thou or Who hath resisted his Will God is Loose from doing or suffering any Evil. As by his Omnipotency he cannot die nor deny himself so by his Liberty he cannot do nor suffer Evil. These Impossibilities do perfect his Omnipotency and Liberty And God is Loose to do all Good and to have all good for all Good is from him and to him i. e. from his Grace and to his Glory and God enjoys all Happiness because he enjoys himself for he is all Happiness both to himself and others Seeing then God is naturally Loose Ergo he is naturally Free How stands God's Liberty with his Necessity or Obj. how can a Necessary Agent be Free Necessity is contrary to Contingency not to Liberty Sol. Necessity neither opposes nor diminishes Liberty but consists with it continues and advanceth it The Necessity that doth modifie God's Essence and his Attributes makes God the more excellent for God's Being is the greater and better by being necessary Our Liberty is contingent and therefore mutable we heretofore might have been or hereafter may be not free But God's Liberty is necessary ergo immutable he never could be nor shall be otherwise than free God is a necessary Agent in respect of our Actions because we cannot act without him but in respect of his own Actions he is though a necessary yet a most free Agent because both before and in and after his Action he is most loose from all restraint or constraint to enforce or invalid him or any thing he does but that still though loose yet he must and can do nothing but what is good everlastingly and because he is necessarily loose therefore he is necessarily free and so his freedom must be a necessary and everlasting Liberty the Liberty of a God properly and not of a Man Seeing then God's necessity doth advance all his Attributes to the full Perfection of God ergo his Liberty is also necessary according to the necessity of God to speak after the manner of men with reverence and fear of the most High God SECTION II. Christ II. Christ is the Son of Liberty The Church is the Kingdom of God and Christ is a King of that Kingdom the King of a free Kingdom is free If Subject be free much more the King who hath Supremacy in all things and therefore in freedom If therefore the faithful be free Christ is free much more The Church is the Family or House of God Christ is the Head or Lord of that House this Lord is free Moses was a Servant Christ is a Master in God's House and he built it ergo more free than Moses or the Church If he that buildeth the house hath more honour than the house then Christ that built the Church hath more Liberty than the Church The Reasons are 1. From the Office of Christ because Christ is the general Mediator of all Liberty which God vouchsafes to Man God is the Fountain and Christ the Conduit God the Granter and Christ the Preacher and Herald of it God hath sent him to preach Deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind Luk. 4.18 to set at Liberty them that are bruised to open the Prison doors to them that are fast bound in misery and Iron and to preach the acceptable year of Jubilee of the Lord. Christ is the Liberator the Patron and Donor of Liberty that hath the State of it in himself and power to grant it to others 2. From the nature of Liberty 1. Because Christ was loose from all Evil impeccant and impeccable our High Priest ergo holy and harmless our High-Sacrifice ergo pure and spotless loose from all misery though he suffered much yet he suffered it freely he dyed but freely He laid down his life it was in his own power to take it up Joh. 10.18 and to lay it down No man gave it to him nor took it from him and he laid it down but for three days and then took it again 2. Because Christ was loose unto all good loose to his proper end Eternal Happiness Christ was not viator but comprehensor no Expectant but in Possession no Candidate for but actually installed in the Throne of Glory Christ was personally united unto God and the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Christ is naturally free not made free but makes others free free by Nature born not by Grace given 3. Because Christ is the Son of God The immediate property of a Son is freedom Liberi signifie Children and Free-men Sons are Heirs and all Heirs are Free though Slaves before Christ is Heir to his Father Ergo to all his Father's Rights Ergo to Liberty If therefore Liberty be the Right of God the Father then God the Son stands in succession to the same Right SECTION III. III. The Faithful are the Members of Liberty Faithful The Faithful are all Free As the Unfaithful are slaves so the Faithful are free Whosoever committeth sin in the state of Infidelity is a servant of Sin under the Power of darkness and led captive by the Devil according to his will But whosoever doth Righteousness in the state of Faith is a servant of Righteousness and under the Power of light and translated into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God and the glorious Liberty of all his Children The Church is the free Kingdom and City of God Saints and Angels are fellow Citizens all partakers of the same Coelestial freedom As Isaac was the Son of the Promise which was free and the Son of the Free-woman so the Faithful are Children of the Promise which was free in Christ the Promised Seed and Children of the Free-woman and of the Heavenly Jerusalem which is free and the Mother of us all This Liberty of the Faithful is a most excellent Estate worth the standing for Gal. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free Liberty is the Natural work of God Man's natural Birth-right a branch of Man's original Right a Copy of Divine Liberty to have Dominion under God over all inferiour Creatures Libertas est Res inestimabilis a Divine Favour a Condition supremely good much to be contended for SECTION IV. The Term of Recess from whence we are free is the state of Bondage to the Law i. e. to all the positive and statute Laws of God Term of Recess Bondage Gal. 2.16 21. called Ordinances ordained for matter of Policy or Ceremony To this state of Liberty from these follow two Rights 1. Of Immunity from the Precepts Services and burthens of those Laws as of Circumcision Sabbatisms Purifications Sacrifices Meats c. 2. Of Impunity from the Judgments Punishments and Curses of those Laws in case of Transgressions For where the obligation to the Precept ceaseth there ceaseth also all obligation to the Judgment of the Law because where there is no Law to be broken there is no sin to be imputed as saith the Apostle
the World are blessed The CONTENTS What the Old Testament contains What the New Testament contains Gospel a Testament rather than a Covenant TITLE III. Of the Gospel a Testament FOR contemplation of this New Estate leaving the Wisdom of the Gentiles take but a short view of the Glories of the Old Testament so far out-shined by the lustre and brightness of the New The Old Testament held forth these things What the Old Testament contains 1. Legacies or Gifts devised thereby which were earthly and temporal as Canaan's Land with plenty peace honour and long life therein 2. Conditions Precepts or Laws such as were the Rites or Moralities therein 3. A Mediator or Executor who was Moses who dying before he had finished his office Joshuah succeeded him and gave the People possession of the Promised Land the People being first subdued by the Sword 4. Legataries Abraham and his Seed the Israelites 5. Publishing by Angels God's Representatives declaring his Will Act. 7.53 Gal. 3.19 6. Proof by Thunderings and Lightnings and the sound of a Trumpet with many Terrours upon the burning smoaking and trembling Mount Sinai to the heart-aking of all the Spectators and Hearers Exod. 19.16 Heb. 12.18 7. Writing of the Moralities of that Testament upon Tables of Stone by God Ex. 32.16 The Ceremonies and Penalties in a Book by Moses Ex. 24.4 8. Confirmation to be of force by the death of Calves and Goats Exod. 24.5 Heb. 9.19 For all Testaments are of force by the death of the Testator or some body for them if men should make such a Law as God did by the substitution of the blood of Beasts for that purpose The New Testament comprehends these things 1. Predestination or Purpose or good Pleasure of Will in God What the New Testament contains before the World to make a just Disposition of things to be or done in time and to be had and enjoyed to all Eternity 2. Declaration or Nuncupation to Jesus Christ the Son of God and Heir apparent of all things and sole Executor to his Father This Will I say was first Nuncupative or by Word of mouth declaring the full mind of the Testatour as a Will Parol made to Christ the Word and Wisdom of God that came from the bosom of the Father and revealed him Afterwards it was written by some of Christ's Apostles and other Divine Persons to whom he taught it on earth and from heaven as he had received it and they also preached what was revealed unto them to all the World 3. Legacy or Inheritance which is Blessedness and in order thereunto Forgiveness of sins the Gift of the Spirit and the Resurrection of the Body Which said Blessedness is a firm Estate in Heaven free from all Evil and full of all Good incorruptible reserved for us in the Heavens 4. Condition Resipiscence or Holiness possible and accepted though not perfect yet made perfect through Christ I say possible so made by God or else if the Condition had been impossible the Disposition had been void and unjust as all Impossible Conditions are and therefore such Testaments are null and void 5. Executor Jesus Christ who is a Mediatour between God and Man For every Executor mediates between the Testatour and the Legataries because the Legacies came from the Testatour first to the Heir or Executor as we now speak and by the means of the Executor they are conveyed to the Legataries who may not take them of their own accord with their own hands but must demand or sue for them from the hands of the Executor or otherwise they have no power no right to receive or enjoy them 6. Legataries instituted of God are All Believers In all Testaments for Pious causes the Legataries are instituted by appellative or common and not by their proper Names for then no Testament was able to contain them As when a Benefactour bequeaths such or such gifts to all the honest and laborious Poor in such a Town all that are honest and laborious Poor in that place may challenge their Legacies by virtue of that Devise neither can any of them so qualified be excluded or denied their dues It is therefore to be noted that this VVill of God is such a Will and that therein there is no Dereliction or Praeterition at all but that it is like an Universal Pardon proclaimed to all that will come in and accept thereof upon the Condition expressed Math. 12.18 Gal. 3.15 7. Proof by a Voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Hear ye him Besides many and great Miracles 8. Confirmation by the Death of Christ substituted to take Flesh and die for God who could not die This is my Blood of the New Testament Math. 26.8 v. Heb. 9.15 All which Dispensations afford just matter of wonder adoration and praise of the manifold Wisdom and Grace of God Gospel a Testament rather than a Covenant The Gospel therefore appears to be a Testament to all intents and purposes much rather than a Covenant or any other Deed as may be demonstrated by these Testimonies and Reasons The very words used by Christ himself are a sufficient proof if there were no more which he uttered a little before his death Math. 26 28. This is my Blood of the New Testament which was shed for many for the Remission of sins And the repetition of the sense of them by St. Paul 1 Cor. 11.25 This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood David in the Spirit Then said I Loe I come In the volume of the Book it is written of me that I should fulfil thy will O God I am content to do it Sacrifice and Burnt offering thou wouldest not have but a Body hast thou prepared me Then said I Loe I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10.5 7 c. he taketh away the First Covenant that he may establish the second v. 29. That great Shepheard of the sheep through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used all along and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never in the Old or New Testament These are the two Covenants the one from the Mount Sinai which gendreth to bondage Gal. 44. c. This is the Covenant which I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Law c. In that he saith a New Covenant Heb. 8.10 c. he hath made the first Old now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away By so much was Jesus made Surety of a better Covenant Heb. 7.22 established upon better Promises Heb. 9.15 The Mediatour of the New Testament that by the means of Death for the redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the Death of the Testatour For a Testament
Salvation descends not on the Son is not entailed The original Right that Adam had was entailed but his sin cut off that entail and his Bloud was corrupt and tainted to all his Posterity and we are heirs to his guilt but not to his right as the Son of the tainted Father is heir to his Father's bond and burdens but not to his rights and priviledges We are all born in sin and by such our birth are all deprived of our right to Glory All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God SECT III. Purchase 2. Purchase or Buying so Jacob had a right to the Estate of Isaac and his Title was by Purchase for he bought Esau's Right for a Mess of Pottage Esau and Jacob had successively a right to the same Estate but not by the same Title Esau's was by Birth Jacob's by Purchase Among us the Title many have to their right for their Estates is by Purchase of such a Manor Land Lease or House Our Title to the right of Glory is not by Purchase for 1. Such a Purchase is unlawful Is the sale of Honour of it self unlawful and shall not the sale of Glory be much more Is it simony to buy a Living that can last but for a time and is it not much more to buy the Living that is everlasting 2. Such Purchase is impossible no summe sufficient can be raised to make that Purchase the whole World will not afford it What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul if the whole World cannot countervail for the loss of it much less can it satisfie for the Salvation of it SECT IV. Desert 3. Deserts of Virtue Service or Works When Saul made David a Colonel he had a good right to that Office and his Title was his Deserts by his good Service done to the King and State by the virtues of his wisdom and valour he behaved himself more wisely and valiantly than all the Servants of Saul he had slain Goliah and diverse Philistins In the opinion of the Jews the Centurion had a right to have his Servant healed and his Title as they pleaded it was his good deserts and works For say they he loveth our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue Our Title to our right of Salvation is not by deserts service or works The World talkes much of Merits and Deserts and many flatter themselves with an opinion of them though daily they see themselves cast in that Plea For Deserts breed a Title to nothing but Honour a naked and empty Right that consists in having a Name or taking Place to matters of power and profit ineffectual SECT V. 4. Favour and Grace And the motive to that Grace only God or Man Favour So the King ex mero motu of his own free will grants a Boone so God grants the right of Salvation according to the good pleasure of his own will which is our Title thereunto Our Title is no base and low Plea but eminent and high not only of Grace but eminent Grace the highest and best Title creating Jus pingue the Best of Rights As our sin was exceeding sinful so our grace is exceeding gracious Hence St. John terms it Grace of Grace of his fulness all we have received Grace for Grace i. e. Grace not requested but freely granted Divines call it Preventing Grace Grace that fore-stalls all our desires we sue not for it pray not for it For a clear knowledg of this we are to understand that Grace is of two degrees 1. Upon the motion petition or suit of the party that obtains the Grace 2. Upon the proper motion of the Donor without all petition or suit of the Receiver This later is Free-Grace most gracious Grace God gave Abraham a Son that was Grace for Abraham was barren and out of hope for Children yet that was not Free-Grace but Grace upon request For Abraham made his prayer to God for a Son lest the Steward of his house should be his Heir God gave Abraham the Land of Canaan to him and his Seed that also was Grace for Abraham had no other title to it none by birth purchase or desert And that was Free-Grace without any prayer or suit of Abraham Christ healed the Centurion's Servant of the Palsie that was Grace yet not Free-Grace for he did it at the suit of the Centurion who came and worshipped and besought Christ to heal him Christ raised the Widows Son of Naim from death that also was Grace and Free-Grace for he did it without any petition or suit unto him upon pure compassion he had on the poor Widow his Mother SECT VI. From all that hath been said I may modestly gather that the Rights we have by Justification are exceeding many and great and the Title to those Rights is no way by Law not by Birth not by Purchase not by Desert but by the meer favour kindness and mercy of God SECT VII Reason 1 Because our Justification is contrary to our Condemnation our title to death whereby we are condemned is by works Condemnation for it is by sins For the wages of sin is death And by the offence of one many are dead Our title then to life whereto we are justified must needs be by Grace and so life must needs be a gift For if death be a wages and a payment due for sin then life must needs be not a wages nor a payment but a meer Gift and Favour For if things contrary have contrary forms then contrary Rights must have contrary Titles If our Right to die come by Law our Right to live must needs come by Grace So St. Paul reasons at large Rom. 5.15.16 c. SECT VIII Reason 2 Because all the Rights that come by justifying are Gifts Thy right of Liberty and Impunity Gifts of Resurrection and Glorification c. are all of Gift for they are not entailed upon us and therefore not by Birth nor sold unto us and therefore not by Purchase not let out therefore not by Works and Service but are all pure Gifts St. Paul opposes these rights to our penalties in Adam for sin Ro. 5.15 c. and in four Verses together for four several times he terms them Gifts Now all Gifts are acquired by Grace and the Donatary hath no other title than the Grace and Favour of the Donor SECT IX Reason 3 Because the Original Right of Justification is Impunity or Pardon For when God creates these Rights unto us Impunity we are in the state of sin for in that state we are born into the World And our first Right is impunity or pardon i. e. to be accounted righteous Hence our Justification is so frequently termed Imputation of Righteousness and Absolution from sin which two Attributes make but one and the same thing For they differ only in the term saving that Imputation of Righteousness is the better term because it is the term positive or term of access to
be almost lost for want of Enquiry and the waters troubled by Pride and Rebellion which the Feudal Laws do most abhor and controul But why do I magnifie these Goths and Vandals Heathens ignorant and barbarous men Can any good thing come out of the North Look to their Customes and Tenures Peradventure some may say They have exceeded all the Customes and Tenures that ever were in the World Neither are those Nations altogether to be despised because they had not the systems of Arts and Sciences according to the mode of Athens and Rome The Natural Rules of Justice and Honesty were well understood and practised by them as appears by their Laws and Customes Goths honest The Indians subdued by Alexander when urged to swear Allegiance returned answer That they would keep their Promises and not swear and forswear as did the Greeks It is pity Learning should do any harm nor does it by it self but that which some call Ignorance is more honest without it And such were these Goths and Vandals together with the Hunns and Heruli Those frightful names and things which broke into the Western world with such roaring and overwhelming Surges it may be they were the scourge of God yet wanted they not wit nor manners nor goodness for all that The Pride of the Romans was great and these men did pull it down to some purpose but never set up the like of their own While they were at home they lived quietly and honestly but when they came abroad into a fatter soil they plaid mad pranks as others that have higher thoughts use to do When they ravished the Roman Empire they committed cruel acts of Hostility as wiser people used to do but after they had setled their Conquests and were conquered themselves by Christianity they grew more honest civil zealous and bountiful than other Conquerors used to be Goths endowed the Church first with Lands and Lordships The Clergy of all men have most reason to speak well of them for they honoured them and built Churches and endowed them with Lands and Lordships so as never before Now if ever was the trial of those men when they had possession of the honours and riches of the World I pray what were the Romans in the height of their Glories and Majesties but Monsters of Swinish Goatish and Wolvish tempers strutting in all Luxurious wantonness and wallowing in blood and gore Did these despised People ever do so The Romans were Heathens at first and not over honest yet their Laws were special good and though their Empire be down yet they are in full force and vigour to this day The same is true of the Lombards whose Jus Feudale comes up cheek by joll with the Pandects and Code Jus Feudale and are in force amongst all the learned Nations of the World though their Empire be down also These Laws of the Ostrogoths Westrogoths Vandals and Longobards are plain and short as Laws should be like the Laws of Fathers to their family not contradictory to each other of long duration which declare plainly they were no fools Theodorick's Laws found more in France than Theodosius many of them are taken into the Capitular of Charles the Great and the Decrees of Ivo and are the fountain of the Laws of Spain But the Feudal Customes run through all Nations Manners of Goths Besides their Manners were not so horrid as some would represent them to be Socrates relates many of them to have been Martyrs When Alaricus took Rome they saved the lives and liberties of all that took Sanctuary with the Churches and sacred Utensils for which St. Austin and Orosius highly commend them the like did Totilas How was Rome saved upon the Petition of the Bishop thereof from being sacked when it was in their power And how they did behave themselves after their Conquests in Italy appears plainly in that no one City revolted of their own accord from the Gothes to the Captains of Justinian And in Africa amongst the Vandals no Seditions arose as did presently when the Romans prevailed Other Nations plaid mad pranks of Rebellion in their own Countries so did not they which is not a little to their honour and to the honour of other Nations that are called Barbarous and makes greatly to the shame and disgrace of the Impropriators of Gentility Learning and Civility especially Christians We do not find Brutus's Sylla's Marius's Catilines nor such like Cattel amongst them O Scanzia Scanzia thou Beldame Mother of those elder brood of Giants that wasted France Italy Sicily Spain and Africa with fire and sword and of thy last spawn of like Monsters 'T is thou that didst rifle Belgium Neustria called by them Northmannia and all France the Great Charles looking on then Scotland Spain Anno 800. and last of all by Nâ—â—stria's Duke our England Thou wast the Rod of God not cast I hope into the fire Thy Simplicity when Heathen and thy Piety when Christian will rise up in judgment against the vapouring professors of Civility Arts and Religion in the World for their damnable hypocrisie I beg the Candid Readers pardon for this charitable digression and return to my Subject SECT III. The Estate of God is certainly Blessedness Blessedness or the absolute enjoyment of all good things God's Allodium God gives this Blessedness to his Sons and Servants 1. To have it by Faith Fee Allegiance Homage and Covenant which is their Investiture 2. To hold it by keeping their Faith in Love and Service which is their Tenure their Feudum Thus the Faithful are Gods Feudataries fighting under Christs Banner against the World the Flesh and the Devil till they conquer and receive the Inheritance by Christs calling them thereunto and saying Come ye blessed Children of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World The Fee then ceaseth and turns to Allodium SECT IV. 2. The Estate of the Devil is certainly Cursedness Cursedness or the absolute enjoyment of all Evil things The Devils Allodium The Devil gives Cursedness to his Sons and Servants 1. To have it by Faith Fee Allegiance Homage and Covenant which is their Investiture 2. To hold it by keeping their Faith in love and service which is their Tenure their Feudum Thus the Unfaithful are the Devils Feudataries fighting under his Banner against the Church the Spirit and Christ till they be all conquered and receive the Inheritance Go ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels 1. All hold of God by right of Creation 2. All hold of God by right of Redemption 3. All have and hold of God and must do so by right of Nature whether they will or no. 4. All are capable to have and hold of God by right of Grace not beside without or against their own will Nemo nisi animo voluntate potest adire haereditatem None can inherit against their wills An inheritance of Allodium