corrupt man cannot give a pure heart Psal 51. 6. Prov. 23. 26. Answ Yes it is much benefit and good to men where Christ commandeth and teacheth although they cannot do it themlelves before God but onely outwardly before men and therefore the Apostle saith The Law is good if a man use it lawfully Tim. 1. 8. For although Christ holdeth forth his commandement to shew what all were bound to do before God which he hath undertaken and satisfied God for touching the Elect in him yet he also holdeth the same forth for the benefit and good of his church and people among themselves by his commanding and teaching and that many waies 1. For example and comfort to men although my well doing extendeth not to thee O Lord saith David yet it extendeth to the Saints upon earth and the Apostle adviseth to be carefull to Ps 16. 2. 3. do good works because they are good and profitable to men and therefore Christ said Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Maâ— 5. 16. The seeing of good works commanded by Christ done outwardly may move men to praise God before men And if men see others so humble as deny themselves to have any goodnesse to be nothing but sinfull it may be a means to make them smite their breasts and say Lord be mercifull to me a sinner 2. When Christ by his Ministers and Instruments holdeth forth his Word and teaching purely and truly it is a comfortable evidence Mat. 13. 4. 5. 8. to that people that there are some of Gods chosen ones some ordained to eternall life there When the sower went out to sow some of his seed fell upon good ground although some Act. 2. 41. upon bad There was some good ground there otherwise the wise sower would not have gone out to sow When the Apostle preached to those great multitudes at the glorious descending of the Holy Ghost upon them although some wondered some doubted some mocked some railed yet some there were that believed And when Paul preached at Antioch although no doubt Act. 13. 48 many there believed not yet so many there as were ordained to eternall life believed some believed 3. The Law and commandement of Christ is good and beneficiall to men for thereby they come to know sin to know their error which otherwise they could not do So Paul said he knew Rom. 7. 7. not sin but by the Law I had not known lust had been sin saith he if the Law had not said thou shalt not lust and again by the Law came the knowledge of sin It is a great good to a man that is Rom. 3. 20. out of his way to be told that he is out of his way but indeed it is a greater good to him to be told the right way The Law and command of God can tell thee that thou art out of the way but it cannot tell thee the right way But mark thou shalt hear a voice behind thee telling thee this is the way saith Isa 30. 31. the Prophet The Law may tell thee of sin and transgression but the Law cannot tell thee of Christ which is the right way the only way in truth to heaven who saith I am the way and truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me saith Christ he that climeth another way is a thief and a robber O take heed ye be be not found as these thieves and robbers It is the voice behind that telleth of Christ the way the right way the gospel the voice of the Son of God in the gospel that came behind after the law that telleth thee of Christ the right way to walk in to the Father in heaven The law now telleth of death but not of life although it was at first ordained unto life for saith Paul that which was ordained unto life is now found to be unto me unto death The letter killeth saith Paul it is the spirit that giveth life The Law that telleth a man his error is a benefit although the gospel be a Rom. 7. 10. much greater good to man that telleth him of Christ the right way to heaven 4. The holding forth of the law and commandement is beneficiall to men Christ in the Scriptures speaketh of his Law and commandements as he doth of afflictions They are say the Prophets as a wall of fire and as an hedg of Zach. 2. 3. Hos 2. 5. 6 7. thorns to keep men from transgressing sinning and going beyond their bounds The curse thunderings and threatnings of the commandement doth scare and feare corrupt man in sinning in evill and mischief And this is much for the good and safety of Gods chosen people which are among the reprobate as sheep among wolves as Christ speaketh I send you as sheep among wolves 5. The holding forth of the commandement is to the great benefit Mat. 10. 16. 17. and comfortable good of believers in Jesus Christ for it hath resemblance to the brazen Serpent that Moses set up in the wildernesse which had the form of the serpent that wounded man and it had the figure of Jesus Christ that healed man So the commandement held forth hath the form of the law that condemned man and it hath the figure of Jesus Christ and his performances that saveth man which is cleerly represented to believers in Jesus Christ therein For it sheweth what Jesus Christ hath done for them the chains they were bound in the curse they were under and their deliverance It sheweth what Jesus Christ hath done for them in himself for their justification and salvation in fulfilling of the hard law and commandement impossible for them to have done or to do before God I came saith he to fulfill the law And it representeth to believers the undertaking of Christ of all these with God the Father of mercies from the beginning for all those chosen in him to do the whole will of God for their justification and salvation in himself and also in them by his spirit sent unto them for manifestation evidence and witnesses to them of all undertaken and done for them to Gods satisfaction and their salvation by Christ as in his own words is held forth where he saith Lo I come to do thy will O God c. Heb. 10. 9. And the Law and Commandement thus held forth as the Apostle saith he usually did for the Gospells sake become a Gospell to believers a witnesse of life and not of death to Believers 1 Cor 9. 23. As in this commandement of self-deniall in the Text if it be holden forth to shew what Christ hath done for his people in himself in denying of himself for them who being in the forme of God and equall with God made himself of no reputation took upon him the â—orm of a servant ana was made like unto men and was
if any man will come after me let him deny himself BY the words it seemeth there were many then that shewed themselvs to come after Christ for he said these words to them all in the 14. verse It is said there was five thousand then it is like there are multitudes now and of all sorts But Jesus it seemeth did not approve of their coming after him and therefore he setteth to them all the way to come after him that they were not yet in which they must needs be in that come after him in truth which way he saith is every man to deny himself All bearing name of Christians pretend coming after Christ following of Christ they pretend it in coming to Church in coming to Sermons and Sacraments therefore this way prescribed of Christ to these to deny their selves is the way that Christ prescribeth to all Christians that come after him to deny their selves Christ gave this advertisement to all in a legall imperative and commanding way to do the will of God let him deny himself although he had undertaken before God and manifested himselfe that he came to discharge the Elect of that burden Lo I come saith Hob. 10. 〈◊〉 Christ to do thy will O God for thy chosen ones J came to fulfill the Law Mat. 5. 17. to fulfill all righteousnesse and although he knew commanding them would little avail to the doing of the work commanded because he knew they were not able to do this nor other his commandements before God yet because he knew mans corrupt estate knew more of the Law and commandement which they had broken ever sithence the first Adam then they did of the last Adam the Christ undertaker and redeemer therefore he spake unto them in their own natural corrupt light knowledge thereby to set up more light thereof to them that so they might more behold and see their nakedness want poverty and blindnesse And Rom. 3. 17. this Christ did for the Gospel sake as the Apostle said he often did This was done of Christ with these much after the manner as Rom. 9. 23. he did with the man that asked him what he should do to inherit eternall life who answered him thou knowest the commandements which saying that he had kept all those yet Christ knowing he had not set him one hard part of the commandement yet to do viz. to go and sell all that he had and give to the poore whereat he being damped went away sorrowfull Mark 10. 1◠18. 19. 20. 22. Luke 18. 1◠Doct. The Doctrine here held forth of Christ is this That all that call themselves Christians ought to deny themselves Two things to be considered 1. What it is to deny our selves 2. The mystery and strangenesse thereof to naturall man For the first to deny a mans self is not meant of Christ that a a man should deny himself to be that which he is in truth or to have that which he hath in truth or to do that which he doth in truth But to deny a mans self here intended of Christ is to deny himself to be that which he thinketh himself to be and is not in truth and to deny himself to have that which he thinketh himselfe to have and hath not in truth and to deny himselfe to doe that which he thinketh himselfe to doe and doth not in truth wherein these particulars are intended specially to be good holy wise just and righteous in himself To have goodnesse holinesse wisdome righteousnesse c. in himself To do good c. himself or at least to behave and do somewhat of these c. And there is no man in this his corrupt estate but thinketh himself verily to be all these to have all these and to do all these before God or at least to behave and to do somewhat of all these which he neither is hath nor doth nor can do in himself before God no not in the least of any of them as shall be made plain If any man or woman here should be asked if he did not think himself to be at least a little good holy wise just and to have at least a little some holinesse goodnesse wisdome justnesse in Gods sight as to do some good in Gods sight sure though he or she did answer as they thought they would say they were had and did somewhat at least that they had and did something that was good holy wise just and righteous in Gods sight If a man should come to any of you here and should say to the same man or woman there is no goodnesse in you before God and the rest you would be angry and think he did you wrong And if any should dissemble and consent in present that he were not had not or did not that which is good in the sight of God yet in their converse and competitions with men and women they would be found to hold themselves forth to be good to have good and do good and the rest yea in controversie and contention to be better wiser juster and honester then the other before God and would not deny themselves as Christ here teacheth them And this is the cause and raise of warres and contentions among men yea among Christians that professe themselves to come after Christ that they will not nor can deny themselves in these things For the wise man saith only by pride cometh contention Prov. 13. 10 Men may alledge what they will to be the cause of their wars and contentions but the assertion of the Holy Ghost will only stand before God that only pride is the cause of contention and wars But if Christians professing themselves to come after Christ would deny themselves to be good wise holy just or to have any goodnesse wisdome holinesse justice and righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 1. Iam. 4. 1. in themselves in truth and to do or be able to do any good thing holy wise and righteous thing in the sight of God as Christ here teacheth they would lay down all wars and contentions and humble themselves one to another and make themselves equal to them of the lower sort as the Apostle adviseth and onely look upon Christ to exalt them which exalteth the humble and meek and giveth rest to their souls Quest Some may ask Is there no man that is good wise holy or just in the sight of God that hath goodness and can do good in the sight of God and the rest or at least somthing thereof Answ There is none nor have been any sithence the fall and general loss in Adam The Scripture to be believed make it clear David saith God Psal 53. 2. 3. looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God But they are all gone back they are altogether corrupt there is none that doth good no not one And Paul saith joyntly with David There is none righteous no not one
so do without his holding and keeping you cast more folly and blasphemy upon Christ And you further teach all Nations that men that God hath had mercy on that Christ hath redeemed and bought that God hath given his grace unto and so he in the state of salvation may by their wilfull sinne fall away from grace mercy and the Love Heb. 12. 15 Rev. 2. 4 of God by forsaking their first Love and so become the children of wrath and destruction And by repentance may returne to God have mercy grace and love of God againe and be the children Ezech. 18 of God againe and may often rise and fall into these conditions which is not the teaching commanded of Christ It is Psa 12 1. 5 uncomfortable untrue and against the Scriptures of the Testament For there Christ is said to be the Keeper of his Israel which Joh. 18. 9 he bought and redeemed That hee loseth not one That none shall Joh. 13. 1 take them out of his hand That those that hee loveth hee loveth to the end and many like places 2 Tim. 2. 19 Heb. 6. Jer. 32. Indeed a man may fall away from grace and forsake his first Love that Christ hath redeemed before men in the sight of men and in the estimation of men c. but not before God in Gods Sight and estimation Gods Love is an everlasting Love to the end The foundation of God is sure the Lord knoweth who are his and Jesus Christ is the yesterday and to day And I will be their God and they shall be my people I will never forsake them and I will put such a feare into their Hearts that they shall never depart from mee Jerem. 32. 40. Another Meditation of the Law THe Law is good and holy and the use of the Law and Commandement appointed of God to be manifested and published to mee in the holy Scriptures is so evident both to the Reprobate 1 Tim. 1. 8 and to the Elect as the Apostle saith The Law is good to man if a man use it lawfully The reprobate and the Elect in their corrupted estate the one as the other hath remaining corrupted reason wisdome and knowledge of God in the corrupted nature of man whereby they have some corrupted sight of the righteousnesse of God in the common Law and the penalty of breaking thereof So the Apostle saith of the Church That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto Rom. 9. 19 them For the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and God head are seene by the Creation of the World being considered in his Workes to the intent that they should be withâ—â—t excuse which men though they know the Law of God how Vers 31. that they which commit such things are worthy of death yet not onely doe the same but also know them that doe them This righteous Law and command of God remaining in the corrupt Reason Wisdome Knowledge and Nature of men is called of the Ethnick Philosophers the Law of nature of the Lawyers the Law of Nations And of this Law the Law of Moses which temperate meeknesse was a plaine Exposition and manifestation of Yet this Law and righteousnesse of God remaining unto the corrupted nature of man was that which by Gods providence forced the Philosophers so called of the Ethincks to write many bookes of Ethicks to the people wherein wee see many notable Rules and directions for mans safety and society And likewise in the Lawes of Nations for civilizng and moralizing of men And no Nations of people that wee have heard of read of there are or have been but there have beene Rules and Lawes amongst themselves for some civility and morality according to their corrupt reason and understanding of God and God not to sanctâ—fie or justifie men before God for that is onely Christs Worke but to civilize and moralize them before men for the more safety of Gods Elect. And this was the use of the more cleare Exposition and manifestation of this Law of God remaining to man in his corrupt nature by a speciall providence of God written by Moses to the People of Israel and so remaining written to all people to whom it commeth as unto us to moralize and civilize men or as it may be said to sanctifie and justifie men before men in the sight of men in the estimation of men And that upon the proportionable temporall penalties to the breakers and like reward to the Keepers thereof for the good and society of men without which mans life would be miserable But not to justifie or sanctifie men before God by the worke thereof That being onely the work of Christ and onely in the power of Christ and his performance And the Acts 13. 39 Rom. 3. 20 Scriptures largely and plainly manifesteth that from all things which yee could not be justified by the Law of Moses by him that is Christ every one that believeth is justified By the worke Rom. 10. 6. of the Law shall no man be justified in his that is Gods sight saith Rom. 3. 24 the Apostle If it be of works it is no more of grace wee are justified freely through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Christ Jesus is 1 Cor. 1. 30 made unto us Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption The Law saith the Apostle came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17 If any Law and the marke of any Law of Moses might sanctifie or justifie before God then the Leviticall or Ceremoniall Law and the workes thereof might have done that as the Offerings Sacrifices shedding of Bloud Purifyings Clensing and Washing Sprinklings and the like which all figured Christ and his performances But the Apostle saith that all these were nothing to purifie and sanctifie men before God but onely outwardly touching the flesh in the sight and estimation of men as Heb. 9. 13. for saith the Apostle It is impossible the Bloud oâ— Bulls and Goats should take away sinne and againe in burnt Offerings sin Offerings thou hadst no pleasure therein said I that is Christ Loâ— I come to Heb. 10. 4 do thy will O God Man is not justified sanctified or purified before God by any of mans workes of the Law of Moses no God Heb. 10. 6 7 hath no pleasure in them but onely in his Christ and his workes And yet God was pleafed his Law and Commandements should remaine to corrupt man even that that Moses Law the more cleare exposition of the Law of nature should be added because of transgression as the Apostle saith to shew sinne more cleerly to Gal. 3. 19 man and the righteousnesse of God in condemning The transgressions of his Law first and last and to abate and shake the current of corruption in the reprobate to the more safety of his Elect among them as Wolves to them and for the mortifying
it is no more of grace Grace and Christ are quite shut out But these are like the Angel or Minister of the Church of Laodicea that John speaks of which said he was rich increased with goods and had need of nothing whence the Spirit of God told him that he was wretched miserable poor blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. and he knew it not Or like the Pharisees that boasted that they had that goodnesse from God whereby they were righteous holy devout Joh. 9. men wise and did see all needfull no blind men when as Christ told them that they were hypocrites unjust blind guides leading the Mat. 23. blind such as to whom all wee did belong If these men which boast themselves to have such Inherent holiness and righteousness in themselves by the sanctification of the Spirit had the same and were such whereby they are able to the work of holiness and righteousness of the holy command of God pleasing and acceptable to God as Agents thereof they were at least Saints in themselves And this the Inherent holiness and righteousness in them which did inable them to the deed and the work of holinesse and righteousnesse pleasing and acceptable to God and to prevail with God to do them good deserve to be adored and extolled as a God able to give power for there is no power but of God none can give power but God even as the great Rom. 13. 1. God the Creator deserved to be adored for giving Adam power to doe the work of holinesse and righteousnesse in his innocency But I know there are many amongst us stained with this deceiveable doctrine of Inherent holiness and righteousness in man c. which have a zeale of God although not according to knowledge as the Apostle Paul said there were of the Israelites Rom. 10. 2. which being ignorant of the righteousness of God in Christ and going about to establish their own righteousness as these do submitted not to the righteousness of God as these do not which ordinarily object and say shall we not do that we are commanded shall we not do the good duties commanded of God shall we not do our indeavours what we can although we cannot do perfectly are we not commanded to call others to doe the same is not God pleased that we should do so and pleased with our doing so or is God pleased that we should be idle carelesse and do nothing of his command â—od saith the Apostle doth accept the will for the deed if there be first a willing mind Answ These expressions indeed do shew a zeal of God but the question is first whether it be according to knowledge or not secondly whether they hold forth ignorance of the righteousness of God in Christ or no and no submission to the righteousness of God in Christ or no and thirdly whether they shew a going about to establish their own righteousness or no that is to hold forth their own power wills indeavours and works to please God pacifie God move and prevail with God for their good and to be accepted of God for the same as it is their own which nothing but perfect righteousness can do which corrupt man cannot bring forth and do for that which is of the flesh is fleshy Herein they clearly shew that they are ignorant of the righteousness of God in Christ and submit not to the righteousness of God in Christ which is the only perfect righteousnesse and which is all righteousness that do or can please pacifie move and prevail with God to mans good and to make man or any thing of man accepted with God Indeed God is pleased with man and pacified towards man in Christ not in himself nor in his own corrupt will indeavours or deeds they that are in the flesh cannot please Rom. 8. 8. God saith the Apostle Of the Sanctification of the Spirit c. BEcause the Apostle saith As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive and again as by one mans disobedience many 1 Cor. 15. 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. 19. were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous c. Some say that Believers in Christ are so regenerate and renewed in their corrupted nature of soul and body by Christ through the inherent sanctification of the Spirit that themselves by the power of their sanctified nature and faculties thereof are able to do and do the works of goodness holiness and righteousness in the estimation of God as Adam had power to do in his innocency And this inablement to them by such sanctification of the Spirit I take it they call the assistance of the Spirit whereby they say they do such works at best in part But I take it such erre not knowing the Scriptures the truth of Jesus for although the Scriptures hold forth the Elect Believers to be elected regenerated and renewed to be righteous holy and without blame before mod yet the Scriptures hold them forth to be all this in Christ not in themselves Paul saith he was elected in Christ to be holy and without blame before God in Christ Eph. 1. 4. Eph. 2. 5. 6 Act. 17. 28 he was quickned in Christ he was raised up in Christ lived moved and had his being in Christ not in himself he was not elected to be holy and without blaâ—â—e and spot before God in himselfe to be quickned and raised up in his own corrupted man nature and faculties of soul or body Believers are not the new man the new creatures in themselves in their own still corrupt nature but they are the new man the new creature in Christ which is the onely new man and new creature in himself as the Apostle speaketh he maketh of â—wain one new man in himself and again put on the new man which after God as created in righteousnesse and holinesse Eph. 2. 15. and againe if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Eph. 4. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 17 If Believers were so made alive in themselves by Christ to the power and action of holiness and righteousness as Adam was made alive and had power of action of holiness and righteousness by God in his creation and state of innocency through the inherent sanctification of the Spirit then corruption sin and death should be gone from believers in this life for contraries cannot be together at the same time in the same subject the one expelleth the other which is not as is manifest in all all are corrupted still all sin still all are dead still ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle And again if Colos 3 3. Rom 8. 10 Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit iâ— life for righteousnesse sake and again corruption doth not inherit 1 Cor. 15. 50. incorruption but where this corruptible hath put on incorruption and this mortall hath put on
asmuch as all men sinne And so is the word world sometimes taken in the same generall for all men in the World Rom. 5. 12. one and other that are savid and perish as the Apostle saith Sinne entered into the World of all men and death by sinne into the World of all men And so in other places And all men is held forth in the Scripture for all that God hath chosen in Christ and given him to retract and performe all things for to the satisfaction Joh. 6. 37 Joh. 6. 45 Joh. 18. 9 of Gods Justice for their peace with God for their justification and salvation as Christ said all that the Father giveth mee shall come to mee and them that commeth to mee I will in no wise cast off All shall be taught of God of all those men which thou hast given mee I have not lost one And the word all or all men is sometime put for all the reprobate and forsaken ones of God So David said The Foole hath said in his heart there is no God they have all corrupted and done Psal 14. 1 2 3 abhominable workes there is none that doth good God looked downe upon the children of men to see if there were any that would understand all are gone out of the way all are corrupt So doth Beza note upon the place the same to be spoken of the reprobate And the word World is put in the Scriptures for the whole continent sometimes And sometimes for the continent and all conteined therein And sometimes for all men in the World that are chosen of God in Christ that God was pleased of Love and Freegrace to have Mercy upon foreknown to fall and to give his Sonne Christ to redeeme by his performance and to satisfie his Justice for to their everlasting peace and salvation as the Apostle saith God Rm. 11. 2. 16. 5. 19. 1 Joh. 2. 2 was in Christ and reconciled the world to himself not imputing their sinnes unto them And that he is a reconciliation not for our sinnes only but for the sinnes of the whole world And sometime the world is taken for the reprobate and forsaken ones of God in the World as now you have not received the spirit which is of the World but the spirit which is of God c. The Saints shall Judge the World and againe I pray not for the World but 1 Cor. 2. 12 1 Cor. 6. 2 Ioh 17. 9 for them which thou hast given me for they are thine So that you may see if the Lord open your Eyes that giveth sight to the blind How you wrong our God mistaking his written Will and Testament and deceive the People when you teach that Christ dyed for all men one and other that are saved and perish That hee shed his bloud paid the price and ransome and redeemed and made the reconciliation to God for the sinnes of the whole world of men one and other that are saved and damned Elect and reprobate when as it is cleerly shewed to be of those all men of the whole world of those which the testament say are chosen of God in Christ given to Christ to redeeme and performe all things for to their Life justification and salvation onely and that which you teach is great dishonour to the Father and the Sonne If a rich man should with a great sum of money buy all the beasts in a great Market for his service there being abundance to be bought And when hee hath bought and paid for all a like price he should after not regard many or most of them by his power provision and meanes to be guided drawne and conveyed to his house and pastures and there kept for his service and thier safety which hee knew would move but suffer them as soone as hee had bought them to stray wander transgresse and trespasse till they were imprisoned and starved to perish so and decay would not all others account this prodigality folly indiscretion yea wickednesse uncharitablenesse to the beasts for a good man is charitable to his beast saith Soloman Pov. 10. 12 Will you charge our God the Father and his Christ with such folly and wickednesse You say the Father hath given his Sonne Christ to pay the great price for all men one and other to redeem all that are saved and that perish to buy all men for his service and foreknow the straying and wandering condition of all to be alike that none could come home to his house and pastures to doe him service without the helpe guidance and convenience and keeping of his grace yet hee regardeth not to send and give his grace to the most part of them hee had bought and paid deare for to convey them and keepe them but let them wander trespasse being wounded and imprisoned starved and perish in Hell for ever Is not this a heavy charge of folly wickednesse and injustice upon the Father and his Sonne Christ Jesus Is not this greater blsphemy then that of Rabshakah Object But it may bee you will alleadge the Scriptures of the Testament God will have mercy upon whom hee will shew mercy and Rom. 9 hee will have mercy upon whom hee will have mercy and whom hee will he hardneth therefore he suffereth whom hee will suffer Answ This Scripture of the Testament you mistake as you doe other for this Scripture hath reference to the will purpose and act of God the Father in his Election in Christ of those hee pleased of mankinde in generall faine and become the children of wrath in Gods sight before redemption Indeed then of those the Father had mercy upon whom hee would have mercy and whom hee would hee hardned that is left in their hardnesse but it hath no relation unto those which Christ redeemed after his redemption of them which Christ had undertaken for to doe the will of the 〈◊〉 for theâ— juâ—â—fication aad salvation If you should 〈◊〉 a Sessions hire lay down money for a servant or servants time of servâ—ce for a year or years which you know would runaway and â—ander If after you had so done you did not regard them but let them runne away lie in Ditches and Hedges with you knowledge till they came to decay are not you culpable in Law and Justice for the same This blame you would lay upon Christ which hath laid down the great price for such as hee knew to be such and might by his power and grace have kept them but will not nor doth but let them perish Christ against you saith hee hath lost none that his Father hath given him to pay for and pray for Object It may be you will say Christ after hee hath bought men doth feede men and attend them with his Ordinances and Ministers it is their selfish fancy that they perish Answ If you say Christ is at more charge with them then paying the great price for them and hee let them stray and perish which hee knew would
9. 18 leaveth him in his owne hardnesse And all those doe shew that Iacob Esau Paul and the rest were in being before God in Gods Sight before the World although not in the sight of Men in being Whom God manifesteth in time to bee in Christ Loved Elected Aadopted Redeemed Called Justified and Glorified Those were all before the Foundations of the World before God and in Gods Sight Loved Elected Adopted Ordained to Eeternall Life Called Redeemed Justified and Glorified through Christ The Lambe staine from the beginning Rev. 13. 8. of the World unchangably Certainly those which God pleased to Love and Elect to bee adopted his children out of the company of the children of wrath before the World were of the company of the children of wrath in Gods Sight before the World God elected them then that hee pleased out of that company as Eph. 1. 4. Therefore that company of the children of wrath was then in Gods Sight The Scripture doth no where say that God would after Elect in the time of the World but saith hee did then Elect in Christ Paul and the rest before the World to be holy and without blame before him in Love to bee adopted Eph. 1. 4. through Christ And all this before the Foundations of the World although not yet to the Creature manifested Hence appeare the blinde Errours and false arguments of those which hold forth that there is no justification before God of or to any Man before Faith which is onely Gods gracious Evidence and manifestation to Man of his Election in Christ and justification and through Christ and his glorious performances imputed to his Elect and certainly acted in Gods Sight and account before the Foundations of the World as the Apostle defineth Faith Faith saith hee is the ground of things hoped for And the evidence or Heb 11. 1. manifestation of things that are not seene Againe Job saith God provideth for the Ravens and Christ Job 38. 41. saith Two Sparrowes are not sold for a Farthing and not one of them fall to the ground without the Father that is the Fathers providence yea the haires of your Head are numbred and Luke saith They are not forgotten of God Luke 12. 6 7. All these and many more Scriptures shew not onely all distinguished times by Men but also all deeds and things from the greatest to the least done and being in time diverse and different before Men in Gods Sight and to God were all present ab eterno and known certainly And that the Decrees of God unchangeable of all were his acts together of all before the World I know the holding forth and medling with Gods Foreknowledge Eternall Will and Decree his Predestination Ordination Election and the like have been and still is of many reputed and said to bee dangerous and uselesse to men And therefore some have said those of God and such like are that Face or Fore parts of God unto which God held his hand towards Moses that hee should not see the same Exod. 33. 2â— but said that Moses should see onely his back parts or hinder parts But I take it If God had held the same dangerous or uselesse to men to bee preached and held forth Hee would not have inserted them in the holy Scriptures inspired from above by the holy Ghost and commanded them the Foundation 2 Pet. 1. 21. of the Gospell to bee preached to all Nations as hee did Mark 16. 15. For are not Gods Foreknowledge Love Election in Christ Predestination Ordination to Eternall Life Adoption through Christ justification by Grace his good Pleasure Eternall Will Decree and Acts with and before himselfe unchangeable the Foundation of the Gospell of Jesus Christ. How should any Man bee built up in Jesus Christ that knoweth not the Foundation whereon hee is built And these are those back-parts or hinder parts of God which are revealed of God to Man in holy Scriptures that God said to Moses hee should see And the Secrets of God are the Face and foreparts of God not revealed of God which Moses might not see nor any man pry into God said by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Isa 53. 11. And Christ said this is eternall Life that they might know thee to be the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast Joh. 17. 3. sent And God said my people are gone into captivity or perish for want of knowledge Isa 5. 13. The Knowledge of God and his Christ is the evidence of justification and Eternall Life to Men. And the want of the same knowledge is the evidence of reprobation and destruction in the holy Scriptures account Who then may safely stop the Fountaine of these lively Waters The Philistians were blamed for stopping Jacobs VVell much more are these Gen. 26. 15. 18. stoppers blameable they know not God and his Christ that knew him not in all his Revelations Quest How was Paul Elected in Christ and Adopted through Christ before the World when as Paul had then no being Answ Paul was then in being before God in Gods Sight unto whom all things even being in the World and in eternity were present then although Paul was not then in being in the sight of Men. A Catechistical Dialogue Resolving Many subtil Questions raised and made by the Adversary for the deceiving of Gods Elect to the Propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Quest WHat is God Answ God is a most pure Spirit Invisible Almighty Eternal Incomprehensible without Beginning in Himself yet the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending of all things and names except sin Q. How is God further manifested in the holy Scripture A. To be one in substance three in person Father Son and Holy Ghost or Spirit Q. How is the one God Father Son and Holy Spirit A. He is Father as Beginner Son as Worker Holy Ghost or Spirit as Finisher and Perfecter of all Q. Are the Knowledg of God his will his Purposes Decrees Predestination Election Ordination and Acts eternal with himself in his own respect A. Yes they are eternal with himself in his own respect for all that is in God and of God is inseparable from God God ever knew that he knoweth willed that he willeth purposed that he purposeth decreed that he decreeth predestinated that he predestinateth ordained that he ordaineth acted and did that he acteth and doth with Psa 135 6 and before himself howsoever and whensoever the same things be manifested to the Creature otherwise God could not call himself I am and again I am Alpha and Omega And again it could not be said in the Testament That God calleth things that are not meaning in manifestation as if they were in manifestation And that it Rom. 4 17 is said of the Son Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and for ever Q. Did God in his own Purpose and Decree make Man before the Heb. 13 8