gives subjection to all inferiour officers in all things wherein they act by his Commission for he may passe for a very tolerable good Subject who does all things that are commanded him so in this case no man can be said to Obey Christ who denies subjection to the Pastors of the Church who act according to their instructions from the supreme Lord of the Church nor any be said to resist Christs authority though they refuse complyance in those things to the Officers of the Church wherein they act besides their Commission But let us a while wholly set aside the consideration of the lawfulness or unlawfullness of these new conditions of Communion yet still me thinks there 's a great deal of disingenuity in the Pastors of a Church to make new Terms of Communion with them for if it be so necessary as is pretended to our Union with Christ that we be United to the Church and then again so necessary to our Salvation to be United to Christ and then further so necessary to our Union with the Church to submit to those conditions that the Pastors shall appoint every new condition is a Bar to and a Clog upon our Salvation We must come up to the condition e're we can be United to the Church and we must be United to the Church e're we can be United to Christ and we must be United to Christ e're we can be saved That condition therefore how small soever it be in it self how indifferent soever in its own Nature is thereby made necessary to Salvation because indispensably required to that which is so Now I will not clamour and make a noise at this as an evil thing but yet methinks it does not look as if it had over much good Nature in 't for a Church to deal thus with the people The Church received a Religion from Christ at first that had no incumbrance upon it and that the Church should leave it deeplyer engaged than she found it I think is not very handsome if the Church found the door wide open why does shee set it on half-charrs when she could march in with a full body why should others be forced to crowd in and wedge themselves through a narrow wicket sidelings why should the Pastors bind heavy burdens on others fhoulders when Christ laid none upon theirs or why should they raise the Markets so high in the latter age when they had it so cheap in the primitive times It was a good plain saying of King Iames to the pragmatical Spalatensis when he would be new modelling affairs at Winsor Extraneus es Relinque res sicut eas invenisti Come Reader there 's no false Latine in 't had former Ages heard and taken the advice we could have been content with the Primitive light though we had wanted sumptuous Candlesticks the power of Religion had made amends for its plainnesse and golden Officers recompensed woodden chalices Thus far at our Authors invitation we have step't out of the way and are now ready to return with him into it The next thing considerable wherein he ingages is a description of the New nature whereof the Holy Ghost makes frequent mention as that from which all new Obedience must proceed This New Nature says he the Scripture represents under several Notions 1. By the subjection of our minds and Spirits to Christ. 2. By a participation of the same Nature which is the necessary effect of the subjection of our minds to him If a man would study to be cross all his days and resolve to trade in no figure but Hysteron Proteron he might hardly hope to equalize our Author in this discourse For 1. What subjection of mind and Spirit can be given to Christ without a new Nature from whence that Act of subjection should proceed the most inward Acts of Obedience are yet but Acts the most spiritual and refined workings of the soul are still but works and have alwayes for their root and principal a good and an honest a new and a renewed heart and Nature Thus we see 't is in Nature there must be a principle of motion before there can be natural motion all the rest is violent and against the hair And this order our Saviour has described in the most plain and familiar way to gratifie our understandings that they could desire Math. 12. 33. Either make the tree good and the fruit good or the evil and the fruit evil and Math. 7. 17. 18. Do men gather Grapes of thornes or Figs of Thistles Even so every good Tree bringeth forth good Fruit and a corrupt Tree brings forth evil fruit But our Authour has found out a way called Transmutation of species to make a Thorn become a Vine and to Transubstantiate a Thistle into a Figtree I know the Reader has a grudging of the old curiosity to see the experiment The operation therefore is this teach a Thistle to produce Figs for one seven years and you shall see it become as very a Fig-tree as any is in the world thus let the natural and unregenerate man perform multiplyed Acts of the best obedience he can and without any efficacious working of the Holy Ghost he shal acquire a new heart which I shall believe at the same time when I see a thousand Cyphers give themselves the significancy of one figure Our Blessed Saviour has long ago determined this to our hand John 3. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh Let the Egyptian Pollinctors practise upon it let them sweeten perfume and season it with the spicery of India and all the balm of Gilead it will be but flesh still all its operations carnal 2. It will be of good use in this matter to enquire wherein lay the Image of God in Adam what relation it had to his obedience and thence perhaps we may get some light what order the Image of God in us observes That it mainly consists in righteousness and true holinesse no man can doubt that reads the Apostles description Eph. 4. 24. but now it is evident that Adam did not procure this Image of God by repeated Acts of obedience it was not the result of many particular duties it was no acquired habit but it was concreated with him as a condition due and meet for a Creature made to such sublime and glorious ends as the enjoyment of his God and from this Nature this Image of God proceeded all that Obedience which he payed all that which God required and accepted And if this be so it 's evident that all who are renewed who are born again who are Created unto good works go through the same method So the Apostle Col. 3. 10. And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that Created him The order of Gods working is conformable to his promise we may be sure he will do both what and how he has promised Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out
of your Flesh and give you an heart of Flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them where the order and method of God in this great work is laid down with such a convincing evidence that he must have no eyes or shut those he has who does not see it And 1. God promises that he will remove the great principle of resistance that which makes head and opposition to the Commands of God the stony hard inflexible-inflexible-Heart 2 That he will bestow another a better a new heart a soft Spirit a heart of Flesh that may comply and close in with Gods Commands 3. That from this new heart all new obedience all service acceptable to God must proceed as from its spring or root I will put my Spirit into you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my judgments 4. That all obedience inward and outward obedience keeping the Commandements of God with the heart and doing them in the practice of our lives yet all must proceed from this new heart this new Spirit which God promised to put within them But he comes to close Argument we are exhorted that the same mind be in us that was in Christ Phil. 2. 5. And to be his disciples is to learn of him who was meek and lowly in spirit Math. 11. 29. We question not that it s our duty to imitate Christ to copy out all his imitable excellencies and if he can prove that we can do this viz. imitate Christ in Acts of self denyal taking up the Crosse bearing reproach forgiving enemies without a better heart and Nature than we brought into the world with us he will then begin to speak to the purpose But says our Authour Christ transcribed his own nature into his Laws and therefore a sincere obedience to his Laws is a conformity to his Nature To which I answer 1. He that transcribed his Nature into his own Laws must yet transcribe it once more even into the heart of a son of Adam e're he can give to him that new Obedience which is acceptable to him It was not enough that God wrote his Lawes in Stone unless they be written upon the Tables of the heart with the finger of God 2. Obedience to the Laws of Christ does increase our conformity to the Nature of Christ but still there must be a renewed heart and Nature upon which all progressive conformity to Christ in obedience must proceed 3. Transcribing of Christs Nature into his Lawes is a Metaphorical expression which our Authour may explain how he pleases but I observe alwayes when he can cloath an Argument with Metaphors he is then secure yet still he presses upon us from Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his That is says he Unlesse he have the same Temper and disposition of mind that Christ had Now let the Reader look well about him and he shall see rare sights we do all remember that to be United to Christ or to be one of Christs signifie to be United to a particular Church And now we are told That by having the Spirit of Christ is meant being of the same temper and disposition and now from hence we have these consectaries 1. That if any man be not of the same Temper with Christ that is be not holy as he is holy he cannot be United to a particular Church And our Saviour has vouched for it John 3. 5. Except a man be regenerate and born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God We must be like minded with Christ and thereby become one of his and what is now become of the great Proposition that has filled so many pages That the only means of Uniting as to Christ is by our Union with a particular Church 2. He tells us that Union to Christ is described by having the Spirit and then having the Spirit is interpreted by being of the same Temper with Christ so now we have got another Doctrine That our Union to Christ consists in being of the same Temper and disposition with him But 3. We have here an excellent expedient to discharge the World both of the Person of Christ and of the Spirit too For as he can interpret Christs Person into Doctrine office Church Religion Bishops Baptism so he has interpreted the Spirit into Temper disposition and when an exigency calls for it he may explicate it by a strong wind or a vapour and then his work is done But 3. For the explicating of the new Nature he tells us there is a closer Union which results from this which consists in a mutual and reciprocal love which I am glad of amongst other Reasons for this that now it will be lawfull to Love Christ without persecution provided alwayes we do not over love him nor be passionately in love with him but yet there are a few inconveniences which attend this explication For 1. If we be United and closely United to Christ by Love then a Political Union is not the onely one betwixt Christ and Christians And 2. Then it seems for all the sorrow a Christian may be United to Christ without being United to a particular Church for we therefore love Christians because we love Christ and are taken with the imperfect holiness which is copied out into their Natures and lives because we are surprized first with a delightful admiration of Him who is the grand exemplar of all perfect Holinesse 1 John 5. 1. He that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 3. Why may not this Union with Christ signifie an Union with the Church as well as the other and then to love Christ signifies no more than to love his Church and so we are but where we were 4. It s very strange that our Love should result from our obedience and subjection whereas its hard to conceive how the soul should give subjection without Love and if it should give any a forced subjection without its principle of Love would find as cold a well-come in Christs heart as that cold heart it came from our Saviour had described obedience as the result of love John 14. 15. If ye Love me keep my Commandements No says our Authour keep my Commandements and then you will fall in Love with me but let him give light to his own Notions when we are transformed into the Image of Christ he loves Us as being like him and we love him too as partaking of his Nature He loves us as the price of his blood as his own workmanship created to good works and we love him as our Saviour and Redeemer now love is the great Cement of Union which unites interest and thereby does more firmly unite hearts It is not then quite so bad as was
so affected with all the Arguments to a New Life which are contained in Christs Incarnation and Life and Doctrine c. It seems there are not Arguments enough in his Person but we must run to his Doctrine for a Recruit and what 's become then of his specious Promise that he would out-throw all that ever tryed before him in making Schemes of Religion from Acquaintance with his Person The veriest Bungler on Earth could but have contradicted himself but I wish that were the worst onâ—…t For 1. Some cannot see any Method at all in it But to be recovered is the Method of being Recovered to be converted is the way to be converted and that 's a very sure way I promise you for Omne quod est in quantum est Necesse est esse But this one of his peculiar Excellencies p. 18. The way to be perfect is to live as Christ lived or which is all one The way to be perfect is to be perfect If any one can make any better of this he shall have my free leave When we are so affected with all the powerfull Arguments contained in Christs Incarnation c. as to be sensible of the shame and folly of sin and to be reconciled to the love and practice of true Piety and Holiness Then The English of which is this When we are once holy then we are holy And this is his New way or Method of a Sinners Recovery by Christ. But 2. We have been made to believe hitherto That Method is a convenient sorting and marshalling of Matters which relate each to other into such an Order as may tend best to the reaching the End in practical Disciplines and making out the Truth in Theories But herein our Author is wretchedly out of the way For first he tells us we must be so affected with all the powerfull Arguments contained in Christs Intercession c. and then we partake in the Merits of his Sacrifice and find the Benefit of his Intercession for us That is we must set the Cart before the Horses which is an excellent Method Seeing we cannot partake of the Fruit of Christs Intercession before we partake of the Fruits of his Sacrifice for it is unquestionable that the Intercession of Christ is available by virtue of and operates by his Sacrifice 3. His Method is very lame upon this Account that he tells us we must be affected with all the powerfull Arguments contained in Christs Incarnation c. and yet never tells us how these Arguments become effectual to affect us which is a main thing in this Method A Method he supposes and yet never informs us whether it be onely a way that God prescribes us to recover our selves by using the best of our own Natural strength or whether it be Gods Way and Method which he proceeds in for the effectual recovery of a Sinner to himself 4. Here 's a Method pretended how a Sinner is recovered and yet no Consideration had what part and share the Holy Spirit bears in it which must needs be marvellously ridiculous to him that considers Iohn 3. 5 6. Except a man be born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Our Saviour had said v. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God but not contenting himself to have shew'd how absolutely necessary Regeneration is to Salvation v. 5. he shews the Spirits concernment in that work and that all other Endeavours after Conversion without his powerfull Operation will amount to no more than flesh The streams will not rise higher than the Spring V. 6. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit But yet 5. It 's equally absurd to speak of a Sinners Recovery and never shew from what he is recovered As if he should promise to Open to us the Nature of Motion and yet never shew us from whence the Motion takes its rise nor whither it tends Sinners are here talk'd of to be recovered but whether there be a state of corrupt and sinfull Nature a state of Enmity against God a state of blindness and darkness of Mind from which this Recovery must move we are not honoured with half a word 6. Here 's a recovery to Acts of Obedience love and practice of Piety but nothing of a New Heart a New Nature which the Scripture makes the Vital Principle of all New Obedience Here we are told a little of the Fruit the Tree brings forth but nothing how the Tree was made good that it might bring forth good Fruit. 7. He assigns a sensibleness of the Shame and Folly of Sin as the Means to get a Title to the Promises of the Gospel and yet some of those Promises contain an Engagement of God to give that New heart new spirit which he makes the Condition of obtaining a Title to the Promises Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the heart of Stone out of your flesh and I will give you a heart of Flesh. I am perswaded that if we should all study seven years to be Impertinent and Ridiculous there are not many that could reach or equallize our Authors Attainments Secondly The other part of his Task wherein he is always most Admirable is To pluck down those Methods which others have or are supposed to have Built And 't is certainly an easier province to find faults than to amend them Now first he enlightens us with this Doctrine That the design of Christs coming into the World was not to distract mens minds with the Terrors of the Law and the Inexorable Iustice of God not to bring us under a Legal Despensation of Fear and Bondage Now all the Colour of this trifling Sophistry lies in two things 1. In putting in the word Distract to make his Negative seem Tenable For though Christ came to Humble to Abase to Awaken the guilty Consciences of sinners yet it would be hard to say he came to fright men out of their Wits to prepare men for Bedlam and the slipping in such an useful word will make a Negative justifiable upon any of the Designs of Christ But can sinners be more Mad than they are who go on securely in a state of Impenitency and Rebellion against God No sure That which some call distracting of sinners is but really a step towards the helping of them to their Wits 2. The Design of Christs coming into the World is either Subordinate which relates still to some further end and design of Christ or Ultimate to which all others do submit and give deference Now 't is true To awaken guilty Consciences with the Terrors of Gods Iustice to bring the Soul into a spirit of Bondage were not that which Christ did aim at as his great End but that he aimed at these things also in the way to his farthest End That is he used the Law to rowse the sleepy sinner to see his danger and provide
to us in the true Covenant Ioh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no-wise cast out Eph. 2. 8. By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God And lest it should be Answered that Faith is indeed God's gift as all other things are wherein the Common Providence of God concurs with Humane industry The Apostle as if aware of such a petty Answer has laid in a Reply ready ch 1. v. 19. That they who believe do so by the exceeding greatness of God's power even according to the working of his Mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Secondly we have a direct and express Promise too of that New-heart from which we give to God New-obedience nay of that New-obedience it self which proceeds from the New-heart or renewed Nature Ezek. 36. A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the heart of Stone out of your Flesh and will give you a heart of Flesh there 's the new Heart and v. 27. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Iudgments and do them there is new obedience thus also Heb. 8. 10. This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts c. wherein it 's easy to observe 1. That this New-Covenant was founded upon God's free Grace v. 9. They continued not in my Covenant the old Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord They were a Covenant-breaking people deserved utter rejection yet God will make another a better a New-Covenant with them 2 That the promises of this Covenant were purely Spiritual writing his Laws in their minds and hearts 3. The parties Covenanting God and his Israel not all and every individual Son of Adam But 2. This Description gives us very little of the true Covenant of Grace here 's a Promise of Pardon and Life to them who believe and obey but perseverance in Faith and Obedience is left to the desultory and lubricous power of free-will whereas in the true Covenant of Grace there 's an undertaking that the Covenant shall be immutable both on God's part and the Believers Jer. 32. 38 40. They shall be my people and I will be their God and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me There are but two things that we can possibly Imagine should make the Covenant fall short of perpetuity either God's turning away from his people or which is only to be suspected their turning away from their God Against both of these God has made sufficient Provision 1. God has promised that he will not turn away from them to do them good 2. He has promised that they shall not depart from him and to fix and determine their backsliding Natures he has promised to put his fear into their hearts which is the great preservative against Apostacy § 2. As it describes not the whole of the Covenant so it describes not the Nature of a New-Covenant The Gospel-Covenant may be called a New Covenant either in opposition to the Old Covenant of Works or the old Administration of the Covenant of Grace Now 1. This Covenant which he has here described is no new Covenant in opposition to the Old-Covenant of works The Covenant which God made with Adam promised Life upon condition of Obedience Now the Commands which God gave to Adam were as easy as those which are now given to all Mankind and much easier too if we consider first That he had more natural strength to obey and keep them and as for supernatural strength our Author will allow us none unless by a desperate Catachresis we will call Moral Arguments so which to a Creature dead in trespasses and sins signify just nothing without special power from on high to render them efficacious which neither will be allowed us And Secondly we are told that Christ has added to the Moral Law which is to lay more Load on those who were before overcharged so that as he makes Covenants Adam's was much the better Covenant of the two But he has wisely shuffled in a Promise of the Pardon of Sin which may seem to give his Covenant a preheminence above that of Adam But that will not mend the matter both because it 's better to have no sin in our Natures than such a Remedy better to have no Wound than such a Plaister and also because the Promise of Pardon is suspended upon the condition of Faith and Obedience which without supernaturally real influx of immediate Divine Power reduces the promise to an impossibility of performance 2. This Covenant which he has here described is no New-Covenant in opposition to the old Administration of the Covenant of Grace There were the same promises then that we have now the same moral precepts to observe that we have now and though the word Gospel comes in for a blind yet the Apostle assures us Gal. 3. 8. That Abraham had the Gospel Preached to him § 3. Upon the matter it 's no Covenant of Grace at all For 1. A Promise of Pardon and Life upon Condition of Believing and Obeying is neither better nor worse than a threatning of Condemnation and Death to them who Believe not and Obey not It may with equal right be called a threatning of Death as a Promise of Life It 's no more a Covenant of Grace than a Covenant of Wrath and therefore 2. if it be lawful to consider Man as the Word of God describes him as dead in Sins and Trespasses as one that of himself cannot think a good thought that can do nothing at all without Christ It 's no Covenant at all to him under his present circumstances for what is the nice difference between a Promise of Life to him that obeys when it 's certain before-hand he cannot obey and no Promise at all 3. This Covenant which he calls New and well he may for it 's of his own making or however of his own new-vamping assigns the same conditions of Pardon and Eternal Life but the Scripture requires other qualifications for Eternal Life than for the Pardon of Sin A Believer may be justified without a sinless perfection but without such a sinless perfection none shall enter into Glory He may be actually justified that has not persevered in Holy Obedience to the Death but without such perseverance he can never be made partaker of Eternal Life 4. This Covenant of his is supposed to be made with all Mankind and yet all Mankind never heard of it Now is it not very
God might have held us close and tyed us up to the Terms of the Old Covenant and righteously have exacted of us a Personal compleat Obedience to every jot and tittle of the Law as the Condition of Justification but though he has not abated of his Law yet he has admitted a Surety called therefore the Surety of the Covenant not only because he has undertaken for God but for us also for a Mediator is not of one Gal. 3. 19. And our receiving this abundance of Grace is not the Receiving of inherent Grace into us but our accepting by Faith this New Gospel-Law or Constitution of God with the whole Man closing with this gracious way of Justifying a Believer by Christ. But here our Author unhappily crosses me the way with one of his id est's That is says he Those who by the Gospel of Christ which is called Grace the abundant Grace of God are made Holy and Righteous To which I say as I have sometimes said That the Gospel as he describes it is not the Grace of God but a real Doctrine of Justification by Works blanch'd a little to make it vendible 2. The Gospel as it is a Revelation of Grace is not the whole of the Grace of God the Gospel reveals more Grace to be in God in Christ in the Holy Spirit for us than the Revelation of it There is an Operation of Grace upon us a Constitution of Grace with us as well as a Revelation of Grace to us but this he will grant us That Righteousness is called a Gift so far good But is it really a gift or onely called so as Christs is called a Redeemer called a High-Priest called a Sacrifice I doubt this will prove nothing but Phraseology at last He answers 1. Negatively It 's called a gift because it is not owing solely to Humane Endeavours Not solely But then it may be almost and very near altogether owing to Humane Endeavours The Grace of God may come in for a share though a poor pitiful share as he would not exclude the Righteousness of Christ wholly totally from having any concernment in our Iustification so out of his generosity he will not shut out Grace wholly from interposing in our Sanctification Haerebit in aliquâ saltem parte Well commend me to the memory of honest I. G. who though a high trotting Arminian would allow Free-grace ninety nine parts in the Conversion of a sinner provided always and upon Condition nevertheless that Free-will might have one in a hundred But what a Company of Rigid Bigots are these Calvinists that will not abate one ace not forgo a single Unite in a Hundred but they pretend they have no Commission to compound between Free-grace and Free-will and that God will not put his Right to arbitration and indeed it were hazardous for what sad terms had our Author made for the Rich effectual Grace of God had the determination been put into his hands Righteousness is not owing solely to Humane endeavours Natural strength free-will humane ability shall have ninety nine parts in the Dividend and Grace that deserves all must be content with one single lot and perhaps a smaller pittance And now what if this will not denominate it a gift just so much as you add to these Humane Endeavours you substract from free-grace and whether that little that very little concern that grace has in this work shall denominate it a Gift or that much that very much which Humane Endeavours have in it No gift must stand to the Courtesie of the Criticks and great Masters of Language 2. Affirmatively It is wrought in us says he by supernatural means by those powerful arguments and motives and Divine assistances which God in infinite Love hath afforded the World by Iesus Christ. I cannot express the transport of my mind at the first sound of these words supernatural means powerful arguments Divine assistances I began to suspect our Author was turn'd Calvinist as he suspected Dr. Owen was turned Arminian and with equal Reason for I presently found my Errour The word Grace has a Considerable Name and carries a good repute in the Scriptures and therefore our Author will behave himself as decently towards it as he can afford But what is the meaning of these supernatural means Why to speak liquidly Means of Supernatural Revelation at best but of no supernatural Operation Some arguments suggested which the light of Nature could not discover and some institutions which depend meerly on the will and pleasure of God for his powerful arguments and Divine assistances they are such Motives as being given by God externally are left to the self-determining power of that great Idol Free will For when all is done 't is the man who Converts himself but this and a great deal more will not satisfie the claim of effectual Grace in the Conversion of a Soul to God Who by the same power whereby Christ was raised from the dead works Faith in the Soul Eph. 1. 19 20. Who works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Who gives us the new Heart and causes us to walk in his Statutes Ezek. 36. 26. Who takes away the resistibility of the Soul the stony heart and Circumcises the Hearts of his People to Love the Lord their God with all their heart Deut. 30. 6. But with such Cantings did Pelagius cover his abominations talking of ineffable grace wonderful grace when all was but Revelation or Grace the Name suborned to destroy Free and effectual Grace the thing it self After all these windings and turnings our Author will give us a fair account How we may be said to bâ—… made Righteous by the Righteousness of Christ I hope it shall be an honest account as well as a fair one and then it 's welcome but whose hopes could have been so vain as to flatter him he should live to see an account and a fair account too given by our Author of such a Paradox But we attend Not that his Actual Obedience is reckoned as done by us which is impossible There 's the Negative And this seems to go a great way in the Account How we may be said to be made Righteous by anothers Righteousness Because it 's impossible we should be righteous by anothers righteousness But why is this so impossible There 's no more impossibility in it than that Adams Disobedience should be reckoned as mine which if it be not let men shift and evade with all their cunning they shall never be able to justifie Gods procedure with his Posterity in entailing evils many evils and Death it self upon them for Adams sake if they be not guilty of the Crime Suppose we had been in Adams place had committed his sin eaten the forbidden Fruit in his stead in our own Persons what had the penalty been in our Authors Judgment but evils a great many evils Death it self And what in the Apostles account but Iudgment unto Condemnation
Salvation in the House of his Servant David as he spake by the mouth of his Holy Prophets which have been since the world began ver 72. To perform the Mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant the Oath which he sware to our Father Abraham where the firm Oath and Covenant of God to Redeem his People is assigned as the Reason of his giving Christ to be a Redeemer The places are too many to be insisted on that confirm this Truth Iohn 3. 16. 1 Iohn 4. 9 10. 2. Sect. Free grace is given as the true Reason of the Covenant of Grace Heb. 8. 8. For finding fault with them he saith behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel c. They were a faulty an undeserving an ill-deserving People yet Free grace will make a Covenant with them Nor is there any opposition between Free-grace and Christs Merits in this Case if we consider that Free-grace is the Original Reason of Gods designation and purpose to bestow the good things of the Covenant and the Righteousness of Christs Life and the Sacrifice of his Death the way of recovering these Mercies which by sin had been forfeited and lost 3. Sect. The Scriptures give us no intimation that Christ is the Foundation of Gods making this Covenant or the Original Reason of Gods design to bestow the Mercies of the Covenant though it abounds with Testimonies that Christ is the way of procuring for us and conveying to us these intended mercies and in those things which depend upon mere good pleasure Revelation must be our onely guide In this case we may conclude Negatively Non credimus quia non legimus And we may shrewdly conjecture that there is no pretence from Scripture for this Figment of our Authors because it 's the Foundation of all his mistakes and yet he has not so much as attempted the perverting of one Scripture to give colour to it which may be reckoned amongst the Admiranda Nili 2. His other Assertion is this Our own Righteousness is the condition of the Covenant which with his former Assertion is obtruded upon us without proof and therefore I suppose he intends they must both be maintained at the Charges of the Parish Now 1 It is agreed for ought I know that an inherent righteousness is a necessary condition of eternal Salvation Heb. 12. 14. Without Holiness no man shall see God It is a Condition in the Covenant though not of the Covenant such a Condition as is due to every Person in a Covenant-state it doth necessarily attend that state though it be not allowed as antecedent to a Covenant-state 2. As to the Constitution of the Covenant in Gods purpose and Counsel I know no condition at all They that talk of the right use of free-will future Faith or good works fore-seen as the Reason of that purpose talk without book and onely intimate what a rare Covenant they would have made for us had they had the modelling and Contrivance of it like him that boasted that if he had stood by God when he formed Man he could have told him how to have made him more commodiously Rom. 9. 11. The Children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil Where those words neither having done any good or evil must necessarily exclude all respect to the future good or evil they should do as the Reason of the purpose of God according to Election because it 's evident by the form of speech That they deny something more concerning the Children than the former words being not yet born and yet even they exclude Having done good or evil Actually 3. The Question then is whether An inherent Righteousness be the Condition required of us and in us antecedent to our first Covenant-state And I durst leave this Matter to be determined by the Church of England if our Author would do so too Art 17. Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the Foundation of the World was laid he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from Curse and Damnation those whom he hath chosen out of Mankind in Christ and to bring them by Christ to everlasting Salvation whence we are taught 1. That Election is not of all Mankind but of some out of Mankind 2. That this purpose of God was from everlasting 3. That it is a fixed constant decree 4. That the Design of it is to deliver those chosen out of Mankind from the curse under which Mankind was fallen and to bring them to everlasting Salvation 5. That the Reason of this eternal Election was his own counsel 6. That the Execution of this Decree is in and by Iesus Christ and the manner of it follows Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit be called according to the purpose of God working in due season by his Spirit They through Grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made the Sons of God by Adoption they be made like the Image of his onely begotten Son they walk Religiously in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain everlasting felicity Whence we are Instructed 1. That the calling of the Elect to a Covenant-state is from Grace as the reason and by Grace as it's efficient 2. Their obeying that call of God is by Grace 3. Good works necessarily follow effectual calling See also Art 10. 12 13. 4. Religious walking with God in good works is a necessary condition of eternal Felicity 5. That there is such a firm connexion in this golden chain of Salvation that no one linck can possibly be broken They are Elected freely called effectually justified freely Adopted graciously Sanctified gradually walk Religiously and at length by the mercy of God are saved eternally which the Apostle gives us more concisely Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did Predestinate them he a so called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also Glorified I conclude then that our own righteousness is not the condition of the Covenant of Grace neither of the designment of the Father nor the procurement of the Son nor of the effectual Operation of the Holy Spirit nor of our Covenant-state nor of our Covenant-right nor of the first Covenant-mercy but of many after-mercies and of Eternal Salvation it is the condition 1. Sect. That is not the Condition of the Covenant required of us on our part which God promises to work in us on His part but God has promised to work in us Inherent-righteousness both Root and Fruit Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new Heart also will I give you and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Iudgments and do them 2. Sect. That which God in Covenant bestows cannot be the Condition of a Covenant-state but God in Covenant bestows the new Heart for
Proof thereof For in Christ Jesus c. Did the Apostles Premises speak of one thing and his Conclusion of another 2. Here 's this lies in the way that no Cogent Reason can be assigned why we should depart from the Plain Ordinary Primary acceptation of the Word Christ for a Figurative Improper and Secondary acceptation but only to humour our Author for which at present I am not in the Mood 3. He is miserably short in his Foundation for after all his pains to prove that Christ signifies an Office a Doctrine a Church he must go over with all this again and prove that Jesus signifies a Doctrine and Jesus a Church or else he 's just in Statu quo For he had told us before that though Christ was an Homonymous word a Name of Desuetory Lubricous and Versatile sound Jesus was his Proper Name given him by the Angel before he was Born and therefore surely that has not been Warped and Twisted and Scrued at that Rate that this other poor Name has been for as it falls out unhappily Here 's Jesus joyned with Christ and that perswades us almost that a very Person is intended But yet secondly The apparent Falshood of it sticks more with me than all this I could easily down with a few Absurdities For I think and believe according to the Scripture That there is something besides a Vertuous Life of value to Recommend us to the Favour of God nay something more of Value and I shall not be Hector'd out of it by Blustering words 'T is the Righteousness of Jesus which I mean and we have the Apostles Warrant for it Ephes. 1. 6. He hath made us accepted in the Beloved If God should enter into Judgment with us according to the Exactest of our Obedience perhaps we should be willing to accept of Christ's Recommendation to the favour of God notwithstanding our most vertuous Lives but secondly I indite it of Falshood that he makes a new Creature and a vertuous Life equivalent Expressions For I had thought that a vertuous Life is but the Fruit that Grows on the Tree but the Tree must be made good e're the Fruit can be so A vertuous Life the Streams that flow from the Spring of the new Creature and the Fountain must be cleansed e're the Streams will be so In plain Terms the vertuous Life is but the Result of a new Heart the product of a Renewed Nature without which Principle of a vertuous Life and without Christ to Recommend both to God there is no hope to find favour in his sight His second place is Col. 2. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain Deceit after the Traditions of Men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ. Where says he after Christ is oppos'd to the Traditions of Men and Rudiments of the World and therefore must signifie not the Person but the Religion or Gospel of Christ. Must And what necessity of that I can see none from the Text But if our Author has impos'd upon himself an absolute and indispensible necessity of being Baptiz'd into Volkelius then indeed it must be so Interpreted no remedy Lib. 5. c. 10. p. 437 438. Divinitatis Nomine nec Dei nec Christi Natura sed Divinae voluntatis notitia Deique colendi ratio Intelligi porest atque ideo debet By the name Deity not the Nature of God or of Christ but the knowledge of the Divine Will and the manner of Worshipping God May be and therefore Must be understood The Reader is now satisfi'd why it must be so 1. It may be so and therefore necessarily it must be so 2. Volkelius says it must be and therefore it must But let us be Judg'd by the words following Not after Christ for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily ver 9. Does the fulness the all fulness of the Godhead dwell bodily in the Doctrine or in the Person of Christ ver 10. And ye are compleat in him who is the Head of Principality and Powerâ—… Is iâ—… Christs Person that is that Head of Angels or his Doctrine and so the Apostle runs it on till he comes to the Cross of Christ ver 14. Must we now to Gratifie these Gentlemen renounce our Reasons and say that a Doctrine is the Head of â—…roncipality and Power A Doctrine is rais'd from the Dead That we are Buried in a Doctrine That the Hand-writing of Ordinances was Nailed to the Cross of a Doctrine I confess I would go as far as another for Peace-sake but here I must fairly shake hands and leave my Author and his Masters to their own ways But though the words following the Text do frown severely upon them and their Cause yet they promise themselves much from the foregoing ver 6. As you have therefore received Iesus Christ the Lord so walk ye in him i. e. Obey the Doctrine of Christ as you have been taught it by us It must be remembred what our Author is endeavouring to prove still I hope he has not forgot it and I hope we shall not viz. That the Name Christ signifies the Gospel Now it is easily granted that though the Name Christ do Immediately signifie the Person of Christ yet Mediarely it may imply the Doctrine and yet all this while the Name or Word Christ stand in its Original posture and Purport As the name King does primarily signifie the Person of a Supreme Magistrate and yet that Treason which is committed against the Person of a King is against his Law and yet none will say that because Treason against the King is Treason against the Law that therefore the name King signifies Law To violate the Commands of the Gospel reflects upon Christs Person and he that sins against the one sins against the other because of that Privity of Interest that is betwixt a King and his Laws a Prophet and his Revelations a Priest and his Sacrifice yet it were harsh to say that Prophet does signifie Revelation or Priest Sacrifice or King signifie Laws Those things may have Relation one to another one be Inferred from another and not the one signifie the other As 1 Cor. 7. 12. When ye sin against the Brethren and wound their weak consciences ye sin against Christ To sin against the Brethren is by consequence to sin against Christ. Yet none will say that the Name Christ signifies Brethren But more particularly I answer 1. That Christ Jesus the Lord does signifie in the first place a Person And secondly That consequently it Includes the Promises the Precepts the Revelations the Death Sufferings the Intercession and the whole of Jesus But his main strength lies here That after Christ is opposed to the Traditions of Men and the Rudiments of the World and therefore must not signifie the Person but the Religion or Gospel of Christ. So argues Volk Lib. 3. de verâ Relig. p. 125. His mundi Rudimentis omnem Divinitatis Plenitudinem in Christo
in determining the Will And if by irresistable Grace no more be meant than a powerfull and effectual production of the principle of Grace in the Soul it 's no more than what God has promised in the New Covenant Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give them and I will take away the heart of Stone out of their flesh and I will give them an heart of Flesh And he that removes the onely resisting Principle in the Soul the Heart of Stone may be said well enough to act irresistably in the working of Grace Nor can I see any danger in ascribing such a way of working to the Holy Spirit nor did the Apostle Eph. 1. 19 20. who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him up from the dead where the Apostle is not afraid nor ashamed to ascribe the working of Faith to the same Power that raised up Christ from the dead and he that had a mind to make a fluster with Greek like our Author could take a fair Opportunity to tell him what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie and then to rub him up with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And whether these denote not the Creatures Impotency and Gods Efficacious Power let the Reader judge 3. Our Author is much mistaken if he thinks that the work of Gods Grace and Spirit in Conversion of a Soul to God may be compared to the moveing of a Machine Perhaps he had seen about Billingsgate the Maugeing of a Crane where a lusty Fellow with a Mastiffe-Dog in a Wheel will take you up an incredible weight otherwise unmanagable and he being taken with the Omnipotency of the Engine knew not how to bestow his pleasure better than upon the Operation of the Holy Spirit But Gods Spirit knows how to act effectually and yet not offer violence to any of the Faculties of the Soul He can lead the Creature powerfully and yet in a way agreeable to its Frame and Constitution He that has engaged Ioh. 6. 37. That all that the Father has given him shall come unto him knows well how to bring them in without committing a rape upon their own wills he can make them willing and yield by surrender and not need to take them by storm he can powerfully and yet gently and sweetly lead his Creature he makes no Assault and Battery upon it When then the Psalmist prayes and we with him Psal. 119. 36. That God would encline his heart to his Statutes there 's enough in his Prayer to imply his own disability and Gods Power and yet enough in the Souls Inclination to exclude all Force and Violence But still he presseth upon the Doctor who p. 106. had said There are Four things in sin that clearly shine forth in the Death of Christ 1. The Desert of it 2. Mans Impotency by reason of it 3 The Death of it 4. A New end put unto it Against the two former he has sufficiently Discovered his feeble Passion the third he waves and now against the fourth he Rises up with incredible Zeal and Fury For says the Doctor Sin in its own Nature tends merely to the Dishonour of God the Ruine of the Creature but now in the Lord Iesus Christ there is the Manifestation of another and more Glorious end viz. The praise of Gods glorious Grace in the pardon and forgiveness of it God having taken order in Christ that that thing which tended merely to his Dishonour should be managed to his Infinite Glory And here our Author has need of all his Machines and Engines that he may disorder things so as to serve his turn of them and therefore upon good advise no doubt reserved them all for this place 1. One Machine which he plies is that old Rotten Engine called Invidious Representation and this will do good Service still for want of a better That is says he lest Gods Iustice and Mercy should never be known to the World he appoints and Ordains sins to this end that is Decrees that Men shall sin that he may make some of them Vessels of Wrath and others the Vessels of his Mercy to the praise of his Grace in Christ. It 's a sad Drudgery to satisfie wilfully blind Malice For what more plain from the Doctors words than that he speaks not Hot or Cold of Gods Ordaining men to sin but of his putting a New end to sin upon supposition that it is already in the World Cannot God bring Good out of Evil but our Author must go Mad It 's a very Ruful cause that needs such Subsidies to maintain it Let any one Read the Doctor again pag. 112. Sin in its own Nature tends merely to Gods Dishonour In the Lord Iesus Christ there is the Manifestation of another end And as he said before pag. 106. There 's a New end put to it of Gods Ordaining and Appointing and Decreeing men to sin not a word not a syllable only he says that supposing sin to be already in the World carrying on its fatal Designs of Dishonouring God Damning Souls God has in Infinite Wisdom Curb'd and Restrained its Natural Tendency Over-rul'd its native malice against and thirst after the blood of souls and made it Comply with his own Glory So said Austin God is so Good that He would never suffer sin to be in the World if He were not also Omnipotent to bring Good out of the Evil. 2. Another Machine which our Author plies upon those words is That famous Engine of Archimedes of which he used to boast that Give him but a place out of the World where to fix his Engine and he would undertake to Unhinge the Earth from its Center The same Confidence has our Author in this Machine which indeed never failed him And no less truly than commonly called a Down-right falsehood Let the Reader mark it well he charges the Doctor for saying pag. 112. Com. That the glorious end whereunto sin is appointed and ordained is discovered in Christ for the Demonstration of Gods Vindictive Iustice in Measuring out to it a meet recompence of Reward Now remember the old Caveat Hic nervus est sapientiae nihil fidere Take the Book and read with all the Eyes you have and can borrow and there you shall find the clear contrary The Comminations and Threatnings of the Law do manifest one other end of sin even the Demonstration of Gods Vindictive Iustice in measuring out to it a meet recompence of Reward but here the Law stays with it all other Light and discovers no other use or end of it at all but in the Lord Iesus Christ there is the Manifestation of another and more Glorious end c. And now after all this sorrow we shall have a fine Scene of Mirth for our Divertisment Nature says he would teach us that so Infinitely glorious a Being as God is needs not sin and misery to
that it 's as possible for the Black-Moore to wash himself white which is the Embleme of Labour in Vain or the Leopard to rub out his Dapples as for such a one so enslaved to doe good And if difficulty onely be designed in the Comparison there 's great danger of seduction to have the Case of habituated sinners thus described 3 Our Author is much mistaken to say That the Apostle speaks of the Case of the Heathens The place is Eph. 2. 1. And you hath he quickened who were Dead in Trespasses and Sins c. And these things are exceeding clear 1. That to be dead in Trespasses and Sins let it signifie what it will is a Condition common to Iew and Gentile v. 3. Amongst whom also we all had our Conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the Mind and of the Flesh and were by Nature the Children of wrath even as others v. 5. When we were dead in sins 2. That the same Power and Grace was required to Quickening of the one as the other v. 4. God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us quickned us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 It 's very ridiculous to express some strength by None As if you should say A dead man will hardly walk above five miles a day and then he must rest himself too at every miles end It 's true a Natural Death does not deny a Resurrection by Divine Power nor a Moral Death exclude the efficacious Power of him that raised up Iesus from the dead yet both exclude all Ability in the subject or we must despair of ever understanding one Syllable of Scripture to the Worlds end 2. There is Another Doctrine he will examine by this Rule viz. the Manner of Gods Working in Regeneration Concerning which the Apostle Eph. 2. 10. when he had before shewed all to be dead in Trespasses and Sins thus expresses himself For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works and 2 Cor. 5. 17. He that is in Christ is a New Creature Wherein the Apostle does instruct us in three very material points 1. Here is the Product of Gods Grace A real Effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Something brought forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a New Creature a New Creation Another a better though a lesser World 2. The End of this Work or Product of Gods powerfull Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was to good works which God ordained they should walk in The End of the New Heart New Creature and New Nature is New Obedience 3. The Manner of Gods producing this work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye were Created to that End so that as God at the first by his Creating Power exerted brought forth the Creature and gave it power to bring forth fruit after its Kind So in this New Creation there is something that Answers both the created Effect the Creating Power and the End of this Creation This would have done pretty well had it not chimed too near the words and therefore our Author shall expound it himself and then if ever he will be in the good Humour This were true says he if our being created to good works did signifie the Manner and Method of our Conversion and not the Nature of the New Creature But what if it signifies both Here 's a Workmanship and here 's the Manner of working We are his Workmanship created The work called a New Creature shews the Thing and its being said to be done by Creation shews the Manner All the Apostles Metaphor will else be very lame The Manner of Gods producing the Old Creation expressed but Nothing to answer it in the New Creation and yet this was the Main of his design v. 5. Even when we were dead in sins and trespasses he hath quickened us v. 8. By Grace ye are saved not of your selves it 's the Gift of God But let us hear his Paraphrase That as in the first Creation we were created after the Image of God so we are renewed after his Image in the second which is therefore expressely called Renewing and Renovation An excellent Similitude just as God wrought All in the first Creation so for all the world he does Nothing in the second That is in plain Terms The New Creation is no Creation and the Apostle could not more unluckily have express'd the Doctrine of our own Ability to good Works than by saying we were created by God in Christ Iesus to the Performance of them To conclude That the Image of God restored should answer the Image in which God created Man at first I can be content onely to fill up the Pà rallel What is that act of God in the New which answers to Gods creating Act in the first Creation And that the New Creation should be called a Renovation I can very well digest but then we must take in Gods Renewing Power as well as the Renewed Effect but that this is called so expressely in other places I do not very well approve nor will our Author when he thinks better upon 't for that will discredit the whole Paraphrase because it chimes too harmoniously to the sound of words Hitherto we have heard a very learned Declamation against interpreting Scripture by the sound of words and now we shall have another Oration against Metaphors Similitudes Allegories Types Figures and all this under the same Head If they say Christ is our Righteousness our Wisdom c. then they interpret all by the sound of words and if they say the Pearl the Manna the Rock c. signified Christ which seems to be very remote from yet that is interpreting Scripture by the sound of words also so that we are in a Fork Snick or Snee and both wayes equally undone Mr. Watson thinks that The Pearl in the Parable Math. 13. 46. may be accommodated to Christ for as the Pearl is there said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 7. That he was praefigured by the Manna upon the onely Credit of Christs own Interpretation Joh. 6. 48. I am the Bread of Life your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead This is the bread that cometh down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye That the Rock also did typifie Christ from the Apostles warrant 1 Cor. 10. 3. They drank of the Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ That Christ was also Resembled by the Brazen Serpent upon Christs own Authority Ioh. 3. 14 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up and that Christ is compared to a Vine Joh. 15. 1. I am the True Vine He proves also or thinks he proves That Christ has very lovely and excellent Titles given him in the Scriptures He is the Desire of all Nations Hag. 2. 7. The Prince of Peace Isa. 9.
reputed the onely Children of God He removes that small Objection telling them Christ had already removed them in his Flesh in his Person he was the summe and substance of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having already in his Flesh or Person made void the Law of Ordinances and already dissolved that Partition Wall He that has Reconciled you to one God has also brought you into one Church which he repeats again ver 16. That he might Reconcile both unto God in one Body by the Cross having slain the Enemy thereby or in himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are first the Parties Reconciled Jews and Gentles Secondly to whom they are Reconciled to God Thirdly the Fruit of this Reconciliation to God They are brought into one Church amongst themselves Fourthly The Means whereby they are Reconciled to God that so they might be capable of being United into one Church and that is by the Cross of Christ or by himself on the Cross who bare our sins on the Tree 4. The Apostle shews the way and means of promulgating this Peace which he had made with God and that was by the publick Preaching of the Gospel ver 17. He Preached Peace he made Peace with God and then Preached it to the Gentile World He that had procured good will towards men Preaches Peace on Earth How little ground now had our Author to say That we are said to be Redeemed by the Preaching of the Gospel when the Preaching of the Gospel is nothing but a Declaration of that Redemption which Christ has made of Jew and Gentile with God and the way and Method to be partakers of the benefit of it And now to draw to a close of this Matter let us re-view our Authors Doctrine of Redemption The Redemption of Iew and Gentile he makes to differ as much as the Faith of Abraham and that of Christians 1. They differ in the matter of Redemption that which they were Redeemed from The Jews they were Redeemed from the Ceremonial Law the Gentiles they were Redemed from Idolatry and impure practises 2. They differ in the manner of procurement for the Jews Christ says he by his Death put an end to that Legal Dispensation and so their turn is served that little Redemption that they needed which is all our Author can afford them was Actually accomplisht by the Death of Christ which was a proper and immediate cause of their Redemption such a one as it was but then the Gentiles they were Redemed after another fashion by the Preaching of the Gospel whereby they were turned from Idolatry and impure practises And this shall be called Redemption because it were dangerous to ascribe it to the blood of Christ for an Obvious Reason that he knows of but because the Scripture says we are Redeemed by the Blood of Christ and gives that Blood a concernment therein therefore to stop the â—…uth of the Scripture it shall be said we owe the Preaching of the Gospel to the blood of Christ. 3. There is one thing more from whence our Author flatters himself with hopes of great success and that is by mis-representing the Analogy between the Iewish Sacrifices and the Sacrifices of Christ Two things he attempts 1. To shew what it is under the Law to which the Death of Christ his Ascention into Heaven and presenting his Blood to God does Answer 2. What it is under the Law to which his Intercession Answers Which project of our Authors has been contrived and managed with a great deal more subtilty by those who would storm or blush to see their Arguments thus miserably abased 1. To the former of these he expresses himself thus Now as the Death of Christ upon the Cross and his Ascention into Heaven and presenting his Blood to God in that most Holy place did answer to the first sprinkling of the Blood under the Law which confirmed the Mosaical Covenant as the Apostle Discourses in Heb. 9. c. In which few words he has heaped up more absurdities and follies than another must hope to bring into twice as many For 1. Here is a supposition of Christs presenting his Blood to God in Heaven distinct from his Intercession which when he shall offer to prove it may be time to consider it 2. He supposes that Christs Ascention into Heaven answered the first sprinkling of blood under the Law A most ridiculous supposition For what is there in sprinkling that answers to Ascention or bears the least Analogy to it Surely these Gentlemen that create such parallels and fancy such uncouth resemblances must have some mad design in their Heads which nothing will subserve but such forced allusions And I do not now wonder that he should so tediously rail at the use of Allusions in others for they will deserve the most of scorn that can be thrown upon them if they be all like his own 3. That the Death of Christ upon the Cross did Answer the sprinkling of Blood under the Law which confirmed the Covenant is very true but then 1. It must be remembred in what respect it confirmed the Covenant not meerly as a witnessing to the Truth of what he has preach'd but as Answering the demands and claims of the Governing Iustice of God as we have before shewed 2. It must be remembred also that it was not such a Covenant as he has imposed upon us but the true Covenant of Grace wherein God promises to give that which our Author will not own the New Heart New Spirit and New Obedience 3. That to confirm a Covenant was not all the design of it's sprinkling but diverting of the wrath of God procuring his favour c. So the Blood of Christ has greater ends than confirming of the Truth he taught viz. the appeasing Gods just displeasure procuring his Actual Love pacifying of the Conscience cleansing the Soul 4. He supposes also that the Apostle Discourses to this purpose Rom. 9. which is to make the Apostle accessory to his own groundless fopperies who is indeed perfectly innocent of these crimes For 1. The sprinkling of the blood which the Apostle mentions Heb. 9. 9. in that mentioned Exod. 24. 6. Now there was another sprinkling of blood Antecedent to that which we read of Exod. 12. to which the blood of Christ did Answer and to which the Apostle refers as is evident from Heb. 11. 28. Heb. 12. 24. 2. The sprinkling of Blood Heb. 9. 19. being the same with that Exod. 24. 6. shews evidently that as the whole concern of the blood sprinkled at that time was not confirming a Covenant but Atoning God So the whole concern of the blood of Christ is not taken up in confirming a Covenant much less such a thing as he will mis-call a Covenant but in Reconciling God to Man paying a price of Redemption to God c. 3. That the Apostle carries another Argument is evident For 1. The Typical Interest which those Sacrifices had in Redemption were accomplish'd before the
new Obedience Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will Circumcise thy Heart to love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul 3. Sect. That which presupposes other Covenant-mercies antecedent to it cannot be the condition of the first Covenant-Blessing and therefore not the condition of a Covenant-state but our own righteousness presupposes other Covenant-blessings antecedent to it Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the Heart of stone out of your Flesh and give you an Heart of Flesh the Natural Heart must be Circumcised the hard heart removed a soft heart bestowed before we can perform new Obedience out of which our own righteousness results When therefore our Author says That Christs righteousness and our own are both necessary to Salvation He says true and which is necessary to all Truth that which overthrows his main design For if Christs righteousness be necessary to our Salvation not onely to the promise of it then no Salvation can be had without that righteousness but if it be onely necessary to a promise of that Salvation then it is not necessary to Salvation for Salvation according to his Principles has been obtained without a promise of Salvation otherwise the Patriarchs before Christ could not be eternally saved whom he supposes to have had no such promise and so it may still for Obedience performed will save though it want that great promise for it's encouragement And whereas he says That Christs Righteousness is the Foundation but not the Condition of the Covenant what policy there may be in using the Metaphor of a Foundation I cannot tell but this I know A Foundation is a necessary Condition to the superstructure raised upon it I have now attended him through all the Labyrinths of this tedious Discourse whence the Reader will learn at least how impossible it is for Error to be Consonant to it self As the two Milstones grind one another as well as the grain and as the extreme Vices oppose each other as well as the intermediate vertue that lies between them So have all Errors this fate and 't is the best quality they are guilty of that they Duel one another with the same heat that they oppose the Truth The Remainder of his Book is so full of falshoods in matter of fact reproaches of the Truth and immerited bitterness against the Living and the Dead that I could not perswade my self to give the Reader any further trouble with them at present but a small invitation will draw out the second Part In the mean time I do solemnly protest that as I have no Personal Quarrel with this Gentleman so I have not willingly wronged his Discourse in the smallest instance The worst I wish him is that he may seasonably repent of his injurious dealing with the Scriptures and his unworthy treatment of those Persons who have deserved well of Religion and the Common-wealth of Learning and not ill of himself I cannot deny but that his provoking way of writing his unjust censures of the Innocent and above all his Drolling faculty exercised upon sacred things have sometimes tempted me to a return not so agreeable to my Natural inclinations I hope the Reader will consider not onely how but what I have written nor onely what but upon what provocations it has been written Let Cause be compared with Cause the moments of Reasons with Reasons let the little Vagaries and impertinces be brusht off and then let the indifferent and impartial Reader moderate between us And if he shall meet with any Truth of the Gospel cleared or vindicated let him give God the more praise who by such improbable means as Clay and Spittle can open his Eyes to the acknowledgment of the Truth and secure him against the Impostures and Apostacy of these latter times and what ever of Vanity and Folly he meets with in these Papers let him be assured that's my own and that it may not prejudice the concerns of Christ let him freely trample it under his Feet FINIS A Catalogue of some Books printed and sold by Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in Chancery Lane near Fleetstreet First EXercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews also concerning the Messiah Wherein the Promises concerning Him to be a Spiritual Redeemer of Mankind are explained and vindicated c. With an Exposition of and Discourses on the two first Chapters of the said Epistle to the Hebrews By Iohn Owen D. D. in Folio 2. Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews concerning the Priesthood of Christ wherein the original Causes Nature Prefigurations and Discharge of that holy Office are explained and vindicated The Nature of the Covenant of the Redeemer with the Call of the Lord Christ unto his Office are declared And the Opinions of the Socinians about it are fully examined and their Oppositions unto it refuted With a Continuation of the Exposition on the third fourth and fifth Chapters of the said Epistle to the Hebrews being the second Volumn By Iohn Owen D. D. in Folio 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or A Discourse concerning the Holy Spirit Wherein an Account is given of his Name Nature Personality Dispensation Operations and Effects His whole Work in the Old and New Creation is explained the Doctrine concerning it vindicated from Oppositions and Reproaches The Nature also and Necessity of Gospel-Holiness the difference between Grace and Morality or a Spiritual Life unto God in Evangelical Obedience and a course of Moral Vertues are stated and declared By Iohn Owen D. D. in Folio 4. A Practical Exposition on the 130 Psalm wherein the Nature of the Forgiveness of Sin is declared the Truth and Reality of it asserted and the Case of a Soul distressed with the Guilt of Sin and relieved by a Discovery of Forgiveness with God is at large discoursed By Io. Owen D. D. in Quarto 5. Londons Lamentations or a sober serious Discourse concerning the late Fiery Dispensation By Mr. Thomas Brooks late Preacher of the Word at St. Margarets NewFisâ—…street London in Quarto 6. Liberty of Conscience upon its true and proper grounds asserted and vindicated c. To which is added the Second Part viz. Liberty of Conscience the Magistrates Interest By a Protestant a Lover of Truth and the Peace and Prosperity of the Nation in Quarto The second Edition Large Octavo's 7. A Discourse of the Nature Power Deceit and Prevalency of the Remainders of Indwelling-Sin in Believers Together with the ways of its working and means of prevention By Iohn Owen D. D. in Octavo 8. Truth and Innocency vindicated in a Survey of a Discourse concerning Ecclesiastical Polity and the Authority of the Civil Magistrate over the Consciences of Subjects in matters of Religion By Iohn Owen D. D. in Octavo 9. Exercitations concerning the Name Original Nature Use and Continuance of a Sacred Day of Rest wherein the Original of the Sabbath from the foundation of the World the Morality of the fourth Commandment with the change of the Sabbath-Day are enquired into Together with an Assertion of the Divine Institution of the Lord's Day By Iohn Owen D. D. in Octavo The second Impression 10. Evangelical Love Church-Peace and Unity By. Io. Owen D. D. 11. The Unreasonableness of Atheism made manifest in a Discourse to a Person of Honour By Sir Charles Wolselay Baronet Third Impression 12. The Reasonableness of Scripture-Belief A Discourse giving some Account of those Rational Grounds upon which the Bible is received as the Word of God Written by Sir Charles Wolseley Baronet 13. The Rehearsal transpres'd or Animadversions upon a late Book intituled A Preface shewing what Grounds there are of fears and jealousies of Popery The first Part. By Andrew Marvel Esq. 14. The Rehearsal transpros'd the second Part. Occasioned by two Letters the first printed by a nameless Author intituled A Reproof c. the second A Letter left at a friends house dated Nov. 3. 1673. subscribed I. G. and concluding with these words If thou darest to print or publish any Lye or Libel against Dr. Parker by the Eternal God I will cut thy throat Answered by Andrew Marvel 15. Theopolis or the City of God New Ierusalem in opposition to the City of the Nations Great Babylon By Henry D'anvers in Octavo 16. A Guide for the Practical Gauger with a Compendium of Decimal Arithmetick Shewing briefly the whole Art of Gauging of Brewers Tuns Coppers Backs c. also the Mash or Oyl-Cask and Sybrant Hantz his Table of Area's of Segments of a Circle the Mensuration of all manner of Superficies By William Hunt Student in the Mathematicks in Octavo 17. Anti-Sozzo sive Sherlocismus Enervatus In Vindication of some Great Truths Opposed and Opposition to some Great Errors Maintained by Mr. William Sherlock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoc est Domus Mosaicae Clavis sive Legis Sepimentum Authore Iosepho Cooper Anglo in Octavo A Vindication of some Passages in a Discourse concerning Communion with God from the Exceptions of William Sherlock Rector of St. George Buttolph-Lane By Iohn Owen D. D. in Octavo A brief Declaration and Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity By Iohn Owen D. D. in 12.