5. Of the Descâ—iption of Faith 1. God makes a Promise of Eternal Life and in order thereunto of the grace of Adoption and forgiveness of Sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost Thus God gives his Faith unto man is Gracious to promise being moved thereunto only by his free love in Christ without our supplication or the mediation of any Creature 2. God stands to his Promise thus made and keeps his Faith for he is faithful that hath promised and keepeth Covenant for ever 3. Man accepts and entertains this Promise made by God which is a taking of the Faith given trusting firmly to the giver for the full performance of it in due time 4. Man makes a Promise to God that is he gives his Faith to God to work that righteousness which God hath required at his hands by the help of his grace 5. Man stands to his promise and Faith which he hath given to God by the performance of that duty of Love which God hath required of him with all his heart soul and strength by the same Grace 6. God accepts this Promise or Faith which man hath given to him that is God takes his Faith given and trusteth to the Giver expecting the performance of it This is a mutual Contract betwixt God and Man as that in Marriage a mutual Assent and Consent giving and taking of each other This is the Covenant of Grace made between God and man Chap. 6. Of the Covenant of Grace whereby both parties are made sure together This is our Faith God reveals his Promise Law Will Word Testament Covenant Ordinance Grace God calls moves perswades draws invites allures by all gracious and proper means fit for a rational spirit to receive When the heart hears understands is invited moved perswaded and drawn that is accepts and embraces the offer of Grace then man believes When the Heart stoppeth the Ear at the voice of this Charmer though he charm never so often never so wisely when he refuseth rejecteth or embraceth not then man disbelieves then he is condemned of himself because he maketh God a Liar who is Truth its self and cannot lye As when a Rebel hath pardon offered by his Prince and will not accept it upon the condition of future Loyalty he deserves to dye if he had ten thousand lives So when the heart hath once accepted the free grace and love of God and afterwards falls off and embraces this present World being weary of obedience and unwilling to exercise mortification and self-denyal then man is said to deny the Faith and to make Shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience So then the Acceptation of Gods good Word and Promise is True Faith and by it the Believer obtains Righteousness even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith And this is our Justification Chap. 7. Of Justification that is not only to the forgivenesse of our sins but to a present Right of being the Child of God and Heir of God and Coheir with Jesus Christ and hath thereby the Spirit of God given unto him which is the earnest Evidence and Assurance of his Salvation and accordingly hath Hope of the future Possession of the Inheritance which is by Promise And thus the just man lives by his Faith and waits patiently upon God for the fulfilling of his word And this his Faith stayes his Soul from fainting and is unto him the Substance of things which are yet to come and otherwise as to him do not subsist and is unto him the Evidence of things not seen and otherwise as to any mortal Eye cannot be seen Thus Abraham believed in God and it was accounted unto him for Righteousness that is Abraham believed in God and thereby was justified for St. Paul alledgeth these words to prove the Doctrine of Justification by Faith and to account any Right to any person is to justify that Person or to have Righteousness imputed to him Rom. 4.6 Gal. 2.16 So had Abraham a true Right by his Faith to have a Son and a numerous Progeny and to possess the Land of Canaan And this is our Evidence also That 1. We have a Right to Heaven by Faith 2. We hold it by Works 3. We expect it by Hope So Faith is a Passive Act of the Will receiving holding and embracing Gods offer as the Fathers that were perswaded of the Promises of God and saw them a far off and embraced them as they that heard the word Heb. 11.13 and received it with joy And to as many as received Christ which was the Promised Seed Luc. 8.13 to them gave he Power that they should be called the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 So it is a Passive Act of the same Will to refuse or reject what is offered as the Text speaks See that ye refuse not him that speaketh from heaven He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him Heb. 12.25 Joh. 12.48 c. Thus the Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves and therefore accounted themselves unworthy of Eternal Life Gods Promise imputes a Present Right to a future Blessing Chap. 8. Gods Promise which are two Acts of Gods will Hence God requires an Acceptation of that present Right and an Expectation of the future Blessing which are two Acts of mans Will correspondent to the two Acts of Gods Will of imputing a Present Right and a future Possession of a Biessing This is Gods Promissory Will which is not at all compulsatory but invitatory altogether leaving us freely to our own choice And this Acceptance is Faith and this expectance is Hope agreeable to the will of Gods Promise Thus Gods Precept which is the condition of his Promise imposes a present Band to a future observation of some Duty as the works of love Chap. 9. God's â—recept which are two Acts of Gods Preceptory Will Hence God requires submission to this present Band and performance of the future Duty which are two Acts of mans will agreeable to the two Acts of Gods Will. This is Gods Preceptory will and this is compulsatory not Invitatory to leave us free to our own choice to obey or to transgress but legally binds us to obedience And this obedience if freely performed not for fear of Punishment is Love which is the fulfilling of the Law in an Evangelical way Gods Precepts are his Revealed Will or Word proceeding from his Holiness and Gods Judgments are his revealed Will or Word proceeding from his Anger But Gods Promises are his revealed Will or Word proceeding from his Love This is Gods good Word or his good Promise Therefore an Assent to Gods Precepts and to his Judgments is Faith to convict a Sinner of his Transgressions and the guilt of Punishment due to him for the same But an Assent to Gods Promises and an Acceptance of them is faith to justify to a present Right to a future Blessing Thus Abraham and Sarah accepted the present
go along with them and for ever despair of Gods Mercies Let them enjoy this World no wise man will envy them They are left to themselves They that are wilful let them be wilful still Ob Many say they know no better Ans There are many things they might know if they had a mind to know but these men revel away all their Time and never regard to know any thing that is good Who can pretend ignorance that there is a God and that he should do as he would be done by Not one For these are Common Principles And as for Consequences men might easily make them if they would take the pains upon several occasions in life As to say when they dissemble How do I look when I Lye Do I not hide falsehood under my Tongue and is there not a Lie in my right hand Do I spend vast Sums upon vanity of Apparel and Riotous living and should I grutch to pay the Minister his small dues or to give a little to the Poor No man but might say and do these things and such as these whensoever occasion is offered in his business amongst men But men sleep or Pot away their dayes and forget all goodness and in a moment they go down to the Grave and Rottenness takes fast hold upon them In a Word for there is no end of writing Books upon such Subjects to informe and rebuke all men at all times as they have need for all their wild Extravagancies Let us hear all in a little Fear God and keep his Commandments keep Faith and a good Conscience yet more briefly Love is the fulfilling of all Gods Commandements FINIS An APPENDIX for PEACE Transition I Have in my former Discourses endeavoured to satisfy and comfort weak fearful and melancholy spirits who though they have true Faith yet by reason of their own Distempers within and the Temptations without complain for want of that Faith and Assurance which they have already 1. It remains that I should farther put on to satisfy concerning Children that dye before they attain to Faith or the use of Reason in what condition their souls are in 2. As also concerning Innocents and Fools that all their life long are suspended from the use of Reason 3. As also concerning Mad-men who after the Exercise of Reason have been deprived thereof for ever or have lost it for a time and then recovered it and lost it again 4. As also of them that perish by Fire or Water or dye suddenly by any other accident 5. As also concerning them that in their health of Body enjoy health of mind but when Sicknesses have violently seized upon their Bodies their Souls have lost all sober use of understanding will or memory to the outward appearance only the Fancy abounds with absurd Idaeas and representations of things never acted by them or sometimes by any other And thence proceed expressions of Blasphemy Uncleanness Nonsense to the great trouble and amazement of their weak friends especially if they chance never to recover their wits again 6. And lastly concerning those honest Heathens that have excelled in virtue and the fear of God either upon the stock of natural knowledge and their own practice or some farther secret Revelation that God hath made unto them In what state or condition their Souls may be thought to be in And these are all the cases of doubt that I can think on upon this present Subject To these I shall strive to give a modest answer with submission to better Judgments being farr from a Magisterial Spirit of absolute Determination in any thing save what God hath most cleerly revealed to all 1. I say then as to the first Case of Infants that dye in that estate Chap. 1. I think their souls are in a very safe condition Reason And the Reason is from Gods infinite justice as well as Grace That though their Fathers have eaten sown Grapes yet they their childrens teeth shall not be set on edge They must dye because they are the children of the first Adam by Nature that brought in death by his Sin which is the wages thereof But they shall not dye everlastingly because they are the children of the Second Adam by Grace that brought in life everlasting by his Righteousness which is the Reward thereof As for their actual non-stipulation such as is required in ordinary Covenants and in the Covenant of Grace I suppose their incapacity which God puts them in of such Stipulation for want of Power to use Reason shall not render them incapable of the Grace of God to excuse them by extraordinary favour for what they could not help For notwithstanding the impossibility of actual acceptation of their Will yet probably God may convey that Grace unto them which he hath promised to the faithful and their Seed though at present they do not know it yet hereafter they shall know it to their great admiration of that Grace that brought them unto Glory And what should hinder them from being susceptible of the benefit of Gods Promises although they understand not Faith For are they not innocent and will God condemn the innocent as he doth the wicked shall not the Judge of all the World do right This be farre from God to judge unrighteous Judgment and this be far from us to think of God after such a fashion Are not Infants free from all love of the World or malicious wilfulness to put by Grace or to grieve the Spirit of God whereby they are sealed unto the day of their Redemption And is it not an exuberancy of Love and such as becomes the God of Love to help those poor creatures that cannot help themselves And can he in Justice create such innumerable and helpless Souls and give them but a short life without all knowledge or sense of pleasure on purpose to damn them to everlasting pain and make them fuel for Hell-fire only to shew what he can do Certainly Gods thoughts are not like mans thoughts so cruel neither are his wayes like mans wayes so unjust But they are of a better fashion neither may we think God to be such a one as our selves Secondly concerning Innocents and Fools Chap. 2. that have lived long and yet never attained to the use of a Rational Soul I think these are more miserable wretches then children that dyed in their Infancy but not more sinful but both are alike innocent and harmless before God That stained condition that they as Sons of Traitors are in by Law that have forfeited their Estates is a sufficient punishment for this World by Grace they are most certainly free from the punishment of the next World For these poor Lambs what have they done that never were in a capacity so much as to will good or bad And 't is a true saying Nihil ardet in inferno nisi propria voluntas Nothing suffers in Hell but the sinful Will What does Baptisme consign Chap. 3. but an
Right and expected the future blessing by faith and Hope And so the faithful accept the present Right and expect the future Blessing by Jesus Christ and have it by Faith and Hope And though we dye before we possess it yet we dye in faith and lye down in hope to rise again to the possession of Eternal Glory For so the faithful are said to be perswaded of Gods promises having seen them a far off and imbraced them All these dyed in faith Heb. 11.13 having not yet received the full fruition of the Promises and their flesh rested in hope to put on a glorious and blessed Immortality Therefore my Deerly beloved Brethren be ye stedfast and unmoveable allwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. For Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Coroll This faith is a Passive Act of mans Will receiving and embracing that state or condition into which Gods love puts us to have a present Right to a future Reward Thus in making faith the Action is on Gods part and in taking faith the Action is on Mans part And this is noble and free in God to promise and perswade and in Man to be perswaded and to receive what God gives What can be more easy and reasonable then to say Amen to Gods Promises only this Fiat quod dicitur Lord here I am to do whatsoever thou wilt have me to do Thus the Blessed Virgin answered Be it unto me even as thou hast said Give Lord for thy servant is ready to receive And that with a glad heart too to obtain such rich Grace from the God of all Grace This is Gods drawing of us with the Cords of a Man which makes his Yoke easy and his Burden light and all that refuse to be perswaded are left without all excuse For how often hath God stood at their door and knockt how often would he have gathered them together into his congregation to be partakers of his Benefits with his faithfull People but they would not therefore these things are justly hid from their Eyes Chap. 10. Of both Covenants This is to be in Covenant with God When Gods Sponsions are Double Acts of his Will devising a present Right to a future Blessing and Mans Responsions are Double Acts of mans Will accepting this present Right to a future Glory And so our will becomes agreeable to Gods will touching one thing to be had of God which makes a perfect Covenant of Grace justly so called because God was moved to make that Covenant meerly by his Grace and because the Matter of it is very gracious So Gods Commands are Double Acts of his Will for a present obligation to a future duty and mans yeeldings are double Acts of his Will to a present Band to a future duty So our Will becomes agreeable to Gods Will touching one Thing to be done of man which makes a perfect Covenant of Works justly so called because mans duty is a work and the matter of it is Labour For God Covenanted with Abraham that he should walk before God and be upright and that every male of his should be Circumcised And God covenants with us That we should be poor in Spirit mourn Matth. 5. hunger and thirst after Righteousness be pure in heart merciful meek c. which is laborious Concl. Therefore Gods Promise is a Covenant of Grace and Gods Precept is a Covenant of works and Gods Judgment is a Covenant of Curses which we unwillingly enter into but the two former willingly Therefore a full Right Interest Claim or Title of an Inheritance to come together with an earnest penny given and received is the substance and evidence of that inheritance to the Heir thereof and he is as sure if he hold his Right given as if he actually enjoyed it Therefore the Scripture saith Eph. 1.3 We are already in heavenly places in Christ Jesus And God hath raised us up together and made us to set in heavenly places in Christ He that Believeth hath everlasting life Eph. 2.6 and I will raise him up at the last day Christ is the first fruits of them that sleep Now if the first fruits be holy then the whole Lump is holy If Christ be the first fruits of the Resurrection to Glory then all that are Christs even the whole Harvest of the Faithful shall rise to the same Glory And therefore Christ is called the First Born from the Dead our Elder Brother the first Born among many Brethren and if the first Born be risen then shall the second and third Born and all the Brethren that are born of the same God rise from the Dead and be partakers of the same Inheritance of Glory with Christ their Elder Brother in whom and by whom they have right to be the sons of God by the Grace of Adoption and Regeneration as he had by Nature and Generation If Christ be the Head then the Faithfull are the Body And if the Head be risen the Body shall follow after For our Flesh is in Heaven already And as sure as Christ is in Heaven so sure shall we be also For where he is there we shall also be and Christ is gone before to prepare a place for us that where he is there we might also be And in his Fathers house there are many Mansions and Portions for all his Children And where the Carcass is thither will the Eagles be gathered together Application Chap. 12. Of Comfort For Comfort and satisfaction to all Godliness hath the Promise of this life and of that which is to come Things to come are made Present and things unseen are made to be seen by Faith God will have us to walk here by Faith and hereafter by sight Here we believe and see a farre off hereafter we shall enjoy and see cleerly Here we know and see darkly as in a Glass there we shall see Face to Face and know even as we our selves are known We are sure we are now the Sons of God we know not yet what we shall be but this we know that when Christ shall appear we shall appear also with him in Glory Chap. 12. Of Priviledges by Faith For look what Right Christ hath by Nature to the Love of his Father who hath made him Heir of all things The same in kind though not in degree have we by Grace in and through Jesus Christ to be the Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ Jesus and consequently as younger brothers to Tast of the same Inheritance By Faith we see and feel these absent and invisible things of God and know the heighth and length and depth and breadth of the Love of God in Christ Jesus which otherwise passeth all knowledge For neither Eye hath seen nor Ear hath heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what things God hath
Duty that proceeded from his Faith as of the offering up of his Son And so he had a full assurance to himself of his own Faith by which he obtained so much Right and by his works his Faith was made perfect Jac. 2.21 So the word Justify signifies to hold as well as to have a Right Reas 7 Because after Gods accounting Abraham righteous God confirms his Right by an Oath By my self have I sworn Gen. 22 16. saith the Lord for because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy Son thine only Son That in Blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thee c. The effect of this was Chap. 7. Oathes That Abraham might claim that Right which he had to the Promises which God had made and now obliged himself to the Performance For Juramentum comes from Juro and Juro from Jus Juris because the right and best use of an Oath is to confirme and decide rights for when a Right is voideable an oath makes it immutable and when a Right is Litigious an Oath decides and puts it out of question Heb. 6.16 This was Juramentum Fidelitatis to perform the Faith God had given by Promise God swears Fealty to his Homager to Dust and Ashes to be a Protector and Benefactor unto him Yea when Abraham was dead Heb. 11.16 he was not ashamed to be called his God and the God of Isaac and Jacob when dead because he had prepared for them a City Now the Oath of fealty is usually taken by the vassal to his Lord. A wise man may find cause to doubt whither this be only reasonable or no. Note by the way That Gods Oath was voluntary as all Oaths should be else all soul-Liberty is destroyed Gen. 24.2 Put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh and I will make thee swear c. Abraham prayed his servant to swear He was his slave born in his house yet he forced him not in this So Jacob to his Son Joseph If I have found grace in sight Gen. 47.29 put I pray thee thy hand under my Thigh and deal kindly and truly with me bury me not I pray thee in Aegypt Reas 7 Because Abraham was legally and morally Righteous before he believed the Promise Chap. 8. True Right Gen. 13.14 and yet h was not justifyed by that Righteousness nor by the Estimatory Faith which he had in God as a great Benefactor who was feared and worshipped by him Gen. 13.4 but when he received the Promises That Promisory faith justified him Gen. 14.15.16 i. e. gave him a Title to those Promises of Issue Inheritance and Alliance even before the Ceremonial work of Circumcision fourteen yeers So that he was meerly justified by his Faith in the Promises Gen. 15.9 'Till when Abraham never made the least mention of an Issue or Inheritance Reas 8 Because it is the Scope of the Apostle to prove Justification by Faith So then Gal. 3.7 8. they that are of Faith are the children of faithful Abraham And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the Heathen through Faith Preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed So then They that are of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham Concl. Therefore What Right had Abraham to such an Issue and such an Inheritance and Alliance more then other men whose Bodies were younger and stronger but only this That such an Issue Inheritance and Alliance was counted and unto him for His and his Faith was counted unto him for the Reason of it i. e. for his Title to it So what right hath the Servant who worketh to his wages but only that his wages are accounted to him for His and his work is accounted to him for the reason of it And what Right hath the Son that worketh not to maintenance more then the Servant who worketh but only this That maintenance is accounted to him for His and his Birth is accounted to him for the reason of it And what Right hath the first born Son to his Fathers Inheritance more then his yonger Sons who are born to his Father as well as he but only this That the Inheritance is counted to him for His and his Primogeniture or Majority is accounted to him for the reason of it i.e. for his Title to it which therefore is called his Birth-right though that word be too wide for it is his Primogeniture or first Birth-right in order before the rest which giveth unto him his Right And so the Believer in God who as to God hath neither Works nor Birth What right hath he to Blessedness more then an unbeliever but only this That Blessedness is accounted His and his Belief is accounted to him for the Reason of it i.e. for his Title to Blessedness Hence the Apostle mentioning matter of right in Abrahams case constantly useth the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to count And reckoning Ratiocination and Counting are all one in effect in Logick and Logistick APPLICATION 1. For Assurance Evidence and Satisfaction to all Believers of their Right 1. To Adoption by Grace 2. To Remission of sins 3. To Sanctification by the Spirit 4. To Audience at the Throne of Grace 5. To every ordinance of God Baptisme c. 6. To Resurrection 7. To Eternal Life 1. Assurance is Gods giving his Faith to us Chap. 9. Assurance and we giving our Faith to him which is our being in Covenant with God And a mutual giving and taking of the Faith of each other is to be made sure together 2. Assurance is an Acceptation of the Act of Gods grace and pardon upon the condition of our obedience 3. Assurance is the Acceptation of the Legacy and Gift of Eternal Life devised to all the Faithful in Gods last Will and Testament whereof Jesus Christ is the Mediator This Promise Devise or Gift of Gods Testament concerning the Inheritance of Eternal Life is made primarily to Christ who is the promised Seed in whom all the Promises of God are Yea and Amen who is the Principal Heir of all things and the faithful do tast of the same Inheritance by Faith that the Promise might be sure to all the Seed who for Christ his sake are made Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ partakers of the same most precious promises by Grace and Adoption Which Promises are as sure to the Adopted Sons of God by Grace as they are to Christ the Essential Son of God by Nature This Act of Grace is freely made of God in and for Christ in whom God is well pleased in whom God hath reconciled all things to himself And this is the full and last unchangeable Will of God confirmed by the Bloud of Christ so that heaven and earth may faile but not the least Title of Gods Will and Testament shall ever fail For the Foundation of God standeth sure and God knoweth who
and Drink and be merry in the Lord. I will suffer patiently in the Lord. I will Live and Die in the Lord. Tell me not of Temptations I know who is on my side and will deliver me Tell me not of Tribulations I know who will Save me Tell me not of Death and Hell I know who will Redeem me Yea He hath Delivered He hath saved He hath Redeemed me already The Forgiveness of my Sins past present and to come is already present with me The Deliverance from all my Sufferings is already present with me Eternal Life and Salvation is already present with me I know in whom I have Trusted Here will I fix say the World the Flesh or the Divel what they will or can But with a Carnal Life Chap. 11. Carnal mâ—n this Faith and Hope cannot consist Of all Tempers these are most opposite to Faith 1. Outward uncleanness Rioting and Drunkenness Chambering and Wantonness Strife and Envy Cursing Damning Oppression and Cruelty and such like 2. Inward Hypocrisy Lying and Cheating c. 3. Open Rebellion Sacriledge Sedition and murmuring and such like The Carnal mind understandeth not the things of God neither indeed can it because they are spiritually discerned Thus it becometh us to Preach and you to practice Grace Faith Repentance Patience c. It is too Legal to preach Laws Duties Curses Threatnings Damnation The Gospel is Faith Love Hope Joy in the Holy Ghost Grace mercy pace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Till we perswade you to Faith we shall never do our work nor your work for you Believe only and you shall be saved This will bring works and duties and mortifications and all shall be pleasing to God and without this nothing shall be pleasing unto him for without Faith it is impossible to please God Say not You cannot understand this Spiritual Doctrine of the Gospel and this Rule is too high for you to walk by it is too hard a Taske to lead this life of Faith Sol. I answer Chap. 12. Gospel Easy It is easy to understand this Doctrine and he that is willing shall be made to know the mind of God and to do the same It is as easy to understand this Gospel-Precept Thou shalt not Lust or Hate as to understand this Legal Command Thou shalt not commit Adultery or Thou shalt not Kill It is as easy to understand That the thoughts of the Heart and the desires of the Will are to be regulated as the words of the Tongue or the works of the Hand It is as easy to understand Faith as Works to Believe as to Live To accept of the Covenant of Grace as of works As for the Mysteries of Faith in the Trinity Incarnation Descension Intercession of Christ and such like They are more easily and safely to be believed then disputed And the spirit is given to all that Believe that they might understand and do the Will of God That they might know the heighth and length and breadth and depth of the Love of God which passeth all knowledg It is as easy and farre more to hear of Grace Mercy and Peace as to hear of Law Curses and Damnation It is as easy to hope as fear to rejoyce as to mourn to be free as to be slaves to walk in light as in darkness To understand the good of the Soul as of the Body the life to come as this life present Wise are we to know this World Gain Honor pleasure c. and wiser we might be to know the World to come Ob Ob. A hard saying who can hear it Sol. Sol. An easy and true saying and very pleasant and may be heard Yea and he that hath Ears to hear let him hear for he may hear if he will none so deaf as they that will not hear The Charmer charmes often and wisely unless we stop our Ears with the deaf Adder and refuse to hear the voice of this Charmer though he charms unto us never so often never so wisely There is a voice behind us yea within us which saies unto us This is the way walk in it Turn from the ways of wickedness pass by them and come not neer unto them for fear iniquity be your Ruin for why will ye Dye O when will it once be The Sun of the Gospel shines very cleerly but the World shuts her eyes upon it The light is come into the world but men loved darkness rather then light because their deeds are evil The opposers of this heavenly way of walking with God in Faith and spiritual Duties are 1. Outward Formalists and Will-worshippers Chap. 13 â—ormaliâ—ts which rest in the Letter and in the outward work done as in Fasts Feasts Forms Austerities Almes Justice Temperance c. yet there is a more excellent way to go on to perfection not to draw neer to God with our Lips but our hearts As the proud Pharisee that fasted twice in the Week that made long Prayers that paid Tithe of all that he possessed that thanked God that he was not like other men nor as that Publican But the poor Publican went home to his house Justified rather then the other And the very Publicans and Harlots shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven by their Faith when these Hypocrites shall be shut out 2. Law-Preachers Chap. 14. Law-Preachers and hearers of Curses and Damnation Are we Saved by the Works of the Law or by the Faith of the Gospel By the works of the Law no flesh living shall be justified What Law had the Heathens Preached unto them They were never under the Law they needed it not after they did believe nor Wee God did write in the Law in their hearts by his Spirit in the dayes of the Gospel and the Kingdome of Heaven is within us The royal Law of Love The perfect Law of Liberty is written upon the Tables of our hearts and this is a sufficient Rule to bring us to Heaven Mockers of Faith Chap. 15 Mockers Self-denyal Mortification Purity of heart Poorness of Spirit Mourning Meekness hungring and thirsting after Righteousness Mercifulness Peace-making Suffering Persecution Rejoycing in Persecution which are the spiritual commands of Christ to which Blessedness is promised Such Prophets as speak of these things are counted Fools and such spiritual men esteemed mad by the voluptuous and Luxurious men of the World and by the Zenonian Fatalists that depend upon absolute Decrees and put all to a venture What then remains but that all Reasonable men should be satisfied with this reasonable service of Faith which is above their Carnal Reason but agreeable with all spiritual and Right Reason and none but unreasonable and absurd men will deny it I will resolve therefore with my self Chap. 16. Soul-Resolution to go out of my self and trust no longer in my Flesh nor in any Creature I will resolve with my self to understand better things and to know my self more perfectly 1. How