11. When St. Paul came to himself he found it otherwise Rom. 7. 7. And therefore no wonder if he do reject it But admit that his Righteousness was Universal according to the measure of his knowledge and that what he wanted in it was through ignorance and misunderstanding of the Law yet since he speaketh of it in opposition to justification by Christ and doth cast it away as a thing of no value and confidence when he seeketh a Righteousness for justification will it follow That because it is no Antecedent cause of justification that therefore it is no Consequent evidence of our Adoption Or because it will not profit a man without Christ that therefore with Christ and in Christ it wil afford no comfort Even he that doth here cast it off in 2 Tim. 4. 7. doth gather it up as a ground of Comfort Reason good for though this Moral Righteousness without Christ avail a man nothing yet this being built upon Christ and wrought by vertue of a principle of Holiness viz. the spirit of Christ is an undoubted evidence of the Inhabitation of the spirit even the spirit of Adoption and therefore it is beside the point which the Dr. alleageth Can that saith he be an evidence of our being in Christ which St. Paul casteth away as dross For though it may be worth nothing in the work of justification yet it may be of much worth to evidence the work thereof Though without Christ it may not profit a man yet in him it may afford much comfort 2. Object But there is no such thing as this universal obedience to be found in any No ship in which not some leak No pot of Oyntment in which not some dead fly Sol. I do not reply How then was this universal blamelesness found in Paul nay in Paul a persecutor But I grant That such a plenary perfection wherein there is not any thing wanting of what the Law requireth such there is not to be found in any nor is it expected No this universality is rather Negative then Positive Not any one precept is there which the Holy heart doth not willingly embrace as the rule to walk by Not any one duty which he doth not desire and endeavor Not any sin that he doth indulge or excuse in himself This is that that is meant by universal obedience A desire that nothing be wanting An endeavor after perfection Or in the words of David It is not so much an actual keeping of all the Statutes but an having respect to all the Commandments To respect them as a rule both for Direction and Examination Is there any thing to be done the Holy Heart will not venture upon it till he hath sought to the word of God for direction what may and what may not be done for matter and maner when and how far together with all other circumstances Hath he done any thing he will examine it by the rule whether it will hold square with it or not And in this work he will not look upon one or two but upon every Commandment as his rule to walk by if any Commandment forbid he will by no means touch with it Or if he hath he will in no wise excuse or condemn himself This is that universal Obedience which we make to be a sign and mark of Adoption and justâ—fication Not so much the perfect work and practise of the Hand as the stedfast will and purpose of the Heart This is expected Act. 11. 23. This is accepted Psal. 66. 18. and 139. 23. Ob. Such purposes of the Heart are found in many wicked men in the time of Sickness and fear of death Then may you finde them far from excusing any sin or neglecting any precept yea such is their purpose and resolution so to continue Sol. Admit this to be so though it is sooner said then proved that thus it is in any where some work of the sanctifying spirit is not found But I say admit it yet doth not this objection take off the Argument For we judge not of a man by one act either of good or evil But by the habit and constant frame of the heart It is grace alone and the spirit of Adoption that new-mouldeth the heart and casteth it into an Holy temper of universal obebience Grace is it that maketh the Heart constant in holiness wicked men may have good moods and present purposes but these are like Land-stoods soon gone again So then we understand the comfort of this universality to flow from the constant purpose of the Heart This is the fruit and effect of Sanctifying Grace Ob. But who can say from an Heart unfained that he hath such a constant purpose For why Are there not untoward risings of the Heart and repining thoughts against many Truths of God Are we not often weary of that service to which God doth call us Do we rejoyce in Afflictions as the tokens of Gods Love and count it all joy to fall into divers Tentations Sol. This is but to beat the Ayr nor doth it prove the want of constancy in the former purpose of the heart Grant indeed that these risings and repinings are in us but are they setled in the hâ—â—rt are they habituated Do they rest therein without a check Are they excused or pleaded for If not The bent of the heart is still constant notwithstanding those indispositions This constancy is not measured by this That there is no interruption of the Act or intermixture of contrary dispositions but by this That there is no intercission of the Habit nor any Toleration of these contrary dispositions It is our happiness that we have to do with an indulgent Father who looketh not at men in their fears and frighted passions especially when they are ready to take down themselves for their ill-moods In a Legal strictness no man can plead his constancy but in a Gospel uprightness As there is not any Duty which the Holy heart doth not imbrace so not any Time if he be himself and free from Satans Tentations when he doth not constantly hold that purpose and strive against all interruptions 2. Text. 2 Cor. 1. 12. This saith Saint Paul is our Rejoycing That in Sincerity and godly Simplicity Hence we collect That sincerity and single-heartedness in our Obedience is a ground of comfort an Argument of our Adoption Reason Because it is such a disposition of the heart by which whatsoever is done by us we do it as to Christ and for the Lords sake Thus hath Saint Paul described it Eph. 6. 5. Opposing is to eye-service men-pleasing and self-seeking And who can doubt but that sincerity of Obedience must needs be a ground of comfort and confidence Can it be found in any that have not received the Spirit of sanctification Or doth it flow fro 〈…〉 y Fountain but an heart principled with the Spirit of Christ Where this is wanting there may be some outward Conformity of mens actions in respect of the outward
work But the Motive and main cause of their performances it is some by-end and base respect as in Jehu and the Pharisees which appeareth in this That when that end is gained or that respect ceaseth then also their work is at an end though the Glory of God and the good of Christs Church be never so much concerned None but the Childe of God doth make the Glory of his Father the end and aim of all his actions All others begin and end in Self Object This sincerity is not found in the ordinary practises of Christians either in the exercises of Religion or in the works of mercy and justice For why saith the Doctor Is there not much Self mixed in their performances in praying and fasting Is not the end of these Duties to be delivered from Danger Sol. It is I grant one end but not the Vltimate end In these exercises we seek our own good bread pardon preservation deliverance and that not unlawfully For Christ hath taught us to put them into our prayers but still with this caution For thine is the Glory i. e. To desire them only as subservient to the glory of God should we desire these for our selves i. e. to spend them upon our lusts to live to our selves in matter of profit pleasure and preferment this were self-seeking But thus to desire them that in the use of them we may be the more instrumental to glorifie God in our several places this is not Self-seeking Say the same of Men-pleasing though a man do encourage himself in goodness by the praise of men by listening to the acceptableness of his well doing yet so long as the praise of men is not as it was in the Pharisees the prime and principal inducement of doing what is done this is not Men-pleasing both of these are defined not by the subservient but by the ultimate end of our endeavors if that be right there is sincerity in the Obedience and this sincerity is a ground of confidence the work of the spirit an Argument of our Adoption Object Not so saith the Antinomian Doctor For we read in Rom. 10. 1. 3. That the Jews had a zeal-and this was exercised in Obedience to the will of God yet these were En 〈…〉 to Christ And how can that be an evidence of Adoption that is found in an Enemy Sol. Is not this a gross mistake The point is touching sincerity and his proof is by an instance of zeal Is there no difference Is not sincerity the singleness of the heart and zeal the earnestness of the spirit Besides this their zeal was not according to knowledge If this kinde of zeal profit not shall not that which is according to knowledge and guided by the rules of Holy discretion shall not that afford comfort That which he addeth viz. That their zeal was not in a corrupt way of their own devising is directly contrary to the Apostle For he saith of them That in seeking to establish their own Righteousness they have not submitted to the Righteousness of God It was therefore a way of their own devising which is proved Verse 4. Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth So that to seek the establishment of the Law though the Law of God for another end then God hath appointed yea in opposition to that end is not an Argument of sincerity but an act of a turbulent passion Papists contend much for the efficacy of the Sacraments But while they place in them an efficacy altogether independent upon Faith do they not seek to establish their own fancies and not the truth of God Tâ—â—s did these Jews they pretended for God but in a way of their own devising Not much unlike to many among us who pretend for the Scepter of Christ but only in a way of their own Were the zeal of all thâ—se sincere as it should be there would be in them a readiness to embrace and submit to what shall appear to be the minde of God and say Vnicat Veritas or as St. Paul in 2 Cor. 13. 8. We can do nothing against the truth 3. Text. 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren Hence we collect That the state of our Adoption and standing right in the sight and favor of God is a thing that may be known that this love of our Brethren is a note and evidence thereof For why Love is of God cap. 4. 7. an effect of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. For while the Spirit of Adoption doth shed abroad the love of God in our hearts and make us sensible of it it doth cause in us a love to him that loved us first and for his sake who hath begotten us a love to them also that are as we are begotten of God This is so plain that it may seem strange that any should either deny it or doubt of it Yet saith the Doctor Object The scope of the Apostle is to comfort them against the hatred of the World and he sheweth what esteem they had one of another q. d. though the World do not esteem us yet our judgement one of another is that we are the people of God grounding our selves upon this that we do love one another so that this is rather a mark how another may know me then how I may know my self Sol. Is not this strange That the Apostle should set this down as a ground of comfort to bear up the heart against the hatred of the World viz. The good esteem that Christians have of us Will this secure the soul against sadness and sorrow will not Satan suggest What if they be deceived They know not the heart they judge by the outward appearance by the expressions of love to the Brethren and therein they may be deceived And that the Text must be understood of that immanent and reflexive act of knowledge which passeth a Censure upon our selves it is evident by that that followeth For the Apostle having set this down as a rule of discerning their spiritual estate and proved Veâ—â—e it 15. and pressed it by the example of Christ whose love was manifested by laying down his life for us Verse 16. whom we are to imitate in a real demonstration of our inward affection to the Brethren He urgeth again this Motive That hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him And I would gladly ask whether here also the Apostle doth intend to teach us that by this act of love we way assure our selves touching others and rest secure that we are not decceived And what so great matter is this if in the mean space we may not evidently judge the state of our own souls And what meaneth he to adde this Verse 21. If our heart condemn us not we have boldness toward God Certainly the Apostles intention is to set down an evidence of Self-discerning Object But suppose it
God set down the Text of Scripture and revealed the same to the Church of God he confirmed it by his works from Heaven by Miracles which did convince the world that it must needs be the Word of God which was accompanied with such mighty and miraculous operations so when God will by the Spirit speak to the soul the Application of a Text for comfort he doth make way for the credit of it by the work of the Spirit the work of grace upon the soul If not believe it not the spirit of truth is a spirit of holiness There is no truth in that word which speaks comfort to that heart in which is not wrought the work of Holiness Consequently Thy sins are forgiven in the heart of a Drunkard Swearer Whoremonger is not the voice of the Spirit The work and the word of the Spirit go together Nay so evident is this that the Doctor having sought to establish this Revelation of the Spirit as a principle that may not be disputed and that cannot be demonstrated doth yet in the close come in with this Yet something more for the Spirit doth give men to credit what he speaketh His meaning I conceive to be That by this work of the Spirit by which mans heart is framed to receive the Testimony of the Spirit and to believe it by it doth it appear that it is the Spirit of God which witnesseth their Adoption so then it is the voice of the Spirit that saith Thy sins are forgiven and it is evidenced to be the voice of the Spirit because he frameth the heart to believe it It cannot be denied but that it is the Spirit that giveth Faith to believe it nor is it doubted but that if this perswasion do come from the Spirit it doth afford comfort but still the question is Whether this be the work of the Spirit or not of the other viz. The work of sanctification there is no doubt which if it do not accompany that work of perswasion I much doubt whether it be not an over bold presumption 2. Touching Faith This is delivered by the same Author 1. That the Scripture doth authorize Faith to give full evidence concerning Interest in Christ 2. That this evidence of Faith is not Revealing but a Receiving evidence viz. As it taketh possession of what the Spirit Revealeth and doth rest upon it This Faith saith he brings with it unquestionable evidence full assurance and what needs a man look farther The spirit within thee saith Thy sin is forgiven Faith receiveth it and sits down satisfied here is thine evidence saith he and thou hast thy portion For why the Text of Saint John saith He that believeth hath the witness in himself q. d. He hath as much as can be desired when he hath believing in himself And he that believeth not hath made God a lyar q. d. If when God hath spoken man will not sit down with Gods bare Word but seek for signs and marks drawn from his own works this man hath made God a lyar The sum of all returns to this That this act of Faith receiving the Testimony of the spirit that is when the soul doth rest in it without any farther doubting that this I say is the evidence of our Adoption and Justification so then ask him how do you know that sin is pardoned His Answer is because I believe it and rest satisfied in this perswasion And is not this I pray you a very satisfying evidence It is so because I believe it is so In this way what prophane person is there in the world who may not conclude for himself if he will but force upon himself this perswasion Object Nay but it is not meant but of a perswasion which the Spirit hath wrought in the Heart If God saith he hath given thee to believe it this is thy evidence Sol. Yea but how shall I know whether God hath given me this perswasion or that Satan hath suggested it into my Heart Doth the Spirit of God take a man out of the Dunghil of filthiness and instantly without any work of washing and cleansing speak to him that word of comfort pronounce him pardoned and work in him the full preswasion of it or if he do speedily and as it were suddenly work him to this ful perswasion Doth he not at the same instant work a change upon his will and affections by which that light that is set up in the understanding may be discerned to proceed from the Spirit of God Surely thus we have learned Christ and thus we teach The Spirit of God doth work upon the whole soul and all the faculties at once and equally Understanding and Will Conscience and Affections Nor is there mroe light of saving knowledge in the one then there is heat of holines in the other That Faith which doth not purifie the heart and cleanse the conscience is not a saving Faith such a perswasion of pardon is but a presumption that of S. Iames remaineth an everlasting Truth Faith without works is dead Object That Faith saith he is not dead where the whole essence of Faith is Sol. True but wherein consisteth that essence of Faith This is nothing but the eccho of the Heart saith he to this voice of the Spirit Grant Faith to be the eccho of the Heart to the voice of the Spirit though this indeed be but one act of Faith yet by the voice of the Spirit we understand not that suggestion of Remittuntur but the whole Text of Scripture comprehending Precepts Promises Threatnings in all which there is indeed an eccho of the Heart by Faith Psal. 27. 8. But in this the Antinomian is farther off then the Papist The essence of Iustifying Faith doth neither consist in this eccho to the Text of Scripture nor in that eccho to that word of Revelation but in an act that cometh in between them ex gr. The Text of Scripture saith He that believeth shall be saved Is man justified by believing this for a truth or rather by doing that duty which the word Believeth doth intimate viz. The act of confidence and affiance in Christ Again the Spirit saith Thy sins are forgiven Is man justified because the believeth this word Surely no He must have it before the word that saith so be a word of Truth So then the first eccho goeth before the other doth follow after The right act of justifying Faith whence it is so named is that intermediate act of confidence and affiance Understand me to speak of these acts of Faith as first second third in the order of Nature not in the distance of time In the order of Nature justification doth not go before Faith but follow upon it Nor is man justisted because he doth perswade himself that so it is To wade no farther in this Argument By this I suppose it is evident That the new way of evidencing by the word of the Spirit and the subscription of Faith cannot lay the Ground of
all How then shall any one know whether his part and portion be in that Many or not Ans. Surely say we by the work of Grace in the heart by the Spirit of Sanctification which doth always go along with the Spirit of Adoption and the work of Justification This hath passed for a Truth without any opposition till of late The Antinomians cannot away with inherent Qualifications No certainty can be gathered from the say these men Against whom see the Ancient Truth maintained and the New way convinced of insufficiency Chap. 5. For he shall bear their iniquities This is the Confirmation of the Proposition He shall justifie because He shall bea By bearing iniquities we understand Suffering the punishment due to their sin as a Sacrifice to make an Atonement to satisfie the Justice of God and so to take away the sin of man Hence then we see that Justification is transacted by Christ and he is said to justifie many Not by the way of Instruction as say the Socinians viz. Propounding the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace in which is contained the way and maner of Justification In this sense the Apostles to say nothing of Moses and the Prophets might be said to justifie many inasmuch as they had an eminent service in publishing the Gospel to the world but doubtless Christ had no partners in the Justification of these many So then not by the Instruction is it but by the way of Acquittance and Absolution This is plain but that is farther to be enquired How cometh sin to trouble and vex the conscience if it be taken away Hath Christ born yea born away for so we understand the word bear he doth not only ferre but auferre so bear them as to bear them away Hath Christ born them away and are they brought back again Here again we must Conflict with these Antinomians Old Truths do not please them they have a New way for this also the unsufficiency whereof together with the right way of satisfying the Conscience and taking away the scruple of sin see fully explicated Chap. 6. According to this Method have I finished my Meditations upon this Text of Scripture chosen of purpose to examine the Truth or Falshood of some Points of Antinomianism An Enterprise to which I confess I had bound my self by Vow and Promise made to God in the day of some distress which had befaln me To the performance of which Vow I was engaged by obtaining at the hand of God the gracious grant of my desire which with all thankfulness I do acknowledge and by mine experience can witness That an holy and religious Vow is a ready mean to obtain of God the gracious grant of our just desires Holy and Religious I account that which is framed according to the Rules of Religion One special Rule of Religion is That each Christian in his place and calling do set himself with the best of his abilities to that work which the present times may shew to be most necessary for the advancement of Gods glory I in my place of the Ministery what could I do rather or more tending to this end then to set my self to oppose the present Errors which darken the Truth of God and defile the Purity of our holy Profession This Error of Antinomianism I chese to deal in because I conceived it one of the most dangerous Doctrines that are broached in these days Satan doth never more harm then when he is transformed into an Angel of Light Nor is any Error more dangerous then that by which Christian Liberty is used as an occasion to the Flesh by which the care and conscience of the Law the Rule of Holiness is weakned and worn away by which the Soul and Conscience is steeled and stiffned against the sense and remorse of sin and sinfulness In this I have done what I could If not with strength enough to convince or cleerness enough to perswade yet with a sincere heart and a desire to do good God is my witness And I bless God both for his Assistance enabling me to do what I have done and also for those blessed opportunities which his Providence hath afforded me to do mine endeavor in the course of my Ministery to set forth the Truth of God and to seek the glory of his Name AN EXAMINATION Of the chief Points of ANTINOMIANISM CHAP. I. Touching the Law of Moses Whether altogether abolished so that it is of no use to the Believer now in the time of the Gospel Also whether it do not binde Believers to the Duties of Holiness as well now as it did in the time of the Old Testament THere is a Generation of men risen up again in this last Age of the Church who would gladly banish the Preaching of the Law and all legal Duties out of the Church of Christ The Law say they is abolished the Conscience of the Christian is not bound to the Law they are false Teachers who call men to the practise of the Law and the Duties therein contained This Doctrine of theirs is a word that will eat as doth a Canker till it hath fretted out all care of Holiness and good Works if not prevented Let it not then be thought impertinent this being the time of their infection if by examining their Grounds and discovering the weakness and unsoundness of them I seek what lyeth in me to prevent the further spreading of this evil The Antixomian this name is given him for that he opposeth the Preaching and pressing of the Law he I say buildeth upon these and the like Texts Rom. 6. 14. 7. 4. 10. 4. Gal. 3. 10. 5. 1. whence they argue to this effect If Believers be not under the Law nay if dead to the Law by the body of Christ and so delivered from the Law whereupon Christ is termed the end of the Law Then to call them back again to the Law and the dominion thereof is to draw them from Christ and from that Liberty which Christ hath purchased for them whereas the Apostle doth charge the Galatians to stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and not to suffer themselves to be again entangled in the yoke of Bondage Thus they as I finde by that Book of Ro Town Intituled The Assertion of Grace or A ' Defence of the Doctrine of free Justification For clearing of this our Divines distinguish The Law of Moses delivered to the Church of Israel was partly Moral partly Ceremonial Moral so called because it was the Rule of good maners toward God and toward man And it is to be considered either in respect of the Substance or the Circumstance In respect of the Substance it is the comprehension of those Duties of Holiness which God had either imprinted in the heart or revealed to the ear of Adam and his Posterity in that Age of the Church which lived before the writing of the Law And so it is the
man 1 Tim. 1. 9. consequently belongs not to the Believer who is justified by Faith in Christ And the Believer indeed is justified but not a righteous man not in that sense of the word in which St. Paul doth use it in that Text The Righteous man is there opposed to the lawless and disobedient and so must be understood of one that seeketh to conform himself and all his actions to the Rule of the Law for such a man the Law is not made The Law what is that The Rule of the Law No but the threatning of the Law the Curse and Condemnation This is not made for the Righteous and so ought not to be applied against him but against the lawless and disobedient against them that will walk without Law and boldly bear themselves in the disobedience of the Law Against these is the Law made and against them are the threatnings and curses of the Law to be applyed This is the right use of the Law The which saith St. Paul is good if a man use it lawfully i. e. if he do not abuse it by mis-application Now then though St. Paul saith The Law is not made for a Righteous man yet saith he not It is not made for a justified person Nor doth he say The Law is of no use for a Righteous man It is not a Iudge to curse and condemn him but is it not a Teacher to instruct him a Counsellor to direct him Is it not a Guide to conduct him a Goad to quicken him and put him on if he slacken his pace in the path of Holiness Doubtless it is Was it not useful yea needful for Adam in Paradise though a righteous man So then I hold it a manifest truth That though the Believer by his Justification and Adoption be freed from the Curse of the Law yet not from the Counsel and Command of that Law Object It is Replyed That to Justifie and Condemn are as proper to the Law as to Counsel or Command If the Law may not command sub paenâ nor condemn proculpâ then doth it cease to be a Law nor hath it any binding power at all I answer That to justifie and condemn are indeed as proper to the Law as to counsel and command while the Law standeth as a condition of life and salvation but in that sense we confess it abrogated yet is not the binding power of it ceased still are we bound to walk in obedience to it because it is enjoyned as the Commandment of him who hath redeemed us from the Curse thereof Nay I adde this further That we are bound to walk by the direction of the Law not only ex debito gratitudinis in the way of thankfulness but also ex obligatione peccati to decline the guilt of sin Sinful it is in the justified person to neglect the counsel and command of the Law I would gladly ask these men Whether the justified person be exempt from sinning yea or not I finde it charged upon them That no action of a Believer after his Iustification is sin and I perceive that they do shift and shuffle in the business The Question is not Whether the sin of the justified person shall be charged upon him to endanger his salvation but Whether the act be sin in him or not Whether his Iustification do bring with it such a charter of priviledge and prerogative as doth exempt him from committing sin I confess the Text of St. John saith He that is born of God sinneth not 1 Joh. 3. 9. And yet they know that the same Apostle saith If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves 1 Joh. 1. 8. And St. James saith In many things we offend all Iam. 3. 2. If all then the justified also which is yet more plain by that of our Savior who prescribing a Form of Prayer for the Adopted Sons of God such who with confidence may call God Father teacheth them to pray for the pardon of sin and preservation from sin Doth he teach them to dissemble to pray for the pardon of a sin and yet there is no sin committed to pray for the preservation of their souls from Satans tentation and yet there is no danger of being drawn into sin May we not rather hereupon conclude in the words of St. John If we say that we have not sinned we make him Christ in that Form of Prayer a lyar and his word is not in us So that upon necessity that other Text which seemeth to cross the current of the Scripture and saith of the Regenerate That he sinneth not must be understood as some do understand that of Balaam He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob Numb. 23. 21. not of any at all but of some particular sin The Text of Balaam say some hath particular relation to the sin of Idolatry from which Israel at that time was free though not long after entangled by the counsel of Balaam And the Text of St. John hath an eye to presumptuous sin or rather to the sin of total and final Apostacy the sin unto death from which the Regenerate is preserved by that seed of God which remaineth in him from this sin I grant he is preserved and in this respect he sinneth not Not so in respect of other sins witness not only the Adultery of David which displeased the Lord or the act of Peter denying his Lord and Master in which his Faith was next door to failing and called for the Prayer of Christ to preserve him These you will say were before the Passion of Christ but witness that faultering of Peter and dissimulation of Barnabas for which St. Paul did openly reprehend them Gal. 2. 11. Well then if it be granted That the justified person may sin yea and doth sin there must then be a Law of Holiness which shall binde him to carefulness in such and such particulars for where there is no Law there is no Transgression nor can any man be concluded a sinner in case of negligence where there is no bond of duty Neither may we rest in this which they will not stick to grant The Law of the Spirit The Law written in the heart This is not enough there must be also another Law written in Tables and to be read by the eye to be heard by the ear Else how shall it be known to the rest of the Congregation whether this man doth not swerve from the Law written in the heart yea or not Nay how shall the believer himself be sure that he doth not swerve from the right way wherein he ought to walk Even in Paradice God appointed an Eternal precept of obedience for tryal beside that Law and Light of Nature which was written in Adams heart Much more needful is it now The Spirit I grant is the Justified mans Guide and Teacher That Vnction which they have received doth teach them all things But he teacheth them by the Word by the Word the written Word of Prophecy by the
Apostles taught so before us If we have not them for our Presidents let us be condemned For why doth not our Saviour mention that greatness of reward as a Motive to patience in persecution Mat. 5. 12. To love our Enemies Mat. 5. 46. To fast and pray in secret Mat. 6. 6. 18. Doth our Saviour herein teach Popery or doth he cross the Doctrine of Free grace and Justification without Merits Doth not Saint Paul tread in the same steps urging patience in afflictions 2 Cor. 4. 17. Perseverance in goodness and godliness 1 Cor. 15. 58. Gâ—l 6. 9 10. Bountifulness to the poor Saints 2 Cor. 9. 6. 2 Tim. 6. 19. Confidence in God Heb. 10. 35. All these by an Argument drawn from the expectation of that benefit which should accrew unto them Doth not Saint Peter make use of the same Motive to press the same duties See these Texts 1 Pet. 5. 4. and 2 Pet. 1. 11. and 3. 11. They Reply That Divines do grant the reward is to be eyed as an encouragement But it is promised to the worker not to the work We do not stumble at this nor stick upon it nay we subscribe hereunto but they adde It is due for his Faiths sake before he performed any thing I demand whether this do not seem to be against all reason Due it is to the worker but yet in relation to his work Due unto him for his Faiths sake but not before he perform any thing No he must work and then by Faith lay hold upon the Promise His Faith â—â—â—â—reth him of the reward by assuring him that the Promise belongs to him and that is two ways 1. As one in Christ 2. As one working and walking as becometh a Christian He must be in the Vine and he must bear Fruit If either of these be wanting he may fail If an Heathen did the same work it would not avail him The Promise is made to the worker not to the work If any Christian do neglect this work he cannot expect this reward The Promise is to the worker yet in relation â—o his work Deny this and you deny the diversity of mansions and different degrees of Glory whereof out Divines do speak out of these Texts Dan. 12. 2. Joh. 14. 2. 1 Cor. 15. 41. I cannot tell but I think I am not far wide in my conjecture These men do make so much of their Faith as if that alone might do all both in Iustification and Sanctification And as by Faith they must lay hold upon Christs Righteousness for justification so to save themselves a labor of working out their salvation by duties of holiness they will by Faith also lay claim to the Holiness of Christ for their sanctification And so the sanctification of a Christian shall be nothing else but the Imputation of Christs Holiness to him not any quality at all infused into him or inherent in him And if so what shall be the meaning of these Texts Be ye holy in all maner of conversation Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect Grow in grace Work out your salvation Adde to your Faith vertue to vertue knowledge c. Note that Text I beseech you Saint Peter doth not lay all the load upon Faith Nor so urge it as if it alone might do all No but he would have all vertues and fruits of the Spirit joyned with it These men do quarrel us for pressing good works as if with the Papists we did teach men to seek life and Salvation by their works But I fear their drift is to banish out of the Church all care of Holy duties all care of Repentance and new Obedience Did they press these at all we should the less scruple at the motives though there is no reason why we should cast a way such motives as the Scripture hath appointed for that purpose why should we think our selves wiser herein then God or better acquainted with our own strength then he as if we could walk without that stuff which he hath provided for us But we can not finde them reaching any necessity of these duties at all And for their Disciples we finde some of them casting away all care of duties yea and disputing against them No conscience made of Sanctifying the Lords day in publique No care of family duties in private plain neglect yea opposition of days and times of Easting and Humiliation No necessity of Repentance and sorrow son Sin And certainly where there is so little respect had to the Duties of Piety it may well be doubted there is not overmuch care of Justice and Honesty Now for that other motive of the Law viz. Threatning of danger in case of negligence and disobedience They say Since all do grant that the curse of the Law is abrogated why should Christians be terrified with it Is not this to call them back to the yoke of Bondage Surely no Except they will say that Christ and his Apostles did so we walk in their steps so that either they must acquit us or condemn them See for this that of our Saviour Mat. 5. 25. 29. Mat. 6. 15. and 7. 1. Doth it not appear by these Texts that our Saviour hath renewed the penalty of the Law to make men cautelous and conscientious in their duties Do not the Apostles tread in the same steps Other Arguments I grant are more frequent yet otherwhiles we finde them propounding the danger of Sin See these Texts Rom. 6. 23. 8. 13. 13. 2. 2 Cor. 3 17. 6 9. 9. 16. 11. 29. 2 Cor. 5. 11. Gal. 5. 21. 6. 8. Eph. 5. 6. Col. 3. 8. 1 Thess. 4. 6. James 5. 1. 2 Peter 2. 3. And what shall we say Do the Apostles in these Texts call men back again to the yoke of Bondage Two Reasons are alleaged against the use of those Comminations 1. Christians need them not 2. They need not fear them That they need them not they endeavor to prove by this reason Because say they Believers are of an ingenuous disposition and led by a free Spirit The Spirit of Christ doth sweetly incline the Heart to love God and Man yea by Faith bringing love is man enlarged and prepared to the Duties of the Law Nor need he be tyed and bound to it as a Bear to the stake I answer That what is here said is right if rightly understood Only remember that this is a state of perfection to which the Holy heart aspireth indeed yet hardly attaineth And therefore there is still need of the Law and the Motives thereof to excite and stir up our over-slothful sluggish minds The Spirit of Christ I grant doth execute the office of the Law whether considered as the Rule or the Principle of well doing the Spirit is both Principle and Rule but by reason of that rebellion which is in the flesh there is use of the Law and of the terror thereof the Spirit doth make use of them to shake
off that sluggishness that is in us As he doth teach so doth he incline the Heart Teach he doth not only by inward Motions and Suggestions but also by external Precepts and Instructions so doth he incline and discipline the heart by external motives no less then inward motions external motives I say viz. the Promises and Threatnings of the Law Object Is not this to call for an outward Authority to incline the Heart to that which it hath none affection nor inclination Sol. Nothing less It is indeed to call for an outward authority or Argument to quicken the Soul unto that unto which though by Grace it hath an inward affection yet by reason of the powerful relliques of Corruption that inward affection is not strong enough to prevail without some outward helps we know that a Crutch doth no harm to the weak and feeble nor do we account of Christians moved by fear to be as a Bear tyed to a stake We know that they have in them an ingenuous and free Spirit by which they are led but we know that there is in them also the Body of Sin still dwelling the Lusts whereof are violent and must be kept under by the Law We fear to let the Christian loose too soon least like Heirs that come to their Estate before they be wise they squander it away spoil all we know that they have the Spirit of Faith which worketh by love But we know also that the same Spirit worketh by Fear Love and Fear are as the weights and plummets of the Soul Love is indeed the sweetest and most potent but it is not for beginners and Babes in Christ These like School-boys must otherwhiles be frighted into their Duty were there no flesh in believers fear might be laid aside while there is Flesh in them there is use of fear If not why is it part of the promise in the New Covenant Ier. 32. 40. I will put my Fear into their Hearts They grant That the Law doth not lose his Dominion till the Grace of God do challenge us to it self that it may reveal Righteousness in us very good say I but adde this That the Law doth not lose his Dominion wholly till the Grace of God hath revealed Righteousness in us i. e. till it hath set up the reign of Grace and subdued corruption which is the daily endeavor of the Spirit but much retarded by the flesh nor will it be perfected till this life be changed It is not denyed but while the Spirit of Love is active fear may stand aside But we know that when the Heart is taken up with the pleasures of Sin as too often it is the Spirit of God must use the whip of the Law to fetch it off again otherwise it is hardly reclaimed Nor do we deny but that according to their Doctrine and Definition of a true Believer there is no liberty set up nor given to the Flesh But we say it is a Doctrine and Difinition not fitted to the state of a Christian in this life To walk by Love is the Duty of a Christian not the Definition This motive and mean which they prescribe viz. The Love of Christ is potent and prevalent to lead men on in Holiness if it meet with an Heart rightly fitted and qualified But it is not for the common temper of Christians as Saint Paul said of the Law It was too weak Rom. 8. 3. Not in it self but in respect of mans impotency So say we of this love the only motive by which these men would have Christians dealt withall It is strong in it self but not strong enough to over bear the power and prevalency of Corruption still remaining Needs must we call in the help of this fear the fear of danger that may come by Sin to keep men even the best of Christians from daring to meddle with it Well But to what end should these threatnings be used since Christians need not fear them How so Because by vertue of their justification they are delivered from the curse of the Law To this I might answer That their Justification doth not free them from the Rod What was said of the Seed of David is true also of the Seed of Christ the Son of David If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their Transgression with the Rod and their Iniquity with stripes Psal. 89. 31. They may and do smart for their sins as appeareth by the grievous complaints of divers holy men of God Psal. 77. and 88. 15. Now then if they be lyable to smart and suffer for their sin may they not be threatned and put in fear thereof that fear may make them watchful and careful Not for sin say these men doth the Believer smart and suffer but from sin i. e. In the way of prevention not in the way of punishment A fond and a foolish position contrary to the Text of Scripture which directly saith For this cause many among you are weak and sick and some are fallen a sleep 1 Cor. 11. 30. contrary to reason Why doth one Christian smart rather then another Hath he in him more seeds of sin then another contrary to experience What Father doth correct his childe for a fault not yet committed And whose conscience doth not tell him that his sin hath procured these things to himself Even Job is at it I have sinned what shall I do unto thee Job 7. 20. I might adde That if their justification doth exempt them from being cast into Hell yet doth it not exempt them from having an Hell cast into them even the very flames and flâ—shes of that fire and brimstone for a time cast into their souls to drink up their spirits and dry up the moisture of their vital parts as the experience of divers holy Saints of God doth testifie But this I urge finally That notwithstanding their justification they are not exempted from the fear of Hell it self Iustification doth onely free them from this fear while they walk worthy of it But suppose them sinning against the Law of holiness suppose them stepping aside from Christ and wandring into the way of sin they cannot be free from the fear of death The Apostle saith If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye nor doth he make any exception of the justified person So that if you can suppose a justified person sinning as no doubt but he may otherwise in vain had S. Paul to them of whom he had said 1. Cor. 6. 11. Ye are justified recommended this exhortation verse 18. Flee Fornication if you can suppose him sinning I will conclude him thereby in danger of death and till he repent and return to Christ that he may gain the pardon of this sin also he cannot be out of the fear of death Nay more if you can suppose him sinning and dying in his sin without repentance for that sin I will conclude him in the state of death and condemnation or
and so wrong the Wisdom of our Saviour as if he could not make choice of such words phrases as might plainly and understandingly express his meaning And if these words Forgive us do signifie Make us to know that thou hast long since forgiven us then why shall not the next words As we forgive receive the same interpretation Nay why not so also in the other Petitions Lead us not into Tentation Give us our daily Bread i. e. in the Antinomian sense Make us to know that thou hast not lead us that thou hast given us our daily Bread Will not this be found a sensless gloss nay an utter perverting of our Saviours intention And why then should it hold only in the fifth Petition and in none of the other 2. Adde this That one end of our daily address to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is to obtain the Remission of our sins by the application of Christs blood The words of our Saviour touching the Wine are these This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you and for many for the Remission of sins That in it as we have often need by reason of our daily Transgressions so we may often look upon that Brasen serpent for the cure of our often bitings Thus what we ask of God in prayer the same in the Sacrament doth God bestow upon us viz. The daily pardon of our daily sins Were it not in this respect needful to provide for our wants was the pardon of all actual sins at once sealed in this Sacrament as is the pardon of our Original guilt sealed in Baptism what necessity to receive this Sacrament any oftner then we do the other sc. once for all 3. And above all it is a ground of Religion that nothing is to be received and believed but what is Revealed to us for a truth by the Word of God Now there is no ground in the Word of God for any particular person to believe that his sins are remitted already before he do repent and believe in Christ The Word of God sets down what counsel hath been given to men that they might obtain Remission Act. 2. 38. and 3. 19. But no where doth the Scripture say to this or that man Thy sins be forgiven And for any man to perswade himself of Remission before it be yea before he hath a word for it is presumption and not saith The Antinomian Doctors say That the Spirit of God doth reveal it in the heart of a man and the Voice of the Spirit is the Testimony of truth In very deed we may not refuse the Testimony of the Spirit nor question the truth of it But in as much as we know that Satan doth somtimes transform himself into an Angel of Light and that there be many false Spirits in which respect the Apostles bids us to try the Spirits nor doth Satan seduce only by the Doctrines of men but also by false suggestions whispering to the sinner comfort upon false grounds How shall we discern the Testimony of the Spirit from the suggestion of Satan They Answer Hereby it is discerned Because it speaketh things consonant to the Scripture Let this be manifested and the question is at an end But where doth the Scripture countenance that Voice of the Spirit speaking to the sinner and saying Thou art justified in the sight of God and thy sin pardoned and that long ago in the day of Christs Passion How I say is this proved to be according to the Scriptures They say The Scripture holdeth forth the Free Grace of God in Christ viz. That Christ is given a Saviour for sinners for Enemies for the Rebellious That God doth justifie the Wicked and the ungodly even when and while they are such That he calleth for no works of mans Righteousness nor any previous dispositions to qualifie men that may come to Christ So that neither Impiety nor Enmity can cast in any bar to hinder him that will lay hold upon Christ This we do not much question but withall we adde That the Scripture doth also call upon sinners to Repent and turn to the Lord that so they may be pardoned and their sins bloted out and in as much as we know that one Text of Scripture is no less truth then another nor may we so cleave to the one as to neglect the other for they are not contradictory if rightly understood we conclude that Christ is held forth a Saviour to sinners but so that they repent and forsake their sins not else no sin not the greatness of any sin no nor the multitude of great Transgressions can bar the humble Penitent Saint Iohn saith If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us 1 Iob. 1. 7. Note that If q. d. If not then there is no ground to hope for it Again we say That God doth justifie the ungodly as Christ doth save sinners in sensu diviso i. e. Not while they are ungodly not while they are sinners but when they have forsaken their wicked ways have turned to the Lord by true and sound repentance That text of Rom. 4. 5. speaking of him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly must not be understood simply of such a one that doth nothing at all but respectively of such a one as doth not rest upon his works nor rely upon his Righteousness but renouncing his own works doth cast himself upon the Free Grace of God nor doth it use that word ungodly in the common sense sâ— for one that hath no goodness in him at all but in a limited sense viz for one that wanteth such a perfection of goodness as on which he may build the hopes of his justification And the reason of this explication is because the proposition is drawn from the instance of Abraham a man certainly not altogether void of works and Righteousness though not so complete and perfect in them as that he durst rest upon them but renouncing his works he did cast himself upon the Free grace of God and so was justified by his Faith Consequently that voice of Revelation in man which teacheth him to comfort himself in the assurance of his justification without any respect to the work of Repentance wrought in him this is not the voice of Gods spirit but the delusion of Satan There is no word of God on which to ground such an assurance and therefore it may not be received nor believed for truth it being a ground of our Religion That nothing is to be received but what is revealed by the word of God I might adde this also Nothing is to be received as a truth which is cross and contrary to the Text of Scripture Now that sins should be actually pre-remitted before-hand and the person actually justified before that by Faith he be United to Christ how doth it not cross that Text of Saint Paul Rom. 3. 25. where speaking of the Remission of sin
failing is when he cometh to answer that Question How shall I know that this is the voice of the Spirit A needful Question Because Satan may and doth transform himself into an Angel of light and deceive the soul This is saith he the usual way of men if the Word did bear witness to this particular voice of the Spirit in me then I could be satisfied But if the Word do not bear witness to this voice of the Spirit I dare not trust it The usual way Nay is it not the only way In the Old Testament thus it was all Revelations were to be examined by the written word Deut. 13. 1. Isa. 8. 20. And is it not so also in the New-Testament See that Text of our Savior Ioh. 16. 13. He that is the Spirit shall lead you into all Truth How so For saith Christ He shall not speak of himself but what he shall hear that shall he speak And what is that which the Spirit heareth Is it not that which is already contained in the scriptures So then no Revelation of any Doctrine no nor the Application of it which is not consonant to the Scripture is to be thought to proceed from the spirit but whatsoever is pretended to be revealed by the Spirit doth so far forth call for Faith as is agreeable to the Scriptures Well not to quarrel needlesly nor to be too strict in terms he doth alow it for a truth The Spirit of the Lord never speaks to the heart of a Believer but he always speaks according to the Word of grace revealed But then he addeth two limitations which spoil all 1. That by the Word we must not understand the Law but the Gospel And this I conceive is put to choke them who seek for signs and marks of Inherent Qualifications 2. That you must not make the credit of this voice of the Spirit to depend upon the Word i. e. to receive credit from it And why not Because saith he if you say that the Word is of greater credit then the Spirit wanteth something in it self of credit as if a man were trusted for a sureties sake But this saith he must not be alowed God never intended that any thing should be of such credit as to give credit to the Spirit The issue of all returns to this That the Testimony of the Spirit is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} self-sufficient as the principles of Arts and Sciences which are indemonstrable and must be received as altogether unquestionable and the meaning thereof is this If any urge how shall I be satisfied that this voice thus speaking is the voice of Gods Spirit his Answer is It is so because it is so Or thus I know it because the Spirit saith it So unwilling are these men that the Revelations and Illuminations on which they build their comforts should be searched into too far Object Nay you will say his meaning is I know it because the Spirit speaketh according to the Word Sol. If so Then he must recant what he said That it doth not depend upon the Word And well he may For howsoever the Truth of what the Spirit speaketh doth not depend upon the Word yet the credit of it doth The Scripture is already known and received as the Word of God And what cometh after it must borrow credit from it St. Peter speaking of the voice which they heard in the Mount saith yet We have a more sure Word of Prophecy 2 Pet. 1. 19. How more sure But because it was already received as the undoubted Word of God And so to them and in their Apprehension it was a more sure Word But to draw nearer to the point Doth this voice of the Spirit saying to an ungodly man Thy sins are forgiven doth it speak according to the Scripture True indeed the Scripture saith God justifieth the ungodly God hath reconciled the World unto himself But is it therefore alowed for any one to say I am an ungodly man I am one of the World therefore I am justified I am reconciled Is there then any Universal Reconciliation and Justification taught in the Text of Scripture I mean any such Reconciliation that is absolute and irrespective That Reconciliation is so far wrought by Christ indefinitely for the World of mankinde that whosoever will come in and lay hold upon Christ by Faith shall not perish this is revealed None other do I know or acknowledge Is it not rather taught us in the Scripture That before there can be any conclusion of comfort to the soul by the particular Application of the Gospel Promises any I mean more then this conditional If I will come in also I may as well as others there must come in the work of the sanctifying spirit purifying the soul and conscience and working in it those inherent Qualifications to which the Promise is made and upon which dependeth the conclusion of that practical syllogism which bringeth comfort The Text of Scripture saith They that Repent and Believe They that are lead by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Then that renewed and sanctified conscience saith I do Repent and Believe I am lead by the Spirit therefore And so this conclusion thus deduced if the immediate Testimony of the Spirit manifested by an Heavenly impression and irradiation upon the soul if it come in with his attestation to confirm it we may not doubt of the truth thereof because now indeed it speaketh according to the Word and doth confirm that particular conclusion which was comprehended in the general Text of Scripture For where the Text of Scripture hath not a Quicunque for the Proposition there the Testimony of the Spirit that concludes for hic ille doth not speak according to the Word Object You will say to me there is a Quicunque in that of Isa. 55. 1. and Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will and our Saviour Joh. 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Sol. I grant it No doubt but the Gospel doth hold out Christ to all none exempted Jew nor Gentile But how As a Physitian to cure them not as an Husband to receive them into union with him Or if you will as a Husband to take them into the Bed of love But not till he hath purged them and fitted them for his Bed is it not for this that the Scripture doth call upon sinners to wash and cleanse their hands and hearts Isa. 1. 15. Jam. 4. 8. To separate from the Wicked 2 Cor. 6. 17. with infinite other Texts of Scripture all of them calling upon us to labor for the work of the Spirit upon the soul that so we may finde the fruits of union and communion with Christ and by that work of the Spirit felt in the heart we way be assured that the word of the Spirit speaking comfort to the soul and assuring the conscience of pardon is the word of truth and worthy of belief For as when
perfect peace except there come in also the evidence of inherent Qualifications The voice of Pardon is not the voice of the spirit except when it speaks to a Heart prepared and fitted for it Then only is it true when it falls upon a Penitent soul a Repenting sinner otherwise it is the suggestion of Satan Again the subscription of Faith is then a ground of comfort when it is accompanied with such inherent Qualifications as do certainly proclaim the work of the sanctifying spirit in the Heart otherwise it is but Presumption and rash Boldness The ground of all this is in the nature of this Testimony of the spirit It is not denied But that the testimony of the Spirit is the chief and principal assurance of our Adoption that without it the soul is not finally rid of fears that when it cometh it taketh away all fears and doubts But this is that which we are to nore that this is rather an Attestation then a Testimony a secondary not the first deponent is not this rightly concluded from that of Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit witnesseth with our Spirit where we have two witnesses joyning together their Testimonies to assert this truth That we are the Sons of God Two I say viz. Our spirit and the spirit of God the witness of our spirit i. e. of our conscience is the first The spirit of God is the second His work is not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to witness together with our Spirit i. e. To confirm and ratifie what that hath asserted So that indeed the evidencing of this Testimony of the spirit is from the Testimony of our own conscience If this do not first speak and conclude that other of the spirit speaks not at all Now the Testimony of the conscience is the conclusion of that practical Syllogism and the certainty of this conclusion depends upon the verity of the Assumption which mentioneth the work of grace in the Heart So then let it be the care of the Christian to make good the verity of the Assumption that he may truly say I do repent I am led by the spirit I do believe and rest upon Christ c. This shall not only afford him comfort by the conclusion but also assure him that he is not mis-led by the suggestion of Satan but guided by the spirit to rest upon that Testimony of his Adoption and Justification CHAP. VI Touching sin in the Conscience of the Believer The Doctrine of the Antinomians in this Point examined and found insufficient to satisfie the Conscience The right way of satisfying the Conscience and of taking away the scruple of sin set down THe Prophet Isaiah cap. 53. 11. having set down this That Christ shall Iustifie many addeth this as a reason For he shall bear their iniquities A phrase borrowed from the Levitical Priesthood in which the sacrificed Beast did bear the iniquity of the party that brought it his confession was that he had deserved death by his sin yet now casting himself upon the mercy of God he desired that the guilt of his sin might be transferred and laid upon that sacrifice and by the Blood of it he might finde Atonement So then the meaning of that saying of the Prophet is That Christ shall as a sacrifice of expiation take upon him punishment due to the sin of many Thus by bearing the punishment doth he take away the sin of his people This doth not please some the Antinomian Doctors by name The word iniquities is found in the 6. Verse of the Chapter And upon that Text one of them Dr. Crisp doth contend much for this That not onely the punishment of sin but the iniquity it self was laid upon Christ Not the guilt only but the fault it self His reason is Because otherwise it had been injustice in God to bruise hiâ— I should not much stick either at the Doctrine or the Reason but that I finde that the end of this for which they contend is not found viz. To shew the reason why it is said in Jer. 50. 20. That the iniquity of Iacob the Elect of God is sought for but cannot be found viz. Because God hath conveyed their iniquities away from the sinner and laid them upon the Back of Christ the which he seeketh to illustrate by him that to help a theef and deliver him from the danger of the Hue and Cry conveyeth away out of the thiefs house the stoln goods so that they are not found upon him It is not we see for nothing that these men depart from the received expressions of other Divines Iunius reads that sixth Verse thus Facit ut incurrat pena The punishment of us all met upon him answerable to Verse 5. The chastisement of our peace was laid upon him The Genevenses note is The punishment of our iniquitie and not the fault it self And Deodate saith Not the transgression nor the fault but the Bond by which we were lyable to Gods Iustice and the punishment of it Christ being our surety Amesius saith That the Imputation of our sin could agree to Christ in none other sense then this that he should undergo the punishment due to our sins See his Medulla Theol. Par. 1. cap. 6. But to let this pass Upon this truth and text That God hath laid upon Christ the iniquity of us all and that accordingly Christ hath born our iniquities A question is moved How then cometh it to pass that sin doth still trouble and terrifie the Conscience of many To this Question the Antinomians do Answer That many do trouble themselves needlesly that there is indeed no sin in the Conscience of the Believer but that men do put it in and so vex themselves without cause One of their Doctors out of that Text of Isa. 53. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all hath delivered these Doctrines 1. That it is iniquity it self and not barely the punishment that is laid upon Christ 2. This iniquity of ours is really transacted and laid upon him truely and not only by so thinking 3. The laying of iniquity upon Christ is the Lords own act it is his prerogative alone to do it 4. This act is not now to be done but it is done already 5. This grace of laying iniquity upon Christ is appliable by forgiveness of sin to persons before the least measure of Sanctification Points of Doctrine in which we cannot readily suspect any iniquity at least they might pass with a favorable interpretation But by the conclusions thence deduced we cannot but see that there is a snake in the grass Hence he inferreth 1. That the reason why believers walk in bitterness of Spirit is because they imagine sin in the Conscience whereas indeed believers have no sin at all wasting their Conscience or lying as a burthen upon them 2. That our own performances faith and repentance have no hand at all in laying sin upon