would think himself bound to be thankful to that friend and to love him as long as he lives otherwise he were an unworthy man Every man is bound to perform this building which is the doing of the command of God but his transgression is so much which is his debt to pay that he is not able to do any thing of the command Jesus Christ put forth himself a friend to all Believers in him he builds the house for them he hath paid all the debt of their transgression with the price of his passion blood and death and they have the whole benefit and the reward thereof Is not this a comfort to every believer will not this make them thankful and ever to love the Lord Jesus Christ Surely that man is no believer that sheweth not comfort therein yea their fulnes and love to the Lord Jesus Christ for this This made David to call out O that men would therefore praise Psal 107. 8. the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he hath done for the children of men And What shall I give unto the Lord for all that he hath done unto mee I will take the cup of salvation and give Psal 116. 13. 1 Cor. 16. 22. thanks unto the Lord. And this made Paul to say Cursed is he that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ. But now the words of many are stout against Christ his undertakings and performances which notwithstanding say like Hypocrites Wherein have we spoken against thee Of whom the Prophet Mal. 3. 13. fore told never so many of these as now are standing up to set up man and pull down Christ yea instead of denying themselves as Christ commandeth deny Christ in the matter I know there are many that will say O that I had assurance of Christ and his performances for me and the benefits thereof of the forgivenesse of my sins and all my debts paid to God and of life everlasting by Christ Quest But how shall I know this Answ If thou seest and findest the fruits of Christs spirit wrought up in thee mentioned and intended by the Apostle love Gal. 5. 22. joy peace faith goodnesse c. and especially this self-denyal wrought up in thee as Christ in the Text commandeth to deny thy self this is a witnesse and an assurance to thee of all thou desirest to know and to have of Christ The fruit of the Vine witness and assure that the branches that beare them do abide in the Vine and have all of the Vine behoovable for them even so where the good and true fruits of the spirit of Christ appear are born and held forth in truth and simplicity it is a certain evidence witnesse and assurance to that man that he is a living branch abiding in Christ and hath all of Christ that he hath undertaken and performed for Gods chosen ones that he hath forgivenesse of all his sins and everlasting life For these things wrought up in him are the witness and assurance to him of the Spirit of adoption received and the same spirit saith Rom. 8. 16. the Apostle witnesseth that is assureth that we are the children of God and coheirs with Christ The love and free grace of God in Christ the cause of all good unto man THe Apostle saith We love God because he loved us first And again The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the 1 Iob. 4. 19. Rom. 5 5. 1 Pâ—â— 4. 8. Rom. 13. 8 Act. 7. 28. Holy Ghost which is given unto us Love covereth a multitude of sinnes And again Love is the fulfilling of the law From hence I gather that it is the love and free grace of God in Christ to the Elect that is the root the cause and worker of all good to them and of all good called theirs as the gift of Christ to them So God loved the world that he gave his onely Son c Their Election in Christ Ioh. 3. 16. their holinesse justification righteousnes or unblameablenes before God as Paul said We were elected in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love Their Predestination Eph. 1. 4. and Ordination to eternal life their adoption through Christ their quickning in Christ their raising in Christ their love to God and men their believing and Faith their obedience repentance Eph. 2. 5 6. prayer and thanksgiving the Preaching Teaching and Exhortation of all or any of these to them as the Text saith The love of God to us causeth us to love God if we love him And I take it the love and free grace of God in his Christ to the Elect is the fulfiller and the fulfilling of the will of God his Law and commandement of all these and the rest for them as the Apostle saith Love is the fulfilling of the law But I take it the love of the Elect to God and all the performances Rom. 13. 8. of the Elect never have been are or shall be any cause or motive of Gods love and free grace to them or of any of the performances thereof or therein to them As neither of the gift of his Son Christ nor of their election in Christ their sanctification and justification before him their Predestination and Ordination to eternal life their Adoption and Glorification their Quickning or Raising up in Christ their love to God or man their Believing and Faith their Obedience Repentance Prayers and Thanksgiving Nor of the true Preaching Teaching and Exhortation of all or any of these to them And although I finde not many that say the love and performance of the Elect to God was the cause of Gods love to them before the world and of Gods performances for them and to them before the world Object Yet I finde many that say that the love of the Elect to God now in the world and their performances of the duties of love to God in the world do not cause God move and incite God to love them to do them and others good as their faith their obedience their repentance prayer and supplications their praise and thanksgiving and the like For say they God hath promised good to them that love God and do the duties of love to God and men as to shew mercy to thousands in them that love him and keep his commandements and saith To them that fear my Name the sun of Righteousnesse Exod. 20. shall arise and health shall be under his wings And He that Mal. 4. 3. believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Repent and cause others to repent and return from all your transgression so iniquity shall not be Mark 16. 16. Ezek. 18. 16. Iam. 5 16. your destruction Ask and you shall have seek and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed for the prayer of a Righteous man availeth
so promised which never paid any thing If man look for the love salvation and goodness of God for his own performances to God he will be deceived If poor corrupt man think to have the love of God for his love to God to be saved for his faith to be helped and assisted at Gods hand for his Prayer or to be forgiven for his Repentance he is deceived For the Apostle saith To him that worketh the wages Rom. 4. 4. is not accounted of favour or grace but of debt now God is a debter to no man he sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth that is leaveth him in his own hardness To take the Promise of God to be a debt to corrupt man for Rom. 9. 18. his work and performance to God is a great dishonour to God yea it is to make God a mercenary God that will do some good for man if he be paid for it if man do good for him and to him when as all the love and goodnesse of God to man is gratis of free grace I will love them freely saith God We are justified freely Hos 14. 4. Rom. 3. 24 Rev. 21. 6. Take of the water of life freely saith the Apostle Indeed God saith he loveth them and sheweth mercy on them that love him and keep his commandements and will justifie and save them that believe and will give to them that ask and forgive them that repent but he doth not say nor promise to love or shew mercy to them for their love or because they love him nor to justifie and save for their faith because they believe nor to give them because they ask or to forgive because they repent the History tels us not that All that God looketh for of man is in Christ which performeth all and he is satisfied for which he loveth giveth and forgigeth his Elect in Christ Isa 5. 3. 11. Indeed God sheddeth his love into the hearts of the Elect by the Holy Ghost sent unto them whereby their hearts bear the love of God and the manifestations of his love as the branch of the Vine beareth the grapes and fruits of the Vine conveighed by the spirits of the vine to manifestation and witnes as Christ himself sheweth in the Parable of the vine Ioh. 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. And the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of the elect by the Holy Ghost sent to them doth not onely manifest the love of God seated there in that soul passively but also by the same holy Ghost the love of God is acted so God and man by the Instrument of the same soul as it pleaseth the Lord Christ and all the fruits of the love of God evidenced witnessed and assured to the same soul by the spirit of Christ as the Apostle speaketh We have received the spirit of adoption and the same spirit beareth Rom. 8. 15 16. witnes with our spirits or souls that we are the sons of God The holy spirit manifesteth witnesseth and assureth the souls of the Elect of the love of God mercy justification and forgiveness of sinnes c. And this is that which is called their faith by which they are said to live to be justified and saved and to have all comfort whilst they are in the body And as the Apostle saith The promise of the new Covenant of Gal. 3. 16. grace called the new commandement and condition was made to the seed speaking of one which is Christ onely able to do the will of God in the same commandement and covenant being the undertaker to do the will of God of free grace and freely saying Lo I come to do thy will O God for poor corrupt man which thou hast elected in me not able to do any thing thereof in himself although in the history of Scriptures the promise be often found helf forth to man because Christ of grace imputeth and freely giveth the good and benefit of the promise purchased by himself to his Elect but afterwards reserving the Praise Honour and Glory thereof to himself So the whole covenant of grace was made of God with his Christ the undertaker to do the will of God for poor corrupt man elected in Christ as well the performing of the conditions and commandement therein as receiving of the promise although in the history of the Scriptures the commandement and performances of the condition of the covenant be held forth to pertain to unable corrupt man which onely pertaineth unto Christ the gracious and able undertaker for what is doth or hath poor corrupt man herein but in Christ Christs command to the Reprobate is as he is God the commander in justice to the Elect as undertaker of the work before God in grace Indeed our God commandeth in the history of the Scriptures both Reprobate and Elect and his command is holy just and of authority the Elect of themselves are still corrupt in themselves although holy in Christ in whom they are elected and not able through their corruption to do the just command Christ that of authority commandeth hath undertaken to do the will of God as he saith Lo I come to do thy will O God And no Heb. 10. 9. doubt but it was for the Elect that Christ did undertake to do the will of God as the payment of the debt in his justice for their transgression unto mercy and forgivenesse their holinesse and righteousness before God This will of God for payment to mercy and forgiveness for righteousnesse holinesse and goodnesse to them which Christ undertook to do for the Elect which themselves were not nor are able to do in the least no doubt he did doth and ever will do graciously making them his instruments as he pleaseth and imputing all to them upon which account it is said Christ is the Priest and the Sacrifice the Law or Covenant-giver and the Law or Covenant-keeper the Judge and the Advocate the commander and the doer of the commandement as the renowned Father in the church of Christ said Do Lord that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And although the afflictions punishments and misery of Reprobates be just to them for their sins against the holy commandement and although the afflictions troubles and punishments of the Elect be many in this world as David said he was punished every day yet the afflictions of the Elect in Christ are not nor can be for their sins before God which Christs full payment for them to God hath satisfied as the Prophet saith and which Christ hath Isa 53. â—1 covered as David saith Blessed is that man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sin is covered and which Christ hath taken quite away as the Apostle saith Christ appeared we know that he 1 Ioh. 3. 5. might take away our sins Can it be thought that the just God will exact payment for that which he hath had full payment already for which
to do any part thereof sithence the fall of man and that Christ hath fully performed all to be performed in himself already to the full satisfaction of God for the justification peace and salvation of the elect so that they are justified before God and have peace with God as the Apostle saith being justified by his blood we shall be saved from Rom. 5. 9. his wrath through Christ. And Christ died for our sins and rose a-again for our justification therefore the elect are justified before they believe then when Christ rose again before God and God loved Iacob before he was born or had done good or evill before men therefore Jacob was justified before God before he was born for God could not love him being still the child of wrath wicked and unrighteous before him and God elected Paul and the rest in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him they could not have been holy and without blame before God which God elected them unto if they had not then been justified before God They could not be elected out of the children of wrath and be still 〈◊〉 children of wrath before God they could could not be elected to be holy and without blame before God and be wicked and unjustified before God still And when God predestinated those he pleased to eternall life he then called justified Rom. 8. 29 30. and glorified them before himself saith the Apostle How then can these hold forth that a man is justified and made righteous by faith that it is faith that doth him that good that there is no justification to man before faith And if they take it that Christ the gracious undertaker for the elect in the Evangelicall law or covenant of grace hath not only done the will of God and performed all to be performed in himself for the justification of the elect but also hath done doth and will do the will of Mod to the end in the elect in inlightening their dark hearts and souls by his spirit sent unto them and in manifesting and witnessing by his spirit to their hearts and soules that they are the children of God elected in Christ ordained to eternall life and justified before God by Christs performances and the free grace and love of God in Gods sight before the world and in giving understanding knowledge and believing to their dead hearts and souls of their justification and the rest wrought for them by Christ as David said Give me understanding and I shall Psal 119. 24. live that is I shall know that I live in Christ and that Christ liveth in me then they must needs take it that the performances of Christ in the elect are but the witnesses and manifestations of the performances of Christ in himself for the justification of his elect not their justifying Christ saith I am the vine and he saith to his elect you are the branches The fruit of the vine there bred is Iohn 15. 〈◊〉 conveighed by the spirits of the vine to the branches the branches bear the fruits of the vine and hold them forth as instruments prepared and fitted of the vine and spirits thereof The fruits that the branches bear and hold forth are not the fruits of the branches bred of the branches but the fruits of the vine so Christ called them Luke 22. 18. bred of the vine and conveighed by the spirits thereof to the branches to be born and held forth The branches cannot bear nor hold forth any good fruit without the vine and the spirits of the vine And the good fruits do shew and manifest the good vine whereof they are bred and that the branches that did bear them did abide in the vine So the fruits of the spirit as love joy peace faith c. are bred Gal. 5. 22. of Christ and conveighed by the spirit of Christ to the elect branches of the vine Christ and the elect as Christ pleaseth to do the will of God in them as his branches do bear and hold them forth But the fruits of the spirit are not bred of the elect but of Christ by his spirit conveighed to them and therefore called the fruits of the spirit to be born and held forth by them as fitted branches and instruments of Christ the vine and his spirit and the elect cannot beare them of themselves without Christ and his spirit breed them and conveigh them and therefore Christ faith VVithout me you can do nothing that is you cannot bear the fruits nor hold them forth without me and the fruits of the spirit born and held forth in man do witnesse and evidence Christ in him that bare them and do also witnesse that that man is elected in Christ and abideth in Christ the vine as the Apostle saith his spirit witnesses and faith is the evidence of things not seen Rom. 8. 16 Hâ—b 11. 1. All that which Christ doth of the will of God in the elect doth not justifie them or make them the children of God but onely doth witness and manifest to them that they are justified and made the children of God by the performances done in himself and that of grace by the imputation of his Righteousness and the Righteousness of his performances in himself to them they are made Righteous the children of God and saved As it is said Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness It could not be Abraham's believing according to the Commandment of the law of Works that was imputed to him for Righteousness for Abraham no doubt was a corrupt sinful man as all the Elect are in themselves and and his believing was corrupt and sinful as himself was and God that did never call evil good did never impute sin for Righteoulness and if Abrahams Righteousness had been of his believing according to the Commandement then it had been of his works that he was justified contrary to the Scripture The faith and believing the fruit of the spirit of Christ that Abraham did bear as a branch of the Vine Christ did onely witness and manifest to him that he was justified by Christ and his performances they did not justifie him But Abraham being one of Gods Elect in Christ for whom Christ had undertaken and in himself performed all Righteousness before God it that is the Righteousness of Christs performances was imputed to him for Righteousness by grace The Elect in Christ the Adopted through Christ those who See Rom. 4. 5 6. are ordained to eternal life whose sins were laid upon Christ from the beginning which Christ hath performed all for in himself to the full satisfaction of God are justified before God before Faith before they believe of grace by the imputation of Christs Righteousness to them Their work of Faith cannot justifie them the grace of Faith wrought in them by the spirit of Christ doth not justifie them but witness andâ— manifest that they are justified by the Righteousness
he had in his acceptance by Christs undertaking so soon as Christ had undertaken If now there are many that hold so th the history of the Scriptures to affirm and prove the temporal afflictions of the Elect to be ordered unto them for their sins against God and men for their sins before God and before men But the mystery of our God and Christ of faith and godliness doth hold forth that afflictions are not ordered of Christ to the Elect for their sins either against God or men as the payment of the debt thereof or as in revenge of wrath which are never under wrath but under love but are alwaies ordered to the elect of God in the love wisdome and goodnesse of one God Christ either to take them away in love from sin and the misery of sin as the Prophet saith The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth Isa 57. 1. that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come or are Zach. 2. 5 Hos 2. 5. ordered to them to keep and preserve them from sin as by a wall of fire and a hedge of thornes as the Prophets speak upon which if their corrupt nature presse drive and force them they are by this means of Christ constrained to return to Christ as the Prophet Hosea at large sheweth in the second chapter of his Prophesie v. 5 6 7 c. A loving father will not chastise his child for the offence done if he knoweth that he will offend no more but will passe by the fault and if he doth chastise him it is that he might not offend afterward to keep him from offending And Psa 119. 71. upon this David said It is good for me that I have been in trouble for thereby I have learned to keep thy Statutes Davids troubles were Gods goodness to him although he was punished every day Daily have I been punished saith he The goodness of his troubles Psa 73. 14 and afflictions drive him back to Christ as the Apostle saith The love of Christ hath constrained us 2 Cor. 3. 14. But still there are some that it may be in earnest object if the elect do know they can do nothing of the holy commandement and if they know that Christ hath undertaken to do all and will do all for them commanded to be done before God Then they may live without care fear or regard of godlinesse to walk uprightly before God so that they live warily before men and give content and satisfaction to men This objection is not made from the spirit of Christ but from the spirit of Antichrist not from the sense of an elect believer but from the sense of reprobates such as God hath delivered up into a reprobate mind as the Apostle speaketh and are reprobate Rom. 1. 28 2 Tim. 3. 8 concerning the faith as he faith For although the elect believers denie themselves and see nothing in themselves but 〈◊〉 crying alwayes Lord be mercifull to me a sinner and know that themselves can do nothing of the holy commandement and know that Christ of free grace doth all for them of the same by his holy Spirit sent to them as he pleaseth yet they know also that because God careth 1 Pet. 5. 17. Psa 91. 12 Psa 25. 1â— for them he will keep them in all their wayes that he will teach them the way that they shall choose that he will mortifie the deeds of the flesh by his spirit sent unto them That the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost sent to Rom. 8. 13 them will act in their souls and hearts the love to God and man Yea they know that Christ hath promised to put such a fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from him and hath made Jer. 22. 40 41. such a covenant that he will never turn away from them but will delight in them to do them good So their knowledge of Christs grace to them doth not make them worse but better in themselves Christ saith naturall Heathens or Publicans love them that they know love them and shall not the love of God to the elect Mat. 5. 46 47. Rom. 14. 14. unto whom it is manifested constrain them although they be still carnall as Paul said he was to love God and man Ob. 2. But the deceiving spirit doth further object If our believing praying praising thanksgiving to God do not cause move and incite God to love us and do us good then wherefore should or do the elect pray and praise God all is in vain they do Answ Indeed all that they do to cause move and incite God to love them and do them good is in vain for it is Christ only that doth and can do that the doing of the elect cannot do it which is sinfull and corrupt Yet because Christ the undertaker for the elect which hath authority to command commandeth in the government of his Church to love pray praise give forgive and the rest The elect do the same not in vain but of duty because Christ their undertaker hath commanded although they do not nor can do the same according to the holy command A Scholler which is commanded of his favourable Schoolmaster to write his copie given him and which he knoweth can write never a letter right yet ought to write the same because he is commanded but it were folly in the Scholler to look to be praised of his Master for his bad writing And if any man shall ask why â—hrist commandeth the elect which he knoweth can do nothing of the command the answer may be First for his good pleasure and will and their humiliation Secondly â—â—â—ist would have his people exercised and not idle although weak Thirdly because although the goodnesse of their doing the holy command is nothing or extendeth not unto God is no goodnesse before God yet before men in mens estimation it is goodnesse as David saith My goodnesse extendeth not to thee O Lord but to the Saints which are upon the earth It is good and profitable Psal 16. 2 3. Tit. 3. 8. as the Apostle saith to men Fourthly for example to and another and edification of one another Fifthly for their knowledge of their transgressions of omission and commission as Paul said I had not known sin but by the law If Christ had not a commandement to bid â—nd forbid the elect had not known Rom. 7. 7. their sins and transgressions The Scholler which writeth never a letter well of his copie knoweth by his copie if he regard it and perule it well his fault in every word and letter although he cannot mend it So by the holy and righteous command of Christ the Elect may see and know their errour if they mind it and look upon it well although they cannot amend their errour themselves Sixtly Christ commandeth them to
creature in Christ a new man in Christ not in himself therefore he saith Jf any man be in Christ be is a new creature in Christ So the same Apostle saith he is quickned in Christ Eph. 2. 5. not in himself He is holy and without blame before God in Christ that is chosen in Christ Eph 1. 4. not in himselfe his carnall sinfull corrupt soul and body Our life that we live before God is in Christ it is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Col. 3. 3. It is not in our selves that we live before God in that J live J live by the faith of the Son of God saith Paul Gal. 2. 20. It is by faith that we live it is by grace of imputation of Christs life holinesse and righteousness that we live are holy and righteous before God not by inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in our corrupt man that is in our selves as the Apostle saith Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse Arg. 6. They for their inherent holinesse c. alledge the words of Peter the Apostle 1 Pet. 4. 18. Jf the righteous shall scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear Answ The words are clearly to be understood of hypocrites having inherent holiness and righteousnesse in themselves by their own account and in the estimation of men as the Pharisees and Judas had and others and of such as are manifest Reprobates by their contempt of godlinesse and greedinesse of transgression The Apostle noteth the haâ—dnesse of salvation to the best of these but there is no hardnesse or scarcenesse of salvation to those which are in Christ which God hath chosen in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love that are so Eph 1. 4 5. Act. 13. 48 ordinated to eternall life before the world as Paul and the rest were as he affirmeth and the other Evangelists Arg. 7. Thinking that these words of the Prophet will uphold inherent holiness c. they would have them paraphras'd auferam cor lapideum dabo cor carneum that is I will take away the stony Ezek. 36. 26. heart and give a fleshy heart Answ Man by corruption hath a hard and stony heart in himself although the man be chosen in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before God and is so in Christ although his heart be still hard in himself But when Christ pleaseth to send his Spirit the Spirit of promise to him with his operations of mortification and sanctification thereby Christ fitteth his story heart to be his branch to bear his fruits wrought up by his Spirit as he pleaseth such as are called the fruits of his Spirit inlightning softning love joy peace faith righteousnesse repentance selfe-deniall and all manner of goodness in which respect it is called a fleshy heart by reason of the operations of the Spirit unto it But the operations are not so as no hardness remaineth or returneth or fruits of the same hardness and corruption in the heart or soul Mr. Calles the memorable Martyr sheweth that well in his mournfull song which every best fleshy hearted man proveth Indeed saith he sometime I do repent To God for mercy call but yet alas incontinent to sin again I fall Here were in him fruits born and held forth of the fleshy heart but incontinent the fruits of the corrupt and stony heart are held forth in this man no inherent holiness and righteousness proved in man Arg. 8. They alledge for inherent holiness and righteousness c. Act. 10. 35. where it is said He that worketh righteousnesse is accepted with God From whence they conclude that there are some men that work righteousnesse and are accepted of God for working of righteousness Answ I am sorry that you draw such a conclusion from this Scripture contrary to the meaning thereof and contrary to the plain word of other Scriptures Paul saith Rom 9. 16. It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth meaning to have acceptance with God but in God that sheweth mercy And again if it be of mans working of righteousness then it is no more of grace that man is accepted with God Rom 11. 6. If it be of his works then it is of debt that man is accepted with God For to him that worketh the wages is accounted by debt saith the Apostle Rom. 4. 4. The Apostle excludes debt work to make acceptance with God I wish that Gal 5. 4. were well considered ye are abolished from Christ whosoever are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace He that is accepted of God for working righteousnesse certainly is justified by the Law and thinketh himselfe to be so For by that he is accepted with God he is justified before God God accepteth no unjust person The Apostle saith he that worketh righteousness of whatsoever Nation he be is accepted with God that is just with God but he doth not say that any man of any Nation worketh righteousnesse before God Yet there may be some of every Nation that work righteousness in the estimation of men and some that in Christ which hath undertaken and performed all righteousness for them before God work righteousness and in Christ are accepted with God for the work of his righteousness imputed to them Arg. 9. They alledge Doctor Davenets writing de babituali justitia which saith omnes Theologos concedere inherentem justitiam justificatis c. Answ Doctor Davenets writing understood in the best sense as we say that in Christ those that are justified in him have inherent holiness and righteousness in Christ but not in themselves in their corrupt souls and bodies But understand Doctor Davenet as ye will Doctor Davenets Scripture is not canonicall Scripture The Spring of inherent Holinesse c. INherent holiness and righteousness in part remaining in men after the generall fall and loss in Adam whereby they had still free-will and power to do the commandement unto their salvation Was the heresie of the Palagians confuted and exploded in the Primitive times after the Apostles But soon after the Papists loath to humble themselves to their corrupt condition as Christ speaketh loath to deny themselves because they would not come manifestly in the pride of man with the Palagians and in their confuted errour Therefore acted by the spirit of Antichrist they invented another way whereby they say man hath inherent holiness and righteousness in himself by the sanctification of the Spirit and hereby they are inabled to do the works of holiness and righteousness themselves pleasing to God accepted with God moving and causing God to do them good This is the ground of all their proud Popish Tenents And from this ground the Arminians Anabaptists Brownists Presbyterians and other hold forth many things to the exalting of man and the pulling down of Christ to the great dishonor of Jesus Christs undertakings and performances for poor corrupt unable dead
so do without his holding and keeping you cast more folly and blasphemy upon Christ And you further teach all Nations that men that God hath had mercy on that Christ hath redeemed and bought that God hath given his grace unto and so he in the state of salvation may by their wilfull sinne fall away from grace mercy and the Love Heb. 12. 15 Rev. 2. 4 of God by forsaking their first Love and so become the children of wrath and destruction And by repentance may returne to God have mercy grace and love of God againe and be the children Ezech. 18 of God againe and may often rise and fall into these conditions which is not the teaching commanded of Christ It is Psa 12 1. 5 uncomfortable untrue and against the Scriptures of the Testament For there Christ is said to be the Keeper of his Israel which Joh. 18. 9 he bought and redeemed That hee loseth not one That none shall Joh. 13. 1 take them out of his hand That those that hee loveth hee loveth to the end and many like places 2 Tim. 2. 19 Heb. 6. Jer. 32. Indeed a man may fall away from grace and forsake his first Love that Christ hath redeemed before men in the sight of men and in the estimation of men c. but not before God in Gods Sight and estimation Gods Love is an everlasting Love to the end The foundation of God is sure the Lord knoweth who are his and Jesus Christ is the yesterday and to day And I will be their God and they shall be my people I will never forsake them and I will put such a feare into their Hearts that they shall never depart from mee Jerem. 32. 40. Another Meditation of the Law THe Law is good and holy and the use of the Law and Commandement appointed of God to be manifested and published to mee in the holy Scriptures is so evident both to the Reprobate 1 Tim. 1. 8 and to the Elect as the Apostle saith The Law is good to man if a man use it lawfully The reprobate and the Elect in their corrupted estate the one as the other hath remaining corrupted reason wisdome and knowledge of God in the corrupted nature of man whereby they have some corrupted sight of the righteousnesse of God in the common Law and the penalty of breaking thereof So the Apostle saith of the Church That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto Rom. 9. 19 them For the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and God head are seene by the Creation of the World being considered in his Workes to the intent that they should be withâ—â—t excuse which men though they know the Law of God how Vers 31. that they which commit such things are worthy of death yet not onely doe the same but also know them that doe them This righteous Law and command of God remaining in the corrupt Reason Wisdome Knowledge and Nature of men is called of the Ethnick Philosophers the Law of nature of the Lawyers the Law of Nations And of this Law the Law of Moses which temperate meeknesse was a plaine Exposition and manifestation of Yet this Law and righteousnesse of God remaining unto the corrupted nature of man was that which by Gods providence forced the Philosophers so called of the Ethincks to write many bookes of Ethicks to the people wherein wee see many notable Rules and directions for mans safety and society And likewise in the Lawes of Nations for civilizng and moralizing of men And no Nations of people that wee have heard of read of there are or have been but there have beene Rules and Lawes amongst themselves for some civility and morality according to their corrupt reason and understanding of God and God not to sanctâ—fie or justifie men before God for that is onely Christs Worke but to civilize and moralize them before men for the more safety of Gods Elect. And this was the use of the more cleare Exposition and manifestation of this Law of God remaining to man in his corrupt nature by a speciall providence of God written by Moses to the People of Israel and so remaining written to all people to whom it commeth as unto us to moralize and civilize men or as it may be said to sanctifie and justifie men before men in the sight of men in the estimation of men And that upon the proportionable temporall penalties to the breakers and like reward to the Keepers thereof for the good and society of men without which mans life would be miserable But not to justifie or sanctifie men before God by the worke thereof That being onely the work of Christ and onely in the power of Christ and his performance And the Acts 13. 39 Rom. 3. 20 Scriptures largely and plainly manifesteth that from all things which yee could not be justified by the Law of Moses by him that is Christ every one that believeth is justified By the worke Rom. 10. 6. of the Law shall no man be justified in his that is Gods sight saith Rom. 3. 24 the Apostle If it be of works it is no more of grace wee are justified freely through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Christ Jesus is 1 Cor. 1. 30 made unto us Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption The Law saith the Apostle came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17 If any Law and the marke of any Law of Moses might sanctifie or justifie before God then the Leviticall or Ceremoniall Law and the workes thereof might have done that as the Offerings Sacrifices shedding of Bloud Purifyings Clensing and Washing Sprinklings and the like which all figured Christ and his performances But the Apostle saith that all these were nothing to purifie and sanctifie men before God but onely outwardly touching the flesh in the sight and estimation of men as Heb. 9. 13. for saith the Apostle It is impossible the Bloud oâ— Bulls and Goats should take away sinne and againe in burnt Offerings sin Offerings thou hadst no pleasure therein said I that is Christ Loâ— I come to Heb. 10. 4 do thy will O God Man is not justified sanctified or purified before God by any of mans workes of the Law of Moses no God Heb. 10. 6 7 hath no pleasure in them but onely in his Christ and his workes And yet God was pleafed his Law and Commandements should remaine to corrupt man even that that Moses Law the more cleare exposition of the Law of nature should be added because of transgression as the Apostle saith to shew sinne more cleerly to Gal. 3. 19 man and the righteousnesse of God in condemning The transgressions of his Law first and last and to abate and shake the current of corruption in the reprobate to the more safety of his Elect among them as Wolves to them and for the mortifying
of their Repentance for the quitting of their sinne and for their righteousnesse thereby before the Mediator the Man Jesus Christ and before all men And upon this great grace considered It was that the same Father in the Church of Christ saith Our righteousnesse is more in Repentance and Forgivenesse of Sinne then in righteousnesse of deeds and performances Although our worke of the Law and Command bee no righteousnesse before God yet our Worke of the command and our Repentance of the fayling our mercy and forgivenesse is righteousnesse before Men This is Christs Law to Men for the order and Government of his Church upon Earth And this is worke enough for Gods people for righteousnesse before Men to the good and profit of men although they presume not to build up unto Heaven unto God in Heaven which is onely Christs Worke as David said my Goodnesse and Wel-doing Psal 16. 2 3 extendeth not to thee O Lord but to the Saints that are upon the Earth Quest How are repenting Believers upon their repentancy unto satisfaction before Men acquitted from their sinne and transgression of the Law and the penalty thereof before Men when as Sorrow Confession Amendment and Proportionable satisfaction for the Transgression is as much as the Law requireth in the penalty Answ As Repentance before men hath place in the Law of Christ So saith Forgivenesse and Mercy before Men place in the Law of Christ If thy Brother Trespasse against thee and if hee repent forgive him and though hee sinne against thee seaven times in a Day and seaven times in a Day Mat. 17. 3 4. turne againe to thee saying It repenteth mee Thou shalt forgive him And so saith the Law of Christ Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his Sinne shall have Mercy And to whom belongeth Prov. 28. 13. this Forgivenesse and Mercy certainely to the penitent Believers as Christ saith If hee repent forgive him hee that confesseth and forsaketh his Sinne shall have Mercy yea and CHRIST saith further Forgive and it shall bee forgiven you Luke 6. 37. If you doe forgive Men their Trespasses your Heavenly Father will also forgive you And if you forgive not Men no more Mat. 6. 14 15. will your Heavenly Father forgive you And againe Judgement Jam 3. 13. mercilesse shall bee to him that sheweth no Mercy and Mercy rejoyceth against Judgement And if hee that sorroweth godly for his Sinne before Men confesseth ingenuously amendeth righteously and bee willing to satisfie before Men for the Trespasse before Men hath Mercy and Forgivenesse before Men of his Transgression before Men Is not this a sufficient acquittance unto the repenting Believer of his sinne and the penalty thereof before men And againe the Law of Christ bindeth as much to Mercy and Forgivenesse to the penitent before Men As it doth to the penalty of Transgressors thereof and to Repentance before Men. Againe the true penitent Offender is acquitted from the Transgression before Men and the penalty thereof by his true Repentance although hee by hard-hearted and mercilesse Men bee holden to the extreame penalty of the Law for his Transgression contrary to Christs Law of Mercy and Forgivenesse For that hee suffereth hee suffereth willingly and rejoyceth in his Tribulation as the Apostle speaketh now hee that suffereth willingly and rejoyceth in his sufferiâ—g by the comforts of the holy Spirit in him hath not the paine of him that Suffereth unwillingly and forced to suffer for the comforts and joy that hee hath of the Spirit of Christ doth slake quench and take away the Sting of the paine That hee may say O Death where is thy Sting as the Apostle saith of such through which comforts and joy of the Holy Ghost many that have suffered Death in the Lord have dyed rejoycing in the Lord and in appearance to Men without paine Whereby they have manifested themselves acquitted of their transgression and the penalty of the Law in the paine And the Repentance of Believers wrought up in them by Christ doth not onely acquit them of the Sinne and the penalty of the Law before Men But it also testifieth to their owne Soules and to other Men also that they are living Branches in the Vine Christ Jesus For saith Christ The Branch cannot beare Fruit of it selfe except it abide in Joh. 15. 4 the Vine No more can yee except yee abide in Mee No Man can repent except hee be a living Branch abiding in Christ and Christ in him Hypocrites may counterfet Repentance and not repent truly And hee that liveth in Christ and Christ in him by his Spirit hath the witnesse of his Adoption that hee is one of Gods children through Christ and so quitted of all Sinne not onely before Men but also by the performance of Jesus Christ of all Sinne before God So the Apostle saith Wee Joh. 8. 15. 16. have received the Spirit of Adoption And the same Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that wee are children of God So that although Repentance acquitteth not of sinne before God as it doth before Men yet it by the Spirit of Christ whereby it is wrought up in Believers witnesseth acquitance before God to the Soules of the penitent yea and holdeth forth great hope and manifestation to others that the same penitent Man is the child of God and is quitted of his sinne before God And even so it is of Obedience Mercy and Forgivenesse wrought up by the Spirit of Christ they also witnesse evidence and testifie the same Quest The Apostle saith of Believers The Body is dead Rom. 8. 10 because of Sinne And Paul saith of himselfe I am carnall sold under Sinne I finde no meanes to performe that which is Rom. 7. 14. Verse 18 Psal 14. Isa 64. 6 good And David saith There is none that doth good no not one And the Prophet I say said of himselfe and other like himselfe All our righteousnes is filthinesse I will bee their God and they shall bee my people I will never forsake them and I will put such a feare into their hearts that they shall never depart from me Jer. 32. 40. Can therefore Believers doe the Commandements of the Law of Christ in singlenesse of Heart before Men and before Christ the Governour of his Church which knoweth all as Râ—penting Forgiving Loving Obeying Praying Praysing Thanksgiving and the rest how it is faithfully done Answ By the same power they did and doe believe in singlenesse of Heart They can and may Repent Forgive Love Obey Pray Praise and give Thankes and the rest in singlenesse of Heart But indeed corrupt and carnall dead Men in Sinne cannot doe these or any of these or the like in singlenesse of Heart whose Heart is corrupt carnall and dead in Sinne sold under Sinne as Paul was as hee saith in his best Estate Indeed Man can Believe Repent Obey Love Pray Praise and give Thankes Carnally and Fainedly by the power of corrupt nature As the
performance of Jesus Christ and preserved through his performance and grace in them until they be by him presented 1 Thes 5. 23 blameless at his coming Q. Doth not God require good performances of his Elect to further their Salvation A. God knoweth that his Elect as themselves are able to perform nothing that is good not to will or think any thing that is good Rom. 7. 18 Phil. 2. 13 2 Cor. 3. 5 So saith his Apostle Paul I find no means to perform that which is good It is God that worketh in us the will and the deed of his own good pleasure We cannot think any thing of our selves that is good Therefore God will not require of his beloved Elect ones that which he knoweth they cannot dâ— No man will require him which he loveth to do and perform that which he knoweth he cannot do No man will lay a burthen upon his beast which he knoweth he cannot bear God did never require of his Elect performance of his Law and Commands before himself after the had lost the power of performing but of his love and grace provided a power to perform for them a Christ and Redeemer which undertook to do hath done and doth all and those great things in them and for them by his wisdom and strength as how and when it pleaseth him making them and their members of soul and body instruments of his righteous works which of his great grace he calleth their works and performances For which reason Paul which said he found no means meaning in himself to perform any thing that is good or to will or Phil. 4. 13 think any good of himself saith also I am able to do all things through the help of Christ which strengtheneth me that is through Christs power his members were Christs able Instruments of doing all things righteous as he pleaseth of Christs grace accounted his righteous doings as Paul saith David declareth the blessedness of man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works that Rom. 4 6 is when God imputeth Christs righteous works unto man whereby he is onely satisfied and pleased with man without mans own works Q. Hath Christ undertaken to perform and doth Christ perform all things for the Elect before God that they have liberty of idleness to do nothing to live licentiously A. The Elect of God are least idle having in manifestation received the Spirit of adoption they are no less idle then the Spirit can be idle in them which in them is as the tree of Life yielding forth fruit continually The fruit of the Spirit is faith love joy peace Apoc. 22. 2 Gal. 5. 22 meekness goodness righteousness c. The Spirit which as a King ruleth in them maketh their members instruments as it pleaseth of all such righteous works and performances so that the righteousness of Christ will shine in them Q. Why doth Christ in the Evangelists and the Apostles of Christ in their Epistles and writings give so many precepts and exhortations to the people and Churches of the faithful for performances to be made by them as to believe to love to deny themselves to pray to obey to do justly and forbidding them to do the contrary yea and further upon penalty for not doing the precept and doing the contrary that they shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but shall be cast into utter darkness which is Hell A. All such Precepts and Exhortations of Christ and his Apostles are not to charge the Elect with performances of duties before God by those precepts which they are in no part able to perform sithence man lost his power of performing but to shew and set forth to the Elect and Reprobate the power that Adam and all mankinde then in Adam had to perform all those Precepts and Exhortations before is Fall in the sight of God and to shew the authority justice and righteousness of the Command in commanding those holy and good duties and the justness of God in the fearful and miserable penalty of the transgression to be certainly executed upon the reprobate such as are without Christ the Redeemer and Performer of those precepts for them having by their own fault when they had power lost their power of performing And to shew that as the transgression of the reprobate encrease and multiply so the penalty and misery encreaseth and multiplyeth dayly and that by such terrors continually proclaimed by the Ministers of God the reprobate may be abated of their envious and mischievous transgression to the greater safety of Gods Elect. And yet further these precepts were written that the Elect of God finding in themselves no more power left to perform them then the very reprobate have which is only before men may behold their blind eyes being opened by Christ the unspeakable love mercy and grace of God towards them in their Election in the promised seed to them and for them in the performances of Jesus Christ the promised seed of those holy precepts first and last for them which themselves neither had nor have any power to perform sithence the general fall and loss Further yet Christ in his Evangelists and Apostles writings doth hold forth these precepts to the Churches that the faithful hearing and seeing these Precepts and Commandments which were ordained to life but are now unto death as the Apostle saith The same Commandment which was ordained unto life was found to be unto me unto Rom. 7. 10 death might in their infirmities and transgressions by Christ and his love be gathered together as chickens under the cover of his wings as Christ himself speaketh How often would I have gathered you together even as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings Mat. 23 37 that so their eyes being opened by Christ to see the goodness and love of Christ the love of Christ might constrain them to yield their hearts and members instruments of his love to God and man before men as the Apostle saith The love of Christ hath constrained us 2 Cor. 5. 14 Q. If it be so that the Commandment sithence it was broken by man be now unto the death of man and no way unto life which was first ordained unto life and was by ordination unto life to all men before it was broken by man in power to have kept it and done it and if man now have lost all power of doing the Commandment before God for ever by the first breaking thereof whether is it in the Office of the Ministers and Preachers amongst us now to read and preach the Law and Commandment to the people for they cannot hold forthlife or comfort to them from the Commandment or if it be in their Office how to preach the Commandment and to whom A. It is the proper Office of the Ministers of Christ as the fitted instruments of Christs Spirit to preach the Gospel of salvation and life and only occasionally to preach the Law and Commandment for the
Scribes and the Pharises did and as Christ saith the Heathens and Publicanes doe the same but not in singlenesse of heart without dissimulation Therefore note the command of Christ to Reprobates is as he is God and commander his command to the Elect Believers is as hee is Undertaker to performe all righteousnesse impossible to them by his Spirit in them promised and sent to them to performe all The Mediatour betweene God and Man the Man Christ Jesus our Saviour Undertaker and God that worketh in us Phil. 2. 〈◊〉 the Will and the Deede of his owne good pleasure as the Apostle speaketh doth all in us which the same Apostle saith worketh all in all It is hee that worketh in Believers Believing Loving Repenting Forgiving Mercy Obeying Praying Praising and Thanksgiving and the 1 Cor. 12. 6. rest In singlenesse of Heart and sincerity farre otherwise how and wherefore should hee bee said to worke in Believers the Will and the Deede and to worke all in all if it were not that hee worketh these and such like things of his owne good pleasure in them which their owne corrupt power they have cannot worke and doe in singlenesse of Heart unfainedly and without dissimulation The Deed is Christs Deede of these things according to his owne good pleasure in Believers Therefore Christ himselfe tells his Disciples That hee is the Vine and they are the Branches and that they without him can doe nothing The Grapes and Fruit that are borne of the Branches are not usually nor properly called the Grapes of the Branches the Fruit of the Branches but the Grapes Joh. 15. 5. of the Vine and the Fruit of the Vine which Grape and Fruit of the Vine are by the Spirits and power of the Vine wrought up in the Branches which are onely the instruments of the Vine fitted to beare them as Christ saith Every Luke 22 18. Branch that beareth not Fruit in Mee speaking to his Disciples of professing Believers Believers onely are the Branches and the Instruments of Christ whith hee hath fitted to beare the Fruits of True Joh. 15. 2. and Good Believing Obeying Repenting Praying Praising Thanksgiving and Loving c. Which Fruit which Worke and Deed is Christs by his holy Spirit wrought up in their Hearts And of grace by Christ being made and fitted the Branches and Instruments to beare the same Fruits of grace also hee imputeth to them and accounteth to them the sinne and therefore calleth them his Elect ones Believers Obeyers Repenters Prayers Thanksgivers and Lovers c. And calleth the Fruits theirs which are but the Branches as if they were the Vine whose the Fruits are in Truth The Apostle saith speaking of himselfe and all Believers Wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh Rom. 8. 26. request for us Corrupt Man knew not to pray as hee ought nor to Believe Repent Obey Praise or Love as hee ought but the Spirit sent to him of Christ doth all for him And this was the cause and reason why CHRIST did ever sithence his Church was upon Earth give his Spirit to the Elect of God for whom hee had undertaken of Grace and Love to doe such things of the Holy and Good Law for the Government of his Church as is commanded therein to bee done before men which hee knew themselves not able to doe as hee pleased And therefore the true Faith Peace Obedience Repentance Praise and Love are called Spirituall gifts Spirituall things Spirituall Sacrifices and 1 Cor. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 12. 1 Cor. 9. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 5. why so certainly because they are the Deeds of the Spirit the fruit of the Spirit as so the Apostle calls them Gal. 5. 22. And upon this same ground That renowned Father in Christs Church said Fac Domini quod jubes jube quod vis O Lord doe thou that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And let no man marvell that Christ should bee the Law-giver and the Law Keeper for his Elect. The commander and the doer of the Commandement for them whereas the Scriptures hold forth his Grace to bee the Judge and the Advocate The Priest and Sacrifice Hebrewes 2. 17. 5 6. 7. 3. Eph. 5. 2. 9. 26. And thus much of the Error of those which hold forth no Law remaining to the 1 Joh. 2. 42. Elect. And I take it the Errour of those which hold forth that Christ is not the End of the Morall Law and all Law for Righteousnesse before God to Believers but onely of the penalty and condemnation of the breaches thereof is much dishonourable to Jesus Christ and unrighteous to his undertakings and performances and to the Apostle of Christ called to set forth the truth of his Performances and Merit and most of all to the Great Just and good God the Covenant-maker of Workes upon Life and Dâ—ath with Mankinde in generall and on remembrance of Mercy The Covenant-maker of Grace and promise to his Christ for all his Elect. For where all Mankinde having transgressed against the Covenant of Workes before God were in the state of eternall Death the God of Love Mercy and Free-grace having elected some of them in his Christ with a covenant and Promise of Grace that upon his Christs fulfilling of the Law of Workes And the paying of the whole Transgression of the Law by his Death Passion and Bloudshedding for them his Elect to satisfaction Those his Elect should have eternall Life the condition and promise of the covenant of Workes as if themselves had performed the same to the full and should bee also freed from the penalty of Eternall Death into which all Mankinde was fallen And Christ hath done and fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law and paid the full Debt of the Transgression thereof to God by his Passion Death and Bloud-shedding for the Elect even to the full so much as the Law and covenant of Workes required in Justice either for righteousnesse before God or for payment of the Trangression to full satisfaction of God for those Elections for ever for past and to come Now then why should the Law and covenant of Workes remaine still binding the Elect Believers to righteousnesse of Workes before God which they cannot in the least doe and for that in respect of their utter unablenesse CHRIT undertooke and performed all for them And if CHRIST God being so pleased have fulfilled the whole Law both for performing the righteousnesse thereof before GOD and payment of the transgression thereof Why should not Christ bee the end of all Law Morall and the rest for righteousnesse before God to Believers as they say hee is the end of and for the penalty and condemnation for the transgression thereof to them Seeing the full is performed of the righteousnesse required as the full of the Debt of transgression is paid Will these lay such cruelty upon God and charge God with such oppression and wrong as to