good heart but in opening the first point before I define what justifying beliefe is I will shew what beliefes are not this beliefe as First to be induced to follow the object of Faith onely because occasionally by it wee receive our corporall support this is not so much as beliefe in it in any kinde but onely a following of sense much like the first sort of ground which from the seed of life received onely a glance of the object of life and no more Ioh. 6.25 26 27. Secondly to believe the object of life or oracle of justification onely because it is of good report of those with whom we live This is not to believe divine testimony and divine as divine testimony but to believe it meerely upon humane testimony as did the misbelieving Iewes say they doe any of the Rulers believe in him implying their beliefe of the Oracle of God was onely grounded upon the Rulers respect or credit which they gave to it So this was but the second sort of ground on which the seed of life was sowed wanting roote in time of temptation fell away Iohn 7.48 Ioh. 4.28 Againe to believe the Oracle of God from Gods owne testimony as Gods Oracle in severall respects is not this justifying beliefe for the divells believe the Oracles of God as Gods Oracle of truth in his gift of Christ to the world and from thence tremble at the certainty of their full damnation when God shall judge the world by the seed of the woman to the finall bruise of Satans power So some men believe the (a) Thus although the foolish virgins have not the internall lampe of justifying faith which onely hath in it the right reception of Christs imputed righteousnesse yet they have the internall lampe of beliefe of divine testimony as divine testimony as here wee see Oracle of God as Gods owne Oracle and from beliefe in God produce great miracles and (b) These men by the Scriptures are stiled virgins together with the wise virgins because in the judgement of charity the Church judgeth them visible members untill they discover the contrary glorifie God by the confirmation of the object of Faith and yet may be as some have beene voyd of love to God Therefore this is not this justifying beliefe 1 Cor. 13.2 Matth. 7.25 Likewise some men may and doe believe with consolation the Oracle of life to be Gods true Oracles and from thence in the spirit of prophesie powre out blessings upon men of an honest and a good heart as from the Starre of Iacob * But these kind of prayers are strivings to bring Gods wil to mans and not mans will to Gods will desiringly crave or pray for that blessednesse to themselves yet not rightly submitting to the reception of that righteousnesse in the object of justification as imputed by God to a sinner because in heart they are lifted up either to the esteeme of their owne personall operations or terminate their happinesse too much in terrestriall blessednesse as foolish virgins so perish in the way of Cain and wages of Balaam being the third sort of ground on which the seed of life was sowed as upon Cains spirit it was and choked with the cares and pleasures of this life bringing fruit but not to perfection wanting the * Here wee see why the foolish virgins wanted oyle right reception of Gods gracious oyle of mercy running downe from Christ the head wherefore this is not that justifying beliefe in men of an honest and good heart Mat. 25.1 2 Numb 9.10.19 Numbers 24.2 16 17.23 Genes 4 And now I come to define what beliefe is justifying faith and then to define what the perfection of this justifying faith is yet before I can do either I must briefly open the point of justification in foure particulars First as before is declared Gods instrument is the word of truth by which hee conveyes the object of justification to the minde of man as from the beginning till now in the word of promise to Adam by tradition conveyed by the ten Fathers down to Abraham then that word being renewed with him it came downe to Moses and by him committed to writing and now by the Apostles writings extant to the end of the world So much for the instrument Secondly The object conveyed or reached unto man by that instrument is Gods guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed or counted to the world in generall and to man believing truth more specially So much for the object so conveyed Thirdly Mans necessary instrument by which he receives this guift of righteousnesse from God is his beliefe of Gods instrument his word of truth as aforesaid by which God reacheth to man that object of justification as is formerly described The reasons moving man to apply his instrument of beliefe to Gods instrument to receive his gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed are these First because he conceiveth God in that guift is (a) Here maâ—â— understanding lookes at truth unfained therefore he sets to his seale that God is true in the testimony he gives of his Sonne Ioh. 3.33 Secondly because he conceives that in this righteousnesse so imputed or counted to be mans is conferred the removall of misery and conveyed all (b) Here mans will lookes at goodnesse felicity 1 Iohn 5.19.20 Thirdly because hee conceives his own (c) Man which out of sense of his sinne and misery looks to God as mercifull hath a right aspect towards eternall felicity Luke 18.13.14 Matth 5.3 Rom. 10.10 Rom. 4.6.7 poverty or need of that imputed righteousnesse so commodious to him that therefore he applies his hand of beliefe to receive that object for righteousnesse to justification and remission of sinnes to salvation So that in men of honest and good hearts justifying beliefe may thus be defin'd (d) justifying faith defined Namely it is mans heart in beliefe of Gods faithfulnesse submitting to the receiving his gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed (e) The oyle whâ—ch the â—oolish â—irgins waÌ„ted is Christs imputed righteousnesse as received by faith which is the right issue of Gods most speciall grace to sanctification justification A definâ—tion of perfection of justifying saith as the only ground to remove all his misery and convey all happinesse upon him And thus did Abel submit as Chapt. 4. and as many as by faith thus submit they then are received and adopted Sonnes in Christ and because Christs elect Spouse did not thus submit to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10 3. she was cast off And so much for the definition what justifying beliefe is Secondly the perfection of justifying Faith is no more but this the heart of man adhering to Gods unfeyned gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed for the removall of all misery and the conveyance of all felicity so firme and so farre as to worke up to God in that object through all interposing difficulties And I will in briefe prove this second definition by the perfection
be on an eighth day by his bodies resurrection and therefore then on an eighth day precisely Infants were to be admitted visible members of Christs mysticall body on earth in the Kingdom of grace implying their right by him to his glory (b) Then Infants have much more right to be â—eceived into the Church Militant by Baptisme triumphant in Heaven From which ground when people brought little Children to Christ that he might blesse them hee was angry with the Apostles which kept them from him and commanded them to suffer little (c) Notwithstanding the males onely were admitted to be visible members of Christs body by circumcision yet not onely the women but all the female Infants were then members of Christs body though they received not the seale of the Covenant they being not capable of it in their flesh yet the Grace of the Covenant in Christ received them to be visible members and the ground why that signe of the Covenant was precisely related to the males was to figure that the Lambe of God of the seed of the woman was not to be a female but a male therefore this hinde eth not but that the Infants of believing parents under the Gospel much more may be admitted visible members by baptisme and from the beginning of the world as appeares in the practice of the ten fathers before the flood they esteemed their Infants visible members of Christ for in their infancy they stablished upon their persons by their names the conveyance of the Oracle of life or the object faith once given to the Saints variously to ensuing posterities as appeareth at large in the fifth Chapter of this Treatise Children to come unto him and renders this as a reason of his command for of such is the Kingdome of Heaven therefore so departing this world they ascend to that Kingdome which so belongeth unto them Quest Now the question may be whether circumcision was onely intended to mankinde as in Infancy Answere It was not onely intended unto mankind as Infants but also to men as capable of reason as is Baptisme now for to them it did not â—nely prefigure that the nature of Divels became not totall and the imputed damnation of the Covenant was cut off by Gods mercy in Christ but also to men capable of reason it did prefigure that they submitting in beliefe of truth to receive Gods guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed theâ—r sinne should not onely be cut off in the habite of sinne in them against Christ weakned in this world and in the next world none (d) Hence it is God adding the law to the promise gave this one law viz. that the Paschal Lambe must be eaten with sowre herbs Exod. 12.8 to remaine but also that they in glory with Christ should ever remaine therefore God to Abraham called the sharpe cutting of the fore-skin of the member of Generation his Covenant meaning that to man believing truth that sharpnesse was a seale of Christs imputed righteousnesse which they received by faith including their vivification and mortification and the ground of all happinesse for so it was to Abraham being circumcised at a full age as Rom. 4 And therefore saith Christ hee that believeth in mee hath eternall life Againe although God cut off the fore-skin of the Member of generation yet but the foreskin for hee left the next innermost skin uncut off this implicitly told men capable of reason that although the grace of the Covenant did cut off the serpentine nature yet hee left a seed to remaine to let men understand that as Abraham could not be justified by workes having this serpentine seed remaining in him therefore in this life man must submit to God guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed as did Abraham for justification and his rule for imitation therefore saith the Apostle being justified by faith meaning men capable of reason we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein wee stand and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.1.2 But the question may be here Quest whether mens sins which themselves commit be against the law naturall as supernaturally related to Gods Covenant with the first Adam I answer no for in the second Adam onely after the fall Answ this law of nature in it's perfections was inherent and was related as a meanes to attaine that supernaturall end and then given to us imputatively for justification in him and a rule for imitation for us and therefore all our sinnes are against that law of righteousnesse so manifested to us in him by the Covenant of grace and not as the law was in the first Adam a Covenant of workes and man capable of reason stands bound so to receive it by beliefe of truth in Christ Iesus or the rejection of this rule cuts him from Christ for be that believeth not is condemned already and that by just consequence because he that is guilty of sinne in one is guilty in all for hee that rejects it in point of justification rejects it also as his rule in point of sanctification and from this ground Moses pronounced that man accursed which did not doe all things contained in the Law that is as not intentionally ayming to doe all things contained in that Law as leading to Christ as hereafter in due place will appeare Yet if man did then or now doth but at least intentionally respect this object of Faith as the truth is in Iesus hee is guilty of none although hee actually sinne in many things wherein we offend all Iam. 3. â— and the ground of the point is this that in Christs righteousnesse imputed and by beliefe of truth received as the truth is in Iesus this man wants no righteteousnesse which in heart hee desires to have in Christ nor is guilty of no sinne which in heart hee desires to be freed from Rom. 7.22.25 and Rom. 8.1 Quest Againe another question here to be resolved will be this that in regard Gods mercifull imputation did remove from all mankinde that imputed damnation of the Covenant for Adams sinne then how farre forth doth it also extend to take off the guilt and punishment of mens owne sinnes individually committed against the Law of grace as it is in Iesus Christ Answ It extends exceeding farre in this case also even to any man submitting by beliefe of truth to receive this gift of righteousnesse as the truth is in Iesus for then it takes off all manner of sinne committed against him one sinne onely excepted for saith Christ All manner of sinne and blasphemy against the Sonne of man shall be forgiven unto men but the sinne against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men Mark 3. And the ground why God thus foreappointed Christ before the world was to be ready as the Ram in the bush in that point of time to enter the worke of the Covenant to take off the just
his peculiar prayer for his Apostles as going in his ambassage for the reconciliation of the world he then also prayes for the world exclusively and inclusively exclusively to those that persist in their precedent apostasie against the imbreathing of the foresaid externall and internall light when it came unto them and hated his ambassadors and in this sense saith hee I pray not for the world for so runnes the force of the implication But on the other side hee prayes inclusively for them which were as once was Cain the subjects of reconciliation wherefore for them hee prayes which shall believe in him through their ambassage directly according to the rule delivered to Abraham Joh. 17.8.9.14 15.20 So likewise according to this rule of cursing and blessing Acts 13. the Apostles by distinguishing betweene them which were the sonnes of peace and them which were not that is betweene the apostate Iewes resisting the call of the Gentiles at Antioch as men of old ordained to that damnation and betweene the concourse of Gentiles in that great assembly who also of old by covenant with Abraham were given to Christ and ordain'd to that salvation wherfore the Apostle rightly referres the efficacious call of the spirit by their doctrine to the levell of Gods fore-ordination with Abraham as cutting betweene these two sorts of people saying when the Gentiles heard this that is their doctrine of God his intended mercy to them they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordain'd to eternall life believed but they shooke off the dust of their feet against these Iewes therby witnessing that they stood as men that were under the foresaid curse or ordination to eternall death for despising that grace which the Gentiles according to Gods covenant did now imbrace verse 41.46 47.48.51 So that the point is cleare that Gods proceedings is without all respect of persons according to his covenant with Abraham for cursing and blessing And the ground why man sinning through ignorance and unbeliefe is the summe or subject of peace and reconciliation and not obstinate refusers of the light is because they are more properly subjectively disposed to mercy then the others for if the one knew the evill of the thing as doth the other they would not so stand out hence Saint Peâ—er saith to some of the Iewes I wot that through ignorance yee did it as did also your Rulers implying that had they knowne that is as did some others they would not have slaine the Lord of glory Acts 3.15.17.19 So likewise Saint Paul of himselfe saith I was a blasphemer a persecuter and injurious but I obtained mercy because said he I did it ignorantly in unbeliefe 1 Tim. 1.13 So likewise to the Gentiles hee preached the same doctrine saying This time of ignorance God wincked at but now he commandeth all men every where to returne Acts 17.30 Wherefore the Apostle might well say as many as the Lord God shall call and yet intend no such thing as is pretended And for conclusion here first observe that there hath proceeded from God a threefold extraordinary call of mankinde in Christ Jesus to enjoy their day of Grace as a day of grace to receive in his gift of righteousnesse the day of eternall glory The first was immediately upon Adams fall in the promised seed of the Woman Chap. 4. This was equally alike universally to all mankinde The second was at Noahs comming out of the Arke when God renewed this covenant of grace to Noah and his sonnes with them and his seed after them which at that time comprehended all alike without respect of persons as Chap. 5. The third extraordinary call of the world was this of the Gentiles as is precedently in this Chapter inlarged when God was found of them that sought him not Secondly is it so that it is extraordinary mercy in God thus to be found of them that sought him not hence observe that this is no ordinary rule for man to rely upon because what is Gods extraordinary rule is not his ordinary rule to man Thirdly observe that in this extraordinary calling of the Gentiles to receive the blessing of Abraham when God hath enlivened the aforesaid dead principle of enmity to Satan and Amity to himselfe that hee will then have man to put forth this enlivened disposition to come to him as he doth excitively draw forth that internall inclination so to convey further mercies I say hence observe that as God will crowne one grace with the guift of another so also (a) From this ground it is that in this fourth estate of man what God commands man to doe before justifying Faith or after he promises his own efficiency to accomplish what he commands that is if man thus apply himselfe or otherwise not as Prov. 1.23 24. c. he will communicate by exercise of the inferiour the conferrence of a grace more Superior as to the first inlivened principle he will adde the guift of Faith and to Faith a power rightly to receive his guift of Christs righteousnesse accounted to be mans to remission of sinnes which is his justification consequently his eternall life by salvation But it will here be objected Object that one man hath more because hee works more consequently hee deserves more Not so but because he works to submit more Answer and so to receive by mercy more therefore he receives more but he that as did Cain by pride so refused to submit or doth it in the remisse degrees he therefore receives lesse mercy or none at all Fourthly is it so that the force of Gods extraordinary pouring forth his spirit raiseth the minde of man to him being dead in sinnes and trespasses Then hence observe also when the spirit of a man is dead in sinnes and trespasses namely when it is habitually habituated to seeke its eternall felicity for the worth of his own righteousnesse or the like errors or habitually habituated to terminate his felicity in a terrestriall or sensuall good of bodily contentments as Psal 49.20 And the ground why this is so is because these habituall errors or the like doth (b) When man is in his spirit dead to live by beliefe in the object of justification if then Gods Spirit doth not imbreath to enliven mans spirit to hearken by som dispositions to Gods voyce and to bring him so beliefe in the object of life he then perisheth eternally for now man can do noe more to raise his mind to God in Christ as the object of justification to salvation then can the Leopard to change his spots or the Black-moore his skin extinguish even the least dispositions to true godlinesse (c) Although it doth extinguish the inclination to true godlinesse yet in some there may remain dispositions to civility or the like namely mans internall dispositions to God and his enmity to Satan flowing from the universall grace of the Covenant but what it is to be twice dead and pluckt up
them verse 30. and 34. Likewise Chap. 14. as for afflictions and sorrowes which would befall them in the execution of their commission after his departure hee bids them quiâ—t their hearts by beliefe of God and also in him with promise to send the comforter to them c. from verse 1. to the 32. verse And Chapter 15. he compares himselfe to a Vine with branches for that 's implyed and his Father to a Husbandman pruning some and cutting off some Verse 2. and vers 3. he applyes this doctrine to the 11. Apostles in particular Iudas being absent Now saith hee yee are cleane and then shewes them how they came so to be saith hee through the (a) If Christs Word then not Christs washing their feete made them cleane onely it was a signe of Christs love which did effect it wherefore if Peter had refused it so propounded hee had rejected Christ in his love as did Iudas although he suffered him to wash his feet because the outward signe not received by a right beliefe of truth leaves mans sinne in the guilt and attracted habit unweakened and unremoved as here in Iudas although Christ extended this externall signe of his love to him at his corporall departure from this world as to the other eleven word which I have spoken unto you implying their justification and sanctification by union with him as the object of faith wherefore saith he abide in mee and I in you and then gives them a reason why they should so doe because saith he the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee Verse 4. He then applyes the point more close unto every of them saith he I am the vine yee are the branches hee that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth much fruit for without mee yee can doe nothing whereupon hee gives them a fourefold reason why they should so abide in him The first is drawne from the danger which will insue if any of these 11. doe not abide in him namely perishing from him for ever for saith he if any (b) That is any of you eleven or any other man which is ingraffed into me the true Vine as now are you being clean through the word which I have spoken man abide not in me hee is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned in eternall wrath for that 's implyed so that this first reason expressely proves the point namely that the Saints shall receive according to what they have done in the body for their evill workes of crucifying Christ to themselves by a totall apostasie from him as the object of faith The second reason to abide in him is intermingled with a direction how to abide in him the reason it selfe is drawne from the contrary good which would redound to these eleven Apostles if they did so abide in him the direction is this that hee by his Word of truth should abide in them and they by beliefe of it must abide in him the good which will redound to them they then shall have their hearts desire and both comprehended in these words If you abide in mee and my words abide in you yee shall aske what yee will and it shall be done unto you The third reason is also double partly respecting God partly respecting themselves and both comprehended in these words herein is my Father glorified in that you bring forth much fruit for so shall yee be my Disciples that is for so shall you come and be established to continue my Disciples as now yee are wherefore he further saith Abide in my love if you keepe my Commandements you shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his love The fourth reason to induce them to abide in him as the object of Faith is drawne from that remaining tranquillity which wil redound to them from him as the fountain opened wherefore saith he these things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remaine in you and that your joy may be full Verse 11. All which arguments to inforce these eleaven Apostles so to abide in him implyes what formerly is exprest in the first reason namely that they other wayes will come to fall totally by their remissenesse and come to a finall separation from Christ by Gods justice Likewise the Apostles themselves rightly taught the same doctrine both of themselves and of the Saints in generall as for instance Saint Paul to the Romanes chap. 11. saith thou standest by faith be not not high minded but feare for if God spared not the naturall branches take heed lest also he spare not thee verse 20 21. Againe he saith the just shall live by faith but if any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 and saith Saint Paul I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any meanes when I have preached unto others I my * And those Scriptures which seeme to speake contrary to this point see them cleaâ—ed in these pages in the margent pag. 122. 123. 137. 142. 144. 145. and from 118. to 120. 134. Also see those Scriptures expounded in point of electioÌ„ on which the Saints stability is thought to be grounded as from pag. 85. to 87. and pag. 65. and from p. 72. to 77. and see the reasons why Salomons and Peters fall was not totall nor finall and also the utmost line of Gods mercy to miserable man see the second Objection in the 12. chap. selfe should be a Cast-away Hee further saith it is unpossible for those which are once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God and of the powers of the world to come if they should fall away to renow them to repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Sonne of God afresh and put him to open shame 1 Cor. 9.27 Heb. 6.4 So much for the proofe of the third Reason that God loves to glorifie his Justice by the distribution of his Mercy even to the members of Christ without any personall respect therefore much more to all mankinde and to all alike as hee preached to Cain in the first modell if thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted if thou doest not well sinne lies at the doore Hence observe all mankinde none excepted ever since Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden are and so shall be to the end of the world in one of these three conditions or estates first either in the universall grace and favour of God by Christ Jesus and this is before the gift of justifying faith or secondly in the speciall grace and favour of God in Christ Jesus and this is when man by beliefe of truth is knit to God in Christ as hee
the ten Fathers before the flood by beliefe of truth reached the Oracle of life from hand to hand through their generations page 53. 54 That God would rather have glorified his mercy in the salvation of the old world then his Iustice in their destruction yet all that perished in that flood perished not eternally p. 55 That upon Noah his offering in a figure Christs satisfactory sacrifice God renewed his mercy universally to the world page 56 57 A particular description how Noahs first off-spring carried themselves to God ungratefully for that mercy and how God proceeded against them for that page 58 From whence all hellish Paganisme did originally spring page 59 Because of mans apostasie from God in the object of justification therefore hee confined the Oracle which conveyed that object to narrow bounds three times pag ibid. What the number of eight did signifie in reference to Noah page 56 In what sense Christ is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe page ibid. That God the second time predestinated man in Christ by covenant with Abraham man being by his universall apostasie then fitted to destruction page 60 61 In what sense God hated Esau loved Iacob p. 65. 72 73 That the Church of the Gentiles shall never totally depart from Christ as hath the Church of the Jewes p. 122. 123 In what sense God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth page 74 How man comes now to be necessitated to sin p. 83. 84 85 What most properly is Gods Booke of Life page 88 That in heaven amongst the Saints there is no difference of degrees of glory page 89 90 That God gave rules how hee would have man put Christ to death so as hee would be well pleased with them that did it page 82. 83 That the Saints faith is not the condition of the covenant of grace page 87. 88. The Law of Moses distinctly explained page 67 What absurdities doe follow the misapprehending of Moses Law page 78. 79 What made the way to eternall life narrow to mankinde yet in that narrow way man might and some did attaine eternall life Chap. 7. That God directed the second Adam as well as the first by Allegories to his eternall happinesse in the work of the worlds redemption to which he was borne in five relations P. 100 A definition what that truth is to which Christ was the faithfull and true witnesse page 101 What righteousnesse of Christ it is which is imputed or accounted to man in generall or to the Saints more speciall page 113 That God never reprobated man personally to unavoydable damnation page 112. 113 That his powring out of his spirit extraordinarily upon all flesh was twofold page 115. Of the Jewes rejection in wrath page 85. 86 Of the Jewes reception to mercy page 86. 87 Of the Lords Supper or in what sense Christs flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drinke indeed page 66 Of Baptisme page 37. 38 A definition when the spirit of a man under the covenant of grace is dead in sinnes and trespasses page 121 A definition what man is a righteous man Chap. 11. A threefold degree of justifying faith page 128 Justifying faith defined and also the perfection of it page 131. 132 Other faiths distinguished from justifying faith pag 130 In what sense Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck page 123. 124 The different operations of justifying faith perfect and imperfect page 138 139 What reward God rendreth to the Saints for their good and evill workes done in the body page 140. 141 142 The manner how God perfecteth Iustifying faith in the Saints pagâ— 134 to 138 That the naturall liberty of the will is no barre to keepe man from an undissoluble union with God in the object of justification page 150 151 Of Manassâ—s Salomons Pauls and Peters different backslidings pag. 149. 150 God loved Abraham Daniel and David being considered personally no more then the persons of other men generally page 150. 151 In what sense the Saints raigned with Christ a thousand yeeres page 166. In what sense justification is referred to faith pag. 77. That the will of man is no more freed from sin and free to righteousnesse then it is freed by Christ therefore to attribute any thing well done by man from the force of his pure naturalls absurd page 150. 151 That God willed not Adams fall to the damnation of man yet God willeth the damnation of all that perish eternally page 150. 154 A briefe description of the Antichrist p. 155. 156 157 From the whole Treatise as opening the maine scope of the Scriptures is definitively laid downe what was Gods decree before the world was after the counsell of his owne will concerning the eternall state of mankinde page 167. 168 Errata PAge 5 line 15. for God reade good p 6. l. 32. erfections r. perfections p. 7. l. 4. boded r. lodged p. 11. l. 12. Adaras r. Adams p. 13. l. 42. farth r. earth p. 19. l. 36. conditiâ—n r. condition p. 23. cap. 4. l. 5. after work r. of p. 73. in marg untorne r. unborne p. 79. l. 29. blot out farre p. 86. in marg externall r. eternall p. 93 l. 25. wrath r. worth p. 99. l. 9. type r. high p. 114. l. 8. uncircumcised r. circumcised p. ib. l. 29. God r. Gods p. 117. l. 14. at Ephesus r. to the Ephesians A TREATISE OF FREE GRACE CHAP. I. Opening the first Adams pure Naturals which was his first Estate THe first Adam in this world passed through foure Estates two before his fall the third was his fall the fourth was that estate after his fall The first produced him good and not evill and this was the estate of the creation The second propounded to him good and evill and this was the State of the Covenant betweene God and him The third was his transgression namely his fall and this produced him the losse of all good and an hereditary possession of evill totally and eternally The fourth was the State of the Restauration of the world by the second Adams Redemption and this propounded to him and all mankind good and evill The Estate of the felicity of the Creâ—tion produced to Adam a fourefold good First his Personall perfections secondly his continuall support of the same thirdly an onenesse or selfenesse with the parts of the whole creation fourthly the perfections of the whole creation led his reasonable soule in love by his senses to a perfect union with God Of these in their order First his Personall Perfections are described by Moses Gen. 2 7 in three particulars first the Lord God formed man of the dust of the earth and that was the perfection of his body secondly he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and that was his soules creation by infusion thirdly man became a living soule that is compleatly composed in his Vegetative Sensitive and Rationalls or in his Personall
enters not this rest and then with reference to this point saith God spake in a place of the seaventh day on this wise that God rested the seventh day from all his works The reason why Moses in the 2. of Gen. doth bring in all Gods works as made on the seventh day ver 2. is because all which was made perfect on the sixt day and lost by Adam was as it were made anew by Ch ists satisfactory righteousnesse imputed and so declared the seventh day morning to Adam by the Creations putting forward its first step towards perfection to which it travailes untill now and then saith hee there remaines a rest for the people of God meaning by Faith here and in glory hereafter Gen. 2.2 Heb. 4.3.9.19 And from this ground the number of seaven in holy Scriptures is a figure of perfection as in the seaventh of yeares namely the Jubiles and the seaventh yeares of the Lands rest and in the seventh months rest and this seventh daies rest c. and in Enoch the seventh from Adam by ascending into eternall perfection in Soule and Body joyntly together figuring out the Angelike glory intended to man in the * In the 12 Ch. and â—3 Object you may see this Covenant defended Observation Covenant by the worke of the first Adam but now given to the world in the righteousnesse of the second Adam imputed So much for the Proofe of the fift generall point namely that the second Adams first entrance into the worke of the first Adam put on the whole Creation travailing together with man believing truth to that perfection it lost in Adams fall Hence observe because the imputative damnation of Gods Covenant through Adams transgressions was fully removed and taken off by the second Adams satisfactory righteousnesse imputed as ours by Gods free guift upon all men to justification of life so as none of mankinde ever perished for that transgression as precedently is proved Then consequently all mankinde which in Infancy or childhood depart this world they ascend to eternall life in Heaven to Angells glory notwithstanding originall sinne which is in them for that running sore of originall sin in which they are conceiv'd and brought forth doth but fit them successively to receive the salve of salvation in Christ to their eternall felicity for if they had not bin conceived and borne in that seed of sinne and but a seed then they had bin in their production Divells in dispositions totally according to the justice of the Covenant and so capable of no good but evill only or else they must have bin by production conceiv'd and borne in their pure naturalls of holinesse and righteousnesse in an Estate of perfection according to the tendencie of the Covenant and then they had not bin capable of eternall life in Christ by salvation for the whole need not the Physitian but the sicke But because the Serpentine seed is derived to Infants in their conceptions and births and in them reduc'd but to a sâ—ed by grace in Christ because God put the foresaid principle of enmity betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent therefore this running sore of originall sinne in them implicitly pleads for the salve of salvation in Gods free guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed to ascend by it to eternall felicity Therefore all mankinde departing this world in Infancy or Childhood ascend by death through him to eternall life Againe the passage of all Infants from the misery of this world by the sharpe separation of Soule and body is to them * Likewise so is the sharpe separation of Infants from their Mothers bowels in their birth so notwithstanding that sharpe travell the mother shall be saved if she continue in beliefe of the object of justification and in the inseparable companion of that beliefe namely inteâ—nall holinesse issuing it selfe into externall sanctification as is proved by the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.15 Therefore Circumcision precedently was as the dipping or washing in Baptisme now is viz. a witnesse that Gods Covenant in Christ reacheth Infants that cannot by Faith reach him wherefore they were and are received into the visible Church by cutting and washing theâ—eby witnessing that the grace of the Covenant gave to the whole nature of man in the promised seed immediatly upon the fall a meetly disposed nature in all to receive eternall life as saved creatures but man remisse passeth by this witnesse and the like mercies but so did not the Queene of Sheba although excluded from the residence of the like mercies from her Kingdome but an implicite tast by a figure of Adams imputed sower herbs of punishment for sinne to relish Gods sweet imputed mercies in Christ the Paschall Lamb to Gods praise in him by the salvation of them to all eternity therefore all mankinde dying in Infancy or childhood ascend through death to glory for ever Againe these sower hearbs by this Separation of Soule and body of all Infants which departed this world before Christ came by it they then were but a figure of him then to come as saith the Apostle Rom. 5. the 14 to tast not only of this Separation which is but a shaddow of death but a figure of him as he was an imputed sinner to tast of death for all men in the substance according to the justice of that Covenant and more therefore it being but a figure of him it was only a passage to them to eternall life by him Againe when God the second time renewed his promise of the Seed of the woman with Abraham to the universall mercy of the Apostate world as will afterwards appeare hee then instituted Circumcision namely to cut off the foremost skin from the member of generation of Infants implying his only mercy in the promised seed was it that cut from the Nature of mankinde the nature of Divells though not totally So fitting them to receive their Eternall felicity by Christ therefore they do enjoy it to all eternity Againe * But they which attribute so much to baptisme as that no baptisme no salvation it is bâ—t to assume the more seeminâ— suâ—e stitions sanctity to draw fâ—om the people the more respect to their aspired Antichâ—stian Priesthood also the Male Infant was precisely to be cut the eighth day after his birth this implicitly told their (a) So baptising of Infants now is an outward seale to the Church that although mans nature at once was totally d abolicall yet the reduction of it to a seed by Christ is the Principle of mans new birth Baptisme further implyes the spirit of Gods helpe to bring it to perfection in his owne way that is to the peâ—fection of parts in this woâ—ld and to perfection of degrees in the next parents that Gods mercifull infusion by putting the foresaid principle of enmity into the nature of all men was the originall principle of mans new birth as risen with Christ whose first step to glory was to
he did although hee knew that from Caines exemplary concision the wickednesse of man was great in the earth yea every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evill continually then it * God is said to repent not in any respect of his internall divine glory for in his unmeasurable perfections he is one intire serene stilnesse but God is said properly to repent according as hee doth dâ—aw backe that good or ev ll which he communicates to man by that second definitive rule of truth mentioned ca. 8. by which he ordinarily wills his glory to â—eturne to himself from man repented the Lord that he had made man in the earth and yet all the said time of Noahs preparing the Arke before their eyes God did by it excitively draw them implicitly telling them yet there was mercie for them But this mercy they despise minding onely earthly contentments agreeable to sense as the bruit as is further implyed by the words of our Saviour Fâ—r saith hee in the dayes of Noah that were before the flood they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage untill the day that Noah entred into the Arke And that all this time God did excitively draw them to returne to him by Christ is witnessed by Saint Peter for saith hee God in the spirit of Christ preached to them who sometimes were disobedient when as once the long suffering of God wayted in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was in preparing and as I said before this grace they despised wherefore God spared not the old world of the ungodly but brought in the flood c. Mat. 24.38 1 Pet 3.19.20 2 Pet. 2.5 Yet here we must not judge that all that perished in this temporall judgement perished eternally For godly men sometimes in Gods generall judgements are swept away for their great remissenesse to Gods great mercies extended to them and yet passe through that shade of death to eternall life as did good old Eli and as did meeke Moses whose carkasse fell in the wildernesse amongst the rest yet God let him see the terrestriall Canaan a figure of the celestiall felicity as a pledge of his sure passage through that shade of death to eternall life so also all in this flood who perished being Infants or in childhood or naturall Ideots or the like passed through this dreadfull flood to eternall felicity Therefore O Lord thou punishest unwillingly nor grievest the children of men to crush under thy feet all the prisoners of the earth Lam 3.33 Againe where Saint Peter referres salvation to Noah saying that Noah the eighth person was saved hee meaneth not but the other seven in that Arke which was the figure of Christ were also saved in it from the stood But in the number eight another thing is meant namely as an eighth day was to be the promised seed his resurrection day therefore here the number of eight as referred onely to Noah implyed that although the other seven were saved from that flood in the Ark ye Noah only then was saved in it as risen with Christ by faith in the object of justification by which he built the Arke to the saving of his house by which he condemned the world and became heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith Hebr. 11.7 figuratively implying that God in Christ is the Saviour of all men from Adams transgression and more to live in this day of Grace to receive by faith his free guift of life in glory yet his salvation is more speciall to them that believe as here in Noah wee see and as before is noted Cap. 4. Againe God having in the Arke saved both man and beast at least paires of all kinde At their comming out of the Arke then Noah that by faith rested onely upon the pillar of truth and object of life for the good of this life and a better hee no sooner comes out of the Arke into the world but hee refreshed his heart by faith in the seed of the womans satisfactory righteousnesse as the only ground of all blessednesse Genes 8.20 In Adam puâ—e naturalls man had a naturall â—ight to the creatures and the good of theâ— afterwards by the Covenant not onely that but also a right to the Creatures in a supernaturall relation and then that right in the fall being lâ—st then the second Adam as the first-borne of every câ—eature opened the womb of all perfection towards which it doth travell til now and then God by gâ—ft conferred upon all mankind divine right of this life and that to come so likewise when by the universall apostasy of man that right was deservedly to be cut off yet then God established by Châ—ists satisfactory sacrifice to man a right as to the world to come so to the creatures till time shall be no mo e as here wee see therefore all mankind have a divine right to the Creatures Wherefore God manifested to all of them that on it hee rested also fully contented and satisfied towards the world yea although now God did fore-see the concision of the hearts of the children of men for future times against him as it precedently was in Caines posterity yet upon Christs satisfactory righteousnesse he now ratifies to all mankind this worlds good till time shall be no more to be mans day of Grace to receive Gods guift of eternall glory for saith Moses Iehovah smelled a Savour of rest and Iehovah said in his heart I will not againe curse the earth any more for mans sake for the imaginations of mans heart is evill from his youth neither will I any more smite every thing living as I have done while the earth remaineth Seed-time and Harvest and cold and heat and Summer and Winter and day and night shall not cease vers 21.22 And accordingly in the next Chapter God againe renewes his mercifull production of mankinde for This is the third production of mankind given by God the first before the fall Gen. 1. the second by Christ the second Adam and restorer of all Gen. 3.16 the third is this mercifull restauration saith Moses God blessed Noah and his sonnes and said unto them be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth Also he gave man right over the Creatures and a Law to eate flesh letting out the blood thereof also a law against murthering of mankind Verse 2.3 And commands them to consider all this to be the renewing of his Covenant of Grace universally to all mankind For saith Moses God saith unto Noah and his sonnes with him saying And I behold I establish my covenant with you and with your seed after you for ever and with every creature that is with you v. 8. Also God gave them the Rain-bow as a witnesse of this mercy to perpetuall generation Verse 13. and Vers 16. saith God the Bow shall be in the cloud I will looke upon it that I may remember the everlasting Covenant betweene God and every living creature of
figured in Isaak the Child of Promise Therefore this Terrestriall Canaan was intaild to them in Christ for an everlasting inheritance as it was a figure of the Caelestiall Canaan yet eternall life intail'd with this proviso implicitly of their right submittance in beliefe of truth and so to enjoy this day of grace as a day of grace and therefore at this universall Predestination in Christ God gives this generall rule I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee That is blessing more speciall to them which by beliefe of truth rightly receive all good in the imputed righteousnesse of this seed as did Abell the first ten Fathers and Abraham their Father or the contrary to them that beleeve not this truth as to Cain the old world the Off-spring of Noah Shems Posterity and Terah Abrahams Father So that Gods proceedings by this Covenant in the promised seed was here layd downe without all respect of persons Iewes or Gentiles both being comprehended in this Covenant Againe to goe on for in the raysing of this Nation from misery to mercy in Christ Jesus God exprest himselfe in divers figures as first in the manner of Isaacs conception and birth he being the Child of promise therefore that God might by this figure lead this Nation by a streight line to receive by beliefe of truth this land as their terrestriall day of grace and to receive by Faith in Christs righteousnesse the celestiall day of glory therefore hee gave the naturall being of this Nation not so much from the force of nature as from Faiths object for Abrahams naturall force in the flesh especially Sarahs wombe was now as good as dead to this production yet she by beliefe of the promised Messias in Isaac to spring figuratively (a) So that Isaac was borne after the Spirit and therefore as a right figure of Christs bâ—thâ— so also of all beleevers which are borne after the will of God and not of the will of the flesh as was Ishmâ—ell the figure of all which walke after the will of the flesh in terrestriall contentments and so Hagar in Arabia and Sarah in the Land of Promise were figuratively two Testaments as Gal. 4.24 25. Rom. 4.19 Heb. 11.12 Gen. 12.12 from her wombe she received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a Child from whence sprang this numberlesse Nation to (b) Christ as head and his nationall spouse elect as members being promised to issue as numberlesse from Abrahams Loynes then dead to thaâ— production 〈◊〉 were a figure of Christ and his numberlesse members of right beleevers yet Aâ—â—aham to be such a Father in these three respects believed God was able and faithfull to accomplish that pâ—omise and therefore humbly submitted in beliefe to receive in that gift the righteous seed his satisfactory righteousnesse imputed all that felicity according to this fourth estate of man and therefore God reckoned or imputed or manifested to Abraham that that act was very sutable or agreeable to his minde as in another case hee expressed to Phineas Numb 25.10 11. See this further explained at the end of the exposition of the ninth of the Rom. in cha 6. this honour Yet when Sarah would cast out Ishmaell from inheriting this honour with Isaac this to Abraham was grievous then said God to Abraham let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the Lad and because of the bond-woman In all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken to her voyce for in Isaac shall thy seed be called that is figuratively in him to Christ by this streight line to receive the riches of mercy only in him in whose righteousnesse imputed I received all upon Adams fall as now by Restauration I intend to receive all wherefore Abraham accordingly in this righteousnesse received the riches of grace to him and the whole world and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse as saith the Apostle Rom. 4.3.11.13 Gen. 15.6 And hereupon God gave Abraham circumcision as the Seale of the righteousnesse imputed in the object of Faith which he received by beliefe of truth and then God gave this rule that that man or Family which refused to receiue this Seale of righteousnesse which is by Faith should be cut off from the nationall spouse of Christ Gen. 16.14 implying Gods impartiall proceedings towards them as precedently to Abell and Cain If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted if thou dost not well sinne lies at the dore Againe to goe on with this elect Nation and then we meete with another remarkeable figure when Rebecca also had conceived twinns by Isaac God then considered these two babes in her wombe as two Nations and two manner of people to be separated from her bowells for so to Rebecca God explaines himselfe Gen. 25. And because God by tradition intended to leade this Nation by this figure as by a streight line of truth to know in future times that that rise from their Idolatrous denne to this honour in Abrahams Loynes was with no respect to Abrahams person more then to any other mans but onely to Gods mercifull election as before is described therefore before the Babes were borne God elected the youngest Babe and his posterity to this honour but hee rejected from this honour the eldest babe and his posterity although he was the first-borne in the naturall line as hateing this Elect Nations rise to this mercy with any respect to Abrahams or Iacobs fleshly line as any cause moving him so to doe Therefore he did this that the purpose of God according to the Election might stand only according to his call of Abraham from an Idolatrous denne by mercy from that misery Againe this Election and rejection of these babes and their posterity was before the babes were borne as here we see and therefore as saith Saint Paul it was before they had done good or evill and so this figure told this Nation that as their evill works in Terah from whom in Abrahams flesh they came did not hinder God from shewing mercy to them being miserable so neither on the contrary did any good (a) As not workes so not faith fore-seen in Abraham or any other is any ground of Gods election of miserable man to life and glory but onely Gods love to himselfe in the glory of his free grace in Iesus Christ is the ground of election as when God elected all mankind from reprobate divels we being the same with them in Adams fall so also the secoÌ„d time when he elected both Iews and Gentiles in the promised seed by Covenant with Abraham when they were all gone out of the way of peace became abominable by their Apostacy from that grace as in this Chap. doth appeare works of Abrahams or theirs foreseene further or bring on this honourable election to temporall and eternall felicity in Christ Iesus And therefore that the purpose of God might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said
Spouse from her erroneous works and from Abrahams line after the flesh to Abrahams faith in Christs workes the object of blessednesse and no more For in Scriptures we finde some that were rejected from inheriting this election to life and glory with the promised childe as well as Esau and yet we find them admitted and counted with the true seed of Abraham namely Christs as for example In the Esterne Countries whither Abraham sent his sons which he had by Keturah and gave them portions and sent them thither purposely that they might not inherit this election with the childe of promise Isaack Gen. 25.6 yet there we find just Iob and Eliphaz who was descended from Esau's loynes 1 Chron. 1.35.36 Also Bildad the Shuite descended of Abrahams sonne Shuah and thererefore called the Shuite 1 Chron. 1.32 Also Zophar and Elihu all worshipers of God with just Iob figuratively in the satisfactory righteousnesse of the seed imputed which was promised to Adam and renewed by Covenant to Abraham for the future mercy of the whole world as precedently is declared Therefore if one of Esau's off-spring who in his loynes was rejected from this election as were others as here we see and notwitstanding that rejection were true worshipers in the acceptable righteousnesse of the seed consequently much more might Esau himselfe therefore let no man be prophane as was Esau Hebr. 12.16 So I passe this point being before explained pag. 62.63 Againe to goe on vers 14. the Apostle saith What shall wee say then Is there unrightousnesse with God God forbid for saith the Apostle he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion that is as before is explained God no wayes had any respect to this elect Spouse more then to others but onely in the promised seed the object of faith as before pag. 70. So then it is not in him that willeth to have it from Abrahams flesh nor in him that runneth to have it from the wrath of his erroneous works to the Law but in God that sheweth mercy in this election of you from your Idolatrous denne to give you the Land of promise your day of grace and his gift of eternall glory to be received by you in beliefe of truth and not for works conversant onely about the object of faith and under the pretence thereof to extinguish the glorious workes of Christ as now you doe Therefore in stead of mercy you shall receive the contrary from God even his proceedings to your remarâ—eble confusion for the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh For the same * For God by Moses sent his Commandements to Pharaoh not to return him to God by obedience but occasionally by those commands to bring his just punishments by drawing out Pharaohs precedent habits of pride to be known to his shame in the wo ld and to cleare Gods justice in his remarkeable destruction as appeareth Exod. 3.9.19.20 6.1 7.3.4 purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and thâ—t my Name may be declared through all the earth and thereupon hee concludes against them saying therefore hee hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth as if hee should say you know your forefathers were as now are you them to whom was committed this Pillar of truth the Oracle of the seed promised to Adam and Abraham and how proudly Pharaoh attempts to extinquish them and consequently this seed the object of faith in the pillar of truth as now doe you more directly then ever did he Therefore much more will God give you up as hee did Pharaoh to you owne insolencies and then provokingly raise you up to a height therein purposely to make his name famous in power and justice by your remarkeable destruction through all the world notwithstanding your descent from Abrahams flesh and his precedent election of you For he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom hee will bee * See this Text further explained in the â—â—rgent towards the later end of thâ—s Chapter hardeneth even amongst you as to Pharaoh for that 's implyed Againe to goe on Verse 19. Thou wilt say unto mee saith the Apostle Why doth he yet complaine for who hâ—th resisted his Will as if they should say if Gods will be so irresistable to glorifie his justice and power in our ruine notwithstanding our peculiar and glorious and ancient priviledges why doth hee so needlessely complaine on us by the Prophets and others for who hath resisted his will To this he answereth Nay But O man who art thou that answereth or disputeth against God Doth the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made mee thus Hath not the Potter power of the * This word the same lump hath no relation to the common masse of all mankinde same lump to make one vessell to honour and another to dishonour As if hee should say when you were all in the sonne of Terahs loynes namely Abraham as one masse or lump of Clay semenally in the hand of God Had hee not then power by Covenant with him in the promised seed thus to shape you for honour or dishonour that is to cursednesse or blessednesse according as you proudly turned his owne talents and mercies against him refusing his abundant mercy and therfore leave you to your own stubbornnesse as vessells of dishonour fitted to this destruction as was Pharaoh or on the contrary if you would but apply your received talents to receive more grace even to his gift of Faith by it to receive the imputed righteousnesse of this seed as it onely in which he received you to grace and glory Therefore O man who art thou that disputest against God And hereupon the Apostle inferres saying What if God willing to make his power knowne endured with long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction and that hee might make knowne the riches of his mercie on the vessels of mercy which hee had afore prepared unto glory even us whom hee hath called not of the Jewes onely but also of the Gentiles as God saith in Hosea c. As if the Apostle should say what of all this if it be the will and pleasure of God as indeed it is thus in justice and mercy by his covenant with Abraham to fore-appoint you either to honour or dishonour and to proceed accordingly without respect of any mans person more then another In what can you charge God of injustice or excuse your selves as to say Why hast thou made me thus to honour or dishonour But God may justly say to you Thy salvation is of me but thy destruction is of thy selfe O Israel Againe verse 25. as God saith there I will call them my people which are not my people and her beloved which was not beloved and it shall come to passe that in the place where is was said unto them
and the same therefore men meerely Moral and of a civil life must beware left they perish eternally by this deceit for man may not be farre from the Kingdome of God and yet fall short thereof as Mark 12.34 Therefore because you stick in the letter to you the Law is but a dead letter revealing sinne and wrath because you reach not the sense and scope of the Laws prefigurations and significations for the truth is acceptation with God is not of works therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed implying Gods gift of Christs imputed righteousnesse is the only stable ground of felicity in it selfe for man and also so to man rightly believing truth for man may beleeve divine Testimony as divine Testimony and yet not beleeve justifyingly as chap. 10. Againe their election to inherit the Temporall felicity of Canaan as the figure of eternall felicity could not be a debt due to the worth of their works and to the imputed righteousnesse of Christ too for these are contraries Wherefore saith the Apostle if the election be by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be by works then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke Rom. 11.6 Againe the worth of their works by the Law did tend to overthrow the Foundation of the salvation of the world because it makes voyd the object of Justification and also the use of Faith to that object in a justifying relation and therefore saith the Apostle if they of the Law be heires Faith is made voyd and the promise of none effect Rom. 4.14 Againe this conceited worth of works to the Law put a nullitie to the Sonne of God his glorious expiration of his life for the completion of all righteousnesse to the salvation of the world for saith the Apostle if righteousnesse come by the Law that is as they would have it then Christ died in vaine Gal. 2.21 Againe he gives them to know the Law is not of Faith his meaning is not to any living man on Earth but only to Christ as bound to believe and do the perfection of the Law in every tittle as their Doctrine of works did import for in this respect hee only and alone is the man that could do them and did live in them as a perfect man to take off the cursednesse from all that believe his righteousnesse imputed Gal. 3.11 12 13 14. Againe when Christ is manifested by the Apostles Doctrine without the prefigurations of the Law yet now this People would believe in Christ his righteousnesse for salvation but would then joyne their righteousnesse in the obedience of the Law to his as necessary to their salvation and by this they runne upon a two-fold Rock at once First they binde themselves to observe all the Laws from which now by Christs perfect obedience they were freed Secondly by this they made a nullitie to themselves of all happinesse by Christ as saith the Apostle Gal. 5.2 Behold I Paul say unto you that if yee be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing for I testify againe to every man that is Circumcised that he is a debtor to doe the whole Law Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law yee are farre fallen from Grace And Rom. 7. hee shewes that this error of theirs is as if one should joyne a dead Corps to a living man and as if a woman should esteeme her selfe bound to the Law of her Husband when he is dead we are saith hee now delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we are held that we should serve him in newnesse of Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter from verse 1. to the 6. Againe although Christ by the Apostles Ministry was now manifested without the authority of the Law it being abolished yet Rom. 3.21 22. hee grants to the Law and the Prophets still this honour that they witnesse to this righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Iesus Christ that it only is it which is man Justification to salvation wherefore verse 27. saith hee where is boasting then it is excluded by what law of works Nay but by the law of Faith Therefore we conclude saith hee that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the law That is without such deeds as their erronious Doctrine of works did import Quest But here may rise a queâ—â—â—on namely In what sense Moses laws are of perpetuall use to Christ his Church on Earth Answ First so farre forth as they precedently were figurative shaddowes of Christ to come they now all are of no use but as a dead letter and without that Spirit or life that they precedently had because they all ended their efficatious force in the satisfactory righteousnesse of Christ sealed with his blood to the expiration of all the Law and the Prophets Secondly as the Morall laws expiration is in Christ Iesus so it is of a double use First we are to receive by Faith the Morall laws perfections in him as given of God imputatively to justification and so to receive the remission of sinnes and salvation Secondly we are to apply our selves to it as our rule of imitation in love to God and our Neighbour and having done our best continually to submit to his as imputed for our continued acceptation here and for eternall life hereafter Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. And the ground why the perfections of the Morall law onely in Christ Iesus doth free man beleeving truth from the law of sinne and of death so conveying to him eternall life by salvation is this because the Morall law originally in its pure naturalls was instituted by God a meanes in the Covenant to a supernaturall end in the first Adam as is proved wherefore no sooner did the Morall law in Christ his sacred person by his birth in the promise subsist in him as the spotlesse Lambe but in that instant of time it was ingaged in him being the second Adam as a meanes to attaine that supernaturall end by perfect love to God and his Neighbour and therefore it was immediatly put upon all mankinde freeing man from the law of sinne and of death because it came upon all men to justification of life for it removed Adams imputed damnation which was to passe according to the justice of the Covenant and so it removed the totall nature and prevalency of sinne and obtained the foresaid dispositions of Amity to God and enmity to Satan as also the good of this world to be mans day of grace to receive in Gods gift the day of eternall glory Againe I say it must be by beliefe of this truth in the object of Faith or the object of Justification And the ground why man capable of the use of reason must receive all blessednesse by beliefe of this truth is First because as
God Therefore this fact committed against these transcendent rules thus manifested to them justly called to God for their transcendent punishment and they were no way necessitated to this fact by God but the contrary secondly I grant also that in some respect they were necessitated to this unrighteous fact but it was from themselves and the first step that brought on this necessity The first step to fall from Christ totally was this their remissenesse to God in all his wayes for their good for to them God made it manifest that in the satisfactory righteousnesse of this seed as imputed he conferr'd all good to the universall world figured in the Lambe slaine famously descending by tradition to them from Adam by the ten Fathers as before is proved Likewise God manifested it to them by renewing the same to the universall world by Noah and his sonnes Likewise by renewing the same with Abraham by predestinating in this seed both Iewes and Gentiles to glory Likewise hee manifested it to them in the satisfactory righteousnesse of this seed sealed with his blood figuratively in the paschall Lambe that hee delivered them from the bondage of Egypt and brought them to the blessednesse of Canaan a figure of eternall felicity for applying the Lambs blood upon their dwellings figured that onely in the righteousnesse of Christ imputed God was their safety in the day of wrath Exod. 12.13 All this and more successively was presented before their eyes in that glorious addition of Moses Law to the promise in those prefigurations and significations and all left upon record in holy Writ through their generations Therefore it must needs follow by undeniable consequence that their first step to this ungodly necessity proceeded from their owne remissenesse to God in all his wayes for their good for had they considered these things they would never have destroyed him by whom all felicity came to them And then their remissenesse to that object of faith Celestiall brought on their inordinate intensnesse to sensuall objects terrestriall and to Idolatrous imaginations and so came on their second step necessitating them to this transcendent fact The second step as for example their remissenesse to Moses the Mediator in the type brought on their Calfe and terminating in things sensuall and terrestriall and consequently their crucifying of Christ to themselves by absenting their mindes from Moses in that mysterie for they then not onely worshiped the Calfe but also they did eate and drinke and rose up to play The third step Likewise they so brought on a further necessitie as a third step for the future namely custome in evill hence it is God said to them can the Blackmore change his skinne or the Leopard his spâ—ts Ierem. 13.23 then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill and now sense commands reason under the pretence of the doctrine celestiall to terminate in a good adequate to sensuality Mat. 26.61 for from this ground they made the Temple and Moses Chaire their plea against Christ and his doctrine not from love to the mysterie included therein as leading to Christ but onely in love to the glory of the Temple as a terrestriall magnificence of their Nation Likewise in their princely Priesthood as it was a worldly ordinance correspondent to worldly pompe and dignity but rejected Christ the inclosed mysterie of that figure Thus by voluntary choyce in the spirit of concision they became necessitated to evill in things that were good in themselves as the felicity of Canaan was good in it selfe and to kill Christ in the truth as Abraham did in the type to the redemption of the world was good but to them evill because they did it in hatred to him as Iohn 8. 40. because his doctrine was an enemy not to them but to their pride in terrestriall felicitie and proud consanguinity and operations And therefore they slew the Lord of glory in the same mind as Cain slew Abel Mat. 23.35 (a) Thus wee may rightly conceive how Pharaoh is said to harden and God to harden Pharaohs heart Wherefore instead of giving them the Spirit of Faith from the speciall grace of the Covenant God delivered them to their owne wills from the universall mercy of the Covenant made with Abraham for them The fourth step and so came on a fourth step of their necessity in sin and consequently their universall rejection from him as the just punishment of their precedent apostasie from Gods salvation imply'd in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets stonest them which are sent unto thee how oft would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen gathereth her brood under her wings and ye would not therefore your (b) That is the Temple implying theiâ— separation from Gods favour in Christ the most proper Temple of Gods speciall presence in the Truth as the Temple was in the Type Luke 13.34 house is left unto you desolate And he further saith Verily verily I say unto you yee shall not see me untill the time come when you shall saâ— blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. These words imply two things the first is because they precedently refuse to see him according to their light as their reason was able in their day of grace therefore God now denyed them the gift of Faith to see his glory in beliefe of truth even when their eyes did looke upon the Lord of glory and saw his great workes Luke 10 8.22 Likewise when he beheld Ierusalem he wept and said O that thou hadst knowne even in this thy day those things which belong unto thy peace but now they are bid (a) That light of truth which formerly men did see would not for that ther may come a time when the light Eternally by Gods spirit shines more cleer yet the sight thereof shall be denied to them as in this elect Spouse we see from thine eyes Luke 19.24 Likewise Saint Iohn in his 12 Chapter saith although Christ had done so many miracles before them yet they beleeved not on him that the saying of Esayas the Prophet might be fulfilled that he said Lord who beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed and Saint Iohn saith therefore they could not believe because Esayas saith againe hee hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and should be converted and I should save them And further saith Saint Iohn these things said Isaiah when he saw his glory and spake of him ver 37. That is These things hee spake of their rejection when in the Spirit of Faith he saw the Lord of Glory rejected by this elect Spouse Likewise Saint Paul Acts 13.40 speaking to this people rejecting the Doctrine of Christ saith behold you despisers and wonder for I worke in your daies a worke which
yee in no wise shall believe although a man declare it unto you Likewise saith Christ unto them yee believe not because you are not my Sheepe (b) These Scriptures by Gods spirit are intended to this nationall Spouse for her transcendent sinnes and not to most of mankind as denied his grace because appointed by God personally to vnavoidable damnation Joh. 10.26 All plainly proving that God now when Christ was come into the world denied them the gift of Faith for their precedent refusing Gods way for their salvation Secondly it is further implyed in these words of our Saviour that there is a time limited for this their blindnesse and hardnesse of heart when he saith Yee shall not see me untill the time come when you shall say blessed is hee that cometh in the name of the Lord Implying that although this Nationall rejection was to be universall yet it should not be (c) Although it were not finall to them nationally in respect of the time to come yet it was finall to all or at least to most in the Interim finall for ever in the Spirit of unbeliefe (d) God sometimes to the glory of his grace eâ—tends his mercy universally to all as in the call of the Gentiles and as in time to come he will to these Iews yet sometimes when men are alike dead in sinnes by Apostasie he will leave some of them to perish finally and receive some of them to mercy although alike wicked yet not for any hatred or love to the one more then the other personally considered but onely in love to himselfe in the one from his love to Iustice in the other from his love to mercy that is to the love of his glory in either as heâ—e wee see some received to mercy and reserved alive to conferre a future call of their posterity to Christ and the rest were blinded and in this ease and the like fals that of Moses and the Apostle he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Likewise our Saviour gives another close glance to this point speaking of this elect Nation Mat. 24 22. hee saith the daies of their vengeance shall be shortened in the destruction of Ierusalem for the elects sake Implying else no flesh of Abrahams elect stock would be reserv'd for a future call to mercy Likewise for any mercy shewed to this Nation Saint Paul referres it rightly when he saith Isrâ—â—ll obtained not what it sought for but the election obtained it and the rest were blinded Rom. 11.17 And he saith as touching the election they are beloved for their Fathers sakes meaning Abraham Isaak and Iacob with whom in Christ the promised seed This Nationall Election was first established ver 28. And he also speakes to their restauration saying all Israel shall be saved as it is written the deliverer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the ungodlinesse from Jacob. ver 26. And then gives a generall ground of all this future mercy because the guifts and callings of God are without repentance ver 29. And in the next verse hee gives a demonstrative reason thereof in the Gentiles who although by their precedent Apostacie were so long rejected yet now God gave Christ to them and calls them to him ver 30. Thereby implying likewise God would not repent his gift of Christ to this Spouse and therefore call them to him againe And therefore it is most cleere that Gods proceeding in this second part of time is without all respect of Persons And for a conclusion of this Chapter take these observations following First that to referre any mans faith and obedience to bee the condition of the Covenant of grace but Christ his faith and obedience is to derrogate from him and to arrogate to man that which is not his Because as the first Adam his second estate before his fall was an estate of Faith and obedience active and passive the somme of the conditions of the Covenant as precedently is proved Chapt. the 2. So likewise the Sonne of God the second Adam his obedience passive and active was an estate of Faith the condition of the Covenant for the Redemption of the world from whence the Covenanâ— was changed by him from a Covenant of wrathfull justice to a Covenant of Grace and mercy to all the world as Chap. 4. Likewise in this Chapter we see hee and hee alone was the man which by saith and love to God and his Neighbour did live in the pure naturalls of the Law to every tittle to redeeme man which by Apostasie brought himselfe under the Curse For although the life of all believers besides Christs is in this world an estate of faith and obedience and although Gods word of truth is his instrument to give to man Christs righteousnesse and mans faith his instrument to receive in that righteousnesse his blessednesse yet between God and mankind neither of these are the conditions of the covenant of grace For as God on his part hath not bound himselfe to either of these as a condition so neither hath he bound all mankinde absolutely to believe or not to be saved For if faith were the condition of the Covenant of Grace God in justice could not save one of mankinde which did not believe But it is already proved Chap. 4. that an innumerable number of mankinde departing this world in Infancie childhood or the like by the universall grace of the Covenant in Christ Jesus our Saviour are saved Likewise so was all mankind without faith saved from the damnation of Adams sinne to the praise of Gods grace to all eternity Therefore although to man capable of the use of reason faith * It is one thing that God require it's exercise as a necessary instrumentall qualification and another that hee should require it as a condition of the Covenant is the necessary instrument as his mouth to receive his meat and must be applyed to the object of Justification in some degree or hee must perish yet his faith and obedience is no condition of the Covenant of grace no more then mans mouth whereby hee receives his meate Secondly is it so that as first upon Adams fall so the second time in the promised seed with Abraham by Covenant that God elected predestinated and fore-appointed all mankinde alike from perishing in misery to grace and glory in Christ Jesus as here wee see Hence observe what is Gods most proper booke of life namely the promised seed for in him all mankinde were both times onely written for grace and glory as in a booke of life not onely when Adam fell but the second time as is registred by covenant with Abraham to life and glory therefore Christ Iesus is Gods most proper Booke of life out of which all that perish are blotted out for despising this gift of grace and glory Psal 69.28 Rev. 20 12 13. Rev. 5.13 c. Thirdly is it so that although at one and the same
time God in Christ with Abraham by covenant thus predestinated Iewes and Gentiles to glory yet called not the Gentiles till about eighteene hundred yeeres after but called the Iewes to inherit this glory in the birth of Isaack Hence observe the onely ground why the Iewes were first in this honour in respect of time was because God for his owne names sake was pleased then to begin the execution of that blessed predestination and from â—his ground Christ gave them the priority commanding the twelve saying goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into any of the Cities of the Samaritans enter yee not but goe yee rather unto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Mat. 10.5 Likewise at Antioch Saint Paul and Barnabas rendred the same priority to them saying It was necessary the Word of God should first have beene spoken unto you Acts 13.46 c. But when Christ in the expiration of all righteousnesse upon the crosse had made open the way to bring in the Gentiles so making both one generall assembly and Church of the first borne inroll'd in heaven Hebr. 11.25 Yet our Saviour in a Parable foretelling the Iewes of this joyning the Gentiles to them implies his proceeding in this generall assembly shall be without all respect of persons choosing and refusing as betweene Cain and Abel for hee concludes his discourse saying Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 10.14 Further implying notwithstanding the extraordinary fluxe of grace and truth which was then to be powred out upon all flesh yet if they did not apply themselves therein to receive his righteousnesse imputed to be their wedding garment for acceptance they should not be respected Fourthly is it so that the second Adams faith and obedience is the alone condition of the covenant of grace which by mercy brought eternall life to all mankind alike Hence observe that the fruition of that eternall life in Heaven is to all alike without degree of glory to one more then another although here the degrees of grace are different some more and some lesse as they apply more or lesse their talents to Christ as the object of Justification Yet the fruition of that glory depends onely and alone on Christs righteous workes which is mans by free gift therefore that glory is enjoyed there by al alike without degrees Christ onely excepted who in all things must have the preheminence for one mans reasonable soule is not more uncapable then anothers in it's essentiall faculty simply considered but all the difference of capacities ariseth from error transgression and sinne or the effects of sinne but in the fruition of that glory all this for Christs his righteousnesse sake is removed and not remaining consequently their capacities being then alike their enjoyment of that glory is all alike without degrees to the praise of Gods grace to all eternity Yet it is not so on the contrary to mankinde in eternall death because their sinne abides upon them so that they descend to eternall death not for anothers workes as men ascend to eternall life but for their owne despising Gods grace leading to eternall life Therefore as they more or lesse were in sinne consequently Justice requires more or lesse punishment for despising eternall felicity Gods way Fifthly observe it stands all mankind hereupon to beware of remissenesse to God in his way by Christ Iesus for their eternall felicity for as wee all in Adam by remissenesse to Gods Covenant fell so low in misery as never any meere creature could raise us from thence as Chapter 3. Likewise in this last Chapter wee see Christs elect Spouse by her remissenesse to her felicity by Christ Iesus brought upon her selfe a connexion of causes necessitating her selfe to unavoydable rejection from Christ as a fugitive remarkeably despicable here on earth this sixteene hundred yeeres and more Sixthly Is it so that the Law was added because the off-spring of Abraham did transgresse the object of Justification given in the promised seed to Adam and renewed to them with Abraham Hence observe how rightly speakes the Apostle that the Law was not given to the righteous man that is as unto Abraham who terminated his operations by beliefe of Truth and Love to God and man by a right relation to God in the object of Justification for here in this Chapter wee see Moses law added to the Promise to schoole Abrahams lawlesse off-spring to Christ because they precedntly transgresse the promise Seventhly although God did communicate to the world with the first Adam naturall perfection by creation and celestiall perfection by the Covenant yet here observe that God never restores any of that to mankinde but by mercy ever turning his eyes onely upon Christ and his satisfactory righteousnesse for as before the world was it was appointed for all alike in him by redemption so accordingly upon the fall in him hee chose us to life and glory from perishing with reprobate divels to whom in respect of our selves we were unrecoverably joyned So likewise when with Noah hee renewed this mercy to the second world it was by turning his eyes only upon Christ and his satisfactory righteousnesse so likewise when with Abraham he predestinated both Iewes and Gentiles to life and glory from being fit vessels of wrath as lying in their owne apostasie from the grace of God yet then onely in the promised seed God turned his eyes in mercy to the world in the precedent predestination as in this Chapter clearely appeareth So much for the second part of Time I now should come to the third namely the calling of the Gentiles but here will arise a necessary question viz. In what estate for eternall life stood the Gentiles from the time they were scattered at Babel untill they were called to mercy in Christ but by Gods help I will answer it in the next Chapter CHAP. VII Shewing in what estate or condition were all the families of the earth from the rejection at the Tower of Babell to their call to Christ in whom they were elected ANswer In respect of the Object of Justification they were excluded not to have it resident amongst them and therefore in that respect they lived as without God in the world and so the day of grace in this world was to them not as a day of grace being left to walke in the vanitie of their mindes they wanting the pillar of truth or Oracle of the promised seed and so remained under wrath about 18 hundred yeares This text Ephes 2 3. no way excludes infants departing this world from eternall life See the last Observation in the 7 Chapt. and therefore when some of those Gentiles by the Gospell were returned from their Apostacie and received life in the object of Faith The Apostle saith unto them yee were the Children of wrath even as others therefore they were so under wrath throughout all those precedent generations Ephes 2.3 But it may here be objected God threatned to visit the sinnes
the spirit of man for health was this namely it did quicken or enliven the originall principle of amity to God and enmity to Satan even as it did upon the fall of Adam by Christs restauration of all in the type then put into the nature of man hereditarily to descend as precedently is proved so now likewise upon Christ his fulfilling all righteousnesse in the truth this infused principle which was now dead in sinnes and trespasses was by the imbreathing of the spirit of God wheresoever the Gospell came it quickened and enlivened man in dispositions to harken to the externall call of Christ in the object of faith to the end they might receive the gift of faith to receive life in Christ wherefore saith Christ If any man will doe Gods Will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe Joh. 7.17 18. Likewise he saith Verily verily I say unto you the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare shall live Joh. 5.25 And the last clause where it is said they shall live leades us to the second part namely the spirits internall more speciall powring upon all flesh that is answerably as men did come in the precedent enlivened or renewed dispositions to Christ in the Gospel as being the object of faith held forth by the word of truth as the brazen Serpent from thence by the powring out of the Spirit they should receive the spirit of faith to be able to receive life in the object of faith as before in the precedent P. Hence it is the Apostle saith Awake thou that sleepest that is under those renewed dispositions towards Christ and stand up from the dead that is and rouse up this grace to harken to Gods call to the object of life and Christ shall give thee light that is the light of right beliefe as the truth is in Iesus from strength to strength and so to receive life in him Ephes 5.14.8 Hence it is that at Ephesus the Apostle said of God even when wee were dead in sinnes hath he quickened us together with Christ by grace yee are saved Ephes 2.5 and saith hee not of workes lest any man should boast for wee are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good workes which God hath afore ordained that we should walke in them that is by his fore-ordination with Abraham as before is declared He also saith to those Gentiles Worke out your salvation with feaâ—e and trembling for it is God which worketh in you bâ—th to wiâ—l and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 and the ground why God did thus extraordinarily externally and internally powre out his spirit upon the spirits of the Gentiles dead in sins and trespasses was this That as sinne by their apostasie had raigned unto death even so might his grace raigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 5.21 A second ground was this that unlesse God had so excitively drawne them by powring out his spirit they neither could nor would ever come to him by Christ which is implyed by the words of our Saviour when he rebuked the Iewes in their proud apostacie being dead to live in him he saith no man can come unto me except the Father which sent me draw him Joh. 6.44 Likewise to those Iewes having the power of this enlivening spirit imbreathing upon their spirits and stâ—fled by them he saith Yee will not come unto mee that yee might have life Joh. 5 40. So that we may plainly see even under this extraordinary powring out of Gods spirit upon all flesh his proceedings are equally alike to all without respect of persons for then he sends forth his great Commission into all the world saying to his ambassadors goe yee into all the world and preâ—câ— the Gospell to every creature he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved hee that believeth not shall be damned Marke 16.15 16. Hence Saint Peter saith of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Acts 10.34 35. all which is according to the first modell delivered to Caine if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted c. Hence observe by the way that God is a God keeping covenant for as hee ordained these Gentiles to glory by covenant with Abraham he now accordingly called them to receive it wherefore Saint Peter urgeth the Gentiles upon this ground as well as the Iewes to returne to God in Christ saying repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and receive the holy Ghost for saith he the promise is made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2.39 Object But it will here be objected because he saith as many as the Lord God shall call therefore God intended not to powre his spirit on all and all alike consequently some were personally reprobated c. Answer The Apostle might well make this restriction yet never have any such intention First because he knew Gods proceedings upon the kindreds and nations of the earth should be by degrees calling some sooner and some later and not all at one time as all on a day as wee use to say therefore hee might well say as many as our Lord God shall call although it be intended personally alike to all Secondly the Apostle might well say as many as the Lord God shall call because hee knew God from the beginning had ordained to deny the efficacie of his call to some sort of men as he did to Cain for when he predestinated both Iewes and Gentiles in Christ Jesus with Abraham hee then gave the same rule of cursednesse to man turning this grace into wantonnesse as well as blessednesse to man submitting to it in the obedience of faith as formerly is declared therefore hee might well say as many as our Lord God shall call c. So likewise our Saviour alluding to this same rule of cursing and blessing to families and cities in the call of these Gentiles hee saith Some are the sonnes of peace and some are not Luke 10.3.5.18 For not onely believers but all mankinde in generall especially at that time of grace were the sonnes of peace that is in a reconcileable condition to God in Christ Jesus as for example although Cain was not a believer as was Abel yet there was a time when hee was a sonne of peace that is reconcileable in Christ his acceptable righteousnesse by Gods owne nterrogative testimony although afterwards hee was not for rejecting the spirits reproofe of sinne and so gracious an incouragement of him to submit to receive life and glory as formerly is proved Likewise our Saviour according to this rule of cursing and blessing in
lesse exercise is not onely because mercy pleaseth him but also because he loves to glorifie his (a) Here note that from one and the same principall proceeds in this life the Saints undissoluble union with Christ and also their finall dissolution from him viz. Gods love to his justice in the distribution of his mercy justice in the distribution of his mercy because all his attributes are display'd at an equall distance as in the Parable of the talents doth appeare Matth. 25.24 And from this ground Saint Paul to the Saints at Corinth saith that both hee and they must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ that every man may receive the things done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or evill 2 Cor. 1.1 Chap. 5.10 But here will arise a twofold question Question 1 First what the Saints for their good workes done in the body do now receive or shall at the last day of judgement Question 2 Secondly that if their evill workes be forgiven them in Christs righteousnesse imputed as received by Faith then what shall they receive according to their evill works done in the body But before I answer the first question I will shew you what good they receive not according to their owne good workes and then what good they doe receive according to their owne good works done in the body And first they receive forgivenesse of that knowledge of evill due to them for Adams transgression not according to their owne workes but according to Christs They receive this world to be their day of grace not according to their good works but according to Christs They received the foresaid principle of amity to God and enmity to Satan and also the enlivening of it not according to the worth of their owne good workes but for the worth of Christs Fourthly when they come to God according to the force of that infused principle God then gives them the spirit of Faith to receive his gift of righteousnesse not for their good workes but for Christs They in that gift of righteousnesse by Faith receive eternall life as saved men therefore not according to their own good works but according to Christs Sixtly at Christs Judgement seat they shall receive by gift the fruition of that glory from Gods foreappointment in Christs imputed righteousnesse first promised to Adam therefore not according to their own good works of righteousnesse but according to Christs therefore at that day Christ will say come yee blessed of my father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Matth. 25.34 Secondly that which according to their owne good works they shall receive is a fivefold good First answerable as they in the obedience of Faith subjectively operate to the fountaine opened to Iudah and Ierusalem namely the sacred object of justification answerably from thence God will strengthen (a) And in particular first as by that purenes of spirit they only see God Mat. 5.8 Heb. 12.14 So consequently as it increaseth in the degree so him more clearly they shall see Secondly they shall more firmly know their present estate of blessednesse 1 Ioh. 5.19 20. Thirdly as froÌ„ hence will redound the more glory to God from men Mat. 5.16 So the more fulnes of Heavenly consolation will redound to theÌ„ 15 Ioh. 11. every grace of Christ in them as in Abraham we see he did Secondly he also will firmly relate them that so worke to him in that sacred object as finally from him in it they shall never depart so that things past present and to come shall not be able to separate them from him or him from them according to the foresaid ground he hath sworne by himselfe that in blessing he will ever blesse them that (b) But not to the Saints in a sleepy and lazie Faith so operate to him as to Abraham we see he gave a further entrance into the Kingdome of grace 2 Pet. 1.11 3. As in this world they have judged the sinnefull courses of unbelievers to be wicked and the waies of wisdome as leading to God to be only righteous and good so likewise at Christs judgement seat to judge the world he will have them then to adhere to him for saith the Text the Sâ—ints shall judge the world so saith Christ yee are they which have continued with mee in my temptation verily I say unto you that you which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit in his glory yee also shall sit upon twelve Thrones and judge the 12 Tribes of Israell So that man rightly beleeving truth shall (c) And may then say we are thus blessed in submittance by one grace to receive another and so by faith and Gods power are brought to this you see but you for despising this way do now receive the fruit of your own way judge formall professors Luk. 22.28 Mat. 19.28 1 Cor. 6.2 Lastly he will give them their hearts full desire by turning their enjoying of him here by faith into the fruition of his purchased gift of eternall glory this honour have all his Saints praise yee the Lord Psal 149.9 So much for the good they shall receive according to their good works done in the body Thus Gods justice rewards the a) In some places the Scripture speakes as if any degree of faith had his stability because the first degree and so the second hath a virtual tendency to the third and will if it be improved terminate by Gods mercifull distribution of his justice in an indissoluble union with Christ in the object of justification 1 Cor. 1.8 Phil. 1.6 2 Thess 3.3 imperfect image or likenesse of Christs righteousnesse wrought by the Saints with a reward which is but an Image or likenesse of the reward rendred to Christs works and because God loves to glorify this justice thus in the distribution of his mercy it is that in this third degree man is kept (b) The Angelicall glory which Adam lost was onely due to Christs works and to be possessed by him here in Faith and there by fruition but nâ—â— due to the Saints works to be possessed here by them in Faith not in the next life by fruition but only in this life is due to their works the possession of it by their degrees of faith in which they have some small efficiency yet that is not due unto their works properly but only from Gods love to justice in the distribution of his free gift of mercy to miserable man from a finall fall from Christ in the obj ct of Faith Answer 2 Secondly The Saints evill workes done in the body according to which they shall receive is not for sinnes of infirmity nor for sins enormous in which they have bin overtaken in their pursuit of this sacred object as in David Salomon and Peter all pardoned in Christs righteousnesse but the evill things done in the body according to
is the object of Justification Or thirdly in the state of rejection from the first as was Cain before he came to Faith or from the second as are some of the Saints for their apostasie from Christs owne testimony by his doctrine to his peculiar Apostles Iudas being absent and Pauls testimony of himselfe and other Saints and of Christs nationall Spouse by Gods testimony Ezech. 18. and as wee see by wofull experience this sixteene hundred yeeres and more Againe I having precedently defined what is the perfection of justifying faith I will now define what is the perfection of the man in whom it is or thus what man is a righteous man Man in his first estate was righteous because his intentions and operations was an exact perfection of degrees according to natures most right rules in the estate of creation as Chap. 1. But now in this fourth estate of man The definition of a righteous man hee is a righteous man who in any degree doth by a right beliefe submit so as that he receives Gods gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed to eternall life by salvation desireably endeavouring to conforme to that righteousnesse in some degree to sanctification I say in the perfection of parts (a) When the Apostle saith we speake wisdome to them that are perfect he meanes man in the perfection of Faith and not perfect in righteousnesse of inherent holinesse for the perfections of Christs righteousnesse is not attainable by men nor Angels in the perfections of degrees So that a righteous man in this life stands as an imperfect member united by faith in love to a head perfect in righteous workes or righteousnesse CHAP. XII Answering Objections made against severall points precedently delivered in this Treatise FIrst it will be objected Solomons backsliding was totall yet not finall though hee did all that the wicked man doth Question because against so great light of heavenly Object 1 wisedome hee turned his minde into darknesse by sensuall delights and Idolatrous abominations consequently hee crucified Christ to himselfe and yet his fall was not finall for hee returned to God in the object of Faith Salomâ—n under the Law of Moses of a believer went the farthest out from God of any that ever returned to God againe Answ by Faith in the object of Justification therefore the Scripture speakes but implicitly of his repentance as if his name had beene blotted out of the booke of life to teach others not to be high minded but feare Againe his fall was not totall because God extraordinarily reserved some virtuall seed of beliefe in him to the object of Justification and therefore his backsliding was not totall nor internally doing all which the wicked man doth for as long as the least degree of that seed remaines that man is in Christ the object of Faith and that God did reserve a seed is cleare by his speciall and particular promise made to David in Salomons behalfe saying if hee commit iniquity I will chastice him with rods of men and with the stripes of the children of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him And the ground of this extraordinary mercy by promise was this because Salomon as sitting King on Sion hill the promised sonne of David hee so was in those dayes a remarkeable figure of Christ the Sonne of Davids eternall throne therefore God extraordinarily reserved in Salomon a light of beliefe virtually to Christs righteousnesse as imputed to the * If for the glory of Gods grace then not for love to Salomons person more then to any other mans person for Gods love to all mens persons is one and the same as appeares in the grounds of Gods love in his gift of Christ to the world pag. 40 41. glory of his owne grace in Salomons eternall salvation therefore his fall was neither totall nor finall Secondly it will be objected Saint Peter did all that the wicked man doth extinguishing greater light in himselfe Object 2 then ever did Salomon for he was an Apostle and saw the great workes of Christ and heard his sacred doctrine as dropping from his sacred lips and hee cursed himselfe he knew not the Lord of glory and sware he knew him not against his owne knowledge so consequently hee did all the wicked man doth crucifying Christ to himselfe totally and yet was renewed by repentance therefore his fall was not finall although totall The Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to winnow you that hee may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luke 22.32 as if he should say Answ by reason of your rashnesse and remissenesse to my gracious admonishments Satan hath much desired to take an advantage against you totally to extinguish thy faith and love to me but my request to my Father hath beene more then ordinary for thee that thou mightest not perish from mee therefore in time of neede Christs words of precedent admonishment was remembred to Peters soule for his returne to him in the object of Faith Luke 22. 61. and the ground of this extraordinary mercy was two-fold First because he being a believer therefore as Christ is the Saviour of all men so especially of Peter in this his backsliding more then to Iudas who was not a believer for saith the Text hee is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe Secondly not onely a believer but a believing Apostle set apart to publish the Gospell to the world therefore more to Christ then an ordinary believer and therefore Christs Prayer was for him more then ordinary and therefore it was that his fall was neither totall nor finall for whensoever it is totall it is finall and in some twice dead and pluckt up by the roots and so none can be but those which have beene right believers for to be twice dead implyeth to be twice alive the first life is the precedent infusion of amity to God and enmity to Satan or if it be renewed and this is a life preceding faith flowing from the universall grace of the Covenant of life and glory as before is proved The second life is the life of justifying Faith I meane man rightly united by believing to Christ the object of life and when he dies to the later he dies to the former also and therfore twice dead and never lives to God againe in Jesus Christ Iude vers 12. And for the close of the point here observe that as Manasses and Paul were the onely two in sacred Scriptures that by their apostasie from Gods universall grace in Christ went the furthest distance out from God before Faith that ever were received to mercy whence Paul rightly saith That Christ shewed all long suffering and patience towards him himselfe being the chiefe of sinners meaning in this particular respect So on the contrary Salomon and Peter after true faith in Christ the object of life were the onely two men mentioned in Scriptures which
judge of that holy man Arminius that he is not to be reckoned one of the least worthies of the Lord Jesus Christ because this man in those darke * For Mr. Peter Du. Moulin chargeth him with holding these points first that God elected some men to eternall life upon his foresight of their faith Secondly that God elects all men to eternall life under the condition of faith Thirdly that originall sinne in Infants hath no respect of vice or sinne properly called for nothing is sinne or vice unlesse it be committed by free-will Fourthly hat Arminius against Mr Perkins affirmeth that mans will is free to good as to evill without grace the which points in this Treatise are clearely proved from Scriptures to be errors See Peter Du-moulin against Arminius Cap. 8. p. 48. Cap. 17. Cap. 18. Cap. 32. p. 256. times of the knowledge of this point put forth all his power according to his light and talent against great oppositions to maintaine and preach that God in his gracious mercy in Christ Jesus doth both intend and extend it universally alike to all mankinde without respect of persons Therefore in him God accepted the will for the deed and so must we And on the contrary as for reverend Calvin his stiffe maintaining that error which made the waters of life bitter to mankinde namely that God hath personally decreed before the world to unavoydable destruction the greatest part of mankinde for the everlasting praise of his justice Calvin Instit 3 book 22. cap. 11. 3 book cap. 21.5 and personally elected the lesser part unavoydably to eternall life for the praise of his glorious grace I say notwithstanding this holy mans error his works and great labours savour of most unfeyned Godlinesse which setleth a Crowne of reverence upon his head through all ages wherefore we are thus to judge of him that this error fell from him from love to Gods glory in the comforting of the distressed Church of God and therefore in him it was error of love and not that he loved to erre Ninthly againe it will be objected he that loveth another Object 9 hath fulfilled the Law consequently that man is a perfect man in the perfeâ—tion of degrees of inherent righteousnesse Rom. 13.8 The conclusion is falsely deducted for hee that loveth God by his rules or Lawes Answ as leading to him in Christ the object of faith hath fulfilled the Law but how even because Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth as God imputed it to Abraham Rom. 10. for his further entrance into the glorious Kingdome of Christs gracious mercy as is formerly declared Againe he that loveth another being his Idolatrous and wicked Neighbour as he is his own flesh and Gods creature made of one and the same blood and Gods as is himselfe by right of redemption or that doth love another man as a mysticall member of Christ as is himselfe and in that love doth cherish him as Abraham did Lot In both these respects he is kinde to the unkinde to the just and the unjust and so is perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect that is in a similie or likenesse unto him for as saith our Proverb every like is not the same and therefore but imperfect inherently still for he that saith hee hath no sinne is a lyar c. Againe the truth is God never required such perfect obedience of any man but of those which were able so to performe it and they were only two of all mankinde the one was Adam when he was a publique person before his fall the other was Christ who was the second Adam in the worke of the first to the redemption of all Therefore do not derogate from his glorious works not arrogate to thine own inglorious * For returning to God by beliefe in the object of justification is right repentance only therefore although faith is the receptive instrument of that object and mourning and weeping doth accompany that repentance yet neâ—ther is the removall of sins guilt or punishment only Christs righteousnesse imputed is the ground of acceptance therefore beware of ascribing sorrow to be repentance of of faith for acceptance lest we unawares uphold the erroneously of the mystery of iniquity maintained by the Roman Antichrist works nor be not deceived by that wicked one who teacheth this Doctrine whom Christ shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his coming Object Againe it will be objected that by those words I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman is meant the woman should envie Satan for the evill done unto her and so one Divell may envie another Answ This implies that God gave in the promised seed no more good in these words I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman then have the damned Spirits under eternall reprobation which is absurd Reply To this is replyed that all mankinde since the fall are conceived and borne with no better internall dispositions tending to God then is the nature of Divells Answ It appeares the contrary in the worst of men if not delivered up from the universall grace of the Covenant to a finall impenitency notwithstanding their acquired habits in evill there is in them some internall dispositions naturally to God which is not found in Divells for although Mathew the 8.29 Divells can ground their requests to God on his justice not to torment them before the time of their finall bruise by the seed of the woman Mat. 25 41. but they are not naturally inclined as are all mankinde to ground their prayers unto God upon his goodnesse and mercy as for instance that innumerable company of Heathenish Ninivites beleeved Gods word of wrath to be true for their present destruction yet they invocate him intirely upon a dependant hope of mercy from him Ionah 2 9. So the Mariners in their Idolatrous manner implore the Divine Majesty in apparant destruction upon a dependant hope of mercy from him Ionah 1.15.14 Secondly there is in all mankinde a naturall inclination to worship the divine Majesty as is apparant not only in the Ninivites and Marriners but also it is the ground why all Nations whatsoever have some kinde of Religious worship even to those which are Divells as to a Deity above themselves and also to God as unknowne Acts 17.23 which internall dispositions are not in Divells although the true God to them be knowne for as they cannot implore God under the Notion of goodnesse nor mercy so have they neither any set form of religious worship to God but all destruction and Idolatrous errors and lies in Gods worship amongst men originally arose from them aswell as from mens own remissenesse by not improving this internall principle of enmity to Satan and amity to God as precedently is proved To this it will be objected the divels know Gods Law Object 11 and the very knowledge of it writes
it in their hearts and so although the Heaâ—hen had not the Law yet by some meanes they might come to know the Law and so the Law became written in their hearts Suppose some did so come to know the Law Answ yet it makes nothing to the purpose for it is one thing to have the Law of Christ in the Theory in some mens minds as it is in the divels and another thing to have the spirit of man inclined universally to worship the divine Majesty and to implore the same in time of need with hope of mercy yea so farre that if this be improved in man having not the Law it will neverthelesse terminate in the true circumcision of the heart as is plainly proved in the 7. Chap. of this Treatise Againe as for the divels and men so farre forth as they adhere to him their consciences may accuse them of evill but that the consciences of divels can excuse them in any respect of uprightnesse to God-ward as did the consciences of these Heathen excuse as well as accuse Rom. 2. but not so in divels by any testimony of Scriptures therefore the spirits of all mankind were meetly disposed by the foresaid infusion and the serpents nature as reduced but to a seed to receive mercy from the throne of grace in Jesus Christ But it wil be objected this disposition came not by Christ Object 12 in the foresaid infusion but it is the remainder of the Law left in the fall of Adam hereditarily descending in the nature of man This contradicts the former because it grants some good dispositions naturally inclining mankinde to God which is not in divels Againe Answ this implyes the justice of God was not universally full in the fall of Adam therefore man lost not the Law totally and eternally consequently not all holinesse and righteousnesse consequently some power internally remaines by which he may returne to God in the Covenant as it was in the first Adam for no power is in it selfe of no use proper to it's end therefore not this Againe it implyes the fall of Adam was not so irrecoverably deepe as to need the second Adam to be a person infinite in power by it to raise us from that vast misery consequently the restauration of the world may rather be attributed to the dignity of Christs Person then to the absolute necessity of his person so dignified in power to make good his Fathers truth against all the lies of Satan to the full satisfaction of divine Justice in the improvement of his personall operations as in the 8. Chapter is proved Againe it eclypseth the glory of Gods grace and mercy by Christ Jesus because it referres this internall inclination of the Law written not to Gods universall mercy in the gift of the promised seed when none but the Image of Satan by his lies was written in mans heart by Satans malice and mans owne remissenesse and by divine Justice totally and eternally so to remaine And in a word because this brings man to turne his eyes to looke upon his left and remaining abilities so that all he hath before faith is not received from Gods mercy in Christ but from his owne store and so by pride to fall from grace Therefore this internall disposition was infused by Gods universall grace in the promised seed And to conclude as this opinion on the one side lessens the glory of Gods Justice in the fall of Adam and also the glory of Gods grace by the second Adam the restorer of all so also it continues an intermingled confusion in the body of Divinity Object 13 to the furtherance of the mysteries of iniquity Againe it will be objected although by Moses God doth expresse the planted and inclosed garden of Eden was made with every tree good for food and pleasant to sight and different from the perfections of the created globe and made in the midst thereof to grow two trees and named the one the tree of Life the other the tree of Knowledge of good evil Likewise threatned Adam with certaine death if hee did eate of the fruit forbidden him yet because God did not in plainnesse of speech expresse that by these two things he prefigured to Adam that by his worke in the Covenant God intended to raise the world from it's naturall perfections to a supernaturall perfection and man to the glory of Angels or to an evill equivalently contrary therefore we are not to believe any such thing was then intended by God to Adam as a publike person by Covenant Answ It doth not follow by any just consequence if wee carefully examine Gods proceedings in manifesting to mankind the transcendent glory of Heaven for as to Adam in the garden before the fall he did not in plainnes of speech expresse the same so never after till the fulnesse of time for till then God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son in open face and plainnesse of speech but never before Heb. 1.2 3 2 Cor. 3.12.18 But to proceed to a particular answer for proofe of the point and first as God did not by Moses in plainnes of speech declare what he meant to Adam before the fall by those figures so neither after the fall by Moses to the world was Christ the second Adam in plainnesse of speech exprest to be the first borne of every creature from the dead fall of Adam opening the wombe of all perfection but in figures as by Cain as the first borne and by the Law of the first borne of mankind and the Law of the first borne of beasts and the Law of the first fruits of vegetables as growing in the terrestriall Canaan Exod. 13.2 Exod. 22.29 30. Neither was it ever in plainnesse of speech made knowne by Moses nor the Prophets that the whole creation travelleth till now with man believing truth from the bondage of corruption to be partaker of the glorious libertie of the sâ—nnes of of God but onely figured as by a Law for the land to rest as well as for mans rest and in the number of seven as pointing at perfection as pag. 35. 36. Neither was it by Moses not the Prophets made knowne to the world in plainnesse of speech that Christ as God-man should second the first Adam in the worke of the restauration of the world but inclusively in the promised seed of the Woman to breake the serpents head and also as the seed of Abraham and David c. Neither as by Moses in plainnesse of speech did God expresse that the garden of Eden was the figure of Angels glory to Adam so neither did hee expresse by plainnesse of speech to Israel that the Land of Canaan was to them a figure of the heavenly Canaan but by the agreement of the Type with the Antitype as is implyed Esay 51.3 yet the Apostle concludes that God denyed them rest in the Land of