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A57963 Christ dying and drawing sinners to himself, or, A survey of our Saviour in his soule-suffering, his lovelynesse in his death, and the efficacie thereof in which some cases of soule-trouble in weeke beleevers ... are opened ... delivered in sermons on the Evangel according to S. John Chap. XII, vers. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 ... / by Samuel Rutherford. Rutherford, Samuel, 1600?-1661. 1647 (1647) Wing R2373; ESTC R28117 628,133 674

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externall the more immediate and farre a thing be from a condition even of Grace the more free as the election to Glory the paying of the ransome of Christs bloud or the act of attonement are most free for they require not so much as the condition of faith wrought by the free Grace of God but Justification say our Divines requireth faith as a condition And heere God may keep his hands free of any knot or obligation of a condition and it would seeme that the immediate testimony of the Spirit is more free then evidence from inherent marks the wind seemeth to be freer in its motion which hath not a restriction to fixed causes rather at this houre then at that the Sea againe in its ebbing and flowing and the Sunne in its rising and going downe are more fettered to set times and condition of naturall causes yet all these detract nothing from the freedome of God the creator in his concurring with these causes nor doe conditions that are wrought in us irresistably by the grace of God lay any tye on that independent soveraigne and high freedome of Grace which doth no lesse justifie and save us freely then chuse us to glory and redeeme us with the same freedome without p●ice and hire onely I will mind Libertines who deny that Justification the covenant of grace and salvation have any the most gracious conditions in us for that should obscure the freedom of Grace they say all within the visible Church without a-any preparations are immediatly to beleeve salvation and remission of sinnes to themselves in particular But I hope Faith is a worke of free Grace and must presuppose conversion and a new heart as an essentiall condition else with Pelagians they must say that out of the principles of nature all are to beleeve and this obscureth farre more the freedome of the grace of God working Faith in us then all the conditions of Grace which we hold to be subservient not contrary to the freedome of grace Object 5. We ought to beleeve till we be perswaded that we beleeve Ephes. 1.13 In whom after yee beleeved yee were sealed The way to be warme is not onely to aske for a fire or whether there be a fire or no or to hold out the hands a little toward it and away and wish for a greater but to stand close to that fire and gather heat Answ. 1. That beleeving bringeth perswasion I doubt not but not such a sealing with the broad and great seale of heaven as excludeth all doubting as Antinomians teach nor doth the place proove it For these who can flee with such strong wings and are above all doubting 1. need not Christs intercession that their faith faile not they are above and beyond the Sphere of all obligation to Grace nor 2. need they pray Leade us not into temptation Nor 3. need they beare in meekenesse the overtaken weake ones who trip and stumble unawares considering lest they also be tempted Gal. 6.1 4. The faith of the strongest is not full Moone or uncapable of growing Phil. 3.12 5. There is neede of praising of Grace for the prevailing victory of a faith beyond doubting 6. Nor neede such pray Christ to encrease their faith Judge then of Libertines who talke of a broad seale of perfect assurance and say There is no assurance true and right unlesse it be without feare and doubting 2. The way to be warme at a painted fire such as is the immediate revealing of Christ to an unconverted sinner never humbled nor despairing of himselfe which is the Libertines dead faith is not the way to be warmed nor are we to beleeve in Christ but in Christs owne way and order and its safe to call in question whether such a painted fire be fire nor are wee to goe on in this beleeving till wee be perswaded that we beleeve truely this is no Gospel-secret If Libertines say its unpossible to beleeve but we must despaire in our selves I answer So I beleeve but then must it follow that Libertines deceive and are deceived when they teach that sinners as sinners are to beleeve because sinners despairing of salvation in themselves must be fewer in number then sinners as sinners for sinners as sinners comprehendeth Pharisees and all secure and malitious slaves of hell but selfe-despairing sinners include not any such farre lesse include they all sinners they be onely such sinners as are halfe sicke looking a farre off with halfe an eye to Jesus Christ not daring fully to make out to Jesus Christ proud Pharisees despaire not of salvation in themselves for then they should not be proud Pharisees in so farre but Libertines teach us that Pharisees remaining Pharisees without any preparations going before are immediatly to beleeve in Christ if they say Selfe-despaire is an essentiall part of Faith not a preparation going before faith they erre Judas Cain despaire of salvation both in themselves and in Christ yet have they not any essentiall part of saving faith nor can any essentiall part of saving faith bee in such nor can any come to Christ and beleeve in him whil first they know sin by the law and their mouth be stopp'd that the law cannot justifie nor save them Rom. .19 20 21. An● M● Eaton and the Antinomians that are not meere Familists and Enthysiasts rejecting all written Scripture doe also grant this then it must be unpossible that any can beleeve but some preparation fore-going there must be and because all sinners as sinners have not such preparation all sinners as sinners are not at the first clap to beleeve in the soule Physitian Christ but onely such as in Christs order are plowed ere Christ sow on them and selfe-condemned ere they beleeve in Christ. Object 6. Wee are no more to question our faith then wee ought to question Christ the foundation of our faith for salvation to the soule in particular is destroyed by unbeliefe they entered not in because of unbeleefe The word profitted not being not mixed with faith Answ. 1. Wee cannot question Christ more then wee can question whether God be God but wee may examine Paul's Doctrine as the Beroans did wee may try our owne faith if it can hold water If some would wash their false coyne and bring it to the touch-stone the false mettall would be seen 2. The unbeleefe in weake ones doubting of their faith is not that which destroyes salvation and excludeth men out of the holy Land they are cruell to weak reeds who exclude them out of heaven because in their mis-judging distempers they exclude themselves were Christ as cruell to a faint beleever who is sick of mis-givings as hee is to himselfe who could be saved But a beleever may appeale from himselfe ill-informed and doubting groundlesly to meek Jesus well-informed and judging aright a weak reed to be a reed a sick beleever and a swouning faith to be a beleever and a faith that will beare a
mentis and so it concludeth not the Question 2. It s Antinomian doctrine to make opposition between the Gospel promise and the debt of the promise the debt of works Rom. 4. and Rom. 11. is Law-debt due to the worker as an hireling is worthy of his wages because hee hath done the work perfectly according to a covenant made with his Master In which case no man sayes the wages of the labourer is a free-gift But if whatever the Lord promise to us in the Gospel make God a debter and the thing promised to be debt then let Antinomians speak out for they say The whole letter of Scripture and so of the whole gospel-Gospel-promises hold forth a covenant of works contrary to Gal. 4. where there be two covenants one of works another of grace and contrary to the promises of grace in the Gospel Joh. 2.16 Heb. 8.10 11 12. Mat. 11.28 1 Tim. 1.15 2 All the promises of the Gospel must make salvation debt was not Christ promised in the Prophets to the lost world Rom. 1.2 The inheritance is not by Law but by promise Gal. 3.17 18. Rom. 9.8 9. Luk. 1.45 54 55 68 69 70. Is Christ come to save sinners by debt or by grace is salvation debt its promised Is not righteousnesse promised to him that beleeves Rom. 4.5 then righteousnesse must be debt and so not of grace for Cornwell telleth us Pag. 13. The right which a man hath by promise to a worke maketh the assurance of the promise but of debt unto him and then the promise is not sure to him out of grace Then all the promises of an established Kingdome to David and his seed if they should keep Gods commandements all the blessings and salvation promised to beleevers in the Old and New Testament so they bring forth the fruits of a lively faith are mercies of debt not of free-grace I well remember that the Famulists say It is dangerous to close with Christ in a promise And There can be no true closing with Christ in a promise that hath a qualification or condition expressed I rather beleeve the Holy Ghost Ho every one that thirsteth come to the water come buy wine and milke without money and without price Isai. 55.1 And if any man thirst let him come to me and drink Joh. 7.37 And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Revel 22.17 Mar. 1.15 If Cornwell can free willing thirsting desiring from working hee hath much divinity Yet the water of life and salvation promised to such cannot be debt but free grace for they are promised to these freely and to be bestowed without money Of the same straine is the fourth Argument of Cornwell Object 5. When sanctification is not evident it cannot be an evidence of justification But when justification is hidden and doubtfull sanctification is not evident Therefore sanctification cannot be our first evidence of justification The Minor is proved Because when faith is hidden and doubtfull sanctification is not evident But when justification is hidden and doubtfull faith is hidden and doubtfull therefore when justification is hidden and doubtfull sanctification is not evident The proofe of the Major is 1. Faith is the evidence of things not seen and so makes all things evident then when faith is hidden what can be cleare 2. Because no sanctification can be pure and sincere but when it is wrought in faith and so it cannot be evident but when it clearely appeareth to be wrought in faith Answ. 1. There is in the Conclusion first the first evidence of justification that is not in the premises against all art The Proposition When sanctification is not evident it cannot be an evidence of justification is weake and weakly proved For there is a twofold evidence one of sense and feeling spirituall another of faith When sanctification wants the evidence of faith that I cannot beleeve salvation from mine owne Christian walking yet may the soule have evidence of feeling and sense that we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Heb. 13.18 and wee dare say Lord wee delight to doe thy will and long for thee O Lord as the night-watch watcheth for the morning and whom have wee in heaven but thee c. and can out of sense give a testimony of our selves yea and can place all our delight in the excellent ones Psal. 16.3 119.62 1 Joh. 3.14 so as the heart warmes when we see the Saints and in this case sanctification is evident when remission of sinnes may be under cloud else this Argument does conclude if it have any feet that sanctification ever and at all times is dark when justification is dark and so sanctification is never an evidence of justification but when justification is evident So the wisdome of God is taxed as if hee would never have us to know that wee are translated from death to life because wee love the brethren but when wee evidently know wee are thus translated though wee had no love to the brethren Then the Lord hath provided a candle for his weak ones by this Argument when it is day-light but hath deny'd any candle-light moon-light or star-light when it is darke night 2. The Major is not proved Faith is not so the evidence of all things as that it maketh all things evident to our spirituall sense for Cornwell granteth faith may be hidden then it can evidence nothing when it is is hidden Love to the brethren keeping of his commandements yeeld sensible evidences that wee are justified even when faith is not evident and how many are convinced they have undoubted marks of faith and justification who doubt of their faith and justification And so the Minor and Probation of it is false for it is most false that when faith is hidden and doubtfull sanctification is not evident this is asserted gratis not proved As if yee would say Ever when the Well-head is hidden the streames are not seen when the sap and life of the tree is not seen but hidden the apples leaves and blossomes are not evident This is a begging of the conclusion for then should a man never neither first nor last know that hee is translated from death to life because hee loves the brethren Why Because when translation from death to life or when faith and justification is hidden the love to the brethren and all the works of sanctification are hidden saith this Author 3. The second proofe of the Major is lame Sanctification is never pure and sincere without faith saith hee Ergo It cannot be evident but when it appeareth to be wrought in faith The consequence is null just like this Sweet streames cannot flow but from a sweet spring ergo It cannot be evident and cleare to my taste that the streames are sweet except I taste the water at the fountaine-head and see it with mine eyes and my taste cannot discerne the sweetnesse of the fruit except my senses were
within the trunk or body of the true to feel see and taste the sap of life from whence the fruit cometh Yea the contrary consequence is true because I smell sincerity love single intentions to please God in my works of sanctification therefore I know they came from Faith so the Holy Ghost should delude us when hee saith Wee know wee know or beleeve in Christ because we keepe his commandements Ergo We cannot know this except it bee evident that our keeping of his Commandement come from faith and the knowledge of God Object 6. Such a Faith as a Practicall Syllogisme can make is not a faith wrought by the Lords almighty power for the conclusion followeth but from the strength of reasonings not from the power of God by which alone divine things are wrought Ephes. 1.19 20. Col. 2.20 But faith wrought by a word and a worke and the light of a renewed conscience without the testimony of the Spirit is such a faith as a practicall Syllogisme can make Ergo such a faith so wrought is not wrought by the Lords almighty power The Minor is proved because all the three the Word the Worke and the light of Conscience are all created blessings and gifts and therefore cannot produce of themselves a word of almighty power and the word of it selfe is a dead letter the worke is lesse for faith commeth by hearing a word not by a worke Answ. When Master Cornwell saith By the power of God alone Divine things such as faith that layeth hold on Christs righteousnesse are wrought Ephes. 1.19 Col. 2.20 hee excludeth the ministery of the Gospel and all the promises thereof for they are created things and so they have no hand nor influence in begetting faith Antinomians will have us beleeve that Paul Ephes. 1.19.20 Col. 1.20 thinkes no ministery of the Word nor any hearing of the preached Word begetteth faith contrary to Rom. 1.16 Rom. 10.17 but by the onely immediate power of the Spirit we are converted without the Word Nor is here that which is in question concluded never Protestant Divine taught that without the actuall influence of omnipotent Grace can faith or spirituall sense that we are justified be produced by the Word worke or created light alone nor can the corne grow alone by power in the earth clouds or raine nor any Creature move without the actuall influence of the omnipotent Lord in whom we move therefore by this reason we could not know that the Sunne shall rise by the rising of the morning starre nor can we have any supernaturall sense by our holy walking contrary to Scripture 1 John 2.3 1 John 3.14 But we know by this all faith is ascribed by Antinomians to the immediate testimonie and Enthusiasticall inspiration of the Spirit as for the searching of Scripture say they it s not a sure way of searching and finding Christ it s but a dead letter and holds forth a covenant of works in this letter and therefore with the old Anabaptist they 'll have no teaching by Scripture but onely teaching by the Spirit We hold that conditionall promises are made to duties of Sanctification therefore we may have comfort and assurance from them in our drooping condition Cornewell answereth Pap. 23.24 25. The promises are not made to us as qualified with such duties of sanctification for then they should belong to us of debt not out of Grace Rom. 4.4 But in respect of our Vnion with Christ in whom they are tendered to us and fulfilled to us Satisfaction is made to the thirstie not for any right his thirst might give him in the promise but becaus● it directeth to Christ who fulfilleth the condition and satisfieth the soule and the soule must first have come to Christ and gotten his first assurance from faith in Christ not from these conditions and duties Answ. 1. This is a yeelding of the cause We say there bee promises of the water made to thirsty soules not as if the right jus law merit debt that we have to them belonged to us for the deede done but for Jesus Christ onely 2. Not as if wee upon our strength and the sweating of free-will did conquer both the condition and reward 3. But yet wee have comfort and assurance when we by grace performe the duty that our faithfull Lord who cannot lye will fulfill his owne promise 4. He knoweth nothing of the Gospel who thinketh not God by his promise commeth under a sweet debt of free-grace to fulfill his owne promise and that this debt and grace are consistent But Antinomians breath smell of fl●shly liberty for they tell us Conditionall promises are Legall contrary to the Gospel Rom. 10.9 John 3.16 Joh. 5.25 That that it s not safe to close with Christ in a conditionall promise if any thing be concluded from water and bloud it s rather damnation then salvation That its a sandy foundation to prove that Christ is mine from a gracious worke done in me by Jesus Christ were it even Faith For we are compleatly united to Christ without faith wrought by the Spirit It s incompatible with the Covenant of Grace to joyne faith with it To be justified by faith is to bee justified by workes That to say there must be faith on mans part to receive the Covenant is to undermine Christ. Neither Cornwell nor Saltmarsh oppose these blasphemies but extoll the Patrones of them in New-England Father save me from this houre Father is a word of Faith But had Christ need of Faith Answ. Not of faith of confiding in him that justifieth the sinner except he had faith of the justifying of his cause in Gods acquitting him of suretieship when he had payed all but hee had faith of dependencie on God in his trouble that God would deliver him and he was heard in that which he feared And Q. 2. how could there be a faith of dependencie in Christ for hee was the same independent God with the Father Answ. There were two relations in Christ one as Viator going toward glory and leading many children with him to glory another as comprehensor seeing and enjoying God 2. There were two sights in Christ one of Vision another of Vnion the sight of Vnion of two natures is the cause of the sight of vision Christ being on his journey travelling toward glory did with a faith of dependency rest on God as his Father seeing and knowing that the Union could not be dissolved but as a Comprehensor and one at the end of the race injoying God in habit there was no necessitie that Christ should alwaies Et in omni differentiâ temporis actually see and enjoy God in an immediate vision of glory For 1. this implyeth no contradiction to the personall union even as the seeing of God habitually which is the most joyfull sight intelligible and by necessitie of nature does produce joy and gladnesse may and did consist in
fruit according to his moneth because their waters issued out from the Sanctuary and the fruit thereof shall be for meat and the leaf thereof for medicine This hath reall truth even in the Kingdome of Grace And J●remiah saw the fruits of the Land and a golden age there Cap. 31.12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Sion and shall flow together to the goodnes of the Lord for wheat and for wine and for oyle and for the young of the flock and of the herd and their soule shall be as a watered garden and they shall not sorrow any more at all and Christ brings good newes out of that countrey Mat. 22. That the life of all there is the life of Banqueters called to the Marriage-feast of a Kings Son of which every one hath a Wedding garment And if yee ask tidings of John What saw ye and heard ye there he saith I saw a Princes daughter with a Crown on her head Rev. 21.10 He shewed me the great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God Even an enemy who saw the land a far off and was not neer the borders of it saith Numb 24.5 How goodly are thy tents O Jacob and thy tabernacles O Israel Surely Prov. 2.10 Knowledge is pleasant to the soule O all ye pleasures of the flesh blush and be ashamed all world-worshippers be confounded that ye toile your selves in the fire for such short follies Were there no other pleasure in godlinesse but to behold the Lord Jesus what a pleasant sight must he be The Templ● th●t stately and Kingly house of faire carved stones cedar wood almug trees brasse silver gold scarlet purple silks in the art of the curious fabrick and structure was a wonder to the beholders What beauty must be in the Samplar O what happinesse to stand beside that dainty precious Ark weighted now with so huge a lump of Majestie as infinite glory to see that King on his Throne the Lambe the fair tree of life the branches which cannot for the narrow●ess of the place have room to grow within the huge and capacious borders of the heaven of heavens For the heaven of heavens cannot containe him What pen though dipped in the river of life that flowes from under the Sanctuary can write what tongue though shapen out of all the Angels of that high Kingdome and watered with the milk and wine of that good land can sufficienly praise this heart ravishing flour of Angels this heavens wonder the spotlesse and infinitely beautifull Prince the crown the garlan● the joy of heaven the wonder of wonders for eternity to Men and Angels What a life must it be to stand under the shadow of this precious Tree of Life and to cast up your eyes and see a multitude without quantitie of the Apples of Glory and to put up your hand and not only feel but touch smell see love it selfe and be warmed with the heat of immediate love that comes out from the precious heart and bowels of this princely and Royall Standard-bearer and Leader of the white and glorious troups and companies that are before the Throne If one said but finding the far off dew-drops that falls at so many millions of miles distance from that higher mountain of God down to this low region Psal. 63.5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fa●nesse What must the glory it self be that is in this dainty delightfull one we have but the droppings of the house here Vse 3. Naturall men say this Kingdome is a soure sad and we●ping Land here is repentance sorrow for sin morti●ication True but teares that wash those lovely feet that were pi●rced for sinners are teares of honey and wine and the joy of Christs banquetting-house and mortification flowing from a loathing and a soule-surfet of the creature and a tasting of the new wine of Christs Fathers higher palace is rather a piece of the margin and bor●er of heaven then a soure and sad life Object 2. But discipline and the rod and censures of Christs house makes the Church terrible as an army with banners Christs yoke is easie hee hath not cords and bands to cut the necks of those that follow him Answ. 1. Yea but this rod is a rod of love onely used that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5.5 for the gaining of the soule Mat. 18.15 for building of soules 2 Cor. 10.8 And Christs cords are silken and soft and bands of love every threed twisted out of the love of Christ. Hos. 11.4 I drew them with the cords of men with the bands of love But consider Psal. 48. The Lords mountaine of holinesse is glorious Vers. 2. Beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion the City of the great King But is it so to all Vers. 5. No But loe the kings were assembled they passed by together they saw it and so they marvelled they were troubled and hasted away Vers. 6. Terror took hold on them and paine as a woman in travell What cause is there here that the kings should be afraid They see a beautifull Princesse the daughter of a glorious King the joy of the whole earth yet the Lords people works on them 1. a wondering 2. more trouble of mind 3. flying they haste away and cannot behold the beauty of God in a Kings daughter 4. terror takes hold on them and quaking of conscience 5. when the Powers of the world Princes States Parliaments see the convincing glory of another world in the Church they part with child for paine It is known some have such antipathy with a Rose which is a pleasant creature of God that the smell of it hath made them fall a swooning Jerusalem is the rebellious City Ezr. 4.12 therefore men are unwilling it should be built Lusts in mens minds either heresies or any other fleshly affection is against the building of the house of God Vse 4. A beleever is a rich man and an honourable say hee were a beggar on the dung-hill Christ cannot be poore and hee is a fellow-heire with Christ Rom. 8.17 We must think the father of a rich heire hath bowels of iron and sucked a Tyger when hee was young who suffereth the heire remaining an heire to starve As the naturall man is but a fragment of clay so hee hath a life like an house let for money and the rent and in-come that the house payes to the Lord of the land is but hungring clay a dead rent and some new-borne vanities of homage and service but the promise the Magna Charta and the Charter of food and raiment that is an article of the Covenant of grace is a full assurance that the Saints are the Noblemen Pensioners of the Prince of the kings of the earth And Christ hath so broad a board that hee doth pay all his Pensioners And the Saints are truly
such hazard or lotterie as such imaginary dispositions o● good humours thousands being brought in to Christ in chaines in saddest afflictions Nor is grace being a plant of heaven a flower that grows out of such clay ground Asser. 7. Christ drawes by such a power and this is the last point in the drawing That it is not in the power of man to resist him 1. He drawes by the pull of that same arme and power by which he commanded light to shine out of darknesse 2 Cor. 4.6 by which he raised the dead out of the graves Ephes. 1.18 19. by the exceeding greatnes of his power and the mighty power by which he raised Christ from the death Arminians answer this was omnipotency of working miracles but what was it to the salvation of the Ephesians and to the hope of their glory to know with opened eyes such a power as Judas knew and can the dead chuse but be quickned and come out of the grave when God raiseth them Joh. 5.25 That Vaga necessitas the strong morall necessity talked of by Jesuites when strong morall motives work is a dream there for it may come short a man quickned in the grave and put to his feet as Lazarus was of necessity must come out he will not lie down in the grave again and kill himselfe A man starving for hunger when meat is set before him on any termes he desires if he be in his right wits will necessarily eat and not kill himself but the necessity of saving soules in the tender and loving mind of God in Christ is much stronger and if we consider the corruption of will this fancied vaging necessity cannot so bow the will but it is necessary that corrupt will dissent rather then consent to Christ. 2. God taketh away all resisting and the vitious and wicked power of resisting hee removeth the stony heart openeth blind eyes removeth the vail that is over the heart in hearing or reading the Scriptures Ezek. 36.26 2 Cor. ● 16 17. Deut. 30.6 Col. 2.11 takes the mans sword and armour from him cuts off his armes so as he cannot fight or resist you It is true Christ taketh not from David Abraham Prophet Apostle or from any Men or Angels that are to be saved the natural created power of nilling and willing purum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse nolle Christo trahente but he taketh away the morall wicked and godlesse power hic nunc and vitious and corrupt disposition of resisting 3. God layeth bonds on himself by 1. Promise 2. Covenant 3 Oath to circumcise the heart of his chosen ones Deut. 30.6 to put his Law in their inward parts Jer. 31.32 33. To give them one heart to fear God for ever not to depart from God Jer. 32.39 40. Heb. 8.6 7 c. to blesse them Heb. 6.16 17 18. Gen. 22.16 17. Psal. 89.33 34 35 36 37. Heb. 1.5 6. We cannot imagine that God will keep Covenant promise and oath upon a condition and with a reserve that we give him leave so to doe that is as much as the Creator will be faithfull if the creature will be faithfull And there is nothing glorious in the Gospel and second Covenant above the Law and first Covenant if God promise not to remove the power of resisting for if God doe not promise to work our obedience absolutely without any condition depending on our free will then must free will be so absolutely indifferent as it can suspend God from fulfilling his oath Now the Law had a promise of life If yee doe this ye live eternally but God neither did work nor was tyed by the tenour of that Covenant to work in us to doe to will to continue to abide in all written in the Law of God to the end and therefore it was a broken Covenant Nor can Arminians make the Covenant Gospel-promise and oath of God so conditionall as the Law of works or as the promise of giving the holy Land to the seed of Abraham upon condition of faith because many could not enter in because of unbeliefe except Arminians and Jesuites prove 1. That all that entred in to the holy Land yong and old did beleeve and were elected to salvation redeemed and saved as Caleb and Joshua were as all that enter in to the true promised Land are beleevers otherwise they die are condemned and can never see God John 3.18.36 v. 16. Joh. 11.26 and 5.24 Mark 16.16 Acts 15.11 Acts 11.17.18 but the former is most evidently false in the History of Joshua and Judges multitudes entred in who never beleeved as multitudes entred not in who beleeved as Moses and many others And therefore from this that many entred not in because of unbeliefe The Arminians shall never prove that as God makes a promise of life eternall that beleevers infallibly and only shall be saved and unbeleevers excluded so God made a covenant and promise that all these of Abrahams seed infallibly and all these onely should enter into the holy Land who should beleeve as did Caleb and Ioshua I put all Arminians and Papists and Patrons of universall atonement to prove any such covenant or promise 2. Let Arminians prove that faith and a new heart was promised to all Abrahams seed who were to enter in t● the holy Land as it is promised to all the Elect who are saved and to enter in the Kingdome of Heaven Ezek. 36.26 Jer. 31.32 3● Jer. 32.39 40. 3. That the promise of eternall rest in heaven was typified by conversion to Christ and conversion upon condition of faith as they say but without ground the holy Land was promised to all Abrahams seed upon condition of Faith the like we say to all o●her conditionall promises of God made in Scripture that are as the legs of the lame unequally paraleld with the Covenant of Grace Because this is the only answer Adversaries can give though it be as a parable in a fooles mouth Let it be considered 1. The difference between the first Covenant which was broken Jer. 31 32 33 34. and the better Covenant which is everlasting and cannot be broken Jer. 31.35 36 37. and 32.39 40. Isai. 54.10 11. Isai. 59.19 20. Heb. 8.6 7 c. is expresly holden forth to make the new Covenant better then the Old But it s close removed for both are broken Covenants by this reasoning 2. When God promiseth the removing of an old and stony heart and to give a new heart he promiseth to take away resisting in us for nothing can resist Christs drawing but the stony and old heart 3. The Apostles reason Heb. 6.13 14 15 16. of the Lords two immutable things his oath and promise is That wee might have strong consolation and hope Now this makes undeniably the consolation though never so strong the hope never so sure to depend on our free will if the sinner brue well he drinks well if he resist not grace as he may or accept it
otherwise for the Apostle avoucheth the Gospel is preached the promise of salvation published to all that call on the Lords Name v. 12. Be they Jewes or Grecians that is Gentiles and beleeve they must or else they cannot pray and needs they must heare or then they cannot beleeve and hear they cannot except God send Preachers But God hath sent Preachers with pleasant feet to both Iewes and Gentiles as the Prophets Isaiah and Nahum f●retold v. 13 14 15. and they have not all obeyed v. 16 17 18. But it may be said They have not all heard the Gospel preached this must certainly excuse the Gentiles if they beleeve not having never heard of Christ how can they beleeve as it is v. 14. It s a rationall excuse I cannot sin in not beleeving the Gospel saith the Gentile yea and Christ frees them from the sin of unbeliefe also Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them and so if they had not had a Lord Speaker from heaven they had not had sin That is they should have ben free of the Gospel-sin of unbelief but now they have no cloak for their sin Now they cannot say Lord we cannot beleeve a Gospel never spoken to us by any nor heard of by us But sure the Iewes heard these creatures and works of God that preached his glory Psal. 19.6 And if they preach Christ objectively as Amyrald and other Arminians fancie then the not hearing and not obeying the Gospel thus preached had been their sin though Christ or his Apostles had never spoken the Gospel which is contrary to Christs word Ioh. 15.22 And contrary to Paul how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard by the preaching of a sent Minister who subjectively and vocally must preach the Gospel But to return to the state of the question 4. So much of God is revealed to all even to those who never heard of Christ as serves to make all unexcusable for that knowing willingly and knowingly they glorifie not God as God Rom. 1.19 20 21. 5. All within the visible Church have meanes sufficient in their kinde in genere mediorum externorum to save them 6. As none can be saved by the light of nature nor ever any used or could use it so far forth as to improve it for their sufficient preparation to receive the tidings of the Gospel either from Men or Angels sent to preach to them or by any inspiration bringing the sense or things signified in the Gospel so saved they cannot bee by any name under heaven but by the Name of Christ that is Christ named preached and revealed in the Gospel Act. 4.10 11 12. Joh. 14.6 Heb. 11.6 Joh. 5.40 and 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and hee that hath not the Son hath not life 7. The question is whether or no God so farre forth willeth desireth intendeth that all and every one within and without the visible Church Tartarians and Indians who never by any rumor hard of Christ not excepted that hee giveth them sufficient meanes and helps of a common and universall grace which if they would use well the Lord should so reward pro-move or increase whether out of decencie or a congruous disposition of goodness or of equity or of free promise or any obligation so farre as to send the Gospel to them and bestow on them a larger measure of saving and internall grace by which they should if they so would bee converted to the Faith of Christ and saved We deny Arminians affirme 2. Whether the Lord from eternity late Arminians are for time-election hath absolutely without any provision in or pre-science or fore-knowledge of good works Faith perseverance in both or of condition reason cause merit qualification in some certaine and definite persons rather then others predestinated and chosen them to glory and life eternall And all the meanes conducing to this end and that of meere free grace because he so willeth or if the Lord passe no definite compleat peremptorie and irrevocable decree to save some certain persons while he forsees them expiring and dying in faith and holy conversation Arminians hold that the Lords decree of election of men to glory is generall conditionall incompleat changeable while he forsees they have ended their course in the Faith and then peremptorily and irrevocably he passeth a fixed decree to save such and not others we deny any such loose decrees in the Almighty and beleeve that of free grace he chuseth some absolutely without conditions in them or respect to any good foreseene to be in them rather then in others because He hath mercy on whom hee will and hardens whom he will Rom. 9.17.18 3. Upon this generall indefinite revocable and conditionall good will and intention of God to save all and every one whether or no did the Father give his Sonne and the Sonne dye for all and every one intending absolutely to impetrate and obtaine to all and every one of mankinde remission of sinnes and especially expiation of sinne originall and all sins against the covenant of works and salvation to them all both within and without the visible Church and the opening of the gates of heaven so as God hath laid aside his anger for all these sins hath made all savable reconciliable that notwithstanding of divine Justices plea against men all and every one may according to the intention of God bee saved in his bloud so they would as they may and can beleeve in Christ we deny Arminans here affirme 2. The mind of Arminians Arminians runne upon six Universalities 1. They say God beareth to all and every man of what kind soever an equall universall and Catholike good will y●a to Esau Pharaoh Judas as to Jaakob Moses and Peter to save them all so as this love is not stinted to any certaine persons precisely and absolutly loved and chosen to salvation 2. That there is a Catholicke price an universall ransome given by Christ dying on the Crosse for all and every one an Attonement made and a Redemption purchased in Christs bloud by which all and every one Pharaoh Judas Cain all the heathens Tartarians Americans Virginians that never heard of Christ are made savable and reconcil●iable and God made placable and exorable to them so a● though they be lost in the first Adam yet have they a new venture of heaven and in Christs death the Lord hath a generall antecedent and pri●●ry intention to save all without exception yet no more to save Moses and Peter then Judas and Pharaoh Yea that the fruit of Christs death and the effect of it may stand though all and every one of mankinde were eternally lost and not one person saved 3. As there was a Catholicke forfeiture of all so there is a second covenant of free grace made with all and every one of Adams sonnes with promises of free grace a new heart righteousnesse and
con-naturall end of Christs death is Joh. 10.10 That his sheepe may have life and have it more aboundantly he suffered the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 and in the very act of suffering to speake so or in that he was stripped and dyed The chastisement of our peace was on him Esai 53.5 This cannot bee such a possible heaven a fowle sleeing in the aire a may be as farre off as a never may be which may consist with an inevitable hell So as Christ dyed not but on a poore hopelesse venture and a forlorne contingencie that might as soone fill Hell with the damned soules of all the world as grace Paradice with redeemed ones 6. His comming in the world hath no such Arminian end that we reade of as a possible saving or an obtained salvation that thousands yea not one in the world may ever enjoy but he came to seeke and actually and intentionaly to save that which was lost Luk. 19.10 to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 and Paul the first of sinners and not for wrath but that we might obtaine salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 5.9 7. Nor did he so die that we should not live to our selves but unto Righteousnesse but that we might be 1 Pet. 2.24 redeemed from this present evill world Gal. 1.4 from our vaine conversation 1 Peter 1.18 That hee might redeeme us from all iniquitie and purifie to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 That wee should glorifie God in our bodies and Spirits which are Gods 1 Cor. 6.20 That hee might present to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blemish Ephes. 5.27 Now Christ may obtaine the native and intrinsecall end of his death though all the Redeemed ones say the Arminians Live to themselves and never be redeemed from the present evill world nor from their vaine conversation and live and die to themselves and walking in their lusts 8. And upon what ground Christ is made Lord hee is made also a husband to the Church for the husband as an husband is made head of the wife Now the intrinsecall end and so the specifick acts of this husband who is joyned to us by the marriage-marriage-covenant of free grace must bee free love to his Spouse as Paul expoundeth it Ephes. 5.25 and the native fruit and end of Marriage is that the Spouse might have interest in the righteousnesse glory spirit wisdome and sanctification the kingdome and throne of the Husband and Lord not that hee might condemne and destroy his Spouse 9. It is a reasonlesse conceit that after Christ dyed hee hath a freedome to transact for our actuall saving and glorifying in what termes he will Law or Gospel Grace or Works because he dyed the surety of the covenant of grace Hebr. 7.2 and made his Testament and last will and confirmed it by his death as our friend and bequeathed to his poor friends the promise of an eternall inheritance Heb. 9.15 and so he died as the Mediator of the New Testament and sealed the Covenant with his blood which is therefore called the blood of the eternall covenant Heb. 13.20 Zach. 9.11 And therefore neither the first Testament was dedicated without blood Heb. 9.18 19 20 21. and Christ by his blood entred into heaven as a Priest to intercede for us v. 23 24. And this Arminian way over-turneth the whole Gospel which is a bargaine of blood between the Father and the son Christ and Christ dying and justifying pardoning the iniquities of his people making them heires of the same Covenant and Kingdome with himselfe is in this Indenture of free Grace the chiefe man Now unpossible it is that this can be an effect of Christs death that he may set up a covenant of grace and a Gospel-way to Heaven or set up another way when as by the Gospel-covenant only God gave Christ a body indented with him to doe the worke to make his soule an offering for sin and God promised to him if he would die a seed and that the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand that his soule should be satisfied that he should justifie many intercede for many Isai. 53.10 11 12 13. Now if all might eternally perish notwithstanding that Christ died for them and it were free to Christ to make such a Covenant after his death in which not one man possibly may be saved Christ then should doe his work and yet not have his wages nor have a seed nor justifie his people nor have a willing people to serve him yea then should Christ offer the sacrifice of his body as our Priest on earth in sheding his blood and yet not enter into Heaven and the Holy of Holiest to intercede for us as our High Priest there also 10. All the offices and relations of Christ and comfortable promises of the Gospel shall be overturned for it is in the free will of man that Christ be King or no King Head or no Head of the Church a Husband or no Husband Clear it is Christ is a Gospel King now if his death might stand and attain its intrinsecall end and effect which is a meer possible reconciliation and a salvation to his people standing only in a may be or a may never be then Christ is a Gospel-King without a Kingdome of Grace the fruits whereof are righteousnesse joy of the Holy Ghost and peace Rom. 14.17 He is a King but Iudah shall never be saved in his dayes there shall be no righteousnesse no peace no joy in his Kingdome he is a Redeemer and a Saviour but his people all are eternally lost and die in bondage and misery and in their sins he is a Saviour but saves not his people from their sins he is the chief corner stone but no other living stones are built on him he is a head but hath not a living body quickned by his Spirit nor a body that is the fulnesse of Christ he is a Husband but the essence of his maritall and husbandly power standeth in that he hath power to destroy his Spouse eternally That he hateth his own flesh he is a Shepherd and a good Shepherd and layeth downe his life for his Sheepe but the roaring Lyon devoureth all his Flocke he carrieth not the Lambes in his bosome he feedeth them not in the strength of the Lord he causeth them not lye downe safely he leadeth them not to the living waters they hunger and starve eternally he is the vine-tree but no man bringeth forth fruit in him He is an eternall Priest but the sins of all he offereth for remaine in heaven before the Lord for ever hee is the promised seed and by death triumpheth over Devils and Principalities and powers but the Serpents head is not bruised Satan is not cast out Satan reigneth and ruleth in all mankinde He hath much in Christ
every man descended of Abraham are not blessed in Christ. 1. Rom. 9.7 Because they that are the seed of Abraham they are not all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called v. 8. They which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed Now Christ hath a spirituall seed of a more narrow compasse then all the Nations of the earth Isaiah 53.10 He shall see his seed Christ marrieth not with the cursed seed and many Nations such as for many Generations never heard of Christ are under the Law and under a curse but the Nations are blessed and all Nations say they quantum ad Deum in Gods intention in the Covenant of Grace that God made with all the Nations if they would embrace and receive Christ but that they are not actually blessed fully redeemed and saved in Christ is their fault Ans. The Scripture expounds Scripture better then Arminians and the Apostle Hebr. 6. resolveth us that All the Nations of the earth v. 17. are the heires of promise those who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them who have anchored their soules by hope within the vail and hath Jesus for their forerunner v. 17 18 19 20. 2. He expounds the blessing of Abraham and of his seed not of any conditionall and far-off intention of God but of Gods actuall blessing of Abraham and his spirituall seed whom the Lord multiplied v. 14. Nor was it ever fulfilled in all the Nations of the earth they were never heires of the promise our Exposition is made good and by it the promise and oath of God fullfilled and his Covenant accomplished not by the Arminian glosse 3. Paul expoundeth Abrahams seed Gal. 3.16 to be Christ and his seed Rom. 11.26 So all Israel shall be saved This was the Israel to whom the Covenant by oath and promise was made For the Redeemer shall come out of Zion and shall turne away ungodlinesse from Iacob 27. For this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins Acts 4.33 Great grace was on them all yet not on Ananias and Saphira who were of that visible number Isai. 40.5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it Psal. 86.9 All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee and shall glorifie thy Name O Lord That is expounded Isa. 2.1 All Nations shall flow to the mountain of the Lords house What All nations without exception No v. 2. Many people shall say Come yee and let us goe to the mountain of the Lords House Hag. 2.7 And the desire of all Nations shall come did all Nations quantum in se so farre as lay in them desire Christ no such thing 2. All skilled in the Mother languages and all Divines say that the Particle Ali is taken pro singulis generum vel pro generibus singulorum all and every one of kinds and for the kinds of all though not absolutely excluding any kind 1. The word All is in materià necessarià in a necessary matter taken for all and every one God made all Nations of one blood Acts 17.26 He knowes the hearts of all men Acts 1.24 Rom. 3.12 All have sinned Rom. 5.12 2 Cor. 5.10 1 Tim. 4.10 Jam. 1.5 Phil. 2.10 11. 2. All without exclusion of particular men in a contingent matter is sometime so taken Matth. 26.33 Though all be offended Luke 6.26 Rev. 4.26 3. When all is spoken of Gods works for men or in men especially works of meer grace opposite to mens works All men then is not taken in the largest sense as M. Moor imagines So our Text I when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all men to me cannot be meant of all men without exception 1. Because its a clear restriction of calling of multitudes under the Messiahs Kingdome after his death and cannot but speak against an universall drawing in the times of the Old Testament 2. Christ drawes not all to himself by the Gospel because thousands hear not of him not virtually for we read of no calling or drawing of Christ lifted up on the Crosse and crucified by the works of Nature So God blesseth all Nations not all and every one God saveth all Israel and turneth away iniquity from Jacob and forgiveth the sins of Israel and God only saveth and only pardoneth beleevers But will Mr. Moor say God saveth and pardoneth all and every man in Israel Rule 3. There is hence a third Rule that many is placed for all the elect as Matth. 10.28 He gave himselfe a ransome for many Mark 14.14 This is my blood of the New Testament that is shed for many as Rom. 5.15 Through the offence of one many were dead that is all were dead So the sheep of Christ Joh. 10.11 the scattered sons of God Joh. 11.52 His people Matth. 1.21 His brethren Hebr. 2. That he died for must be exclusive of those that are not his sheep not his brethren not his people not the Sons of God When there is mention of a singular priviledge bestowed on friends whom Christ is to make friends Ioh. 15.13 though it be bestowed on them in regard of their present ill deserving when they are enemies Rom. 5.10 sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 lost Luke 19.10 As the necessity of the prerogative of redemption and ransome of free grace cleareth As In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Paul expoundeth it exclusively in thy seed only Gal. 3.16 So Deut. 10.20 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him Christ expoundeth it Luke 4.8 exclusively Thou shalt serve only the Lord because its the prerogative of God to be worshipped as its a prerogative of grace to be the ransomed and redeemed of God Deut. 21.8 and 7.8 Exod 15.15 Luke 1.68 Gal. 3.13 1 Pet 1.18 Revel 5.9 and Revel 14.4 Isai. 1.24 and 44.23 and 35.10 and 51.10 Jer. 31 1● and the manner of Christs dying in regard of application is exclusive by confession of party and as is clear Luke 2.11 and 1.68 69 70. Luke 2.30 31. Heb. 2.17 Rom. 8.34 Revel 5.9 Rule 4. In the matter of our Redemption especially in the New Testament and prophecies of the Old of the same subject Christ died for all pro generibus singulorum for men of all Nations some of all kinds 1. Because God speakes so of our salvation as Io●l 3.28 which was fulfilled Acts 2.17 And it shall come to passe in the last daies saith God I will poure out my Spirit on all flesh that is people of all Nations as v. 9. Parthians and Medes and Elamites and the dwellers in Mesopotamia and Judea Cappado●ia c. And of all Sexes v. 17. Sons and daughters Of all ages ●ong and old All conditions servants and handmaids Verse 5. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jewes devout men out of every Nation under
of England now risen to comfort all mankinde in these sad times 3. Saving faith layeth hold on salvation righteousnesse and everlasting redemption as proper heritage faith being a supernaturall instinct that layeth a peculiar claime to Christ as the naturall instinct in the lamb claimeth the mother its property that faith pe●sueth let e●perience speak if there be not a peculiar warmnesse of heart in a believer at the sight of Christ now to believe a common salvation hanging in the aire the heaven of Turks and Armenians and the righteousnesse and redemption of Indians of Seneca and Catiline Clodius and Camillus I confesse must be farre from such a property 4 Saving faith is the first dawning the morning sky and the first day light of the appearance of election to glory Act. 13.48 The man never hath a fair venture of heaven nor commeth in handy-gripes with eternall love revealed till he believe because the poore mans believing is his act of chusing God for his portion and so cannot be an assent to a common good generall to all men Heathens Pagans Iewes Turks and believers faith makes him say I have now found a ransome I have found a pearl of great price I make no other choyse my lot is well fallen upon Christ whether Christ cast his love or his lot on me from e●erni●y I cannot dispute but sure I have chosen him in time Now for the second The Scripture shewes us of an ho●e of ●ighteous●esse by faith this we wait for through the ●pirit Gal. 5.5 and of the hope laid up for the Saints in heav●n ●ol 1.15 and Christ in the Saints the hope of glory v. 27. and of the hope of the appearing of our life Christ Ti● 2.13 Which hope makes a man ●o purg● himself to be holy 1 Ioh. 3.3 and of a rejoycing in hope in the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Rom. 12.12 the hope to come for the which the Twelve Tribes of Israel serve God instantly Act. ●6 7 and that lively hope unto which we are regenerated by the resurrection of Jesus ●hrist from the dead 1 Pet. 1 5. and the hope that we have through patience comfort of the Scripture Rom. 15.4 and the hope which is not confined within the narrow sphear and Region of time and this corruptible life 1 Cor. 15.19 the hope which experience bringeth forth Heb. 5.4 Now whe●her we take hope for the object of hope the thing hoped for or the supernaturall or gratious faculty of hoping in neither respects have Seneca Scipio Regulus Jewes Turks Americans and such as never by any rumour heard of Chri●t any hope from Scripture Paul saith of them and of the Ephesians in their condition Ephes. 2.12 At that time ye were without Christ being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world and for the grace of hope the Scripture saith it s an Anchor cast in heaven by these who upon life and death make Jesus t●eir City of refuge Heb. 6.19.20 it is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.5 where ever it is it makes a man purifie himselfe 1 Ioh. 3.2 it s a lively hope and a fruit of predestination and of the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. Now such a hope as Arminians allow to Heathen and Indians to Reprobates who believe that Christ dyed for all and every one and such as perish eternally we gladly leave to themselves and if our doctrine of particular redemption furnish ground of dispaire as opposite to thi● hope we professe it But let Arminians answer this of their own way So God must speak to the most part of the Christian world Be of good courage hope for salvation in Christ be comforted in this that Christ dyed for you all without exception and be fully assured and believe there is a perfect ransome given for you and salvation and righteousnesse purchased to you in Christs blood but I have decreed so to act upon the wils of the farre greatest part of you that you shall have no mo●e shaire in that redemption and purchased salvation then the damned Devils whereas if I had so drawn you as I have done others as sinfull by nature as you are you should certainly have been eternally saved in Christs blood and the like and fa●re more I could say of the dreame of the middle science and knowledge of God for Arminians spoyle the Almighty of all grace compassion mercy or power to save for this is the Gospel and no other that God must utter by their doctrine I hav● chosen out of grace and mercy all to salvation who shall believe and have given my Son to give his life and blood a ransome for all and every one and I will desire and wish that all m●nkinde were with me in eternall glory and that my revenging justice had never been experimentally known to Men or Angel and that death hell sin had never had being in the world but the farre greatest part of mankinde were to sin and finally and obstinately to resist both my generall universall grace given to all and my speciall and Evangelick calling and that they were to doe before any act of my knowledge free decree strong grace or tender mercy and I cannot bow their wills indeclinably to finall obedience nor could I so powerfully by morall swasion draw them to constant faith and perseverance except I would act against that which is decent and convenient for a Law-Giver to doe and destroy the nature of that free obedience that lyeth under the sweet droppings of free reward which must be earned by sweating and under the lash and hazard of eternall punishments to be inflicted which I will not doe yea though in all things even done by free agents as translations of Kingdoms from one Prince to another and bringing enemies against a land which are done by free agents I doe what ever I will and my decree stands and cannot be recalled Dan. 4.35 Esa. 14.24 25 26 27. chap. 46.10.11 Psal. 115.3 Psal. 135.6 Yet in maters of salvation or damnation or of turning the hearts and free actions of men and Angels that most highly concerne my glory above all I cannot but bring all the arrows of my Decrees to the bow of that slippery contingent ind●fferency of the up and down free-will of Men and Angels and here am fast fettered that I can but dance as free-will pipeth and say amen to created will in all things good or bad I cannot cut of the abundance of my rich grace and free mercy though earnestly and vehemently I desire it save one person more then are saved or damn one more then are damned or write one man more in the book of life and bestow on them the fruits of my dear Sons death then such as in order of nature were finally to believe before any act of my middle science or my conditionall free Decree
close the doore in the lowest roome so I see the throne and him that sits on it it is enough to me 2. Arg. All the tie of the covenant lyeth on God not any on man as bond or obligation for the fulfilling of the covenant or partaking of the benefits thereof Heb. 8.10 Ezech. 36.25.26 Jer. 1. the Lord promiseth to doe all and the new heart is but a consequent of the covenant where is thee in all this covenant one Word that God sayes to man Thou must do this If God had put man on these conditions then they were conditions indeed But when God takes all upon himself where are then the conditions on Mans part Give me leave suppose there should be a fault of performing in this covenant whose were the fault must not the fault or failing be in him who is tyed and bound to every thing in the covenant and saith he will do it If there bee a condition and there should be a failing in the condition he that undertaketh all things in the covenant must needs be in the fault God saith not make your selves cleane get you the Law of God in your mind get you power to walk in my Statutes and when you doe this then I will be your God and enter in Covenant with you Answ. 1. We never teach that the making to our selves a new heart is an antecedent condition required before the Lord can make the New-Covenant with us as this m●n would charge Protestant Divines but that it is a condition required in the party covenanting which is conditio federatorum nonfederis and such a condition without which its unpossible they can fulfill the other condition which is to believe and so lay hold on the Covenant but it is clear Antinomians think the new heart no inherent grace in us but that Christ is grace working immediately in us as in stones and the new heart is justification without us in Christ only let Crispe shew where the making of a new heart is commanded to us as a consequent and an effect of the Covenant surely the new heart the washing of us with cleane water be it an antecedent or be it a consequent of the Covenant of Grace it is a promise that God doth freely and of meere grace undertake to perform in us Ezech. 36.26 A new heart will I give you so Ier. 32.39 40. Ier. 31.33 E●ech 11.19.20 Esa. 54.13 Ioh. 6.45 Ezech. 36.32 Not for your sakes doe I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel ver 22. I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy names sake which yee have prophaned amongst the heathen whether ye went and Crispe saith the Covenant in the old Testament had annexed to it divers conditions of legall washing and sacrifices whereas the New Covenant under the New Testament is every way of free grace He is farre wide conditions wrought in us by grace such as we assert take not one jot or title of the freedome of Grace away and though there be major gratia a larger measure of grace under the New Testament yet there is not magis gratia there is no more of the essence of free-grace in the one then in the other for all was free grace to them as to us why did the Lord enter in Covenant w●th the Iewes more then with other Nations Deut. 7.7 The Lord loved you because he loved you Was Ierusalem Ezech. 16. holier then the Ephesians Eph. 2. No their nativity was of the land of Canaan their Father an Amorite their Mother an Hitti●e Ezech. 16.5 Thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast borne ver 6. And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said to thee in thy blood live And to cause grace have a deeper impression and sinking down into the hearts bottome he repeateth it againe I said unto thee in thy blood live And will Crispe say that this i● not a history of free grace as farre from bribe or hire of merit● as in the world or will he say it was Gods meaning First wash you with holy water and sacrifice to me and performe all these legall conditions to me while you are Amorites and Hittites by kinde and that being done He enter in Covenant with you when yee have done your work He pay your wages and be your God 2. This Argument militateth strongly against every Gospel duty and the whole course of Sanctification God must so be the cause only cause of all our sinfull omissions sins under the Covenant of grace in that he promiseth to work in us to will and to do to give us grace to abstain frō sin but does not stand to his word as Antinomians teach which is an Argument unanswerable to me that its the minde of Antinomians that no justified person can sinne but that they omit good or commit ill God is in the fault not they and that the justified are meer blocks in all the course of their sanctification in all the sins they doe they are patients God should more carefully see to his own honour and not suffer them to sinne so they and the old Libertines goe on together For say that the new heart that to will and to doe to persevere stedfastly in the Grace of God were no conditions of the Covenant sure believing in the Lord Iesus is clearly a condition of the righteousnesse of faith as doing is of the righteousnesse which is of the Law Rom. 10.3 4 5 6 7 8. Gal. 4.22 23 24 25 26 27 28 say that to repent pray love God and serve him were not from God through the tye of the new-New-Covenant yet Gods promise his single word when he saith he will doe such and such things is as strong a tye as his Covenant and oath when he knoweth its unpossible these things that he saith he will doe can be done except he of his meer grace work them in us Now the Lord clearely promiseth that he will give repentance Act. 5.31 Sorrow for sinne the Spirit of grace and supplication Zach. 12.10 a circumcised heart to love and serve the Lord Deut. 30.6 Ezech. 36.26 perseverance in Grace Ier. 32.40 41. Esai 54.10 chap. 59.20.21 Psal. 1.3 Joh. 4.14 chap. 10.28 Phil. 1.6 Ephes. 5.26.27 1 Ioh. 2.1 Then let D. Crispe or any Libertine say when the Saints sinne in not praying in not sorrowing for sin in not willing and doing in their sinnes and falls in their Christian race to heaven let me speak in the words of Crisp whos fault is it or failing not to perform the word or promise of God God undertaketh by promise yea by his simple word to fulfill what he promiseth and saith he will work all these in us yea to will and to doe Ergo if it be not done the fault cannot
be mans but it must be which I abhorre to writ or speak the Lords 3. God takes all upon himselfe in genere causae gratiosae Liberrimae independentis primae non obligatae ad agendum ex ullae lege in the kind of a cause that worketh by meer grace freely Indepdenently without any Law above him to obliege him to doe otherwise with his own then he freely willeth decreeth promiseth for men carnally divide Gods decree which is most free from his promise which is as free as his decree● but it followeth in no sort as Arminians and Jesuites object to us therefore men who doe not believe pray walk holily are not in the fault being under a Law to obey for sinnefull inability to obey can ransome no man from the obligation of obedience and most blasphemous it is that because God undertaketh in the Covenant that we shall walk in his commandements as he doth promise Ezech. 36.27 and that we shall feare him Ier. 32.39.40 That God should therefore be in the fault and we free of all fault when in many particulars we offend all Iam. 3.2 and we fear not God in this or this sinne as is possible and may be gathered from Iosephs speech to his brethren who sayes he would not wrong them for he feared God and Iobs word that he durst not dispise the cause of his servant because he was affraid of God Yet God promiseth that he will keep Ioseph Iob and all the elect in the way of Gods Commandements that they shall not fully fall away from him God never by promise covenant oath or word undertaketh o keep his elect from this or this particular breach and act of unbeliefe against the Covenant of grace 4. The fault against the Gospel or any sin in a believer must justly be imputed to him because he is tyed by the Evangelick Law not to sinne in any thing the Gospel granteth pardons but not dispensations in any sins and it can in no sort bee imputed to God because if any believer fall in a particula● sin or act of unbeliefe against the covenant of grace the Lord neither decreed nor did ever undertake by Covenant or promise to keep him by his effectuall grace from falling in that sinne for the Lord would then certainly have keeped him as he did Peter and doth all the Elect that are effectually called that in mighty temptations their faith faile them no● Nor is the act of believ●ng that is wanting in that particular fall such a condition of the Covenant as Christ either promised to work or the necessary condition of the Covenant of Grace or such a condition the want whereof doth annull and make voyde the eternall Covenant of grace 5. I here smell in Antinomians that God must bee in fault as the author of our unbelief our stony hearts our walking in our fleshly wayes because God hath promised to give us faith and a heart of flesh to walk in his wayes as the old Libertines said God was the principall and chief cause of sin and that God did all things both good and ill the Creatures did nothing So Calvine in ins●itut adversus Libertines chap. 14. in opus pag. 446. Mr. Archer down right saith God is the authour of sin what end is there of er●ing if God leave us It is true the tie and all the tie of giving a new heart and the Spirit of grace and supplication lieth on the Lord who promised so to do Deut. 30.6 Ezech. 11.19.20 chap. ●6 26.27 Ier. 31.33 34.35.36 But yet so that we are under the obligation of divine precepts to doe our part Ezech. 18.31 make you a new heart and a new Spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel Ier. 4.4 Circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the fore-skinne of your heart Ephes. 4.23 be renewed in the Spirit of your mind Rom. 12.2 Rom. 13.14 and 1 Thessal 5.17 pray without ceasing Psal. 50.15 Call upon mee Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray Therefore all the tie and obligation of what ever k●nd cannot so free us from sinfull omissions nor can the tye ly on God evangelick commandments are accompanied with grace to obey grace layeth a tie on us also to yeeld obedience 6. It s a foule and ignorant mistake in Crispe to make the Covenant nothing but that love of God to man which hee cast on man before the Children had done good or evill Rom. 9.1 That love is eternall and hath no respect to faith as to a condition but it s not the covenant it selfe because it is the cause of the covenant 2. To the love of election there is no love no work no act of beleeving required on our part Yea no mediator no shedding of blood wee are loved with an everlasting love before all these but the covenant though as decreed of God it be everlasting as all the works of creation and divine providence which fall out in time and have beginning and end are so everlasting for God decreed from eternity that they should be yet it is not in being formally while it bee preached to Adam after his fall and there is required faith on all the Saints part to lay hold on the Covenant Esai 56.4 and to make it a covenant of peace to the Saints in particular 2. Faith is the condition of the covenant 3. Christ the mediator of it 4. Christs blood the seal of it 5. The Spirit must write it in our heart But the love of election is a compleat free full love before our faith or shedding of blood or a mediator be at all Object We are not saved nor justified nor taken in Covenant by faith as a work saith Crispe for then we should not bee saved by grace and grace should not be grace but wee are justified by faith that is by that Christ which faith knoweth according to that by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many therefore faith is no condition of this covenant Answ. The contrary rather followeth 1. Seeing Crisp doth say none under heaven can bee saved till they have believed We are not taken in covenant by faith neither wee nor scripture speak so taking us in covenant is before wee can beleeve but we lay hold on Christ and righteousnes by faith not as a work but a necessary condition required of us 2. I leave it to the consideration of the Godly if beleeving in him who just●fieth the ungodl● be no condition a work justifying I do not think it but onely I beleeve and know that Christ justified me before I beleeved from eternity as some say when I was conceived in the womb ●s Crispe sai●h and that the threatning he that believeth not i● condemned already carries this sence he that believeth not that he is not condem●●d hee is already condemned Who can believe such toyes 2. Beleeving is a receiving of Christ Ioh. 〈…〉 Christs dwelling in the heart Ephes. 3.17 Then to 〈◊〉 must bee to
Ioh. 6.44 and another refuseth and actively and wilfully withdraweth from the call of God if the omnipotency of never enough praised grace bee not the cause the adequate highest and principall cause I deny not but corrupt and rebellious will is the inferiour culpable and onely culpable and morall cause why Judas denyeth obedience to the holy call of Christ. It is a sweet contemplation that Angels and Men sing the same song and Psalme of free grace in heaven to the Lamb to him that sitteth on the Throne and a question it is if a more ingaging and obliging way to free grace could be devised then that as many as are in the glorified Troops and triumphing armies in heaven clothed in white should bee also the sworne subjects and the eternall debtors of the freest grace of him who is the high Lord Redeemer and head of Angels and Men. But in the engagement it selfe of the winde of the Spirit for the tryall of the Saints there is great ground of admiration as 1. the blowing of the soft and pleasant breathings of the South-winde of free-grace lying under the only work of soveraignty when and where and in the measure the Lord pleaseth is a high and deep expression of the freedome of grace for in one and the same prayer the like by proportion may bee said of the acts of faith love patience hope we often begin to pray with sad and fleshly complaints of unbeliefe as is evident in many Psalms and Prayers of the Saints in Scripture Jeremy Lament 3. of Iob of David yet going on the breathings of th● holy Ghost will fill the sailes and he returneth therefore this is a ground yea a demonstration to me then when I finde no motion of the holy Ghost no spirituall disposition but meere deadnesse I am not to abstaine from praying because I finde the Spirit not acting nor stirring in me as Antinomians say but 1. I am to act and doe though the principle of motion be naturall as if the first stroak on flint make not fire we are to strike againe and againe and if the fire blowing of the bellows kindle not the sticks let us be doing and the Lord will be with us A kindling and a flame may come from heaven say that the Lord were wanting to me in a dead and low ebbe he will not once roll about the sight of his eye nor let out one blast or stirring of aire and winde of the Spirit toward me yet my deadnesse is my sin and freeth not me from an obligation to pray and to seek to God the doore is fast bolted shall I not therefore knock accesse is denyed and the Lord in ang●r shuteth out my prayer Lam. 3.8 May not I look and sigh and groane toward his holy Temple deadnesse is not the Lords revealed will forbidding me to pray because I am dead and indisposed 2. Deadnesse and indisposition is a sinne then must we confesse to God and tell the Lord when we are indisposed to pray that we cannot pray and let the dead and the blind but bow his knee and lay a dead Spirit and naked wretched soul a paire of blinde eyes before God for we are commanded to confesse this to God as may be gathered from Revel 3.17 1 Joh. 1.9 Prov. 28.13 Psal. 32.5 3. We are expresly commanded in the day of trouble and of our temptation to pray and seek help from God under our temptations Psal. 50.15 Matth. 6.13 1 Thess. 5.17 As the Saints have done Psal. 18.6 Psal. 34.6 Psal. 61.2 2 Cor. 12 ver 7.8.9 If then wee judge the no breathing of the holy Ghost a temptation and a cause of humiliation as it is and the Saints doe judge it then are we to pray though most indisposed why doth David complain that he was as a bottle in the smoak and pray so often that God would quicken him if under a dead disposition we were not to pray 4. If often the Saints beginning to pray doe speak words of unbeliefe and from a principle of nature and if words flowing from the deadnesse and misgivings and rovings of the fl●sh interwoven in with the spirituall and heavenly ravishments of the Spirit of grace and supplication in one and the same complaint and prayer to God as Psal. 38. Psal. 102. Psal. 77. Psal. 88. Lament 3. Ier. 20. Job 8. ch 16. ch 19. and in many other passages where the Spirit and the flesh have Dialogues and Speeches by turnes and by course then may and ought the Saints to pray under deadnesse and do as much as thei● present indisposition can permit them and the Spirit is seene to come and blow not by obligation of Covenant or promise on Gods part as Iesuites and Arminians with Pelagians have taught but in his ordinary free practises of grace as Philip was commanded to come and preach Christ to the Eunuch while he was reading the Book of the Prophet Esay not because he was reading Scripture or because such a promise is made to these who read Scripture as the Angels revealed the glad tydings of the birth of Christ while the shepheards were attending their flocks in the field not because they were so doing as if a promise of the Gospel b●longed to men b●cause they wait one their calling and Annanias is sent to preach Christ to Saul and open his eyes while he was praying not because he was praying but of meer free-grace which moveth in this ord●nary current and sphere of free love cong●uously to the Lords freely intended end to save his people even as the Lord joyneth his influence and blessing to give bread and a Harvest to the sower Esay 55. yet not that he hath tyed himself by promise to give a good Harvest to every industrious husbandman yet this ordinary practise of Grace with the Commandement of God is enough to set us on work to pray to believe to acts of love to Christ in the saddest and deadest times 5. It should be no sinfull omission in us not to pray when the Spirit stirreth us not if our deadnesse should free us from all sin because we cannot run when the Bridegroome doth n●t draw Christs drawing goeth along with the secret decree of Election but is not to us a signification of the Lords revealed will that we should not follow Christ when he suspendeth the influence of his drawing power 6. Now as in nature men may so dare the Almighty in his face that God in ju●tice may deny his influence to naturall causes as when malice opposeth the Spirit of God in the Prophet of God that the Lord refuseth to concurre with the oyle in Iereboams whithered a●m that he cannot pull it in againe to him 2. When the Lord is put to a contest with false god's to work a miracle as in his refusing to concurre with the fire in burning the three children for in all causes naturall or morall or whatever they be God has a negative
the free Spirit is sin and to obey for the letter of the command to Antinomians is to controule the free Spirit but its blasphemy to say that there is a contraiety between the letter of the Lords command either in Law or Gospel and the free impulsion of the Spirit working ●in us by grace to will doe and obey the command ●or to obey the voyce of the Lord in his Prophets and Apostles and to obey the Lord himselfe are all one in the word but this is the error of old Anabaptists and Enthysiasts to reject the word and all teaching by men and the word and to leane to the only immediate inspirations and free motions of the Holy Ghost and to doe or obey for any other teaching is the way of legall and law-men led by the letter not by the Spirit If any obey or doe Gods will out of by respects or for feare of punishment or hope of reward they doe not Gods will nor obey they from the power of an outward command nor doe they controule the free Spirit because the very letter and outward commandement enjoyneth inward spiri●uall sincere obedience farre from hypocrisie and forbiddeth in the sense of the letter of it all servile respects and service of God for hire Antinomians believe that the Law as the law doth ommand men to obey for fear of hell as a servant for beating obeyeth his Master or that it commandeth perfect obedience for hire of life eternall I do●bt not to say this is not far from blasphemy for the Law is spirituall and holy and good and most just it s a cleane and undefiled Law Psal. 119. Rom. 7. is the expresse and image of th● good acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12.2 then the Law as the Law can command no finer hypocrisie no servile no mercenary obedience for hire for the Law cannot command sin its true Luther saith that the Law compelleth men to obey God but he speaketh of the accidental operation fruit of the Law because of our sinfull disposition and of the condemning Law as it works on our corruption the holy Law commandeth no man to obey God wickedly 2. The letter of the Gospel carrieth to us and holdeth forth free grace openeth the bowels and heart of Christ calleth on the weary and loaden to come to Christ speaketh heaven glory and the promise in the wombe of it though it be but the foolishnesse of preaching of men yet it s the power o● God to salvation and there is such a Majesty so much of heaven in the womb and bowels of the word that as I never read or heard the like of it so I shall hate that Religion that joyns with popery to call it Ink-divinity and a letter and a legall servile thing so did the Libertines in Calvines time 3. All tendeth to this that we despise prophecying neglect the word commands promises covenant of grace and all these inferiour meanes and so praying experience conference hearing reading Sacraments because without the Spirit these are livelesse and dead for saith Towne the meanes are passive shall be also many restraints laid on the free Spirit of God But so we should not saile nor traffi●k we should not plew nor eare we should not watch the City nor build houses because all these are fruitlesse without the influence of a blessing from heaven if their meaning be that we are not to trust or rest on the meanes the word promises covenant of grace but to seek Christ hims●lfe in all these its good but then to seek Christ in his own way is not to controule his spirit as Mr Town phancieth Now what Town doth meane in saying that the Spirit freely conformeth the heart and life to the outward rule of the law without the help of the Law is heard to conjecture for ●f the meaning be that the Spirit needeth the he●p of the Law to make us know our sinnes to humble us and chase us to him who is the end of the Law then surely the Spirit by the help of the Law worketh these in us as God maketh cornes to grow by husbandry raine good soile and by nature his handmaide no man can say God works here without the help of the Law if the meaning be that the law of it selfe cannot convert a man to God Antinomians father most falsely such a dream on us nay the Gospel of it selfe cannot effectuate this without the Spirit But if the Spirit conforme us to the outward rule of the law then must the law be yet a rule of our obedience how are we then freed from the law as a rule of our obedience if the Spirit led us back to this rule And Rom. 3. Rom. 7. Gal. 3. 2 Cor. 3. where the Apostle speaketh of our freedome from the law he ever speaketh of our freedome from the law as it condemneth as it worketh wrath as it involveth us in a curse as it can justifie us or give life never as it doth regulate direct teach and lead us in the way of righteousnesse Mr Towne Pag. 9. What freeth a believer from the curse but because he is a new creature in Christ and is made personally perfectly and everlastingly righteous and the principall debt is obedience the failing wherein bindeth ●ver to the curse and death Answ. That new creature is sanctification not justificatification 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ that is if he be justified h● is a new creature that is he is sanctified else by the Antinomian glosse the meaning must be if any man be justified in Christ he is justified in Christ Paul speaketh not so non sense 2. It is true we owe active obedience to the law as a debt but that is the d●bt of absolute●y perfect ob●dience how shall it follow that Christ has loosed us from all debt of active obedience because he has loosed us from a necessity of perfect active obedience under the paine of damnation but the Law as in the hand of Iesus the Mediator or the law 〈◊〉 spiritualized and lustered with Gospel law and free-grace and drawn downe to a Covenant of free-grace req●ireth not exact perfect obedience under paine of losing salvation yea it requireth obedience as the poore man is able to give it by the grace of God that the man enter in the possession of life eternall but that he may have ransome-right by merit and conquest to heaven or to free justification in Christ the law cannot crave either legall or Evangelick obedience This then is no more a good consequence then to say Christ has by his death freed us from death and suffering as they are caused by the Law and satisfactory to justice therefore Christ hath freed us from death and sufferings in any respect Yea Paul showeth what Law it is that we are freed from Rom. 8.2 it is the Law condemning and killing called the law of sinne and death and he saith expressely Christ dyed for
God Refuted The omnipotency of Christ in drawing sinners Did Ruiz to de provid predefinitionibus per totum The Vaga necessit●s the confused indefinite morall necessity of late devised by Jesuites is not sufficient to conversion The Lord removeth resisting power Gods promise and covenant leadeth to draw iresistibly Conditionall promis●s of conversion cannot help Arminians here The immutability of the Covenant of Grace a strong argument for invincible dr●wing of a sinner The covenant between the Father and the Sonne in making good the articles of the treaty must depend on our free will if Christ draw not sinners invi●cibly Articles of the covenant between the Father and the Son diversly proposed Virg. Et penitus toto divisos orbe Britannos How strongly and with what a sweet nec●ssity Christ draweth us Vse 2. We are hardly drawne Crispe vol. ● Serm. 4 pag. 110.111 Antinomians reject the narrow way that lead● to life their exposition of Ma●h 7.14 rejected as false and fleshly (a) Vol. 1. Ibid. pag. 89. (b) Serm. 1. pag. ●2 Antinomians reject all sanctification c Ser. 1. p. 18. d Crisp. vol. 1 Ser. 1. p. 21● It was the old error of the Libertines of Antonius Po●quius Priest as Calvine saith I●struct ad Libertinos cap 23. in opuscu pag. 460. so Pocquius existimabam me aliquid intelligere nec quicquam intelligo deus enim intellectus meus est virtus mea salus mea Calv●ne answers excellently Homo quidem fidelis se nihil ex seipso intelligere ceaset sed an propteria debet ●●culos c●an●dere ne quid intueatur ut vult iste insanus A man saith Calvine in Christ judgeth that he understandeth nothing of himselfe and so that he can neither pray nor beleeve without the Spirit but shall he therefore close his eyes that hee may understand nothing at all as this phrantick man imagines How we are saved in this life Henry Nicholas of low Germany taught the same doctrine a hundred yeares agoe Cha. 1. Sent. 9 For behold in this present day is the glorious comming of the Lord Jesus Christ with the many thousands of his Saints he commeth manifested which hath set himselfe now upon the seat of his Majestie for to judge in this same day which the Lord hath ordained the whole world with equity and Chap. 35. Sent. 8. Behold in this present day is this Scripture fulfilled Esai 26. Dan. 12 4. Esdras 7. 1 Thess. 4. Matth. 24. and 25. Luke 17. Acts 1. Matth. 24. Revel 14. according to the testimony of the Scripture the raising up and resurrection of the Lords dead commeth also to passe presently in this same day through the appearing of the comming of of Christ in his Majestie c. So this man denyeth any life to come or any Resurrection to which way Antinomians encline (a) Calvinus in opuse in instruc advers libertinos Cap. 23. p. 460 461 and cap. 22. p. 458 459 Pocquiu● in libello Scriptum est non tendes ad malum cavens ne adulteres in verbo id est in litera Scripturae ficut multi non justificati saciunt Talis ●go fui sed omnia remissa sunt Nam scriptum est abstinete vos ab adulteratione ut possitis vas vestrum in sanctificatione honore possidere cum simus mortui legi per corpus Christi ut alter●is simus qui suscitatus est ex mortuis ut fructisicemus ●Deo viventi non ●giturestis in came Quaere re●e●quamus veterem Adamum id est arimam nostram viventem veniamus ad ●em majorem id est ad Spiritum dictum enim suit Ad● quod i●or●●●tur revera mortuus est nunc vivisicati sumus cum sec●ndo Adam qui est Christus non ●ernendo am●lius peccatum quia est morioum (b) Hen Nicol cap. 34. Christ hath annointed me with his Godly being he hath Godded me (c) Rise reign error 11. (d) Er. 7. (e) Er. 8. Pocquius 16. apud Calv. in opus 463. Obdormivit Christus in cruce suit apertum latus ut cesta repertretur que est semina Ecclesia dicta unio personalis totius naturae humanae fieri omnes in un● membro cujus Christus est caput (f) Pocquius 16. pag. 461. Scriptum est omnia munda mundis qui autem fide purificatus est totus gratus Deo Calvinus ibid. Putidus este hanc sententiam eò applicat ut latro●mia scortationes homicidia pro mundis sanct●s rehus habeantur (g) Rise reign ruine the body of the Story p. 59 60 62. * Divers Antinomians deny the life to come and the Resurrection of the dead as did Hymeneus and Phyletus Free will free in being drawn to Christ. Arminian indifferency of will loosed from all predetermination of God blasphemous Gods decree giveth a shall be or a shall not be to all things possible Zeph. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ante parere decretum God the f●rst efficient and last finall cause of all beings and acts of free will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Remonstrants at the ●ynod of Dort with shame denied that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in the Text an easie way of ●l●di●g Scripture The genera●l universa●l and indifferent concurrence and influence of God with second causes devised by Jesuites and Arminians a dreame Indifferency of free will loosed from the d●minion of providence ●nthro●es fortune and contingency in Gods roome How God determines free-will and forceth it not Two sorts of determinations of wi●l It s our happinesse that free will be not the 〈◊〉 of our heaven With drawing 〈◊〉 and also a ba●e 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 Th● reas●● of the Apostle word and of the Prophet Habba ●●'s c. ● given We are to await Christs work of conversion How to deale with any that are troubled for non-conversion It s no Gospel-truth that God loves no man lesse for sin or more for inherent righteousnesse Christs gra●e in 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 Riches or gr●ce Overflowings of grace Thankefulnes● for grace required The vertues in Christ sitting him to draw sinners How the ou●i●g of Gods 〈…〉 in the Sonne Christ man in a lovely posture of drawing sinners Behold Christs 〈◊〉 Divisions and wars ●t from congregating Christ. Whi●e civility dangerous The revelation of Christs drawing lovelinesse and the fu●nesse thereof The revelation of Christs drawing lovelinesse from Christ onely and two acts thereof Bright Star c. 5. p. 38. The compleatnesse of Christs love●inesse Bright Star c 4. p 30. T●wn Ass●●tion of Grace p. 76 77 7● Theolog Germ c. 8. p. 16. Perfection 〈◊〉 attaine●ble in this life What perfection of 〈◊〉 is in Ch●ist in the life com● The Scri●turs ●nd ordinances are the meanes of attaining the ●ul●esse of C●●●st 〈…〉 in this life Familists place their perfect one● above all use of Ordinances The active passive annihilation of Famil●sts To desist from Monkish contemplation to returne to a practicall life to Familists is
heaven 2. There should have been no Gospel no actuall redemption on earth no Gospel-song of Ransomed ones in heaven Worthy is the Lambe c. Had sinne never been there had never been one whisper nor voyce in heaven of a Lambe sacrificed and slaine for sinners there had been no Gospel-tune of the now-eternall song of free grace in heaven there had been silence in that blessed Assembly of the first borne of any Psalme but of Law-musicke men obeyed a Law without being in debt to the grace of a Mediator and therefore they live eternally 3. Grace free grace should never have come out on the stage as visible to the eye of Men and Angels 4. If sinne had never broken in on the world the Guests of free grace that now are before the throne and once were foule and uggly sinners on earth Mary Magdalene with her seven Devils Paul with his hands once hot and smoaking with the bloud of the Saints and his heart sicke with malice and blasphemy against Christ and his followers and the rest of the now-whit and washen ones whose robes are made faire in the bloud of the Lambe and all the numerous millions which none can number whose heads now are warmed in that best of lands with a free crowne and are but bits of free grace should not have been in heaven at all as the free-holders and tenants of the exalted Redeemer the man Jesus Christ there had not beene one tenent of pardoning mercy in heaven But O what depth of unsearchable wisdome to contrive that lovely plot of free grace and that that River and Sea of boundlesse love should runne through and within the banks of so muddy Inkie and polluted a channell as the transgressions and sinnes of the Sonnes of Adam and then that on the sides and borders of that deepe River should grow green budding and blooming for evermore such Roses and Paradice-Lilies smelling out heaven to Men and Angels as pardoning mercy to sinners free and rich grace to traitors to the crowne of heaven the God-love of Christ Jesus to man Come warme your hearts all intellectuall capacities at this fire O come ye all created faculties and smell the precious ointments of Christ O come sit down under his shaddow tast and eat the apples of life O that Angels would come and generations of men and wonder admire adore fall down before the unsearchable wisdom of this Gospel-art of the unsearchable riches of Christ. 13. If then love and so deep Gospel-love be despised broken men sleighting surety-love and marriage-love and then dying in such a debt as trampled on Covenant-love bloud-love must be areasted with the saddest charge of Gospel-vengeance I would have saved you and yee would not be saved comming from the mouth of Christ must be a seale to all the curses of the Law and a vengeance of eternall fire beyond them But we either in these sad times will have the grace of Christ a Cypher and yet to doe all things which is the Antinomians wanton licentiousnesse or free will to doe all things and grace to doe nothing but that nature should be the umpire and Soveraigne and grace the servant and vassell which is the Arminians pride for feare they be beholden to Jesus Christ and hold heaven on a writing of too free grace sure the Gospel goeth a middle way and the difference of Devils white or black should not delude us for both are black and tend to the blacknesse of darkenesse and shift the soule of Christ and break up a new North-west way to heaven that our guid to glory may not be the Captaine of our salvation who brings many children to glory but either loose licence without Law or lordly pride without Gospel-grace Now the very God of peace establish us in his truth and in such a thorny wood of false Christs and false Teachers give us the morning-star and his conduct to glory who knows the way and is the way the truth and the life Yours in the Lord Iesus S. R. A TABLE OF THE Contents of the Treatise OPening of the Words Pag. 1. It is good in our minde to act our sufferings ere they come Pag. 2.3 Parts of the Text. Pag. 3. Five particulars touching Christs soule-trouble 3. How pure and heavenly Christs affections are 3.4 Our affection are muddy 4.5.6 The perfection of Christs affections 4.5 What peace Christ had with his soule-trouble 6. A troubled soule consisted with the personall union and how this must be and how it can be 7.8 God exacted not satisfaction for sinnes by necessity of nature 8. The way of grace how lovely 9. Christ in soule-trouble and yet the union not dissolved 9. Familists teach that Christ is incarnate in beleevers 10. Christ suffered in his soule kindly and not by concomitancie only 11. Christs precious soule lyable to suffering 11. We are to beare death patiently seeing Christ dyed 12. No wonder all things bee lyable to change since Christ was in soule-trouble 12.13 What love in Christs undertaking for us 13. Christ cast up his accounts and saw what hee was to give out and what to get in in his suffering for us 14 Loves way of saving man 14 Our softnesse and selfe-wisdome in suffering 15.16 Our mis-judging of God under the crosse 16 Our coldnesse of love to Christ. 17 Evangelick love is more then Law-love 18 Sinnes against love are wounding 18 What a soule troubled for sinne is 19 Christs being over-clowded incomparably the greatest soule-trouble that ever was 19 Christ was to bleed for sinne as sinne 21 According to the fulnesse of the presence of the God-head so heavie was Christs love 21 Antinomians errours touching the nature of sinne 23 Antinomian errours touching doubtings sorrow for sinne confession c. 23.24 D. Crisps Libertinisme that Paul Rom. 7. personateth the person of a scrupulous man and had no reall cause to sorrow for feare or confesse sinne 24.25 M. Archer in the like errour 25.26 Trouble of unbeliefe for sinne is sinnefull 26 Some fits of the ague of the Spirit of bondage may recurre and trouble a beleever 26.27 Loves-Jelousies and doubting argue faith 27 Doubting may consist with faith 27 Dangerous and unsound positions of Antinomians touching trouble for sinne in the justified 28 Doubtings proveth not a soule to be under a covenant of works 29 The Jewes under the Old Testament justified might be troubled in soule for sinne as we they and we justified by the same grace 29 Trouble for sinne is and ought to be in those who are delivered from obligation to eternall wrath 30.31 No Law-wakening in us by nature 32 How the Saints need joy after sin rather then after affliction 33 Sinne is pardoned otherwise then in removall of obligation to eternall wrath 34 The double dealing of Antinomian Preachers in confession of sinnes in publick their confession being onely in regard of unbeleevers mixed with beleevers 34 A two fold pardon of sinne 1. A relaxation from eternall 2. From
temporall wrath 35 Sin is sometimes put for temporary punishment and to remove temporary punishment is to pardon sin in Scripture-sense 36 Soule-troubles in devils and men must be extreame 38 Conscience the sorest enemy 38 The terrours of an evill conscience 38 Difference betweene the soule-torment of the damned and the Saints in 3. points 39 God punisheth sometimes the sinnes of his children with spirituall punishments 40 Christs soule-trouble different from ours 43 The causes of soule desertions 43.44.45 Soule desertions sharpened with sense 44 Desertions after evident and full manifestations of God 44.45 Desertion under a three-fold consideration 46 Patience requisite under soule-trouble 46 We are not so freed from sin being justified but there is a ground of distance betweene the Lord and us 46.47 Mis-judging thoughts of Christ in us by nature 47 Sinne not ever the cause of desertion 47.48 Externall heavy judgements and soule-desertions not Pedagogicall but common to the Saints under the N. Test. 48.49 Active desertion is not our sin but the Lords trying of us 49 Desertions more proper to the Saints then to the unregenerat 49 Christs desertion of another nature then ours 49 Desertion not melancholie 50 The various dispensation of God in leading soules to heaven 51 Divers causes of desertion 51 Continuated manifestations of Christ necessary 51.52 Divers reasons why we are not to quarrell with Divine dispensation in desertion 52 Gods manifestations his owne and most free 52 Submission and charity required to Gods dispensations 52 Apprehensions biggest and most terrible in desertion because of the darkenesse of the minde 53 Sathan can raise our apprehensions to swelling thoughts of Gods dispensation as too greevous to be borne 54 Our love is sweyed with jealousies and mis-giving 54.55 Divine dispensation not our rule 55 Vnbeliefe is querulous mis-beleeving of our state too frequent in desertion but more of Christ. 56 Mis-judging of our actions frequent in desertion 56.57 Antinomians mistake touching anxiety for sinne 57 We may long for Christ absent but not mis-judge him 57.58 Divers considerable reasons of Christs absence 58.59 Mis-judging argueth softnesse of nature and weakenesse of judgement 59.60 Saints must looke for a growing crosse 60 A growing faith for growing crosses 61 Anxitie in Christ. 61 62 A sinnelesse oblivion in Christ. 62 How Christs sensitive affection are under a Law 62 Christs losse great 62 The personall union hindred not the operations of sinnelesse humane infirmities 62 Christs anxiety sinnelesse 63 No mistake in Christs soule deserted 63 Christs desertion reall 63 Judiciall mispending of our affections 64 How Christ was forsaken 64 The sinner shiftlesse in judgement 64.65 No hypocrites formally in hell and at the last judgement 65 A wakened conscience speechlesse 65.66 Three demands of justice given in against Christ. 66 Help neerer in trouble then we apprehend 67 Christ made use of Faith in trouble for our cause 68 Christs death-gripe 69 Doubtings for want of qualifications how cured 69.70 Two false wayes of curing doubting whether the soule bee in Christ or not 70 To argue no faith from faint performances of duties is unjust reasoning 70 How farre we may argue no faith from sinfull walking 71 Antinomians doubts touching the spirituall estate of the soule discussed and disproved 72 The immutabilitie of Gods love no ground but multitudes may doubt whether they be in Christ or not 72.73 Saltmarsh examined in this point 72.73 74.75 A necessitie of inherent signes and qualifications to doubting soules 73.74 How God loveth his Sonne Christ and beleevers with the same love 74 How far Sanctification may evidence that a soule is in Christ. 76 From no sanctification we may conclude no justification 77 Protestants make mortification and repentance some other thing then faith 77 Regeneration and justification not one 78 No assurance can flow from acts performed by our good nature 78 Antinomian Mortification a delusion 79 How we see forgivenesse in our selves 79 Antinomians deny all inherent holinesse in us 80 How we are to see grace in our selves 80 Nothingnesse in our selves highteneth the price of Christ. 81 How Ministers are to deale with troubled soules 82 Christ more to be chosen then the comforts of Christ. 82 Vnder soule-trouble we are to doe but not to conside in what we doe 83 Love-jealousies under desertion 84 Desertions have a time 84 Christ r●compences his absence with double smiling 84 Works of sanctification though polluted with sinne may bottome assurance 85 We doe not all times know that we beleeve 85.86 There is need of actuall influence of grace to the reflect knowledge of our spirituall state 86 The witnessing of sanctification sometime darke 86 Duties performed in faith not contrary to grace 87 Hard to be comforted in desertion 87 Sense of Christs absence cannot be out-reasoned 88.89 All in glory short of what they owe. 90 God cannot be quarrelled in desertion 90 We cannot beare fulnesse of glory in this life 90 Longing after Christ strongest in absence 91 The languishing soule may pray home Christ. 92 Christs love not Lordly 92 The Lords returne after sad desertion joyfull 92.93 How neere Christ is in desertion 93 Christ pardoneth and rarely punisheth love-errours 94 It s a lie that none are to question their faith as Saltmarsh saith 94 We are to beleeve after Christs fashion not our owne 95 Saints may doubt whether they beleeve or no. 96 Doubting in beleevers proveth them not to bee under the Law 97 Sanctification of it selfe is an infallible signe of justification but not ever so to us 98 How acts of sanctication make good that we beleeve 99 Assurance may flow from other marks then the immediate testimony of the Spirit 99.100 The inward testimony of the Spirit 100 The Holy Ghost speaketh by marks 100 How Antinomians compare evidences of marks and of faith together 101 Degrees of freedome of grace 101.102 Antinomians denying preparation must be Pelagians 102 The broad Seale of the Spirit excludeth not all doubting 102 Doubting of the truth of Faith is that unbeliefe that excludeth us out of our heavenly rest 104 That we may know justification by sanctification proved 105 Works done in faith are not doubtsome evidences of justification 106 Works may prove faith and faith Works 107 How sanctification doth prove justification 108 Peace from justification and from sanctification how different 110 To be assured of righteousnesse and know that wee are in that state two different things 111.112 M. Cornwel proveth what is not in question 112 Many things ours both by debt of promise and by grace 112.113 Conditionall Gospel-promises argue free grace not debt 113 Gospel-promises made to acts of sanctification 116.117 Antinomians deny all conditionall promises 117 What kind of faith was in Christ. 117.118 How faith of Dependance was in Christ. 118 The not seeing of God may stand with personall union 118 A rare providence that Christ is put to God save me 119 We are not to storme that we are not heard at first 120
first morning and dawning of election ibid. The Arminian hope and comfort and their wild Divinity not in Scripture 428.429.430 The Lords generall good will to save all and every one comfortlesse 432.433 The fountaine good will of God separateth elected persons from others 4●2 433 Arminians resolve all in mans will and merits 434.435 Paul●s out-cry O the depth opened 435.436 Onely free grace not freewill maketh one to differ from another 437.438 The abundance of grace 439 440 All love especially a three fold effectuall in God no lip love in him 440 441 Christs love cannot mis-carry ibid. Very active 442 Ten objections from feare of Reprobation and sinne that se● me to hinder beleeving removed 4●3 ●44 445 Christ can draw as guilty as thou art 447.448 The person to whom we are drawne most considerable from severall excellencies in him 449.450.451.452 Christ a home and rest 451 Three parts of Christs compleatnesse 1. His fulnesse 453 2. His primacy 453.454 3. His excellencie 454.455.456 Resisting of Christ a high sinne 457 Christ good at drawing of sinners ibid. 458.459 Resisting a great sinne 459.460 Marks of a meere Moralist 461.462 Errours of Libertines touching Free will 462.463.464 What activitie we have in our conversion 464 The faculties of the soule not destroyed 464.465 Grace inherent in us not the person of the Holy Ghost 464.465.466.467 The Blasphemy of the Libertine H. Nicholas who said he was Godded ibid. The union of the Holy Ghost with the Saints not personall 467.468.469 Grace and Free will joyned in acting in a fourefold sense 468 469.470 The covenant of grace how conditionall 471.472.473 Crispe refuted 472.473.474 Differences betweene Law and Gospel 472 Grace in the Old Testament and Justification the same in Nature with that in the New Testament 474 47●.476 How faith is a condition of the Covenant 476.477 How grace acteth in all Christs Members 479. ●80 Christ onely not any creature Man or Angel can calme a disquieted soule 480.481 The Lords deniall of grace falleth under a three-fold consideration 481.482.483 The freedome of grace evidenced in Angels 482 In the conversion of men 483 48● We are to pray when under indispositions we cannot ibid. Flesh and Spirit in their up's and downes 485.486 In what cases God us●th to withdraw ibid. We are to stirre and blow grace our selves 486.487 How we sinne in not doing though actuall pred●terminating grace be not in our power 487.488.489 How we leave God ere he leave us 489 How we are to beleeve that God will joyne his influence of actuall grace 489.490 Grace not a Morall sparkle 490.491 Mens impotencie to come to Christ wilfull ibid. The condition of Christs drawing 492.493 Christs and our leaving of the earth and the reasons 493.494.495 Christs dying a speciall ground of Mortification 496. ●97 To be crucified to the World what it is 497.498 How base the earth is to a Saint ibid. Antinomian Mortification fleshly and refuted 490.491.492 Libertines and Antinomians compared together from some passages of Calvine Instruct. advers Libertinos 500 501.502.50●.504.505.506 Sinnes of the Justified to Antinomians no sinnes 502.503 Sense and feeling of sinnes to Antinomians 503.504 How a Convert cannot fall in the same sinne againe 506.507 Sorrow for sinne habituall in the Saints contrary to Saltmarsh 507.508.509 Mortification not an act of Faith 509.510.511 Mortification personall Physicall reall not the Antinomian imputative and apprehensive Mortification refuted 509.510.511 Antinomians deny sinne to be in the justified 512.513 The fleshly distinction of Denne and other Antinomians of sin in the conscience and sinne in the conversation refuted 513.514 Mortification is in abstaining from sinne and in the remissenesse and faintnesse of the powers of the soule to act sinne 516.517.518 To live by Faith includeth sanctification ibid. A sinner as a sinner not humbled is not to beleeve applicatorily 518.519.520 Holinesse and Morall vertues much different 520 521 To adde to Antinomian Mortification is to adde to Christ. 521.522 Eight Queries propounded to Antinomians touching the Law Enthysiasmes Gospel-commands sinnes of the justified c. 522.523 Divers Manifestations of Christs deadnesse to the world 524.525 The Lords various dispensation in leading some to heaven in flowings of free grace others in low desertions 525.526 Christ strong to save 528 Minded us much in death 528.529 The World a weake thing to Christ. 529.530 Christ strong on the Crosse. ibid. Providence most speciall in excellent things 530.531 A three-fold excellency of the working of Christ on the Crosse. 531.532 Christ drawes sinners 1. Lovingly 532 2. Suffering paine ibid. 3. Strongly 532.533 Compleatly Ibid. 5. Finally dying and drawing 533.534 What it is to be lifted up from the earth 534.535 The Scriptures deepe plaine not obscure why wee accuse them 535.536 Christs dying ibid. The kind of his death 537.538 Seven considerations of Christs dying 537 538.5●9 Christs love went to death with him ibid. Christ willing to die and must dye ibid. A wondring that Christ should dye ibid. Reason would say Christs body should be precious as the Sunne ibid. It s much that Christ should part with life 5●9 Three ingredients in Christs death 1. The curse 2. Merit 3. Divine acceptation 540.541 Foure sad conditions in the ransome that Christ payed 541 1. A man given for a man 2. A King for a servant 3. A King handled as a slave ibid. The ransome given must die 542 Death the end of Christs labours ibid. Christs victory in dying 543 His welcome 544 Comforts to dye from the dying of Christ. 544.545 Christ had good hap to the Crosse. ibid. Death perfected Christ. 546 547 Life lame without the life hid with Christ. 547.548 Reall Mortification pressed from Christs death 545.546 Comfort of pardon from Christs death 549 Sinne sweet suffering for sinne sad 550 In the kind of Christs death three Characters 1. Paine 2. Shame 3. A Curse 550.551 In the paine of Christs death three 1. Violence ibid. 2. Slownesse of dying ibid. 3. Many degrees of life taken from Christ. 550.551.554 How Christ was capable of shame ibid. 555 How not 555.556 How shame penall might stand ●ith the dignity of his person 557.558 How Christ was a curse 558.559.560 Death naturall and violent 561 Indifferent accidents of death 562 How a man is ripe for death 562.563 Our errors and fancies touching the Crosse. 564.565 The bloud not dryed off Christ while he was in heaven ibid. We condemne the wisdome of God in our murmuring under the Crosse. 566 How farre we may chuse our owne Crosse. 567 The circumstances that fall in our crosse dressed by infinite wisdome 567.568 That a blessed Spirit take on him to bee a cursed sinner admirable 571.572 Wee are not freed from the Law as a rule of righteousnesse 572.573 Neither Law nor Gospel obligeth a beleever to Sanctification by the Antinomian way 574.576 We are no more under the Gospel nor under the Law by the Antinomian way 574.575 Antinomians enemies to close walking with God 575.576 Men naturally are not
glorious soule-ravishing comforts in seeing the seven golden Candlesticks and the Sonne of man in such glory and majesty Revel 1.12 13 14 15. Yet it appeares to be a dissertion that hee is under when Christ forbiddeth him to feare and when hee must have the hand of Christ laid on his head and when hee falleth down at Christs feet as dead V. 17.18 And when Isaiah saw the glorious vision Chap. 6. The Lord sitting on his throne high and lifted up it must be a throne higher then the heaven of heavens that he siteth on and his traine filling the Temple It 's a dissertion he falleth in vers 5. Then said I woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hoasts he was a pardoned man before It 's so with us while the body of sin dwelleth in us that we cannot being old bottles beare new wine and therefore the fulnesse of God breaketh crazie lumps of sinfull flesh and blood as a full tide is preparatorie to a low ebbing and full vessels in the body to a feaver Would Christ in his fulnes of the irradiations of glory breake in upon us he should breake the bodily organs and over-master the soules faculties that all the banks of the soule should be like broken wals hedges or clay channels which the inundation of a river has demolished and carried away from the bottom Flesh and blood is not in a capacitie of over-joy and can hold but little of heaven no more then earth cold beare such a glorious creature as the Sunne we must be both more capacious and wider and stronger vessels before we be made fit to containe glory wee are leaking and running-out vessels to containe grace Manifestations and rays of Divine love are too strong wine that grew up in the higher Canaan for our weake heads Asser. 3. Dissertion commeth under these considerations 1. As it 's a crosse and a punishment of sinne 2. As a triall from meere Divine Dispensation 3. As it 's a sinne on our part full of sinfull mis-representations of Christ. In the first consideration wee are to submit to any penall over-clowding of Christ 1. Because the eye cannot water to looke on any Crosse of Christ where Faiths aspect goeth before and saith Though I sit in darkenesse yet I shall see light 2. There is required a sort of patience under sinne as ' its either a punishment of an other sinne as David was submissive to the sinfull railing of Shimei and the wicked treasons and incestuous pollutions of his Concubines by his son Absolom Or as sinne dwelleth in us and in Divine Dispensation must be our Crosse as well as our sinne we are to bee grieved at our sinnes as they crosse Gods holy will but as they are our owne crosses and thwart our owne desires and now are committed by us or dwell in us we are not to bite at and utter heart-raylings against Divine providence who might have prevented and efficaciously hindred these sinnes and yet did not hinder them 3. This Dispensation should be adored as a part of Divine wisdome that broken soules are not wholly cured till they be in heaven Sinne is a dis-union from God Jesus doth not so compleatly soder the soule to God but the seame hath holes and gapings in it by reason of the in-dwellings of sinne Rom. 7.17.18.19.22.23 And since Libertines will confound Justification with Regeneration we say ther Justification they speak off is never perfected in this life And because sinne as sin which remaineth in our flesh must make God and the soule at a distance there cannot be such perfect peace as excudeth all soule-trouble the blew scarre of the wound remaineth so and the dreggs of that domestick falling-ill that we have of our first house of Adam are so s●ated in us that as some diseases recurre and some paine of the head when an East-wind bloweth so the disease wee have in our head the first Adam sticketh to us all our life and when temptations blow wee find the relicts of our disease working and foaming out the smell of the lees and sent that remaineth Christ has need to perfume our ill odours with his merits for our begun Sanctification is so unperfect as that yet our water smelles of the rotten vessell the flesh and we cannot but have our ill houres and our sicke daies and so a disposition to sinful dissertions 4. Unbeliefe naturally stocked in the body of sin is humerous and ill minded to Christ there is a lyar in our house and a slanderer of Christ that upon light occasions can raise an ill fame of Christ That he is a hard man and gathers where he did not sow that Christ is nice and dainty of his love that he is too fine too excellent and majestick to condiscend to love me and take this as the mother-seed of all sinnefull desertions to blame Christs sweet inclination to love us as well as his love I knew thou wast a hard man it 's dangerous to have ill thoughts of Christs nature his constitution actu primo The next will bee to censure his waies his saveing and his gathering which I take to bee the currant objection of old Pelagians and late Arminius O he must gather where he did never sow if he command all to beleeve under the paine of damnation and yet he judicially in Adam removed all power of beleeving so hee putteth out the poore mans eyes and cutteth off his two leggs and commandeth him to see with no eyes and walke with no leggs under paine of damnation men beleeve not they hate Christ by nature and hatred hath an eye to see no colour in Christ but blacknesse as the instance of the Pharisees doth cleare who saw but devilry in the fairest works of Christ even in his casting out of Devils Asser. 4. Dissertions on the Lords part are so often meere trials as we may not thinke they are greatest sinners who are most disserted Dissertion smelleth more of Heaven and of Christ disserted for our sinnes then of any other thing it 's the disease that followes the Royall seed and the Kings blood it 's incident to the most heavenly spirits Moses David Heman Asaph Ezechiah Job Jeremiah the Church Psal. 102. Lament chap. 1. chap. 2.3.4 it is oare that adhereth to the choisest gold But how is it say some that you read of so little soule-dissertion in the Apostles and Beleevers under the New-Testament and so much of it under the Old-Testament Is it not because it belongeth to the Law and the Covenant of Works and to the Spirit of the Old Testament and nothing to the Gospel of Grace So Antinomians dreame I answer We read indeed of heavier and stronger externall pressures laid on men to chase them to Christ under the Law then under the Gospel Because the Gospel
come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Ch. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Acts 13.39 And by him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which yee could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 16.30 The Jaylor saith to Paul and Silas what must I doe to be saved Vers. 31. And they said beleeve on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy houshold There is an expresse required of the Jaylor which he must performe if he would be saved And Rom. 10. looke as a condition is required in the Law Vers. 5. For Moses describeth the righteousnesse of the Law that the man that doth these things shall live by them So beleeving is required as a condition of the Gospel Vers. 6. But the righteousnesse which is of Faith c. Ver. 9. Saith that if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 3.27.28.29.30 ch 4. ch 5. Faith is the condition of the Covenant of Grace and the only condition of Justification and of the title right and claime that the Elect have thorow Christ to life eternall Holy walking as a witnesse of faith is the way to the possession of the kingdome As Rom. 2.6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds Vers. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternall life Vers. 8. To them that are contentious Vers. 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that doth evill of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Matth. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Ver. 33. For I was hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirstie and ye gave me drink c. And let Antinomians say we are freed from the Law as a rule of holy walking sure the Gospel and the Apostles command the very same duties in the letter of the Gospel that Moses commanded in the letter of the Law as that children obey their parents servants their masters that we abstaine from murther hatred of our brother stealing defrauding lying c. that we keepe our selves from Idols swearing strange gods I doe not say that these duties are commanded in the same way in the Gospel as in the Law For sure we are out of a principle of Evangelike love to render obedience and our obedience now is not Legall as commanded by Moses in strict termes of Law but as perfumed oyled honeyed with the Gospel-sense of remission of sinnes the tender love of God in Christ. So that wee justly challenge two extreme waies both blasphemous as we conceive 1. Arminians object to us that which the Antinomians truely teach to wit that we destroy all precepts commands exhortations and active obedience in the Gospel and render men under the Gospel meere blocks and stones which are immediately acted by the Spirit in all obedience and freed from the Letter of both Law and Gospel as from a Legall bondage This we utterly disclaime and doe obtest and beseech Antinomians as they love Christ and his truth to cleare themselves of this which to us is vilde Libertinisme And by this Arminians turne all the Gospel in literalem gratiam in a Law-Gospel in meere golden letters and sweet-honeyed commandements of Law-precepts and will have the Law possible justification by works conversion by the power of free will and morall suasion really without the mighty power of the Spirit and Gospel-grace and receive the doctrine of merit and set heaven and hell on new Polls to be rolled about as Globes on these two Poles the nilling and willing of free-will and they make grace to be sweet words of silke and gold on the other hand Antinomians doe exclude words letter-perswasions our actions conditions of Grace promises written or preached from the Gospel and make the Spirit and celestiall rapts immediate inspirations the Gospel it selfe and turne men regenerate into blocks and how M. Den can be both an Antinomian and loose us from the Law and an Arminian defending both universall attonement and the resistible working of grace and so subject us to the Law and to the doctrine of Merit and make us lords of our owne faith and conversion to God let him and his followers see to it Wee goe a middle way here and doe judge the Gospel to bee an Evangelike command and a promising and commanding Evangel and that the Holy Ghost graceth us to doe and the Letter of the Gospel obligeth us to doe Pos. 3. The decree of Election to glory may bee said to bee more free and gracious in one respect and justification and glorification and conversion more free in another respect and all the foure of meere free grace For Election as the cause and fountaine-grace is the great mother the wombe the infinite spring the bottomlesse ocean of all grace and wee say effects are more copiously and eminently in the cause then in themselves as water is more in the element and fountaine then in the streames the tree more in the life and sapp of life then in the branches and conversion and justification have more freedome and more of grace by way of extension because good will stayeth within the bowels and heart of God in free election but in conversion and justification infinite love comes out and here the Lord giveth us the great gift even himselfe Christ God the darling the delight the onely onely well-beloved of the Father and he giveth Faith to lay hold on Christ and the life of God and all the meanes of life in which there be many divided acts of grace to speake so which were all one in the wombe of the election of grace Pos. 4. Conversion justification are free for election and therefore election is more free but all these as they are in God are equally free and are one simple good will Though Christ justifie and crowne none but such as are quallified with the grace of beleeving yet beleeving is a condition that removeth nothing of the freedome of grace 1. Because it worketh nothing in the bowels of mercy and the free grace of God as a motive cause or moving condition that doth extract acts of grace out of God only we may conceive this order that Grace of electing to glory stirres another wheele to speak so of free love to give Faith effectuall calling justification and eternall glory 2. It s no hire nor work at all nor doth it justifie as a worke but onely lay hold on the Lord our righteousnesse Object There is more of God in election to glory then in giving of Faith or at least of Christs righteousnesse and eternall glory therfore there must bee more grace in the one then in
the soule comes to Christ he seeth a beauty of holynesse and Christ is taken with this beauty Psalm 110.3 So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty Psalm 45.11 Thou hast ravished my heart saith Christ to his Spouse Cant. 4.9 my sister my Spouse Vers. 10. How faire is thy love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy love then wine and the smell of thine oyntments then all spices Vers. 11. Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the honey-combe honey and milke are under thy tongue and the smell of thy garments is as the smell of Lebanon Sion is the perfection of beauty Psal. 50.2 All this beauty and sweetnesse commeth from Christ there is no such thing in the people of God as they are sinnefull men considered in their naturall condition and therefore it must be fountaine-beauty in him as in the cause and originall of beauty 2. There is a del●ct●tlon in a communion with God This is one generall Prov. 3.17 All Wisdomes waies are waies of pleasure to the spirituall soule every step to heaven is a paradice 1. What sweetnesse is in the sense of the love of Christ to delight all the spirituall senses 1. The smell of Christs Spicknurd his Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia his Yvorie chambers sm●ll of heaven the oyntment of his garments bring God to the Sense Psalm 45.8 All thy garments smell of myrrhe aloes and cassia out of the yvorie palaces there have they made th●e glad Cant. 1.13 A bundle of myrrhe is my beloved to me he shall lye all night between my breasts 2. To the sight Christ is a delightfull thing To behold God in Christ is a changing sight 2 Cor. 3.18 But wee all with open face-beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord Ephes. 1.17 Math. 16.17 1 Joh. 2.37 To see the King in his beautie is a thing full of ravishing delight 3. It taketh the third spirituall sense of hearing the Spouse Cant. 2.8 is so taken with the sweetnesse of Christs tongue that for joy she can but speake broken and unperfect words The voyce of my beloved It is not a perfect speech but for joy she can speake no more It s the voice of joy and gladnesse that with the very sound can heale broken bones Psal. 51.8 and which David desired to heare O if you heard Christ speake Cant. 5.13 His lips are like Lilies dropping sweet smelling Myrrhe Heavens musick the honey of the new Land is in his tongue the Church cheereth her soule with t●is Cant. 2.10 My beloved spake and said unto mee Rise up my love my faire one and come away Christs piping in the joyfull Gospel-tiding Vers. 5. should make us dance Matth. 11.17 Christ harping and singing sinners with joyfull promises out of he●l to heaven must have a drawing sweetnesse to move stones if the sinner have eares to heare and what heat and warmnesse of love must it bring when Christ is heard say Esai 54.11 O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundations with Saphirs He doubles his words hee desires Jerusalems eares may owne this cry Esai 40.1 Comfort yee comfort yee my people saith the Lord speake to the heart of Jerusalem 4. Christ is sweet to the spirituall taste Cant. 2.3 I sate downe under his shaddow with great delight and his fruit was sweet in my mouth Psal. 34.8 O taste and see that the Lord is good Christ is a curious banquet the Wine the Milk the Honey and the fatted calfe killed are all but shaddowes to Christs excellent Gospel-dainties 5. The sense of touching which is the most spirituall is the heavenly feelings sense and experience of Gods consolations and this sense is fed with the kisses of Christs mouth Cant. 1.3 With the hid Manna the White stone the new Name 3. Joy is a drawing delight Psal. 16.11 In his face there is fulnesse of joy Look how farre Gods face casts downe from heaven sparkles of joy on us as farre goes our joy and wee are said in beleeving 1 Pet. 1.8 to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 4. There is particularly delectation Psal. 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the rivers of thy pleasures Should not this draw men to Christ And there must be abundance of pleasures where there is a river of pleasures as Psalm 46.4 There is a river the streames whereof make glad the City of God What a Sea of Seas must God himselfe bee His full and bright face his white throne his harpers and heavenly troopes that surround the throne the Lambe the heaven of heavens it selfe the tree of life eternally greene eternally adorned both at once with soule-delighting blossomes and loaden with twelve manner of fruit every month Peace of conscience from the sense of reconciliation the first fruits of Emmanuels land that lyes beyond Time and Death must all be above expression There is a second drawing motive in Christ and this is from gaine which is eminently in Christ. 1. The drawne soule hath bread by the covenant of grace his yearely rent is written in the New Testament Christ is his rentall booke and heritage Esai 33.16 He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munition of Rocks for his lodging he shall not lye in the fields Bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure or faithfull bread and drinke are unfaithfull uncertaine and winged to naturall men 1 Tim. 6.17 Riches hath an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an uncertainty like Ghosts or Spirits that yee see but they evanish out of your sight and disappeare or like cloudes or fire-lightnings in the ayre that come and goe suddenly but bread is faithfull and sure to the soule drawn to Christ when the covenanted people are so drawn that they receive a new heart then God saith Ezech. 36.29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesse What then And I will call for the corne and will increase it and lay no famine upon you Vers. 34. And the land shall be tilled Does the New Testament provide for the plowing of your land Yea it doth Yea know Wisdoms attendants and allacays Pr● 3.16 On her right hand is length of dayes and on her left hand riches and honour Eternity hath the honour and the right hand Riches is the left hand blessing of wisdome 2. It should draw us in the owne kind to Christ in regard Christ is more then gain Pro. 3.14 Wisdomes merchandise is better then silver and her gaine then fine gold Vers. 15. Shee is more precious then Rubies 2 Job 28.1 Wisdome cannot bee gotten for gold 3 Is there not some worth in Gold Vers. 16. Wisdome cannot be valued with the gold of Ophyre with the precious Onix with
Open my sister c. My head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night there is no dumbe and silent violence so strong so piercing as Christs love 3. When the soule in any measure comprehendeth this love the Soule is filled with all the fulnesse of God Ephes. 3.19 Hence must follow a stretching out of the soule to its widest capacity and circumference being filled with God and the fulnesse of Christ that all created objects because of their littlenesse and lownesse and the soules stretched out and wide capacity looses proportion with the soule as if a man were in the top of a Castle higher then the third region of the ayre or neere the sphere of the Moone should hee looke downe to the fairest and sweetest meddowes and to a garden rich with roses and floures of all sweet colours delitious smels he should not see any sweetness in them all yea the pleasantnesse colour and smell of all these could never reach his senses because he is so farre above them So the soule filled with the love of Christ is high above all created lovers and they so farre below the soules eye that their loveliness cannot reach or ascend to the high and large capacity of a spiritualized soule as the light of a penny-candle put in a house of some miles in length in breadth and height in a darke night should not be able to illuminate all the house and render the ayre of a mile in quantity lightsome and transparent as the day-light Sunne would doe 4. Because the glory of Christs beauty seene and loved changeth the soule into a globe or masse of divine love and glory as it were by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 Therefore the soule seeth Christ so neere in his love-embracements and close inchaining of Christs left arme under the soules head and the right hand embracing it that it cannot see it selfe it cannot see another lover it can see nothing but Christs faireness heare nothing but the beloved's voice taste nothing but his Aples of love his Flagons of wine can smell nothing but his Spicknard and precious oyntments so that the soule is cloathed with Christ and his love and can but breath out love to him againe and Christ infuseth himselfe in his sweetnesse and excellencie so as the beleever is apprehended by Jesus Christ Phil. 3.12 violently but sweetly and strongly drawne in and holden in the Kings house of Wine Cant. 2.4 Sickned and overcomed with love Cant. 2.5 Cant. 5.8 chained and compelled 2 Cor. 5.14 wounded with the arrowes of love so as death the grave Hell Angels things present or to come cannot licke these wounds nor embalme or bind them up or cure them Psal. 45.5 Revel 6.1.2 Cant. 8.6.7 Rom. 8.38.39 Yea the soule must yeeld over it selfe as a Spouse under the power of her husband and lose her self and her fathers house in such a deepe Ocean of delights of Love's stronger then wine Psal. 45.10 Cant. 5.1 Cant. 1.2 As melted dissolved and fallen a swoune in Christ Cant. 5.6 and therefore needeth in that swoune to be recovered with the flagons of the wine and aples of his consolations Cant. 2.4 5. Nor can Jesus Christ but tenderly lovingly and compassionately deale with his beloved for Christ must draw them Joh. 6.44 sweetly allure them Hos. 2.14 Esai 40.1 Take them by the two armes and teach them to walke as the mother doth the young childe who hath not yet leggs to walke alone Hos. 11.3 Beareth them in his armes and dandleth them on his knee Esai 46.3 4. Exod. 19.4 They are carried on Christs warme wings as the young Eagles by the Mother Devt 32.11 they are laid in Christs bosome and nourished with the warmness and the heate of life that commeth from Christs heart Esai 40.11 caried on the shoulders of Christ the good Shepherd Luk. 15.5 and yet neerer Christ as a bracelet about Christs armes so hee weares his Church as a favour and a love-token Jer. 22.24 Cant. 8.6 and ingraven in letters of bloud upon Christs flesh stamped and printed on the palmes of his hands Esai 49.16 and yet nearer him set as a seale upon the heart of Christ so precious to him as to lodge in his bowels and heart Cant. 8.6 and they dwell in Christ 1 Joh. 4.13 and dwell in God and God is love and so they dwell in the love of Christ 1 Joh. 4.16 are kissed with the kisses of Christs mouth Cant. 1.2 and lye betweene the right and left arme of Christ Cant. 2.6 Yet all these taketh not the soule off but inflameth it to duties for Christs sake who is so highly loved nor are these raptures inconsistent with sinfull infirmities 6. As love moveth swiftly to the soule as a Roe or a young Hart for that is Christs pace to his Church Cant. 2. so it acts upon the soule co-naturally as being a price to it selfe apprehending the dignity and excellency of Christ the beloved Love is not irrationall as a fury and a fit of madnesse that hath no reason but it s owne fire Therefore the secrets of Christ the deepe and hidden things of his treasures of love and wisdome must be opened up to the soule The soule seeth new gold mines new found-out Jewels never knowne to be in the the world before opened and unfolded in Christ. Here is the in-commings of the beames of light inaccessible the veins of the unserchable riches of Christ as if yee saw every moment a new heaven a new treasure of love the deepe bottomlesse bottomes of an ocean of delightes and rivers of pleasures the bosome of Christ is opened new breathings and spirations of love that passeth knowledge Ephes. 3.19 are manifested nor hath the eye seene nor the eare heard nor hath it entered in the heart of man to conceive the things that God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 yet are they revealed in some measure in this life 7. And it is most considerable how the soule in loving Christ is not her owne and in regard of loving Christ is not his owne but every one makes over it selfe to another and propriety or interest to it selfe in both sides as it were ceaseth Hos. 3.3 And I said unto her thou shalt abide for mee many dayes thou shalt not play the harlot and thou shalt not bee for another man so will I also be for thee so the Mariage covenant of grace saith I will be your God and yee shall be my people And the Spouse Cant. 2.16 My well-beloved is mine and I am his It is true Christ leaveth not off to be his owne or to be a free God when hee becomes ours but hee demeaneth himselfe as if he were not his owne and putteth on relations and assumeth offices of engagement a Saviour an Annointed a Redeemer a King a Priest a Prophet a Shepherd a Husband a Ransomer a Friend a Head a guide and leader of the people all
eternall life to all and every one upon faire conditions if their free will play the game of salvation and damnation handsomely as if Christ were not free wills choisest tutor 4. All and every man are received in this covenant in the new state of reconciliation grace and favour and justification from any breach of the Law or the first covenant all are once fairely delivered both young and old from damnation and wrath all the heathen are reconciled and justified by Christ in his blood and all sinnes now are against the 1. Covenant of grace Christ and all mankinde now beginne to reckon on a new score 2. Though the ship be broken and all mankinde sent to Sea to die there yet so are they cast over board as Christ the surety of a better Covenant is made the great vessell that ship-broken men may if it seeme good to Lord free will swimme unto and so come safe the second time to land 3. So as there be two Redemptions in Christ two Justifications by grace 4. Yet neither the tydings of this new covenant made with all men nor this state of reconciliation or justification are ever revealed to the thousand part of mankind and though all and every one be under this Law of Faith and Covenant of Grace yet is this obliging and supernaturall Law never promulgate to millions of mankind whom it obligeth to obedience so farre forth as by the good industry and improving of common gifts of nature or rather the hire and merit of men out of Christ to make a conquest of the preached Gospell and Christ free will doing its best 5. All and every Mothers sonne and children of Adam are called and invited yea and Christ by our Text draweth all and every man though they will not be drawn say they the sole cause of election reprobation of salvation damnation lying on mans free will 6. All and every one are furnished with all externall meanes of salvation with sufficient grace and absolute indifferenci● and power of free will to say ay or no to the drawing of Christ and purchase by industrious improvement and carefull husbanding of the common gifts or relicts of nature and their new sufficient grace if they could give it a name to us a farther degree of grace while they conquesse the Preaching of the Gospell and the grace of conversion Yet so are they let Christ doe his best as all may be converted or not any one at all but all lost and all may persevere in grace and be saved as not one men shall be damned and all may so totally and finally fall away from grace as not one man may persevere but all be eternally lost if free will use his owne liberty notwithstanding of the Lords eternall decrees of Election or Reprobation or of Christs death the strength of free grace the intercession of Christ at the right hand of God the unchangeable love of God for all these can doe nothing to marre the absolute and independent free will of men to worke as it listeth for either wayes Propos. 1. Election is the decree of free grace setting apart certaine definite individuall and particular men to glory 1. The men chosen and drawne are by head designed Jaakob not Esau before the children had done good or evill though Esau be elder Isaak must be the Sonne of the promise father and mother were free grace rather 〈…〉 of Abraham and Sarah now pa●led natures 〈…〉 E●mael Peter and John not Judas the Sonne of 〈…〉 Abraham and his house worshipping Idols beyond the 〈◊〉 is singled out not any other the Lord sets his love on 〈◊〉 Jews because he loved them Deut 7.7 When their Father 〈…〉 Amorite and their mother an Hittite and they dy● 〈…〉 bloud Ezech. 16.3.4.5.6.7 not any one of the rest of the Canaanites the Tribes of Judah is the King by Tribe not any of the rest of the Families Low Jephtahs Family not an● of the rest of the sonnes of that Family None of the seven sonnes but the dispised shepheard the ruddy Boy singing after the Ew's David forgotten by all as none of the number 2. They are pointed out with the finger with pronownes Psalm 87.5 And of Sion its said this man Hebr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man and man shall be born in Sion Esai 49.1 The Lord hath called me from the womb from the bowels of my mother hath hee made mention of my name Thou art head or member or of which the Prophet spake it s all one in the mouth of God by name from eternity John Anna c. Esai 43.1 O Israel feare not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine So the Lord points them out with the finger Esai 49.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold these shall come from farre and behold these from the North. North-land men and from the Sea Ilanders or from the West West-land men so it may be read and these from the land of Shimin Ezech. 36.20 These are the people of the Lord. Hebr. 11.13 All these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 died in the Faith they are named and told by the head Revel 14.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are thrise in one Verse These are they that are not defiled with women these are they that follow the Lambe whithersoever he goeth These were redeemed from amongst men 3. They are defined by their countrey Esai 19.18 Five Cities of the land of Egypt shall speake the Language of Canaan Vers. 24. In that day Israel shall bee the third part with Egypt and Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the Land Vers. 25. Whom the Lord of Hosts shall blesse saying blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the worke of my hand Zephan 3.10 From beyond the river of Ethiopia my suppliants even the daughters of my dispersed shall come .4 Their names are particularly inrolled in the Lambes booke of life Luk. 10.20 Revel 13.8 Revel 20.15 As Citizens of some famous incorporation or Senators that governes a Citie are written in the booke of Records of the King or Citie so these that are to follow the Lambe cloathed in white are booked in the publike Register of heaven in the minde of God to be members of the heavenly Society 5. It was no blind bargaine that Christ made hee knew what he gave hee knew what he got Christ told downe a definite and certaine Ransome as a told summe of money every penny reckoned and layed and he knew who was his own and whom and how many by the head and name he bought there is no hazard that one come in in the lieu and roome of another Joh. 10.14 I am the good Shepherd how is that made good He hath particular care of all the flock by the head he knowes how many and who are his if any bee not his if any be sicke or lost or wandered away that proves a good Shepherd I know my sheepe
and am known of mine I know them and they know mee Sure it is Relative to that 2 Tim. 2.19 Neverthelesse the foundation of God stands sure having this seale the Lord knoweth them that are his Sure the sheep that Christ dyeth for Joh. 10. are the sheepe that hee giveth his life for vers 11. and dyes for and these 1. vers 10. That have life in abundance 2. The sheep known in the Lords eternall Predestination and known by Christ in time 3. Such as he mindes to call in that there may be one Shepherd and one sheep-fold vers 16. 4 Such as are his owne sheepe as hee goeth before and they follow him and know his voice vers 4. and will not follow a stranger vers 5. 5 Such as heare not a stranger vers 5. but vers 27 heare and know the voice of Christ are known of him and follow Christ. 6 Such sheep as are gifted with life eternall and shall never perish and cannot fall away no more then there can be a greater then the Father that can plucke them out of the hands of Christ for vers 28.29 the standing of these that shall not be plucked out of the Fathers hand depends on the greatnesse and power of Christs Father None can plucke them out of my hand saith Christ Why The Father that gave them me is greater then all Then he must be greater then Christs Father who plucks one of the Sheep of Christ out of his hand and where dwells he who is greater then the Father Neither in heaven nor hell And for such Christ dyed 6. Hee dyed for such sheepe as infallibly beleeves because he saith vers 26. Yee beleeve not Why Because yee are not of my sheepe then certainely they should beleeve if they were of such sheepe as Christ dyed for I shall never beleeve that this Reply can stand David saith and Job saith Thou Lord formedst me in the wombe and the Church Esai 64. Thou art the Potter and we the clay but it will never follow therefore God hath created none but David Job and his chosen Church so it follows not here Christ dyed for his sheep therefore he dyed for no other but his sheep 1. Because dying of sinners is a worke of meere grace bestowed onely on some as all the Texts that ever Papists Jesuits Arminians alledge Resrict ever these that Christ dyed for to some certaine persons to beleevers the sheepe of Christ these for whom Christ is an Advocate at the right hand of G●d c. And there is not a Text in Scripture in Old or New Testament in which wee may not limit the persons on whom grace universall and redemption in Christs bloud are pretended to be bestowed to the elect and beleevers onely these places I except in which some are said to be Redeemed in profession on●ly as may be demonstrated and therefore this answer of 〈◊〉 is pe●i●io principii a begging of what they cannot prove And Vers. 2. upon the same reason because God created man on the earth and dyed for men and for the world as the Scripture saith they might inferre as God created not m●n on●ly but Angels beasts birds fish●s trees Sunne Moone so Christ dyed not for men onely but for Angels Devils beasts birds fishes trees yea for wormes creeping thin●s and all and every creature for if wee regard the free decree of God Devils are as capable of Redemption by Christ as men if so God had purposed from eternity and in regard of the same decree the Reprobate can no more bee saved a●d beleeve of their owne strength then ston●s of themselves can be sonnes of Abraham except God elevate them above their nature and Omnipotency effectuate the same 2. There be some certaine men oppignotated and laid in pledge in Christs hand 2 Tim. 2.13 Now all are not so but certaine d●fi●ite 〈◊〉 is onely 3. These 〈◊〉 the Lord hath chos●n to life are given of the Father in Christ Ioh. 10.26 Ioh. 6.37 Ioh. 1● 2.6.8.9.12.24 And all such are raised up at the last day and ●●ved Ioh. 6. ●7 ●9 and Christ cannot lose one of them Ioh. 17.9 yea hee can 〈…〉 of them neither soule nor body neither a 〈◊〉 nor a piece of an ear of his sheepe as he speakes Amos 3. so Christ speaketh Ioh. 6.39 yea 1 Cor. 15.23 Every man shall be raised in his owne order vers 24. Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdome to the Fat●er He presents his conquested on●s not one lad or the most despised girle fall by or are miscounted in the telling we have often groundlesse jealousies touching Christ O hee hath forgotten mee but that is to say Christ is not faithfull in his charge and the Father gave so many th●usands to his keeping but he loosed the largest halfe of them now to bee given of the Father to Christ must note Ch●●●ts accepting of the recept of them by dying for those so given of the Father to him for another way of giving bu●●ither in electio● from eternitie or of sitting them in time for actuall beleeving no man knowes but either wayes all given are raised up at the last day Ioh. 6.39 and so all redeemed must either be chosen from eternitie or then in time beleeve and so be raised at the last day then there can be none Redeemed but such as are chosen and saved Master Moores universall attonement pag. 4.5 Tels us of a twofold reconciliation or redemption on which Christ effected in his owne body with God for men This is perfect and accomplished fully so as the Father is well pleased with his Sonne Matth. 3.17 and this is done by sh●dding of blood There is a Reconciliation Redemption and Salvation which Christ effecteth by the Spirit in men to God and this is by washing and blood-sprinkling his proofes after shall be heard Thus the belgick Arminians explain the matter Script Sinodal ar 2. They say the former redemption and reconciliation is the pacifying of the offended partie or such an action or passion by which satisfaction so farre forth is made to the offended partie that he is willing to returne in favour and grace with the offender and the effect of this reconciliation is the obtaining of the favour of God that is the restoring of men to such a state in which God without impeachment of revenging justice according to the tender affection of his mercy of new may and will bestow his benefits and transact with man touching his salvation and the conditions thereof after the way and manner seemeth good to God whether by a covenant of works or of grace or of commanding faith in God or faith in an Angel if so it seeme good to him And by his law the affection of saving man which is in God from a naturall instinct of mercy doth breake forth as it were in a full and compleat purpose of Gods will to save now when the impediment is
saved yet the Lambe of God taketh away the sinnes of the world So Esai 6.7 Thine iniquity is taken away and thy sinne purged this is no halfe pardon such as Esaiah had before the Lord touched his lips 1 Joh. 3.5 And yee know that he was manifested to take away our sinnes Iohn speaketh of the taking away of the sinnes of us Iohn and the Saints who were loved Vers. 1. with a wonderfull love to bee called the Sonnes of God us whom the World knoweth not vers 2. us who shall be like Christ when he appeareth Arminians are obliged to give us parallel places where the redemption of all and every man and Christs naked power and desire to be friends with all men and to make any covenant of grace or works as he pleaseth is called the taking away the sinnes of the world and yet the whole world may possibly dye in their sinnes and not a man be saved the taking away of the worlds sinnes to us is the compleat pardoning of them Remission of sinnes in his bloud Ephes. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Blotting out of transgressions Esai 4● 25 as a thicke cloud Esai 44.23 a not remembring of sinnes Isai 43.25 Ier. 31. ●4 Such a taking away of sinnes as is promised in the covenant of grace to the house of Iudah to the Church under the Messiah that heareth the Gospel Ier. 31.34 Hebr. 8.8 9 10 11 12. Rom. 11.26 27. Esai 59.20 This is the taking away of the sinnes of the world a new world in whose inner parts the Lord writeth his Law and with whom the Lord maketh an everlasting covenant never to turne away from them Jer. 31.33 34 5 36 37. in whom the Lord putteth his Spirit and in whose mouth he puteth his Word and in the mouth of their seed and their seeds seede Esai 59.20 21. The Arminian taking away of sins is of all and every one of Adams seed of such as never heard of a Covenant of a Word of a Spirit of a Seed a holy Seed of a new heart Finally the taking away of the sinnes of the world is the removing of them as farre from us as the East is from the West Psal. 103.12 bestowed on these that feare the Lord vers 11. and are pitied of the Lord as the Father pitieth the Sonne and the subduing of our iniquities and the casting of our sinnes in the depths of the Sea Mich. 7.19 ●0 a mercy bestowed only on the remnant of the Lords inheritance The Arminian taking away of sins is a broad pardon of sins to all the world let them shew Scripture for theirs as we doe for ours and cary it with them Object 15. Though Reconciliation bee purchased to all and every one yet it is not necessary that it bee preached to all and every one but onely it is required that God bee willing it bee preached to all now it is free to God before he be willing to make offer of the purchased reconciliation to all to require afore hand such acts of obedience and dueties which being performed hee may publish the Gospel to them or being not performed hee may bee unwilling to publish the Gospel to them Yea though reconciliation be purchased to all yet its free to God to communicate the benefits of his death upon what termes hee thinketh good And Christ died saith Master Moore to obtaine a lordship over all and a power to save beleevers and destroy such as will not have him to raigne over them as wee heard before Answ. 1. We have in this Doctrin that Argument yeelded God commanded to preach to all and every one Ergo Christ died for all and every one For 1. The consequence is true absolutely by the Arminians doctrine Christ absolutely died for all and every one without prescribing any condition to those for whom he dies he saith not my sonne dieth to purchase reconciliation to all upon condition all beleeve or perform some other dutie but beleeve they or beleeve they not the 〈◊〉 is payed and salvation purchased for all without exception but the antecedent is not true but upon condition God is not willing the Gospel bee preached to all but to such as perform such conditions 2. If they perform not the condition Christ should have said preach not the Gospel to all nations nor to every creature but onely to such as yee finde fit hearers of the Gospel and have performed such acts of obedience as I require for conditionall threatnings are set downe in the Gospel as well as conditionall promises he that beleeveth shall be saved he that beleeveth not shall bee damned But in Old or New Testament Arminians never shew us where the preaching of the word of Grace is referred to our free will Doe this O Ammonits O Indians and the glad tyding shall come to you if yee doe not this ye shall never heare the Gospel Arminians say God sendeth his Grace and Gospel both genti minus dignae indigniori negat to the unworthy Nation and denyeth both to the worthier 3. Arminians say in Script Synod Dordr pag. 6. Lex non lata aut non intellecta cum intelligi non possit non obligat a law not made or not understood when it cannot be understood doth not oblige then God cannot deny a salvation and the benefit of a preached Gospel to Indians though both were purchased in Christ if they never heard as hundreths of Nations could by no rumor heare or dreame of Christ and the Gospel of Christ. 4. How can God with the same naturall and half-will equally will that all bee saved when hee absolutly without merit or condition willeth the meanes of salvation to some and denyeth the meanes of salvation to the farre largest part of mankinde for want of a condition unpossible because it neither was nor could be known to them 5. By the Arminian way sinne originall is no sin it bringeth wrath and condemnation on no man God beginneth upon a new score and the reckoning of the covenant of Grace to count with all men and God is so reconciled to all mortall men and transacteth with them in such a way of free grace that hee will punish no man for any new breach except committed actually by such as are come to age as have the use of reason and are obliged to beleeve in Christ. pag. 285 286 287. Dordr scrip Synod Yet hath God decreed never to reveale any such gracious transactions to millions of men that better deserve to heare these secrets of grace then thousands to whom they are proclaimed in their ears ere they can discerne the right hand by the left This Arminians say was Gods dispensation Matth. 11. with Capernaum and Tyrus and Sidon But it will bee found that Arminians deny the prescience and foreknowledge of God 6. Most abominable and comfortlesse must the doctrine of the death of our Lord Iesus be if Christ died onely to bee a Lord and such a Lord as hee might have power without
impeachment of revenging justice to save men upon a new transaction either of grace or works and to destroy his enemies that would not accept of that new transaction yet so as when Christ hath dyed and taken away the sinnes of all and is made Lord and King of dead and quick all mankinde may freely reject all covenants Christ maketh or can make and be eternally lost and perish For 1. Christs Princedome and Dominion that hee hath acquired by death is not a free-will-power or possibility by which he may upon such and such conditions kill or save though all may eternally perish But Christ is made Lord of quick and dead by dying Rom. 14.9 that he might be judge of all but so that we should live and dye to our selves but that whether we live or dye we should be Christs though we change conditions yet not Masters in both we should be the Lords v. 7.8 as Christ lived againe after death that hee might bee the husband of his owne wife the Church that hee dyed of love for 2. Upon what termes Christ was by death made a Lord and acquired a Princedome upon these termes he was made a Prince over his Church for Lord and Prince and King are all one But the Lord maketh David that is Jesus the Sonne of David Prince over his people not with power to save or destroy his redeemed slocke and so as all the slock may eternally perish Ezech. 34.22 Therefore will I save my slocke and they shall no more be a prey Vers. 23. And I will set one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them and my servant David hee shall feed them and he shall be their Shepherd Vers. 24. And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them I the Lord have spoken it Vers. 25. And I will make with them a covenant of peace Now was Christ by the bloud of the eternall covenant brought back from the death and made a Shepherd of soules to the end he might have power to destroy all the slock Ezechiel saith to feed them the Apostle to make the Saints perfect in every good worke working in them actually and efficaciously that which is wel-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.20 21. It s true Christ obtaineth by his death a mediatory power to crush as a Potters clay vessell with a rod of yron all his rebellious enemies But 1. this is not a power to crush any enemies but such as have heard of the Gospel and will not have Christ to raigne over them in his Gospel-government but not to crush all his enemies that never heard of the Gospel and so are not Evangelically guilty in sinning against the Lord Jesus as Mediator for they cannot be guilty of any such sinne Rom. 10.14 Joh. 15.22 Hee had and hath power as God equall with the Father to judge and punish all such as have sinned without the Law 2. It s not merit or acquired by way of merit of Christs death that a Crown is given to Jesus Christ for this end to destroy such enemies as are not capable of sinning against his Mediatorie Crowne especially when as God he had power to destroy them as his enemies though hee had never been Mediator Yea Act. 5.31 It s said him whom yee slew and hanged on a tree hath God exalted with his right hand to bee a Prince and Saviour not to destroy all his subjects upon foreseene condition of rebellion to which they were through corruption of nature inclinable but that he might by his Spirit subdue corruption of nature and give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes 3. By what title Christ is made a King and Lord by the same he is made head of the body the Church For Ephes. 1.20.21 22 23. By raising him from the dead God conferred a headship upon him Now he was not made head of the body that he might destroy all the members or most of them as Arminians must say but his headship is for this end that the whole body by his spirit fitly joyned together might grow up in love Ephes. 4.16 and that the members might receive life and Spirit from him 4. By the same title he is made Lord by which hee is made King Governour and Leader of the people for power of Dominion and Lordship is nothing but Royall power now he was made King not on such termes as hee might destroy all his subjects for all mankind are his subjects to Arminians But he is made King Psal. 72.11 That all Nations may serve him that hee should deliver the poore needy and helplesse and redeeme their soules from violence and esteeme their death precious and he raigneth and prospereth as a King that in his dayes Judah may be saved and Israel dwell safely Jer. 23.7.8 and God raiseth the horne of David Luk. 1. And so setteth Christ on the throne to performe his mercy promised to our Fathers and remember his holy covenant Ver. 69.7 That wee might serve him in holynesse and righteousnesse Now by the Arminian way he is set upon the throne of David to execute vengeance on all his Subjects and that he may utterly destroy all if all rebell and not to save one of Judah and Israel for he may be a King without any subject suppose all his Subjects were cast in hell yea hee groweth out of the root of Jesse a Royall branch of King Davids house not that these Warres may bee perpetuated betweene God and all the children of men but that the Wolfe should dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard lye down with the Kid and the Calfe and the young Lyon together and a little Childe should lead them and the earth should be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Isai 11.1 2. 6.7 8 9. And Christ is given for a guide and leader of the people Sure for the good of the slock and that he may carry the lambes in his bosome Esai 40.11 That they should not hunger nor thirst that neither the heat nor the Sunne should smite them because he that hath mercy on them doth lead them and by the springs of water doth he guide them Esai 49.10 Salvation is ingraven on the Crowne of Christ by office Christ must be a destroyer and a Lord crusher of his people as a Jesus and a Saviour by this conceit 5. And what more contrary to the intrinsecall end of Christs death then that he should obtaine no other end by dying but a placability a possible salvation a softning onely of Gods minde whereby justice should onely stand by and a doore bee opened by which God might be willing if hee pleased to conferre salvation by this or that Law a covenant of grace or of works or a mixt way or by exacting faith in an Angell or an holy man and this possible salvation this virtuall or halfe reconciliation doth consist with the eternall damnation of all the world whereas the genuine
both the Iews to whom this Apostle wrote and the Gentiles came in After those dayes Arminians cannot deny but the putting of the law in the minde and writing it in their hearts and this knowing of the Lord not by the ministerie of man but by the inward teaching of the Spirit must be saving conversion and there is no more reason to expound Israel all Israel both Iews and Gentiles of all of every kinde and some few except they flee to our universalitie of the elect in the matter of conversion then in the matter of redemption by Christ when it is said Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2. B●cause it is their constant doctrine to make all and every one of Adams Sonnes as many as Christ died for to be the parties with whom the covenant is made so in the same covenant it is said Ioh. 6. 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall bee all taught of God as Ieremiah saith Chap. 31.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Because they shall all know me for I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sinne no more except they admit an universalitie of the redeemed of God then as they contend for an universall redemption and all and every one of mankinde in Christ to bee taken in within the covenant of grace for they expound all those of the visible Church there is as good reason that wee prove from the Grammar of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All. An universall Regeneration and an universall justification of all as they can prove an universall redemption so is the same promise Isai. 54.11 and clearly Rom. 11.26 All Israel shall bee saved He meaneth Iews and Gentiles when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in here is universall salvation of all So by Iohn Baptists ministry all and every one of his hearers must bee converted why As Arminians expound many that Christ died for Matth. 20.28 To bee all and every man without exception 1 Tim. 2 6. Heb. ● 9 1 Ioh. 2.1 so they are debters to us for the same liberty Mal. 4. He shall turne the hearts of the fathers to the children Luke 1.16 Many of the children of Israel shall hee turne to the Lord their God these wee must expound by the Arminian Grammar of the conversion of all and every one that heard ●ohn preach contrary to Luke 7.29.30 for Pharisees and Lawyers were not converted Yea it is said Isai. 40. Every valley shall bee exalted and every mountaine shall bee made low and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain and the glory of the Lord shall bee revealed and all flesh sh●ll see it together Matth 3. expoundeth it of the preaching of repentance and the coming of the kingdome of God by the ministrie of Iohn so doth Mark 2.3 and Iohn 1.2 And the filling of vall●yes and making straight crooked things is sure the humbling of the proud and the exalting of the humble and the conversion of the disobedient But who can say that all and every mountaine was made low and by Iohns ministrie or Christ either Was the Gospel preached to all and every man or the heart of every sonne converted to the father or did all flesh see or injoy the salvation of God Then they must flee to our exposition yea the seeing of the salvation of God is no lesse the saving of all which Arminians cannot say Mr. Den saith That the seeing of God is in that when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1.21 And they liked not to retain God in their knowledge as that is they have both seen and hated both me and my Father and Mat. 13 1● And seeing they see not but saith he it is not to bee understood of saving knowledge Answ. 1. This is contrary to the scope of the Prophet Isaiah and of the Evangelists who aime at holding forth the fruits of the Gospel in John Baptist his Ministery which was the conversion of soules as Malachy saith and the bringing down the proud and in tu●ning many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God and in going before C●ri●t in the Spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedome of the just and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1.16 17. Which is a cleer Exposition of laying every proud Mountain levell to Christ and of fitting soules for the Messiah Which no man can say by teaching such a knowledge of Christ as Idolatrous Heathen had of God as Creator or blinde and obstinate Pharisees had of Christ and his Father whom they both saw and hated Joh. 15. Rom. 21. That seeing of the salvation of God is neither conversion nor preparation of a people for Christ. 2. The phrase of seeing God and the salvation of God being set downe as a powerfull fruit of the Gospel hath never in Scripture so low a meaning as is not wanting to naturall men and Atheists and Pharisees But is meant of an eff●ctuall knowledge of God and the injoying of God as Job 19.25 I shall see God Psal. 106.5 That I may see that is inioy the good of thy chosen Isai. 33.17 Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty Isai. 52.10 The ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Joh. 3.3 Except a man be born againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God Acts 22.14 Then Ananias said to Saul the God of our Fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldest know his will and see that just one Heb. 12.14 Follow holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. But if Mr. Den and others will contend that this seeing of the salvation of God is the revelation of the literall knowledge of Christ that saving thing which is bestowed on the Nations by the Ministery of John and the coming of the Messiah they must with us confesse a large Synecdoche and figure in this when it is said All flesh shall see the salvation of God because there are thousands that live and die in the region and shadow of death to whom the least taste of literall knowledge of Christ or of his Name n●ver came Psal. ●9 9 In his Temple shall every one speak of his glory not every one but converts only can utter the glory of God savingly in the Temple of the Lord otherwise many speak and doe in his Temple to his dishonour Jer. 7.4.10 11. Ezech. 23.38 39. Acts 2.4 They were all filled with the Holy Ghost 17. And it shall come to passe in the last dayes saith GOD I will poure out my Spirit upon all flesh Now it is clear This is a prophecying of all flesh within the Church Your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie your young men shall dreame dreames c. Now all flesh did never prophecy nor was
that differenceth the loved of God from all others Psal. 87.2 Psal. 1.6.8 otherwise all the world should in regard of this generall and antecedent and conditionall love of God bee so the beloved of God as Christ in the song of Solomon esteemeth the Spouse his love his welbeloved It s a love better then life Psal. 6● 3 and the dowrie Christ bestoweth on his spouse Hos. 2.19 now the Scripture no where speaketh of that conditionall love which the Lord beareth to Heathens Reprobates and to all Men and Angels 5. Such as the Lord so loved as hee hath redeemed them from perishing he hath redeemed them from sinne and Gentilisme to wit from this present evill world Gal. 1.4 yea the blood of the Lambe unspoted and undefiled hath bought them from their vaine conversation received by tradition from their fathers 1 Pet. 1.18 yea from fornication that they should bee members of Christ temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.20 yea Christ bare their sinnes in his owne body on the tree that they should live to righteousnesse Now all and every one of mankinde Heathen and Turks are not thus bought with a price and deliv●●●d from idolatry blasphemy killing of child●●● to th●ir god from the world of Gentilisme 1. Th●y liv● in these sinnes as serving God in them the Gospel nev●● forbade th●m any such si●n●s in regard th●y never heard the Gospel 2 They cannot sinne on a n●w score or a new reckning these being to them no sinnes against the Gospel but against the law written in their heart 3. There is a p●ice then given for all the reprobate vice reproborum it is 〈…〉 as they had payed the price to redeeme them from sinne and unbeliefe yea from finall impenitencie against the Gospel If this bee a sinne as it is the sinne of sinnes Christ must beare it on the tree 1 Pet. 1.24 The lambe of God must take it away Ioh. 1.29 Except it were possible finall unbeliefe were pardonable without shedding of blood Heb. 10. Now here the ransome payed but the captive is never delivered for the reprobate die in their sinnes Ioh. 8.21 There bee some say there is a ransome given for these Gospel-sinnes of the reprobate conditionally so they beleeve An●w That is they are freed from finall impenitencie so they bee freed from finall impenitencie is this a wife bargain 2. Where is there is all the Word a warrant that Christ layd downe his life for his sheep conditionally so he foresaw they would be his sheep so they would beleeve and repent Now this hee could not doe for Christ out of deliberation and his Fathers eternall counsell absolutely gratis freely di●d for these he died not for those that he foresaw would never fulfill the condition nunquam positâ conditione nunquam ponitur conditionatum 6. Christ bought by his blood of the eternall Covenant all the Jewels of the Covenant all things that belong to life and go●linesse and all spirituall blessings 2 Pet. 1.3 Ephes. 1.3 A new heart and a new Spirit Ezech. 36.26 Jer. 31.33 34 35 36. Ezek. 11 19 20. He bought all that God giveth to us then he must have purchased faith Phil. 1.29 Joh. 6.29 and if he was made a Prince to give repentance and remission then to give faith for it is a grace above nature and out of this fountain we have grace for grace Ioh. 1.14 Now this is not given to all men 7. All these graces are particular 1. Election to glory is particular Few are chosen Mat. 22.14 Joh. 10.26.29 Ephes. 1.4 Rom. 9.11 The promise is particular to the sons of the promise Rom. 9.8 9. made to Christ and his seed only Gal. 3.16 17 18. Gal. 4.22 23 c. the calling particular Isai. 55.1 2. Matth. 11.27 28. Acts 2.39 the Covenant particular and takes in only the House of Judah the elect and such as cannot fall away Ier. 31.34 35 c. and 32.39 40. Isai. 54.10 and 59.19 20. The surety of the Covenant Christ Heb. 7.22 promised to be King over the House of David over his people only the intention of God particular to a foreknown people only Rom. 11.1 The circumference and extent of Grace then cannot be so wide as to take in all nor can Redemption be universall because conditionall For 1. Arminians make Election conditionall but they deny it in words to be universall further glorification is conditionall justification conditionall upon condition of Faith but because the condition never is all men have not fa●th therefore glorification and justification is particular and redemption on the same ground must be particular none are actually redeemed but the beleevers so as glorification actuall the decree of glorifying is another thing and absolute and Election to glory are commensurable the one not larger then the other Rom. 8.29 30. how can Redemption which is a mid-linke between both be of a wider Sphear to take in all for 1 Thes. 5.9 Gods counsell set us on Christ as Redeemer and gives us to Christ. 8. These two Christ redeemeth all and Christ intendeth to redeem all are most different Now Gods intention to redeem all if they beleeve suspendeth either redemption or the intention of God to redeem If the former be said redemption of all is no Redemption except all beleeve but all doe not beleeve If the latter God must wave and hang by his intention in millions of soules and cannot fixe his foot to be peremptory in his intentions except they beleeve and he seeth they shall never beleeve for he knoweth what is in man and beholdeth the thoughts a far off Yea as I said elsewhere if we speak properly in reference to God the very promises of the Gospel are not conditionall because both the condition and the thing that falls under the condition depend on his owne absolute will and free gift if a father promise to his child an inheritance upon condition the child pay him ten thousand crowns and the Father only do give and can give the child these ten thousand crownes we cannot say this is a bargain between the father and the son that leans upon conditions especially if we suppose as the case is between God and the creature that this father can and doth indeclinably determine the will of his son to consent and to give back againe to his father this sum of money and to consent to the bargain there is here no condition relating to the father but he does all freely Beleeving is a condition and life eternall is conditionatum a thing that falleth under promise but both d●pend upon the absolute free and irresistible will of the Lord as there is no condition here properly so called either laid upon the will or limiting the externall action of God 9. Hence the promises of the Gospel are indefinite not universall and in the Lords purpose and intention made with the Elect onely not with the Reprobate at all for when God saith if Iudas Cain Pharaoh
particle If hee had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gal. 5.4 1 Cor. 11.27 There had been some colour for this but I deny that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all must bee restrictive here more then 2 Thess. 2.11.12 God gave them over to the efficacie of error to beleeve a lie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all those might bee damned that beleeve not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousnesse It follows not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here that all or who ever beleeve not the truth should bee fewer in number then those that are given over to the efficacie of error yea the number of the one and the other is equall so Ioh. 5.22 Th● Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne vers 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all men should honour the Sonne as they honour the Father who sent him I see no ground to say that some may honour the Father and bee raised from the dead and quickened as ver 21. who doe not honour the Sonne And therefore it ought not to bee translated God so loved the world c. That whosoever beleeves should not perish but farre more agreeably to the originall God so loved the world that every one beleeving should not perish as in multitude of places it is translated unusquisque non quicunque and therefore faith is not set downe here so much ad modum conditionis as ad modum medi● as a condition as a meanes to bring this loved world to glory as if yee would say hee so loveth letters as all learned are dear to him so God so loved his chosen world that he gave his Sonne to die for them now this love is eternall that all these beleeving in their own time might never bee lost but have eternall life Nor can Arminians take the world world for all and every one of mankinde for they exclude all infants dying so as uncapable of faith and they say these words containe Gods speciall decree of election and reprobation to wit Ioh. 3.16 God decreed to save all that beleeve and God decreed all that beleeve not should perish Now from Election and Reprobation they exclude all the Heathen and all their infants and all infants whatsoever and such as never heard the Gospel so I feare they make as narrow a world here as wee doe let them see to it Whereas Arminians say that the word world never signifieth in Scripture the elect onely what then Let mee answer 1. Their world of elect and reprobate excluding the best part of mankinde all infants all that never heard the Gospel sure is not in the Scripture nor speaks it of such a world 2. This is a begging of the question for Ioh. 1.29 The world whose sins the Lambe of God takes away the Reconciled world to whom the Lord imputes no sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s the same word that is ascribed to Abrahams beleeving Rom. 4.3 vers 4.5 And that David speakes of Psal. 32.2 Rom. 4.6 The imputing of righteousnesse and of Faith to righteousnesse that in which blessednesse coming through Christ consisteth Rom. 4.8 9 10 11. This world is the onely beleeving elect world the loved world Joh. 3.16 the world saved vers 17. the world of which Christ is Saviour Ioh. 4.42 the world that Christ giveth his life unto Ioh. 6.33 and for whose life he giveth his life v. 55. the world of which Abraham but much more Christ is heire Rom. 4.13 The reconciled world occasioned by the Iews falling off Christ Rom. 11.15 all these are the elect beleeving and Redeemed world this they can never disprove The other ground of our answer to all the places on the contrary is that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ died for all doth never signifie all and every one of mankinde by neither Scripture nor the doctrine of adversaries But is as all Divines say to be expounded according to the subject in hand secundum materiam substratam Hence our 1. Rule All often signifieth the most part Marke 1.64 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they all condemned him to bee guilty of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole counsell Matth. 26.59 yet Joseph of Arimathea consented not to his death Luke 23.51 and the flood destroyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them all Luke 17.27 yet eight persons were saved so all Judah Jer. 13.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was carried into captivity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All is often the same with many all the sheep of Kedar shall be gathered to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is many and Gen. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the land came to Egypt when the matter beares a clear exception and other Scriptures expound it then sure Christs dying for all must bee expounded for his giving himselfe a ransome for many Matth. 20.28 compared with 1. Tim. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here and there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Law saith all doe that which the most part doe mens will doth not limit what God speaks but let the text it selfe be diligently considered Exod. 9.6 All the castle of Egypt died that was in the field Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all capable of a ransome Arminians say that the finally obdured those that sinne against the Holy Ghost and infants of Heathen or any dying infants cannot bee ransomed by Christ Exod. 32.26 All the sonnes of Levi came to Moses not all without exception Many adhered to Aaron in his idolatry v. 29. Deut. 33.9 so Matt. 3.5 Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the countrey near to Jordan Now this signification being applyed to our use Christ giving himselfe a ransome for all men his dying for all can bee no larger then the saving of all the beleeving of all flesh and the blessing of all nations in Christ but Gen. 18.18 all in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed the whole world that John saith Christ is a propitiation for 1 Joh. 2.1 cannot be larger then this now this cannot carry any tollerable sense that all and every man of the Nations are actually blessed in Christ more then all and every one are redeemed reconciled received in favour within the Covenant of Grace And therefore Arminians have as good reason from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that are said to bee ransomed are all actually saved and hell shall bee empty and to no purpose as to contend for a universall Redemption As a wicked pamphlet printed of late faith all the Creation of God Men and Angels are redeemed and shall at length bee saved in Christ. Now we can undenyably prove that all and every Nation and all and
Sion Esai 51.10 11. They shall obtaine joy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flie away And Hos. 13.14 1 Cor. 15.54 They are ransomed from the grave Let them find in all the Old or New Testament any ransomed of the Lord and ransomed from the grave cast in outer darknes where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth they are redeemed from all iniquity purified as a peculiar people Tit. 2.14 1 Pet. 1.18 Gal. 1.4 1 Pet. 2.24 9. This ransome is to be testified in due time or as 1 Pet. 1.20 21. was manifest in these last last times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For you the elect of God that beleeve by him Rule 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is undeniably expounded of all that are saved only and is restrictive such a Physitian cured all the Citie that is no man is cured but by him Ex. 28. ●4 Jethro saith to Moses What is this that thou doest thou sittest alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the people stand by thee from morning till evening for judgement the scope of Jethro is to condemne Moses in wearing out his Spirit and taking the burthen of judging all the people himself alone Num 11.13 and his words beare not that all the people without exception came for judgement that had beene unpossible but because there was then no other Judge but Moses the sense is cleare all that were to be judged they were to be judged by no other but by Moses onely Revel 13.8 And all that dwell in the earth worshipped the beast that is all seduced to Popish Idolatry were seduced by the beastly Vicar of Christ and his limbes Joh. 11.48 If we let him alone all will beleeve in him that is none will beleeve in us nor follow us and all seduced men shall be seduced by him Joh. 3.26 Johns disciples a little emulous that Christ drew all the water from their Masters Mill say Behold he baptizeth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all men come to him that is there be now no comers nor followers of men but such as follow this Jesus That Christ in this sense should be the Saviour of all men that he should have a negative voice in the salvation of all that all the ransomed ones should come through his hands is no other thing then Peter saith Act. 4.11 That there is no other Name under heaven by which men may be saved and none comes to the Father but by him Joh. 14.6 then all that come to God come by him only Christ is the heire of blessings and in him all the kindreds of the earth are blessed Act. 3.25 but it follows as well all and every mortal man are glorified as redeemed by this Logick Out of his fulnesse we All 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that receive doe receive from him Joh. 1.16 Upon this is grounded the common nature of all that Christ assumed that no man should be saved but by a man Hence say Arminians Looke how far the nature of man extendes the ransome extendeth as farre But saith Master Moore the nature is common to Adams Sonnes all and every one as Men contra-distinguished from Angels Hebr. 29 16. But there is a wide difference between the fitnesse and aptitude that man should dye for man not an Angel for a man and the intention and good will of God that Christ should either take on him the nature of man to die for mankind rather then for Angel-kind Heb. 2.16 And why he should dye for this man Peter or John not that man Pharaoh or Judas the reason of the former was the infinite wisdome of God seeing a cong●uity of justice in it that the nature that sinnes should suffer for sinne Whether Christ having a soule of a spirituall nature as Angels might have fitly beene a suffering Saviour for them which may be thought possible is another question But the reason of the other is onely the grace of God who could give a hire or a price to Christ to move him to die for you and effectually and savingly by gifting you with faith and not for another All the Jesuits Arminians Papists Socinians for their selves selves if provoked shall not answer except there bee a Fountaine-will that solveth all touching Men and Angels Hee hath mercy on whom he will and hardens whom he will and who hath giv●n to him first and it shall be recompenced And with as good reason Because Christ is glorifyed at the right hand of God in mans nature common to all Adams sons may they inferre that all and every man is risen againe from the dead with Christ. As Col. 3.1 2. and all and every man is set with Christ in heavenly places Ephes. 2.6 and so all and every man must be glorified with Christ. For as Christ dyed in a nature common to all men so in a nature common to all he rose againe ascended to heaven is glorified at the right hand of God But the truth is Christ assumed that nature that is common to all men but not as common to all men but as the seed of Abraham Hebr. 2.16 as the flesh and bloud of the children vers 14. of his brethren not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit that are or were to be borne againe And it is true Jesus Hebr. 2.9 is made a little lower then the Angels I hope the comparison is not with all and every one of the Angels he was never made a little lower then all Angels even evill Angels Nor ● hath hee tasted of death for every man that is for all and every sonne of Adam 1. We know no grace as common to all and every one of Adams sons as nature 2. Because the Scripture makes nature wrath sin death common to all Rom. 5.14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. Rom. 3.9 10 11 12 13 14 15. Job 14.4 Psal. 51.5 Ephes 2.1 2 3. Hebr. 9.27 But for grace the word of the covenant a covenant of grace Reconciliation into grace and favour with God justification we know no such things common to all and every one of Adams sonnes for then all must be borne the covenanted justified reconciled beloved with the greatest love that is Joh. 15.13 ransomed redeemed in Christs bloud a people neere in the beloved chosen as peculiar to God as well as heires of wrath 2 That some sinnes against the first covenant are taken away in Christ and not all as 1 Joh. 1.8 or some halfe-redeemed in Christs bloud not wholly we know not 3 That Christ should taste death for all it being as good as if all in person had not onely sipped but drunken death out to the bottome and yet that the greatest part must drinke death to the bottome againe is no Gospel-truth 4 Nor is the Apostles argument of weight to exalt Christ as he entendeth Hebr. 2. to say Christ so tasted death for all as all and every one notwithstanding many never have either saving
faith or fruit of his death but eternally perish whereas cleare it is that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that he dyed for are the many sonnes he actually brings to glory vers 10. these who are one with him as the Sanctifyer Christ and the Sanctified vers 11. His brethren whom he is not ashamed to owne vers 11. the Church vers 12. the children that God hath given him vers 13. the children partakers of flesh and bloud vers 14. these for whom he through death which he tasted for all and for whom he destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devill if the devill reigne in the sonnes of disobedience Ephes. 2.2 If they be borne of the devill Joh. 8.44 Taken captives at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 Let Arminians see how Christ by tasting death for them as they phancie Hebr. 2.9 hath for them by death Destroyed the Devill vers 14. Loosed his works 1 Ioh. 3.8 Triumphed over devils Col. 2.15 Iudged and cast out the devil Ioh. 12.31 Ioh. 14.30 Yea these all these are delivered from bondage of death Heb. 2.15 The seed of Abraham vers 16. His brethren that he is made like to in all things except sinne Hebr. 2.17 His people vers 17. The tempted that Christ succoureth vers 18. I defie any Divine to make sense of that Chapter as Arminians expound tasting of death for all men And the second Adam must come short of the first Adam Rom. 5. by the Arminian exposition and the comparison must bee as the leggs of a cripple both here and 1 Cor. 15. for by the first Adam many bee dead What bee these many All and every one of mankinde that are the naturall heires coming forth of the loynes of the first Adam Then who be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many to whom the grace of God hath abounded vers 15. sure the second Adam is no drie tree no Eunuch the Scripture saith He hath a seed Isai. 53.10 many sonnes Heb. 2.10 children that God hath given him that are for signes and wonders Isai. 8.18 Heb. 2.13 a seed in covenant with God Davids spirituall seed who shall never fall away Psal. 89.28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37. Then as all the first Adams sonnes and heires were through his offence dead so all Christs spirituall seed and heires have grace communicated to them ver 15. this is farre from grace abounding to all and every one of the heires of the first Adam then as the first Adam killed none but heires naturally descended of him so the second Adam derives grace and the gift of life to none but to his spirituall heirs make an union by birth between the first Adam and all his and between the second Adam and all his and stretch the comparison no farther then Paul and let Arminians injoy their gaine by this Argument 2. Vers. 16. Sinne and judgement to condemnation not intended onely but reall and efficacious came on all by the first Adam for all that live incurre sinne and actuall condemnation by the first Adam but the free gift is of many unto justification then justification not intended onely which may never fall out but reall not virtuall or potentiall or conditionall if their forefathers have not rejected the covenant but efficacious and actuall came upon all the heires and seed of the second Adam 3. Paul compareth ver 15. the offence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one the first sinne of Adam that came on all with the justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from many offences The justification spoken of here which wee have in the second Adam is not a pardon of sinne originall and of a breach of the first covenant so as we begin to sinne and God reckons with us on a new score but the justification here is from many offences and the blood of Jesus purges us from all sinnes 1 Joh. 1.8 This justification runnes not up from the wombe as the offence of Adam doth For 1. Where are there two justifications in Christs blood 2. Where is there in Scripture a righteousnesse of all and every one a justification in Christs blood by nature or from the belly and that of Turks Indians Americans and their seed and of all infants in all the Scripture 4. Vers. 17. By one mans offence there was a cruell King Death the King of terrors who hath a black scepter set over all and every man without exception Here we grant an universall King the first and second death As when a Conqueror subdues a Land he setteth over them a little King a Lieutenant in his place now the other part of the similitude and the antitype is so much more they that receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall raigne shall bee Kings in life eternall through one Jesus Christ. ver 17. See the heirs and sonnes of the second Adam are not all and every one of the mortall stocke of Adam redeemed reconciled saved but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these that receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousnesse onely I appeale to the conscience of Arminians if Turks Jews Tartarians Americans Indians all Heathen and all infants come in as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as these that for the present are under the fat drops of the second Adam and receive abundance of grace and righteousnesse For their universall righteousnesse is poore and thin and may bee augmented 2. If they receive it conditionally so they beleeve then it s not universall 3. Then they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all are not beleevers by nature all are not by this within the new covenant actually They have but a farre off venture and a cast off abundance of grace Farther Paul by this makes glory as well as grace universall and all and every one must bee borne heires of Heaven for Paul saith of the heires of the second Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here bee Kings for a King there was one Catholique Tyrant Death set over all men But there bee here heires of the second Adam made Kings of life and glory through Jesus Christ. ver 18. If it bee said its life conditionally if they beleeve consider then if the second Adam bee not weaker then the first the first indeclinably really without a misse transmitted death to all his the second Adam cannot transmit life to the thousand part of his but as he misseth in the farre greatest part of his heires if all mortall men be his heires he may misse in all if free will so thinke good Arminius saith constare potuit integer fructus mortis c. The fruit of the second Adams death might stand intire through all and every one of mankinde were damned If this bee a potentiall justification its good it s not Pauls justification Rom. 8. Whom he justified them hee also glorified nor speaketh the Scripture of any such justification but of such as makes the party justified blessed
Christ see what exp●●ssion is put on the last judgement that same is on the judgem●nt of Ierusalems destruction for resisting Christ For 1. It s hell-like when mothers shall wish their children had never been born and when they shall as damned in the day of judgement pray Mountaines fall on us and Hils cover us Luk. 23.29.30 Vse 2. If Christ draw all men to him then they are farre wide who think that free-will and morall honesty can bring men to heaven there be no Moralists in heaven who were pure Moralists on Earth and had nothing of the Gospel-drawing and of supernaturall work in them civill Saints can never be glorified Saints thousands are deceived with this they think their lamp can shew them light to know the Bride-grooms chamber-doore but ta●e these for marks of deluded men 1. Such men will shoot and cry at adultery as he that took Abrahams Wife from him and a Cain may be madded with murthering his brother but was Cain touched for Gospel sins is Judas wakened in conscience for that which is the speciall condemning gospel-sinne the cause of condemnation and dying in sin Ioh. 3.36 Ioh. 16.9 chap. 8.24 No but for murthering his Master it s the light of the Spirit that seeth spirituall sins spiritually 2. Profession looketh like Paradise and the raine-Bow its big in its own eyes and the fairest for variety of coulors but it s a self-plague and doth carry millions of souls to hell without din and noise of feet its Christ acting judicially on the hypocrite within pistoll shot of a besieged soule making fire-works under the earth and when all within are sleeping Christ springeth a powder-Mine and burneth up all forward Gospel-fire-works maketh more then ordinary fury in the soule open open to Christ multiplyed fastings and taking Christs crown from him are dreadfull 3. They had never a sick-night for the want of Christ Gospel profession is a light to let men see to sinne a candle to let men see to goe to hell and lye down in sorrow with art Ah what comfort is it that I goe to hell no man seeing me and by stealth and my back to the Pit What a poore comfort to goe to eternall perdition fasting and praying monthly multiplying dayes of thanksgiving and withall plundering Christ of his Royall Crown following the sinnes of Prelates whom God cast out before us exercising rapine and unjustice giving new lawes to Christ and planting plants which God will root out The manner of perishing is a poor acc●d●nt of death O but heart-boyling of love a faint pulse a pale and a lean sinner dying for the absence of Christ no man but the Spirit and Physitian knowing what ails h●m are sweet diseases let the love of Christ abs●nt be in the mans soule a deep river how sweet were it to be drowned in ●hat river and to die an hundreth deaths in one day because he whom the soule loves is gone away O watchmen know you not where he is O daughters of Ierusalem can you tel him that I am sick of love O shepheards where is Christs Tent where dwels he what is profession to this a shadow a straw nothing vanity 4 What a decitfull thing is it make free-will the great Idoll and to hire an house in heaven for the income and rent of merit can it be imagined that the love of Christ can be hired so much as it should have of hire so much it should want of free-love how can the heart of God be taken with the merit of man grace is the floure and the freenesse of grace like the beautifull bloome of the floure and this freenesse is so taking that it layes bands and chaines on the heart were there a good deserving in the man to buy grace the cord should be as a single and untwisted thred Vse 3. Christ so drawes all men to him that drawn mans will is not forced as we have seene and therefore Libertines erre fouly who make the drawn partie blocks and stones and meere patients hence these positions of Familists and Libertines 1. In the saving and gracious conversion of a sinner th● faculties of the soule and working thereof in things pertaining to God are destroyed and made to cease 2. And instead of these the holy Ghost doth come and take place and doth all the works of these naturall faculties as t●e faculties of the humane nature of Christ doe 3. The new creature or the new man mentioned in scripture is not meant of grace but of Christ. 4. Christ worketh in the regenerate as in those that are dead and not as in those that are alive or the regenerate after conversion are altogether dead to spirituall acts 5. There is no inherent righteousn●sse in the Saints or grace or graces are not in the soules of beleevers but grace is Christ himselfe working in us who are meere patients in all supernaturall works 6. Faith repentance new obedience are gifts not graces all the elect are saved and receive the Kingdome as little children doe their fathers inheritance passively Mr Towne saith in Sanctification as well as in justification we are meere patients and can doe nothing at all Assertion of grace p. 11.68 7. The Spirit doth not work in Hypocrites by gifts and graces but in Gods children immediatly 8. We may not pray for gifts and graces but onely for Christ. 9. The efficacy of Chirsts death is to kill all activity of Graces in his members that he might act all in all 10. All the activity of a beleever is to act sinne 11. We are not bound to keep a constant course of prayer in our families or privately unlesse the Spirit stirre us thereunto 12. If Christ will let me sinne let him look to it upon his honour be it 13. The new heart and the walking in Gods commandements are no conditions of the Covenant of Grace where is there one word that God saith to man thou sh●ll doe this if God had put man upon these things then they were conditions indeed but when God takes all upon himselfe where are then the conditions on mans part If there be a condition he that vndertaketh all things in the covenant must needs be in the fault if the Lord work not in us a cleane heart and cause us not walk in his commandements it s then the Lords fault abs●t blasphemia if we sinne against the covenant 14. The blessednesse of a man is onely passive not active in his holy and unblameable walking To the end that these errors may the more fully bee discovered we are to enquire in these Assertions what activitie wee have in works of grace Asser. 1. In the first moment of our conversion called actus primus conversionis we are meer patients 1. Because the infusion of the new heart Ezech. 36.26 the pouring of the Spirit of Grace and supplication on the familie of David Zach.
in all things that concerne salvation nor doth the Lord work in us to will and to doe if we will not doe without any prior dependence on the ●nfluence of the grace of God we as much work in our selves willing and doing as the Lord doth and the Lord in his grace shall follow and not lead our will 3. Grace doth not conferre any help on the will to ●ctuate it and to strengthen it in doing good in believing ●epenting loving God hoping as Grevinchovius saith but will and grace doe both joyntly meet in one and the same effect in which 4 Free-will divideth the spoyl with Christ and what need we say worthy is the Lamb who has redeemed us if free-will in the application of redemption share equally with the Grace of Christ 3. The third way is that free-will is said to believe repent love God by a meer extrinsecall denomination● because it carieth that grace● which formally and only doth perform all these supernaturall actions so Grace doth all and free-will is a meer patient that conferreth no vitall subordinate and active influence in these acts as we say the Apothecaries glasse healeth the wound because the oyl in the glasse worketh the cure when the glasse doth actively contribute nothing to the cure or the Asse maketh rich when it carieth the gold that enricheth only this sense Antinomians hold forth and make us meer patients and blocks in the way to heaven and this sense Jesuites especially Martinez de Ripald● falsly chargeth upon Luther and Calvin and the Councell of Trent inspired with the same lying Spirit saith the same 4. The fourth sense is that Grace and free-will doth work so as Grace is the principall first inspiring and fountane cause 1. It being a new supernaturall disposition and habite in the soule Joh. 14.23 1 Joh. 2.27 1 Ioh. 3.9 Ioh. 4.14 Esai 44.3.4 Ezech. 36.26.27 Deut. 30.6 A good treasure or stock of grace Matth. 12.35 Luk. 6.45 And also actually it determineth sweetly enclineth and stirreth the will to these acts yet so as free-will moveth actively freely and confe●reth a radicall vitall subordinate influence is not a meer patient in all these as Antinomians dream Psal. 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shall enlarge my heart Ioh. 14.12 he that believeth in me the works that I doe he shall doe and greater then these Matth. 12.50 He that doth the will of my heavenly Father the same is my brother c. 1 Cor. 9.24 So runne that ye may obtaine Revel 2.2 I know thy works and thy labour 1 Thess. 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of Hope 1. We are not dead in supernaturall works and meer blocks Rom. 6.11 Wee are alive unto God in Iesus Christ Ephes. 2.1 He hath quickned us Revel 2.3 For my names sake thou hast laboured and had not fainted 1 Cor. 15.58 Be ye steadfast unmoveable alwayes aboundant in the work of the Lord there is activity in the Spirit to lust against the flesh Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7.15 Nor is the blessednesse of the Saints only passive in receiving though to be just●fied and receive Christs righteousnesse be the fountain blessednesse Psal. 32.1 Rom. 4.6.7 Gal. 3.13 But the Scripture speaketh of a true and solide blessednesse in action Psal. 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way Esai 56.2 Blessed is the man that doth this Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Psal. 119.2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies Psal. 106.3 Blessed are they that keep judgement Revel 22.14 Blessed are they that doe his Commandements Math. 5. Blessed are they that mourn that hunger and thirst Then there must be a part of blessednesse in sanctification as in justification though the one be the cause the other the effect Asser. 6. The Lords working in us the condition of the Covenant of Grace such as faith is by his efficacious grace doth not free us from sinne when we believe not nor involve God in the fault when he worketh not in us to believe as Crispe imagineth Here let me by the way remove the arguments of Dr Crispe by the which he imagineth that there is no condition at all in the covenant of grace Argum. 1. The Covenant should not be everlasting if it depended on a condition of faith to be performed by us for wee faile in our performances daily and the Covenant is anulled and broken so soone as the condition is broken Ans. ● We speak not so that the Covenant of grace depends on a condition in us dependency includes a causality in that of which the thing has de●endency we know nothing in us either faith or any other thing that is the cause of the covenant of grace or of the fulfilling of it a cause is one thing a condition caused by grace is an other thing for the pe●p●●uity of the covenant there is not requi●ed a condition always in act 1. If at the eleven●h or at the twelf houre you come to Chri●t the nature of this covenant promiseth you welc●me 2. Particular failings and acts of unbeleif doe well consist with the habite and stock of faith that remaineth in him that i● borne 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 is the act so tyed to a time But 3. There is by ●enuure of ●he Covenant a Priviledge twofold here 1. If by the Law a man step a haire-breath wide off the way the doore of Paradise is bolted on him and in againe can he never enter hee must seek another entery the man has done with heaven that way the law knoweth not such a thing as repentance but the Covenant of grace being made with a sinner a slip an act of unbeliefe doth not forfeit the mercy of this covenant But Christ saith if you fall there is place to rise againe if you sin there is an Advocate there is a blood of an eternall covenant the covenant stands still to make up roome for repeated grace for a thred and continued tract of free-grace and mercy all along that your foot never go out of the traces of renewed pardon while you be in heaven though the child of God ought not to sinne yet can he not out-sin the eternity of the new covenant nor can he sin an eternall priest out of heaven 2. The Law requireth a stinted measure of obedience even to the superlative with all the soule and the whole strength any lesse is the forfeiting of salvation But the covenant of grace stinteth no weak soule Christ racketh not nor doth he as it were play the extortioner and say either the strongest faith or none at all he maketh not Abrahams foot a measure to every poor sinner many smoaking flaxes and broken reeds on earth are now up before the throne mighty Cedars high tall green planted on the banks of the river of life if Adam bee the first in Heaven what though I be the last that enter in though I
of our own 3. Wee are to beleeve in the generall we being within the covenant the Lord will keep his promise Deut. ●0 6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine hea●t and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest live Ezech. 11.19 And I will give them one heart and I will put a new Spirit within you 20. that they may walke in my Statutes Ezech. 36.27 then are we so to set to these duties of wa●king in the Lords way as wee are to beleeve he will nor deny actuall grace necessary for our perseverance because it is his expresse promise Ier. 31.33.34.35.36 Ier. 32.39 ●0 Esai 59.19 20 21. Esai 54 10.11 Ezech. 36.26.27 1 Ioh 2.1.2 Matth. 16.18 Luk. 2● 3●.32 though in acts not fundamentall and simply n●cessary for our being in the state of grace the Lord hath reserved a latitude of independent Sov●raigntie to act the soule in these and these particular a●ts as seemeth good to him that every new breathing of the Spirit of ●esus may bee a new debt and obligation of free grace to Christ. We are absolutely to p●ay for the breathings of Christs Spirit to goe a●ong wi●h us in all the particular acts of a gracious and spirituall walking but we know the Lords absolute good pleasure is his rule hee walks by so here our desires may bee absolute in seeking where the Lord gives upon condition of ●is owne good will nor are our desi●es in prayer to bee conformable to Gods decree or free pleasure but to his revealed will Grace is the culours of the inhabitants and citiz●ns of the house of the lower and higher roomes of the new Ierusalem all the way and all the home the Sain●s walk in this white Christ keeps not his Spouse in a close chamber it is not one great act of free grace onely when all were in one day redeemed on the crosse but dayly Christ weareth his Church as a bracelet about his neck as a seal on his heart as his Royall diadem and a crowne of glory on his ●ead as his love-ring on his hand this day grace to morrow new and fresh supply of grace the next houre grace hee has strowed all the way to heaven with new grace every day new wine new Spiknard new pe●fume new ointments When will Christ grow old and gray-haired Never Will his heart ev●r grow cold of love No Will hee tyre of love will he weare out of delight in the Spouse that lyeth for eternity betweene his breasts No no The love of ●hrist is alwaies green● as young-like as fair and white today as from eternity this rose is not altered a whit Who knowes how grace and love in Christs breast solaced themselves in these infinite revolutions of ages before the creation how Christs heart was cheering it selfe and rejoycing to have the first day of the creation dawning that he might enjoy the love of the sonnes of men not then created Proverb 8 3●.31 as if grace and love had thought long to finde a channell with wide banks to flow in as if Christ having infinite love within him in that long long age to borrow that expression should say when shall time begin and sinfull men and my mysticall body and desired spouse my Church have being in the world that I may out that gr●ce on her I have love within me and lying beside me I rejoyce to have a lover as if grace in Chri●t h●d been in too na●row banks in the in●●nite acts of the infinite minde of God and the heart of Christ and longed to have Men and Angels to give a vent to his love And that long avum the ages that were before the world was brought it green to us that long long endlesse and vast duration when time shall bee no more cannot make Christs love change the colour or grow lesse or root one Saint out of his heart When God leaveth off to bee God ●r●ce will leave off to bee Grace Make Christ repent of Grace if you can as Christ has washen his Spouse and in regard of the guilt of sin has made her all fair and spotlesse so doth he dayly lick and purge and cleanse her in regard of the inherent b●ot while shee bee faire as the Sunne and all a new heaven Asser. 7. In the third consideration from this suspension of divine influence cometh our sinne as a necessary consequent and result yet so as the Lords suspension and our transgression fall both in the bosome of divine providence The Lord knoweth why be withdraweth his grace that we m●ght know how weighty a thi●g gr●at heaven is laid upon our poor shoulders and that we would make foule wo●k out of all wee have received and the flock the second Adam has given is if we had not Christ to stirre the ship to lead the minors to heaven to keepe the inheritance to the little heirs of Christ should evanish to nothing Po●tion 9. If wee consider the Lords denyall of Christ from wicked men they c●nnot turne to God but that impotency lay in the womb of will it is not weaknesse onely but also wilfulnesse Matth. 23. verse 37. I would have gathered you saith Christ yee would not Ioh. 5.6 Christ saith to the sick man wilt thou bee made whole Then there was a stop in his will as well as in his weaknesse er 44.16 As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord we will not hea●ken to thee 2. Love and delight to do ill is from the strength and marrow of the will not from weaknes only the seruant that would not leave his master because he loved him is a slave for ever through love to slavery rather then through impotency to bee free In those that d●light to doe e●il Will hath a strong influence in the evil they doe every sinner esteemes his prison of hell a heaven hi● fetters of sinne on his legs as a gold chain about his neck 3. It is a journey of a hundreth miles to Christ it is unpossible to the naturall man to compasse it yet he may walk two of these hundreth miles though not as a part of the way he will not so much as cast a sad look after Christ the will not bestow one sigh after Christ nor know his own weaknesse nor d●spair of his own hability nor lie at the water-side and c●y Lord Iesus come carry me over he positively hates Christ were it possible that the unrenewed man had the two eyes of a renewed man to see the beauty and high excellen●y of Iesus though he had still his own lame legs he would weep out his eyes for a Chariot to carry him to Christ hee would send sad love-challenges after Christ could these that ' are scortched in hell-fire and hear the howling of their fellow prisoners and see the ugly Devils the bloody Scorpions with which
under the Law as a rule of rightenesse and to walk holily as being obliged from the conscience of any command either of Law or Gospel is legall bondage from which Christ has set us free as to be circumcised is a part of the Law-yoke so they teach then to be inherently holy is unlawfull to Antinomians Mr Town Pag. 6. Yet I wish that I be not mis-taken for I never deny the Law to be an eternall and inviolable rule of righteousnesse But yet affirm that its the grace of the Gospel which effectually and truly conformeth us therunto Answ. 1. I wish Mr Towne doe mistake for hee that teacheth that believers are freed from the Law as a rule teaching directing and from the Law with all its offices and authority he denyeth the Law to believers to be an eternall and inviolable rule of righteousnesse or then he must speak contradictions to wit that the believer is not under the Law as a rule of righteousnesse for so saith Towne he should not be under grace which is contrary to the Apostle Rom. 6.14 and yet he is under the Law as an eternall and inviolable rule of righteousnesse for I ask to whom is the Law an eternall and inviolable rule of justice to the believer or no If to the believer then he must be under it but Antinomians say that is Pharisaicall and Popish that is to put Christs free-man saith Twone under his old keeper the Law as if he were a malefactor if the Law be no eternall and inviolable rule of righteousnesse why doth Mr Towne say so 2. That rule to the which the grace of the Gospel doth conforme us that rule we must be under but Mr Towne saith The grace of the Gospel truly conformeth us to the eternall and inviolable rule of righteousnesse Ergo c. 3. An inviolable rule of justice cannot be violated and contravened by these to whom it is a rule without sinne else it s not an unviolable rule then if believers cannot violate the Law and murther and commit adultery but they must sinne by violating the rule then as believers are obliged not to murther not to commit adultery so must they be under the inviolable rule of righteousnesse contrary to which Antinomians teach All that Mr Towne can say against us in this argument is a calumny that we make the Law not the Gospel to give power to subdue sinne but the truth is neither Law nor Gospel giveth grace but the God of grace hath promised in the Gospel grace and a new heart and a new spirit to the Elect and grace goeth not along with the Gospel as a favour of equall extension with the preached Gospel but millions heare the Gospel who remaine voide of grace and have no right to any promise or grace the Law leaveth not off to be the rule of tighreousnesse though it cannot effectually make its disciples holy and conforme to the rule no more then the Gospel should not be the Law and rule of faith because without the influence of the Spirit of grace it can make no Disciples conforme to Iesus Christ and his image for many Elect for a long time heare the Gospel and have no grace to obey while the time of conversion come and many are more blinded and hardned that the Gospel is preached to them and it were better they had never heard nor known the way of truth Towne pag. 6.7 Rom. 7.6 The meaning is through faith is bred assured confidence lively hope pure love toward God invocation of his name without all wavering or doubting or questioning his good-will audience and acceptance which could never be attained by all the zeal and conscience towards God according to the Law of workes and the knowledge of the glory of God is given according to a covenant of meere grace without addition or mixture of works and the opposition is plaine to be not so much b●tweene the grosse hypocrite who is only brought to outward subjection and correspondency to the Law as betweene him that in good earnest and in downe uprightnesse of heart giveth over himself wholly to the Law of God Rom. 10.2 as the wife to the husband and guid of her youth to be ordered in all things inwardly and outwardly after the minde of God therein according to his legal conscience which is never pacified with works and the man who knoweth and worshippeth God alone according to the Gospel of Grace Answ. This is a close perverting of the word of truth 1. The Antinomian faith may here be smelled that by faith is bred assured confidence without all wavering feare or doubting c. Then whoever once doubt or waver are yet under the Law of works a doctrine of dispaire to broken reeds who are not und●r the ●aw but married to a new husband Christ and yet cry Lord I beleeve help my unbelief Why feare yee O yee of little faith is there not doubting here and a broken faith which Christ softly bindeth up 2. The Covenant of Grace and Gospel commandeth faith and also good works as witnesses of our faith but Towne will have good works in any notion of an evangelick command to stand at defiance with a covenant of meere grace when Grace is the fountaine and cause of our walking in Christ 2 Cor. 1.10 by the grace of God wee had our conversation in tht world in simplicitie and godly sincerity 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God that is in mee It s true Holy walking by the grace of God and Christs righteousnesse in justification is a wicked mixture which we detest 3. The opposition Rom. 7. is betweene any unconverted man under the Law be he hypocrite or a civill devill or be he any other man on the one part and a beleever married to Christ and dead to the Law on the other for that which is common not to grosse hypo●rites only but to all naturall men out of Christ is ascribed to the man that is under the Law by the Apostle as 1. He is under the Lawes dominion and condemnation vers 1. 2. The Law has power over him as the living husband over the wife vers 2.3 The poor man cannot look to Iesus to another lover and husband the Law as a hard husband leads him and cries obey perfectly or be eternally damned 3 He is a man in the flesh in whose members concupiscence and lust rageth as a young vigorus mother bringeth forth children lusts of the flesh to death as married to hell and the second death vers 5. 4 He serves God according to the oldnesse of the letter that is carnally hypocritically like an out-side of a rotten Pharisee and not according to the newnesse of the Spirit that is in a Spirituall maner Yet Mr. Towne extolls him as one that in good earnest and downe-rightnesse of heart yeeldeth and giveth over himselfe to the Law of God as the wife to the husband
to be instructed and ordered in all things inwardly and outwardly after the minde of God but no unconverted man can bee said so to doe except Antinomians be grosse Pelagians But I think Antinomians with Mr. Crispe think the person under the Law in all this chapter to bee the beleever personating or acting the person of a scrupulous beleever under a temptation of doubting but cleare it is Paul speaks of a man under the Law in the flesh and in opposition to him of one under grace of one married to the Law and of one married to Christ in the first part of the chapter of one in the flesh and so unrenewed vers 5. For when wee was in the flesh c. and of one that is dead to the Law married to Christ and serves the Lord spiritually and its clear that the Apostle counteth it a part of deliverance from the Law and a fruit of our marriage to God that vers 4 we● bring forth fruits to God and walk holily 2. That the motions of sinnes bring forth wicked works as children to the second death vers 5. 3 that wee serve the Lord vers 6. in newnesse of Spirit and walk in Christ. Now Mr. Towne as setting himselfe to contradict Paul saith pag. 6. This is an addition and mixture of works and faith and cannot stand with a covenant of meere grace Towne pag. 8. How can Christ red●eme us f●om the Law being under the Law for us except beleevers be redeemed from the Law in that same very sence and extent that Christ was under it as a mediator But was not Christ under the Rule and obedience also as well as under the Raigne to death seeing he came to doe the will of his father and fulfill all righteousnesse Mat. 3.15 Answ. 1. Wee cannot every way be said to be redeemed from the Law in that same sence that Christ was under it For Christ was under the Law of Ceremonies to free the Iewes from observing that Law I hope we Gentiles are not that way freed from the Law of Ceremonies for that Law did never oblige the Gentiles except the Gentiles had adjoyned themselves in some profession to the then visible Church 2. If Christ was under the Law as the rule to free us from the Law as the rule then why did Christ command us to imitate him in doing his fathers will and submitting to that same Ru●e that hee submitted to as is clear Matth. 11.29 learne of mee that am meek Ioh. 15.10 If yee keepe my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my fathers commandments and abide in his love Ioh. 14.15 If yee love me keep my commandments Ioh. 13.15 For I have given you example that yee should doe as I have done unto you Ephes. 5.1.2 Rev. 3.21 Heb. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.21.22 Ioh. 15.23 but Antinomians say that these that be in Christ are not under the Law or commands of the word even of the letter of the Gospel as the rule of life and that Christians are not bound to conforme themselves in their life to the directions of the word contrary to Psal. 119.9 Esai 8.20 and contrary to all the gospel-exhortations given in the New Testament by Christ and his Apostles and they say that the example of Christs life even in subjecting himselfe to the law as a rule of righteousnesse is not a paterne according to which we are to act and live In a word they will have the Spirit separated from the word and from the example of Christ and all the cloud of witnesses to be no rule to us to which I oppose that one precious word of the beloved disciple 1 Ioh. 2.26 He that saith he abideth in him ought so to walke even as he hath walked But observe 1. All means that doe not efficaciously bow the will to obedience to God and convert the soule are rejected by them as not obliging the conscience such as are the Law the letter of the Gospel all the promises exhor●●tions and precepts of the Gospel the example of the Lord who commandeth us 1 Pet. 1. to be holy as he is holy the example of Christ of all the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Saints because all these are some other thing then grace and may prove ineffectuall hence 1. The Gospel as contradistinguished from the Law is not the Gospel written or preached but the grace that resideth no where but in God and in Iesus Christ is the Gospel so say they The faith that justifieth us is in Iesus Christ and never had any actuall beeing out of Christ. 2. There i● no habituall grace inherent in beleevers all such must bee a created thing Grace is an uncreated favour only in God for all that which is called habituall grace in us is in effectuall to act graciously and cannot produce supernaturall acts except the holy Ghost act and move it Hence they say that the new creature or the man or the new heart or new Spirit the circumcised the opened heart the Law in the inward parts the one heart the renewed minde the inner man the Law of the mind Christ dwelling in the heart by faith mentioned in the Gospel is not meant of Grace but of Christ and therefore we must not pray for gifts and graces but only for Christ and so a man may have all graces and poverty of Spirit and yet want Christ. 2. We are patients in justification Sanctification beleeving in Christ and we are blocks all the way to heaven minde will affection memory love desir● joy feare and all in us act nothing in supernaturall acts there is not such a thing as grace in any of the Saints but Grace is nothing but Christ without us drawing us as blocks as dead stones in the way to heaven having no activitie but to sin even after we beleeve in Christ and Christ works in the regenerate as in deadmen 3. Omissions of duties commanded in the Gospel are no sins for none are to be exhorted to beleeve but such whom we know to be the elect of God or to have his Spirit in them effectually and a man may not bee exhorted to any dutie because he hath no power to do it then Law Gospel exhortations commands promises threatning● are to no purpose these that want grace to obey are not lyable to obey nor guilty nor under wrath because they beleeve not in the Son of God and these that are under grace are under obligation to no commands at all and farewell all Scripture from henceforth Yea Mr. Town is frequent in this we are not under the Law as our rule Why because saith he it cannot effectually work obedience in us but so all the word of God the Gospel without the Spirit must be no rule of obedience at all because the Scripture the Gospel and all the promises without the Spirit are just alike and uneffectuall to work us to obedience But not
good in our mind to act our sufferings ere they come Parts of the Text. Five Particulars touching Christs soule-trouble How pure and heavenly Christs affections are Our affections are muddie The perfection of Christs af●●ctions What peace Christ had with his soule-trouble A troubled soul consisted with the personall union And how this must be And how it can be God exacted not satisfaction for sins by necessity of nature The way of grace how lovely Christ in soul-trouble an● the union not dissolved Famulists teach that Christ is incarnate in beleevers Rise reigne of Antinom er 11. Christ s●ffered in his soule kindly and not by concomitancy onely Christs pre●ious soule liable to suffering W●e are to beare 〈◊〉 patiently because Christ 〈◊〉 No wonder all things be lyable to change since Christ was in soule-trouble What love is Christs undertaking for us Christ cast up his counts and saw what hee was to give out and what to get in in his dying for us Loves way of saving man Vse 1. Our softnesse and selfe-wisdome in suffering Our mis-judging of God under the Crosse. Vse 2. Our coldnesse of love to Christ. Evangelicke love it more then Law-love Sins against Love are wounding Vse 3. What a Soule troubled for sinne is Christs being overclouded incom●arably the greatest Soule-trouble that ever wa● be los●ng so much Christ was to bleed for sinne as sinne According to the fulnesse of the presence of the Godhead so heavy was Christs losse under desertion Soule-trouble for sin is intrins●cally no sin Antinomians error touching the nature of sinne Antinomians errors touching doubtings sorrow for sin confession c. a Story of the rise reign and ruine of Antinomians error 41. pag. 8. b Ibid er 20. pag. 4 c Ib. er 64. p. 12 D. Crisp his foule Libertinisme that Paul Rom. 7. ●●●sonateth a scrupulous conscience and had no reall cause to confesse sinne or complaine of it or feare it Mr. Archer (d) M. Archer Comfort for beleevers pag. 5 6 7. on Joh. 14 1. Propositions clearing the doctrine of a beleevers soul-trouble Trouble of unbeleefe for sin i● sinfull Some fits of the ●gue of the Spirit of bondage may recurre and trouble a beleever Love-jealousies and doubtings argue ●aith Doubtings may consist with faith a Story of the rise reign error 70. pag. 13 b Saltmarsh Free Grace art 6. pag. 44 45. Dangerous and unsound positions of Antinomians touching trouble for sinne in the justified c Master Archer if he be the Author Serm. Comfort for bel●evers pag. 19. Doubting proveth not a soule to be under a covena●t of workes The Jewes justified might be troubled in soule for sinne as we they and we justified by the same grace Trouble f●r sinne is and ought to be in these who are delivered from obligation to eternall wrath No ●aw-wakeni●gs in 〈◊〉 by n●●ure How the Saints need joy rather after sinne then after affliction Sin is pardoned otherwise then in removall of obligation to eternall wrath The double dealing of Antinomian Preachers in confessing of sinnes in publique their confession being onely in regard of the unbeleevers mixed with beleevers A two-fold pardon of sin 1. a relaxing from eternall 2. from temporary wrath Sinne is sometime put for temporary punishment and to remove temporary punishment is to pardon sin in Scripture-sense Soule-trouble in devills and men must be extreme Conscience the sorest enemy The terrors of an evill conscience Difference between the soul-torment of the damned and of the Saints in 3. points God punisheth sometimes the sins of his children with spirituall punishments The place Job 6.4 The arrowes of the Almighty c opened Christ soule-trouble different from ours The causes of soule-disertions Soule-dissertions sharpened with sense Dissertions after evident and full manifestations of God Desertion under a threefold consid●tions Patience requisite under soule-trouble We are not so freed from sin even being justified but there is a ground of dis-union between the Lord and us Mis-judging thoughts of Christ in us by nature Sin not ever the cause of desertion Externall heavy judgements and soule-dissertions not Pedagogicall but common to the Saints under the New Testament Active d●ssertion is not 〈◊〉 sinne but the Lords ●●ying of us Dissertions more proper to Saints then to the unregenerate Christs dissertion of another 〈◊〉 then ours Dissertion not me●a●choly The various dispensations of God in leading soules to heaven Divers causes of d●ssertions in divers respects Continuated manifestations of Christ necessary Divers reasons why we are not to quarrell with divine d●spensation in dissertions Gods 〈◊〉 his owne and most free Submission required ●harity to Gods dispensations under dissertions Apprehensions biggest and most terrible in d●ssertion because of the darknesse of the mind Sathan can raise our apprehensions to swelling thoughts of Gods dispensation as too grievous to be borne Our love is swayed with jealousie and misgivings Divine Disp●●s●tion not our Rule Vnbeliefe is qu●r●lous Beleeving of our state to frequent in d●ssertion but more of Christ. Mis●judging of ou● a●tions frequent in d●ss●rtion Ant●nomians mistake touching anxietie for sinne We are extremly to long for Christ absent but there be many reasons why we may not mis-judge him in his absence Divers considerable reasons of Christs absence to wit 13. Mis●judging a●gue●● s●ftn●sse of nature and weaknesse of judgmens Saints must looke for a growing crosse And the reasons A growing faith for growi●g crosses Anxiety in Christ. A sinl●sse oblivion in Christ. How Christs sensitive affections are under a law Chris●'s l●sse great The personall union hindred not the operations of sinless humane infirmities Christ's anxiety sinlesse No mistake in Christs soul deserted Psal. 2.1 Psal 74.1 Christ's desertion reall The judiciall mispending of our affections and the cause thereof In what respect Christ was forsaken How shiftlesse the sinner is in judgement No hypocrites formally in hell and at the last judgment Conscience endeth with the sinner as it beginnes A truely wakened Conscience is spechlesse Three demands of Justice given in against Christ and answered by him Helpe neerer in trouble then we apprehend Christ used f●ith in tro●ble for our cause Christ's death-gripe Vse Object 1. Doubtings from want of qualifications how cured Saltma●sh Free grace c. 5. p 92 93 Two false wayes in ●uring doubtings whether the soule be in Christ or no. To argue from faint performance of duties no faith is unjust reasoning How f●rre we may a●g●e to conclude no faith from sinfull walking Saltmarsh in hi● Free-grace or flowings of Christs bloud c. c. 4. p. 79 80. Antinomians doubts touching the spirituall state of a s●ule discussed and improved The immutability of Gods love no ground but multitudes may doubt whether they be in Christ or not A necessity of inherent signes and qualifications to doubting soules How God loveth his Son Christ and beleeve●s wit● with the same love How farre sanctification may evidence that a soule is in Christ. From non-sanctification any m●y concl●de truly
non-j●stif●catio● Protestants make mortification and repentance some other thi●g then Faith Townes asser of grace pag. 32. Regeneration and justification not one as Antinomians teach No assurance can flow from acts of sanctification performed by our good nature The Antinom●an Mortification a delusion How we see righteousnesse in our selves a Rise reigne er 7. pa 2. b Rise reigne er 15. pag. 3. Holinesse and mortification inherent in us Rise reigne er 17. pag 4. (d) Rise reigne er 77 pag. 15. Antinomians deny all inherent holinesse to be in us How we are to see grace in our selves Nothingn●sse in our selves heighteneth the price of Christ. How Ministers are to deale with troubled soules Christ more to be chosen then the comforts and peace that results from duties Vnder soule-trouble we are to doe but not to rest and 〈◊〉 in what wee doe Love-Iealousies under desenti●n Desertions have a time Christ recompences his absence with doubled smilings Saltmarsh Free Grace c. ● pag. ●8 Works of sanctification though polluted with sinne may bottome assurance We doe not at all times know that we beleeve a Saltmarsh ibid. 84. There is need of the a●●uall influ●nce of grace to the refl●ct knowledge of ou● faith and spirituall condition The witnessing of ●anctification sometime darke Duties performed in faith not contrary to free Grace The difficulty of a●tai●i●g comfort when God deserteth Sense of Christ's absence cannot be out-reas●ned Wee may 〈◊〉 argue a troubled soule All in glory farre short of what they owe to Christ. God cannot ●e quarrelled in deserting Wee cannot beare fulnesse of glory in this life Longings after Christ strongest in absence When the soul is in la●guishi●g disp●sition after Chris● its fittest to pray him home againe Christs love not lordly The Lords joyfull returne after desertion How neare Christ is in desertion Christ pardoneth love-errors and can hardy punish them Saltmarsh in hi● Free-grace cap. V. pag. 92 93. It is a lie and not a Gospel-secret that none are to question their faith whether it be true or no. We may so far question our faith as to try whether it be true or not We are to beleeve after Christs fashion and order not after our owne Saltmarsh ●6 64 There is nothing in Scripture to prove that the Saints have not doubted of their temptations Beleevers doe doubt whether they beleeve or not under gre●t temptations (a) Story rise reign er 32 (b) Er. 10. (c) Saltmarsh Free-grace cap. 5. pag. 93. Doubting in beleevers no signe that th●y are under the Law Saltmarsh Ibid. pag. 64. Saltmarsh pag 95. Sanctification in it selfe is an infallible sign● of justification but not ever so to us How acts of sanctification make good that wee beleeve Assurance may flow from oth●r ma●ks the● the immediate testimony of the Spirit The inward testimony of the Spirit The holy Ghost speaketh by marks of Sanctification How An●i●omians compare the evidence from marks of sanctification and that which is from faith together Degrees of freedome of grace Antinomians who deny all preparations before faith must hold that faith ●loweth from naturall principles in us as Pelagi●ns of old aid Pag. 95. The broad seal of the Spirit puls no man beyond all hazard of doubting is Libertines dreame a Rise reigne er 42. Saltmarsh 65. Doubting whether the sound beleevers ●aith be true or not is not that unbeleefe that excludeth us out of the eternall rest Ibid. 69. Crisp. Vol. 2. Ser. XV. (b) Rise reigne er 72. (c) Ibid. 73. (d) Er. 75. Scriptures and reasons from thence make good that we know our justification by our sanctification (a) Ser. 15. Vol. 2. Libertines say there be no m●rks in the children of God of true sanctification which can difference them from hypocrites Works of sanctification are not doubtsome warrants and evidences of justification (b) Vol. 2. Ser. XV. pag. 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 c. Works may prove faith and faith workes to be done in Christ The question mistated by M. Cornwell Wh●t wa● Sanctifi●●●●on doth evidence Justification Peace from justification and peace from sanctification how different To be ●ssured of righteo●snesse and to know that we are in that state are two diffirēt things Cornwell pag. 12. M Cornwell proveth what is not in question Many things are made over to vs by the debt of promise that a●e ours ou● of free gra●c also Rise reign a●d ruine cr● Conditionall Gospel-promises argue free grace not debt (b) Rise reign er 62. (c) Rise er 38. Cornwell pag. 15. Cornwell pa. 16.17.18 a Rise er 39. b Er. 9. Gospel-promises are made to acts of Sanctification Antinomians deny all conditionall promises a Rise raigne er ●● b Er. 38. (c) Er. 30. (d) Er. 69. (e) Er. 37. f Er. ●7 g Er. 2● h Er. 38. What kind of faith was in Christ. Christ had not saith of justifying the sinner but of justifying his cause How faith of dependencie was in Christ. How the not-seeing of God might stand with the personall union A rare providence that Christ is put to God save me We are not to be discouraged when we are not heard at first Prayers of the Saints not ever heard ●t first and the Reasons We are readier to pray then to praise Christ bottometh his prayers on the sweet relation of a Father Vse Sonnes onely can pray The power of prayer Rise reign ruine ●r 34. Christs sufferings but for an houre Christ suffered ● value what wee should have suffered Whence commeth the dignity of Christs sufferings The more exce●lent the life of Christ was the more heavie was the l●sse thereof How Christs sufferings were were limited being infinite Our debt of love to Christ eternall Our sufferings short and measured by yards ●weetn●ss of love 〈◊〉 Christ measureth by yards and weigheth by ounces all the sufferings of the Saints Vse 3. We are not to weary for length of time under suffering Death soure and blacke to nature and to Christ for sund●● reason● Christ sensible of paine and death as a●y man Coelestis ira quos premit miseros fa●it Humana nullos Gods Anger against Christ. Many edges of words in Christs complaint My God my God why hast thou c. Christs soule-s●ff●rings most 〈◊〉 how his life was invaded The persona●● union not dissolved in C●rists suffering Vse 1. Christ did 〈◊〉 the whole Crosse we but 〈◊〉 bit● and 〈◊〉 of it Vse 2. Soules are of great value with God We sell soules at an easie rate How great strong was Christs love God h●d one Son he gave him for us Christ had 2. loves ● glories he bestowed them on us Christ overcome with love How death is sweetned to us ●n Christ. Christ repents not of his love to us The fifth article of Christs prayer the Correction Christs will in his suffering subordinate to Gods will Doubts on the contrary removed We are to conf●rme our will to Gods revealed will as a rule not to his decree
a worke of the old man What it is to put off the old man and to be poore in Spirit according to the divinitie of Familists What is sinne to Familists God is man to Familists The mind of Familists touching heaven and hell Page 24 25 Page 25. The excellency divinity necessity of the Scriptures as the meanes of our union with Christ. Gen. 17.1 Psal. 50 1. Isai. 44.24 Exod 20.1 2. Psal. ●9 7 8 9 10. 1 Cor. ● 23. Ioh 3 3● 1 Cor. 1.23 ●●el ● 1 2. Psal ● 9 8. Rom 15 4. Rom 7 7. Z●p● ● 1● Z●ch 13 2. Acts 5. ●9 Acts ● 5 20. Phil. ●● ●2 13. Gen. 3.15 Dan 9.24 Matth. 1.18 Acts 10.43 Psal 119.129 138.172 D●ut 4.5 6. 2 Pet. 1.19 Heb. 4.12 All ordinances are creatures and not the ultimate object of faith Ordinances not our blessednesse but God onely The rise of Familisme No ceasing of the use of Ordinances in this ●ife What an union there is between Christ and the Saints in this life The soule injoying Christ here both at rest and in motion How the desi●es are swallowed up in Christ and how in him th●y are perfected The abundant satisfaction for the soule in Christ illustrated in five expressions The wonderfu●l charge and new beautie the soule acquireth by an union with God in this life The Familists heaven and hell refuted We lose not our selves in injoying Christ. God is not the being of things as Familists say A holy man is not God incarnate or deified as Familists blasphemously say How creatures h●ve no being being compared with God and yet have truely a borrowed being Creatures without sin may desire to keepe and to seek their sinlesse being and themselves God seek●th himselfe and his owne glory most of all witho●t any impea●hment of his spotlesse holinesse When the soule injoyeth Christ it acteth in Christ. When the soule injoyeth Christ Christ draweth admiration and love out of it Christs beauty and excellency of it selfe inviteth comers The soule filled with God is so far above created lovers that they lose all capacity to reach it The soul overcomed with the love of Christ. Insinuations of Christs tendernesse of bowels to sinners What sparkles of grace all have The creature restored from its forfeiture in Christ. The place Rom. ●0 18. have they not heard c. is not for universall grace and is clearly expounded Their sound is gone out thro●gh all th● ear●● R●m 1 is not a ●t●tion of b●t an allusion to the place Ps●l 19 and can be understood of none ●ut the Apostles How all have sufficient grace No salvation without the Gospel preached 1. Question Touching universall grace 2. Question touching absolute election to glory and so of reprobation 3 Quest. touching Gods good wil to save and redeeme all in Jesus Christ. Arminians are for s●x universalities in the matter of Gods good will to save and redeeme all without exception An universall intention of God to save al Vniversall redemption of all An universall covenant of grace made with all and every mortall man Vniversal reconciliation and justification of all Vniversal vocation and d●awing of all V●ive●s●ll 〈◊〉 grace given to all and every one by which they may if they will conquer the Gospell coversion salvation Vniversal apostacie or perseverance ●f all The Elect are 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 Pointed out with the finger Designed by their countrey Inrolled in a booke and written in heaven Particularly marked betweene the Father and the Sonne The sheep that Christ dyed for are particularly designed and circumscribed with such nots as are in none other Creation larger th●n Redemption The 〈…〉 Election and redemption a●e of the same spherre and ex●ention so as they no commensu●●ble Remonst Script Sinod a● 2. Redemptio se● reconciliatio nihil aliud est quam patus offens●ae placatio sive actio sive passio talis qua ossenso alicui satisfit hactenus ut in gratiam cum ●o qui ossendit re●ire velit Re●onciliationis hujus essectus 〈◊〉 divinae gratiae impetratio id est restitutio in talem sta●●● in quo deus nobis non obstanie an plius justitia vindicatrice secundum misericor●iae ●uae astectum de novo sua beneficia communicare potest vult ea lege modo quo ●psi videtur per cam enim salvandi affectus qui fuit in deo ex misericordiae 〈◊〉 naturali aclato impedimento in plenarium voluntat●s propositum q●●si ex●●t Remonst Necessitas distinctior is inter impetrationem applicationem apparet quod impetratio ex naturà rei ipsius etiam si aliter futurum esse certo Deus noverit posset sarta recta manere etiam si nulli essent quibus applicaretur aut qui fructum morris Christs suâ culpâ perciperent The Arminian distinction of a redemption purchased to all but never applyed or which may be applyed to none vaine and comfortlesse Redēption was purchased by Christ out of-an efficacious intention that it should be applyed to Gods chosen ones not to keepe within himselfe How Christ is the Redeemer of the world A propitiation for the sins of the world by no Scripture or reason can be a power to transact with men for remission of sins in a Gospell-way or a Law-way 1 Pet. 2.24 explained and Isai. 53.6 The Lord laid on him the iniquities of us all The new English Arminia●s worse then ●●e old 2 Cor. 5.14 15. explained 1 Tim. 1.4 How Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all Mr. Moores objections removed No war●●nt in the Word to pray for all and every one without exception God will have none to be saved by the Arminian way M. Moor Vniversall at●onement c. 11. p. 55 56. Mr. Moor ib. God quickneth not men dead in sins as they are su●h but a● they a●e ch●s●n of him Christ died not for ●inners as sinners nor for the righteous as r●ghteous but for sinners as chosen to glory Moor p. 57. How Christ died not for obstinate sinners Page 58. How Christ died for beleevers C●rists thing for sinne●s th● high 〈◊〉 o● love Moore p 59. Pag. 60.61 Pag. 67. Joh 1.9 behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world vindicated What is the taking away of sinne Remonstr 1● Scrip. Syno Arminian conditions of preaching the Gospel never revealed in thousands and so cannot oblige them to perform these conditions Christs Dominion is not a naked power to save such as may consist with the damnation of all The intrinsecall end of Christs death actuall reconciliation sanctification and salvation of ●is redeemed ones Christ having died hath not freedome by his death to transact with sinners by a covenant of grace or any other way because his dying is an essentiall Article of the Covenant of Grace All the comfortable relations in Christ as King Head Husband Shepherd Priest c. are nothing but empty words if the end of Christs death be only a possible salvation There is as good ground in
a worse end in the farre largest part of mankinde Faith cannot rest on a common generall good Saving Faith the f●rst dawning of election to glory The Arminian hope and comfort not in Scripture The Arminian Divinit● their faith hope c. Collat. Piscat Vo●s●i●s non tam su●i●o sor●asse Deus vo●●it Pharao●em populum dimittere The comforts of Armi●ia●s not in Sc●ip●ure The generall good will of God to save all comfortlesse The fountain Good will of God separated electe● persons from o●hers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arminians resolve all one mans will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We cannot choose but glory in our selves and not in the Lord ●f free gr●c● sep●rate not the believ●ng man from the not believing God equ●lly intended his two great ends in men and Angels The ground of Pauls crying out O the depth c. It s grace and free grace ●nly that maketh o●● diff●r●r●m another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gra●e fa●leth 〈◊〉 p●o●o●ns such as I and we How inde●ring is separating grace What a●oundance o● g●ace b●st●wed on single pe●sons and yet nothing of it can be wanting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How active love is No lip-love nor any ●m●ty love in God but that which is effectuall and r●all to work t●e good hee d●si●eth to the party loved A threefold lo●e in God effectuall Christs love of election cannot miscarry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christs love active Sin proveth not rep●obation Sin continued is no argument why I should not bel●eve Finall obstinacy and ●ea● s●r●ow and n●pp●ng ●●e of minde to believe seld●m fall in one person No unconv●rted one capabl● of ●uch are 〈◊〉 to beli●ve a● a bel●ever 〈…〉 us to b●lieve y●t t●e proud as proud cannot b●lieve No saving humil●tie before fa●th All the Gospel expressi●n● of the ●eek●e● of Christ argue a di●ease in us to conceive Christ to bee rough lordly cruel to have a heart li●e the nether milstone How all are to beleeve though salvation be not purchased for all Neither is faith before all Repentance nor eevry Repentance before all faith If Christ draw all we should be drawn Christ can dra● as g●ilty as thou art Vse 6. Be not satisfied till you come to such a n●ck of Christian walking as is attainable by no hypocrite Vse 7. Christ canno● be spared as not nec●ssary in the work of redemption Doct. It is a matter of gre●t conce●●ment ●hat sin●●●st come to Chri●t and to Christ only Gr●unds of the excellency of being drawn to Christ only Christ an● home and a house of rest and of love A noble life in Ch●●st which cannot be brought What excellency is Christ. Three parts of Christs compleatness● 1. 〈◊〉 or fuln●sse 2. primacy 3. excellency What fulnesse is in Christ. C●●ist the first and principa●l of all things The singular excellency of Christ. None c●n write or speak of Christ as he is To be d●a●en to Christ i● a ●igh wo●k The Father gives us to the Son●e not by ali●nation (a) Story of the ●ise reign and ●uine of the Antinomians error 41.8 p. Libert●nes tea●h that we are several seasons under t●e working ●f every person of the Trinity What a sin it is to resist Christs drawing None so good at drawing of sinners as Chri●● N●thing like Christ to allure soules Christ the sweet singer of Israel The lower Christ is in his love he is the more drawing Heaven and the Church on earth but ene house It is an honour to d●e in the Lord young Christ dying and drawing sinne●s in his deat●●●d c●m●●nds his love to us Resisting of Christs drawing of sinners near to the sin agai●st the holy Gho●t Ma●ks of mee● Moralists never drawn to Ch●ist Naked pro●ession a vaine thing Errors of Libe●tins touching free-w●ll (a) A s●ort Story of the rise reign and ruine of the Antinomians c. error 1. pag. 1. (b) Rise reign error 2. p. ● (c) R●se reign error 7. p. ● (d) Rise reign error 14. p. 3. (e) Rise reign error 15. p. ● (f) R● Town assertion of Grace p. 11. 12 (g) Rise reign c. error 18. p. 4. (h) Rise reign error 23. p. ● (i) R●se error 35 p. 7. (k) Rise reign c. ●rror 36. p. 7. (l) Rise reign error 49. p 9. (m) Rise and reign uns●●ory spech 4. p. 19. (n) D. Crisps Christ alone exalted ser. 6. of the N. Covenant pag. 163.164 The life and light of man ch 1. pag. 4. The will minde and end of the internall operative Spirit and life is to be a liv●ng active Lord God in a dead passive creature as I live yet not I but Christ liveth in m● (o) Ro. Towne assertion of Grace against D. Taylor pag. 47 48 49. What activity we have in our conversion In our first conversion we are meer patients The naturall powers in our conversion are not destroyed The Grace in us inherent is not the person of the holy Ghost Henry Nicholas a German a blasphemous Libertine saith c. 34 sent 10. God hath raised up mee H. N. the ●ast among the the Holy ones of God which lay altogether dead and without breath and life among the dead from the death and made me alive through Christ as als● annointed me with his godly being manned himself with me and Godded me with him c. The holy ghost in person immediately worketh not in the Saints Reasons proving that the person of the Holy Ghost is not un●ted to our soules but hee is in us in his operations and his effects of graces and gifts Christ and the inherent grace of Christ i● us are two different things Grace and ou● free●will are said to act together in a foure-fold s●nse Grace is simply necessary in all supernaturall actions Golden words and morall swasion cannot give l●fe Grace and free-will are not two collaterall and independent causes in the same supernaturall act as two men drawing a boat Free-will in supernaturall a●tio●s not a meer patient but an Agent Martinez de Ripalda de ente su 〈…〉 1. d●sp 29. sect 1. n. 3.4 Concil 〈◊〉 sess 6. c. 5. c. 4. Free-will an agent acting by the strength of grace in supernaturall actions and n●t a patient Antinomians dreame The blessedn●sse of the Saints acti●e and not passive only as Antin●mians say D. Crispe Serm. 6. pag. 160. Comfortable differences between the Law and the Cov●nant of Grace D● Crispe 2. arg Grace in the old and New Testament the same grace in nature and essence but different in degrees The justified cannot sinne according to the doctrine of Libertines God never promised in his Covenant to keep the Saints from these particular sins they fall in nor are these such sins as break farre lesse anull the Covenant of grace Faith is a condition of the Covenant but not this ●r that particular act of faith which wee ought to perform when we misbel●ve God The Covenant of grace is ●ot formally the love of God but flowes