THE VINDICATION OF CHRIST AND HIS ORDINANCES FROM The corrupt and false Glosses made thereon by the subtil Deceivers of these TIMES By Christopher Pooly Minister of the Word at great Missingham in Norfolk For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and Wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. Mat. 24. 24. The Prophets prophecy falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means c. Jer. 5. 31. LONDON Printed for Henry Cripps and Lodowick Lloyd and are to be sold at their shop in Popes head Alley 1652. The Summary Heads Oâ— the ensuing DISCOURSE THe truth of Faith and Believing manifested Pag. 1. A Treatise of Self-Denyal 8 The Love and Free Grace of God in Christ the cause of all good unto man 26 Positions about the grounds of the Treatises and Meditations 37 Arguments made to uphold Inherent Holiness and Righteousness in Man by the Sanctification of the Spirit are answered 42 Of the Sanctification of the Spirit 51 Six sorts of men of different ways opinions or judgments touching their estates with God 49 The Errors of Universal Redemption discovered 65 A Catechistical Dialogue useful for the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 74 Another Meditation of the Law 94 Snares of Popery discovered 103 104 Of the Law remaining and the Law ended in Christ to the Elect. 110 111 All Times Deeds and Things present in Gods sight from Eternity 126 Another Catechistical Dialogue resolving many subtil Questions raised and made by the Adversary c. 137 Rest to the Souls of Believers 165 Christs Government of his Church upon Earth 192 193 The right meaning and understanding of these words in Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing giveth light to the Truths in these Treatises 202 203. The truth of Faith AND Believing manifested BEcause the Apostle saith therfore we conclude that man is justified by faith without the works of the Rom. 3. 28 Rom. 5. 1. Law and the like otherwhere Some take it and hold forth that a man is justified and made righteous by his faith by believing That he was not before his faith righteous before God it is his faith that doth him that good to make him righteous with God before faith he is an unjust man a wicked and ungodly man and one of the children of wrath before God without mercy and forgivenesse of sin before faith and repentance performed of him There is no justification of man before God before Faith This taking and holding forth of this Scripture although it seem to these to be according to the history yet it is quite contrary to the mystery of faith and of Christ as the Apostle calleth it 1 Tim. 3. 9 For it crosseth all the most clear and comfortable Scriptures of Gods free grace and love in Christ to corrupt weak and sinfull Hos 14. 4. Isa 31. 3. Rom. 9. 11 13. man before the world As also the Scriptures of Gods everlasting love to those he pleased before the world and in continuance And the Scriptures of Gods election of those which he pleased and loved out of the company of the children of wrath before the foundations of the world in Gods sight to be holy and without blame before him for ever in love And the Scriptures of Gods Eph. 1. 4. See Eph. 1 4. 5. 6. Act. 13. 48. Rom. 8. 30. predestination to adoption through Christ and ordination to eternall blisse before the world of those which he elected in Christ before the world And further of his calling justifying and glorifying of those which he predestinated before himself before the world as the Scripture speaks And the Scripture of the Prophet Isa 53. 6. Esay that saith God hath laid the iniquities of us all upon Christ meaning of the Elect not that he will saith the Prophet but hath done it before the world when he loved elected and adopted his Elect c. And it crosseth the Scripture which saith that Christ justifieth Rom. 4. 5. the ungodly which must needs be understood of such as were ungodly the children of wrath by the first general sin who being elected before the world out of the same company to be holy and without blame before God in love ordained to eternal life and adopted Gods children are then justified before God although in themselves and before men they be still ungodly corrupt sinfull and carnall as Paul said he was in his best estate I am carnall Rom. 7. 14 sold under sin Paul could not be loved of God elected in Christ and adopted to be Gods child ordained to eternall life before the world and be the child of wrath and unjustified before God still although he did sin in the flesh before men And it crosseth the Scripture of the same place where it is said A man is justified by Faith without the works of the Law To Believe is a work of the Commandement of the Law as to love fear obey to be humble meek sober and temperate are works of the Commandements of the Law and Faith and Believing done then is the work of the Law as loving fearing obeying humiliation meeknesse sobernesse and temperance and the rest of that sort commanded to man in the law of works as Paul instances are all works of the law so that if a man be justified and made righteous before by his faith and believing commanded he is justified by the works of the law which the Apostle saith no man no flesh wall be justified by And here he saith A man is justified by faith without the works of the law The doers are justified Rom. 2. 13. Certainly no man is justified by any work of his own not because if he did the work commanded righteously the just God would not justifie him therefore but because no man doth or can do the work of the law commanded righteously therefore no man is justified saith the Apostle by the works of the Law But they say faith and repentance are works of the Evangelicall law and the commandements thereof are the commandements of the Evangelicall law to be performed of man Solut. if these take the Evangelicall law to command faith and repâ—ntance to believe and â—â—pent in the â—orm of the law and covenant of works to be performed of man before God then they are the works of the law by which no man can be justified before God But if they take this Evangelicall law as the term holds it forth indeed to be the law and commandement of the covenant of grace whereof Christ the gracious undertaker for the elect of God did undertake to do the whole will of God for them when he said Lo I come to do thy will O God And that Christ hath done doth and ever will do the same of the law commandement Heb. 10. 9. and covenant of grace for the elect of God which are not nor were ever able
to do any part thereof sithence the fall of man and that Christ hath fully performed all to be performed in himself already to the full satisfaction of God for the justification peace and salvation of the elect so that they are justified before God and have peace with God as the Apostle saith being justified by his blood we shall be saved from Rom. 5. 9. his wrath through Christ. And Christ died for our sins and rose a-again for our justification therefore the elect are justified before they believe then when Christ rose again before God and God loved Iacob before he was born or had done good or evill before men therefore Jacob was justified before God before he was born for God could not love him being still the child of wrath wicked and unrighteous before him and God elected Paul and the rest in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him they could not have been holy and without blame before God which God elected them unto if they had not then been justified before God They could not be elected out of the children of wrath and be still 〈◊〉 children of wrath before God they could could not be elected to be holy and without blame before God and be wicked and unjustified before God still And when God predestinated those he pleased to eternall life he then called justified Rom. 8. 29 30. and glorified them before himself saith the Apostle How then can these hold forth that a man is justified and made righteous by faith that it is faith that doth him that good that there is no justification to man before faith And if they take it that Christ the gracious undertaker for the elect in the Evangelicall law or covenant of grace hath not only done the will of God and performed all to be performed in himself for the justification of the elect but also hath done doth and will do the will of Mod to the end in the elect in inlightening their dark hearts and souls by his spirit sent unto them and in manifesting and witnessing by his spirit to their hearts and soules that they are the children of God elected in Christ ordained to eternall life and justified before God by Christs performances and the free grace and love of God in Gods sight before the world and in giving understanding knowledge and believing to their dead hearts and souls of their justification and the rest wrought for them by Christ as David said Give me understanding and I shall Psal 119. 24. live that is I shall know that I live in Christ and that Christ liveth in me then they must needs take it that the performances of Christ in the elect are but the witnesses and manifestations of the performances of Christ in himself for the justification of his elect not their justifying Christ saith I am the vine and he saith to his elect you are the branches The fruit of the vine there bred is Iohn 15. 〈◊〉 conveighed by the spirits of the vine to the branches the branches bear the fruits of the vine and hold them forth as instruments prepared and fitted of the vine and spirits thereof The fruits that the branches bear and hold forth are not the fruits of the branches bred of the branches but the fruits of the vine so Christ called them Luke 22. 18. bred of the vine and conveighed by the spirits thereof to the branches to be born and held forth The branches cannot bear nor hold forth any good fruit without the vine and the spirits of the vine And the good fruits do shew and manifest the good vine whereof they are bred and that the branches that did bear them did abide in the vine So the fruits of the spirit as love joy peace faith c. are bred Gal. 5. 22. of Christ and conveighed by the spirit of Christ to the elect branches of the vine Christ and the elect as Christ pleaseth to do the will of God in them as his branches do bear and hold them forth But the fruits of the spirit are not bred of the elect but of Christ by his spirit conveighed to them and therefore called the fruits of the spirit to be born and held forth by them as fitted branches and instruments of Christ the vine and his spirit and the elect cannot beare them of themselves without Christ and his spirit breed them and conveigh them and therefore Christ faith VVithout me you can do nothing that is you cannot bear the fruits nor hold them forth without me and the fruits of the spirit born and held forth in man do witnesse and evidence Christ in him that bare them and do also witnesse that that man is elected in Christ and abideth in Christ the vine as the Apostle saith his spirit witnesses and faith is the evidence of things not seen Rom. 8. 16 Hâ—b 11. 1. All that which Christ doth of the will of God in the elect doth not justifie them or make them the children of God but onely doth witness and manifest to them that they are justified and made the children of God by the performances done in himself and that of grace by the imputation of his Righteousness and the Righteousness of his performances in himself to them they are made Righteous the children of God and saved As it is said Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness It could not be Abraham's believing according to the Commandment of the law of Works that was imputed to him for Righteousness for Abraham no doubt was a corrupt sinful man as all the Elect are in themselves and and his believing was corrupt and sinful as himself was and God that did never call evil good did never impute sin for Righteoulness and if Abrahams Righteousness had been of his believing according to the Commandement then it had been of his works that he was justified contrary to the Scripture The faith and believing the fruit of the spirit of Christ that Abraham did bear as a branch of the Vine Christ did onely witness and manifest to him that he was justified by Christ and his performances they did not justifie him But Abraham being one of Gods Elect in Christ for whom Christ had undertaken and in himself performed all Righteousness before God it that is the Righteousness of Christs performances was imputed to him for Righteousness by grace The Elect in Christ the Adopted through Christ those who See Rom. 4. 5 6. are ordained to eternal life whose sins were laid upon Christ from the beginning which Christ hath performed all for in himself to the full satisfaction of God are justified before God before Faith before they believe of grace by the imputation of Christs Righteousness to them Their work of Faith cannot justifie them the grace of Faith wrought in them by the spirit of Christ doth not justifie them but witness andâ— manifest that they are justified by the Righteousness
of Christs performances for them in himself The Elect of God in Christ are justified by the imputation of Christs Righteousness to them of free grace and this is the blessedness Rom 4 6. of Faith the Prophets and Apostles held forth to them Ob. But the deceiving spirit and the deceived will object that these predecations and and openings of Faith are a great derogation and undervaluing of faith which in the history of the Scriptures is so highly extolled to have done and do great things for man and that man hath done great things by faith a man faith the Apostle is justified by faith Christ saith to the woman Thy faith hath saved thee by faith Peter walked upon the Sea untill Râ—â— 3. 2. 8 Lâ—ke 7. 50 Maâ— 14. 29 3â— Hâ—b 10. 38. Hâ—b 11 4. 5. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20. 2â— 22. 23 29. he doubted by faith faith the Apostle the just shall live Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Jsaac Jacob Joseph Moses did great things by faith by faith the walls of Jericho were overthrowne and fell down An. All these and the rest spoken of the faith of Gods Elect in the Scriptures do not intend to shew that by the power of Faith these great things are or were done but to shew that these great things done of and by the power of our great God and his goodnesse were made known to them manifested evidenced and witnessed to them when they believed them so done of him Joshua and the Priests did believe the Walls of Jericho fell downe by the power of God the walls fell not downe by their believing although they were not down to them before they believed the same The woman believed that she was saved by the mercy and performance of Jesus Christ she was not saved by the power of her believing yet she knew not her self saved untill she believed it So a man that believeth that he is justified by Christ and the righteousnesse of his performance imputed to him is not justified to himself before his believing he knoweth not that he is justified untill he believeâ—h it His believing is the first Gospell Messenger that bringeth to him the glad tidings of his Justification by Christ and his righteousnesse yet not justified by his believing and this is the reason why Faith is so much extolled in the history of Scriptures If a man were in the prison of a dark dungeon and there should come a messenger to him and assure him of his inlargement and to be setled in a Kingdome would he not ever make much of and extol this messenger that brought him this first good tidings Faith is the first Messenger of Christ that he sendeth to poor corrupt man sitting in darknesse and the shadow of death of his inlargement of his Justification Adoption and Salvation in the heavenly Kingdom this Faith therefore must needs be highly extolled of all men and all the Penmen of Christ Yet it may not be Idolized set up above our God Christ nor equalized to or before Christ to justifie a man before God which 〈◊〉 Fhâ—s 2. is only in the power of Christ and the gracious work of Christ This is Antichrist the man of sin that doth this it is therefore the deceiving Spirit and those which are deceived that hold forth that it is faith that first justifieth a man and maketh a man righteous before God and that doth him that good Ob. But the deceiving Spirit and the deceived do further object By the grace of Christ by the help of Christ Christ strengthning me I am able to do the â—ommandement of the Law of God that commandeth me to believe to love to repent c. so Paul said Phil. 1. 13. say they I am able to do all things through the help of Christ that strengthneth me Ans Paul said the truth that he being a Branch of the Vine Christ was able by the help of Christ the Vine to bear and hold forth the fruit of the Spirit of Christ being strengthned by Christ as faith love repentance and the rest but not to be the worker and doer of the fruits of the Spirit faith love and repentance which belongeth to Christ and his Spirit only as the Apostle Heb. 12. 1. saith Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith and the rest that we bear and hold forth by his help and strengthning Paul said he was able to do all things by the help and strengthning of Christ belonging to the branch and instrument of Christ to bear and hold forth love faith repentance and the rest of the works of the will and commandement of God wrought up in him by Christ the undertaker and his Spirit to be born and held forth of him other branches these are the all things intended of Paul Man cannot do nor be a doer of the will and Commandement of God as to believe love repent and the rest by the help and strengthning of Christ for if he could and should do or be a doer of the work he should have wages and might challenge a debt of God a share in the work To him saith the Apostle that Rom. 4. 4. worketh the wages is not accounted off vor or grace but of debt Now the Apostle saith all the goodnesse of God to man is of grace not of debt for his work doing of the wil and Commandement of God we saith he are justified freely by his grace by the grace of God I am that I am saith Paul by Christs grace ye Rom. 3. 24 1 Cor. 15. 10. Epb. 2. 5. 8 are saved saith Paul And Paul said I find no means to perform that which is good that is no help no strengthning by Christ to perform the will and commandement of God which Christ hath undertaken to do and which only is able to do the same J am carnall sold under sin the good which I would do that J do not and Rom. 7. 18. the evill which J would not do that J do when J would do good evill is present with me saith Paul And further these saying that they are able to do the will and Commandement of God by the help of Christ c. do much exalt themselves and dishonor Christ and his undertaking of doing the whole will of God for poor corrupt and unable man for they make themselves the principal doers of the will and Commandement of God and Christ but their helper their auxiliary a helper is not the principall in any thing Thus they would make Christ a helper of their faith and believing of their justifying and saving but themselves the principall This is the man of sin the Antichrist exalting himself above our gracious undertaker and God Christ Babes keep your selves from Idolls The mystery of the Gospell of Faith and Christ is hid to none but those which are lost and to those which are lost it is hid A TREATISE OF Self-Deniall Luke 9. 23. And he said unto them all
so promised which never paid any thing If man look for the love salvation and goodness of God for his own performances to God he will be deceived If poor corrupt man think to have the love of God for his love to God to be saved for his faith to be helped and assisted at Gods hand for his Prayer or to be forgiven for his Repentance he is deceived For the Apostle saith To him that worketh the wages Rom. 4. 4. is not accounted of favour or grace but of debt now God is a debter to no man he sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth that is leaveth him in his own hardness To take the Promise of God to be a debt to corrupt man for Rom. 9. 18. his work and performance to God is a great dishonour to God yea it is to make God a mercenary God that will do some good for man if he be paid for it if man do good for him and to him when as all the love and goodnesse of God to man is gratis of free grace I will love them freely saith God We are justified freely Hos 14. 4. Rom. 3. 24 Rev. 21. 6. Take of the water of life freely saith the Apostle Indeed God saith he loveth them and sheweth mercy on them that love him and keep his commandements and will justifie and save them that believe and will give to them that ask and forgive them that repent but he doth not say nor promise to love or shew mercy to them for their love or because they love him nor to justifie and save for their faith because they believe nor to give them because they ask or to forgive because they repent the History tels us not that All that God looketh for of man is in Christ which performeth all and he is satisfied for which he loveth giveth and forgigeth his Elect in Christ Isa 5. 3. 11. Indeed God sheddeth his love into the hearts of the Elect by the Holy Ghost sent unto them whereby their hearts bear the love of God and the manifestations of his love as the branch of the Vine beareth the grapes and fruits of the Vine conveighed by the spirits of the vine to manifestation and witnes as Christ himself sheweth in the Parable of the vine Ioh. 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. And the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of the elect by the Holy Ghost sent to them doth not onely manifest the love of God seated there in that soul passively but also by the same holy Ghost the love of God is acted so God and man by the Instrument of the same soul as it pleaseth the Lord Christ and all the fruits of the love of God evidenced witnessed and assured to the same soul by the spirit of Christ as the Apostle speaketh We have received the spirit of adoption and the same spirit beareth Rom. 8. 15 16. witnes with our spirits or souls that we are the sons of God The holy spirit manifesteth witnesseth and assureth the souls of the Elect of the love of God mercy justification and forgiveness of sinnes c. And this is that which is called their faith by which they are said to live to be justified and saved and to have all comfort whilst they are in the body And as the Apostle saith The promise of the new Covenant of Gal. 3. 16. grace called the new commandement and condition was made to the seed speaking of one which is Christ onely able to do the will of God in the same commandement and covenant being the undertaker to do the will of God of free grace and freely saying Lo I come to do thy will O God for poor corrupt man which thou hast elected in me not able to do any thing thereof in himself although in the history of Scriptures the promise be often found helf forth to man because Christ of grace imputeth and freely giveth the good and benefit of the promise purchased by himself to his Elect but afterwards reserving the Praise Honour and Glory thereof to himself So the whole covenant of grace was made of God with his Christ the undertaker to do the will of God for poor corrupt man elected in Christ as well the performing of the conditions and commandement therein as receiving of the promise although in the history of the Scriptures the commandement and performances of the condition of the covenant be held forth to pertain to unable corrupt man which onely pertaineth unto Christ the gracious and able undertaker for what is doth or hath poor corrupt man herein but in Christ Christs command to the Reprobate is as he is God the commander in justice to the Elect as undertaker of the work before God in grace Indeed our God commandeth in the history of the Scriptures both Reprobate and Elect and his command is holy just and of authority the Elect of themselves are still corrupt in themselves although holy in Christ in whom they are elected and not able through their corruption to do the just command Christ that of authority commandeth hath undertaken to do the will of God as he saith Lo I come to do thy will O God And no Heb. 10. 9. doubt but it was for the Elect that Christ did undertake to do the will of God as the payment of the debt in his justice for their transgression unto mercy and forgivenesse their holinesse and righteousness before God This will of God for payment to mercy and forgiveness for righteousnesse holinesse and goodnesse to them which Christ undertook to do for the Elect which themselves were not nor are able to do in the least no doubt he did doth and ever will do graciously making them his instruments as he pleaseth and imputing all to them upon which account it is said Christ is the Priest and the Sacrifice the Law or Covenant-giver and the Law or Covenant-keeper the Judge and the Advocate the commander and the doer of the commandement as the renowned Father in the church of Christ said Do Lord that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And although the afflictions punishments and misery of Reprobates be just to them for their sins against the holy commandement and although the afflictions troubles and punishments of the Elect be many in this world as David said he was punished every day yet the afflictions of the Elect in Christ are not nor can be for their sins before God which Christs full payment for them to God hath satisfied as the Prophet saith and which Christ hath Isa 53. â—1 covered as David saith Blessed is that man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sin is covered and which Christ hath taken quite away as the Apostle saith Christ appeared we know that he 1 Ioh. 3. 5. might take away our sins Can it be thought that the just God will exact payment for that which he hath had full payment already for which
Peace Righteousnesse Society Safety and Comfort among themselves which without a Law could not have government Peace Righteousness and Safety before men especially in regard of many Hypocrites in closing themselves among the Elect of God as Wolves among Sheep And that those his redeemed People should do and performe in the will and power that they had left them these his Commandements in righteousnesse before men for worship to God Peace Safety Society and comfort among themselves upon temporall reward and penalty And that the will worke and doing of the same his Commandement being the fruits of his Spirit wrought up in their hearts where and as hee pleased might witness unto them that they are Christs redeemed ones that they have his Spirit and are the children of God as the Apostle saith the spirit received doth witness with our soules and spirits Rom. 8. 16. that we are the children of God So these confounding the Law and Commandement of God given to man in absolute Justice having absolute Free-will and power upon the condition of absolute eternall life and death for keeping and breaking the same still remaining written in the hearts of all Mankinde their Free-will and power being wholly corrupted and weakened through the transgression and the Law and Commandement of Christ given in grace to his Church the chosen of God in him whereby Mercy and Truth met together Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other upon temporall reward Psal 85. 10. and penalty for keeping and breaking the same before men for the condition of the reward and penalty could not be eternall of keeping breaking the Commandement of Christ given in grace For that the eternall reward of righteousnesse to man before God consisteth onely in the Work and Merit of Christ for man in Christ himself performed before God imputed unto man Gods chosen without any will or worke of mans And the eternall penalty of all the sinne and transgression of Gods chosen and Christs redeemed is paid and satisfied by Christs Death and Bloud from the beginning before God in the fulnesse of him before them Although those that are Gods chosen and those that are not Gods may have will and power to keep the Commandement before men yet they neither have such will or power as to keepe it before God to eternall reward Quest Christ commandeth those hee called and sent to go and teach all Nations what is that teaching of Christ that hee intendeth Mat. 28. 89. Ans First I take it In that Christ commandeth to go and teach Mar. 16. 6. all Nations hee intendeth not to all of all Nations not to cast Pearles among Swine which turning againe will rend them that teach them but to teach such of all Nations as will submit to their Mat. 7. 6. teaching Secondly that they should teach all them of all Nations that did submit to the Gospell of Jesus Christ Which is the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ That is that God so loved the world which hee intended to make that hee fore-knowing that mankinde would transgresse his command and become the children of wrath did purpose and in his Mercy and Love did choose some as he pleased of the world of those children of wrath in Christ his onely Son eternall with himselfe before the world to be his children holy and without blame before him in love as the Apostle saith and the Father of love and mercy having Eph. 1. 4. pleased to give his Sonne the Christ to performe all things both in doing and suffering to the full satisfaction of his Justice for their delivering from thence full setling of those his chosen ones his love and favour for ever who did in present understand to doe the will of the Father saying Lo I come to doe thy will O Heb. 10. 7 8 9 God did also in present performe the same undertaken before God and before men in fulness of time to Gods satisfaction evermore that nothing hereafter is to be shall or can be laid to the charge of Gods chosen before God as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 33 shall 〈◊〉 any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth the◠That Gods chosen People are no more under the law of eternall condemnation but under grace evermore And that those of Gods chosen people unto whom it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ to give his holy Spirit so farre as by his Spirit to worke in their hearts the fruit of his spirit of believing and faith the same which the spirit doth witness and evidence to their hearts and soules that they are the chosen of God in Christ and justified of God through Christ before the world in Gods sight Rom. 6. 14 that they are no more under the Law but grace that they are the children of God c. This Gospel is the draw-net of Christ that Mat. 13. 47 gathereth of all kindes some This was that which the Gentiles Acts 13. 42 hearing desired Paul to preach the same word to them the next Sabbath Day Quest Is the teaching of Christ commanded to those he sent no teaching but of his Gospel to all Nations Answ Yes it is the teaching of his Law for the government of those before men which hee hath gathered by his Gospell for worship to God for Peace Society Safety Comfort and Righteousness among men themselves which could not be without a Law and government and this government of his Church lieth upon Christs Shoulders as the Prophet saith God which was pleased to suffer the children of wrath for the Esa 9. 6. time hee pleased to shew his wrath and make his power knowne was pleased to write his Law in their minds given to mankinde Rom. 1. in generall for government among themselves before men and whereby their consciences accuse and excuse one another and Rom. 2. whereby they know sinne and what deserveth death and there as the Apostle saith other wise there could have been no society among them But Christ giveth his Law for government to his Church not onely to know sinne by the teaching thereof and to shunne sinne as all naturall men have will and power to doe although weakly in their corruption but also that they may yeild themselves to be Rom. 6. 13 instruments of the worke of his spirit in the shunning of sinne inwardly in their hearts and of knowing what Christ hath done for them in himselfe before God in performing of the full righteousnesse of his Lawes and Commande to their peace with God and that the worke of the spirit in those of his Commandements being the fruits of his Spirit whereof they are made instruments may evidence witnesse and assure to them Rom. 8. 16 that they are the children of God chosen of God in Christ justified through Christ and redeemed by Christs payment to God and his performance of all to God for them in Gods sight and acceptance before the
so do without his holding and keeping you cast more folly and blasphemy upon Christ And you further teach all Nations that men that God hath had mercy on that Christ hath redeemed and bought that God hath given his grace unto and so he in the state of salvation may by their wilfull sinne fall away from grace mercy and the Love Heb. 12. 15 Rev. 2. 4 of God by forsaking their first Love and so become the children of wrath and destruction And by repentance may returne to God have mercy grace and love of God againe and be the children Ezech. 18 of God againe and may often rise and fall into these conditions which is not the teaching commanded of Christ It is Psa 12 1. 5 uncomfortable untrue and against the Scriptures of the Testament For there Christ is said to be the Keeper of his Israel which Joh. 18. 9 he bought and redeemed That hee loseth not one That none shall Joh. 13. 1 take them out of his hand That those that hee loveth hee loveth to the end and many like places 2 Tim. 2. 19 Heb. 6. Jer. 32. Indeed a man may fall away from grace and forsake his first Love that Christ hath redeemed before men in the sight of men and in the estimation of men c. but not before God in Gods Sight and estimation Gods Love is an everlasting Love to the end The foundation of God is sure the Lord knoweth who are his and Jesus Christ is the yesterday and to day And I will be their God and they shall be my people I will never forsake them and I will put such a feare into their Hearts that they shall never depart from mee Jerem. 32. 40. Another Meditation of the Law THe Law is good and holy and the use of the Law and Commandement appointed of God to be manifested and published to mee in the holy Scriptures is so evident both to the Reprobate 1 Tim. 1. 8 and to the Elect as the Apostle saith The Law is good to man if a man use it lawfully The reprobate and the Elect in their corrupted estate the one as the other hath remaining corrupted reason wisdome and knowledge of God in the corrupted nature of man whereby they have some corrupted sight of the righteousnesse of God in the common Law and the penalty of breaking thereof So the Apostle saith of the Church That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto Rom. 9. 19 them For the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and God head are seene by the Creation of the World being considered in his Workes to the intent that they should be withâ—â—t excuse which men though they know the Law of God how Vers 31. that they which commit such things are worthy of death yet not onely doe the same but also know them that doe them This righteous Law and command of God remaining in the corrupt Reason Wisdome Knowledge and Nature of men is called of the Ethnick Philosophers the Law of nature of the Lawyers the Law of Nations And of this Law the Law of Moses which temperate meeknesse was a plaine Exposition and manifestation of Yet this Law and righteousnesse of God remaining unto the corrupted nature of man was that which by Gods providence forced the Philosophers so called of the Ethincks to write many bookes of Ethicks to the people wherein wee see many notable Rules and directions for mans safety and society And likewise in the Lawes of Nations for civilizng and moralizing of men And no Nations of people that wee have heard of read of there are or have been but there have beene Rules and Lawes amongst themselves for some civility and morality according to their corrupt reason and understanding of God and God not to sanctâ—fie or justifie men before God for that is onely Christs Worke but to civilize and moralize them before men for the more safety of Gods Elect. And this was the use of the more cleare Exposition and manifestation of this Law of God remaining to man in his corrupt nature by a speciall providence of God written by Moses to the People of Israel and so remaining written to all people to whom it commeth as unto us to moralize and civilize men or as it may be said to sanctifie and justifie men before men in the sight of men in the estimation of men And that upon the proportionable temporall penalties to the breakers and like reward to the Keepers thereof for the good and society of men without which mans life would be miserable But not to justifie or sanctifie men before God by the worke thereof That being onely the work of Christ and onely in the power of Christ and his performance And the Acts 13. 39 Rom. 3. 20 Scriptures largely and plainly manifesteth that from all things which yee could not be justified by the Law of Moses by him that is Christ every one that believeth is justified By the worke Rom. 10. 6. of the Law shall no man be justified in his that is Gods sight saith Rom. 3. 24 the Apostle If it be of works it is no more of grace wee are justified freely through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Christ Jesus is 1 Cor. 1. 30 made unto us Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption The Law saith the Apostle came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17 If any Law and the marke of any Law of Moses might sanctifie or justifie before God then the Leviticall or Ceremoniall Law and the workes thereof might have done that as the Offerings Sacrifices shedding of Bloud Purifyings Clensing and Washing Sprinklings and the like which all figured Christ and his performances But the Apostle saith that all these were nothing to purifie and sanctifie men before God but onely outwardly touching the flesh in the sight and estimation of men as Heb. 9. 13. for saith the Apostle It is impossible the Bloud oâ— Bulls and Goats should take away sinne and againe in burnt Offerings sin Offerings thou hadst no pleasure therein said I that is Christ Loâ— I come to Heb. 10. 4 do thy will O God Man is not justified sanctified or purified before God by any of mans workes of the Law of Moses no God Heb. 10. 6 7 hath no pleasure in them but onely in his Christ and his workes And yet God was pleafed his Law and Commandements should remaine to corrupt man even that that Moses Law the more cleare exposition of the Law of nature should be added because of transgression as the Apostle saith to shew sinne more cleerly to Gal. 3. 19 man and the righteousnesse of God in condemning The transgressions of his Law first and last and to abate and shake the current of corruption in the reprobate to the more safety of his Elect among them as Wolves to them and for the mortifying
would think himself bound to be thankful to that friend and to love him as long as he lives otherwise he were an unworthy man Every man is bound to perform this building which is the doing of the command of God but his transgression is so much which is his debt to pay that he is not able to do any thing of the command Jesus Christ put forth himself a friend to all Believers in him he builds the house for them he hath paid all the debt of their transgression with the price of his passion blood and death and they have the whole benefit and the reward thereof Is not this a comfort to every believer will not this make them thankful and ever to love the Lord Jesus Christ Surely that man is no believer that sheweth not comfort therein yea their fulnes and love to the Lord Jesus Christ for this This made David to call out O that men would therefore praise Psal 107. 8. the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he hath done for the children of men And What shall I give unto the Lord for all that he hath done unto mee I will take the cup of salvation and give Psal 116. 13. 1 Cor. 16. 22. thanks unto the Lord. And this made Paul to say Cursed is he that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ. But now the words of many are stout against Christ his undertakings and performances which notwithstanding say like Hypocrites Wherein have we spoken against thee Of whom the Prophet Mal. 3. 13. fore told never so many of these as now are standing up to set up man and pull down Christ yea instead of denying themselves as Christ commandeth deny Christ in the matter I know there are many that will say O that I had assurance of Christ and his performances for me and the benefits thereof of the forgivenesse of my sins and all my debts paid to God and of life everlasting by Christ Quest But how shall I know this Answ If thou seest and findest the fruits of Christs spirit wrought up in thee mentioned and intended by the Apostle love Gal. 5. 22. joy peace faith goodnesse c. and especially this self-denyal wrought up in thee as Christ in the Text commandeth to deny thy self this is a witnesse and an assurance to thee of all thou desirest to know and to have of Christ The fruit of the Vine witness and assure that the branches that beare them do abide in the Vine and have all of the Vine behoovable for them even so where the good and true fruits of the spirit of Christ appear are born and held forth in truth and simplicity it is a certain evidence witnesse and assurance to that man that he is a living branch abiding in Christ and hath all of Christ that he hath undertaken and performed for Gods chosen ones that he hath forgivenesse of all his sins and everlasting life For these things wrought up in him are the witness and assurance to him of the Spirit of adoption received and the same spirit saith Rom. 8. 16. the Apostle witnesseth that is assureth that we are the children of God and coheirs with Christ The love and free grace of God in Christ the cause of all good unto man THe Apostle saith We love God because he loved us first And again The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the 1 Iob. 4. 19. Rom. 5 5. 1 Pâ—â— 4. 8. Rom. 13. 8 Act. 7. 28. Holy Ghost which is given unto us Love covereth a multitude of sinnes And again Love is the fulfilling of the law From hence I gather that it is the love and free grace of God in Christ to the Elect that is the root the cause and worker of all good to them and of all good called theirs as the gift of Christ to them So God loved the world that he gave his onely Son c Their Election in Christ Ioh. 3. 16. their holinesse justification righteousnes or unblameablenes before God as Paul said We were elected in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love Their Predestination Eph. 1. 4. and Ordination to eternal life their adoption through Christ their quickning in Christ their raising in Christ their love to God and men their believing and Faith their obedience repentance Eph. 2. 5 6. prayer and thanksgiving the Preaching Teaching and Exhortation of all or any of these to them as the Text saith The love of God to us causeth us to love God if we love him And I take it the love and free grace of God in his Christ to the Elect is the fulfiller and the fulfilling of the will of God his Law and commandement of all these and the rest for them as the Apostle saith Love is the fulfilling of the law But I take it the love of the Elect to God and all the performances Rom. 13. 8. of the Elect never have been are or shall be any cause or motive of Gods love and free grace to them or of any of the performances thereof or therein to them As neither of the gift of his Son Christ nor of their election in Christ their sanctification and justification before him their Predestination and Ordination to eternal life their Adoption and Glorification their Quickning or Raising up in Christ their love to God or man their Believing and Faith their Obedience Repentance Prayers and Thanksgiving Nor of the true Preaching Teaching and Exhortation of all or any of these to them And although I finde not many that say the love and performance of the Elect to God was the cause of Gods love to them before the world and of Gods performances for them and to them before the world Object Yet I finde many that say that the love of the Elect to God now in the world and their performances of the duties of love to God in the world do not cause God move and incite God to love them to do them and others good as their faith their obedience their repentance prayer and supplications their praise and thanksgiving and the like For say they God hath promised good to them that love God and do the duties of love to God and men as to shew mercy to thousands in them that love him and keep his commandements and saith To them that fear my Name the sun of Righteousnesse Exod. 20. shall arise and health shall be under his wings And He that Mal. 4. 3. believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Repent and cause others to repent and return from all your transgression so iniquity shall not be Mark 16. 16. Ezek. 18. 16. Iam. 5 16. your destruction Ask and you shall have seek and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed for the prayer of a Righteous man availeth
he had in his acceptance by Christs undertaking so soon as Christ had undertaken If now there are many that hold so th the history of the Scriptures to affirm and prove the temporal afflictions of the Elect to be ordered unto them for their sins against God and men for their sins before God and before men But the mystery of our God and Christ of faith and godliness doth hold forth that afflictions are not ordered of Christ to the Elect for their sins either against God or men as the payment of the debt thereof or as in revenge of wrath which are never under wrath but under love but are alwaies ordered to the elect of God in the love wisdome and goodnesse of one God Christ either to take them away in love from sin and the misery of sin as the Prophet saith The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth Isa 57. 1. that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come or are Zach. 2. 5 Hos 2. 5. ordered to them to keep and preserve them from sin as by a wall of fire and a hedge of thornes as the Prophets speak upon which if their corrupt nature presse drive and force them they are by this means of Christ constrained to return to Christ as the Prophet Hosea at large sheweth in the second chapter of his Prophesie v. 5 6 7 c. A loving father will not chastise his child for the offence done if he knoweth that he will offend no more but will passe by the fault and if he doth chastise him it is that he might not offend afterward to keep him from offending And Psa 119. 71. upon this David said It is good for me that I have been in trouble for thereby I have learned to keep thy Statutes Davids troubles were Gods goodness to him although he was punished every day Daily have I been punished saith he The goodness of his troubles Psa 73. 14 and afflictions drive him back to Christ as the Apostle saith The love of Christ hath constrained us 2 Cor. 3. 14. But still there are some that it may be in earnest object if the elect do know they can do nothing of the holy commandement and if they know that Christ hath undertaken to do all and will do all for them commanded to be done before God Then they may live without care fear or regard of godlinesse to walk uprightly before God so that they live warily before men and give content and satisfaction to men This objection is not made from the spirit of Christ but from the spirit of Antichrist not from the sense of an elect believer but from the sense of reprobates such as God hath delivered up into a reprobate mind as the Apostle speaketh and are reprobate Rom. 1. 28 2 Tim. 3. 8 concerning the faith as he faith For although the elect believers denie themselves and see nothing in themselves but 〈◊〉 crying alwayes Lord be mercifull to me a sinner and know that themselves can do nothing of the holy commandement and know that Christ of free grace doth all for them of the same by his holy Spirit sent to them as he pleaseth yet they know also that because God careth 1 Pet. 5. 17. Psa 91. 12 Psa 25. 1â— for them he will keep them in all their wayes that he will teach them the way that they shall choose that he will mortifie the deeds of the flesh by his spirit sent unto them That the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost sent to Rom. 8. 13 them will act in their souls and hearts the love to God and man Yea they know that Christ hath promised to put such a fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from him and hath made Jer. 22. 40 41. such a covenant that he will never turn away from them but will delight in them to do them good So their knowledge of Christs grace to them doth not make them worse but better in themselves Christ saith naturall Heathens or Publicans love them that they know love them and shall not the love of God to the elect Mat. 5. 46 47. Rom. 14. 14. unto whom it is manifested constrain them although they be still carnall as Paul said he was to love God and man Ob. 2. But the deceiving spirit doth further object If our believing praying praising thanksgiving to God do not cause move and incite God to love us and do us good then wherefore should or do the elect pray and praise God all is in vain they do Answ Indeed all that they do to cause move and incite God to love them and do them good is in vain for it is Christ only that doth and can do that the doing of the elect cannot do it which is sinfull and corrupt Yet because Christ the undertaker for the elect which hath authority to command commandeth in the government of his Church to love pray praise give forgive and the rest The elect do the same not in vain but of duty because Christ their undertaker hath commanded although they do not nor can do the same according to the holy command A Scholler which is commanded of his favourable Schoolmaster to write his copie given him and which he knoweth can write never a letter right yet ought to write the same because he is commanded but it were folly in the Scholler to look to be praised of his Master for his bad writing And if any man shall ask why â—hrist commandeth the elect which he knoweth can do nothing of the command the answer may be First for his good pleasure and will and their humiliation Secondly â—â—â—ist would have his people exercised and not idle although weak Thirdly because although the goodnesse of their doing the holy command is nothing or extendeth not unto God is no goodnesse before God yet before men in mens estimation it is goodnesse as David saith My goodnesse extendeth not to thee O Lord but to the Saints which are upon the earth It is good and profitable Psal 16. 2 3. Tit. 3. 8. as the Apostle saith to men Fourthly for example to and another and edification of one another Fifthly for their knowledge of their transgressions of omission and commission as Paul said I had not known sin but by the law If Christ had not a commandement to bid â—nd forbid the elect had not known Rom. 7. 7. their sins and transgressions The Scholler which writeth never a letter well of his copie knoweth by his copie if he regard it and perule it well his fault in every word and letter although he cannot mend it So by the holy and righteous command of Christ the Elect may see and know their errour if they mind it and look upon it well although they cannot amend their errour themselves Sixtly Christ commandeth them to
of the Spirit is of Antichrist and to make men proud Pharisees to trust in themselves and despise others to make them think they are not as other men are nor as this or that sinner But I know the Doctrine of Christs Spirit is to make men humble Publicans to smite their breasts saying Lord be mercifull to me a sinner and wholly to deny themselves This Doctrine of inherent holinesse and righteousnesse as is aforesaid is confuted by the Prophets by Christ himself and by his Apostles The Prophet Esay speaking of himself and others having the Spirit saith We are all as an unclean thing all our righteousness is as filthy rags and after Paul says there is nonerighteous that doth good no not one Christ saith to the same purpose Thou hypocrite Rom 3 10. why seest thou the mote that is in thy Brothers eye and seest not the beam that is in thine own eye c. And again judge not that ye be not judged and when ye have done what ye can say we are unprofitable servants And the Apostle Paul saith after he had the Spirit known to himself In me that is in my flesh the corrupt man dwelleth no good things I find no means to perform that which is good Where was Pauls inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in himself when there dwelt no good thing in him and when he found no means to perform that which was good in himself where was his inablement in himselfe by the instrumentall assistance of the Spirit to do the works of holinesse and righteousness in the sight of God And whereas they say Paul meant by performance to do perfectly and that he might do that which was good and righteous in the sight of God although he did not the same perfectly it is but a sophisticall cavill For there is nothing good and righteous in the sight of God which is not perfectly good and righteous his Sacrifice is Levit. 3. 1. Numb 28. Deut. 13. 21. without spot or blemish Certainly these Positions are from the root of Antichrist and there is no essentiall point of Popery as I may have ground and sustentation from them as mans holy and righteous works before God Justification by mans works before God Debt and merit of God by mans works Supâ—rerogations Popes Holinesse That the Pope cannot erre Canonizing of men for Saints in themselves Sanctifyings and Consecrations of persons and things by men in the estimation of God Making holy Bread and holy Water in the estimation of Gods free-will What Saint in himself deserves not to be canonized What holy and righteous works that are holy and righteous in themselves in the estimation of God deserve not to be crowned of God as meritorious works It is just with men to recompence good works of men done to their honor and benefit with a proportionable price So no doubt it is just with God to recompence the good works of men in his estimation good works wrought of men themselves to his honor and the benefit of his with a price proportionable To him that worketh saith the Apostle the wages is not accounted of grace or favour but of debt Rom. 4. 4. I take it if man holdeth forth his own works good and righteous before God he challengeth a debt of God and forsaketh grace his own mercies They which were called Protestants were so called because they did protest against such points of Popery Further Arguments made to uphold Inherent Holinesse and Righteousnesse in man by the Sanctification of the Spirit are answered as followeth Arg. 1. THey say although Inherent Holinesse be taught of Papists and they teach so yet it is not Popish Doctrine That is Popish which Papists teach and maintaine against the Doctrine of the reformed Churches Answ Those Churches are reformed where Christ is perfectly formed in them Paul said to the Church of Galatia I travell in birth again till Christ be formed in you he did not mean Gal. 4. 19. formed in part but throughly and perfectly formed The Papists teach and maintain Inherent Holinesse and Righteousnesse contrary to the form of Jesus Christ otherwise they should have no ground for their other Popish Doctrines against the true form of Jesus Christ in his Church I take it they which maintaine the same with them close with Popery Arg. 2. The Pharisees taught such righteousnesse as is neither imputed to them nor inherent in them it is Iustitia quam docebant non quam praestabant Answ The Pharisees taught such righteousnesse as they accounted they had in themselves such as your Inherent Holinesse and Righteousnesse is in you by your account and they accounted they had it from God also they thanked God for it as I suppose you do I thank God saith the Pharisee I am not as other Luk. 18. 11. men are unjust c. He thought himself to have holinesse and righteousnesse in himself so do you Arg. 3. You abolish the Morall Law in Mat. 5. held up Answ We do not abolish the Morall Law further then the Apostle of Christ which saith For Christ is the end of the Law for Rom. 10 4. righteousnesse before God to every one that believes We say the Morall Law is still the manifestation of Gods Justice to the forsaken and Reprobate ones it is also the manifestation of sin to the Elect Believers and as an hedge of thorns to keep them from transgressing not to be held forth for eternall life or dâ—ath to believers but to shew them what Christ hath done for them in fulfilling of the righteousnesse thereof in delivering them from the curse thereof by his sufferings in himself and to shew them what Christ doth of the same in them as he pleaseth for their comfort by his spirit sent unto them in their unablenesse for a Rom. 8. 15. 16. witness and assurance to them of their adoption through Christ Arg. 4. You say contraries do not expell contraries necessarily they may be in the same subject in degrees as light and darknesse cold and heat so may knowledge and ignorance be in the believing man so may inherent holinesse and inherent corruption be in the man that believeth And yet you say in your exposition of 1 Pet. 4. 18. The grace of Sanctification doth drive away ignorance and darkness of mind and what is this but to affirm no ignorance in Believers inherent knowledge hath driven away inherent ignorance and that inherent holinesse hath driven inherent corruption quite away Answ So you deny and affirm the same thing and need no further answer Arg. 5. For to uphold inherent holinesse in man they alledge 2 Cor. 5. 17. where it is said If any man be in Christ he is a new creature And also Ephes 4. 24. where it is said Put on the new man c. Answ In these places the Apostle sheweth the great grace of God to those which are elected in Christ and adopted through Christ that that man is a new
creature in Christ a new man in Christ not in himself therefore he saith Jf any man be in Christ be is a new creature in Christ So the same Apostle saith he is quickned in Christ Eph. 2. 5. not in himself He is holy and without blame before God in Christ that is chosen in Christ Eph 1. 4. not in himselfe his carnall sinfull corrupt soul and body Our life that we live before God is in Christ it is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Col. 3. 3. It is not in our selves that we live before God in that J live J live by the faith of the Son of God saith Paul Gal. 2. 20. It is by faith that we live it is by grace of imputation of Christs life holinesse and righteousness that we live are holy and righteous before God not by inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in our corrupt man that is in our selves as the Apostle saith Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse Arg. 6. They for their inherent holinesse c. alledge the words of Peter the Apostle 1 Pet. 4. 18. Jf the righteous shall scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear Answ The words are clearly to be understood of hypocrites having inherent holiness and righteousnesse in themselves by their own account and in the estimation of men as the Pharisees and Judas had and others and of such as are manifest Reprobates by their contempt of godlinesse and greedinesse of transgression The Apostle noteth the haâ—dnesse of salvation to the best of these but there is no hardnesse or scarcenesse of salvation to those which are in Christ which God hath chosen in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love that are so Eph 1. 4 5. Act. 13. 48 ordinated to eternall life before the world as Paul and the rest were as he affirmeth and the other Evangelists Arg. 7. Thinking that these words of the Prophet will uphold inherent holiness c. they would have them paraphras'd auferam cor lapideum dabo cor carneum that is I will take away the stony Ezek. 36. 26. heart and give a fleshy heart Answ Man by corruption hath a hard and stony heart in himself although the man be chosen in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before God and is so in Christ although his heart be still hard in himself But when Christ pleaseth to send his Spirit the Spirit of promise to him with his operations of mortification and sanctification thereby Christ fitteth his story heart to be his branch to bear his fruits wrought up by his Spirit as he pleaseth such as are called the fruits of his Spirit inlightning softning love joy peace faith righteousnesse repentance selfe-deniall and all manner of goodness in which respect it is called a fleshy heart by reason of the operations of the Spirit unto it But the operations are not so as no hardness remaineth or returneth or fruits of the same hardness and corruption in the heart or soul Mr. Calles the memorable Martyr sheweth that well in his mournfull song which every best fleshy hearted man proveth Indeed saith he sometime I do repent To God for mercy call but yet alas incontinent to sin again I fall Here were in him fruits born and held forth of the fleshy heart but incontinent the fruits of the corrupt and stony heart are held forth in this man no inherent holiness and righteousness proved in man Arg. 8. They alledge for inherent holiness and righteousness c. Act. 10. 35. where it is said He that worketh righteousnesse is accepted with God From whence they conclude that there are some men that work righteousnesse and are accepted of God for working of righteousness Answ I am sorry that you draw such a conclusion from this Scripture contrary to the meaning thereof and contrary to the plain word of other Scriptures Paul saith Rom 9. 16. It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth meaning to have acceptance with God but in God that sheweth mercy And again if it be of mans working of righteousness then it is no more of grace that man is accepted with God Rom 11. 6. If it be of his works then it is of debt that man is accepted with God For to him that worketh the wages is accounted by debt saith the Apostle Rom. 4. 4. The Apostle excludes debt work to make acceptance with God I wish that Gal 5. 4. were well considered ye are abolished from Christ whosoever are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace He that is accepted of God for working righteousnesse certainly is justified by the Law and thinketh himselfe to be so For by that he is accepted with God he is justified before God God accepteth no unjust person The Apostle saith he that worketh righteousness of whatsoever Nation he be is accepted with God that is just with God but he doth not say that any man of any Nation worketh righteousnesse before God Yet there may be some of every Nation that work righteousness in the estimation of men and some that in Christ which hath undertaken and performed all righteousness for them before God work righteousness and in Christ are accepted with God for the work of his righteousness imputed to them Arg. 9. They alledge Doctor Davenets writing de babituali justitia which saith omnes Theologos concedere inherentem justitiam justificatis c. Answ Doctor Davenets writing understood in the best sense as we say that in Christ those that are justified in him have inherent holiness and righteousness in Christ but not in themselves in their corrupt souls and bodies But understand Doctor Davenet as ye will Doctor Davenets Scripture is not canonicall Scripture The Spring of inherent Holinesse c. INherent holiness and righteousness in part remaining in men after the generall fall and loss in Adam whereby they had still free-will and power to do the commandement unto their salvation Was the heresie of the Palagians confuted and exploded in the Primitive times after the Apostles But soon after the Papists loath to humble themselves to their corrupt condition as Christ speaketh loath to deny themselves because they would not come manifestly in the pride of man with the Palagians and in their confuted errour Therefore acted by the spirit of Antichrist they invented another way whereby they say man hath inherent holiness and righteousness in himself by the sanctification of the Spirit and hereby they are inabled to do the works of holiness and righteousness themselves pleasing to God accepted with God moving and causing God to do them good This is the ground of all their proud Popish Tenents And from this ground the Arminians Anabaptists Brownists Presbyterians and other hold forth many things to the exalting of man and the pulling down of Christ to the great dishonor of Jesus Christs undertakings and performances for poor corrupt unable dead
are afflicted on every side yet are we not in distresse in poverty but not overcome of poverty we are persecuted but not forsaken cast down but perish not we beare about in our body the dying of the 2 Cor. 4. 8 6 10 11. Lord Jesus Christ that the Life of Christ might also be made manifest in us For wee which live are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the Life of Jesus might be made manifest in our Body The Porter carrieth gladly a burthen that hee feeleth heavy for the time it is upon him in hope of reward The Merchant and Mariner abideth many a bitter storme in hope of a good Market The Souldier fighteth without feare although in perill of Death in hope of the victory The Champion wrestleth in hope of the Price The Reward the good Market the Victory and Price is sure to the chosen of God for the heavy Burthen for the bitter Storme for their Fighting and Wrastling Their labour is not in 1 Cor. 15 vaine in the Lord saith the Apostle So the Scriptures shew that the trouble misery miserable Life and Death it selfe is a blessing good and a benefit to Gods chosen People Quest You said that your believing in Christ doth witnesse you that you of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace are chosen of God in Christ to be one of his children may there not be some that are chosen of God in Christ which have not Faith and believing in Christ in manifestation to themselves to witnesse to their soules that they of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace are chosen of God in Christ to be his children Answ Yes the Mercy Goodnesse Wisdome and Power of God and charity to Mankinde doth move mee to say that there may be some the chosen of God in Christ ordained to eternall Life which have not Faith and believing in Christ in appearance to themselves to witnesse the same to them For although the Lord Christ have beene pleased to bestow the grace and gift of Faith this great Work and Fruit of his Spirit upon mee and whom hee pleaseth that God hath chosen in him Yet I do not finde that hee is bound to bestow and give the same to all Gods chosen ones ordained to eternall Life For I know that I my selfe crucified Demas for his offences and Paul a persecutor of Christians were chosen of God in Christ to be his children before wee believed as the same Paul â—st fieth that he and the rest were chosen of God in Christ before the World as also that Jacob was loved of God before Eph. 14 Rom. 9. 11 12 13. he was borne and before he had done good or evill before Men It was not my believing and Faith that made me or any of us to be chosen of God to be Gods children and ordained to eternall Life But the Mercy Love Purpose and Free grace of God before the World according with the undertaking of his Son Christ to do the Will of the Father to his full satisfaction for us and performed the same in present before God to whom all things are present and before the creatures manifestly in fulnesse of time And the Apostle saith Christ died for the ungodly when they Rom. 3. 6. 8. 10 were sinners when they were enemies not when they loved and believed but before The first and the last of God and his Christ So Ez. 16. 6 to the salvation of man is of Mercy and Free-grace only The Father did chose us all in Christ being the children of wrath of Mercy Love and Free-grace The Son died for all of us being ungodly sinners and enemies of Love Mercy and Free grace without any foregoing of love believing or Merit in us to either or of any of us But this dying of the Son must be understood before God from the beginning not of his dying in manifestation before men For so his dying before men should not have reached been appliable and beneficiall to those which died before his Death upon the Crosse in manifestation before men for they could not be ungodly sinners and enemies to God when Christ died before men which were dead and gone long before hee so died no doubt but Christ died for them the chosen of God in Gods sight and account as also for us before his Death in manifestation upon the Crosse as the Apostle saith he was the Lambe Rev. 13. 8 staine from the beginning hee died before God for us all when we were all the children of wrath as well as others The Apostle writing to the Gentiles saith of the Jewes As concerning the Gospell they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the Election Rom. 11. 21 they are beloved for the Fathers sake The Jewes shut up in unbeliefe and enemies concerning the Gospell are yet beloved touching Election And poore Infants dying in their Infancy and Ideots have no manifestation of Faith and believing in themselves to Rom. 9. 18 witnesse to their soules that they of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace are chosen of God in Christ to be Gods children And yet it were uncharitable in men to hold and say that none of such are chosen of God in Christ which hath mercy on whom he will who Rom. 11. 34 saith the Apostle hath knowne the Minde of the Lord or beene his counceller the Lord knoweth who is his Therefore there may be some that are chosen of God in Christ which have not Faith and believing in Christ in manifestation to themselves to witnesse to their soules that they of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace are chosen of God in Christ to be his children Object Jesus Christ saith Hee that believeth not shall be damned Answ This is meant of him that hath not the Righteousnesse of Christs Work of believing the promise imputed unto him and of him that wilfully neglecteth despiseth and contemneth the faith and believing in Jesus Christ Object 〈◊〉 The Apostle saith So many as were ordained to eternall Life believed Answ This is meant of so many as were there at the Apostles Sermon and heard it which were ordained to eternall Life not of those that heard not the same Object This Doctrine is a Doctrine of security a means to make men carelesse of Christs Commandement which commandeth to believe and also to be carelesse of using the meanes to come to believing as to heare to pray for Faith and the like commanded Answ This Doctrine is no Doctrine of security or any means to make any carelesse of Christs Commandement or using the means to come to beleeving as Christ hath commanded but to such as the Lord hath shut up in unbeliefe for the Apostle saith all men have not Faith or which are proud like the Pharise that trusted 2 Thess 3. 2. Luâ—e 18. 9. in himself he was that righteous and despised others Or which are reprobate concerning the Faith Ans Indeed this Doctrine may be so to them which no Doctrine 2
Tim. 3. 8. will or can make better But unto those which are chosen of God in Christ ordained to Eph. 1. 4. Acts 13. 48. eternall Life and to believe the Gospell of Jesus Christ It is the meanes of Christ to make them not to trust in themselves or in any gifts or performances of their own thereby to gaine or have any favour of God or their salvation at Gods hand nor to despise others which have not such gifts and performances in themselves Mat. 7. 1. as they have not to judge and condemn them as Christ warneth Judge not that ye be not Judged And it is a great help of Christ to those which are weak in Faith incumbered yet with unbeliefe as the man in the Gospel which said unto Christ I believe Lord Lord helpe my unbeliefe For they hereby seeing the Mercy Goodnesse Wisdome Power of the Father of Grace in his choosing of men in Christ and Ordaining them to eternall Life That it was his Will that his Christ which hath power to give gifts unto men as he pleaseth and the same in measure and weight as hee pleaseth may also see that the Lord Jesus Christ which came to doe the Will of his Father doth bestow Faith and Believing the gift grace and fruit of his Spirit here in this life in manifestation to themselves to witnesse that they are Gods children upon whom of those chosen ones hee pleaseth that in what measure hee pleaseth not to all alike to their great comfort in their weaknesse in Faith and believing And I my self know it is the Commandement of Christ in grace to his Church and People to believe as also to do before men the rest of the duties of his Commandements and to be carefull to use the meanes of Hearing and Praying for Faith and the rest And I my selfe have been carefull of the same commanded of Christ for the government of his Church upon earth for worship to God peace and comfort amongst men themselves which all ought to do that beare the name of Christians and professe themselves to be Subjects unto Christ their King and Law-giver to his Church and may and will doe so although they be but naturall Men and Hypocrites for formality and reputation and the rest in the outward performance thereof before men But the government of his Church upon Earth was not all for which Christ gave his Commandement to his visible Church but also to shew unto those thereof which hee was pleased to inlighten by his holy Spirit what Christ hath done and performed for them before God in the righteousnesse thereof for their peace with God which they themselves were not able to do in the least before God That Christ himselfe hath been Meek Humble and Lowly of Spirit believed the Promise loved and done the Pennance for their whole sinne and transgressions paid the whole debt and satisfied God And to shew them that the worke of the same his Comandement inwardly in their Hearts and Soules manifested before Men wrought by his Spirit sent unto them as hee pleaseth is Rom. 8. 16 their witnesse that Christ is in them and they in Christ that Christ hath done all things for them willed of the Father and undertaken of the Son before God and that they are Gods children chosen in Christ out of the children of wrath ordained to eternall Acts. 13. 48 Life before the World of the Mercy and Free-grace of the Father and through the gracious performance and redemption of his Son Jesus Christ And this was that which did move mee before to say and doth now that my believing in Christ his performances for me wrought up by his Spirit in mee doth witnesse to mee that I of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace am chosen of God in Christ to be one of his children ordained to eternall Life through the performances of Jesus Christ for me and in this Faith by his grace I hope to live and die But there are many in these dayes in the visible church of christ that professe themselves to be Christians and Teachers which say that they of Mercy Love and Free-grace were not chosen of God in Christ before the World out of the children of wrath to be holy and without blame before God in love to be Gods children that they were not ordained to eternall Life and to believe before the World that they were not loved of God before they were borne or had done good or evill that they when they were borne were still the children of wrath and were so after they were borne untill they believed and should have gone to Hell if they had died before they believed And they teach all men that this is their condition which I thinke is a woefull condition to all that are borne considering that none have the power of their own Life nor any certainty of Life untill they believe And they teach all that God yet so loved the whole World of men being the children of wrath that he gave and sent his onely begotten Sonne to die that whosoever believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life shall be loved justified and saved And they teach that his Sonne Jesus Christ died upon the Crosse in manifestation before men and then the Plaister of his Blood and Death was made and not before to heale all the wounded children of wrath in the World that would by Faith apply the same Plaister of his Blood and Death unto their wounds And they deny that Christ died before God from the beginning and that this Plaister of his Blood and Death was made before God from the beginning for the healing of any of mankinde dead and gone before it was made upon the Crosse in manifestation to Men and then and after this applied by the Faith of men which I must needs say hath seemed harsh and uncharitable to me that all beeing as they say the children of wrath untill the Plaister of Christs Blood and Death made upon the Crosse before men and applied by their Faith afterwards so made up to themselves And so consequently that all dead and gone before Christs Death died in Gods wrath and must needs be gone to the Devill and Hell there being manifested in the Scriptures no other redemption from the wrath of God but Christs Blood and Deâ—th And they teach further that the mercifull Father so loved the World of the children of wrath that he did not only give his only Son to die shed his blood and redeem all pay the ransome for all the whole World of the children of wrath which he hath performed for all sufficiently But also of Love and Free-grace hath sent Preachers of the same to all that desire and will Heare believe and receive the same Gospell of Jesus Christs precious Bloud Death and Redemption And they teach that God hath left unto all men being the children of wrath Free-will and power in their corrupt nature to desire and will
of the deeds of the Flesh in the Elect by power of the spirit in them And though the Law of Moses was added because of transgession servient to civilize and moralize by the reprobate and the Elect by the common corrupt Light Reason Knowledge and Understanding there is remaining to them both in their corrupt nature whereby they also do many things though fayling and corruptly and that according to that Law good in the estimation of men yet there is great difference betwixt these corrupted workes and doings of the Law of Moses wrought by the onely Power Light and Reason of Nature so remaining in man and the works and fruits of the spirit of Christ in the Elect of God which have received the spirit of adoption whereof by grace they are made the instruments of the spirit the branches of the Vine to beare forth the fruit of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Love Joy Peace Gentlenesse Long-suffering Goodnesse 〈◊〉 Temperance and such like commanded in the Spirituall Law of God For the corrupt Power Light Reason of Nature bringeth forth love fained more or lesse Love to Friends to those that Love Mat. 5. 10 Rom. 12. 2 them But the spirit of Christ bringeth love without dissimulation love to enemies The corrupt light of nature brings forth faith that Joh. 14. 1 is such as drinke love from God but not in Christ But the spirit of Christ bringeth forth faith unfained faith in God and in love of 1 Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 Christ For mans power of believing can go no further then Adams in innocency know God but no other Eph. 14. 1. Therefore Christ said you believe in God believe also in Mee Certainely man hath corrupted power left him in his corrupt nature That hee can weakly and corruptly know the righteous Law Rom. 1. 19 and Commandement of God for that the Apostle saith what so ever is to be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them yea the Apostle saith they know the Law of God how that they which commit such things are worthy of death And man hath not onely power left by nature to know the just Law though weakly but also to believe God in the same That hee that doth it shall live and he that doth it not shall die yea also hee hath reason though corrupt to discerne to judge to pray to obey to repent to endeavour the same though all these weakely and corruptly Which of these powers of nature and duties of the Law did not Caine Ismael Esau Pharo Saul Ahab Baalam Balach and Judas doe exercise and use the Scribes and Parisees Heathens and Publicans did and doe the same yea the Divels themselves confesse God and his Christ They believe and tremble they pray Christ for many things this power of theirs conrupted Iam. 2. 19 Mat. 8. 31 nature remaineth to them all the power of mans nature corrupted remaineth to him And naturall man doth not of his power left these things onely outwardly but also inwardly and according to his corrupt heart termed conscience and therefore counteth it righteousnesse yea in some through morall helpes of Examples Education Teaching and Industry is exceeding Righteousnesse in the Estimation of men as Paul accounted those of himselfe advantageous righteousnesse righteousnesse that would doe him much good with God but Christ manifesting himselfe Phil. 3. 7 8 9 unto him hee then thought counted and judged them all to be losse and dunge for Christs sake for the excellent Knowledge of Christ for to injoy Christ And desired to be found in Christ not having his own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ even the righteousnesse which is of God through Faith because that which is Christs imputed and accounted to man of grace is onely in estimation with God and nothing of mans own though never so seemly according to the Law and Commandement as his Faith and obedience repentance and all righteousnesse thereof Object Christ commandeth Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Christ calleth their workes good workes that he exhorteth Mat. 5. 16. them to doe yea shining good workes before men such as whereby the Father in Heaven is or may be glorified as may bring glory before men to God surely Gods glory is in estimation with God as good and so these are good workes that cause and bring Gods glory even in Gods respect Answ Christ as God hath authority to exhort and command men what hee pleaseth in his corrupted state to do the righteous workes of the Law and Commandement God lost not of his Power by mans sinne though man lost of his own power that God had indowed him withall in his Creation by his sinning And man corrupted is still under the command and Law of God as hee is naturall and hath corrupt knowledge of the same and the righteousnesse thereof and corrupt power left him to indeavout or doe the worke of the Law and Command yet his knowledge and power being wholy corrupted leavened in every part by sinne for the Apostle saith A little leven leveneth the whole Iump all mans indeavours and woe therefore must needs be 1 Cor. 4. corrupted and leavened and so not good and righteous in the sight and estimation of good though never so seemly good in the sight and estimation of men God doth not approve of the same as good to his honour and glory being leavened with corruption and sinne which is loathsome and pollution to his Purenes Yet these workes may be good and to Gods glory in the corrupt sight estimation of men And that which Christ exhorteth unto is the good and righteous worke to Gods glory in the estimation of men Man doth not the worke that glorifieth God in Gods owne estimation nor can doe that Yet those which are Christs Elected of God doe the righteous and good workes of the Commandement in Christ and the same done of Christ is of grace is imputed and accounted to them whereby God hath great glory yea and is held forth in them and by them as hee pleaseth to make them the instruments of his Spirit then to elect to Gods glory Usefull Meditations and Resolutions THe Apostle saith Christ is all in all Col. 3. 11. I take it the meaning is all goodnesse righteousnesse holinesse to God all that pleaseth and is in acceptance to God for man And Christ is in all that are good righteous holy pleasing and acceptable to 2 Cor. 13. 5 God through him do yee not know that except Christ Jesus be in you yee are reprobates saith the Apostle And it is only in Christ in them that they are good righteous holy pleasing and accepted with God it is Christ and that which is Christs which is only in respect and esteem with God and nothing of our own as David saith my goodnes
Psal 16. 3 or weldoing extendeth not to thee O Lord or is nothing unto thee but to the Saints that are upon the Earth Ps 16 2 3. To this agreeth that of the Apostle Christ Jesus is made unto us Wisdome and Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30 and Sanctification and Redemption And some object nothing of mans own his own faith and prayers in his own prayse please God nor is acceptable to God Then wherefore should or do men pray to God or give thanks to God all in vaine Ans 1. That that hath authority hath commanded that is enough Christ though all be not worth Gods looking on which is done 2. The Heathens and Publicans the Scribes Pharises yea the Devils did the same upon slavish feare and other respects If thou do not thou shewest thy self worse then those 3. For morality and example to men Though my goodnesse extendeth Psal 16. 23. not to thee O Lord saith David yet it doth extend to the Saints upon Earth 4. Because Christ the Vine maketh the Elect of God is known to beare such grapes The instruments of his Spirit to hold forth such fruits as are pleasing and acceptable to God though man cannot of himself please God with such of his own The Apostle saith The promise was made not to the seede as of man but to the seed as of one which is Christ Gal. 3. 16. agreeing to that word of promise The seede of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3. And Christ did believe the promise From hence I take it followeth that the Covenant of grace and promise was made onely to Christ in whom all the Elect of God were as all mankinde was in Adam by naturall Creation And the promise was to the Elect as they are in Christ one with Christ Members of Christ Therefore the Elect in Christ are not to challenge the promise of grace made to themselves but from Christ made to Christ and only made to them as they are in Christ in that I live saith the Apostle I live by the faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. It is Christs faith that Paul lived by It is a common publique confession Our best occasions are great abominations and I take it this is intended of our Believing Praying Obeying Thanksgiving Repenting and the like If these be great abominations to God they cannot pacifie nor please God neither sanctifie us to God Yet Believing Praying Obeying Thanksgiving Repenting being of the spirit of Christ The fruits of the spirit are acceptable of God God is well pleased in his Rom 8. 27 Son Christ and in him only pleased Christ maketh request for his saints according to the will of God Some say Faith is a condition of mans part to be performed of man in Gods Covenant of grace for the obteining and injoying the promise and grace And before man hath performed the condition of Faith and believing he hath neither interest in the promise nor grace nor can have for the promise of grace is upon mans performance of Faith as they say But I take it if this were so then Faith is or was neither a grace of God to man nor of grace nor the gift of God to man of grace but of nature which is contrary to the Scripture It is not of our selves saith the Apostle it is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Faith is given by the spirit 1 Cor. 12. 9. Faith is the fruit of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. I say if of gift then of grace if of grace and the spirit to manâ— then grace and that spirit is to the man before Faith the gift the Heb. 12. 1 Fruit the Tree is alwayes before the Fruit. Iesus is the Author and Finisher of our Faith we have Jesus must keepe us to worke the Faith before the Faith Wrought in us Sol. The gift of Faith which is of grace given is the hinderance and manifestation of the grace of Christ and Faith is the first light of salvation by the spirit is manifested Some say as when Lazarus was quickned to his naturall Life againe by Jesus and raised out of his grave hee walked So when a man is quickened and raised up spiritually by Christ he is made able to walk in the wayes and commandements of God to do the works of godlinesse righteousnesse and holinesse But I take it the similitude holdeth only thus Lazarus was dead naturally before men and was quickned and raised up miraculously by Christ before men So the Elect before they were loved and elected in Christ out of the company of the children of wrath before God were dead in trespasses and sins before God and after they were elected in Christ of God to be holy and without blame before him in love They were quickned together and raised up together in Christ Jesus before God as Ephes 2. 1. 5 6. And they walked in Christ in all godlinesse righteousnes and holinesse before God But herein the similitude holdeth not that as Lazarus was quickned and raised up by Christ to naturall Life and naturall action and seated in himselfe by the power of nature left to man though weakned by the transgression So Christ quickneth and raiseth up his Elect to spirituall Life and the power and action of spirituall Life inherent and seated in themselves in the naturall man either in soule or body as Life of godlinesse righteousnesse and holinesse were inherent and seated in Adam before his innocency or as naturall Life Powers and Actions though corrupt and weake are still inherent and seated naturally in man and other creatures For though the Elect of God be quickned and raised up to Life yet this is onely in Christ as Eph. 2. 5. 6. God hath quickned us together in Christ Hee hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus So the Apostle yet it is not Gal. 2. 20 I that us now live but Christ liveth in me and in that that I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Sonne of God and so againe saith the Apostle yee are dead and your Life is hid with Christ Col. 3. 3. The Elect are still dead in themselves onely alive in Christ hidden in Christ till corruptible hath put on incorruptible and mortall hath put on immortality then is brought forth the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory In Christ wee live wee move and have our being meaning of spirituall Life Acts 14. 28. our spirituall Life Power Motion Action or being is inherent and seated onely in Christ not in our selves and is ours onely by gift imputation and of grace by our union with Christ The Scriptures saith that God did elect Paul in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4 Foundations of the World to be holy and without blame before him in love Therefore Christ was with God before the World and Paul was with God before the World And so
the company of the children of wrath were with God before the World out of which Paul was elected and chosen to be loved holy and without blame before God that is to be adopted one of Gods holy and blamlesse children through Christ Certainly after Paul was elected in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before God and Eph. 1. 5. adopted one of Gods children through Christ Paul did not become the child of wrath againe by sinning nor was unholy and blamelesse before God after hee was elected of God in Christ to be holy and without blame before God in love and adopted one of Gods children but was still holy and without blame before God in Love although in the flesh he sinned he was still the child of God The Foundation of God is sure The gifts and calling of God are without repentance If Paul should have become the child of 1 Tim. 2. 19 Rom. 11. wrath before God by sinning after he was elected and adopted Gods child through Christ hee must have been often the child of wrath and the child of God and often none of the children of God and after elected and adopted which hath no testimony And if Paul was foreknowne of God and was so predestinate that he had the gift and calling of God before the World that he was actually elected and adopted with God and was ever after loved of God in Christ and holy and without blame before God No doubt but Paul was also justified and glorified in which and through Christ before God and with God before the world unto whom all is present although in respect of the creature and to the creature the same appeare and is manifested in appointed and fulnesse of time So the Apostle saith hee hath quickned and hath raised us up and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Eph. 2. 5. Jesus He doth not say he will quicken and will raise againe But saith those that he knew before he also hath quickned and hath Rom. 29. 30 raised up and predestinated to be made like to the Image of his Sone And whom hee predestinated them also hee called and whom he called those also hee justified and whom hee justified them also hee glorified he doth not say that those which God knew before the World and predestinated before the World he would call and justifie and glorifie afterward but he saith those that he knew before predestinate those also hee Called Justified and Glorified in present From this notion we may conclude that the World Adam Eve Elect and reprobate were with God in Gods Sight before the World was and Christ in manifestation of the creature and before Adam produced of the dust and Eve of the rib in manifestation to the creature Christ saith That which is of the flesh is flesh and that which is of the spirit is spirit And Paul saith of himselfe I am carnall sold Joh. 3. 6 Rom. 7. 14 under sinne And againe in me that is in my selfe dwelleth no good thing And the Prophet Esay saith of himselfe and others like Isa 64. 6 himselfe All our righteousnesse is as filthy ragges Therefore Pauls and Isayes and such mens Faith Love Obedience Justice Repentance and the like is carnall corrupted and filthy and whose not And therefore might truly say wee are altogether corrupt That which is of the Spirit of Christ is Christs not mans as Spirituall Faith Love Obedience Righteousnesse Repentance all Fruits of the Spirit They are mans onely as man by grace is made the branch of the Vine Christ The instrument of the Spirit to beare and hold forth the Grapes and Fruits of the Spirit in manifestation and as they are imputed and accounted of grace to man Give unto Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods Let us not rob God of his own Some say that although mans Prayers and Prayses be corrupted and Levened with sin yet by the grace of Christ they are made good pleasing and acceptable to God Sol. But I take it Christ covereth sin as David saith Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sin is covered And Christ came to take away sinne as the Apostle saith Christ appeared Psâ— 32. 1 2. that he might take away our sinnes and lose the workes of the Divell 1 Joh. 3. 5 8 And grace and mercy passeth by offences but Christ and grace doth not make evill good as hee doth not call evill good nor doth make sin righteousnesse the sin of the flesh being taken away covered and passed by in the prayers of the Elect of God The Rom. 8 27. Prayer of the Spirit which alwayes maketh request according to the Will of God That is good pleasing and acceptable to God Snares of Popery Discovered BEcause the Apostle saith wee shall or may all appeare before the 2 Cor. 5. 10 judgement Seat of Christ that every man may receive the things which are done in the body according to that he hath done whether it be good or evill And againe the Apostle in the Person of Christ speaketh I come Rev. 22. 1â— shortly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his worke shall be And againe the unjust man is abhomination to the Lord and shall Pro. 29. 27 1 Cor. 6. 9 on t inherit the Kingdome of Heaven And againe every one of us saith the Apostle shall give acconnt of himslefe to God Rom. 14. 12. First from these and like places of Scripture some say that Believers as Unbelievers shall all appear before the judgement Seat Secondly shall give account of all done in the body and by word or deed whether the same be good or evill Thirdly that the elected Believers have done and do in the body that is whilst they are in the Body evill in word and deed as also good and that Unbelievers and Reprobates do evil and good also Fourthly that Believers and Unbelievers elect and reprobate shall receive a reward proportionable to that they have done in the Body whether good or evill Fifthly that they which have been unjust in the Body in this Life that is have done evill although they be Believers are all abhomination to the Lord and shall not inherit the Kingdome of Heaven Sixtly That Christs undertaking and performance for the elect was to pay the debt for the generall fin of Adam onely for the which fault as the Apostle saith came on all men to condemnation And for the rest in this Life To give the grace of power to the Rom. 5. 18 elect to fuâ—fill the Law and do the commandement as man is obliged thereto by the Law of God for the justification and salvation at their own will and choise upon paine of receiving a just reward of God at the day of account for their failing Seventhly to make good their collection from these Scriptures in the Letter because the Apostle of
for all their sins themselves And so Believers and Unbelievers shall receive according to that which they have done in the body whether it be good or evill But it ought to be understood not as it is good or evill before men in the estimation of men that they have done But as it is good or evill before God in Gods estimation Now as before God in Gods estimation all that â—â—probates and unbelievers speak and do in the body is evill however the 〈◊〉 or any thereof be good in the estimation of men So before God that the Elect believers do in the body is not evill before God although in the sight and estimation of men much or all be evill For the Apostle saith And they were elected of God in Christ before the Foundation of the World to be holy and without blame before God in love And no doubt but that which God elected them unto they after their election we are and ever shall be before him holy and without blame before him in all their doings in the body however Eph. 1. 4. their doings are in the fight and estimation of men The Foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this Seale The Lord knoweth 2 Tim. 2. 1â— who are his saith the Apostle upon the esteem of Gods election So then it must needs follow all the doing in the body of the Elect Believers being good holy and without blame before God in love That the elect Believers shall receive a good reward of God according to that they have done in the body before God Againe the sin before God of all believers doings is taken away by Christ the undertaker to beare pay and do all for them to the justification and salvation as the Apostle saith Christ appeared that 1 Joh. 3. 5 Isa 53. 6 â—e might take away our sinnes as the Father had laid their iniquities all upon him And God looketh not upon Believers and their doings in the body as they appeare unto men But he looketh upon them as they are elected in Christ as they appeare in Christ holy and without blame before him in love Neither is the Gospell of Jesus Christ That Christs undertakings aâ—d performances for the Elect was to pay the debt for the generall sin of Adam only that came over all men to condemnation And for the rest only to give the Elect the grace of power to fulfill the Law and doe the Commandement as man is obliged thereto by the Law of God for their justification and sanctification at their own will and choise upon paine of receiving a just reward of God at the day of account for their failing But the Gospell of Jesus Christ is more and better to the elect of God for the 1 Coâ— 15. 3. Gospell is That Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification That he died for the sins of the elect done in the body 1 Joh. 2. 1. 2 also If any man meaning of the elect for whom onely Christ died that is If any man do in the body sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes done in the body of our selves not only for the generall sin of Adam but also for our own done of us Neither is the Gospell of Jesus Christ That the undertaking and performance of Christ for the elect is to give them the grace of power to fulfill the Law and do the Commandement for their justâ—fication and salvation as is aforesaid For then the Prophet Isay would not have said All our righteousnesse is as filthy ragges and David and Paul would not have said There is none that doth good Isa 64. 6 Psal 14 3 Rom. 3. 10 11 12. Rom. 7. 18 no not one and Paul would not have said in mee that is my flesh dwelleth no good thing and I find no meanes to perform that which is good before God And again By the workes of the Law shall no flesh be justified in Gods sight And Paul would not have desired that he might not be found in Christ having his own righteousnes which is Rom. 3. 10 Gal. 2. 16 Psal 3. 9. of the Law No Christ did not give his elect the grace of power to do the workes of the Law and Commandement of God for their justâ—fication before God For then Paul doing of the workes of the Law would have done him some good for his justification he would not have accounted them drosse and dâ—ng Yea the Gospell is that Christ the undertaker is to do all things himselfe for his elect for their justification before God and for their salvation and of grace to impute his righteous doings for them unto them for their righteousnes before God and of grace to make them his instruments of his holy Spirit to beare and bring forth the fruits thereof as he pleaseth as the branch is made the instrument of the Vine to bring forth grapes of the Vine sweet an good unto me I am the Vine saith Christ you are the Branches Joh. 15. 4 5 but have no power of your selves to do any thing to bring forth any Grapes any good fruit without me you can do nothing And it is Christ the undertaker for the elect which by his righteousnes and righteous performances and in the behalfe of the elect overcometh in number measure and weight the sins of the Elect for them unto which the Apostle aliudeth where he saith If sinne abounded grace abounded much more the righteous performances of Christ imputed of grace to the elect believers abound much Rom. 5. 20 more in number measure and weight then the sins of the Elect whereby they overcome therefore the Apostle saith Thanks be unto God which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 5â— And Christ the undertaker hath gone through all the purgatory for the Elect with all their unrighteousnesse laid upon him by the Father of mercies wherein he indured the buffetting of Fists The Isa 53. 6. spitting on his Face The scouâ—ging with Roddes The rayling and revying of tongues The peircing of naâ—les The bitternes of Gall The sweating of water and bloud The peircing of the spear yea in his humane sense The desertion of God The fire and fury of Gods wrath for sin The terror of death The descention into hell And all for the burning and consuming of the sins of his elect for the purging by his bloud That they themselves might have an entrance made into Heaven into which it is sure there entereth no uncleane thing The bloud of Jesus Christ is the purgation of all the sins of the elect There is no purgatories of sin after this Life They are then blessed in Christ for ever see Psal 32. 1. 2. The bloud of 1 Joh. 17. man in purgatory cannot purge sin And whereas they collect from the words of the Apostle which saith There is a sin not
Gospels sake as the Apostle of Christ saith which in that maner did both Christ saith this Apostle hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life And yet he saith That he 1 Cor. 9. 13 20 21 22 23 medled with the Law as one under the Law and became all things to all men that he might win some and that he did for the Gospels sake that he might be partaker thereof with them Touching the manner of preaching the Law The Minister of the Spirit considereth two sorts of men the one unbelievers yet all in the same like condition of Reprobates though some of them many be of the Elect ones and heirs of the promise not yet known to themselves nor regarded To these being under the Law even in their own apprehensions 1. He preacheth the Law as belonging and most proper unto them yet useful to all for Government before men 2. The goodness holiness and justness of the same Law 3. The commands duties and performances thereof justly required of God yet also withall their own weakness and want of power to perform before God by their own fault lost in the first transgression 4. He sheweth them also their continued transgression 5. He sheweth their death by their first transgression and their increase of pain by their succeeding transgression But he no way preacheth that life grace or peace with God cometh or shall or may come to them by their doing or performing the duties of the commandment now which though ordained first unto life in mans innocency and power yet sithence it was broken by man is found to be unto all men unto death as the Apostle saith for so to preach were to dissemble But because some of unbelievers yet may be of the elect ones as Paul was I did it in unbelief saith Paul when he persecuted therefore the Minister of the spirit may and doth hold forth amongst these 1 Tim. 1. 13. Joh. 1. 17. unbelievers That life grace and peace cometh only to believers in Christ by Jesus Christ his performing as the Apostle saith the Law came by Moses but grace truth and peace by Jesus Christ And the knowing and manifestation of this cometh to believers by the grace of believing given to them being the fruit of Christs spirit in them that believe whose hearts and soules Christ hath made the instruments of his grace of faith and believing Unto the true believers in Jesus Christ which the Apostle saith are not under the Law but under grace which believe their election in Christ before the foundation of the world was laid which believe that God hath laid their sins upon Christ and that Christ hath born them in his body upon the tree And that Christ hath redeemed them and bought them by paying the inestimable price of his blood And that they are freely justified by his grace fulfilling of the Law and his performances for them And that he is still a King a Priest and a Prophet to rule keep preserve and do all things for them and in them making their members his instruments of the righteous works of his spirit in them until he shall present them blameless at his coming to judgment which desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified as the Apostle of Christ 1 Co. 2. 2. saith he did To such believers the pure Gospel of Jesus belongeth to be preached and the Law in grace for government before men for such are not under the Law but under grace That the means of the Rom. 6. 10 manifestation and witness of the spirit which is Christ speaking of the word of grace by the mouth of his Ministers for it is not the Ministers that speak but the spirit that speaketh in them as Christ said to his Disciples that he sent to preach the Gospel may be as sincere Mat. 10. 20. Ephes 4. 15. Tit. 1. 13. Iam. 2 5. milk unto infants that they may grow thereby and that so they may grow up in all things into him which is the head that is Christ That they may be sound in faith That they may be rich in faith That they being led by the spirit may so walk in Christ as they have received the Lord Jesus rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith as they have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving as the Apostle speaketh for even as the Child when it is first born though then it is a true and perfect man yet it is but little weak and hath need of nourishment for growth strength and increasment So the fruit and bringing forth of the spirit in man is at first but little small and weak and have need of the means of the spirit the sincere milk of the word of grace for the growth strength and increasment of beauty to the fulness thereof yet let these be rather held manifestations of the spirit then means And thereupon the Apostle saith Christ gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the work of the Ministry meaning the Ministry of the Gospel of Grace as the same Apostle saith Christ hath made us able Ministers of the new Testamen not of the letter but of the spirit not of the letter that is the Law the Commandments duties and performances thereof before God for that were to go about to be witch believers to inâ—anglâ— them and to bring them into the yoak of bondage again as the Apostle saith the false Apostles did the Galathians which had received the faith and to make them believe that Christs performances and grace were not enough for their peace with God without their own doing something of the Law Commandment duties and performances thereof for their peace with God and that were to exalt man above that which he is and to make men believe that themselves are something which they are not and to have a power and strength which they have not as the Apostle adviseth and giveth a caveat of If any man think himself that he is somewhat when he is nothing he deceiveth himself in Gal. 6. 3 his own imagination He that will be my Disciple saith Christ must deny himself Luk 9. 23 meaning that man certainly that cometh after me and is my Disciple doth deny that he hath any power any strength any verâ—ue any wisdom any goodness any performance in himself for his peace with God yea that were to undervalue Christ and to derogate from Christ and his grace which hath said My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through 2 Cor. 12. 9 weakness very gladly therefore saith the Apostle will I rejoyce rather in mine infirmities that is that I my self have no power that the power of Christ may dwell in me and only have the praise v. 10. and glory Yea further
that were to abolish Christ and grace and to nullifie Christ and his grace so the Apostle of Christ holdeth forth If it be of works it is no more of grace else were work no more works meaning if it be in any part of works and mans performances to have peace Rom. 11 6. with God then grace is quite shut out And if it be of grace that man hath his peace with God in any part then saith she it is no more of works then are works quite shut out else were grace no more grace The meaning of the Apostle is that mans works and performances and grace and Christs performances cannot go and stand together in mans justification in pleasing pacifying or making mans peace with God To this purpose the Apostle of Christ saith also I say unto Gal. 5. 2. you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing And again ye are abolished from Christ whosoever are justified by the Law v. 4. ye are fallen from grace that is if any man think or account himself holy good just and righteous or more holy more righteous or better then he was or better more holy more righteously then other men by his performances and doing duties of the Law as in his praying fasting giving of Alms building of Churches Hospitalls or giving of every man his due as he thinketh by doing pennance for his faults by making restitutions though as Zacheus did c. which all are commandments of the Law the Apostle saith plainly Christ shall profit him nothing he is abolished from Christ Obj. If a man may not think and account himself to be more holy Gal. 5. 2 4 more righteous and better then himself was before in Gods sight or more holy more righteous and better then other men which are without doing the works of the holy Commandment By his doing the works of the holy and righteous Commandment as praying fasting building Churches Hospitals paying dues making restitution and the rest This Doctrine will quench all devotion goodness just dealing and duties to God and man for wherefore should a man do these and the like if he may not think himself the better more holy more righteous in Gods sight by doing nor be more holy more righteous and better by doing then other men that do nothing Answ This Doctrine doth not quench or abate true devotion or any thing of goodness to God in truth but maketh way to the shining of the true light to man whereby he may be better indeed in respect with God through Christ according to true spiritual manifestaon For manifestation of the true light herein first is to be considered that whatsoever devotions or prayers man hath or doth perform of himself in his own wisdom and power or whatsoever works he doth or deviseth to do according to the rule of the Law and holy Commandment of works either towards God or man for his own betterness for his own estimation of more holiness and righteousness in himself before God he deceiveth himself to man there may be estimation by such devotions and performances but not to God for God knoweth that man in his meer natural estate for his estimation with mâ—n may be so acted by the spirit of Antichrist that he may shew and do all these things and all other outward things of the holy Law and Commandement outwardly as fully as may be seen of man to be done which for proof thereof we may clearly see in the Pharisees Herod and Judas especially of the Pharisees whom no man now living in devotions and outward performances of the holy Law can be seen to go beyond and they were never the better thereby but the worse thereby as appears by the woe that Christ pronounced against them for their hypocrisie in such their devotions and Mar. 23. 14. performance of the Law to be seen of men to get estimation among men Again God knoweth that man himself hath no power at all nor will unto good that he lost these in the first transgression And that man himself can do and perform nothing that is good before God for Paul a principle example one that had then received of Christ as much as any man had or have acknowledged that he in himself found no Rom 7. 18. Ps 14 3. Rom. 3. 10 11 12. means to perform that which is good And David a man after Gods own heart and Paul saith There is no man that doth good no not one Then how can any man think that he is the better the more righteous in the sight of God in Gods estimation by his own devotions prayers all his own outward performances of the holy Law of God done in the greatest wisdom of man no they are no better in the estimation of God then the devotions of the Jews and their performances which the Prophet Isaiah mentioneth were such as God was weary of were abomination to him and he hated Man cannot make himself better to Isa 1 12. 13. God it is Christ that maketh him better it is Christs performance that maketh man better to God more holy more righteous in the eyes of God then he was before Yet so it is That Christ by whom God hath given all to his elect ones of his great grace maketh them as he pleaseth his instruments in the way of their Pilgrimage of the performances of the holy Law and Commandement as devotions prayer preaching hearing meditation love just dealing c. through his holy spirit in them where by they shine as many lights amongst men to the praise of the glory of his grace yea though they be mightily wrought upon by the spirit of Christ in them to mortification of sin in their earthly Members to sanctification and the purifying of their hearts by Faith yet they think not themselves better by any thing in them of their own for they acknowledg that in themselves dwelleth no good thing as Paul did they acknowledg the flesh and corruption still remaining in them as in others and they give the praise and glory of all good to Jesus Christ And herein is the chief discernment of those which are the instruments of the spirit of Antichrist which are wrought up many times to as great performances as the instruments of the spirit of Christ are and those which are Antichrists boast of these as their own to their own praise among men But those which are Christs put off all praise of whatsoever from themselves giving all to the praise and glory of Act. 3. 12. 16. Act. 14 15 Rev. 22 9. God as Peter did healing the lame man as Paul and Barnabas did when they would have sacrificed to them oh say they we are men subject to like passions as ye be and as the Angel did where John would have worshipped him saying I am thy fellow Servant worship God They that uphold this objection want two things first the spirit of 1 Cor. 2. Christ whereby
and none but believers are ordained to eternal life All must be damned that believe not Answ This Text is to be understood of as many of those present which heard the word of the Apostle preached at that time not of all men and women young and old when where and whatsoever whereof many never heard the Gospel preached and are departed Nehem. 1. 7 this life not utterly without hope to us of their eternal life though without manifestation thereof in believing the Lord knoweth who are his Paul was elected in Christ before the world and made sure of Ephes 1. 4 1 〈◊〉 13. eternal lâ—fe when Paul persecuted the Church and did it in unbelief he had not saith The fourth sort of professing believers in Christ which are Hypocrites are such as the Apostle speaketh of that turn the grace of God Iud 4 into lasciviousnes or wantonnes which rather use the liberty that they conceive in their corrupt understandings the grace of God Christ bringeth to believers for to be an occasion to the flesh to give unto Gal 5. 13. them the raines of licenciousness and sinning that the abounding of grace above sin spoken by the Apostle giveth all liberty to do any sin Rom. 5. 10 the flesh inclineth unto And for that the Prophet saith all their iniquities being believers are laid upon Christ And for that the Apostle saith he hath born them already upon the tree in his body and washed Isa 53. 6. them away with his blood There is no conscience or question say they to be made of sinning or not sinning grace hath made no stop or exception of sinning This believing is ungodly and like to the womans eâ—ting of the forbidden fruit wherein the old Serpent the devil made her believe there was no sin so the Devil maketh these believe there is no sin in this their believing that is most abominable sin in the sight of God For the faith and believing which is the fruit of the spirit is quite contrary believing for although the true saith which is the fruit of the spirit of Christ apprehendeth the love and grace of God in their election in the promise in the laying of all their sins and iniquities upon Christ and in Christs bearing them in his body upon the tree and in his washing them away by his blood Yet they which have this true faith do not believe that Christ leaveth them there to themselves to live after the flesh licenciously with loose reigns of sinning But they beleeve the free grace of God that hath done these great things for them through Jesus Christs performances will go along with them and teach them that is fit them inable direct and guide them as the instruments of his spirit to denie ungodlines and worldly lusts and to Tit. 2 11. live soberly godly and righteously in this present world That the spirit of Jesus Christ will fit them to be his instruments of Rom. 8. 13 mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the spirit and lead them that they shall walk after the spirit and favour the things of the spirit yea that the more they have of the spirit in them the more the fruit of the spirit will appear in them in all manner of goodness and less of the flesh unto sin and wickedness The more of Christ they have the more will Christ and his righteousness shine in them The manifestation of 1 Cor. 12. 7. the spirit saith the Apostle is given to every to profit or do good withall where good is not the spirit is not where sin is abounding the spirit is wanting 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man saith the Apostle can call Jesus Christ the Lord but by the Mar. 7. 1. Holy Ghost meaning except he be an Hypocrite Therefore those which call Jesus Christ their Lord and Saviour for their liberty of sinning Gal. 5. 23. are palpable Hypocrites For sin is not the fruit of the spirit but goodness and righteousness It is grace indeed from Christ to wretched sinful man to have wrought out his deliverance from Hell and from sin against his good God But it were no grace from Christ to have wrought forth for Leuâ—â— 19. 17. Rom. 8. 13 Pâ—â— 37. 24 v. 35. man a liberty to sin against his good God But herein appeareth the grace of Christ to his elected believers that he suffereth them not to sin as the flesh lusteth that he mortifieth sin in them by his spirit That though they fall they shall not be cast of for the Lord putteth Ierem. 32. 40â— under his hand That the righteous shall never be forsaken I will put such a feare into their hearts saith the Lord with whom I have made my Covenant that they shall never depart from me Christs Government of his Church upon Earth The truths and lights in this Treatise discover the errors of the Independents Anabaptists and Brownists and of their pharasaical Legalists the great opposites and may reconcile them all through the power and working of the grace of Jesus Christ touching Christs Government of his Church here upon Earth IF those amongst us which are called Independents and the rest which harp of that string who to uphold their Independency and immunity amongst men Therefore hold forth Christ their only head King Ruler Governor Lord Law giver Magistrate Pastor and Teacher c. and not man And that Christ only hath the office and power to rule govern give Laws feed teach c. and no man And that the Laws given by man to the republique and Kingdom whereof Christ is the head King Governor and Law-giver only are not of bounden duty and Conscience to be obeyed But onely those given by Christ himself and under his rule and Government only If those I say which hold forth Christ thus unto men do also further hold him forth to have all power to good all good wisdom righteousness holiness and true goodness in himself alone And that by his own soul and absolute power he doth all good things whether good rule Government Order Law-giving yea love joy peace patience meekness righteousness temperance yea all goodness whatsoever as he pleaseth in his universal national political parochial particular Church and in any member of any of them through his holy and incomprehensible spirit in them sent unto them for their comfort keeping preserving and fitting to the Kingdom of glory and the praise and glory of his grace for ever And that every good thing among the Sons of men done in truth Gods sight good so done and is the deed of Christ himself by his powerful spirit and not of the will of man but of the will of God only And if those do acknowledge that in man as himself dwelleth no good thing And that in and of himself he hath no means to perform that which is good before God as Paul the Apostle of Christ did Rom. 7. 18 confess and acknowledg of himself