulnesse we should all receive Joh. 1. 16. And faith receives al from him He that believeth out of his belly flowes rivers of living water Joh. 7. 38. 3. That which interest us in and gives title to all priviledges of a people in covenant with God through Christ is a condition of the covenant This is plaine the end of the covenant being to conferre those priviledges upon us But Faith interests us in and gives title to all these priviledges Paul is sent to the Gentiles to turne them from Satan to God to bring them out of Satans kingdome and to bring them in a covenant-way into Christs Kingdome That they may receive forgivenesse of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified saith Christ by faith that is in me Christ is the object of a Christians faith on whom it is terminated Faith which is in Christ receives that leading priviledg forgivenesse of sins without this priviledge we are strangers to all other priviledges Being under sinne we are heires of wrath and in no capacity of mercy Faith interests us in this Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Acts 13. 39. And by him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God Faith interests us in the consummating priviledge an inheritance among them that are sanctified He that believeth hath everlasting life John 6. 40. Faith interests us in all intermediate priviledges which a man in covenant can enjoy in the way to this inheritance Adoption of sonnes is this way obtained John 1. 12. Gal. 3. 26. Pacification of Spirit Serenity and tranquility of minde Isa 26. 3. Rom. 5. 1. Boldnesse at the throne of grace Ephes 3. 12. There is no priviledge bottomed on Christ that hath foundation in him but Faith receives Faith then must be a condition of the covenant 4. That which puts into a capacity to receive the mercies of the covenant held forth in Promise is a condition of the covenant and the want of it strips off all hope and expectation of it But Faith puts into a capacity to receive all the graces of the covenant given in promise Said I not unto thee if thou wilt beleeve thou shalt see the glory of God John 11. 40. God exerts and glorifies his power in great things for good unto those that exercise the grace of Faith Paul saw the Creeple had faith to be healed Acts 14. 9. Sure if there be such a thing as a condition in any covenant in the world any such thing as a conditional covenant then sure faith is a condition of the covenant of grace Some conceive an absolute covenant made of God for grace as Jer. 31. 33. This with me is very disputable and I have given my reasons But the covenant made to grace must needs suppose grace There is no covenant for happinesse made with any creature but upon termes and conditions For further clearing of this point we must know that faith is considered under a double notion First as an instrument or if that word will not be allowed as the way of our interest in Christ and priviledges by Christ Secondly as an inherent grace or Christian duty to which both the Law and the Gospel call The radical grace from which others flow though not in their being yet in their farther growth and encrease I speak of Faith now in the first acception Neither as a part or any way a working cause of the farther progresse in inherent righteousnesse so it will come in the second place but as interesting us in another righteousnesse and so I say it is a condition in the covenant of grace immediately serviceable for our returne to God and reconciliation in Christ For clearring of which I shall clear it in some propositions First God will by no means justifie a wicked person no man in sin shall stand and live in his sight He that hath made a Law to forbid it ordained hell for the punishment of it will not justifie the person that is convinced and found guilty of it Some say it is against his essence The justice of God which is God ties him to take vengeance sure I am it is against his declaration of himself
love in a graciously disposed soul cleaves to Christ for communion but receives him not for justification These two stand as relatives there is no soul entituled to this righteousnesse but by faith and faith is it that entitles to it the beleeving soul hath interest in it Therefore justification in Scripture is ascribed to faith and denied to works when neither faith nor works can beare us out of themselves before the tribunal of God but faith takes hold and the soul by faith rests on this righteousnesse of grace which the Gospel tenders It is true that faith receives the Spirit as well as it receives the blood of Christ Joh. 7. 39. Gal. 3. 14. But this is for another use for the work of sanctification inherent not justification by righteousnesse imputed And it is also true that faith accepts Christ as a Lord as well as a Saviour But it is the acceptation of him as a Saviour not as a Lord that justifies Christ rules his people as a King teacheth them as a Prophet but makes atonement for them onely as a Priest by giving himself in sacrifice his blood for remission of sins These must be distinguished but not divided Faith hath an eye at all the blood of Christ the command of Christ the Doctrine of Christ but as it eyes and fastens on his blood so it justifies He is set out a propitiation through faith in his blood Romans 3. 24. not through faith in his command It is the blood of Christ that cleanseth all sin and not the Sovereignty of Christ These confusions of the distinct parts of Christs Mediatourship and the several offices of faith may not be suffered Scripture assignes each its particular place and work Sovereignty doth not cleanse us nor doth blood command us faith in his blood not faith yeelding to his Sovereignty doth justifie us There are several acts or fruits of justifying faith Heb. 11. But all are not justifying It is not Abrahams obedience Moses self-denial Gideon or Sampsons valour that was their justification but his blood in which faith alone gives interest who did enable them in these duties by his Spirit Paul went in these duties as high as they living in more clear light and under more abundant grace I doubt not but he out-topt them and yet he was not thereby justified as 1 Cor. 4. 4. James indeed saith that Abraham was justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son on the Altar James 2. 21. But either there we must understand a working faith with Piscator Paraeus Pemble and others and confesse that Paul and James handle two distinct questions The one whether faith alone justifies without works which he concludes in the affirmative The other what faith justifies whether a working faith onely and not a faith that is dead and idle or else I know not how to make sense of the Apostle who streight inferres from Abrahams justification by the offer of his sonne And the Scripture was fulfilled that saith Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse How otherwise do these accord He was justified by works and the Scripture was fulfilled that saith he was justified by faith Neither can I reconcile what he saith if this be denied with the whole current of the Gospel The Rhemists indeed understand those texts of the Apostle where he excludes works from justification to be meant of mans moral works done before faith and conversion The works of the Law done without Christ Annot. in Rom. 3. 20 28. As though the Law did not command those duties unto which Christ through faith strengthens a Christian converted by grace And when the Apostle concludes the impossibility of being justified by the works of the Law his meaning should be unlesse grace assist the Law that it may justifie This could not be the Apostle calls it a righteousnesse of God without the Law not a righteousnesse of the Law with addition of strength from the Gospel All works before or after conversion inherent in us or wrought by us are excluded from justification See Ravanellus in verbum Justificatio Num. 3. page 867. This justification wrought freely by grace through faith Rom. 3. 24. is no way consistent with justification by works And what the Apostle speaks of election we may well apply to justification the same medium equally proves the truth of both If by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then it is no more of grace otherwise works were no more works Rom 11. 6. And these things considered I am truly sorry that faith should now be denied to have the office or place of an instrument in our justification nay scarce allowed to be called the instrument of receiving Christ that justifies us because the act of faith which is that which justifies us is our actual receiving Christ and therefore cannot be the instrument of receiving This is too subtile a notion we use to speak otherwise of Faith Faith is the eye of the soul whereby we see Christ and the eye is not sight Faith is the hand of the soul whereby it receives Christ and the hand is not receiving And Scripture speaks otherwise We receive remission of sinnes by Faith and an inheritance among them that are sanctified is received by Faith Acts 18. 26. Why else is this righteousnesse sometimes called the righteousnesse of Faith and sometimes the righteousnesse of God which is by Faith but that it is a righteousnesse which Faith receives Christ dwells in us by Faith Ephes 3. 17. By Faith we take him in and give him entertaintment We receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3. 14. These Scriptures speak of Faith as the souls instrument to receive Christ Jesus to receive the Spirit from Christ Jesus The instrumentality of it in the work of justification is denied because the nature of an instrument as considered in Physical operations doth not exactly belong to it which if it must be alwayes rigidly followed will often put us to a stand in the assignation of causes of any kind in Moral actions The material and formal causes in justification are scarce agreed upon and no marvel then in case men mind to contend about it that some question is raised about the instrument But in case we shall consider the nature and kinde of this work about which Faith is implied and examine the reason and ground upon which Faith is disabled from the office of an instrument in our justification and withall look into that which is brought in as an instrument in this work in the stead of it I do not doubt but it will easily appear that those Divines that with a concurrent judgment without almost a dissenting voice have made Faith an instrument in this work speak most aptly and most agreeably to the nature of an instrument The work about which Faith is implied is not an absolute but a relative
he 1 There is a passive receiving of Christ You will say saith my Authour what is passive receiving of Christ I answer saith he A passive receiving of Christ is just such a receiving of him as when a froward Patient takes a purge or some bitter physick he shuts his teeth against it but the Physician forceth his mouth open and poures it downe his throat and so it works against his will by the ever-ruling power of one over him that knows it is good for him Thus I say there is a passive recipiency or receiving of Christ which is the first receiving of him when Christ comes by the gift of the Father to a person whilest he is in the stubornesse of his own heart 2 There is an active receiving of him c. This distinction carries a full contradiction in it self There cannot be in the same subject a meere passive and active recipie cy of the same thing as appeares in the similitude brought to illustrate it This froward Patient that hath a medicine forced into him in which he is meerly passive cannot again afterward receive that medicine If Christ be thâ—s forced and enters against our will then we cannot actively at any time after receive him And could it be reconciled unto it self yet it stands in full opposition to Scripture Christ stands at the door and knocks Reâ— 3. 20. He waites till his locks are wet with the dew of the night as Cant. 5. 2. But he makes no forcible entry we read of Gods power in changing the will that it freely accepts but not forcing gifts of grace upon any against their wills Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110. 3. He works a will Philip. 2. 13. Christ dwells in none that rise in hostility against him and the positioâ— which the distinction is brought to assert That unbelief is no bar hindring one from having Christ is no better If unbeliefe be no barre to our receiving of Christ then it is no barre to salvation where the Saviour enters he brings salvation He that hath the Son hath life 1 John 5. 12. But we finde it evidently a barre to salvation according to Scripture Joh. 3. 36. He that beleeveth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him He that beleeveth not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. Yea according to the Author himself There is no person under heaven shall be saved saith he till he have beleeved which is a truth according to Scripture They could not enter into the rest of Canaan that did lie in their unbelief Neither can they enter into the rest of heaven Heb. 4. 1. Then Christ dwells not in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3. 17. But also in a state of unbelief Then God is not a justifier of those that beleeve in Jesus as Rom. 3. 26. but equally justifies men without Faith in Jesus Then Christ is not set out a propitiation through Faith in his blood but without any Faith in it Then they that beleeve are not only justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses but they that beleeve not And God gave his Sonne that he that beleeves not on him should have everlasting life This doctrine layes all the honour of Faith in the dust Then Habakkuk might have spared this speech that the just shall live by Faith Habbakuk 2. 4. and Paul might have found another way of life in the flesh than by Faith in the Son of God Secondly Object It is said that the justification of a sinner was with God from eternity It was in his purpose before all time to discharge his Elect and to lay nothing to their charge So then this is as election it selfe unconditional To which I answer Answ That this ovethrows the redemption wrought by Christ and the price paid by his sufferings as well as the necessity of Faith What need Christ to be at all that pains to undergo all those sorrows as to be a man of sorrows to do that which from all eternity was done Then as Paul sayes in another case Christ is dead in vain This some have seene yet rather than leave their opinion have chosen to swallow it down and the absurdity with it and do maintaine that Christ did not purchase procure or work any love from God for man but only published and declared that he was from eternity beloved A fit conclusion drawn from such premisses Then Christ was no Authour of eternal salvation as Heb. 5 9. but only the publisher He was a messenger from God in the dayes of his flesh but no Saviour of man He did not redeeme us with a price but only made known that we were so farre in the love of God from eternity that no redemption needs Secondly I say Gods purpose of a thing doth no put it in being He takes his own way to bring about in time that which he purposed before all time All that is done even every work under the Sunne was alike from eternity in the purpose of God Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world Acts 15. 18. So the house that was built this day was built from eternity The childe that was born this day was borne from eternity We may as well say that the Elect were glorified from eternity so that they need to look after no other glorification as to say they are justified from eternity All the works of God were in his purpose from ever who sees all things at once and not as we can comprehend them in their respective succession But we enquire after things as they are in themselves and not as they are in Gods purpose Thirdly Object Some say justification can be no other than an act of God from eternity being an immanent act and not a transient Transient acts are in time done in the juncture of time when God pleases to do them but immanent acts of God are from eternity Answ To which I first answer that it is not without danger for us to bring the actions of God under our examination and then to fix School-notions upon them according to which they must be bounded When as Master Burges well observes we are here in meere darknesse and not able to comprehend how God is said to act or work Treatise of Justification page 166. How much more safe were it for us to learne à posteriore from the mouth of God in Scriptures what his actions are and the order how he works than à priâ—re to conclude that they are thus and thus and therefore thus of necessity he must work Yet if we may be so bold as to look into this act of his and take it into consideration according to this notion we may farre rather conclude that justification is an action transient not immanent An immanent action as the Schooles tell us is terminated within the subject and works no real nor evident
change out of it and they instance in our conceptions of and resolutions about things Kekâ—rman p. 107. A transient act is not terminated within the subject but hath its effect and is terminated upon some other object Now if by way of analogy we may apply these to God for we otherwise can reach none of his actions it is easie to conclude that justification of a sinner is a transient and no immanent act It works man from a state of wrath to a state of friendship and love of a vessel of wrath brings man into favour and esteeme which though it work no Physical change in man yet the whole effect is terminated in him That act of Pharaoh had as real an effect upon Joseph and was terminated in him in his advancement out of prison for rule in Egypt as though a Physician in case of sicknesse had wrought a cure upon him Though I were not able to hold it our that justification were a transient act but according to our conception of the actions of man it should rather appear to be an action immanent in God so in him that it had no effect out of him yet I must follow the Scriptures that make justification an act in time not from eternity Paul having mentioned a state of sinne under which the Corinthians were saith such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified 1. Corinth 6. 11. Once they were not but now they are in a state of justification It hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which it is acted a season in which it is vouchsafed It is affixed to faith Acts 13. 38. Now faith is not from eternity it comes by hearing A Ministery is continually employed for reconciliation and pardon of sinne 1 Cor. 5. 19. John 20. Which were in vain if justification were as election from before the foundation of the world They work them not to election but only call upon them to make their calling and election sure There are seniors and juniors in this priviledge one obtains it before another Andronicus and Jâ—nia were in Christ before the Apostle Rom. 16. 7. These evident proofs would take with my faith above a thousand such subtilties But herein the Schools in their application of these acts to God speak according as to the point in hand to the minde of Scriptures Fourthly Object It is farther objected that Christ is the Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world His death hath been of efficacy in the Church through all ages And he bore our sinnes in his body 1 Pet. 2. 24. All our sinnes did meet in him Isa 53. 6. and therefore from the beginning we were justified I answer Answ it profited all those and only those in each age to whom it was revealed and by whom it was applied and not those that have no interest in him Over and above the Decree of God for mans salvation there was a necessity of the death of Christ for our redemption which Christ in the fulnesse of time paid on the Crosse And over and above the death of Christ there is a like necessary of the application of it to our soules for life The work of redemption was finished on the Crosse when Christ triumphed over principalities and powers But much of the work of our salvation was behinde Election did not overthrow Christs redemption but did establish it Redemption doth not overthrow our application but doth establish it likewise There is a farther work of Christs to be done his intercession in heaven being one part of his Priest-hood which he is gone to discharge as the High Priest into the holiest of holies A farther work to be done by man through believing Not to have interest in Christs death is all one as though he had not died He that beleeves in him shall not perish See Baxter of Justification Aphorisme 15. Davenant de morte Christi cap. 5. p. 58 c. Lastly it is said by another If Faith be a condition of the Covenant of Grace Object then it can be no instrument of our justification If it be a condition in this Covenant it justifies as a condition and then it cannot justifie as an instrument and so I pul down what I build and run upon contradictions I answer Answ I should rather judge on the contrary that because it is a condition of the covenant in the way as it is before exprest that it is therefore an instrument in our justification God tenders the gift of righteousnesse to be received by Faith He covenants for this Faith for acceptation of this righteousnesse By beleeving then we keep covenant and receive Christ for justification We as well do what God requires as receive what he tenders We do our duty and take Gods gift and thereby keep covenant and receive life and so Faith is both a condition and an instrument Here I might by way of just corollary infer that a justified man reconciled to God in Christ is a man fitted for every duty unto which God calls which he is pleased to require Faith is his justification the instrumental work of his reconciliation to God and all things are possible to him that beleeveth Mark 9. 23. There is not a duty commanded but a beleeving man through Christ is strengthned for it The Word works effectually in thâ—se that believe as 1 Thes 2. 13. We see the great works that were atchieved by those of ancient time both in doing and suffering Heb. 11. and all of those are ascribed to Faith what Christ can do as in reference to duty that they can do to acceptation They can do all things through Christ that strengthens them Phil. 4. 13. Christ overcomes the world John 16 33. And this is their victory whereby they overcome the world 1 John 5. 4. Christ treads down Satan Rom. 16 20. And they resist him strong in the Faith 1 Pet. 5. 9. A man of Faith is for universal obedience He is a man for dependance on God for the fruition of all promises A word from God is enough for Faith He knows how to rest upon him for the good things of the earth he is above anxious thoughts what he should eate what he should drink or wherewith he should he clothed knowing that godlinesse hath the promise of this life 1 Tim. 4. 8. and therefore Though the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no heard in the stalls yet he will rejoyce in the Lord he will joy in the God of his salvation Hab 3. 17 18. he knows how to rest upon him for spiritual priviledges for adoption of sonnes for evelasting salvation He rests upon this that he that liveth and beleeveth in Christ shall not die for ever He knows how to manage all states and conditions he knows how to
be full and how to be hungry he can beare prosperity and not be puffed up He can be under adversity and not be cast down In the worst of times the just lives by faith Hab. 2. 4. He can make use of every Ordinance for his spiritual advantage The word preach is for his benefit Being mixt with faith when he receives it Heb. 4 2. He knows how to improve the Sacraments for his spiritual growth those seales of the righteousnesse of Faith Rom. 4. 11. Abel by Faith exceeded Cain in sacrifices Heb. 11. 4. and so do these exceed all unbeleevers in their performances All of these might be farther and more fully enlarged but that it is done at large by better hands Master Ward in his Life of Faith Master Culverwel especially Master Ball in his elaborate treatise on that subject CHAP. XXIII Repentance is a condition of the Covenant of grace THe condition immediately serviceable for mans reconciliation to God we have seen that which respects his reparation in his qualifications to hold up communion with God follows which is Repentance The end of Christs coming in the flesh being to save sinners He saves them not in their sins but from their sins and therefore calls them to repentance and engages all to it that he receives into covenant As God will have a self-outed and beleeving people So he will have an humble and an holy people So John Baptist the forerunner of the Mediatour began his Ministery Repent giving in this as his reason The Kingdome of heaven is at hand that is a New Testament-state in which the covenant of Grace was to be opened and the glorious priviledges of it made manifest Matth. 3. 2. With the self-same words Jesus the Mediatour of the covenant begins his Ministery Matth. 4. 12 17. verses compared From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand To this he resolves to engage those that he receives So it was with the twelve that were men employed to bring Nations into covenant They thus began their Ministery Mark 6. 12. They went out and preached that men should repent Neither let any make these two Faith and Repentance or Faith and Obedience which is comprised under Repentance one and the same and old project to introduce justification by works The Scriptures evidently distinguish them Paul makes them two distinct heads in the Ministery when he preached either to the Jews or Gentiles Acts 20. 21. Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ They are two distinct heads of Catechisme in the Apostles times Repentance from dead works and Faith towards God Heb. 6. Repent ye and beleeve the Gospel Mark 1. 15. There are those acts in Scripture attributed to Faith that will by no means be ascribed to love or obedience as the taking in of the priviledges before mentioned If Faith work by love as the Apostle speaks Gal. 5. 6. And love be the end of the commandment out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. then faith is a distinct thing from love If by Faith the Worthies of old wrought righteousnesse then righteousnesse may be distinguished from it Heb. 11. 33. As Faith and Hope make two Graces so Love a third 1 Cor. 13. 13. It is not the Gospel way to confound them together They must not be divided but they are to be distinguished In this of repentance which is a Gospel-grace and condition of the covenant we may observe First A necessary pre-requisite to it Secondly The essential parts of it A necessary pre-requisite to this of repentance as to the other of Faith is Conviction Compunction Remorse Unto which the name of repentance is often given though it be of farre more narrow comprehension than the whole work yea it reacheth not unto any thing which is of the essence of it Called repentance as some say by a Synechdoche the part for the whole but I rather take it to be a Metonimy Sorrow is rather an adjunct than a part of it yet such an adjunct that still accompanies it and makes way for it as the needle as the Ancients use to expresse it enters the cloth not to stay but to let in the thread An Officer enters an house to throw out one inhabitant and to let in another but not to stay himself It hath its name from paine grief or trouble which affects the soul for sin which must needs follow when once we look upon it with shame and wearisomnesse Who can imagine a man to have his eyes opened to see that through his whole life he hath risen up in hostility and opposition against God hath taken off that stamp which God in creation put upon him run his soul upon everlasting hazard and all of this without sense of shame fear or trouble Who can imagine that the soul can leave so ugly a path as that of sin formerly so pleasant and desired without any grief or trouble of minde that he hath so long held it Or that any will make out for help in a Saviour till they see themselves through sinne in a lost and undone condition I speak not of infants who neither act faith nor repentance but of those of growth whom God works for himself by his Ministers As they have their call by the Word So the Word hath its efficacy in some measure of soul-shaking by the Lawes discovery by which is the knowledge of sinne as Rom. 3. 20. Evangelical allurements on which by some the whole of the work is laid can never I suppose work on the soule without Law-convictions If these Gospel allurements draw to Christ they must draw from sinne and how shall any be drawn from what he does not know nor ever understood either to be evil or dangerous It is with me no lesse a Paradox that a man may be drawn from sin without the discovery of the Law as to be drawn to Christ without the light of the Gospel And to say the Gospel discovers sin as well as the Law taking the Gospel in opposition to the moral precepts as here it must be taken is the greatest absurdity Exem gr If it be questioned whether to take up armes be a sin whether to fight a duel be a sinne whether usury be sin or to marry within the Levitical degrees forbidden be sin shall I determine this out of a Gospel-promise That Jesus Christ came to save sinners That the blood of Christ takes away all sin That in him all that beleeve are justified A thousand of these will contribute nothing to the expediting of these or like questions or the conviction of any under guilt The work must be brought to the rule the action to the line for discovery Upon the Laws convictions there may follow Gospel-aggravations But conviction is the work of the Law as an instrument of the
they are our conditions They are conditions on our part and therefore they cannot be Gods That they are ours is made known of God as by the beame of the Sun in his Word And I shall not stand to distinguish of an absolute and conditional covenant that so making the whole in the absolute covenant to be Gods and in the conditional covenant this part to be ours which I know not whether exactly understood the Scripture will beare but in plaine terms deny that they are Gods conditions and affirm them to be ours I know what God speaks in his Word concerning these works That he will write his Law in our hearts and put it into our inward parts That he will take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh which implies this work of which we speak I know likewise what in particular is affirmed of Christ that he is the authour and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 2. that he gives repentance Acts 5. 31. that God grants to the Gentiles repentance to life Acts 11. 18. And I have not forgot what I have said before of the concurrence of grace in the performance of every Gospel-work Yet all this rises not up hither to make them formally Gods act not ours Whose acts they be his conditions they are this is evident But they are our acts We beleeve We repent It is not God that believes It is not God that repents That is an absurdity which Arminians have laboured to charge upon us to render that which we hold of the necessity of the concurrence of grace in these works odious But it is that which the Orthodox party have still disclaimed The Apostle calls upon the Philippians Phil. 2. 12. To work out their own salvation the work is their own as the salvation They are a Beleevers own act and not barely a spontaneous act on which he is carried as a Bird in preparing a nest for her young and Bees in preparing honey for their subsistence in which Phylosophy tells us that they aime at no end but they are voluntary actions of choice done out of choice aiming at salvation as his end The mercy in the Covenant being on these termes tendred With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse Rom. 10. 10. The just lives by his faith Hab. 2. 4. They to turne to the Lord with all their heart Joel 2. 13. They obey from the heart the form of Doctrine whereunto they are delivered Rom. 6. 17. They do the will of God from the heart Ephes 6. 6. Faith and Repentance are mans work which man in covenant does respective to salvation in the covenant tendered Object not Gods But the Apostle some may say in the next words tells us that it is God that works the will and the deed vers 13. There he seems to take them from us and ascribe the formality of them to God In this co-operation of God whether they be formally our works or Gods let Esay determine Isa 26. 12. Thou hast wrought all our works in us When God hath wrought it the work is ours we have the reward of it and we shall beare our sinne in case it be neglected and let the Apostle explaine himselfe Ephes 2. 10. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them God hath ordained good works as a Christians way and walk They are charged upon man as is plain in the context in order to salvation They are the way that we hold in our passage on to that salvation which God of grace vouchsafes and we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus for these ends Our dexterity in holy duties is from the frame into which grace put us So still the work is ours though power for action is vouchsafed of God And the conditions are ours for discharge of which we have yet divine assistance That faith and repentance are our conditions and not Gods take these arguments 1. Those conditions that are not mentioned in the proper conditional covenant as from God but required of God from us are not Gods conditions but ours in that Covenant This is cleare Being there expresly required of us and not so much as mentioned as from God they cannot be his engagement but ours to performe But Faith and Repentance are not mentioned as from God in the proper conditional covenant but required of God from us Therefore Faith and Repentance are not Gods conditions in the proper conditionall Covenant but ours 2. The conditions of a covenant are his that performeth and not his that imposeth This proposition is cleare in reason and confessed by the adversary But we perform and God imposeth Faith and Repentance They are therefore our conditions and not Gods in this covenant 3. Covenant-conditions are theirs that are charg'd with falshood in case of failing in them and non-performance of them This is plaine in all covenants To make conditions and to faile in them is to be false to them But in case of failing in Faith and Repentance man is charged and not God God fails not but man deals falsly Therefore they are mans conditions and not Gods 4. Covenant-conditions are theirs who upon failing in them and not performance of them suffer as covenant-breakers This is clear Israel covenanted to dismisse their Hebrew servants and dismissed them not and Israel suffered for it Jer. 34. But upon failing in Faith and Repentance God suffers not so much as in his Name as a covenant-breaker He is not charged with mens unbelief and impenitence Men themselves suffer Therefore Faith and Repentance are mans conditions not Gods 2. There are objections peculiarly against repentance as it comprises the whole frame of obedience Object as before held forth to disable it from being any Gospel-condition By this means the covenant of Grace will be say some a covenant of works Repentance in this latitude to which we have spoken containes the whole of obedience and being made a condition of the Covenant of Grace Works are introduced and a Covenant of Works re-established As there was grace in the first covenant Answ as you have heard which we call a covenant of Works So works are not wholly excluded from this covenant which we call a covenant of Grace God still keeps up his Sovereignty as you have heard and how this can be done when he leaves man at that wilde freedome not so much as to call for homage from him cannot be conceived his rule even in this covenant is to reward men according to their works Behold I come quickly and my reward it with me to give every man according as his work shall be Rev. 22. 12. Works then are not excluded from this covenant yea Christ the Mediatour of the covenant aforehand tells us Except our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of heaven Matth. 5.
20. They had their righteousnesse and as was supposed they made a great progresse in the way of righteousnesse yet we must have an exceeding righteousnesse above that which they taught and practised or else there is no salvation in this covenant These two covenants notwithstanding remaine distinct and not confounded together There is a legal righteousnesse such as the Law in the highest extremity of it requires without the least indulgence in case of failing This the covenant of Works calls for and in this we fall short but Christ answers and therefore He is the end of the Law for righteousnesse Rom. 10. 3. and by this we are saved There is a righteousnesse of the Gospel which God in covenant calls for to which it is his Spirit enables and in this we are saved 2. Gospel-obedience is called for in the Covenant but not as any condition of the Covenant Faith is the alone condition obedience necessarily flows from it and follows upon it when once we believe it need not to be conditioned or indented for seeing when we are in Christ by faith we can then do no other than obey I answer This position here laid down that obedience necessarily follows and flows from Faith is a position indeed maintained by the reformed Churches against Papists Arminians Socinians and other opposites of it from which position of ours they inferre as by necessary consequence that all commands requiring obedience are then needlesse and all exhortations reproofs motives and promises to no purpose None either commands or perswades the Heavens to move the Sunne to give light the Fire to give heat or the water to give moisture That which necessarily works is let alone to work and to take its course in working And this Objection taking away this Gospel-condition on this ground is of the same stamp Obedience necessarily flowing from Faith includes Gospel-commands exhortations reproofs as well as Gospel-conditions If God need not to condition and engage for obedience from Beleevers because they thus necessarily obey then he needs not give commands or presse obedience for the same reason when yet the Gospel is full of exhortations commands menaces promises with application to Beleevers to men professing Faith to men in Christ by Faith For satisfaction then of this Popish-Arminian objection we must distinguish of consequents which necessarily flow from their principles Some are natural which of themselves have their effects as those in the objection mentioned Here is neither command imposed condition required nor promise held forth They are not in any capacity of acting or working otherwise than they do Others are moral who work not by way of Physical necessity but are kept in their way by the power of grace upholding which does not exclude but necessarily takes in mans endeavour in the use of meanes to yeeld obedience and to hold on in all patience and perseverance This argument followed home will be of equal force against Faith as a condition as against sincerity seeing Gods Elect shall beleeve as they that beleeve shall yeeld obedience There is a like necessity of faith flowing from election as there is of obedience to flow from Faith as Faith therefore so obedience either of both in their places are covenant-conditions CHAP. XXV What degree of obedience the Covenant of grace calls for from Christians HEre is seasonably moved and is not without some difficulty answered what degree of obedience this new covenant calls for from us that so we may endeavor it and understand our selves when we have by grace attained to it that having entred covenant with God we may not be found of those that have wickedly departed and dealt falsely in the covenant In this there are several opinions which are to come under examination First some say that it is required of Christians in an exact way in a full perfection as of parts so of degrees answering to the perfection of the Law as written in the heart and given on Mount Sinai And so required that obedience in a more low degree will not be accepted or the mercies promised in the covenant obtained which doctrine of theirs rigidly followed stands as that two edged sword Gen. 3. 24. keeping the way of the tree of Life and making the way to salvation unpassable Thus the Councel of Trent If any man shall say that by Baptisme men are obliged to Faith only and not to the observation of the whole Law let him be accursed which Chemnitius in his Examen confesses in a qualified sense might be admitted seeing persons baptised owe subjection but not in the sense which that Canon holds forth being an allusion to that of the Apostle Gal. 5. 3. I testifie again to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtor of the whole Law By which Glosse Baptisme makes Christ of none effect as well as Circumcision as it was taken in the sense of those false Teachers among the Galatians viz. as a leading ceremony of the Law binding to the observation of the whole And so also Bellar. lib. 1. de Baptis cap. 15. Baptisme doth not make us debtors to Faith only but to keep the whole Law and there explaines himself that to deny a man to be a debtor to keep the whole Law may be taken two wayes either so as that to do things against the Law were no sinne as though the Law were abrogated This he confesses Protestants do not say and in that he saith there is no controversie or else so that justification or salvation doth not depend on the fulfilling of the Law but only on the mercy of God by faith applied this he makes the Protestants errour and so brings in justification by the Law and utterly confounds the covenant of works and grace together onely I confesse the businesse seemes much mollified by the explanations that they give of those words fulfilling of the Law First curtelling the Law in taking off the first fomes and motions of actual sinne yea even all that goes before consent of will making it no sinne at all as also multitudes of actions some of them foule enough as not within this verge such which they call by the name of venial sinnes which are besides the Law but not against it bending as some merrily speak but not breaking the Commandments though they would never give us a catalogue of sins mortal or venial nor any certaine mark or character whereby they might be distinguished All these are pared off as no breaches of the Law nor in their own nature deserving the sentence of eternal death and the temporal punishments due to them after death is holpen out by their Indulgences Secondly so helping themselves out with distinctions at least some among them that keeping the Law with them is no other than the grace of sanctification in the very sense as the Orthodox hold it forth He that pleases may read what Jansenius hath chap. 81. of his Harmony Opposing Luther for his denial that
have had our conversation in the world Yea this is a mark of him who is entirely the Lords professedly and really his When the question is put Who shall dwell in Gods holy hill Who shall abide in his Tabernacle answer is returned He that walks uprightly and worketh righteousnesse Psal 15 1 2. And when a like question is put Isa 33. 14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burning We have the like answer returned in the words that follow He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly And Jesus seeing Nathanael saith John 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed There are many Israelites in name but here was an Israelite indeed and this is his character in whom there is no guile His inside was the same with that without In the discharge of this the Saints of God have promised to themselves upon good grounds all happinesse Psal 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments The want of this renders all that is done void and vaine as to the acceptation of God when the heart glances aside and is not right with God in worshipping him doth not seek him Math. 15. 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from me Israel is an empty Vine he bringeth forth fruit to himself Hos 10. 1. Their heart is divided therefore shall they be found faulty verse 2. Amaziah did that which was good in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. Judah hath not turned unto me with their whole heart but feignedly Jerem. 3. 10. Psal 78. 34 35 36 37. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God and they remembred that God was their rock and the high God their redeemer neverthelesse they did flatter him with their mouths and they lied unto him with their tongues for their hearts were not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant By all which I suppose it is evident that God in covenant calls for obedience requires integrity of heart in it will not accept where sincerity of heart is wanting and where it is he crowns it with happinesse and glory And from what hath been spoken a full definition of the new covenant may be thus given A gracious Covenant of God with fallen man whereby God engages himself upon faith in Christ and returne to God in sincere obedience to confer on man remission of sinnes and all whatsoever that tends to everlasting happinesse They that professe to beleeve and returne to God are in Covenant They that do beleeve and sincerely returne enjoy the blessings and mercies of the covenant This Arminians make the decree of God and will have no other than such conditional Election not an Election unto faith and obedience but because it is foreseene that men will beleeve and persevere in sincere obedience in which they are opposed by the Orthodox See Moulins Anatomy of Arminianisme chap. 12. Sect. 10. This is the covenant of grace published and promised in the Gospel which Arminians would make one with Election confounding the Will of Gods Decree with the Will of his Command and Promise He that would see more into the nature of sincerity that he may answer to that which God in covenant doth require may peruse Ball on the Covenant chap. 11. and Doctor Preston on Gen. 17. 1. CHAP. XXVI The necessity of a Ministery to bring men into Covenant with God and to bring them up to the termes of the Covenant FRom hence several Corollaries may be drawn and Inferences made 1. Of the necessity of a Ministery a constant standing Ministery as to bring men into covenant with God so to bring them also up to the termes of the covenant to a lively saving faith and sincere obedience God works not man into covenant by immediate voice Neither doth he use the Ministery of Angels in his ordinary way of working of it But when he would take in the Nations of the world into covenant with himself he sends out his Ministers for that work giving them a Commission with gifts and abilities suitable to disciple all Nations Matth 28. 19. Where a Ministery comes not there that people remaine out of covenant in the state of the Ephesians before their call as it is set out by the Apostle Ephes 2. 12. without Christ aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world And where the Gospel-covenant is tendered and not received there that people continue out of covenant rejecting the councel of God against themselves Luke 7. 30. and rendering themselves unworthy of everlasting life Acts 13. 46. This was the case of the people of Athens There Paul preacht yet there he setled for ought we read no Church of beleevers though he had there some particular Converts Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris with others Acts 17 34. Where the word was delivered and there received there was a people in covenant with God as at Ephesus Corinth Philippi Thessalonica c. Those Ministers had the honour of planting of laying the first foundation of preaching where Christ before had not been named Rom. 15. 20. A people thus brought into covenant do not alwayes come up to the termes of the covenant All covenanters keep not covenant their hearts are not steady in it Therefore there is no lesse necessity of a Ministery in established Churches to keep up a people in Covenant with God through the termes of the covenant to bring them to the happinesse promised Theirs is the work of watering of building on anothers foundation of preaching Christ where Christ before at least was known by name and in some sort professed That there was such a Ministery in the Church of the Jews to teach Jacob his Laws and Israel his judgements to require what God in covenant called for is not denyed that a Ministery was necessary in the Primitive Apostolique times to work men into covenant and for the plantation of Churches is confest likewise But when the Apostles left the world then this order as some say sell with them all Ministerial power died with them We are made to beleeve saith one because the Apostles were ordained by God to be Teachers of the people and endued with gifts for that end that therefore there is a like divine though secret Ordination from God in the making of our Ministers Compassionate Samaritane page 24 25. But if the Scriptures may be heard this may soone be decided I shall therefore by arguments make it appear First that God hath established a Ministery and appointed it through all the ages of the world to be perpetuated Secondly I shall give reasons to manifest the necessity of such a Ministery to be thus established and
suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sins In case Timothy had had that power to have conferred with the calling qualifications for the calling he had no need to have been in that way advised to use such circumspection Why should he be so careful to see them first fit in case his laying on of hands would fit them There need not such trial whether they were gifted in case a touch of the hand would be the gifting of them And for Timothies Ordination in the place quoted 2 Tim. 1. 6. it followes not from our grant that extraordinary gifts are there specified that authority for the Ministerial work is denied It is plain that Moses authorized Joshua for succession in his place by laying on of hands Deut. 34. 9. The people upon that took him for his successor yet it is as plain in the Text that the Spirit of wisdom was then conferred upon him Authority and power are sometimes given at once yet all that are in power to authorize cannot impower for this businesse he that will see more may read Dr. Seamans Treatise on this subject and jus divinum Ministerii Ecclesiastici CHAP. XXIX Ministers of Christ must bring their people up to the termes of the Covenant pressing the neccessity of Faith and Repentance THen it farther yet follows that the Ministers of Christ are to call their people unto these duties before mentioned as conditions They must urge and presse the necessity of Faith and Repentance These are the termes of the covenant and stipulation to which God in covenant doth engage in which the Apostles of Christ spent their paines Testifying both to Jews and Gentiles repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20. 21. And this must be the businesse of those that make it their businesse to preach the Gospel in all ages Men must be taught to observe what Christ commands and teaches Matth. 28. 20. These Christ teaches and gives in charge Thus he begun his Ministery Mark 1. 15. Repent ye and beleeve the Gospel They must so preach that men may not perish that they may not be the savour of death But they only that beleeve shall not perish John 3. 16. They that repent not must perish Luke 13. 1. They must so preach Christ that men may have their interest in Christ that they may not be cast off by Christ But Faith gives this interest He dwells in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3. 17. Workers of iniquity must be cast off Mat. 7. 23. Depart from me all ye that work iniquity It is no plain dealing in any of the Ministers of Christ to make tender of promises to hold forth priviledges and conceale the termes upon which they may be obtained to speak of salvation to men in sinne without so much as the name of sanctification or application to God in a way of Repentance to tell men in the Prodigals course of the Fathers bowels and readinesse to meet them with kisses without mention of the Prodigals humiliation or coming in to tell them of the many sinnes forgiven to the woman in the Gospel Luk 7. 47. without once mention of those many tears that were shed in evidence of her repentance They say that these are the strongest motives to work men from sin This I gladly yeeld when the promise is tendered and with it repentance urged I know it was the way of the Prophet Esay 55. 7. and therefore a prevalent way Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon The way also of the Apostle 2 Cor. 6. 17. Be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you But the severing of the promise from the duty so that Christ is heard only in a promise not at all in a precept when they heare that Christ will save but are never told that they must repent These are but delusions Promise-Preachers and no duty-Preachers grace-Preachers and not repentance-Preachers do but as the Apostle hath long since given warning deceive with vain words Ephes 5. 6. This will never work men from sinne but strengthen men in sin Ezek. 13. 22. Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad whom I have not made sad and strenthened the hands of the wicked that he should not returne from his wicked way by promising life These promises of life thus tendered we see are lies for men in sinne are men for death Ezek. 18. 31. These promises strengthen the hands of men in sinne that they return not from it It is the observation of many that the false Prophets so branded in the Old Testament vented no errours in Faith but only misapplications of truths They promised peace where the Lord had promised no peace and therefore a false Prophet among the Jews is distinguished from a false Teacher among Christians 2 Pet. 2. 1. These latter bring in damnable heresies and so did not the former But as ours outstrip them in that they bring in errours in faith so they joyne with them in misapplications of truths If thou be a whoremonger a blasphemer a drunkard a mad man in iniquity saith one or words to that purpose and there be no manner of change wrought in thee yet come and take Christ c. Does any Gospel-Text speak of such a mans taking of Christ without any manner of change wrought Are not those the enemies of Christ that rise in hostile rebellion Psal 68. 21. And while they despise him can they receive him We would not have such a sinner if we can possibly imagine a great sinner kept from Christ Jesus but he must come in at the Gospel-door He must come in the way of his call He must come to receive whole Christ in each function of his He must come for every gift which Christ poures out He must come for repentance from Christ as a Prince as well as remission of sins as a Saviour Acts 5. 31. God hath exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes He must come by the way of Faith for forgivenesse This both Prophets and Apostles Old Testament and New Testament-Gospel calls for Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sinnes They must come by repentance and conversion in order to forgivenesse Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. I do not say that there is no promise in Scripture made to a wicked man that is the greatest Gospel-paradox But I say they are not made good to wicked persons They are made to the wicked made good that
is performed to the beleeving and penitent To finde a promise made and made good that is tendered and performed to a man unbeleeving impenitent is indeed a labour One replying to this question What if I have not those conditions in me as to feel my self hungry thirsty and heavy-laden answers If you finde not these or such conditions in you Objections answered then you are not to apply your self to those promises that are made to such as have those conditions in them But you are to seek out for other and more suitable promises which are absolute and without condition It is worth asking where those suitable promises are to a man void of faith For that before by the Authour was mentioned or to a man impenient and not so much as hungring after them such a one I meane that upon good grounds is able to charge the want of these upon his soul I am sure they are under heavy Scripture-woes even Gospel-menaces and can they at the same time be fitted to receive the mercy of a promise Where are his promises that hungers and thirsts not when Christ saith Wo to you that are full for you shall hunger Where is his promise that mourns not but goes on frolick in his way When Christ saith Woe unto you that laugh now for ye shall weep and lament Luke 6. 25. Where is the unbeleevers promise when the Lord sayes He that beleeveth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeved in the name of the only begotten Son of God John 3. 18. Where is the impenitent mans promise when the Psalmist saith The wicked shall be turned into hell Psalme 9. 17. and the Apostle That no unrighteous person shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven 1 Cor. 6. 9. But instance is given Isa 43. 25. I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own name sake But this is not the unbeleeving the impenitent mans transgressions they still stand on record and the bond uncancelled This excludes motives from us not graces wrought in us when God justifies a beleever it 's for his own name sake or else he is a loser in his glory when he justifies those that beleeve in Jesus Rom. 3. 26. and Faith gives not glory to God as Rom. 4. 20. but takes glory from him As Peter said of the creeple that was cured His name through faith in his name hath made this man strong Acts 3. 16. So we may say of every sinner justified and pardoned His Name through faith in his Name hath acquit and freed him When God pardons a penitent man it is not for the merit of his returne that he pardons him if this were so Peter who is so zealous to advance his name in the place quoted had not presently urged Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3. 19. It is not for his honour to pardon any other This is with him a rule which he will for ever follow Those that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 3. 30. The same Author saith Conditions and qualifications are mentioned in some promises and therefore we may safely inferre are understood in all promises of life and salvation unlesse God deny himself He hath threatned death and condemnation against an unqualified man namely the unbeleeving and impenitent and therefore hath not promised them life and salvation Beleeving penitent ones have the promises of life to be made good to them exclusively to all others To lead the sinner to Christ for the gaining of the qualifications of grace in the way of his Ordinances is to lead him right He is the Author of our faith and he is a Prince to give repentance But to perswade a sinner to look for life in the want of all these or to tell him of Assurance of life without sense of these is to deceive him That happy Doctrine of free grace so timely abused even as soon as clearly preached is now no lesse abused Then inferences were made from it for encouragement to abound in sin Rom. 6. 1. Now inferences are drawn to cry down duty Righteousnesse imputed must overthrow righteousnesse inherent The Apostle would not suffer the former the Ministers of Christ must not bear the latter CHAP. XXX A people in covenant must come up to the termes of the covenant being engaged to God they must answer their engagements HEnce farther follows that all people in covenant must come up to the termes and propositions of the covenant Entring covenant they must see that their hearts art upright in it How do we aggravate their wickednesse and hold in detestation all those persons that break covenant with men that having past a promise especially having put upon it the sanction of an Oath yet violate and transgresse it These first involve themselves in the guilt of lying which every where in Scripture is followed with judgements an Art which they learne of the Devil who is a liar and the father of lies John 8. 44. And therefore with him have their doome in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstome Revel 21. 8. Secondly in the pollution of Gods Name which we should have in fear and dread Deut. 28. 5 8. Taking it in vaine in falsehood and deceit into their mouths endeavouring to bring in that God whom they pretend to serve in whom is all their expectation as a party in their falsehood and ungodlinesse This high crime is charged upon Israel in taking to themselves again those servants that according to covenant they had dismissed Jerem. 34. 15 16. Ye turned and polluted my name and caused every man his servaut and every man his handmaid whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure to returne and brought them into subjection to be unto you for servants and for handmaids Therein is the overthrow of all bonds of humane society of all converse and commerce whether in more publick or private negotiations Truth is the upholding and perfidiousnesse is the bane and utter destruction of it When Papists have maintained that Faith or covenant is not to be kept with Hereticks reformed Churches have concluded upon it that there is no safety of any league or intercourse of dealing with them The example of John Husse is a sufficient warning Those that hold no such principles yet being such in their practices are equally dangerous We look upon these as given up to a very Spirit of Atheism if not wholly in their judgements to deny a Deity and to utter with their mouths that which the Psalmists foole sayes in his heart yet utterly slighting his Sovereignty and disregarding his judgements They have arrived at that dedolency that the Apostle mentions Ephes 4. 19. and therefore rankt by him with the worst of Heathens Rom. 1. 31. and put into that black bill of ungodly persons that will be found in the last and
most perillous times 2 Tim. 3. 3. How much more then will God and man have in detestation those that have entred covenant in an immediate way with God for faith and obedience and to stand out in opposition to sinne and Satan yet making defection from God by sinne and unbeliefe stand up in rebellion against him Is the dreadful Majesty of the great God of no more regard than to pretend to him engage with him and then stand up in hostility against him Is there any thing so lovely or honourable in sin to allure men to run upon the wrath of God that they may welter in it or any thing so unpleasing in the wayes of God that neither the dread of his name nor the blisse held forth in promise can perswade to embrace them A viler thing cannot be named than a Christian in sinne a Christian in wayes of unbeliefe and wickednesse Were the name of a Christian off and no covenant bonds engaging to the Lord then there were no more than a creature in rebellion and that were bad enough the work of Gods hand to strive with its Maker But standing vested in this covenant-relation honoured with this glorious Name here is an addition of Hypocrisie Apostasie and defection We hate none more than those that are false to us and we may well conclude that God hates none more than those that are false to him and therefore challenges his people whether they have found any iniquity in him Jerem. 2 5. What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone farre from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain A servant doth not use to quit one Master and betake himself to another but he gives some reason of his change One that hath been engaged for the ways of God as all are that are called by the Name of God and dignified with the title of a Christian would be hard put to it to give a reason of his revolt from God When God and vanity are set in competition that God should be refused and vanity chosen when the fountaine of living waters that never can be drawn dry is left and cisternes broken cisternes chosen that are alwayes running dry How does the holy Ghost set out these 2 Pet. 2. 22. The dog is turned to his own vomit againâ—â— and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Can the sow find no other place than filth nor the dogge no other food than his vomit A returne to sinne is more loathsome than these and such are all the wayes of all men in sinne of all of a Christian profession that are seen in ungodly ways Nothing so glorious as a Christian that holds to his principles that answers in conversation to his profession Nothing so inglorious as a Christian in sin A Jew outwardly and a Heathen inwardly a face for God and a heart for iniquity When such as these came out of the holy land for Babylon they there said in way of reproach of their God These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his land Ezek. 36. 20. Rom. 2. 24. Insomuch that God is put to it for his vindication not to suffer them to carry their sin with impunity Ezek. 39. 23 24. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity because they trespassed against me therefore hid I my face from them and gave them into the hand of their enemies so fell they all by the sword according to their uncleannesse and according to their transgressions have I done unto them and hid my face from them This falsehood in covenant draws present sufferings National plagues I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant Levit. 26. 25. Every Christian Nation under sufferings may sadly reflect upon all that they groan under and say their iniquities have procured these things unto them But this breach of covenant with God hath greater evils even unto eternity following upon it Men of sinne and unbeliefe that lie in distrust and disobedience can claime no interest in the grace and mercy of the covenant God in covenant engages to Faith and Repentance these as we have seen are his termes when men come not up to them they dis-interest themselves and disengage God from any tye of conferring blisse and savation upon them Their own folly and madnesse puts a barre to their own happinesse and glory They cannot be self-saviours yet they will not go out of themselves for salvation by another when they have received the sentence of death in themselves they will not come to Christ that they may have life He may worthily bear his own debt that in pride of spirit refuses anothers bounty Christ offers himself as a Surety in our stead to make payment for us in his own person The unbeleever will stand on his owu bottome and make pay out of his own store or perish Having heaven and hell set before them the tender of the one and the terrour of the other quitting heaven and all the glory of it and happinesse in it they make choice of that fire that is prepared for the Devil and his Angels covenant-breaking having the certaine doome of destruction fastened upon it Assurance of salvation cannot be gained but in a way of covenant-keeping yea the conditions of the covenant are the basis and never failing bottome of our Evidence and Assurance It is gathered thus He that believes and repents shall be saved This is evidently laid down in Scriptures A man void of saving faith and impenitent may give his assent to it Then the sould is to assume to it selfe but I beleeve and repent therefore I shall be saved These two as at large hath been shewn are the conditions of the covenant these we must finde wrought in our souls or else all Evidence is wanting and when these are concluded an undeceiving interest in salvation follows There is a twofold work to be done on the soul that is in sin in order to bring it to salvation There is a third to be done for assurance of salvation The first work is to set the soul free from Hell to deliver it from the sentence of Death to which by the rule of justice man stands condemned A man must be fetched out of prison before he can be for any preferment or place of honour This is done by the blood of Christ Ephes 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace This is the price of our ransom Being redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1 18. Secondly to make a man meet for heaven A man so vile as sinne makes is a man fit for nothing but hell and must have a change wrought before he be meet for heaven Upon this ground the Apostle is
so large in returning praise for the Colossians Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. As alone the blood of Christ sets free from hell so alone the Spirit of Christ makes fit for heaven This is done by a double work 1. Of regeneration or first implantation of grace which is called the birth of the Spirit John 3. 5 6. 2. By acting improving carrying on this work of grace which is properly sanctification so that when the Spirit is gone thus farre here is a certainty of the object It is sure nothing more sure than this that a regenerate sanctified man shall be saved But here is more required for a certainty of the subject Here is certitudo de re but more is required to attaine certitudinem de se If Peter do beleeve and repent he shall be saved is out of controversie But that Peter doth beleeve and repent is not alwayes so soone discovered And this is the Spirits work as the former It is not my businesse now to hold out what is the Spirits whole office in concluding our Assurance but to shew that the conditions of the covenant are the bottom ground not of salvation but of our evidence of interest in salvation We must know that we do beleeve and repent before we have assurance and we must first beleeve and repent before we know that we beleeve and repent If before faith and repentance there can be no salvation then before we know we beleeve and repent we cannot be assured of salvation But without faith and repentance there is no salvation Mark 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned Luke 13. 3. 5. I tell you may but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Therefore before we beleeve and repent we cannot be assured of salvation And how assurance can be gained without a practical syllogisme and how a syllogisme can be framed with any other medium than the conditions of the covenant is above my understanding Man is so far from abilities to conclude salvation without faith and repentance that be must conclude himself to be in faith and that he doth repent before he can conclude any interest in it The covenant of God is the ground of our salvation if that be waved all is lost and we must make good our part in the Covenant Grace must assist to answer what the covenant requires or no salvation How is it a covenant if nothing be required and why is it required if it must not be performed To gather up assurance from the conditions of the covenant is a businesse of greater consequence even the highest pitch of Christianity It is a great work to beleeve and repent a greater work to know that we savingly beleeve and repent The work it selfe is difficult no businesse of a lazy soul but to know that the work is aright done is a greater difficulty but that it must be gathered from the conditions is easie to resolve I know some finding the seal of the Spirit and the witnesse of the Spirit mentioned in Scripture in order to assurance will have the whole of the work of Assurance to be carryed on alone by the Spirit and that all is done in us without us They expect a secret whisper from God that we are Gods and no more This witnesse they say must be heeded and our faith and repentance in the work not at all regarded But I would know of those if the Spirit be a seale whether the soul doth not bear the impresse and what this impresse is but the graces of the Spirit The Seale sealing and the impresse made fully answer one the other Sometimes it may dimmely answer where the wax or clay or whatsoever is sealed takes not a full impression but if it answer not it is no Seale The graces that the Spirit works are its impresse and these are the conditions of the covenant and so instead of an objection we have a proofe For the witnesse of the Spirit I desire to know whether it be a single witnesse giving testimony to us without us or a witnesse concurring with our spirits The Text is cleare Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God Our spirits bearing witnesse are our consciences Rom. 2. 5. Their consciences also bearing them witnesse and therefore Master Baxter rightly affirmes That the testimony of the Spirit and the testimony of our consciences are two concurrent testimonies or causes to produce one and the same effect But every conscience cannot witnesse thus with the Spirit or joyne in a concurrent testimony It is the witnesse of a good conscience 1 Pet. 3. 21. Baptism saves saith the Apostle by the resurrection of Christ Explaining himself not the putting away the filth of the flesh not the bare outward act of administration which is worthily set out by the most undervaluing termes when it is put in opposition to the inward work but the answer of a good conscience towards God Baptisme is a seal of the covenant and it engages to what the covenant requires which as we have been still catechized is to beleeve in God and to forsake our sins and when conscience answers that this is done Baptisme is a seale that Christ saves The seale of the Spirit is an impresse of those graces and the witnesse of the Spirit is a clearingup of these graces and giving in testimony to the truth of them opening our eyes to read the characters which it selfe hath made 1 Corinth 2. 12. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God So that in vaine do men talk of the Spirit that have not on their own hearts the impresse of it or of the witnesse of the Spirit when a renewed conscience cannot concurre in testimony that these engagements are answered in faith and repentance let that Text of the Apostle be considered 1 John 3. 24. He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us I know there are some that admit of all this and freely yeeld that this is a safe way to conclude Assurance from Sanctification Confessing that the Spirit never witnesseth with an unsanctified heart yet they contend for a farther and immediate teste of the Spirit without any consideration had of inherent graces wrought or any reflection made by the the soule upon it selfe in review of any gracious qualifications Yet here they confesse danger and limit this doctrine of theirs with diverse cautions as I have met with some from an eminent hand in a manuscript 1. This is extraordinary as they say very seldome seene or known it is no common way of
rather than confesse a truth But they say Object This was a seale to Abraham of the righteousnesse of faith that he might be the Father of all them that beleeve c. But only Abraham is such a father Answ This priority of receiving the Faith and the signe and seale is proper to Abraham each one could not be first but father and childe both received it and both had the righteousnesse of Faith sealed in it If Bellarmine please so well I shall referre to Bellarmines opposites Chamier de Sacramentis in genere lib. 2. cap. 9. Ames Tom. 3. more especially Whittaker praelectiones de Sacramentis page 22 23. Hâ—c desperationis c. So that which way soever they take truth fastens upon them and the friends of truth flie in their face and all to make it appear that a pure Gospel was preach't to Abraham and that the first covenant was not mixt but truly Evangelical CHAP. XXXV The Covenant of Grace in Gospel-times admits Christians in a state of unregeneration and is not limited in the bounds of it to the Elect regenerate THe two former supposed differences did lay the first covenant too low not vouchsafing it the honour of a Gospel-covenant or at the best a mixt Gospel Two others follow which will hold us longer that put too great a limit to the second covenant in respect of the latitude and extent of it A third difference therefore assigned by some is that the first covenant took in all the seed of Abraham by Isaac and Jacob as many as professed themselves to be of the Faith and that were willing to joyne in the worship of the God of Abraham The New Covenant they affirm admits no more than Elect Regenerate persons The Gospel strips us of all relative Covenant holinesse of all holinesse that is not real and intrinsecal and God ownes none as his Covenant-people but Elect regenerate persons In the first place we shall take what is yielded or at least not gain-sayed and after proceed to the examination of what is affirmed In Old Testament-times the covenant was made with Israel in the uttermost latitude and extent with all that bore the name of Israel as we may see Deut. 29. at large held forth There is a covenant entred and the words of it exprest 1. With Israel verse 1. 2. With all Israel verse 2. 3. With them to whom God had not given an heart to perceive eyes to see and eares to hear ver 4. viz. with unregenerate persons 4. It is made with Captaines of Tribes Elders Officers little Ones Wives Strangers Hewers of wood Drawers of water vers 10 11. 5. With them that were present and with them that were absent verse 14 15. All this clearly shews in how great a latitude this covenant is entred No Israelite of any Sex Age Rank nor any that joyned themselves to that body are exempted Which also farther appears in those innumerable places of Scripture where God owns that people generally promiscuously as his people professing himself to be their God and he is the God of none but a covenant-people of his own covenant-people others are without God Eph. 2. 12. He was the God of all that came out of Egypt Exod. 20. 2. I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage Of all that whole family Amos 3. 1. Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against thee O children of Israel against the whole family which I have brought up from the land of Egypt Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord Deut. 6. 4. Yea Isreal at the very worst is thus owned as Gods in covenant Hear O my people and I will testifie unto thee O Israel if thou wilt hearken unto me but my people would not hearken to my voice Israel would have none of me Psal 8 8 11. The Oxe knows his Owner the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Isa 1. 3. Therefore my people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge Isa 5. 13. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge Hos 4. 6. And when they entred into the Heathen whither they went they prophaned my holy Name when they said unto them These are the people of the Lord Ezek. 36. 20. This is brought as a motive to withhold Israel from sin Ye are the children of the Lord your God ye shall not cut your selves nor make any baldnesse between your eyes for the dead for thou art an holy people to the Lord thy God Deut. 14. 1 2. This is pleaded as an aggravation of sin You have I known of all the Nations of the earth and therfore you will I punish for all your iniquities Amos 3. 2. This is brought as a motive to prevail with God under misery for mercy Behold we beseâ—ch thee we are all thy people Isa 64. 9. Yea this covenant takes with God for national mercies The whole of the Nation then is in covenant Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember and will remember the land Levit. 26. 42. The Apostles authority puts it out of question Reckoning up the priviledges of Israel according to the flesh nine in number Rom. 9. 4. This is one The covenants Israel then after the flesh was in covenant All Israel were the covenant-people of God There were many not Elect not Regenerate but there was not a man not in covenant not owned of God as visibly his Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his people Deut. 26. 17 18. This was the state of the Church of old But now as is affirmed it is far otherwise God is not so large in his priviledges nor so ample in his munificence none have honour to be in covenant in Gospel-times but real beleevers men truly sanctified and regenerate And here it cannot be denied but there are many expressions ordinarily found in many Orthodox Writers and like passages frequently heard in Sermons from godly Ministers seemingly implying if not asserting it and restraining the covenant onely to the elect and regenerate As when they give Marks and signes of mens being in covenant with God this must needs imply that some professing Christians are in covenant with God and some without which is yet farther evidenced when they conclude that in case a man be in covenant with God then happinesse and salvation follows But when these men fully explain themselves they yeeld up again to us that which seemingly they had taken from us and ordinarily do distinguish of an outward and inward covenant acknowledging the outward covenant to be made with every member of the Church and the Parents with that hear and professedly accept the promises and their children But the inward covenant as they say belongs to
Deut. 32. 21. of the call of the Gentiles into a visible Church-state and profession and so applied by the Apostle Rom. 9. 24 25 26. Whence I argue The call of the ten revolted Tribes and of the Gentiles into a visible Church-way is not to be meant of the Church as it is invisible onely This one hath already taken into consideration and answered Howsoever it be in the places in which the allusion is yet it is certaine that here it is meant of such a calling as is from darknesse to marvellous light Taking it it seems for granted that there is no marvelous light in visible Churches that in the land of Zebulon and Nepthali where they saw a great light there were only invisible members Mat. 4. 15 16. Fourthly as honourable titles as these are frequently given in Scripture as shall be shewn to visible professours why should then these be limitted to invisible Members Fifthly this Text by adversaries is made to be parallel with those Texts Gal. 6. 10. 1 Tim. 3. 15. 1 Pet. 2. 20. And those Texts I have demonstrated to be meant of visible Churches To which nothing is replyed Arguments to evince it to be meant of the Church as it is invisible come to be considered 1. I argue saith one from the termes chosen Generation royal Priesthood Objections answered and holy Nation a peculiar people This is by Christs death which can be understood of no other than Elect and true Beleevers Tit. 2. 14. Answ 1. Such a way of arguing would not passe with him in his Adversary As peculiar people is taken in one place of Scripture so it must be taken in all places but in one place it is taken for the Elect regenerate If this would hold much labour might be spared in finding out the various acception of words in Scripture 2. These termes and others equipollent to these are given to the Israelites Deut. 14. 1 2. Deut. 9. 6. Deut. 32. 9. not as a Church invisible but as visible Members Their qualifications are often as low as their appellations by reason of their relation to God raise them high And setting apart Christs death I would know how the Israelites came to this honour 3. The gift of Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastours and Teachers were the gift of Christ and the purchase of his death These are for constitution of visible Churches and visible members enjoy these priviledges in common with regenerate persons to which more is already spoken 2. An Objection is raised from that which is said of them They are called of God by his power and vertue into his marvelous light and verse 10. Which now had obtained mercy which they had not before which cannot be affirmed of any but true Beleevers and Elect persons Answ Men brought into a visible Church-state are brought into a marvelous light The seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. 20. had a marvelous light in their lamps and yet in some of those there were onely a few names that had not defiled their garments And this light is a mercy the fruition of it is a great mercy Psalme 147. 19 20. Yea it is applied by the Prophet Hos 2. 23. whence the Apostle gathers it unto the mercy enjoyed in a visible Church-communion which is not denied by the adversary 3. It is said that those persons did beleeve contra-distinguished to them that were disobedient and stumbled at the word but such are onely the Elect. Ergo. Answ So did all they that made shipwrack of the faith 1 Tim. 1. 19. So did Simon Magus Acts 8. 13. So did the hearers compared to the rocky ground Luke 8. 13. And whereas it is said these Beleevers are contra-distinguished to them that were disobedient and stumbled at the Word it fully makes against this interpretation Those disobedient ones are those that disallow Christ as we see verse 7. that reject Christ upon tender that persist in Judaisme or Gentilisme All others not professed Jewes nor Gentiles are in that place Beleevers and in all other Scriptures respective to visible prerogative all which are visible Church-members 4. They are said to be built as living stones c. which can agree to none but Elect persons and true Beleevers Answ That is left out in the Quotation of this Text which would wholly spoile the argument and carry it on the other hand namely those words To whom coming as unto a living stone The Apostle shews them the way and points out the condition called for which being done they are then built as living stones And this implies that it was so with some but not with others Here is that which was done by some and neglected by others and their happinesse upon discharge of their duty declared I am told by one that he hardly beleeves that any approved Writer joyns with me in this Interpretation But though I were alone in it yet I might learne of him to adventure not barely on the interpretation of one single-Scripture-Text but on a conclusion in Theology against all Protestant Writers and herein I should have the advantage in that few comparatively I think have started this question much lesse have they seriously handled it minding more what those titles engage us to be in which there is an agreement of all parties than to whom they are given when some of my opposites dare affront the whole body of Protestant Writers in that in which ex professo they have to deale against Papists Estius indeed upon examination of the thing in question appeares to be of a contrary minde and censures those that set out this holinesse by Religion doctrine Sacraments which Authours by him thus censured may be for ought I know as approved as himself and they as we see limit it not to the Church invisible I doubt not but that holinesse which is intrinsecal is here aimed at yet all those have these titles that do make profession of the way of it and are of the number of those that engage themselves to it Gerrard also on the words puts it to the question and determines the same way but tells us of others that understand it of common and general election His name I suppose is waved in that his Arguments are borrowed and have been answered But on the other hand Master Ball who if authorities must carry it will sway with me as much as either treating on those words Hos 2. 19 20. I will betroth thee unto me for ever c. saith The external betrothing by outward covenant so as God betroths himselfe to all professing the true faith may be broken for though God offer them mercy if they will believe yet he gives not not faith to them and quotes for proof Rom. 9. 24 25. 1 Pet. 2. 8 9. And Zanchius de perseverantia sanctorum cap. 1. Tit. de Sanctis hath these words Hear now what I understand by the name of Saints This name Saint when it is spoken of men is 1 Generally taken for all those that have consecrated
themselves to the true God and given their name to Christ and do professe him and his Religion whether it be done before God truely and sincerely or only before men so the people of Israel although they were not all truely holy yet they are all called holy so Paul calls all those Saints who had given their names to Christ so Peter 1 Pet. 2 calls all those Christians to whom he writes a holy Nation and a royal Priesthood And Laurentius 1 Pet. 1. 1. page 6. distinguishing of a threefold election 1. To any function civil or ecclesiastical 2. To the external communion of divine worship or the outward Church or people of God 3. To salvation and eternal life brings for proof of the second acceptation Deut. 7. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. both which Texts with him there are parallel and taken in the same sense that I understand them Ravanellus in verbum election quotes divers Texts of Scripture in which election is taken for the adoption of any Nation and puts this of 1 Pet. 2. 9. in the last place adding these words And this election is general as hath been said nor are all that are made partakers of it necessarily saved Rom. 9. 6. but respective to this general election he is said to be chosen of God who is called to the participation of his free covenant or a people whom God adopts to himself for a people So also in verbum Sanctus which he sayes is taken three wayes 1. By separation or segregation 2. By imputation 3. By inchoation of holinesse in this life He there gives many instances of the first acception of holinesse by separation distinct from the two other and 1 Pet 2. 9. for one So Salmero as I finde him quoted to my hand understands it of election distinct from that which is to eternal life and calls it an election to faith and all know that they mean no more than their Catholick faith which according to them doth not necessarily entitle to eternal life A Lapide with whom my adversaries in these controversies frequently joyn is also wholly on my part in his Comment on these words so that it needed not to have been said that no approved authour joynes with me Let the Reader judge as the strength of reasons given will perswade CHAP. XXXVIII Arguments evincing the Covenant of Grace in Gospel-times in that latitude as before is asserted THe first Argument shall be borrowed from those titles which undoubtedly and undisputably imply a covenant and yet in Scripture are still attributed to all that professedly accept the termes of the covenant and professedly appear as the people of God Those titles before mentioned by Peter from Moses are confessed to be such that argue a people in covenant and therefore adversaries are so shie to confesse them to belong to visible Professours But titles as high as these and as undeniably implying a covenant are given to visible Professours those then even according to them are on this account in covenant with God And these are all of those titles wherwith the people of God are honoured In New Testament-Scriptures which are especially foure Beleevers Saints Disciples Christians He that is a Beleever a Saint a Disciple a Christian he is a man in covenant with God But all visible Professors that accept the termes of the covenant are Beleevers Saints Disciples Christians so they are still stiled in New Testament-Scriptures Beleevers from the Faith that they professe Saints from the Holinesse to which they stand engaged or from the holy God to whose service they are separated Disciples from the Doctrine which they professe to learne and Christians from him whose they are whom they serve and from whom they expect salvation I know some have inured themselves to that language that those that are thus dignified are necessarily concluded by them to be Elect Regenerate persons It is grown I know the Dialect of the times but not of the Scriptures To begin with Beleevers He is in Scripture a Beleever that is a visible Professour that puts himself into the number of those that expect salvation by Christ Jesus So it is through the History of the Acts where account is given of the Converts made by the Apostles Ministry Acts 4. 4. Many of them which heard the Word believed and the number of the men was about five thousand They that are thus numbred by the poll are visible Professours that outwardly embraced the Doctrine of Faith This might be seene and the names of such taken They are not all Elect regenerate Christians such could not be visibly known The generality of men and women in Samaria beleeved Acts 8. 12. But that they were Elect Regenerate in that universality cannot be conceived Simon Magus is an example to the contrary of whom the Text sayes that he did beleeve vers 13. and yet his heart not right in the sight of God vers 21. He was with those Israelites Psalme 78. 34. in covenant yet his heart was not stedfast in Covenant A great number of the Grecians beleeved upon the preaching of those that were scattered upon the persecution raised about Stephen Acts 11. 21. yet Barnabas whom the Church of Jerusalem sent to them well enough knew that there was no certainty little hopes that all of these were Regenerate persons therefore he exhorts them that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord. He was afraid that the work might be overly and superficial of which the Church in every age hath sad experience he desires and endeavour that they may be rooted and established Only those hearers which are compared to the good ground are Regenerate persons But those compared to bad ground beleeve Luke 8. 13. Regenerate men who alone are invisible Church-Members have their hearts more right with God than to love the praise of men more than the praise of God but many beleevers are thus censured as we see John 12. 42 43. Regenerate persons make no shipwrack of Faith They are borne of incorruptible seed the seed of God abideth in them Yet there are beleevers that thus suffer shipwrack 1 Tim. 1. 19. Myriads of thousand of Jews beleeve Acts 21. 20. yet not all Regenerate The Apostle 1 Cor. 7. satisfies a case of conscience put to him by the Corinthians that if any brother hath a wife that beleeveth not if she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away If the beleeving brother here be only a Regenerate man then the unbeleeving wife is an unregenerate woman So the question will be whether a Regenerate sanctified man joyned in marriage to a Professour of the true faith not of those hopes for the truth of sanctification may dwell with her A case that never yet was disputed or doubted The unbeleever is a worshipper of idols one that sacrifices to devils and not to God The Beleever is a Professor of the Faith one in name a Christian and not a Heathen Saint is taken
of their plagues Rev. 18. 4. and therefore to depart and be gone when their truths could not be enjoyed but their guilt through sinne contracted and it is onely their sinne that we relinquish It is their Schisme in that or any other Church that obtrude these Heterogeneal things and not theirs that do refuse them 6. Corruptions in conversation scarce admit of separation provided that doctrine be such in which men may have communion for edification If we look upon the people of Israel through the revolution of all times after they were a visible body come out from Abrahams loines we may finde high titles given them of singular glory by reason of priviledges which they enjoyed by their call into Church-fellowship children of God holy people Gods peculiar ones his portion his heritage The apple of his eye Deut. 14. 1 2. and 32. 9. Zach 2. 8. and abundant the like Elogies in sundry other texts of Scripture A people near unto God Psal 148. 14. the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service and the promises did appertaine to them Rom. 9. 4. Therefore Prophets and righteous persons kept their residence among them held communion with them and saw no ground of separation from them the words of eternal life being with them as Christ testifies in his speech to the Samaritan woman John 4. 22. when in the meane time their qualifications were as low as their titles high their conversation no way answering their calling but branded to be stiffe-necked of an iron sinew adulterous a sinful Nation a people foolish and unwise as Sodom and Gomorrah to the Lord Deut 9. 6. Isa 48. 4. Ezek. 16 32. Isa 1. 4. Deut. 32. 6. Isa 1. 10. It is a great contradiction with some men to name men at all Saints beleevers professours when their lives evidence an unsuitablenesse to such a glory yet we know the Churches to whom Epistles are directed in Scriptures are so honoured as we may see in their frontispieces and among them the choicest and most upright-hearted had converse and communion when yet they did wrong defraud contended aud disputed for Idol pollutions and defilements prophaned the Lords Table were fornicators unclean lascivious luke-warm having onely a name to live when they were dead 1 Cor. 3. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 7. 1 Cor. 8. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 20. 2 Cor. 12. 20. Rev. 3. 16. Rev. 3. 1. So that Calvin on 1 Cor. 1. 2. puts a question how Paul could give the name of a Church to them If we would know what the Prophets and Apostles held concerning lawfulnesse of communion in such Churches we may enquire what was their practice They did not leave them but made it their businesse by all ways in their power to reclaim them to work a change and conversion among them The advice that was sometimes given to a maid that for religions sake would retire her self to a solitary life if she were bad she needed the City to better her if good the City needed her may be given to these persons either they stand in need of the Church or the necessities of the Church call for their help and assistance 7. The same that I have said of corruption in conversation I may affirme of neglects in discipline Reverend Master Cotton judges that the many notorious scandalous Persons that were found in the Church of Israel did argue the neglect of Church-discipline in the toleration of such publick scandals in the Church Holinesse of Church-members pag. 21. And yet none of the Prophets or men of God who could not be ignorant of the Churches duty and their sinne in such neglects ever made attempt of setting up purer select Churches nor made separation from that which was in this sort as is said faulty All was not right in exercise of discipline in the Churches planted by the Apostles some are censured as foully faulty The Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5 2. The Church of Smyrna Rev 2 14. The Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. 20. Neither could the â—hurch of Sardis be free seeing that the greatest part as it appeares were openly bad there being but few that had not defiled their garments Rev. 3. 4. and yet nothing is heard by way of advise for any to make separation nor reproof for their holding up communion nor any one instance of a separatist given Those that for many years together during the Reigne of the three last Princes denyed to come up to a full conformity to this Church had a low opinion of the discipline then exercised of which they have left behinde them large evidences yet how tender were they of the Churches honour to keep Christians in Communion How zealous were they against separation As may appeare in the labours of Master Parker though distasted by him that prefaced before his work of Ecclesiastical Policy Master Paget Master Ball Master Brightman laid us low enough when he did not onely parallel us with luke-warme Laodicea but made that Church the type and us the antitype Our state as we stood at that time by reason of our discipline according to him being rather aimed at by Jesus Christ in his Epistle then the Laodicean State in Asia then existent yet how zealous is he against separation from these Assemblies Having largely set out a double and singular honour in that Church as he stiles it viz Christs entrance into those that open to him and his sweet residence and abode being entred with them he breaks out into these words Therefore their errour is wicked and blasphemous who so forsake the Church as if Christ were altogether banished thence no hope of salvation left for those that do remain Let them think upon Christ as feasting here with his Will they be ashamed to sit down where they see Christ is not ashamed Will they be more holy and pure then he wherfore do they not convince themselves in their own practice they cannot deny but they beleeved in â—hrist before they made a divorce from us whence â—ad they this faith came it not by the preaching in our Church and can any one preach unlesse he be sent Rom. 10 13. Wherefore then do they so perversly nause 〈◊〉 the word upon any pretence of blot in an external calling when they are sensible of its divine power in their hearts Wherefore returne to the unity of the Church which hath begotten and hath nourished you if you flie from Christ 〈◊〉 feasts with his elect in our Congregation entertaining them mutually truly you will finde him no where How doth Reverend Master Cotton in his preface to Master Hildersams work upon the fourth of John whom without honour I cannot mention set forth his renoune for this work of opposing separation of which he still appeares to be tender though he seeme page 13. of his Treatise of holinesse of Church-members to be over indulgent to it Speaking in excuse of those that withdraw from communion
all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession As for that of the Psalmist where he thinks the holy Ghost speaks otherwise the force of this Argument must needs be this That which is any where called a Covenant that is not an appendant to a covenant but the giving of the land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham is there called by the name of a Covenant He will not I think say that Circumcision is the Covenant between God and his people he will not deny but it is a signe and seale annext to the covenant and yet Gen. 17. 10. it is called a Covenant This is my Covenant which she shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-childe among you shall be circumcised Metonimies of the adjunct are well enough known and the common use of them in Scripture but that it is his wisdome for his advantage to conceale it My fifth and last argument is drawn from those several Texts in the New Testament which interpret this Covenant thus entred with Abraham in that latitude as extending to his natural issue and not with limit to his spiritual seed and that not barely in domestick or civil but in spiritual promises so that this one hath many in the bowels of it First Rom. 9. 1 2 3 4 5. verses The Apostle aggravating in the highest and saddest way that great heavinesse aud continual sorrow of heart that he had for Israel not respective to civil or domestick but higher concernments even for the whole body of Israel his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh as he expresseth himself v. 3. For amplification of the real grounds of his trouble that such a people should be cast off he reckons up their priviledges the priviledges of all that according to the flesh were Israelites Priviledges formerly enjoyed but now lost nine in number Who are Israelites to whom appertaines the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Here sure is enough to conclude them of the seed thus in covenant to be of Gods adopted seed under the Promises Secondly Rom. 11. Throughout the whole body of the chapter the Apostle speaks of the casting off of Gods people Those that are cast off from being a people of God were once his people those that are put out of covenant were a people in Covenant but the natural issue of Abraham called natural branches verse 21. being by right of birth of that Olive are there broken off cast off therefore the natural issue was the seed in covenant Thirdly Mat. 8. 11 12. Upon occasion of the Faith of the Centurion which Christ so magnifies and preferres before the faith of any in Israel he prophecies of the call of the Gentiles and the rejection of the Jewes I say unto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of heaven But the children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into utter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Nations from all quarters of the world every point of the Heavens shall embrace the Faith and be received visible members of the Kingdom of God when the children of the Kingdome that are now in it and enjoy it shall be cast out of it children of the Kingdome that are to be cast out are in the Kingdome only upon an interest of birth for the fruition of the priviledges of Ordinances and not upon any spiritual title infallibly giving interest in Salvation But the children of the Kingdome were upon our Saviours sentence to be cast out therefore they were in the Kingdome only on an interest of Birth Fourthly Gal 2. 15. In that chapter among other things we have a narrative from the Apostle of his dealing by way of reproof with Peter at Antioch In which we may observe 1. The occasion given by Peter vers 12. Before that certain came from James he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come he withdrew and separated himself 2. The issue which followed upon this carriage of his And the other Jewes dissembled likewise with him insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation 3. Arguments brought for conviction of Peter of this error which are two The first in the 14. vers If thou being a Jew livest after the manner of the Gentiles and not as do the Jewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jewes Thus the Argument runnes It is unreasonable to draw others into a practice that thou thy self purposely forbearest But thou thy self keepest not the Jewish Rites and Ordinances and therefore it is an unreasonable and blame-worthy practice by thy example to compel others to their observation yea thou being a Jew takest thy self to have freedome unreasonably then dost thou draw on others who were never under any such obligation The second Argument is in the 15. and 16. verses We who are Jewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified which is thus enforced In that way wherein we who are Jews with all our birth-priviledges cannot attain to righteousness we may not teach the Gentiles to attain to it But we who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles cannot this way attaine to righteousnesse We know that a man is justified by faith we are compelled to quit the Law and to cleave to Faith without works for justification These words which come up to our present purpose containe 1. The priviledge of Peter Paul Barnabas with the rest of the Jewes 2. The character of the Gentiles in opposition to the Jewes As to the full purpose for which these words are brought by the Apostle they have for the sense of them their dependance on the words that follow but so farre as they containe the priviledge of the Jewes in opposition to and above the Gentiles to which we are to speak so farre they are full of themselves shewing First Positively what himself and Peter were Jewes by nature Secondly Negatively what they were not sinners of the Gentiles Where nature is taken not in the proper but vulgar acceptation for birth or descent from Ancestours as usually in our common phrase of speech we say men are naturally Dutch French Spanish Irish when they are such borne and bred This Scripture therefore Camero cites for one in which the Apostle speaks after the vulgar manner We have a Scripture parallel with this Rom. 11. 24. wher
concerning grace and works verse 6. to the 11. 2. He speaks to the Gentiles and to take down their insultation over the Jewes he shewes that this rejection of theirs is not final And this as the former is 1. Asserted verse 11. I say then have they stumbled that they should fall viz. irrecoverably fall God forbid 2. Proved by giving account of a twofold end of this rejection of the Jewes 1. The call of the Gentile verse 12. But rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie 2. A more glorious returne of the Jews in emulation of the Gentiles verse 12. Now if thâ— fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulnesse Hereupon he falls upon a large discourse of his zeal toward them and their re-ingraffing vers 13. 14 15. adding the words of the Text If the first fruits be holy the lump also is holy and if the root be holy so are the branches This Paraâ—us makes a farther Argument for proof that the Jews shall again be called Gomarus makes it an encouragement to the Apostle to endeavour their call howsoever here is a double similitude One drawn from the Ceremonial Law If the first fruits be holy the lump is also holy The other from Nature If the root be holy so are the branches The first is only mentioned the second is largely commented upon In both we see 1. A supposition 2. An affirmation The supposition is of the holinesse of the first fruits the holinesse of the root The affirmation is the whole lump is holy the branches are holy This last is grounded on a principle in nature universally true As is the root so is the branch they are both of one and the same nature As is the one so is the other Which he applies to the state of the Church of God first to the Church of the Jewes and that 1. In their ancient estate when they were a people of God in Covenant-relation holy so stiled of him frequently in Scripture 2. In their present state for a great part broken off and so made no people 3. In their future condition when they should be called of God and as it were risen from the dead Secondly he applies it also to the Gentiles 1. In their ancient estate as no people 2. In their present estate made a people of God in the place of the Jewes 3. In their possible estate and condition to be rejected and cast off On which we may ground several undeniable Positions some concerning the subject root and branch some concerning the predicate holy First concerning the subject root and branch in this place as by way of Metaphor set out the estate of parent and childe ancestor and issue 2. The whole body of the Church is compared to a tree to an Olive tree 3. The root of this tree viz. the first supreme universal root is Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Not Abraham alone so Ishmaelites would be of the body Nor Abraham with Isaac alone so the Edomites from Esau would have been taken in But the Apostle in this chapter from Old Testament-authority excludes both of them Abraham Isaac and Jacob are therefore joyntly the root 4. The branches of this tree are of two sorts â—ome natural issuing from the root by descent others ingraffed put in by way of insition The â—ewes were natural branches descending from the loynes of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. The Gentiles are branches by insition put into the stock the natural branches being broken off 5. The fatnesse of this tree is the glory of Ordinances of which the whole Church partakes or as some say Christ is the fatnesse but that is onely as he is tendered in Ordinances for he walks in the middest of the Golden Candlesticks In which sense onely we may yeeld that Christ is that fatnesse Secondly concerning the predicate Holy There is one and the same holinesse goes through the whole tree all the branches natural and engraffed through the whole Church and all the children of it Jews and Gentiles The whole of this holinesse is from one Original root and therefore one and the same 2. This holinesse is such as is communicable from parent to childe and necessarily communicated as a root communicates sap to the branches This is so plaine that if it be denied all the Apostles dispute falls 3. It is no holinesse of inhesion but relation not qualitative but federal The holinesse of the Jewes who were a holy Nation was such The holinesse of the Gentiles can be no other Holinesse of inhesion is not communicable but only holinesse of relation In holinesse of inhesion the proposition holds not as is the father so is the child who knowes not that holy fathers have unholy children regenerate parents have issue unregenerate These things considered it is evident that as the father is in regard of Church-state Covenant-holinesse so is the childe both in the Church of the Jews and Gentiles The father being without the childe is without the father being within the childe is within eo nomine because a branch of such a root a childe of such a father which is a full confirmation of the point in hand that the childe is in Covenant with the father and the person that actually enters Covenant is not solely vested in it One stands upon the contrary part and puts it to this issue for trial Whether this ingraffing be into the visible Church by profession of Faith or into the invisible by Election and Faith and concludes that it is meant of the Church invisible which if he can make good I shall confesse all Arguments drawn from hence as to this point are lost I would to avoid impertinent cavils and quarrels each Text were brought to such issue I shall in the first place bring arguments to evince that the breaking off and engraffing is respective to the Church as visible and then proceed to answer arguments from a late hand against it 1. That ingraffing which is into Abraham Isaâ—â— and Jacob as a root is not an invisible graffing by saving Faith and Election This is plaine we live not by power received from Abraham Abraham cannot say he bears us up in saving graces and that without sap from him we can do nothing But the ingraffing is into Abraham Isaac and Jacob as a root This argument as is said by one were of force if Abraham were made a root by communication and for prevention he is put to it to tell us of a root communicating nothing but an exemplary root or an exemplary cause of beleeving only what an exemplary non-communicating root is or meanes let the Reader Consider Secondly that ingraffing which caused disputation and contention in some emulation in others upon the sight and report of it was not by saving faith only into the invisible body but open visible and apparant into the