THE VINDICATION OF CHRIST AND HIS ORDINANCES FROM The corrupt and false Glosses made thereon by the subtil Deceivers of these TIMES By Christopher Pooly Minister of the Word at great Missingham in Norfolk For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and Wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. Mat. 24. 24. The Prophets prophecy falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means c. Jer. 5. 31. LONDON Printed for Henry Cripps and Lodowick Lloyd and are to be sold at their shop in Popes head Alley 1652. The Summary Heads Oâ— the ensuing DISCOURSE THe truth of Faith and Believing manifested Pag. 1. A Treatise of Self-Denyal 8 The Love and Free Grace of God in Christ the cause of all good unto man 26 Positions about the grounds of the Treatises and Meditations 37 Arguments made to uphold Inherent Holiness and Righteousness in Man by the Sanctification of the Spirit are answered 42 Of the Sanctification of the Spirit 51 Six sorts of men of different ways opinions or judgments touching their estates with God 49 The Errors of Universal Redemption discovered 65 A Catechistical Dialogue useful for the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 74 Another Meditation of the Law 94 Snares of Popery discovered 103 104 Of the Law remaining and the Law ended in Christ to the Elect. 110 111 All Times Deeds and Things present in Gods sight from Eternity 126 Another Catechistical Dialogue resolving many subtil Questions raised and made by the Adversary c. 137 Rest to the Souls of Believers 165 Christs Government of his Church upon Earth 192 193 The right meaning and understanding of these words in Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing giveth light to the Truths in these Treatises 202 203. The truth of Faith AND Believing manifested BEcause the Apostle saith therfore we conclude that man is justified by faith without the works of the Rom. 3. 28 Rom. 5. 1. Law and the like otherwhere Some take it and hold forth that a man is justified and made righteous by his faith by believing That he was not before his faith righteous before God it is his faith that doth him that good to make him righteous with God before faith he is an unjust man a wicked and ungodly man and one of the children of wrath before God without mercy and forgivenesse of sin before faith and repentance performed of him There is no justification of man before God before Faith This taking and holding forth of this Scripture although it seem to these to be according to the history yet it is quite contrary to the mystery of faith and of Christ as the Apostle calleth it 1 Tim. 3. 9 For it crosseth all the most clear and comfortable Scriptures of Gods free grace and love in Christ to corrupt weak and sinfull Hos 14. 4. Isa 31. 3. Rom. 9. 11 13. man before the world As also the Scriptures of Gods everlasting love to those he pleased before the world and in continuance And the Scriptures of Gods election of those which he pleased and loved out of the company of the children of wrath before the foundations of the world in Gods sight to be holy and without blame before him for ever in love And the Scriptures of Gods Eph. 1. 4. See Eph. 1 4. 5. 6. Act. 13. 48. Rom. 8. 30. predestination to adoption through Christ and ordination to eternall blisse before the world of those which he elected in Christ before the world And further of his calling justifying and glorifying of those which he predestinated before himself before the world as the Scripture speaks And the Scripture of the Prophet Isa 53. 6. Esay that saith God hath laid the iniquities of us all upon Christ meaning of the Elect not that he will saith the Prophet but hath done it before the world when he loved elected and adopted his Elect c. And it crosseth the Scripture which saith that Christ justifieth Rom. 4. 5. the ungodly which must needs be understood of such as were ungodly the children of wrath by the first general sin who being elected before the world out of the same company to be holy and without blame before God in love ordained to eternal life and adopted Gods children are then justified before God although in themselves and before men they be still ungodly corrupt sinfull and carnall as Paul said he was in his best estate I am carnall Rom. 7. 14 sold under sin Paul could not be loved of God elected in Christ and adopted to be Gods child ordained to eternall life before the world and be the child of wrath and unjustified before God still although he did sin in the flesh before men And it crosseth the Scripture of the same place where it is said A man is justified by Faith without the works of the Law To Believe is a work of the Commandement of the Law as to love fear obey to be humble meek sober and temperate are works of the Commandements of the Law and Faith and Believing done then is the work of the Law as loving fearing obeying humiliation meeknesse sobernesse and temperance and the rest of that sort commanded to man in the law of works as Paul instances are all works of the law so that if a man be justified and made righteous before by his faith and believing commanded he is justified by the works of the law which the Apostle saith no man no flesh wall be justified by And here he saith A man is justified by faith without the works of the law The doers are justified Rom. 2. 13. Certainly no man is justified by any work of his own not because if he did the work commanded righteously the just God would not justifie him therefore but because no man doth or can do the work of the law commanded righteously therefore no man is justified saith the Apostle by the works of the Law But they say faith and repentance are works of the Evangelicall law and the commandements thereof are the commandements of the Evangelicall law to be performed of man Solut. if these take the Evangelicall law to command faith and repâ—ntance to believe and â—â—pent in the â—orm of the law and covenant of works to be performed of man before God then they are the works of the law by which no man can be justified before God But if they take this Evangelicall law as the term holds it forth indeed to be the law and commandement of the covenant of grace whereof Christ the gracious undertaker for the elect of God did undertake to do the whole will of God for them when he said Lo I come to do thy will O God And that Christ hath done doth and ever will do the same of the law commandement Heb. 10. 9. and covenant of grace for the elect of God which are not nor were ever able
to do any part thereof sithence the fall of man and that Christ hath fully performed all to be performed in himself already to the full satisfaction of God for the justification peace and salvation of the elect so that they are justified before God and have peace with God as the Apostle saith being justified by his blood we shall be saved from Rom. 5. 9. his wrath through Christ. And Christ died for our sins and rose a-again for our justification therefore the elect are justified before they believe then when Christ rose again before God and God loved Iacob before he was born or had done good or evill before men therefore Jacob was justified before God before he was born for God could not love him being still the child of wrath wicked and unrighteous before him and God elected Paul and the rest in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him they could not have been holy and without blame before God which God elected them unto if they had not then been justified before God They could not be elected out of the children of wrath and be still 〈◊〉 children of wrath before God they could could not be elected to be holy and without blame before God and be wicked and unjustified before God still And when God predestinated those he pleased to eternall life he then called justified Rom. 8. 29 30. and glorified them before himself saith the Apostle How then can these hold forth that a man is justified and made righteous by faith that it is faith that doth him that good that there is no justification to man before faith And if they take it that Christ the gracious undertaker for the elect in the Evangelicall law or covenant of grace hath not only done the will of God and performed all to be performed in himself for the justification of the elect but also hath done doth and will do the will of Mod to the end in the elect in inlightening their dark hearts and souls by his spirit sent unto them and in manifesting and witnessing by his spirit to their hearts and soules that they are the children of God elected in Christ ordained to eternall life and justified before God by Christs performances and the free grace and love of God in Gods sight before the world and in giving understanding knowledge and believing to their dead hearts and souls of their justification and the rest wrought for them by Christ as David said Give me understanding and I shall Psal 119. 24. live that is I shall know that I live in Christ and that Christ liveth in me then they must needs take it that the performances of Christ in the elect are but the witnesses and manifestations of the performances of Christ in himself for the justification of his elect not their justifying Christ saith I am the vine and he saith to his elect you are the branches The fruit of the vine there bred is Iohn 15. 〈◊〉 conveighed by the spirits of the vine to the branches the branches bear the fruits of the vine and hold them forth as instruments prepared and fitted of the vine and spirits thereof The fruits that the branches bear and hold forth are not the fruits of the branches bred of the branches but the fruits of the vine so Christ called them Luke 22. 18. bred of the vine and conveighed by the spirits thereof to the branches to be born and held forth The branches cannot bear nor hold forth any good fruit without the vine and the spirits of the vine And the good fruits do shew and manifest the good vine whereof they are bred and that the branches that did bear them did abide in the vine So the fruits of the spirit as love joy peace faith c. are bred Gal. 5. 22. of Christ and conveighed by the spirit of Christ to the elect branches of the vine Christ and the elect as Christ pleaseth to do the will of God in them as his branches do bear and hold them forth But the fruits of the spirit are not bred of the elect but of Christ by his spirit conveighed to them and therefore called the fruits of the spirit to be born and held forth by them as fitted branches and instruments of Christ the vine and his spirit and the elect cannot beare them of themselves without Christ and his spirit breed them and conveigh them and therefore Christ faith VVithout me you can do nothing that is you cannot bear the fruits nor hold them forth without me and the fruits of the spirit born and held forth in man do witnesse and evidence Christ in him that bare them and do also witnesse that that man is elected in Christ and abideth in Christ the vine as the Apostle saith his spirit witnesses and faith is the evidence of things not seen Rom. 8. 16 Hâ—b 11. 1. All that which Christ doth of the will of God in the elect doth not justifie them or make them the children of God but onely doth witness and manifest to them that they are justified and made the children of God by the performances done in himself and that of grace by the imputation of his Righteousness and the Righteousness of his performances in himself to them they are made Righteous the children of God and saved As it is said Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness It could not be Abraham's believing according to the Commandment of the law of Works that was imputed to him for Righteousness for Abraham no doubt was a corrupt sinful man as all the Elect are in themselves and and his believing was corrupt and sinful as himself was and God that did never call evil good did never impute sin for Righteoulness and if Abrahams Righteousness had been of his believing according to the Commandement then it had been of his works that he was justified contrary to the Scripture The faith and believing the fruit of the spirit of Christ that Abraham did bear as a branch of the Vine Christ did onely witness and manifest to him that he was justified by Christ and his performances they did not justifie him But Abraham being one of Gods Elect in Christ for whom Christ had undertaken and in himself performed all Righteousness before God it that is the Righteousness of Christs performances was imputed to him for Righteousness by grace The Elect in Christ the Adopted through Christ those who See Rom. 4. 5 6. are ordained to eternal life whose sins were laid upon Christ from the beginning which Christ hath performed all for in himself to the full satisfaction of God are justified before God before Faith before they believe of grace by the imputation of Christs Righteousness to them Their work of Faith cannot justifie them the grace of Faith wrought in them by the spirit of Christ doth not justifie them but witness andâ— manifest that they are justified by the Righteousness
of Christs performances for them in himself The Elect of God in Christ are justified by the imputation of Christs Righteousness to them of free grace and this is the blessedness Rom 4 6. of Faith the Prophets and Apostles held forth to them Ob. But the deceiving spirit and the deceived will object that these predecations and and openings of Faith are a great derogation and undervaluing of faith which in the history of the Scriptures is so highly extolled to have done and do great things for man and that man hath done great things by faith a man faith the Apostle is justified by faith Christ saith to the woman Thy faith hath saved thee by faith Peter walked upon the Sea untill Râ—â— 3. 2. 8 Lâ—ke 7. 50 Maâ— 14. 29 3â— Hâ—b 10. 38. Hâ—b 11 4. 5. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20. 2â— 22. 23 29. he doubted by faith faith the Apostle the just shall live Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Jsaac Jacob Joseph Moses did great things by faith by faith the walls of Jericho were overthrowne and fell down An. All these and the rest spoken of the faith of Gods Elect in the Scriptures do not intend to shew that by the power of Faith these great things are or were done but to shew that these great things done of and by the power of our great God and his goodnesse were made known to them manifested evidenced and witnessed to them when they believed them so done of him Joshua and the Priests did believe the Walls of Jericho fell downe by the power of God the walls fell not downe by their believing although they were not down to them before they believed the same The woman believed that she was saved by the mercy and performance of Jesus Christ she was not saved by the power of her believing yet she knew not her self saved untill she believed it So a man that believeth that he is justified by Christ and the righteousnesse of his performance imputed to him is not justified to himself before his believing he knoweth not that he is justified untill he believeâ—h it His believing is the first Gospell Messenger that bringeth to him the glad tidings of his Justification by Christ and his righteousnesse yet not justified by his believing and this is the reason why Faith is so much extolled in the history of Scriptures If a man were in the prison of a dark dungeon and there should come a messenger to him and assure him of his inlargement and to be setled in a Kingdome would he not ever make much of and extol this messenger that brought him this first good tidings Faith is the first Messenger of Christ that he sendeth to poor corrupt man sitting in darknesse and the shadow of death of his inlargement of his Justification Adoption and Salvation in the heavenly Kingdom this Faith therefore must needs be highly extolled of all men and all the Penmen of Christ Yet it may not be Idolized set up above our God Christ nor equalized to or before Christ to justifie a man before God which 〈◊〉 Fhâ—s 2. is only in the power of Christ and the gracious work of Christ This is Antichrist the man of sin that doth this it is therefore the deceiving Spirit and those which are deceived that hold forth that it is faith that first justifieth a man and maketh a man righteous before God and that doth him that good Ob. But the deceiving Spirit and the deceived do further object By the grace of Christ by the help of Christ Christ strengthning me I am able to do the â—ommandement of the Law of God that commandeth me to believe to love to repent c. so Paul said Phil. 1. 13. say they I am able to do all things through the help of Christ that strengthneth me Ans Paul said the truth that he being a Branch of the Vine Christ was able by the help of Christ the Vine to bear and hold forth the fruit of the Spirit of Christ being strengthned by Christ as faith love repentance and the rest but not to be the worker and doer of the fruits of the Spirit faith love and repentance which belongeth to Christ and his Spirit only as the Apostle Heb. 12. 1. saith Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith and the rest that we bear and hold forth by his help and strengthning Paul said he was able to do all things by the help and strengthning of Christ belonging to the branch and instrument of Christ to bear and hold forth love faith repentance and the rest of the works of the will and commandement of God wrought up in him by Christ the undertaker and his Spirit to be born and held forth of him other branches these are the all things intended of Paul Man cannot do nor be a doer of the will and Commandement of God as to believe love repent and the rest by the help and strengthning of Christ for if he could and should do or be a doer of the work he should have wages and might challenge a debt of God a share in the work To him saith the Apostle that Rom. 4. 4. worketh the wages is not accounted off vor or grace but of debt Now the Apostle saith all the goodnesse of God to man is of grace not of debt for his work doing of the wil and Commandement of God we saith he are justified freely by his grace by the grace of God I am that I am saith Paul by Christs grace ye Rom. 3. 24 1 Cor. 15. 10. Epb. 2. 5. 8 are saved saith Paul And Paul said I find no means to perform that which is good that is no help no strengthning by Christ to perform the will and commandement of God which Christ hath undertaken to do and which only is able to do the same J am carnall sold under sin the good which I would do that J do not and Rom. 7. 18. the evill which J would not do that J do when J would do good evill is present with me saith Paul And further these saying that they are able to do the will and Commandement of God by the help of Christ c. do much exalt themselves and dishonor Christ and his undertaking of doing the whole will of God for poor corrupt and unable man for they make themselves the principal doers of the will and Commandement of God and Christ but their helper their auxiliary a helper is not the principall in any thing Thus they would make Christ a helper of their faith and believing of their justifying and saving but themselves the principall This is the man of sin the Antichrist exalting himself above our gracious undertaker and God Christ Babes keep your selves from Idolls The mystery of the Gospell of Faith and Christ is hid to none but those which are lost and to those which are lost it is hid A TREATISE OF Self-Deniall Luke 9. 23. And he said unto them all
much if it be fervent Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for Righteousnesse Moses prayed and Gen. 15. 6 Rom. 4. 3. Israel overcame the Amalekites Elijah prayed and God sent rain God promiseth to do good to them that love him and perform the duties of love and hath shewed love and requited much good to them which have performed the duties of love unto him Therefore say they the Scriptures hold forth that the love of the Elect to God and their performance of the duties of love to God in this world do cause move and incite God to love them and do them much good c. Answ These seem to know the Scriptures in the history But they know them not yet in the mystery of God and Christ and in the mystery of faith and godlinesse as the Apostle speaketh Colossians 2. 2. Eph. 3. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Tim. 3. 9. I find the continual practise of Antichrist is by his instruments alledging the history of the Scriptures to advance the honour of man and to abate the honour of God and his Christ And this is the certain note and mark of this deceiving Spirit as the Apostle expresseth to the Thessalonians and elsewhere This is a great advancement of mans honour to teach that being 1 Thess 1. 2. 4. the Elect of God he hath power to do that which shall cause move and incite God to love him and do him good and others yea and doth so by his believing praying and the rest of his performances of his love and service to God Were it not a great honour to that poor subject which for his fidelity love and performances to a great Potent and rich King should have the assurance of love assistance and good he would request and desire of the King and that he by his performances to the King could cause the King to do such things for him when he would Surely any man that were not envious would praise and honour the happinesse of this subject So they which teach that the love of men to God by their love do cause and make God to love them and by their Faith do cause God to justifie them and by their asking and praying do cause move and incite God to grant and give them that they desire and by their repentance do cause God to forgive them and by their other performances to God do cause God to do them good do much advance and honour men and their performances Whenas the very Elect although they be elected in Christ c. yet as the Apostle saith in themselves are nothing unto Epâ— 44. good before Godâ— If any man saith he esteemeth himself to be somewhat when as he is nothing he deceiveth himself in his own imagination Gal. 6. 3. No they can perform nothing that is good before God so Paul said of himself I find no means to perform that which is good Rom 7. 8 26 21. when I would do good saith he evil is present with me and the evil which I would not do that I do So that it is clear from hence that the faith or believing the praying and repentance and all the performances of the very Elect in themselves to God are evil and sin which is a mystery indeed unto such as the Gospel is hid And therefore they cannot cause move and incite God to love them justifie them give to them assist them or forgive them by their love faith prayer repentance or any other performances to God which are evil in themselves and the advancing and honouring of man for such his performances to God as shall and can so prevail with God as to cause him to do men good for the same is the work of the deceiving spirit to the greatest abasement of the power of Christ or a share of that which is onely Christs which as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12. 6. Phil. 2. 13. Hâ—b 12 2. worketh all in all yea which worketh in us the will and deed of his own good pleasure The work of all is the work of the Work-man which is Christ Christ is the Author and finisher of our faith and the rest the honour of all is his due it is Christ and his performances that onely causeth moveth and inciteth God to love to give to the Elect to assist and forgive not any performance of their own and it is Christ that covereth the sin of their performances and therefore to Christ the whole prayes and honour of procuring the love and the goodness of God to man is due and it is extream sacriledge to rob our God Christ of his honour and to give it to another and these of God and his Christ are great mysteries unto those which are lost to whom the gospel is hid the thing wrought doth witnesse the work-man but not that it self was the workman Object But they say God hath promised to love them and to shew mercy on them that love him and to justifie and save them that believe and to give to them and assist them that pray to him and ask him and to do them good that do obedience to his commandements Therefore God hath bound himself by his promise to be a debtor to those that love him believe pray and obey his commandements As promise is a debt if the condition be performed And therefore the love of man to God the Faith Prayer and Obedience of man to God must needs cause move and incite the just God in his promises to love them save justifie assist and do them good the work being done is enough to cause move and incite every just man to pay the work-man his promised wages much more doth the same the great God Answ This Objection is spread with the deceit of of the deceiving spirit for the promise was to Christ as Gal. 3. 16. Not to the seeds as speaking of many but to thy seed as of one which is Christ saith the Apostle The promise was not to the Elect as they are the corrupt man in themselves but to Christ and to them onely as they are elected in Christ It was and is Christ onely that is able to perform the condition and not man corrupted whereas it is said the promises were such made to Abraham the Apostle meaneth they were repeated and clearly manifested to Abraham which we made before to Christ who was before Abraham although of Abrahams seed is manifestation according to the flesh If the promise had been made to corrupt man as Abrahams also was it had been in vain for there was never any man that was able to have performed the condition nor hath done but in Christ which performed it for him If a great Emperor should bind himself by promise to a poor Begger to give him a Kingdome if he did pay twenty hundred thousand pounds which was not able to pay him one pound were not this a vain promise and bond or could this Begger look for this Kingdome
so promised which never paid any thing If man look for the love salvation and goodness of God for his own performances to God he will be deceived If poor corrupt man think to have the love of God for his love to God to be saved for his faith to be helped and assisted at Gods hand for his Prayer or to be forgiven for his Repentance he is deceived For the Apostle saith To him that worketh the wages Rom. 4. 4. is not accounted of favour or grace but of debt now God is a debter to no man he sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth that is leaveth him in his own hardness To take the Promise of God to be a debt to corrupt man for Rom. 9. 18. his work and performance to God is a great dishonour to God yea it is to make God a mercenary God that will do some good for man if he be paid for it if man do good for him and to him when as all the love and goodnesse of God to man is gratis of free grace I will love them freely saith God We are justified freely Hos 14. 4. Rom. 3. 24 Rev. 21. 6. Take of the water of life freely saith the Apostle Indeed God saith he loveth them and sheweth mercy on them that love him and keep his commandements and will justifie and save them that believe and will give to them that ask and forgive them that repent but he doth not say nor promise to love or shew mercy to them for their love or because they love him nor to justifie and save for their faith because they believe nor to give them because they ask or to forgive because they repent the History tels us not that All that God looketh for of man is in Christ which performeth all and he is satisfied for which he loveth giveth and forgigeth his Elect in Christ Isa 5. 3. 11. Indeed God sheddeth his love into the hearts of the Elect by the Holy Ghost sent unto them whereby their hearts bear the love of God and the manifestations of his love as the branch of the Vine beareth the grapes and fruits of the Vine conveighed by the spirits of the vine to manifestation and witnes as Christ himself sheweth in the Parable of the vine Ioh. 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. And the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of the elect by the Holy Ghost sent to them doth not onely manifest the love of God seated there in that soul passively but also by the same holy Ghost the love of God is acted so God and man by the Instrument of the same soul as it pleaseth the Lord Christ and all the fruits of the love of God evidenced witnessed and assured to the same soul by the spirit of Christ as the Apostle speaketh We have received the spirit of adoption and the same spirit beareth Rom. 8. 15 16. witnes with our spirits or souls that we are the sons of God The holy spirit manifesteth witnesseth and assureth the souls of the Elect of the love of God mercy justification and forgiveness of sinnes c. And this is that which is called their faith by which they are said to live to be justified and saved and to have all comfort whilst they are in the body And as the Apostle saith The promise of the new Covenant of Gal. 3. 16. grace called the new commandement and condition was made to the seed speaking of one which is Christ onely able to do the will of God in the same commandement and covenant being the undertaker to do the will of God of free grace and freely saying Lo I come to do thy will O God for poor corrupt man which thou hast elected in me not able to do any thing thereof in himself although in the history of Scriptures the promise be often found helf forth to man because Christ of grace imputeth and freely giveth the good and benefit of the promise purchased by himself to his Elect but afterwards reserving the Praise Honour and Glory thereof to himself So the whole covenant of grace was made of God with his Christ the undertaker to do the will of God for poor corrupt man elected in Christ as well the performing of the conditions and commandement therein as receiving of the promise although in the history of the Scriptures the commandement and performances of the condition of the covenant be held forth to pertain to unable corrupt man which onely pertaineth unto Christ the gracious and able undertaker for what is doth or hath poor corrupt man herein but in Christ Christs command to the Reprobate is as he is God the commander in justice to the Elect as undertaker of the work before God in grace Indeed our God commandeth in the history of the Scriptures both Reprobate and Elect and his command is holy just and of authority the Elect of themselves are still corrupt in themselves although holy in Christ in whom they are elected and not able through their corruption to do the just command Christ that of authority commandeth hath undertaken to do the will of God as he saith Lo I come to do thy will O God And no Heb. 10. 9. doubt but it was for the Elect that Christ did undertake to do the will of God as the payment of the debt in his justice for their transgression unto mercy and forgivenesse their holinesse and righteousness before God This will of God for payment to mercy and forgiveness for righteousnesse holinesse and goodnesse to them which Christ undertook to do for the Elect which themselves were not nor are able to do in the least no doubt he did doth and ever will do graciously making them his instruments as he pleaseth and imputing all to them upon which account it is said Christ is the Priest and the Sacrifice the Law or Covenant-giver and the Law or Covenant-keeper the Judge and the Advocate the commander and the doer of the commandement as the renowned Father in the church of Christ said Do Lord that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And although the afflictions punishments and misery of Reprobates be just to them for their sins against the holy commandement and although the afflictions troubles and punishments of the Elect be many in this world as David said he was punished every day yet the afflictions of the Elect in Christ are not nor can be for their sins before God which Christs full payment for them to God hath satisfied as the Prophet saith and which Christ hath Isa 53. â—1 covered as David saith Blessed is that man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sin is covered and which Christ hath taken quite away as the Apostle saith Christ appeared we know that he 1 Ioh. 3. 5. might take away our sins Can it be thought that the just God will exact payment for that which he hath had full payment already for which
Tim. 3. 8. will or can make better But unto those which are chosen of God in Christ ordained to Eph. 1. 4. Acts 13. 48. eternall Life and to believe the Gospell of Jesus Christ It is the meanes of Christ to make them not to trust in themselves or in any gifts or performances of their own thereby to gaine or have any favour of God or their salvation at Gods hand nor to despise others which have not such gifts and performances in themselves Mat. 7. 1. as they have not to judge and condemn them as Christ warneth Judge not that ye be not Judged And it is a great help of Christ to those which are weak in Faith incumbered yet with unbeliefe as the man in the Gospel which said unto Christ I believe Lord Lord helpe my unbeliefe For they hereby seeing the Mercy Goodnesse Wisdome Power of the Father of Grace in his choosing of men in Christ and Ordaining them to eternall Life That it was his Will that his Christ which hath power to give gifts unto men as he pleaseth and the same in measure and weight as hee pleaseth may also see that the Lord Jesus Christ which came to doe the Will of his Father doth bestow Faith and Believing the gift grace and fruit of his Spirit here in this life in manifestation to themselves to witnesse that they are Gods children upon whom of those chosen ones hee pleaseth that in what measure hee pleaseth not to all alike to their great comfort in their weaknesse in Faith and believing And I my self know it is the Commandement of Christ in grace to his Church and People to believe as also to do before men the rest of the duties of his Commandements and to be carefull to use the meanes of Hearing and Praying for Faith and the rest And I my selfe have been carefull of the same commanded of Christ for the government of his Church upon earth for worship to God peace and comfort amongst men themselves which all ought to do that beare the name of Christians and professe themselves to be Subjects unto Christ their King and Law-giver to his Church and may and will doe so although they be but naturall Men and Hypocrites for formality and reputation and the rest in the outward performance thereof before men But the government of his Church upon Earth was not all for which Christ gave his Commandement to his visible Church but also to shew unto those thereof which hee was pleased to inlighten by his holy Spirit what Christ hath done and performed for them before God in the righteousnesse thereof for their peace with God which they themselves were not able to do in the least before God That Christ himselfe hath been Meek Humble and Lowly of Spirit believed the Promise loved and done the Pennance for their whole sinne and transgressions paid the whole debt and satisfied God And to shew them that the worke of the same his Comandement inwardly in their Hearts and Soules manifested before Men wrought by his Spirit sent unto them as hee pleaseth is Rom. 8. 16 their witnesse that Christ is in them and they in Christ that Christ hath done all things for them willed of the Father and undertaken of the Son before God and that they are Gods children chosen in Christ out of the children of wrath ordained to eternall Acts. 13. 48 Life before the World of the Mercy and Free-grace of the Father and through the gracious performance and redemption of his Son Jesus Christ And this was that which did move mee before to say and doth now that my believing in Christ his performances for me wrought up by his Spirit in mee doth witnesse to mee that I of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace am chosen of God in Christ to be one of his children ordained to eternall Life through the performances of Jesus Christ for me and in this Faith by his grace I hope to live and die But there are many in these dayes in the visible church of christ that professe themselves to be Christians and Teachers which say that they of Mercy Love and Free-grace were not chosen of God in Christ before the World out of the children of wrath to be holy and without blame before God in love to be Gods children that they were not ordained to eternall Life and to believe before the World that they were not loved of God before they were borne or had done good or evill that they when they were borne were still the children of wrath and were so after they were borne untill they believed and should have gone to Hell if they had died before they believed And they teach all men that this is their condition which I thinke is a woefull condition to all that are borne considering that none have the power of their own Life nor any certainty of Life untill they believe And they teach all that God yet so loved the whole World of men being the children of wrath that he gave and sent his onely begotten Sonne to die that whosoever believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life shall be loved justified and saved And they teach that his Sonne Jesus Christ died upon the Crosse in manifestation before men and then the Plaister of his Blood and Death was made and not before to heale all the wounded children of wrath in the World that would by Faith apply the same Plaister of his Blood and Death unto their wounds And they deny that Christ died before God from the beginning and that this Plaister of his Blood and Death was made before God from the beginning for the healing of any of mankinde dead and gone before it was made upon the Crosse in manifestation to Men and then and after this applied by the Faith of men which I must needs say hath seemed harsh and uncharitable to me that all beeing as they say the children of wrath untill the Plaister of Christs Blood and Death made upon the Crosse before men and applied by their Faith afterwards so made up to themselves And so consequently that all dead and gone before Christs Death died in Gods wrath and must needs be gone to the Devill and Hell there being manifested in the Scriptures no other redemption from the wrath of God but Christs Blood and Deâ—th And they teach further that the mercifull Father so loved the World of the children of wrath that he did not only give his only Son to die shed his blood and redeem all pay the ransome for all the whole World of the children of wrath which he hath performed for all sufficiently But also of Love and Free-grace hath sent Preachers of the same to all that desire and will Heare believe and receive the same Gospell of Jesus Christs precious Bloud Death and Redemption And they teach that God hath left unto all men being the children of wrath Free-will and power in their corrupt nature to desire and will
workd to their everlasting Peace and eternall Life and to the honour and glory of his grace in the mercy and love of the Father and the undertaking and performing of his fullnesse only But hee commandeth not to goe and teach all Nations to rob the Father of Mercy Love and Free grace of his eternall power Almightinesse Liberty Will and Pleasure and of his Honour Praise and Glory of all the same and of his honour and glory of his Purposes Decrees and Acts eternall with himselfe evidently manifested in his Testament to be his Purpose Decrees and Acts of his power Almighty Liberty Will and Pleasure As they do which teach all they can teach That 1. Although God did fore-know that mankinde would transgresse and become the children of wrath yet hee did not give his Sonne Christ before the World to redeeme them by his Death all or any of those of Mankinde which hee fore knew would transgresse and become the children of wrath notwithstanding Rev. 13. 8 that the Scriptures saith Hee was the Lambe slaine from the begining before God and that Iob saith I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19. 25 that is is now in being and hath already performed my Redemption before God and that David said The Lord was his Psal 19. 14 strength and his redeemer long before Christ was slaine and died before men upon the Crosse And the Prophet saith long before his Death before men upon the Crosse God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all meaning the chosen of God and yet all this was Isa 53. 6. done of the Father in Mercy Love and grace and all undertaken saying Loe I come to doe thy Will O God and so performed of Heb. 10. 9 the Sonne Christ in Mercy Love and Free-grace before the World to the satisfaction of God for the transgression of those Isa 53. he pleased for Election Is not this teaching all Nations the robbing and the teaching all Nations to rob the Father of Men and his Sonne Christ of the honour of his almighty Power Liberty in Gods Pleasure graces and gracious Decrees and Acts plainly expressed and manifested in the testiment of our God Secondly in that they teach all Nations that God neither could nor did choose in Christ any of these hee fore knew and fore-see to become the children of wrath before the World to be his children to be holy and without blame before him in love None of them to be ordained to eternall Life before the world None of them to be predestinate to be made like to the Image of his Sonne to be called his Children and Saints to be justified and glorified before himselfe in his own sight and acceptance before the world although these not so yet but in appointed and fulnesse of time to be manifested to the created Notwithstanding our God saith in the Scripture by the Apostle of his Testament Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which hath blessed us with all spirituall blessing in Heavenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love and thâ—t those which he knew before he also predestinate to be Gods children through Christ to be made like to the image of his Sonne to be ordained to eternall Life that he might be the first borne among many Brethren And whom hee predestinated them also he called his children Eph. 1. 3. 4 and Saints by calling And whom hee called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified and although hee saith nothing shall be laid to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth them And although hee saith God loved Jacob and hated Esau before they were borne or had done good or evill that the purpose of God might remaine according to Election not by Workes but by him that calleth and in many other places the like Is not this Robbery and the teaching of all Nations to rob the Father and his Sonne Christ of the honour of their allmighty Power Liberty Will Mercies Free grace Purposes Dâ—â—crâ—es and Acts eternall within and all unchangeable as the Apostle saith the gifts and calling of God are without repentance which is Rom. 11. 29 so of his eternall spirituall Gifts and callings not of temporall as the calling of Judas was and the gifts that Iob spake of where hee said The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Job 3. 21 Name of the Lord. Thirdly in that they teach all they can teach that it is in their own will power and deed to please God to pacifie the wrath of God the Father of mercies for their sinnes and offences to obtaine forgivenesse of their sinnes by Repentance Prayers Devotions and to obtaine good things deliverance from the evill that they have deserved at the Hand of God the Father by their performances and humiliations by their willingnesse and endeavouring to heare the Gospell preached to get Faith And by and for their Faith and believing to be justified before God and to have Life before God in themselves yea to be Saints in themselves and righteous in themselves by these their performances before God That they are not as other men are Extortioners unjust Drunkards Adulterers or as the Publican that looketh upon See Luke 18. 10 11. nothing but Mercy and Forgivenesse of his sinnes and the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ imputed unto him for his peace with God for his justification eternall Life and Salvation Notwithstanding the Testament of our God written by his Pen-men commanded to be taught is contrary The Prophet of God David saith my weldoing extendeth or Psal 16. 2 is nothing to thee O Lord nothing to please thee to obtaine any thing of thee to justifie one before thee And hee saith Blessed is the Man whose iniquity is forgiven and Psal 32. 1 whose sin is covered And the Prophet Esay saith we are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse as filthy ragges nothing in our selves or of our Isa 64. 6 selves to please God to obtaine any good of God justifie us before God And the Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul saith It is not in him Rom. 9. 16 that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth Mercy And againe blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes And Christ himselfe saith when yee have done what yee can say we are unprofitable servants Christ saith He Luke 17. 10 that climeth up any other way to the Father to the Sheepfold then by him is a Theife and a Robber These would please the Father Joh. 10. 1 obtaine of the Father to bee justified of the Father and get to Heaven by their own Prayers Devotions Humiliations by their own Faith and performances and teach others to doe so Is not this to teach Thee
every and Robbery in the highest And is not this Idolatry to set themselves and their performances up in the place of Christ to please God themselves to obtaine of God to be justified through their owne Faith and Performances before God to account goodnesse holinesse and righteousnesse in themselves and in their own wills workes and performances Is this to deny themselves Is not this to set up the Idoll in their Hearts Haba 1. 16 Deut. 29. 19 Ezek. 14. 7 Is not this to Sacrifice to their own Nets Is not this to blesse a Mans selfe and yet to walke in the imagination of his own heart Is not this to kisse the Calves to kisse the workes of his own hands to make Idols according to their own undertaking Babes keepe your selves from Idols Oh that Gods People might not be hindered to know that Hosee 13. 2 their own weldoing of the command of Christ is nothing unto God as David did That they might deny themselves That they might ever honour praise and be thankfull for the Love Mercy and Free-grace of God the Father to them And the undertaking of Jesus Christ his Sonne and his performance for them to the full satisfaction of the Justice of God for their eternall and temporall good and that all things shall worke together for the best to them that love God And that the performances of the Commandements of Jesus Christ being the Fruits of his Spirit in them whereof as hee pleaseth of grace hee maketh them his Branches to beare and instruments of his Word thereof might witnesse evidence and assure to them all these of God and Christ unto them that they are Gods children as the Apostle saith the spirit witnesseth Object I conceive that you teach that although God did foreknow in his Eternity that mankinde would transgresse fall and become the children of wrath and had power of his grace and mercy to save all fallen in Justice through the redemption and performance of Jesus Christ his Sonne Yet it was his Will and good pleasure to choose onely some of them in Christ of his Love grace and mercy towards them to be his holy ones and blamelesse ones in Christ to be his children adopted through Christ to bee ordained to eternall Life to bee Predestinated Called Justified and Glorified in Gods Sight before the World unchangeably How is it and what is the true meaning that our God saith in his Testament That hee would not the Death of him Ezek. 18. 32 that Dieth that he will that all men shall be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and in many like places of Scripture and 1 Tim. 2. 4. that our God holdeth forth in the Scripture of his Testament that it lieth and consisteth in the will and the deed of man to have the Salvation of God and all good at Gods hand hee willeth not the death of any man and would have all men be saved if they seeke it labour for it and come unto Christ and doe his Commandement And therefore so Christ saith If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his Crosse and follow Luke 9. 23. Rev. 22. 17 me Let whosoever will take of the water of life Freely If any man will doe his will hee shall know the truth Will a man rob his God Jos 7. 17 c. Who so will do the will of my Father which is in Heaven the same Mat. 12. 50. is my Brother Sister and Mother Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome Mat. 7. 21 of Heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven This do and thou shalt live Luke 10. 28 Aske and you shall have seeke and yee shall finde labour for that which indureth to eternall Life Strive to enter in at the strait Mat. 7. 7. Joh. 6. 27 Luke 13. 24 1 Cor. 9. 24 Gas 6. 9 Gate runne that yee may obteine in due time yee shall reape if yee faint not and many like Scriptures God chooseth none nor refuseth any that will Againe you teach that God did choose in Christ some onely unto Life Eternall some onely to be his children to be justified and glorified before the World before they were borne and that Eph. 14. 5 6 unchangeably And that the Death Redemption and Performance of Christ was onely for those chosen of God in him for Rom 9. 11 satisfaction of the Justice of God which was the undertaking of Christ to doe the Will of God Esa 53. Notwithstanding our God saith in his Testament that he would all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth That Christ died for all Men That Christ died for the ungodly being 1 Tim. 2. 4 yet sinners That Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all Men That Rom. 5. 6. 8 1 Tim 2. 6 God was in Christ and reconcile unto the World to himselfe not imputing their sinnes to them and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation That he is a Reconcileation not for our sinnes onely 2 Cor. 5. 19 but for the sinnes of the whole World And notwithstanding our God 1 Joh. 2. 2 saith in his Testament Hee that walketh in my Statutes and keepeth my Commandements and deale truly he is just and shall surely live And if he hath a Sonne that is a Theife a Murtherer an Oppressor Ez. 18. 5 c. and Adulterer an Idolater c. he shall not live he shall die the death his bloud shall be upon him The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon himselfe But if the wicked shall returne from all his sinnes and keepe my Statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall live and not die all his transgressions that hee hath done shall not be mentioned unto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done hee shall live When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and continueth in iniquity hee shall die for the same Againe when a wicked man turneth from his wickednesse that hee hath committed and doth that which is lawfull and right because hee considereth and turneth hee shall surely live and not die I will justifie every man according to his wayes saith our God therefore returne O house of Israel so iniquity shall not be your destruction I desire not that the wicked should die saith the Lord and the Apostle saith God willeth all to repent Acts 17. 30 Take heed saith the Apostle that no man fall away from the Heb. 12. 15. 17 grace of God as prophane Esau that sold his birthright for a Messe of pottage A man cannot fall away from grace but hee must have grace be under grace therefore a man that hath grace and righteousnesse unto Life may fall away and be in the state of wickednesse and death and may repent and
cause of the sending and giving of the Holy Spirit to Gods chosen people to act the same in them and thereby to evidence and witness to them that they are Gods chosen in Christ and his adopted children through Christ and that Christs performances in himself and in them are all imputed to them and made theirs by his grace of imputation therefore Austin said Do Lord that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt Q. Doth not mans performance of this Law as it is outward in righteousness before men please God and justisie the performers thereof before God A. No for then they that shew unto men that they do perform the duties of this Law as that they beleeve love pray give thanks repent shew mercy and forgive c. should all please God and be justified before God then the Scribes and Pharisees and other like hypocrites should have pleased God and been justified before God and Judas himself should be justified before God for although Judas did wickedly yet it is written that Judas repented himself before men to give satisfaction to men for his repentance therefore it is written he Mat. 27. 3 repented but this outward performance did not justifie any of these before God nor please God Q. Doth not the performance of this Law as it is inward and spiritual made by the Spirit of Christ in man called therefore spiritual gifts spiritual faith spiritual love spiritual repentance c. 1 Cor. 14. 1 12. justifie Gods chosen people before God A. No that cannot be for although the performance of the Spirit it self be righteous in the sight of God yet this performance being made with the instrument of corrupt man his corrupt heart soul or members the same cannot be pure as coming through corrupt man in the sight of God as pure water coming from a pure fountain through a defiled conduit or channel cannot be pure although serviceable someway in the end To this the Apostle saith By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified He doth not say by mans own works of the Law or by the outward works of the Law but by the works of the Law whatsoever they be outward or inward for indeed this Law was not given to justifie men before God by the performance thereof but for the government of Christs Church upon Earth and by the spiritual performance thereof to evidence and witness to Gods chosen people that they are the children of God for if they find in themselves the faithful performance thereof in singleness of heart they may thereby know that they have received the Spirit of Adoption and the same Spirit doth witness with their souls that they are the children of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 16 Q. We see that Christ in this his Law commandeth his people to perform the Law as it is spiritual to do the inward and spiritual work of his Law he requireth truth in the inward parts obedience and service in singleness of heart love without dissimulation prayer according to the will of God repentance from the bottom of the heart which man himself being carnal sold under sin and transgression as Paul was in his best estate although chosen of God cannot perform Why doth Christ command the chosen of God to do the same that he knoweth they cannot do and for the performance of which in them he promiseth sendeth and giveth his holy Spirit to them as he pleaseth A. Christs giving this his Command is like his sending of John Baptist John Baptist was sent to prepare the way of Christ not to do the work of Christ So the Commandment is given to prepare the way of the Spirit not to do the work of the Spirit John Baptist was sent for the bringing down of every mountain hill Luk. 3 4 5 for humbling of the proud carnal man of Gods people and this Command was given of Christ to them to humble the flesh which is contrary to the Spirit and in itself resisteth always that so the Gal. 5. 17 corrupt heart and members may be prepared and fitted instruments of the Spirit to the spiritual work And to this purpose is the word of the Apostle Give or yield your members weapons or instruments Rom. 6. 13 19. of righteousness unto God unto Gods holy Spirit that the Spirit may do the spiritual work in you Q. Hath the Command of Christ power to humble fit and prepare the carnal man of Gods chosen to the way and instrumental service of the Spirit in the spiritual work A. Yea that it hath for his Word is mighty in operation as the Heb. 4 12 Psa 148. 5 Apostle saith He commanded and all things were created said David The power of Christs Command is not shortened where it intendeth Q. Then the preaching and hearing of the whole Law of Christ is useful to Gods chosen people A. Yea that it is if it be preached and heard lawfully for the Apostle saith The Law is good if we use it lawfully The preaching 1 Tim. 1. 8 and hearing of the Law as it is outward and spiritual iâ— good if the preaching and hearing thereof be to the preparing of the way to the Spirit to do the spiritual work of the Command of Christ the Undertaker that Christ may have all the honor praise and glory of the work But for man to preach and hold forth the Law and Command of Christ that man himself can and must do the spiritual work which Christ only can do to please God to be in acceptance with God to obtain Gods goodness as to beleeve and by his beleeving to be justified by his obedience and endeavoring to do duties to please God and to be accepted with God by and for his repentance to have mercy and forgiveness and recovery of life and all lost by sin this is Robbery and Idolatry It is Robbery because they take away that which is only Christs to themselves to do the spiritual work to please God to make acceptance with God to obtain Gods goodness by their performance and mercy and forgiveness by their repentance And it is Idolatry because they they praise set up and esteem highly of their own work their beleeving or faith their prayers their doing of duties and the like who although they thank God for it as the Pharisee did yet they listen after their own praise and reputation for the same despising others He that climbeth up to the sheepfold another way then by me Iohn 10. 2 is a Thief and a Robber saith Christ He that sacrificeth to his own nets is an Idolater Hab. 1. 16 Q. Was this Law of Christ written in tables of stone and given in grace to his Church of Israel the chosen people of God for the Government of that his Church given before that to his Church he had upon Earth the chosen people of God as to his Church in Adams family in Noahs family Abrahams Lots and the
man or his doing to the same Mans believing is no efficient or cause thereof but God only Salvation is of the Lord saith the Prophet Our God is the Salvation of Israel There is no Salvation Jonah 2 9 Jer. 3. 23 Act 4. 12 1 Tim 4. 10 Eph. 2. 5. 6 in any other saith the Apostle speaking of Christ and his performances Christ is the Saviour of all men that is which are or shall be saved By grace ye are saved We know that all things work together for the best to them which love God even to them which are called of his purpose For those which he knew before he also predestinated to be made like to the Image of his Son And whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified God predestinated called justified and glorified before himself those he pleased before the World What need more testimonies of Scripture for mans salvation only to be by God his love grace decree purpose and his Christs undertakings and performances to be perfected certainly to those which God did love to be elected and predestinated to be called justified and glorified by his Christ and his performances for them undertaken and all faithfully and effectually performed by him before men in his obedience suffering cross death and resurrection But yet further the Apostle saith He dyed for our sins and rose again for our justification where the Apostle holdeth forth plainly Rom. 4. 25 that Christ justified those which he dyed for that he payd his blood for And the same Apostle saith that being justified by his blood we Rom. 5. 9 are saved from wrath Then it must needs follow if Christ redeemed all universally in paying his blood and justified all universally that he payd his blood for and saveth all from wrath that he justified by his blood None shall be damned which must needs be the Conclusion of Universal Redemption which is denyed in the whole Scripture And whereas they pretend mans believing to be the efficient cause that only maketh Christs Redemption effectual to man it is certain by the Scriptures that man hath of himself or in himself as of himself no power to believe in Christ or his Redemption as he ought to believe no more then he hath to pray as he ought to pray Now the Apostle saith no man knoweth or hath power to pray as he ought We know not to pray as we ought but the Spirit maketh Rom. 8. 26 request for us c. Yea the Apostle saith that in him dwelleth no good thing then no power to believe in Christ or his Redemption Rom. 7. 18 Yea further he saith that he found no means to perform that which is good Therefore not to believe in Christ or his Redemption And further he saith We cannot think any thing of our selves that is good if not to think to believe in Christ much less to 2 Cor. 3. 5 believe in Christ to believe his Redemption And David saith There is none that doth good no not one if no good then not to believe Psa 14. 3 in Christ for that is a great good thing It is the Spirit sent by Christ to man that hath the power to do the good work of praying and believing for man The Spirit it self that is alone maketh request for us saith the Apostle not man himself Indeed the Spirit fitteth the Soul or heart of man to be his Instrument in the work of believing as the pen is the instrument of the writer in his writing but the believing is no more mans Believing then the Writing is the Pens Writing The Spirit openeth the blinde eyes of mans soul as the Prophet Psa 146. 8 Isai 29. 18 35 5 42. 7 saith and holdeth forth Jesus Christ and his Redemption by his precious blood payd his justification and salvation by the same and other his performances and by the power of the enlightening acting and guiding of the Spirit the blinde eyes of the Soul opened are the instruments of the Spirit fitted to behold see and apprehend Jesus Christ his Redemption made by the price of his blood payd his Justification and Salvation wrought out So that the believing of Gods Elect is none of their own work but the work of the Spirit every way it is onely the manifestation and evidence of Christ c. made by the opening the blind eyes of the reason and understanding to let in Christ and to be instruments for apprehending and applying the same to the soul And so the Apostle describeth or defineth faith Faith saith he is the evidence of things that are not seen Faith is Heb. 11. 1. the fruit of the spirit saith the Apostle not of man or the flesh but of the spirit yet not before redemption and justification effected Gal. 5 22 and perfected but only brought forth and manifested after redemption justification and salvation made sure which notwithstanding are first made manifest and known to the elected believer when by grace he is made a believer These premises plainly conclude that saith is not the cause efficient or maker of the Redemption of Christ effectual to man the believer nor the antecedent to justification and assurance to salvation but only the subsequent consequent or fruit following the manifestation and evidence of the same to the elect Believer where it pleaseth God to bestow this grace upon his Elect. And charity will not suffer us to doubt but that many which die before faith is manifest in them are of Gods Elect For no doubt but that the just God giveth his Christ all those he paid for with his precious blood And that neither the Devil Hell unbelief nor any sin can take them out of Christs hands nor hinder him of those he Ioh. 17. 12. v. 28. paid for Obj. The Apostle saith We conclude that a man is justified by Faith Therefore faith is the cause of justification Answ Faith is there meant of the manifestation of justification as Rom. 8. 28 if the Apostle had said we conclude that the justification of a man which first manifested and made known to him by believing or in Heb. 11. 1. believing then a man hath the first evidence thereof faith is the evidence of things that are not seen Obj. Christ saith he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. he that believeth not shall be damned therefore none shall be saved but those which believe none that are prevented by death which did not believe shall be saved Answ It is to be understood of those which slight despise and contemn the faith and believing in Jesus Christ the manifestation and knowing of Redemption justification and â—â—ivation only by Christ Obj. The Apostle saith as many as were ordained to eternal life or salvation believed therefore all that are ordained to eternal life Acts 18 48. do believe