command him to do and such an eager pronenesse or appetite to do those things which the Law of Reason or of Nature forbids him to do and those things with greatest Eagernesse which the same Law of Reason or other positive Laws derived from it most peremptorily and upon severest penalties forbid him to do It hath been observed by many Authors that the Unnatural sin of Parricide wilful Murther of Father or Mother or of Superiour Kindred did not become rife or frequent amongst the Romans until they had upon particular sad accidents enacted a publick Law and ordained a special kind of torment for transgressors in this kind Lucius Ostius was the first amongst the Romans that did commit this Unnatural sin And He lived almost six hundred years after the City was founded a little after the second Punick War Some good ‖ See Plutarch in the Life of Romulus Laertius in the Life of Solon and Tully in His second Oration Pro Roscio Amerino who gives the true Character or Expression of that speech of Laertius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untowardly rendred by the Latin Interpreter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. in Rom. pag. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. Lacrt. l. 1. in Solone Is Solon cùm interrogaretur Cur Nullum supplicium constituisset in Eum qui Parentem necâsset respondit se id neminem facturum putasse Sapienter fecisse dicitur cùm de eo nihil sanxerit quod antea commissum non erat ne non tam Prohibere quà m admonere videretur Tull. Orat. 2. Pro Sext. Roscio Amerino Writers ascribe the long abstinence from this unnatural sin unto the wisdom of Romulus their Founder who enacted no Law against much lesse appointed any peculiar kind of death unto this Crime which He expected should never be committed by His Posterity Certain it is that Solon for the like reason did not so much as mention this Crime in His otherwise most severe Laws But this observation was taken from the Heathen Romans in times ancient and far more remote and doth not as happily will be objected hold in these times or places wherein we live Yet the Ingenuous and Learned French †Thuanus Historian who meddles with the History of his own times only tels us that the like unnatural sin towards Children or Infants did never come to so high and far-spreading a Flow in the great City of that Kingdom until the State or Parliament had erected a peculiar Court to be held for examination or trial of such Cruel Mothers as sought to salve the breach of one Commandment by the violation of another to cover the shame of their own wantonnesse by murthering the tender fruits of their folly as if the Damme which the Law had set for repressing or stopping the Course of this bloudy sin had but provoked the stream or Current to swell higher and greater to overburst all obstacles or inhibitions which the Laws of God the Laws of Nature and of the Kingdom had set against it 2. Again why Pulpit-pride why Clergie-cunning insolency or malice should grow into a Proverb throughout most Christian Kingdoms or Provinces as if these or like transgressions in our profession were of such a scantling as could hardly be matched by the Laitie I cannot give a more probable reason if the imputation be true or the occasion of the Proverbe just then this That Men of our profession who are Gods peculiar Inheritance are bound by the Lawes of God to more strict observance of our Saviours praecepts concerning Humility Meeknesse Brotherly-love and Charity or peaceable disposicion towards all then ordinary Men or men of other Callings or professions are And we know whose saying it is That if we do not continue as we are by the place wherein he hath set us the Salt of the Earth and Light of the World We shall become the most degenerate unprofitable members of the Land and Church wherein we Live And if the whole Tribe were to beare peculiar Armes as some other ingenuous Professions doe No Device could so well befit us as Jeremiah's two Baskets of Figges Then saia the Lord unto me What seest thou Jeremiah and I said Figgs the good Figgs very good and the evill very evill that cannot be eaten they are so evill Jer. 24. 3. The bad Figs were the Emblem of the disobedient refractory as the good Figs were of the obedient and beleeving Jewes in the Prophets time Both parts of the Embleme are as applyable to the Sons of Levi in our dayes Such of this Tribe as suffer sin to raigne in their Mortall bodies are generally the worst of sinners Such as mortifie the workes of the flesh by the spirit by prayer and other good services of God and seeke their Freedome or manumission by the Son of God Working out their Salvation with feare and trembling are the Best of all Gods Saints on Earth 3. The proper effects or Symptomes of Sinâ— Original described by S. Paul But the greatest part of the Induction hitherto made for finding out the properties or Symptomes of Sin original will be excepted against especially by such as are meer strangers to their own Breasts or dispositions of their hearts because the particular observations or Experiments whereof the Induction consists have been made by the Heathen or related by Authors not Canonicall But the Exception will voyd it self if we shall make it cleer to men altogether unexperienced of themselves that the like Experiments or observations have been made and more fully expressed by one whose Authority is Canonical whose Testimony of Experiments made in himself and taken by himself is most Authentick it is St. Paul That sin Originall was in the world before the Law was given is cleer from this Apostle Rom. 5. 13. For untill the Law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no Law So our English and most other Modern translations render the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None of them altogether so well as it might be rendred Better thus There is not there cannot be any true estimate or full reckoning made of sin where there is no Law to give the * The Syriack reades it Usque enim ad Legem peccatii quum esset in mundo non reputabatur peccatum propterea quòd nâ—n erat Lex That is Sin though it were in the world untill the Law yet was it not reputed or reckoned for sin untill the law was given But if it be true which the Appostle Saith that sin raigned unto death untill the Law I hope it was imputed with a Witnesse Charge And againe Ver. 20. Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound This abounding of the offence whereof he speakes was the issue or effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the End or Finall Cause why the Law was given For so the Law-giver might be suspected to have been the Author of sin
have for the most part a more exquisite Literall and Concludent sense then the same words or speeches have in common Language or in ordinary faculties or vulgar Arts And such a Metaphysicall sublime Concludent sense His words that spake as never man spake alwaies have when his speeches are Doctrinall and Assertive as his words are Joh. 8. 34. most Vniversal most Peremptory and Dogmatical Verily Verily I say unto you c. 2. Now as it cannot be denied that this name of Servitude is as wee say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Terme that may be properly attributed in different measure to many subjects of diverse natures or Conditions So the prime and principall subject of it unto which it agrees in most exquisite and ample manner is not the Legall or Civill Servitude whereof we have hitherto treated but the Servitude of Sin Whereof our Saviour here speakes Whence although we stand bound to believe the truth of this Conclusion from his Authority alone yet this no way barres us from Searching other reasons or Arguments whether from Art or Nature for illustration of this truth or for confirmation of our Belief or knowledge of it Or rather His Emphaticall manner of averring it ought to incite us to sound the meaning of it a little deeper and to discover the reason of it to the bottome And thus doing we shall but follow the stepps of two of our Sauiours Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul in this very particular Both of them having occasion to use the same Assertion that our Saviour here doth give us the reason of the truth or property of this Assertion So saith S. Paul to the Romans Cap. 6. 16. Know ye not as if it were matter of gross ignorance or imputation not to know that to whom Ye yield your selves servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye obey Whether it be of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousnesse So that there is a proper Servitude in yielding unto Sin And whosoever yields his consent or obedience unto Sin doth thereby make himself the true and proper Servant of Sin 3. And S. Peter 2. Epistle 2. Chap. having sharply taxed such Carnall Gospellers as had forsaken the right way and followed the way of Balaam which Loved the wayes of unrighteousnesse brands them with this note or Character That whilest they promise Liberty unto others they themselves are the Servants of Corruption And this Assertion he ratifies by this reason or Doctrinall Principle Of whom a man is overcome Of the same he is brought into Bondage This reason toucheth the very root of Bondage or Servitude properly so called which had no other Title to its First Being or introduction into the World besides the right or title of victorie or Conquest Now to be subdued or vanquished against their Wills though in a doubtfull or bad Cause is not so meritorious of slavery or bondage as to suffer our selves through our sloath through our Cowardize our supine negligence or treachery to be overcome in a true a just a necessary especially in a religious Cause He to whom men yield themselves Servants by betraying or not defending such Causes though he love the Treason whereby he gaines the victory will use the Traytor or Partie vanquished by him but as a slave or Bondman 4. The First and Radicall Point of difference betwixt a Servant and a Freeman in matters civill was before set down and it was this A man that is Civilly Free hath not only Voluntatem propriam a reasonable will to desire his own good or a Freedome of consultation to contrive the meanes how this good may be attained but withall a Right or power to dispose of himself of his time of his bodily Actions or imployments for executing his intentions or Consultations The Servant hath the like Reasonable Will to desire his own good a Naturall Power or Faculty to deliberate or consult by what meanes the good which he requires may be attained but no Right or power to dispose of himself of his time of his bodily Labours of his actions or imployments for executing his desires or deliberations for in all these he is at his Masters disposall Now the want of this power or liberty to proseute their own contrivances makes Servants for the most part more slow and more dull in their desires and more unapt to contrive the meanes for compassing what they desire 5. From this Difference between Servitude and Freedome or Servants and Freemen in matters Civill and Politick The measure of transgression of the Law of God the only true measure of Servitude it is but a short Cut and easie pasage to discover the right Difference betwixt Servitude and Freedome in matters morall and sacred Sin as the Apostle speaks is the transgression of the Law And every Transgressor of the Law to wit of the morall Law of God that is Every such Transgressor as we call Malefactor or Offender Every one that delights in transgression or hath no power to resist temptations to transgresse is truely and properly the Servant of sin Rectum saith the Philosopher est mensura sui obliqui Aright Line is the measure of that which is crooked as well as of that which is straight Now the right Line or Rule by which as well our desires as our Actions must be framed by which the Obliquities of both must be discovered or censured is the Morall Law of God This is the only Rule by which the height or degrees as well of our Freedome as our Servitude Wherein the best of the Heathens did erre as well in their Definitions of Libertie as of Happines must be measured For want of this Rule to direct them the wisest among the Heathens have either much erred in the Definition of Liberty or Freedome or at least come farr short of the truth in defining it Quid est Libertas nis ipotestas vivendiut velis what is liberty or freedome saith In Paradoxis Tully but a Power or Facultie of living as we would But this Definition or description of Liberty or Freedome is very defective and Lame like a Sentence without the Principall Verbe or a Body without a Soule Mans Will in the state of corruption or since Adams Fall is no competent Rule for Humane Actions It self must be regulated by the Law of God whether positive or Eternall The very life and spirit of perfect Liberty in whomsoever ☜ is Potestas volendi quod lex divina jubet that is a Power or Faculty of willing that which by Gods Law we ought to will And this power or faculty being supposed as the Soul Potestas vivendi aut agendi quod volumus that other power which Tully only mentions of Living or doing as we will or desire is but the Bodie of true Freedome or Liberty So that he only is a true and perfect Freeman that hath both the Body and Soul of perfect Freedome that is tampotestatem volendi quod
or at least of the increase or abundance of it in the world The Apostles meaning is that the Law was given as a praeparative Physick or medicine to let such as were sick of sin as all were before the Law was given understand in what danger they were or to give them notice of the abundance of corruption which was so deeply seated in their Nature that it could not be throughly purged by the Law which only set sin a working that men might seek more eagerly after a Better medicine to wit Faith in Christ That this was our Apostles true meaning in this place is apparent from the Parallel-passages to these Romanes Chap. 7. 7. what shall we say then is the Law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin that is I had not taken true notice of the measure or danger of it but by the Law for I had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not Covet The Law to which these words referr is the tenth Commandement wherein the Coveting of some few particulars as of our Neighbours Wife or of his goods is only expresly forbidden But sin taking occasion by this Negative Commandment wrought in our Apostle as he himself testifies all manner of Concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead that is He did not feel the Motions or Paroxysmes of sin untill the Law was laid unto him as a Preparative Medicine unto better Physick And againe ver ninth I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came Sâ—n revived and I died And againe ver 11. 12. 13. Sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me Wherefore the Law is Holy and the Commandement Holy and just and good Was that then which is good made death unto me God forbid But sin that it might appeare sin working dâ—ath in me by that which is good that sin by the commandement might become exceeding Sinfull It is a Point observable and fully paralel to our Apostles doctrine That the Easterne part of the world did rather loath then long after Circumcision Vntill our Saviours Resurrection and the Apostles peremptory forbidding the practise of it From the former doctrine of our Apostle I have learned satisfaction to a Probleme which had often and long Perplexed my thoughts The Probleme was this Why Men Unto whose care and fidelity a man might safely commit his Fortunes or his life upon their honest word became most carelesse and unfaithfull in matters whereto they are punctually tyed by oath The reason is Because the interposition or obligation by oath is as the coming of a Law which provokes the Corruption of Nature whose longing or lust after things forbidden rather then it should be unsatisfied drawes men otherwise morally honest to become like wayward intemperat Patients which rather chose to nourish the longing humours of the disease or infirmity then to observe the prescription of the Chirurgeon ready to pull off the plaister though with the live-skin or flesh rather then to endure the working of it for a moment 4. But here some have Questioned Whether this Chapter be meant of the Regenerate or Vnregenerate Man A Captious Interrogatorie if Regeneration were but one Act or a resultance of some Few Acts or Conflicts between the Flesh and the Spirit But seeing Regeneration in true Theologie includes Acts almost numberlesse or a Combate somewhat longer then Mortification doth This Chapter if we speak of Christians must be Meant not of the Man truely Regenerated or perfectly Mortified but of a Man Inter Regenerandum during the intermediate Acts or conflicts betwixt the beginning and the Consummation of his * See the 9 Article of the Church of England Regeneration Or if we speake of One that beleeves the Old Testament better then the New as of a Jew or Mahumetane it cannot be meant of a Lawlesse Man but of a man under the hammer of Gods Law given by Moses For there must be a Laying of some Law or Other to the heart before the Conflict here Mentioned can begin or Sin inherent be so Provoked as our Apostle tells us it is 5. Why Sin Originall is more provoked by the Negative then by the Affirmative Precepts He that will diligently peruse our Apostles forementioned Passages Romans 7. in the Language wherein he wrote will easily observe with me That the occasion which Sin tooke By the Law to deceive him as it doth yet to deceive us was from the Negative Precepts or Commandements of the Law not from the Positive or Affirmative Now why the Negative Precepts that one especially Thou shalt not Lust Thou shalt not Covet should a great deale more provoke or more forcibly revive the seeds of Originall Sin inherent in us then the Affirmative Precepts usually doe the Reason is Evident because nothing is nominated or proposed unto us in the Affirmative Precepts but that which in its nature is truely and sincerely Good without the mixture of Evill And being such is more apt to revive or quicken the Notions of the Law of Nature or Reason or those Reliques of Gods Image which remaine in our Nature since our first Parents fall then to Enlive the seeds of sin or to provoke our inclinations unto Evill On the contrary In every Negative Precept there is a Proposall or representation of those things which be in their Nature truely Evill and therefore most apt to incite or provoke our natural Inclinations unto the evill forbidden or to enrage the Reliques of our first Parents sin inherent in Us after the same manner and for the same reason that the representation of red Colours without any other Provocation given is to provoke or stirre the blood of beasts or Cattel which are of a more pure or sanguine Constitution Thus some tame Beasts as Bulls or Kine are aptest to turne man-keen upon such as are cloathed in bright red or Scarlet And a grave Learned ‖ Scortum Hispani generis lepidum ut serebatur formosum mula ut Romae meretrices cum Amatoribus solent animi gratia gestabatur Haec cum venisset ad Thermas Diocletianas Vivarium ferarum ingressa nec contenta cicures vagantes Spectasse precibus contendit aegâ—è impetrat à beluarum Magistro ut ingenti urso cavea separatim incluso sed quem constabat in Neminem antea desaevjisse exitum aperiret Facta potestate ursus erumpit mulam terresacit excussam mulierculam Caeteris qui aderant diffugentibus invadit dictoque citius strangulat contrito capite primùm avulsa ubera deinde natem alteram devorat unguibus dentibus laceratam Esseratam bestiam existimo colore coccineae vestis quam induerat misella speciem sanguinis Praeferentem Sepulveda Epist lib. 2. ep 15. Historian sometimes Chronicler to Charls the Fift in an Epistle of his to his friend relates a sad accident of a Beare which had never been observed to have raged upon Any yet being let loose from
to be true and proper Servants Slaves in a higher degree and larger measure according to a more base and odious slavâ—rie then such as by Legall Title were slaves or Bondmen unlesse these also were equally subject to the like base conditions or lewd dispostion of mind However This lewd disposition of mind or corruption of manners and affections whether in Bondmen or in their Masters was adjudged by the very Heathen to be more base and servile then the Legall estate or condition of known Slaves or Bondmen ☜ But before I acquaint the Reader with the opinions of Heathens in this point I must request him not to mistake my meaning or intention as if I esteemed the Verdict or Testimony of the best Philosophers amongst them to be in themselves of any credit or authority in matters sacred in mysteries of Faith or Divinitie I would rather request him to consider with me That many testimonies which are of no credit in themselves nor can borrow any authoritie from their Authors may be notwithstanding of very good use for the confirmation of better Authoritie or for the discovering or bolting out the truth whose Authoritie by what meanes soever once discovered or from whom soever it do proceed is alwaies great and ought to prevaile as in the end it certainely will prevail against ignorance and error in whomsoever they be found though patronized by men otherwise of extraordinary parts and deserved authority For example The testimony of a known Lyar whose Oath we would not take for six pence is good and lawful against himself A notorious Thief or Malefactors own confession especially if it be deliberately made and judicially taken is a Conviction as sufficient and Authentick as the depositions of two or three or more most honest men Now the same Law or reason of the Law which in some cases admits the testimony or confessions of dishonest men for legal proof will warrant us to admit the opinions but especially the reasons of Ancient Heathens which never knew the true God nor Jesus Christ whom he had sent for sufficient and Authentick Testimonies to convince the Athiests of later times or such as live without God in this present world or such amongst us as having much better means then the best of the Heathen had to know God and his Christ yet live altogether without any true fear or love of Either and in as little sense or feeling of their own natural Servitude or present bondage unto sin as the rudest or worst sort of Heathen did 9. Yet further Albeit the wisest and best sort of Heathen Philosophers lived in Bondage unto Sin and died Servants of corruption yet did they not alwayes speak out of the corruption wherewith their very Souls were tainted Many things they spake and wrote out of the Law of nature written as our Apostle testifieth Rom. 2. 15. in their hearts By the Light of which Law likewise they did many things contained in the written Law of God For not having that Law as the Apostle there saith they were a law unto themselves Now as the testimony or confession of a notorious Malefactor voluntarily and judicially made against himself is suffcient to condemn that Judge or Juror of injustice or partiality that would not take it for a legal proof or conviction so shall the Allegations or collections of the Heathens which were themselves Servants unto sin be of Authority enough to condemn us of a worse crime unlesse upon their informations we make more particular and exact enquirie First into the servile Estate or Condition wherein we were born and in which until our regeneration we still continue Secondly into the means by which we may be redeemed from the same Estate or condition Now the means by which we must be redeemed the most learned amongst the Heathens after long search guided in part by the Light of Nature could not discover But as in other Cases so in this when they seemed to be wise they became Fools When they sought to set themselves Free by Rules of Art or Philosophie from one or Few branches of this Servitude they intangled themselves Faster in some others 10. It was a Beam of Truth a step or approach to Freedom rightly discovered by * In Paradox Tully Si servitus sit sicut est Obedientia fracti animi abjecti arbitrio carentis suo “ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quis neget omnes Leves omnes Cupidos omnes denique Improbos esse Servos If servitude saith he be as no man even in the most strict proper and legal sense can make any more of it then the obedience of a broken or crazed abject mind deprived of all power or right to dispose of it self or its own Actions Who can deny all inconstant vaine men all Covetous generally all Wicked men to be truly Servants To presse his General reason a little further and to draw it from the very First root or spring of Servitude properly so called All men as well the wicked as the vain or inconstant have a desire to be Happy For Happiness is the mark whereat our intentions aim but of which most men in their Courses fall much wide or short For inasmuch as we cannot attain unto the End but by the Means or mean which are useful for attaining that Happiness which we most desire Partly through our natural weaknesse but especially through Satans cunning these useful Means intercept most of our time most of our pains and endeavours which should be reserved for purchase of the End For so it is with most of us by Nature as with young unexperienced or Carelesse Apprentices or Factors who finding some extraordinary contentment in the First Inne they come at spend most of their time and money there which should have been spent at the Fair or Mart for which they were Bound The special Means whose Vse is Necessary to the attainment of that Happiness which we most desire are specially Three Delight of Mind Contentment of the Body and Competencie of Wealth Now albeit in our First Aims or intentions we desire not These For Themselves nor in any Extraordinary Measure yet such is the Frailnesse of our Nature that Whatsoever things we much Accustome our selves unto they will at length Plead * See Chap. 21. â— 5. S. Aust Confess 1. 8. c. 5. Sayes I was bound not in Gaolers Irons but by my own Iron-will The enemy had made a chain of that My perverse Will became Lust Lust served became a Custome And Custome let alone became Necessity In a Chain made up of these Links Lay I a poor and miserable Slave to Sin Therefore Give the water no passage Eccles 25. 25. Let every one that names the name of Christ stand aloof off from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let not Sin enter the First Dore of Sense Eye or Ear or c. not the second of Phansie nor the third of Vnderstanding nor the fourth of Will Least it
heirs not therefore in the estate of absolute election because they are in the estate of the sons of God or heirs with Christ by Baptism For many whom God hath graciously accepted for his sons many who during the time of their Infancy have enjoyed the estate or Priviledge of the sons of God may in riper years turn Prodigal sons and disinherit themselves and none can be disinherited but he that hath been in the estate or Condition of an Heire or untill with Esau he have sold his birth-right Both parts of this Assertion That all that are Baptized in their Infancy become the Sons of God and during their Infancy do live to God 2. That Sin even in such may revive and wound some grievously others mortally are included in our Apostles dispute Rom. 7. 9. I was once alive saith the Apostle without the Law but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed Doth he speak this of himself only or of all men without exception or restraint that were without the Law Not Absolutely of all Men that were without the Law for so the Gentiles which were not under the Law which knew not God nor his Lawes should have been so alive as the Apostle there saith he sometimes was because they were more without the Law then he at any time was Nor doth he speake this of himself alone but of all such as he was That is of all such and only such as were the Seed of Abraham and had been circumcised the 8 th day and by Circumcision became under the Law though for the present without the Law So that as Baptism now so circumcision then did free the Children of Abraham from the curse of the Law did Translate them from the estate or Condition of the Sons of wrath to the Condition or Priviledge of the Sons of God But did the Apostle or his brethren which were made alive by Circumcision in their Infancy continue in the same estate of Life untill their mortal Lives end No The Apostle expresly adds But when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed So that sin before the Commandement came was dead and revived when the Law came And the Apostle before the same point of time was alive but then dyed When then did the commandement come which by its coming did bring life to sin and death to this our Apostle and such as he was It is an Observation of very good Vse which S. Basil hath to this purpose in his Comment upon the first Psalm See S. Basil's words at the End of this Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When our Reason comes once to ripeness or perfection That is fulfilled which is written Adveniente mandato revixit Peccatum when the Commandement comes Sin revives For when such as have submitted themselves to the Law of God come to the use of Reason or to take their Estate into Consideration they begin to examine their Consciences by the Law of God and sin which was before Inherent though quiet being called in Question grows desperate and rebellious against the Law by which it is examined against the Judge which condemns it against the Party which calls it in Question The Extract as well of our Apostles speech as of S. Basils Observation upon it confirms the Truth Chap. 29. n. 5. which was before delivered in the Treatise of Mortification That the same measure of Regeneration which sufficeth during the time of Infancy or Childhood sufficeth not to save the same Parties when they come to Use of Reason or Consideration for then the Commandement comes upon us a Commandement to Mortifie the deeds of the Flesh by the Spirit to enter the Lists or Combate with sin reviving in us which will certainly kill us unless we mortifie it as it reviveth in us or quell it as it rebells against us So that the estate or Condition of such as have been baptized after once they come to the use of Reason is an estate different from their estate in their Infancy or Childhood an estate likewise different ordinarily from the Absolute estate of Election But of this estate and of our Christian demeanour in it I shall now only say thus much in Generall This Mortification of the Flesh which our Apostle injoynes Rom. 8. 13. is that Reasonaâ—le Service which the same Apostle requires Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your Reasonable Service But why a Reasonable Service In opposition to the Service of the Law which did consist in the Sacrifice of Buls and Goats and other Reasonless Creatures which yet were offered by the holy men of God in Testification of their Faith or Expectation of the promised Messias This Reasonable Service or Mortification of the Flesh must be performed by us in Testification of our Beliefe that he hath accomplished the Sacrifices of the Law by the Sacrifice of himself Again this sacrifice or offering of Our selves that is of Mortifying our Brutish or unreasonable affections by the Spirit Aurum Thus Myrrham Regique Hominique Deoque says Juvencus an old Poet and Father that lived An. xii 330. is a great deal more acceptable to God then the offerings which the three Kings or Wise men offered unto our Saviour Jesus Christ They offered Gold Myrrhe and Frankincense in testimony or acknowledgement that the child then born was the King of the Jews But in as much as we know that we are not redeemed with silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish we cannot either Symbolize with the Sacrifice of our High Priest or attain to that live Sympathie with him by the offering of silver gold or any other kind of offering besides the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit If as He offred himself by the eternall Spirit to God the Father for us So we again offer up our selves to him by Mortifying our earthly man by the Spirit then his Bloud as the Apostle speaks Heb. 9. 14. shall throughly purge our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God and finally cleanse us from all our sins Unto this Reasonable service or offering up of our selves We were consecrated by Baptism This was a Sermon preacht upon the Epiphanie as I take it and bound by solemn vow then made and if we continue constant in performing this Vow after we come to riper years we shall continue in the state or Condition of the Sons of God which we had by Baptism and by continuance or Progress in this estate we shall arrive at the Immutable state of grace or absolute election For the end of the Son of Gods appearance or manifestation was that he might thus lead us on from strength to strength untill we appear before our God in Sion The Doctrine of Mortification and the consequences thereof were it thus Taught and Laid to the
untill we be actually cleansed from these later by the bloud of Christ. I should now proceed unto the manner how the Son of God doth dissolve those works which Satan worketh in us after Baptism or regeneration or how we are actually cleansed from sinne by his bloud 11. The Error of the sacrifice of the Mass But here again I find the Truth besett with Two Errors or Extremes the One Positive or an Heresie maintained by the Romish Church which in effect denies the infinite value or everlasting Efficacie of Christs bloudy Sacrifice upon the Crosse The Other Extreme is an Incogitancy of some men which magnisie the everlasting Efficacie or infinite value of Christs Bloudie Sacrifice not too much for so they cannot but amiss they make it everlasting after such a manner or rather make such use or application of its everlasting Efficacie or infinite value to themselves and to their hearers as makes his Everlasting Priesthood to be uselesse or needlesse To begin with the First Error or Extreme Is it possible that That Church which challengeth the Title of Catholick as her own peculiar should deny the most Fundamental Article of Catholick Faith as is the everlasting Efficacie or infinite value of Christs Bloudie Sacrifice In expresse terms or directly she doth not deny it Her Advocates dare not professe the denyal of it For so most of their Faction whom they lead blindfold would forsake them as Hereticks and Aliens from the Antient and Orthodoxal Church Yet the more stifly the greatest Scholars in that Church deny the imputation or Charge which we lay upon them the better proof we shall gain from them that they are the men which as the Apostle saith are given over to believe Lyes that they are the men on whose soules the spirit of delusion hath seazed If we shall decypher the impression or Character of that spirit so clearly that every one which is not sworn to their Faction whether Jew Mahumetan or Heathen or other more indifferent though but indued with Common Reason may run and read it Let us see then how they expose the greatest Mysteries of our Salvation unto the just scorn and derision of the lew Mahumetan or Heathen without possibilitie of Apologie for their manifest contradicting the Principles not of Christianitie only but of Common Reason Thus you may imagine any Iewish School-Boy or young Artist Catechized in the Rudiments of his own Religion would oppose the greatest Rabbines in the Romish Church We of the Jewish Nation once had our ordinary Priests which offered sacrifices daily in the temple we had our high Priest which went into the most holy place once a year with the bloud of the Anniversary and solemn sacrifices ye Christian Catholicks so ye term your selves teach your hearers as your Apostle hath taught you that the best sacrifices which our Fathers used were but Shadowes fore-signifying the taking away of sin they did not they could not take away sins or cleanse the consciences of such as offered them And why could not our sacrifices take away sin your Apostle gives this Reason because they were often offered Heb. 10. ver 1. 2. c. Ye Christian Catholicks have your high Priest who as ye say offered himself up in bloudy sacrifice unto God for your sinnes was this his sacrifice perfect or was it not Did it take away sinnes more perfectly then the sacrifices which our Fathers used or did it not ye say It did we say It did not it could not if your Apostles Principles or Expositions of Scriptures be true and your practise not false or unlawful Your Priests as you confess stand daily ministring and offering the same sacrifice which your high Priest did offer and therefore by your Apostles argument against us and by your practise this sacrifice can never take away sinne it is more the same sacrifice than the sacrifices of the Law were And yet it is offered oftner and in more places than any Legal sacrifices were 12. Some devoted to the Romish religion will perhaps say in their hearts the Doctors of our Church know well enough how to untye these knots which the Iewes cast albeit so learnedly and so subtilly that no unlearned man can perceive how they untye them If men will thus believe or rely upon their Teachers skill without any true experiment of it we cannot help it Yet if you will believe me upon the faith of a Christian I never yet could see any Romish Writer which leaves not the former knot worse then he found it after he had used all the paines and skill he had to untwist it The wisest and most learned of them usually let it slide away without medling Many of you perhaps have read what the Rhemists in their Notes upon the tenth to the Hebrewes have attempted To make you believe that all is loose The Apostle say they speakes of the sacrifices of the Law not of the sacrifice of the Mass It is true indeed he speakes of the sacrifices of the Law for he proves them to be unperfect unsufficient but he proves them to be unsufficient by such a Reason as will conclude more strongly not only against the sacrifice of the Mass if so the sacrifice of the Masse were as lawfull as the Legal sacrifices sometimes were or the Reiteration of it not more abominable in the sight of God then the restauration of Legal bloudie sacrifices at this day would be But against Christs bloudy sacrifice upon the †He meanes if it needed to be often offered Cross also The only Reason by which the Apostle proves the best kind of Legal sacrifices even whilest they were lawfully used and according to Gods appointment to have been altogether unsufficient for taking away sinne is because they were to be often offered Now every particular must be proved by an universal and A true universal Rule or Principle includes the same reason in every particular The Apostle could not prove the Legal Services to have been imperfect for this Reason that they were often offered unless this Vniversal were true and taken by him as granted That no sacrifices or sacrifice of what kind soever which is often offered can be perfect or sufficient to take away sinnes This universal Reason the Apostle takes as granted by Light of Nature and Common Reason and so frames his Argument from the Authoritie of Scriptures and the consonancie of Common Reason or light of nature ver 15. The Holy Ghost ALSO is witnesse c. It is as idle and as frivolous a shift wherewith the same Rhemists seek to put off their ignorant Readers when they tell them that Christs body was but once offered up in a bloudy manner but may and ought to be often offered up in a bloudless manner The very root and ground of this distinction if you examine it by our Apostles Argument includes a confession or acknowledgement of the CRIME or HERESIE which we object unto them to wit that The bloudy Sacrifice
of the Son of God is not by their doctrine of infinite value nor of force and vertue everlasting but infinite only secundum quid i. e. infinite in the Nature of a bloudie sacrifice not so simply infinite as to exclude all other sacrifice or offering for sin For if it had been of value infinite or All-sufficient to take away sin whilest it was offered up in a bloudy manner there had been no more offering either required or left for sin whether a bloudie or a bloudlesse offering whether after a bloudy or a bloudless manner for if Once offered it were in the nature of an offering infinite it necessarily took away all other offerings or manner of offering for sin A Note Relating to the precedent Chapter EUsebius Socrates and Theodoret amongst the Greeks Primasius and Austin amongst the Latines do not distinguish betwixt these two Ominous names Novatus and Novatianus But St. Cyprian in his 49. Epistle shews plainly that they were of two distinct persons though agreeing too well in Schism and Heresie Novatus was an African new Monster a Preshyter in the Church of Carthage where S. Cyprian was Bishop vir sui nominis for he was Rerum novarum semper Cupidus disobedient to his Bishop spightful against the Order unnatural to his Father who dyed for hunger and lay too long unburied unfaithful to the Orphan the Widdow the Church-stock unkind to his wife whom he made to miscarry with a kick Damnat sacrificantium manus ipse nocentior pedibus says S. Cyprian Thus qualified fearing Excommunication He fled to Rome and joyned with Novatianus a Roman Presbyter who was about that time brewing his Schism against Cornelius Bishop of Rome These Two were the Ring-leaders of the Sect of the Cathari See S. Cyprian Epist 49. and Epist 51. 52. with Rigaltius his Notes CHAP. LV. From the Text Heb. 10. ver 1 2 16 17. And from this Maxim That Christ's One Sacrifice of himself was of Value absolutely Infinite it follows not That such as worship God in Spirt or such as are received into The Covenant of Grace have their sinnes remitted before they do committ them That Doctrine makes Christ's Resurrection useless in respect of us and Baptism needlesse Legal worshippers Conscious and their sins remembred in such a sort as Evangelical worshippers are not The vast Oddes betwixt Christ's One Sacrifice and the Many Legal We must distinguish betwixt the Infinite value and Infinite vertue of Christs sacrifice The precious Effects of H. Baptism and the Eucharist flowing from the Efficacie of Christs Sacrifice and Priesthood How Legal Sacrifices c did prefigure Christ's 1. BUt unto men which have not their Senses exercised in the Prophetical and Evangelical Writings or in the Harmonie betwixt them the words of the Apostle in that tenth Chapter to the Hebrewes An Objection made ver 1 2 16 17. do minister some scruple His words ver 1 2 are these The Law can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the commers thereunto perfect For then would they not have ceased to be offered because the worshippers that is such as were observers of the Legal worship only should have had no more conscience of sin From this Opposition between the condition of Gods people under the Law and the Condition of his people under the New Covenant that is of such as worship him not by Legal Sacrifices but in the Spirit it may seem to be concluded that such as are within the Covenant of Grace or worship him in spirit have their Sinnes remitted before they can commit them or as soon as they begin to worship God not by Legal sacrifices but in the spirit For if the sins of men thus qualified were not remitted before they were received into the Covenant of Grace or at least at the time when they were thereunto admitted they should at least have as much if not more Conscience of sin as the Legal worshippers had 2. This Scruple or Question which the words of the Apostle ver 1 2. do minister may be fortified or Augmented from the same Apostles Inference ver 17. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more This is the Privilege of such as are within the New Covenant Fortified Now if according to the Tenor of this privilege God will no more remember their sinnes and iniquities who are comprized within the new Covenant the cause or Controversie may seem concluded that God will neither punish their sinnes nor question them for them For all punishment of sin all inquisition after sin doth include or presuppose a Remembrance or Cognizance of the sins for which men are punished or questioned Both these Scruples may receive strength or Countenance from that general Maxim unto which we willingly subscribe That the bloudy sacrifice whereby this new Covenant was made and ratified Reinforced was of value absolutely infinite for taking and putting away sinnes And how could it possibly be of value infinite for taking away sins unlesse the sins of all all their sins for whom it was offered were by it taken away or remitted So taken away that they should be no more remembred in Gods sight that They should have no more Conscience or horrour of sin 3. Answered The clear and unquestionable Points of Truth included in the Apostles words are but Two The Former That the Legal Worshippers were conscious of sin in such a sort as the Evangelical worshippers or men comprehended under the new Covenant are not conscious The Second that God did remember the sins of such as were under the former Covenant after such a manner as he doth not remember their sinnes who are under the new Covenant of Grace But for the Distinct meaning of the Apostle that is how farre the Legal worshippers had a consciousness of sin how farr the Evangelical worshippers have none In what sort measure or manner God did remember the sinnes of his people under the Old Covenant and not remember the sinnes of his people under the new Covenant of Grace we can have no better scantling no more indifferent standard than the words of the same Apostle in the same tenth Chapter ver 3. But in those sacrifices to wit which were offered by the Law there is a remembrance or commemoration of sin made every year But wherein did this Annual Remembrance or Commemoration of sin consist The Law as the Apostle elsewhere speakes was but a School-master unto Christ and the Lessons which this School-master did by the Annual or other bloudie sacrifices especially teach were these That the men by whom or for whom these bloudie sacrifices were offered had deserved and as often as they offered them did deserve to be tormented and mangled as these sacrifices were That the â—utchery of Them was but Favorabilis commutatio poenae a favourable exchange or diverting the punishment from themselves upon these bruit Beasts That whiles the fire under Gods Altar did continue Gods
Freedom in respect of divers Objects and degrees in Natural men 3090 SECT V. Of the great Duty of Mortification and of the use of Free-will for Performing it 3096 CHAP. 28. Of the General Contents which concern the Duty of Mortification and which be the especial works of the flesh we are to Mortifie 3096 29. How farr the duty of Mortification is Universal how farre Indefinite 3099 30. Containing the true Rule for examining our Perswasions concerning our Estate in Grace 3103 31 How the Flesh is Mortifyed by Vs How by the Spirit 3106 32. Whether Mortification and Conversion may be said to be ex pr visis operibus though God alone do properly Mortifie and convert us 3112 33. By what Spirit we are said to Mortifie the Deeds of the Body 3115 34. Containing the Manner and Order of the Spirits working or of our working by the Spirit 3120 35. Wherein the accomplishment of Mortification or of Conversion unto God doth properly consist 3124 36. Contâ—ining the Scope or Summe of what hath been said concerning Free-will and the service of it in the duty of Mortification 3129 Sect. VI. Concerning Election and Reprobation and That the Decrees of God be not terminated to the Abstract Entities or Substances of men 37. Concerning the Limitation of these Two Propositions Rom. 8. 13. 1. If ye live after the slesh ye shall dye 2. If through the spirit ye do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live 3146 38. A Sermon on St. Iude's Epistle verse the fourth enquiring who those men were which were of Old ordained to the Condemnation there spoken of and what manner of Ordination is there meant 3164 39. A serious Answer to Mr. Henry Burton who took exception at a Passage in this Authors Treatise Of the Divine Essence and Attributes about Objective Goodnesse c. 3175 40. A Paraphrase upon the Eleven first Chapters of Exodus with useful Observations and parallels 3190 41. Salvation only from Gods Grace or An Exposition of Romans 9. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth But of God that sheweth mercy 3210 42. An Exposition on Romans 9. verses 18 19 20 21 22 c. or a Treatise of God his just Hardening Pharaoh c. 3222 SECT VII Of the Acts or Exercises of Christs Everlasting Priesthood CHAP. 43. Concerning the Manner or meanes by which the Son of God doth now de Facto through the continual Exercise of his Everlasting Priesthood in his heavenly Sanctuary set Free indeed all such as seek for the working out of their own Salvation with fear and trembling pag. 3252. 44. The Coherence of the eighth Chapter to the Hebrews with the seven precedent and two following The exact Proportions or Parallels betwixt the mundane Tabernacle with the two Sanctuaries therein and the Caelestial with those in it betwixt the Manner or Rites in the Consecration of the One and the Other Betwixt the High-Priests of the Old Testament and Christ our onely High-Priest of the New intimated in this explicated in the following Chapters 3253. 45. That the soules of Righteous men Abraham c. Were in a Blissefull heavenly Mansion before But after The Kingdom of Heaven was perfectly set up and open to all Beleevers By Christs Placing As man at the Right Hand of God Their Condition was bettered 3255. 46. A Parallel betwixt the Rites of Dedicating The Tabernacle the vessels c. with Blood of Beasts And of Consecrating The Heavenly Places with the most Pretious Blood of Jesus Christ 3257. 47. Before the fuller draught of that Parallel If the Blood of Bulls and the Ashes of an Heifer much more the Blood of Christ treated on in the Two next Chapters The Apostles Translating the Hebrew word Berith by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is shewed to be not a meere Allusion but of strict Proprietie 3259. 48. The Parallel between the most Solemn Services of the Law and the One Sacrifice of Christ and The high Praeeminence and Efficacie of This in comparison of Those The Romanists Doctrine That in the Masse Christs Body is identically Carnally present and that there is a proper Sacrifice Propitiatorie offered derogates from the Absolute Perfection of Christs offering himself Once for all 3261. 49. That the Forraign mainteiners of the more then Fatal Irrespective Rigid Decree make Christ Jesus rather a meere Sacrifice Then a True Everlasting Priest acting for us and dayly working out our Reconciliation to God So do such as teach That the sinnes of some were Remitted before they were Committed Of the Superexcellency of Christs Priest-Hood and One Sacrifice in Comparison of the Aaronicall Pr. and the Many Servâ—ces thereof 3266. 50. The Raritie of That Rite of Consecrating the Water of Sprinkling by the Ashes of the Red Heyfer an Emblem of Baptism and the Singularitie thereof Our Churches meaning in some Expressions at the Administration of That Sacrament 3270. 51. Inordinate Libertie of Prophesying brought Errors into the Church and hindred the Reformation 3273. 52. That Justification Consists not in One Single Act. In what sense Fides est Fiducia is True 3276. 53. Christs Parable Math. 12. 43. c. applyed Two degrees of Reconciliation the First Active or but meer Grammatically Passive The Other Reall-Passive So Correspondently Two Branches of Justification The One from Christs Death the Other from the benefit of His Priesthood daily participated to us 3277. SECT VIII Of Errors disparaging Christs Priesthood CHAP. 54. Three Errors disparaging Christs Priesthood 1. The Novatian denying the Reception of some sort of sinners 2. Alate Contrary Error affirming That Every sin which some sort of Men Committ is pardoned before it be committed 3. The Romish Doctrine of the Masse giving Scandal to the Jew All of them respectively derogating from the infinite Value or Continual Efficacie of Christs Everlasting Priesthood 3280. 55. From the Text Hebr. 10. 1 2 16 17. and from this Maxim That Christs One Sacrifice of himself was of Value absolutely infinite it follows not That such as worship God in spirit or such as are received into the Covenant of Grace have their sinnes remitted before they commit them That Doctrin makes Christs Resurrection Useless in respect of us and our Baptism needless Legal worshipers Conscious and their sinnes remembred in such sort as Evangelical worshippers are not The Vast odds betwixt Christs One Sacrifice and the Many legal We must distinguish betwixt the Infinite Value and Infinite Vertue of Christs Sacrifice The precious Effects of H. Baptism and the Eucharist flowing from the Efficacie of Christs Sacrifice and Priesthood How Legal Sacrifices c. prefigured Christs 3292. 56. The Efficacie of Christs Sacrifice and the Vse of His Priesthood two distinct several things Wherein the Exercise of his Priesthood doth Consist How it was foreshadowed Ordinances Effectual by Vertue of Christs Presence Vertual Presence is a Real Presence 3301. A Table of the Texts of Holy Scripture Expounded or Illustrated in this BOOK Genesis Chap. Verse
her Cage and having opportunity to have exercised her rage upon Others did single out a Courtisane of Spanish progenie whom she did as cruelly teare in pieces as if she had been Robbed by her of her whelps wearing upon that day a garment of somewhat a darker colour then the Scarlet or bright red and so much the more apt as * See Scarmilion De coloribus Philosophers teach us to provoke or enrage this or other Ravenous Creatures which be of more duskie melancholy blood And the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Author of the first Booke of Macehab Chap. 6. ver 34. relates a warlike Practise for encouraging the Elephants to fight more fiercely against their Enemies by representing or as it seemes Squeazing the Blood of Grapes and mulberies in their sight or view 6. Now the sight of semblable Colours can have no greater force or efficacie to stir up the blood of Creatures like unto them then the solemne proposall or representation of sins prohibited hath to provoke or enrage the Reliques of Sin originall or to procure the Fits or Motions of it without the assistance of Grace by Christ to restraine them And I cannot perswade my self that some sins not to be named could ever have been or yet could be so frequently practised in diverse Regions which have submitted themselves unto the discipline of the Romish Church to all her Canons and constitutions save only from the representation or expression of the nature of such sins in those loathsome and abhominable Interrogatories which Romish Priests use in taking Auricular Confession CHAP. X. Containing such Description or Definition of Originall Sin as can be gathered from the Effects or Properties of it before mentioned 1. Sin original such a disease of the Soul as the Dropsie or other like diseases are of the body FRom these Discussions of the Properties or Symptomes we may frame this or the like Description of Original Sin it self That it is such a Disease of the Soul or such a corruption of the Humane nature as the Dropsie or other like corrupt Humours are of the Body The one sort includes a thirst or longing after such things as are forbidden them by the Physitian of their Bodies The other an appetite or hunger after such dyet as is in speciall prohibited by the Physitian of their soules And all diseases we know are dangerous wherein the Longing of the corrupt humour or matter which breeds them is much greater then the Longing or appetite of Nature especially if we give satisfaction to such intemperate desires or appetites 2. Or if the Reader desire more then a Description that is some competent Definition of Sin Original the best which for the present I can exhibite is this That it is a positive Renitencie of the Flesh or corrupt Nature of man against the Spiritual Law of God especially against the Negative praecepts being first occasioned or rather caused by the transgression of our First Parents especially from the intemperate Longing of our Mother Evah after the forbidden Fruit. For as our Apostle instructs us 1. Tim. 2. 14. Adam was not deceived but the Woman Being deceived Was in the transgression that is more deeply in the transgression then the Man because she seduced him to eate the forbidden fruit as the Serpent had done her Or as the flesh or sensitive part of our Nature doth yet often seduce the Reasonable Will to yeeld her tacit or implicit consent unto such Actions as they have expresly resolved upon or undertaken without consulting Reason or the masculine part of our Nature 3. From this First Transgression of our First Parents from the birth of Cain unto this present day or hour the forementioned Observation of the Romane Poet Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata was never out of Date but continued still in full force and strength amongst all the Sons of Adam throughout their severall generations unless perhaps in some few who by speciall priviledge or peculiar Grace have been redeemed from the raigne or dominion of Sin from the womb or from the time wherein they begun to know the difference between good and evill Our blessed Saviour who was no mere Son of Adam but the true and onely Son of God was absolutely Free from the wombe from his Conception as man from all Tincture of Sin Original from all inclinations to attempt or desire any thing that was evill or forbidden by the Law of God 4. Now the Nature Properties and Conditions of Sin Original being such as have been described it is easie to be conceived how potent it is to conquer us and to bring us into Servitude unto it self and unto Sathan Or how it is that very snare or a great part of it whereby such as oppose the truth are taken Captive by the Devill as our Apostle speaks at his will or pleasure 2. Tim. 2. 26. But of this point hereafter CHAP. XI Containing the Resolution of the maine Difficultie proposed to wit How the First Actual Sin of our First Parents did produce more then a Habit of Sin an Hereditarie disease in all their Posteritie 1. The eating of the Forbidden Fruit did pollute or poyson the nature of man THe chief Difficultie at least as some make it is How the First Sin whether of our Father Adam or of our Mother Evah or of both could possibly produce a perpetuall Habit of Sin in themselves or an Hereditarie corruption of the Humane Nature propagated from them throughout all generations This difficultie though cannot be press'd or drawne unto any Contradiction to the unquestionable rules of Reason or true Philosophy The full and cleer Solution of it only surpasseth the reach of Reason meerely natural or of Philosophy not enlightened by sacred History or Mosaicall Relations of the estate wherein man was created Surely if Plinie or some other Naturalist had been so happy as to have diligently perused and beleeved the Oracles of God delivered by Moses Gen. 1. 2. and 3. c. We Christians this day Living might have had more satisfactorie Resolutions for clearing this Point then we can gather from the Schoole-men or many of the Ancient Fathers * Gregorius de Arimino Some Schoole-men do think that our Nature was corrupted by the poysonous breath of the old Serpent in his conference with our Mother Evah I neither know nor remember whether they have any ground of this conjecture from true Antiquitie or whether it be a Masterlesse piece of their own coyning The conjecture or Phancie it self is for this reason Less probable because the Nature of our Father Adam who held no parlie with the old Serpent was no less corrupted then the Nature of his Consort Evah Other good writers are of opinion that the fruit of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evill was for its specifical quality of a poysonous Nature both to the Soul and body at Least apt to taint or corrupt both and the first mans nature
great starr is capable of Light by reflexion as a Globe of steel or other solid Body whose surfaces are smooth and Equable It doth not it cannot transmit Light or suffer it to be transfused through it after the manner of glass Yet if we should give a perfect and absolute Definition of an Eclipse in the Moon we must add the Abstract or nominal Definition of the Eclipse unto the Reall or Philosophicall As thus The Eclipse of the moon is a true and reall privation of light or splendor not in respect of us only but in it self caused by the interposition of the body of the Earth which hindereth the transmission of light which it borrowes from the Sun But the Eclipse of the Sun is only a privation of our sight or view of it occasioned or caused by the interposition of the dark body of the Moone betwixt this glorious Starr and fountaine of light and our eyes 6. The maine businesse wherein Illyricus is so Zealous was to banish all such Nominal or Grammatical Definitions as have been mentioned out of the precincts of Theologie and to put in continual Caveats against the Admission of Abstracts or mere Relations into the Definition of Original Sin or of that Unrighteousnesse which is inherent in the man unregenerate And however St. Austin Aquinas and Melancthon say in effect as much as Illyricus did if their meanings were rightly apprehended or weighed by their Followers Yet his Expressions of the Nature Cause and Properties of Original Sin were to his own and so they are to my apprehension more cleare more full and real then any Definitions of Aquinas or Melancthon Even where they speake most fully according to their own Principles unto this point Aquinas as this Author quotes him some where grantes Originale peccatum non esse meram privationem justitiae originalis that Original Sin is not only a meere privation or want of Original Righteousnesse but a positive or forcible inclination contrary to it Melancthon with many Others of the most Learned writers which have been in the Germane or French Church since Luther began to renounce the Romish Church acknowledge and Define the same Sin to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Disorder of our faculties and Affections or which is more a Depravation of our nature Or in other tearmes whether Greek or Latin fully equivalent unto these Wherein then doth this singular writer as some do censure him either differ from or go beyond Aquinas Melancthon or Others all of whom respectively grant as much and some of them more then is included in the Definitions or descriptions of Sin forecited out of Aquinas and Melancthon 7. Illyricus defines Originall Sin not by the Abstract but by the Concrete as thus Original Sin is the Nature of man corrupted or the affections or Faculties of our soules and bodyes disordered and depraved c.. He no where defines it to be the Nature the Substance or Faculties of men absolutely considered or without Limitation Yet to be All these so farr as they are depraved and corrupted or transformed out of that Image of God which was seated in them by Creation into the image or real similitude of Satan In man considered as he was the work of God or made after his image there was an exact Harmony or consonancie of Will unto the Law and Will of God an Exact Harmonie of Faculties and Affections amongst themselves and a sweet subordination of them unto the reasonable will or conscience whil'st that held consort with the will and Law of God But by the First Mans Fall or willfull transgression all parts of this Harmony are lost The sensitive desires Faculties or Affections are at continuall jarr and discord amongst themselves The best consort they hold is to fight joyntly against the Reasonable Soul and Conscience or spirituall part of our nature especially so far as it holds any Consort with the Will of God His Definition then of Sin by the substance or Nature of man as that is depraved or corrupted and the Definitions of other Writers which define it to be the Depravation of our nature or the difference between him when he defines it by the Faculties or parts of our nature as these are disordered or instamped with the image of Satan and other Divines who define it to be an Ataxie or disorder of the Affections and Faculties if we calculate their severall Expressions aright they come all to one Reckoning there is no more materiall question or reall difference betwixt them then if we should dispute whether Three times foure or foure times three Or two times six or six times two do better expresse or decipher the number of twelve Or whether Harmonie be a Consonancie of true voices or sounds Or true voices or sounds perfectly Consonant CHAP. XIII Calvin and Martyr c. consent with Illyricus in the Description of Original Sin How farr Sin Original may be said to be the Pollution of thewhole Nature and Faculties of man or the Faculties of man as they are polluted 1. The opinion of Calvin and Martyr concerning the nature of Original or acquired Sin BEsides many Other good Writers Calvin and Martyr in their Definitions or descriptions of Sin in the unregenerate man consort so well with Illyricus that he that will condemne any One of them will be concluded not to acquit either of the other Two He that approves One of them cannot but approve the Other if he either understand himself or them Calvin defines Sin Original to be a Pravity Corruption of nature Calvinus definit Peccatum Originale esse naturae pravitateÌ„ ac corruptionem ac mox exponens se dicit Imo tota hominis natura quoddam est peccati semen ideo non odiosa abominabilis Deo esse non potest Quae profectò ipsissima ratio formaque peccati originalis est ipsam certe essentiaÌ„ hominis pessimam describit Martyr quoque super Rom definiens Peccatum Originale eamque definitionem explicans non obscurè id ponit in ipsa mala Essentia hominis dicit enim totum hominem corruptissimum esse definit verò inquiens est ergo peccatum totius hominis naturae depravatio à lapsu primi parentis in posteros traducta per generationem c. Et mox definitionem explicans inquit In hac Definitione omnia genera Causarum habentur pro materia aut subjecto habemê° omnes hominis partes aut vires Forma est earuÌ„ omniuÌ„ depravatto c. En audis ei originale peccatum complecti etiam ipsas hominis partes ac vires quatenus sunt corruptae ac depravatae Illyricus in libello cui Titulus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basileae impresso anno 1568. pag. 140. 141. and presently explaining himself saith yea the whole nature of man is a Kinde of Seed of Sin and therefore cannot but be odious and abominable to God which truly is the very Forme Essence or Definition of
Original Sin and describes or descryes surely the Being of man to be very Evill And Martyr upon the Rom Defining Original Sin and explaining that definition manifestly places it in the Evill essence of Man for he says That The whole man is most Corrupt And then defines it Thus Sin is the depravation of the whole nature of man Transmitted to posterity from the Fall of our First Parents and by Generation c. And then opening the Definition he Says In this Definition are found all Kindes of Causes For the subject Or Matter we have All the parts or powers of man The Forme is the Depravation of them all Lo you see that according to Him Martyr Sin Original Comprehends the parts powers of man so farr forth as they be corrupted and depraved Illyricus in a Book intituled Know thy self 2. But these Definitions or Descriptions though for ought I know or have to except against them they may be most Orthodoxal for their truth or substance yet the right Limitation of them or of the subject defined is not free from further Question as First Whether the Subject of them be Sin Original or Acquired as one or both of them are seated in the Natural or unregenerate man or as they are inherent in part in the Best Men after their Regeneration or Purification of their hearts by Faith If every Part if every Faculty or member of the Humane Nature be from the womb tainted with this Foul Leprosie it will be somewhat hard to conceive how any Part or Faculty should be absolutely freed from all degrees of corruption by Regeneration unlesse we grant that All are in some measure freed from it and acknowledge some Reliques of Sin Original to remain in every part or Faculty of the man truly Regenerate or renewed in the spirit of his mind It may in the First place be conceived that the Mind or Conscience of men so renewed may be throughly cleansed not only from the guilt but from the real stain or pollution of sin and yet the flesh or whole sensitive parts or faculties of the same man still lodge some Reliques of Original Corruption in them though in a Lower degree or Less measure then the same Corruption dwelleth in the Conscience or Spirit of the unregenerate or Natural man Or if we grant the Minde and Conscience of sanctified men to be yet subject to some Tincture or Reliques of Corruption Yet these we must acknowledge to be so weak and feeble that they cannot hinder or diminish the Raign or Soveraignty of the Spirit over the flesh by which the Yoak of servitude unto Sin or slavery unto Satan unto which all men before Regeneration are by Nature subject is utterly broken If we consider Man as he was first moulded by God he was for nature substance and Faculties of his soul like a sound Instrument well string'd and better tuned But by eating of the forbidden fruit and losse of Paradise his very substance was corrupted and deprived of Life Spiritual and all his Powers or Faculties not only corrupted but distuned Our Nature by Regeneration is Restored to Life spiritual yet not to perfect health and strength so long as we carry this burden of Flesh and Mortality about with us By the same Spirit of Regeneration the Powers or Faculties of our souls and our sensitive Affections are better tuned then they were before yet not so sound or well tuned as in the First Creation they were but like to Asymmetral or harsh voices which never hold consort with sounds or voices truly Harmonical or like to those which we call False strings in a stringed Instrument which by no skill either of him that tunes or handles it can be brought to bear a part in exact Harmony Both such voices such strings will still retain some jarring sound or discord in an accurate observant Musitians Ear though much less when the string is stricken open or upon a Lower stop or the voice taken at a lower Key then whe they are stretched higher For with the height of either sound the discord or Dis-Harmony is still increased 3. Whether sin Original or Acquired have an influxe into every Act of the Humane Soul But when Calvin Martyr and Illyricus make Original Sin to be the whole Nature of Man and all his Faculties so far as they are corrupted and taintted I know not whether their meaning were that there is no Action or thought of man though Regenerate into which this Corruption of Nature or Taint of sin hath not some Influx or whether they did actually or expresly minde this or other like Inference when they exhibited unto us the former Definitions of Sin For my self as I make no question but that The Blessed Virgin her self was by nature the Daughter of Adam and therefore not so absolutely free from her Conception as her Son our Saviour was So I am afraid to avouch or think that either Sin Original or acquired it being supposed that she had some Reliques of both in her should have any influence into or commixture with that Good Thought or Actual consent which she yielded to the Angel Gabriel Luke 1. 38. Ecce Ancilla domini c. Behold the hand-maid of the Lord be it unto Me according to thy word 4. But these are Niceties which I would not have touched had it not been that Some whom I name not have gone too far in opposition to the Papist or Pelagian unto whom Others by coming too neer have fallen much wide or short of the Truth My aim and intention as I often professe is not to take upon me either by voice or pen to instruct such as are or take themselves to be pro modulo viatorum perfectly Regenerated much lesse men altogether certain of their own Personal Election or Salvation The utmost of my endeavours is to direct my self and the height of my desires in this work is to advise Others what we are to do for our selves or what is to be done for us after Baptism or Confirmation that we may be throughly Regenerated or which is in effect all one make our Election sure We are I take it in the First place to Calculate the number of our sins and to measure or weigh the Body of Sin inherent in us whether by Nature or invited by our selves not by a corrupt worldly Dialect but according to the scales or Standard of the Sanctuary And to this purpose no man hath given better hints or directions then Illyricus For as he often observes and wel illustrates In the Dialect of our Saviour himself of his Apostles and Evangelists whatsoever is repugnant to the Law of God or abominable in his sight is accounted sin and so are not Accidents or meer Abstracts or Relations only but specially the very sustance or Nature of man so far as that is polluted or corrupted with Sin or wrought and transformed into the image of Satan Now though it be true which was said before
as well of our Actions as of our Wils and desires Of these two branches of Servitude is that of the Apostle Rom. 7. 14 15. For we know that the Law is spiritual but I am Carnal sold under Sin For that which I do I allow not for what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I. And vers 19. For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that do I. 2. The Third branch of this servitude unto sin consists in an Impotency or want of ability to will or desire those things which we ought to desire The Root of this branch is Ignorance either of those good things which may be known by natural light of Reason or by the word of God Of this branch of servitude or of Servants of this rank or Condition is that of the Apostle especially true and intended by him Eph. 4. 18. That they have their minds darkened and the eyes of their understanding blinded through the ignorance that is in them 3. The Fourth and last Branch which is likewise the worst consists in a Necessity of Willing and desiring that which we ought not to desire or will Against this branch of Servitude or men thus affected is that Woe of the Prophet in particular denounced Esay 5. 20. We unto them that call evil good and good evil that put darkness for light and light for darkness that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Of this Third and Fourth Branch is that of the Apostle Eph. 4. 19. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto Lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness 4. The Third Branch or Impotency of willing that which we ought or that which we are in duty bound not only to will but to do is such an Infirmity of the Soul as we see in some mens bodies which have lost not only their digestive Faculty but all appetite of wholesome Food This Fourth and last Branch which consists in a Necessity of willing that which we ought not to will is like to that distemper of body which Physitians call the Pica or the Malacia that is a ravenous Appetite or greedy Longing after such things as are Loathsome and unnatural 5. These Branches of Servitude unto sin either natural or acquired All these Branches of Servitude but especially the First and the Third are Two-fold either Natural or Acquired Or to speak more properly The Roots and First seeds of them are natural and hereditary from our first Parents The Nutriment the Growth or increase of them is for the most part from men themselves not from Adam These are acquired or purchased by ill Education or breeding ☜ by lewd Company or bad Customes Never was there any son of Adam but upon Examination might have found himself oft-times indisposed unapt or altogether unable to do many things which in the General he approved as Good in his retured thoughts he desired to do and for the not doing of which when opportunity served and occasions required his wakened Conscience or After-thoughts would often check him Never was there any son of Adam whose Conscience upon a review or Examination of his Actions would not accuse or condemn him for doing many things which in better Mood he desired not to do and such things as he had promised to himself and his own Conscience if not to others not to do 6. But this Necessity of doing many things which in their sober mood they resolve not to do ☜ or of doing them in such a high measure and degree as oft-times they are done is not Hereditary to any Son of Adam This is a necessity which men bring upon themselves either by frequenting Lewd Company or by bad Custome or at least have it brought upon them not by Adam but by the bad example or ill instructions of their immediate Parents or Overseers As for the Fourth Branch of Servitude which consists in a Necessity of willing or desiring those things which men ought not to desire this of all the rest is least hereditary For it includes a degree of Iniquity with which we cannot charge our Father Adam He indeed sought to mince or mitigate his offence after he had wilfully committed it and thus to do was a grievous fault or offence But we never read nor have we any reason to suspect that he did delight or glory either in this or in any other Sin or use his sins past as an advantage or Rise to mount himself to Sin We do not read that Cain did glory in the murther of his Brother Abel or that Judas did make himself merry with the price of bloud Both of them were servants unto Sin and by sin unto Satan Their Servitude unto sin in general was hereditarie and necessarily derived unto them as it is naturally unto all us from our father Adam But neither was the One a Murtherer or Fratricide nor the other a Traytor by natural d scent or inheritance Judas became a Traytor by making himself as base a Servant or vassal to Covetousnesse yet not so great a servant to the one or other Sin as those which delight and glory in these or the like Sins For though the Scripture hath concluded all under sin as well the Jew as the Gentile Though the best of men as the Scripture teacheth us be by Nature the Servants of sin yet we read of some whom the Scripture hath branded with this mark that they have sold themselves to work wickedness or do mischief And these are slaves to Sin and Bond-men unto Satan by a double Title the One by natural descent or inheritance the Other by their own voluntary Acts as it were of bargain or Sale Cain and these Jews mentioned John 8. which persecuted our Saviour because his works were Good and theirs were evil were not only the Sons of Adam though that were enough to make them Servants of Sin but as our Saviour tels them in the 44. verse of that 8. Chapter They were of their Father the Devil 7. But to descend unto a more particular survey of Every Branch beginning with the First and Second which are for the most part coincident and so mutually wrapt together that we cannot truly handle the one but we must touch the other For The First as hath been said before consists in an impotencie or impossibility of doing that which we oft-times desire to doe and approve as good And this impotency or impossibility doth ordinarily proceed from or draw after it a necessitie of doing that which we destire not to do and which in our better thoughts we altogether condemn as naughty and unfitting to be done 8. Some measure of these Branches was clearly discovered by the wiser and more sober sort of the Heathen How far the Testimonies of the Heathen are Authentick for the truth of this Doctrine delivered And the men which were most subject to either were adjudged by them
Chair or when He entred into the Sanctum Sanctorum but to the Sanedrim or Common Council of the Priests and Elders whereof the high Priest was a more Principal then Necessary Member 9. The improvement of this Jewish Heresie and Slavery to Satan throughout the Patriarchate of Rome had its Original from an Ambitious Error in that Church through succession of times not very Ancient by laying challenges to all Gods promises made to his Vniversal or Catholick Church as to her own Peculiar Prerogative And as if this had not been enough the successors of these desperate Challengers have contracted the Catholick Church which in their Language is all one with the Church of Rome unto the Pope and his Cardinals or as they term it the Sacred Consistory Some later Canonists and Parasites to the Pope Jesuites especially have laboured to drive the Vniversal Church like a Camel through a needles eye into the Popes Breast alone whensoever he shall deliver his Sentence ex Cathedra as if as well all Gods Promises as Blessings promised to his Catholick Church were The One to be disposed of The Other to be dispensed by him as by Christs sole Vicar General or Vice-Roy here on Earth But these Positions some Interimists or Labourers for Reconciliation betwixt the Church of Rome of England wil hapily reply are but the Opinions of private men not maintained or taught by the Catholick Church Yet none of them whether Cardinals Jesuites or Casuists whether Priests or Laicks of inferiour ranke will or dare deny that the Infallible Guidance of the Holy Ghost for Leading Christs Church into the truth is immediately annexed to the Roman Church Representative that is to all such Councils or Assemblies of Christian men as are called by the Pope as Christs Vice-Roy and approved of by him and his Assistants The Necessary Consequence of this Position is That No one Council which hath been called by the Pope and approved by him did ever heretofore Erre or can Erre hereafter 10. The former mis-interpretation of Gods Promises made unto the Vniversal Church He meanes W. Laud The R R. Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury his Book that is as Romanists say unto the Church of Rome is excellently refuted by the Author of that Matchless Piece heretofore annexed to Doctor Whites Learned Answer to the Jesuite Fisher since Published by The Author of it in his own Name with many Learned and Pious additions Of all which I have no more for the present to say then this Respondent Vltima primis Both the First and Second Edition are worthy their Author And this is more then I know otherwise how to expresse The first Edition I had the happinesse to peruse when I had finished this Treatise of Servitude to sin for my private use and for the benefit of such as were committed to my Pastoral Charge and had entered upon another Treatise Concerning Christian Obedience for preventing the spreading infection of a Pestilent Book dispersed through the Northern parts of this Kingdom set forth by a Jesuite under this Sawcy Title The Prelate and the Prince And for preparing the Antidote I found good Directions and Ingredients from the forementioned Author 11. But suppose the rest of the Church be disposed to Believe this Doctrine of the Popes Infallibility Wherein doth the matchless Slavery of the Romish Church unto Satan in respect of Jews or Heathens punctually consist In This especially That if any Council Wherein the Bishop of Rome or Patriarch of the West as his Stile sometimes was had any principal Interest or Prerogative either in calling or confirming it have Erred the present Pope and his Adherents whether Priests or Laicks are Bound by solemn Oath and under a dreadful Curse to make up the Measure of their Fore-Fathers Errors Negligences Ignorances or other enormous sins and iniquities whether committed against the Rule of Faith or against the Law of God For all which they are also Bound by their own Doctrine and Liturgie to beg Pardon as well for their Fore-Fathers Transgressions as for their own in respect of what is past and to pray for the prevention of the like in times to come Now this is the Greatest Yoke of Slavery that Satan durst or could attempt to Lay upon the neck of Christs Church Militant here on Earth albeit he could by subtilty prevail to place his Primogenitus that is such an Antichrist as many in the Romish Church conjecture shall hereafter come that is a Man begotten by the Devil of a Woman or Daughter of the Tribe of Dan as Christs Vicar-General in S. Peters Chair If any such Antichrist shall hereafter arise the Measure of Personal Iniquity may be greater then any Popes or the Papacy hitherto hath been but the Kind must be the same A worse or more desperate kind of iniquity or Antichristianism then this late mentioned cannot be imagined The End of Chap. 21. IT was the Authors Fashion mostly to preach upon such Texts as might ground the matter that he intended after to Treat upon in his writings and so to weave his Sermons into the Body of his Discourses or Tracts as occasion required The Studious Reader knowing This and observing 1. A passage at the Beginning of the Second Section page 3018. the seventh Chapter of This Book which promises To annex to these Discussions A Sermon About That Sort of Jews which made that Sawcy Reply to Christ verse 33. John 8. whether they were Such as verse 30. were said to Believe on Him or No. And then 2. Taking notice of the Title of the 14. Chapter it begins the third Section page 3039. which is That even those Jews which did in part Believe in Christ were true Servants unto Sin He will see the Reasons that procured the Insert on of these two Sermons or Tracts ensuing here at This Place As being conceived most neerly allied to the matter preceding and more accomodate to the Readers Use who as is probably presumed if He had but only been reminded of This in the Margin before he had proceeded to read the fourth Section would first have sought out and read these two Discourses in Case they had been deferred and placed in the Rear of this Book CHAP. XXII A Postil or short Discourse upon our Saviours words JOHN 8. 36. If the Son therefore shall make you Free ye shall be Free Indeed The Connexion of This verse with The precedent 1. THis verse is inferred by way of Conclusion from the verse Precedent The Servant abideth not in the house for ever But the Son abideth for ever The Difficulties emergent be Two The Former Concerning the true Sense and meaning or at least the Limitation of the Antecedent to wit The Servant abideth not in the house for ever c. The Other Concerns the Inference or Connexion betwixt This Antecedent and the Conclusion If the Son therefore c. Some of best note amongst the Ancient or middle rank of Interpreters The Opinion of
that he may instruct him But we have the mind of Christ When He saith WEE have the mind of Christ he includeth ALL such as He was that is All Men truely Regenerated by the Spirit whom God hath instructed to discern the things of God By The Mind of Christ the Apostle meaneth the self same thing that he did by the Spirit of God Between the mind of Christ communicated unto us and the Spirit of God communicated unto Us and received by Us there is no difference or distinction The importance of both Speeches is the same Our mind being Changed from Evill to Good or from minding of Carnal things to the minding of Spiritual things is called The mind of Christ by Participation so likewise The Spirit of God by Participation But the Spirit of God which communicates this Mind or Spirit unto us or by which we are said to receive it hath not alwayes the same Importance Between the Importances there is no Dissention yet a Distinction Sometimes by the Spirit of God God the Spirit or God the Holy Ghost is meant who in a peculiar manner is said to sanctifie Us to Regenerate Us to Quicken Us to work Mortification in Us. Sometimes again by the Spirit of God is meant The Spirit which is in Christ which is the Fountain from whence all gifts of the Spirit are immediatly derived unto us though the derivation be immediately wrought by the Holy Ghost And when the Apostle saith that we have the mind of Christ this Mind of Christ which we have received supposeth a Mind or Spirit in Christ which participates it unto us or from which we receive it by Participation We may not imagine a Transmigration or Transmission of the Spirit which is in Christ from Him to Us but a Participation only God hath anoynted him with the Oyle of gladnesse above his Fellowes God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him From the fulnesse of this Spirit in him we receive Grace for Grace Albeit this Grace be distributed or Portioned out unto Us by the Holy Ghost Christ sends the Spirit of Mortification or Regeneration into our hearts as the Fountain or Conduit head doth the water into a Citie The Holy Ghost prepares our hearts to receive this Spirit of Christ and brings it unto Us after such a manner as He that makes the Aquaeducts or Conduit pipes doth convey water into a Town or Citie otherwise destitute of good water 6. But what doth the Apostle mean by the Spirit of man as it is Contradistinct or opposite to the Spirit of God the whole Reasonable Soul or Form of man by which he is distinguished from other Creatures Or some principal part which hath least commixture with the Flesh or Body that which we commonly call the Conscience This part of the Soul even in the unregenerate man oft times disallowes such things as are entertained by the Reasonable Soul and condemnes such Actions as are undertaken by Reason and mannaged with Extraordinary understanding When the Gentiles saith our Apostle do by Nature the things contained in the Law they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their CONSCIENCE also bearing witness and their thoughts accusing or else excusing one another Rom. 2. 14. 15. In this Accusation or Processe in the very Heathen there is a Combate or Conflict between the Spirit and the Flesh or between the Mind and the Affections 7. But may not the same part or Facultie of the Reasonable Soul disallow or Condemn at one Time the self same things which at another time it well approves If it may there is no Necessitie of Distinction between the Soul and the Spirit But if there be any Conflict between Reason it self and the Spirit at one and the same time there must needs be a Distinction betwixt them Now it seemes that even whilst the Reasonable Soul doth contrive mischief or give her Consent to things unjust or unexpedient whilst it Hatcheth Haeresie the Conscience doth secretly check it and endeavour to restrain it And this Conscience could not do unlesse it were in some sort distinct from that Reasonable part or Facultie of the Soul which is indued with Freedome of Will For there can be no Conflict but between two different Parties or Capacities 8. This is most Consequent to Plato's Philosophie and to true Theologie For as the Platonicks distinguish between the Soul and the Mind So our Apostle distinguisheth between the Soul of man and the Spirit of Man 1. Thess The Spirit of man is not said to be mortified but Quickened by the Spirit of God 5. 23. And the very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Our Sanctification is not entire or universal in respect of the Parts universal it cannot be in respect of all Degrees untill the Soul as well as the Spirit untill the Body as well as the Soul be thus Sanctified as our Apostle wisheth Every part of man must be in Part or in some good measure Sanctified But before this entire or whole Sanctification can be wrought there must be a Mortification of the Body or of the Flesh and under The Flesh as hath been observed before The Reasonable Soul with its best Faculties is usually comprehended by our Apostle Howbeit we do not read of any Mortification of the Spirit but of Renovation Vivification or Quickening of it 9. What shall we say then That the Spirit or conscience of man is altogether free from the Contagion of the Flesh that it stands in no need of Mortification 1. Cor. 8. 7. St. Paul tells us of some men whose Conscience being Weak is defiled But the Conscience in his Language perhaps is not altogether the same with the Spirit But the Synteresis in all likelyhood is And again He tells us that there be men of Corrupt minds and destitute of the truth which suppose that Gain is Godliness 1. Tim 6. 5. And we read of a Soundnesse of mind 2. Tim. 1. 7. But that defilement or corruption of the Spirit or mind Seemes by our Apostle not to be Ordinary However the mind or Conscience may be polluted by the Contagion of the Flesh yet are they not so radically polluted as the Flesh is The Flesh is the seat of the disease The Idiopathy as Physitians speak is in The Soul the Sympathy only in the Spirit or Conscience So that if the deeds of the Flesh be mortified there needs no peculiar Cure or Mortification of the Spirit So it falls out in diseases of the Bodie If the Protopathie be cured the Sympathy will fall of it self As many are vexed oft times with great Aches or pains in the Head Some with Fitts of the Epilepsie or Falling-Sicknesse when as the root of the disease is in the Stomack In these Cases there needs no peculiar Physick for the Head But cure the Stomack and the Head
because it was thus peremptorily willed commanded or required by God not Objectively Good from eternity the observance of the same thing commanded is now as dangerous and displeasing to God as the neglect or Non-Observance of it in Abrahams in Mosess in the Prophets times had been Hence is that wish of our Apostle Gal. 5. 12. I would they were even out off that trouble you that is I would that they which presse Circumcision upon you and upon your children might be sentenced according to Gods Law enacted against such as during the First Covenant did omit or neglect it 10 Partly from ignorance of this Distinction between the nature of things commanded and forbidden by the Moral and Ceremonial Law partly from ignorance why obedience to the Law of Ceremonies was so strictly enjoyned and the neglect of it so severely punished oft times by Gods immediate hand the Jews were drawn to place as great Sanctity in the observance of Rites and Ceremonies as in sincere obedience to the Moral Precepts This was one main root of their Hypocrisie a sin from which it is scarce possible any hearer of the Word should be free unlesse he be taught to put some difference between the Nature of things Good and Evil of things commanded and forbidden besides the Will or authority of the Commander If the Acts or Injunctions of Gods Will were the onely Rule of Goodnesse and had not eternal Goodness rather for their Rule it would be hard to avoid the Stoical error that all sins are equal besides a kinde of Fatality in humane affairs worse then Stoical The Turks acknowledge Gods Will to be a Rule of Goodnesse as soveraign as the author of the forementioned Epistle doth to be such a Cause of Causes as he would have it But being ignorant or not considering that there is an Immutable goodnesse precedent to the Act or exercise of Gods Wil a Goodness whereof his Wil however considered is no Cause For it is Coeternal to his Wil to his Wisdom and Essence they fall into grosly absurd errours And consequently unto this their ignorance or to the common error that all things are Good onely because God willeth them they sometimes highly commend and sometimes deeply discommend the self same practises for quality and circumstances with as great vehemency of zeal and spirit and with as fair Protestations of obedience in all things to Gods Will as any other men do For Selimus to attempt the deposition of his Father was in their Divinitie a good and godly Act. For Bajazet to take arms against his Brother vvas an abominable impietie What vvas the reason Injects sortè Bajazetis mentione coepit Chiaussus in eum inclementiùs invehi quod arma sumpsisset contra fratrem Ego contrà dicebam videri mihi miseratione dignum cui inevitabilis necessitas imposita esset aut capiendorum armorum aut certae pestis subeundae Sed cum Chiaussus nihilominùs exeerari pergeret Vos inquam immanis facinoris reum facitis Bajazetem At Selimum hujus Imperatoris patrem qui non modò contra patris voluntatem verùâ—s etiam salutem arma tulit nullius criminis arguitis Rectè inquit Chiaussus nam rerum exitus satis docuit illum quod fecit divino fecisse instinctu coelitùs fuisse praedestinatum Tum ego si hoe more agetur quicquid quamvis pessimo Consilio susceptum si benè cedat rectè factum interpretabimini Dei voluntati adscribetis Deum facietis authotem mali nec quicquam benè aut sequiùs factum nisi ex eventu pendetis Sumus aliquandiu in hoe sermone commorati cum uterque non sine animorum vocis contentione quod proposuisset defenderet Collecta utrinque plura sacrae scripturae loca Nunquid potest vas dicere figulo Cur me ita finxâ—sti Indurabo cor Pharaonis Jacob dilexi Esaâ— odio habui atque alia ut veniebant in mentem Auger Busbequ Epist 4. Selimus his attempt found good successe for he prevailed against his Father and this vvas an Argument that it vvas Gods Wil that he should so do But Bajazet miscarries in his attempt against his brother and his disaster vvas a proof sufficient that God vvas displeased vvith his attempt it vvas not his Will that he should prosper And seeing his Will is the only Rule of Goodnesse seeing he did predestinate these tvvo Princes as he did Jacob and Esau the one to a good end the other to an Evil the self same Fact or Attempt vvas good in the one but vvicked in the other We all condemn it as an error in the Turk for measuring the difference betvveen good and evil by the Event But even this errour hath an Original which is worse They therefore measure all good and evill by the Event because they ascribe all Events without exception to the Irresistible Will of God Ex quo satis constitit non Avi misericordin eó usque Nepoti parcitum sed ex opinione quae Turcis insedit ut res quocunque consilio institutas si benè cadunt ad Deum auctorem refarant Proptoreà quamdio incertum suit quem exitum Bajazetis conatus sortirentur abstinendas ab insantis injuria manus Suleimannus statuit nesi postmodùmres meliùs vertisser obniti voluntati Dei voluisse videretur Sed nunc illo extincto ac veluti divina sententia damnato causam esse non putabat cur filio diutiùs parceretur Ne malum ovum ex malo corvo relinqueretur Ibidem and think that nothing can fall out otherwise then it doth because every thing is irresistibly appointed by Gods Will which in their Divinitie is such a necessarie Cause of Causes and by Consequence of all Effects as the Author of the said Epistle would have it to be Whosoever he be whether Jew Turk or Christian which thinks that all Events are so irresistibly decreed by God that none can fall out otherwise then they do must of necessity grant either that there is no moral evil under the Sunne or that Gods will which is the Cause of Causes is the only Cause of such evil 11 But is the like sin or errour expresly to be found in Israel Do any make the same Fact for nature qualitie and substance to be no sin in one man and yet a sin in another or to be a little sin in one man and a grievous outcrying sin in another Though they do not avouch this of rebellious attempts against Prince and State or of other like publick Facts Cognoscible by humane Law yet the Principles of Praedestination commonly held by them and the Turk draw them to the like Inconveniences in transforming the immutable Rule of Goodnesse into the similitude of their partial affections in other Cases The Adulterie and murther which David committed had been grievous sins in any other man but in David being predestinated they were but sins of infirmitie sins by which the outward man was defiled not the inward man Such
by his Blood were the Deliverance of mankind from the powers of darkness and the inheritance of the kingdom of Light 4. The Parallel between the Institution of the Passover and of the Lords Supper or of the two Inheritances bequeathed the one by Moses the other by Christ is so plain that it needs no Comment It only requires a diligent Reader or Hearer or what is wanting on the ordinary Hearers part may be supplied by every ordinary Catechist before the receiving of the Sacramental Pledges One point yet remaines more pertinent to the unfolding of our Apostles meaning Heb. 9. ver 15. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by meanes 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 necessitie be the death of the Testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testator liveth And it is this As the Israelites did not enter upon the inheritance or take possession of the Land of Canaan till after Moses the Testator or Mediator of the old Testament was dead so neither was the Kingdom of Heaven our everlasting inheritance set open to all or any Beleivers until Christ Jesus the Testator or Mediator of the new Testament was crucified dead buried and raysed again to immortal Glorie Since which time as is the King so is the Kingdom or inheritance bequeathed so is the Testament it self being sealed by his bloody death All and every of them Truely Everlasting CHAP. XLVIII The Parallel between the most Solemn Services of the Law and The One Sacrifice of Christ And The high praeeminence and efficacie of This in comparison of Those The Romanists Doctrin that in the Masse Christs Body is Identically Carnally present and that there is a proper Sacrifice Propitiatorie offered derogates from the Absolute Perfection of Christs offering himself Once for all 1. THe principal Termes of proportion in this Parallel which serve as so many several Kens or Markes for the right survaying of it are The services of the Law or the Offices of Legal Priests and the Perpetual Function of our High Priest The services of the Law wherein our Apostle instanceth are the Principal and most Solemn Sacrifices which were injoyned to the Priests after the order of Aaron The One Sort whereof were Anniversaries as of Bullockes and Goates and to be offered every year upon the day of Attonement and so to be offered from the First Erection of the Tabernacle in the wilderness so long as the Law of Ceremonies was de Jure to continue untill our Saviours death upon the Cross since which time all Bloody Sacrifice have lost their Legal Vse The Other service was That Sacrifice of the Red Heifer and the Consecration of water by the sprinkling or mingling her Ashes which perhaps was not Anniversarie nor often put in practice from the time of Moses his Death untill the Ascension of our Saviour into heaven Now our Apostle takes it as granted that if these choice Sacrifices of Attonment and of the Red Cow were altogether unsufficient to purifie the Hearts and Consciences or the Soules and Spirits of sinful men the Ordinary or meaner sacrifices of the Law were much more unsufficient to all such purposes as the Sacrifices of our high Priest was Alsufficient to all such purposes as the Sacrifice of our high Priest was Alsufficient and most Efficacious for The Eminency of Christs bloudie Sacrifice upon the Cross in respect of all Legal sacrifices of what rank soever consisteth First in the Efficacy which it had and hath for Remission of all sins committed against the Moral Law of God that is of all such sins as immediately pollute the reasonable Soul and Conscience The least degree of such Purification no Legal Sacrifices could immediatly effect reach or touch To what Use then did they directly serve or what was the proper Effect unto which they were immediately terminated That was the Purification of mens Bodyes from meere Legal uncleannesse that is from all such negligences Ignorances or Casual Occurrences as not being expiated by the Priest did exclude the parties so offending from the Tabernacle of the Congregation Or as our Apostle speakes to Purifie them from such uncleannesses of the flesh as did but foreshadow or picture the uncleanness of the soul or the dead works of sinne All which being not expiated by a more excellent Priest then any was after the order of Aaron will exclude all from entring into the heavenly Tabernacle 2. Such Legal uncleannesse as did exclude the Parties polluted with it from the Tabernacle of the Congregation was many waies contracted as by touching of the dead by eating of Meats forbidden by the Law or by not eating meates allowed of by the Law according to the Rule or Prescript for such Ceremonial Services or by the like Omissions or Practises which were not in their own nature or to all men sinful but sinful in the Seed of Jacob only to whom they were Evill only because forbidden not forbidden because they were evill in their own nature Even in regard of such shadows or Typical Offices for Purifying men Legally unclean the best and most solemn Sacrifices of the Law though offered once at least every year and otherwise as often as dayly Occasions or Occurrences did require were no way so efficacious or Effectual as the One Sacrifice of the Son of God offered by himself but Once for all is for the perpetual Purifying of our Soules from the Dead works of sin and for our Consecration to the everlasting service of the everliving God which is that Freedom indeed wherewith his only Son hath promised to set all such Free as Believe in his Name and Abide in his word John 8. 3. The Eminencie of Christs Priesthood and Sacrifice above the Priesthood and Services of the Law is deeply wronged by the Doctrine and Practise of Secular and Regular Roman-Catholick Priests as they do term themselves and so is our Apostles Doctrine in the ninth and tenth Chapters to the Hebrews more peremptorily contradicted by them then it was by the Incredulous or unbelieving Jews in his life time The Western Anti-Christ so the Lutherans distinguish them hath in this particular so farr out-bid the Antichrist of the East that if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Law-opposer or man of sin were to be followed close with Howant-Cry or his Footsteps to be traced for these nine hundred years by the Christian Kingdoms or States the Chase and Cry would sooner fall into Rome or Trent then into Constantinople though That no question be now the seat of Gog and Magog or of the Eastern Antichrist That Contradiction of Sinners which our Saviour Christ did indure here on Earth Heb. 12. 3. improved by the Roman Church in later dayes against all such as
rightly believe in him specially against such as duly administer his holy Sacraments may with its improvement be concludently inferred by the Tenents and daily Practises of that Church both which are as punctually and as fully contradictory to the Doctrine of the Author of this Epistle Chap. 9. and 10. and to many other principal Maxims of Christian Religion as any Doctrine Tenent or Practise can be one to another For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continually to make the Comers thereunto perfect For then would they not have ceased to be offered because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of Sins But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sinnes every year For it is not possible that the bloud of Bulls and Goates should take away sins c. Heb. 10. 1 2 3 4. By the which we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL. And every Priest standeth daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sinnes But this man or rather this Priest after he had offered ONE SACRIFICE for sinnes for ever sat doâ—n on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Whereof the holy Ghost also is a witness to us for after that he had said before this is the Covenant that will make with them after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more Now where Remission of these is there is no more offering for Sin ver 10. to 18. 4. The force of our Apostles Inference and the very Pith of his Discourse throughout these Passages presented to the Readers View doth more punctually refute the Doctrine of the Romish Masse then it did the Contradicting Jews or other Blasphemers of Christs Name and Office either before or since this Divine Epistle was written The Pith and Marrow of all his Arguments consists in This That even the best of Legal Sacrifices or services were they bloudy or unbloudy were altogether Unsufficient to Purifie the Conscience could never take away sin Because They were to be Reiterated the best and most solemn of them every Year and many of them every Day others as oft as Casual Occasions did require Now if this Argument be Concludent as no Christian can denie it to be against the Jews which pleaded for the Sufficiencie of Legal Sacrifices it will conclude a fortiori or with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb 9. 14. against the absolute Perfection or Sufficiencie of our Saviours Sacrifice of Himself supposing that it should be as the Romanists teach Thus much it will inevitably inferre according to the Peremptory Canons of the Roman Church which plainly teach and under pain of damnation injoyn all Christians to believe that Christs Body and Bloud That very same Body that very same bloud which were once offered by himself upon the Crosse are daily offered by the Masle-Priest Or as if this were not enough to out-vie the Jewish Synagogue in the Sin of Contradiction to Christ they adde that every such offering is a propitiatorie Sacrifice as well for some that be dead as for the living And I think such Oblations as they make do the one sort as little good or as little harm as they doe the other unlesse they sollicite the Priest to make this kind of Attonement for them But to such Sollicitors or Executors of such Sollicitations both Doctrine and Practise must needs create as great danger as any Heresie or Branch of Contradicting Infidelitie hath done or can do to the mainteiners of it This Branch of the Roman Churches Doctrine doth as punctually Contradict that Fundamental Doctrine Heb. 9. 13. If the bloud of Bullocks and Goats c. as it doth the forecited Passages Heb. 10. 5. But the authorized practise of consecrating their Holy water for remission of sinnes and Sanctification is most palpably Contradictory to our Apostles meaning or to the meaning of the holy Spirit in that other Instance of the Water of Sprinkling wherein the Ashes of the Red Cow were Special Ingredients and gave the vertue and Tincture unto it for purifying men from such Legal uncleannesse as the best Ceremonies of the Law and This Water in special was Consecrated for The Law for the Consecrating This water and the Use or Ends for which it was Consecrated we have Numb 19. The mistaking of which place and the gross misse-use of the like water solemnly consecrated by that Canonical Authoritie which the Romish Church doth challenge â—ver all other Churches is set down in such plain terms that no honest hearted Roman Catholick specially of the English Scotish Netherlandish or German Nation if he be able to read the New Testament in his own Native Language but he will be either heartily sorry for Alexander the fifth who made this Canon or at least ashamed that their Forefathers should approve it or that it should be practised by their Instructers if they would permit them to have the reason of the Canon or Decree rightly translated into a Language which they understand The Canon with the Glosse upon it is here transcribed in the same words wherein it was first conceived and published In Decreti 3. part de Consecrat distinct 3. c. 20. prout habetur in Corpore Juris Canonici Jussu Gregorii 13. Lugd. impressâ— Anno 1618. 6. Sic se habet Glossa in hunc locum Aquam Sale Haec est decima pars distinct Secundùm Jo. de Fant CASUS Quaeritur cur aqua cum sale benedicatur Et respondetur ut ea homines aspersi sanctificentur Cum enim in vetere Testamento cinis vitulae sanctificabat sal per manum Helisaei Prophetae sanavit sterilitatem aquae multò magis aqua cum sale benedicta omnia conspersa purificat Aquam sale u ¶ Aquam Sale Quia per aquam confessio per salem amaritudo signatur morsio unde haec est mistura unde geminus procedit partus divisio sc delictorum ortus virtutum bonorum operum 32. q. 1. c. Cum renuntiatur Haec designata est per mistionem Judae qui confessio dicitur Hu stands for Hugo Card. Arch. for Archidiaconus su for supra in for infra Thamar quae amaritudo dicitur unde Phares divisio Zaran ortus geminus sc partus provenit H U. conspersam populis benedicimus ut eâ cuncti aspersi sanctificentur x ¶ Sanctificentur Quaeritur quomodo aqua benedicta dicatur populum sanctificare vel mundare ADDITIO Ad hoc potest responderi secundum id quod no Su. ea dist 2. c. Signum in
work and Labour of Love which ye have shewed towards his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and dâ—minister Had it been any injustice in God to have forgotten their former works if it had their works were truly meritorious or capable of reward by plea of justice For that work unto which reward without injustice cannot be denyed is meritorious or worthy of the reward yet the Apostle implies that God should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unjust If he had so utterly excluded these Hebrews from entring into his Rest as he did their Forefathers from entring into the land of Promise For albeit their later works had been much like their forefathers yet their former works had been much better But in what sense doth the Apostle say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is not unjust 7. This word Injustus is sometimes no more than non benignus or non misericors that is See Book 9. Ch. 12. Numb 3. not bountiful or not merciful to such as are in miserie Though works of pitie of bountie be not works of justice or equitie yet sometimes he that shewes pitie or favour though in Cases wherein the positive Law of God requireth Justice or severe execution if the case come before the Magistrate is said to deal justly that is not rigorously not hardly So the Holy Ghost when he gives the reason why Joseph did not seek publickly to be divorced from his espoused wife THE BLESSED VIRGIN saith he did thus resolve because he was A Just Man that is a Courteous and mild-hearted man Not a just man according to strict and Legal justice For by the positive Law of God the crime which he suspected was punishable not with divorce only but with death If Joseph then in resolving to put away his espoused wife privately did the part of a just and upright man he had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an unjust man in our Apostles sense if he had resolved to use the remedie or benefit of the Law Yet can no man be said strictly or properly to be unjust for using any lawful remedie but non benignus or non mitis he may be said to deal rigorously or hardly or uncourteously in using the extremitie of the Law To apply this Distinction to the Point in question If God had excluded these Hebrewes from entring into his Rest after they had accomplished such a measure of works as the Apostle there intimates he had not been so merciful and bountiful unto them as the Scripture teacheth he is to all he had not shewed himself so gratious a Lord nor given such incouragements to his other servants of not being wearie of weldoing as he alwaies useth to do Briefly when the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Phrase in the Original is as much as if he had said so farr is God from being unjust that you shall find him a most gratious and Loving Father so farr will he be from forgetting your works and labour of Love so farr from cutting you off from entring into his Rest that he will remember you with his best blessings even with the blessing of Salvation however your late backslidings have deserved the contrary But however God be a Gratious and loving Father to all that call upon him to all that are within his Covenant but especially to his Elect albeit this his Gratiousness consists in the not imputing or in remitting of their sinnes yet is there not the least sinne which any within his Covenant or which any of his Elect do commit whose Pardon must not be sought for after the Commission of it and must actually be obteined otherwise they should dye in their sinnes for though the Son of God did take away the sinnes of the whole world by his sufferings upon the Crosse yet were no mans sinnes so taken away by him or so dissolv'd as that he from that time did cease or yet doth cease to dissolve them whensoever they are committed and their dissolution by repentance sought for Unlesse he did yet dissolve the works of the Divel in us unlesse he did yet in peculiar manner remit sinnes even our pettie sinnes would inchain us unto the servitude of Satan St. Jâ—hn no way excludes the Elect but speakes to men regenerate albeit not to them alone when he saith If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2. 1. Now the Office of an Advocate is to plead his Clients Cause before his Judge as either for Justice if his Cause be good or for mercy or mitigation of Justice if his Client be delinquent God we know is as well a God of Justice as of mercy and hath as well one ear open to the Accusations which are brought against us as another attentive to the Intercessions which are made for us Satan is our professed Adversarie and after he hath inticed us to do his work he never ceaseth to sollicit the Execution of Gods Justice or vengeance upon us Not the best of Gods Saints may at any time plead their own cause or ioyn this Issue with him Lord Let Justice be awarded with speed either for us or against us either let our Adversarie be condemned for accusing us falsely or let us be condemned with him if we have done unjustly This were to become not our own Advocates which yet were presumption but to turn Satans Sollicitors even to suplicate for wo and vengeance upon our own soules David hath taught us the Form of our Plea with God even whilest we stand upon best termes Lord enter not into Judgement with this thy servant for no flesh is righteous in thy sight 9. But will the Almighty Judge of all the world be so unmindfull of his Great Attribute as to deny Execution of Judgement upon such as have deserved it being thereunto sollicited and importuned by his professed Adversarie or will The Son of God be so Partial as to plead for their acquittal which confess themselves Guiltie of the Crimes Objected To this we Answer 1. God hath Two Covenants One of Justice Another of Mercy And albeit God The Father should do us no wrong no injustice but do Himself right if he did upon Every accusation instantly Condemn us yet seeing His Onely Son hath by a full and alsufficient price purchased a Reconciliation for us He may maintaine the plea of Justice even before the Almighty Judge against our Adversarie for us Or haveing satisfied the Justice of God for all the sinnes of mankinde He may Remove our Tryal from the Barre of Justice to the Throne of Grace and mercy 2. Neither God the Father could deny Execution of Justice upon us nor could God the Son plead so much as for our Reprival if we should stand upon our own integritie or our own Justification so that Our Confession of Guilt is so farre from doing us preiudice that it is a most necessary Condition of our Acquittal If God the Father
Wrath against sinne and sinners vvas not appeased nor could be appeased by this kind of bloudy sacrifices All this the yearly and daily offering of bloudy sacrifices did clearly testifie unto the consciences of such as offered them And that so often as God required these sacrifices he did call their sins unto remembrance and as it vvere by matter of Fact proclaim unto the World that as yet his Wrath against sin vvas not could not be appeased by these or the like kind of Sacrifices But inasmuch as the Law though in it-self imperfect and therefore could make nothing perfect vvas yet an Introduction to a better Hope the continual reiteration or repetition of these bloudy sacrifices did teach such as used them aright to expect a more sufficient bloudy sacrifice vvhich should fully appease the vvrath of God and Testifie unto mens consciences that he did remember their sins no more in such sort as during the time of the Law he had done that is there should be no more exchange or commutation of punishment no solemn remembrance of sinne by any sacrifice of what kind soever for sin but this one sacrifice should suffice for all 4. That we may ascend by degrees unto the infinite value and everlasting Effiâ—acie of the sacrifice of the sonne of God we are in the first place to consider the odds or difference between this only Sacrifice and the sacrifices of the Law The odds or differences between them may be reduced unto these Two Heads First To the Diversitie of their immediate Effects Secondly To their different Efficacie or proportion for effecting the several Ends to which they were especially destinated 1. The Immediate effect of the bloudy Sacrifices of the Law was to cleanse or purifie the offerers from sinnes committed against the Law of Ceremonies and this as the Apostle termes it was a Purification or Sanctification according to the flesh Howbeit this Sanctification was a shadow or picture of that purification of the Conscience or Sanctification of the Spirit which was to be effected by the bloody Sacrifice of the Son of God 2. The sacrifices of the Law were no way so Powerfull or sufficient for effecting the Sanctifying of the flesh as the Sacrifice of the Son of God is for effecting the Sanctification of the spirit and Conscience There was no one kind of Legal sacrifices which might make a full attonement for all sinnes or sinners against the Law of Ceremonies For every different sin or legal uncleanness they had for the most part a different kind of sacrifice or offering And if a man had been this day cleansed by sacrifice from some particular sin or legal uncleanness and had fallen again unto the like to morrow the blood of the former sacrifice could not stead him the second time Every particular relaps into the same sin was to have a particular offering or fresh Sacrifice though of the same kind with the former 5. The infinite value of the Bloody Sacrifice of the Son of God may from this imperfection of the legall sacrifices be distinctly apprehended if we consider that not the Jew onely but the Gentiles one and other were Enemies and rebells against God all by nature the sonnes of wrath and perdition and yet the favour of reconciliation for all that then were or afterwards should be albeit this world should continue a million of years was purchased by this one bloody Sacrifice as by a just and full price What sinnes soever any man had committed they did not prejudice his Interest in the pardon purchased it was universal in respect of al sinners and in respect of all sinnes The Almighty Father's wrath against mankind was by this Onely Sacrifice so well appeased so fully satisfied that he is ready to receive all into the favour and Privilege of sonnes which will with due reverence accept of the Pardon offered and sue it out by such meanes as he hath appointed Now this Vniversal Favour for all men to whom nothing but vengeance was in Justice due could not possibly be purchased by any Sacrifice which was not of Value absolutely infinite But to grant an absolute Pardon not onely for all sinnes past before the acceptance of the Pardon but for willfull obstinacie or continuance in sinne or rebellion after so Gratious a Proclamation of Pardon could be no Effect of Gods infinite Mercy no Fruits of Christs infinite Merits For infinite Merits cannot benefit men altogether unqualified or uncapable of them And Mercy infinite must retaine the nature of mercy it reacheth not beyond the proper Object of mercy And the proper Object of mercy is penitencie or sorrow for Misdemeanors past or present Willfull continuance or obstinacie in exorbitant courses or contempt of mercy offered is the Object of Justice or indignation 6. But besides the Infinite Value we are to acknowledge the infinite or Everlasting Efficacie or Operative Vertue of this bloody Sacrifice of the Son of God Want of distinguishing between these two hath occasioned many Errours or oversights in Divinitie That there is a Distinction to be put betwixt them we may thus conceive Suppose the Son of God immediately after he had payed the ransom for our sinnes or in that Instant in which he said Consummatum Est all is finished had deposed or layed aside the humane nature in which he was conceived and born to the end and purpose that he might dye in it or according to it his offering or Sacrifice had been of Value infinite in that it could purchase so Vniversal a Pardon at Gods hands for all sinners and for all sinnes Yet if he had laid aside the humane nature immediately after his suffering The Everlasting Efficacie of this infinite Sacrifice had been cut off Now besides the infinite price of our redemption which was then Payd when Christ said Consummatum Est another End of his assumption and retaining the humane nature was that we might be partakers of the Everlasting Vertue of his Sacrifice and Priesthood And herein doth this Sacrifice truely differ from the sacrifices of the Law from all sacrifices whatsoever in that we obtaine remission of sinnes by it and through it not onely as it was once offered but by the reall Communication of its Vertue unto our soules If there were any use or need of a second third or reiterated offering of it the Vertue and Efficacie of it could not be imagined to be perpetually everlasting or Uncessant but endlesse or uncessant onely by Vicissitude or Turn in such a sense as we say the Moone shall be Eclipsed to the worlds end Yet is it not eclipsed at all times but at some speciall times throughout all Ages of the world But if both the Value of the Sacrifice be truely infinite and the Vertue of it everlasting without interruption or discontinuation more Uncessant than the Motion of the heavens or the Rest of the earth The often offering of the Sacrifice after what manner soever is superfluous and blasphemous The true
of this discourse ver 32. is apparent is That they sought salvation not by Faith but by works not by relyance on Gods Power or Promises but by Confidence in these Carnal Prerogatives 6. As it is dangerous to assign any Cause of Reprobation without warrant of Scripture so is it a Preposterous presumption to pronounce their Persons Reprobated or accursed whom the Scripture hath proclaimed for Blessed Yet some in our times unlesse my memory fail me have ranked Ismael amongst the Reprobates when as Moses hath registred the Grant of Abrahams Petition for him Gen. 17. 20. As for Ishmael I have heard thee Behold I have blessed him Now Abraham doubtlesse did pray in Faith and his Faith questionless did as well respect the Kingdom of God and his righteousnesse as the blessings of this Life Yea his Prayer for him was conceived in that very form which as I have learned from some too rigid in the doctrine of reprobation is the true Character of Gods Elect and Chosen And for justifying their observation of this use of the Phrase in other places of Scripture they alledge this Petition of Abraham Gen. 17. 18. O that Ishmael might live before thee which is as if he had said O that thou wouldest take Ishmael to be thy servant and admit him into thy favour Just Abraham prayes for and the Almightie grants I shmaels admission into that presence of God from which David desires he might not be cast out Psal 51. 11. 7. But whatsoever became of Ishmael Our Apostle foresaw the proud Jew would Except against this instance as they did against the like of our Saviours John 8. 41. We are not born of fornication We are Abrahams sons not by the Bondwoman but by Sarah and why then Twit'st thou us with Ishmael His Rejoynder followeth in the next words to this effect Esau was Isaacs Son by Rebecca conceived at the same time and born before your Father Jacob who notwithstanding got the blessing of Birthright from him Was Esau therefore an accursed Reprobate God knowes I cannot tell The bounds of my present enquirie is to what End or Use this Instance is brought by our Apostle and how it inferrs the Conclusion here in this 16. verse Now from our Apostles Principal Intent or Scope we can gather no other pertinent Use of his Instances in Esau and Jacob save only this That God in his allseeing wisdom did by these Types mystically forewarn their Posteritie as John Baptist his Messenger and his Son our Lord and Saviour expresly and literally afterwards did not to stand on their Genealogie their Birthright or other Prerogatives wherein flesh and bloud Abrahams seed above all others were apt to boast but wholly to betake themselves to his Promises The Circumstances which evince and justifie this Observation are remarkably contained in the holy Stories whereto our Apostle as his manner is briefly and in Transcursu referrs us that we might see the Truth which he taught with our own eyes and Rear our Faith upon the same Foundations from which his faith had been raised Abraham after God had promised him I will make of thee a mightie Nation In thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed did yet suspect lest all this might be fulfilled in his heir by Adoption though by Birth a stranger and by condition a servant untill the Lord made a fuller Declaration of his meaning Gen. 15. 4. This. Eliezer shall not be thine heir but he that shall come forth of thine owne bowels he shall be thine heir After all this Sarah complains Behold now the Lord hath restrained me from bearing And Abraham hearkening to her counsel which this distrust had suggested took Hagar her maid to wife hopeing the former promise might be accomplished in her Off-spring as it is Gen. 16. Abraham to speak with Reverence of his Infirmitie did herein mistake the Tenour of Gods promise as he had done once before And to rectifie his error God further explicates his meaning in promising Isaac Gen. 17. 15. c. Now that which our Apostle would have us specially to observe is That the Almighty in thus crossing righteous Abrahams Will and purpose first to make Eliezer then Ishmael his heir did hereby give posteritie to understand They were not to relye on the Will of man or any Inventions of flesh and blood for attaining the blessing but meerly on His Will revealed who is able and willing to effect his promise though by meanes more miraculous then was Isaacs birth or to use S. Iohn Baptists words though it were by raising up children out of stones to Abraham 8. Isaac also had a greater longing to bestow his birth-right upon Esau his eldest son then to eat of his Venison for he sent him out to catch it to the end he might blesse him with greater chearfulnesse And Esau was more forward to gratifie his old fathers desire then was his brother Jacob. Yet that posterity might alwaies bear in memory the blessing did neither depend on Isaacs Willingnesse to bestow it nor on Esau's Running to deserve it of his father but wholly and meerely on Gods purpose Rebecca to whom his purpose was long before made known findes a meanes to derive the Birth-right to her Younger son while the Elder was rangeing abroad to compasse it It seemes she had not imparted the Oracle to old Isaac before Or He perhaps had forgotten it untill the Event did call the meaning of it to his memory And this perchance may be the reason why he is so patient of Circumvention by his wife as now perceiving it to be the Lords doing However the Lord before the children were born before they had done either good or evill had told Rebecca their mother That the Nation which should spring from the Elder should be the weaker and serve the off-spring of the Younger And from this intimation she wisely gathered that the Birth-right or blessing was according to the Tenour of Gods Free Donation to be convaied unto the Younger Had not this purpose of the Almightie been revealed before the children had been born before either father or mother could have had any reason to affect the one more then the other Iacobs posterity as they have been too foolish and arrogant would have baosted That either their father Iacob or his mother Rebecca which loved him more then his brother Esau had better observed those rites and customes wherein they placed righteousnesse then Isaac or Esau had done and that God upon these motives had bestowed the birth-right or blessing upon Jacob before Esau And to no other Purpose for ought I can by Analogie of Scripture conceive save only to Prevent this pride and hypocrisie in the Iew or to leave it without excuse doth our Apostle note that Circumstance of the Story before they were borne or had done good or evill 9. But as this takes away the former Reply or Apologie so it breeds a new Objection for did not God
by his Law allot the First-born a double Portion and give him in every respect the Preeminence of his brethren If this Law were just and right were it not unrighteousnesse in God to bereave Esau of his Birth-right or other Prerogative before he had offended the Law or the Lawgiver before he had done good or evil No He bestowed a greater Inheritance upon Esau then either his Father Isaac or his brother Jacob lived possessed of greater then by any customary Lawes of Nations he could lay claim unto And the First-born among the sons of Jacob were bound to blesse him for his Goodnesse in allowing them a double Portion in blessings temporal But he had forewarned them as well by his own practise in Jacobs Case as by his Instructions given to Moses not to seek his special Goodness by Plea of Law or by custom of Nations not to urge his own Law concerning Blessings temporal to Over-rule his Will in bestowing Blessings Spiritual All then which our Apostle meant in his Reply to this Objection Is there unrighteousnesse with God is no more in effect then This God hath reserved it as an Eternal Prerogative to himself To have mercy on whom he will have mercy and to have compassion on whom he will have compassion not on them whom the present sons of Jacob think worthyest of mercy and compassion because they are Abrahams seed or because they being Gentiles love their Nation and build them Synagogues Cerah and Dathan with their Complices because some of these men descended from Levi as Moses and Aaron did others from Reuben Jacobs eldest son thought themselves men as holy and just at least as capable of Gods Favour and Graces as Moses was But Gods judgment of them was farre otherwise And when man hath done what he list or what he can God will use his own judgment and not his in the disposing of mercy and judgment for he worketh all things according to the counsel of his Will Whatsoever the devices of mans heart be That must stand So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy 10. What is not of him that willeth what is not of him that runneth Neither Election nor Salvation nor any Spiritual Grace thereto tending The Proposition is Vniversally Negative neither First Plantation nor Increase neither the Beginning Middle or Ending nor any other part of any Spiritual blessing is in the Power of Man All and every Parts is from God alone that sheweth mercy And so I come to the second Inquirie The second Enquirie To what end or purpose this universal Assertion is referred The discussion whereof will justifie my interpretation of former Passages For surely our Apostle intended no more in the Premisses then is contained in the main Conclusion Non est volentis c. Is it then to no purpose what End the man as yet unregenerate Propose to his Will whether good or bad Or after the End proposed skils it nothing what choise he make of Meanes Or after choise of meanes no matter how he prosecute them whether carelesly and slothfully or with diligence and alacritie See Chap. 32. and Fol. 3143. 2. Note Suppose we were to preach to a Congregation of which the most part were not for ought discreet Charitie could presume in the State of Grace nor assured of their salvation and yet desirous to use the Meanes for attaining this Assurance should we from this Doctrine tell them all were one in respect of their Conversion or Regeneration whether they confessed one God or no whether they sware by His Name in Truth and judgement or use it rashly and vainly whether they prophane the Sabbaths or religiously observe them whether they run to suspicious houses or repaire to the Temple whether they be willing to hear a lascivious song or a Sermon Common talk or Common Prayers upon Festival or solemn dayes Or doth the undoubted truth of this Doctrine to witt Jacob was elected before he had done good or evill sufficiently warrant us to make this Vse of it to an unregenerate Audience Seek ye neither to do good nor evil till ye be elected for do ye what ye can if Gods Will be to convert you ye shall be converted at the time appointed if it be not his Will to have you converted do what you can ye shall never be converted No Minister of God that understands himself but would be more affraid of these Consequences then Moses was of his Rod when it was turned into a serpent And yet unlesse these Inferences be true Every Will every Purpose and endeavour of man is not Excluded by the former Vniversal Negative from being availeable as Meanes ordinarily necessary but only from being Meritorious Causes of Regeneration or Legall Titles to Election Some Will and some kind of endeavours are in their kind as effectual as others are idle and impertinent or demeritorious of Gods Grace to convert us 11. If we consider in heart that the principal and last End of our Apostles endless Pilgrimages and indefatigable labours in the Gospel was to gain multitudes of soules unto Christ that the meanes subordinate to this End was to encourage all without exception to come and to shew them the way as he doth in this Epistle by which they must come to wit not by Workes but by Faith We shall much wrong St. Paul and our own soules more if we apply these words It is not of him that willeth c. to any other purpose or stretch them further then thus Every man must sincerely and truely renounce his own will that he may unfeignedly submit himself to Gods will Every man must utterly revoke his own waies and abandon those courses wherein flesh and blood most delight that he may run as we say with Might and Maine to Gods mercies and freely denying himself wholly betake himself unto them Or taking the whole Proposition It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy It s all one as if he had said It is to no purpose what ye will or whither ye run unlesse ye run unto Gods promses made in Christ By proving most excellent in any other course of life though in the excellent knowledge of the Law unlesse withall ye bend your course unto this mark which I set before you you may make your selves such as God hath decreed to harden for as he sheweth mercy on whom he will shew mercy So whom he will he hardeneth 12. But doth this Conclusion of the Apostle's any way import that God should deny mercy to any that unfainedly seek it It rather implies that he shewes mercy to all such in abundance The Principal and most Pertinent Sense of Gods Words urged by our Apostle as they respect Mose's Petition concerning himself is this Where I shew mercy I will shew mercy to the purpose For when He had told Moses that he would proclaim His Name