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
Doctrine of Good and Evil of Good and so the Rule of an holy life of Evil and so the revealer of Sin and Transgression This was the substance of that which we call the Moral Law The Circumstance of it was That it was made the condition of a Covenant for Life and Salvation and so required of all them that were under the Covenant and expected life and salvation by it of them I say it required complete and perfect obedience otherwise no hope to obtain their expectation Nay more it exacted this obedience under a Curse so that in case of disobedience not only shall they fail of Life but come under the condemnation of Death and this was that that proved the ruine of man In the constitution of the Church of Israel the Ceremonial Law was added This set down that Form of Worship and Service of God in the right observation whereof they might finde both Expiation of their Offences and Acceptation of their Obedience This consisted in many Rites and Ceremonies Sacrifices and Ordinances all limited to the observation of Times when of Places where and of Persons by whom these were to be performed ex gr. No Sacrifice might be offered but upon one Altar Nor by any person but by one of the Family of Aaron No Circumcision but upon the Eighth day Nor Passover eaten but on the Fourteenth of the first or second Moneth and this no where but at Jerusalem Three times a year must every Male appear before the Lord and every Woman at her Purification make a journey thither so that this became a yoke of Bondage to the Church of Israel especially in the latter Age thereof when they of that Nation were scattered among the Heathen and lived in places far remote from the Temple of Jerusalem This then is the yoke of Moses Law No hope to escape the Curse of the Moral Law but by those expiations prescribed in the Ceremonial Law No hope of acceptance in what they endeavored in the way of Obedience except they attend upon and seek it in those services appointed No nor those services accepted but in a most exact observation of all the circumstances which the Law set down From this yoke it is which Christ by his death hath freed the Christian And in this liberty it is that St. Paul would have have them stand fast that they be not entangled again in that former yoke of Bondage So then the Ceremonies of Moses Law are quite taken away by Christ the Sacrifice of whose Death is become the only expiation for all Transgressions and the only way and mean of Acceptation in the performance of all duties whatsoever Yea the Moral part of Moses Law is taken away in respect of the circumstance thereof it is no more the condition of the Covenant for Life and Death Not of life and so Justification may be had without it Not of death and so no fear of Condemnation by it provided alway that by Faith men lay hold upon Christ keep close to him and walk according to those Rules of Holiness that he hath prescribed for in so doing we obtain what the Law promised Life and Salvation By him we escape what the Law threatned Death and Condemnation So then though the Law be taken away in respect of this Circumstantial use thereof as a condition yet not in respect of that Substantial consideration viz. as the Doctrine and Direction of Good and Evil Nay in this respect it is reassumed and re-established by Christ In the former consideration of it it is that the Apostle saith Romans 10. 4. That Christ is the end of the Law i. e. he hath done that for man which the Law would but could not The Law would bring man to life and salvation This is the primary end and intention of it but the Law could not in respect of mans weakness Rom. 8. 3. This Christ hath done and so is become the end of the Law for Righteousness and Justification to every one that believeth In the same circumstantial consideration of the Law it is that the Apostle saith Rom. 6. 14. Ye are not under the Law and Rom. 7. 4. We are dead to the Law and so delivered from it viz. as it was the condition of the Covenant And that this is the meaning of it is plain by this That it is set down as a reason to prove that sin shall not have dominion over us viz. to binde us to condemnation in case of defectiveness and failings Because saith he ye are not under the Law but under Grace not under that condition of full and perfect Obedience in which if any defects were found sin did presently dominier and threaten death But under a condition in which not only sincerity of obedience is accepted though it be imperfect but also help and assistance in doing the Duties is afforded So that with much cheerfulness may we strive against the raign of Sin and that over-masterful sway which heretofore it had in us and over us Yet this doth not prove but that still we are under the Doctrine and Direction of the Law for Duties of Holiness Yea those duties which by the grace of Christs Spirit we are enabled to perform for this must be acknowledged That though the Law requireth many Duties of Holiness and Sanctification yet is it only the Spirit of Christ which enableth us to perform them these I say are justly termed the Works of the Law because done in relation to the Law though not in the capacity of a condition as in the Covenant of Works yet in the capacity of a Rule and Square of Direction and a Duty of Holiness Object They Reply That St. Paul saith Gal. 3. 10. They that are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse So that either the Law is abrogated even in respect of the Works thereof or else neither is the Curse abrogated if Christians be tyed to the Works they are not freed from the Curse True if they will be of the Works of the Law they shall be under the Curse But what is it to be of the Works of the Law Is it to take directions from the Law for our ways and walkings Is it to yield obedience to the Law No It is to seek Justification and Salvation by the merit of Works done in obedience to the Law This is plain to him that readeth the former Verses to be of Faith is to seek Salvation by the Gospel i. e. by believing in Christ and so To be of the Works of the Law is to seek salvation by them Now then such who will seek salvation by the Works of the Law are under the Curse saith St. Paul Good reason because they cannot satisfie the perfection of the Law And he that will challenge any thing in the way of Iustice must be content to suffer the penalty if he come short of the perfection which the Rule requireth Object Nay but say they The Law is not made for a Righteous
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
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