sin and look out for a farther remedy than the Law could afford That he might renounce and disclaim all beside God and take him only for his helper by flying from the Throne of his Law and Justice to the seat of his Grace and Mercy admiring and praising the superexcellency of his Grace above all his Works and for ever after deny any hope or comfort in any thing save in the free Grace of God 2. God put Man under the administration of the Gospel of Grace to convince him of God's love and favour unsought for and undeserved That he might see that there was help in the Creatour alone that he might adore and praise his Redeemer and rejoyce in his Love and enjoy his Rewards in full satisfaction to his Soul for ever O the riches of the glory of God's Grace that hath done more than his Law or Justice could do We should never have been undeceived nor unpunished without Grace but had been for ever sinful and miserable without it but now if we will we may be for ever holy and happy with it There was a spirit of Rule and Direction in the Law there is a spirit of Help and Assistance in the Gospel There was a spirit of Anger and Wrath in the Law there is a spirit of Love and Favour in the Gospel There was a spirit of Punishment and Death in the Law there is a spirit of Pardon and Life in the Gospel So God attains to his ends and designs by Grace His end and design is to save and in order thereto to relinquish the rigour of his Justice and draw them out of the fire that run into it by the offer of his Grace To throw out a cord of Love to them that will catch hold of it after they have plunged themselves into a gulf of wickedness So much God delights in his best and greatest Works And now after all this if we will not be saved but sin wilfully or trust to our own Righteousness we can have no excuse Before men might say something though not sufficient that they had no strength to avoid sin though they had sufficient from that dispensation of Grace that then was and that the Law made them know and desire sin more though not properly this last to make them desire it but because forbidden therefore their Lust made them the more desire it But now what can they say They are sinful and therefore miserable Here is Grace to make them holy and happy What shall they do to be saved They must accept this Grace and they shall be saved by it Will they accept or will they not If they will they may nothing hinders them They are not under the Law but under Grace The Lust in their Members strives to hinder them but cannot without their consent The World and the Devil tempt them by their Lust to hinder them but cannot without their consent This is the last and great Remedy of Sin and Misery this will do if men will take it else nothing can do How can a sick man be cured that will not take his Medicine How can any thing do any man good against his will Salvation it self cannot save those that will not be saved Now every mouth must be stopped God can nor will do no more than he hath done What could I have done more for my Vineyard which I have not done c. He hath given the World to understand his two great dispensations of the Law and Gospel 1. How the Law was a Rule to direct and reward those that kept it and punish them that broke it but Lust by it deceived us into sin and misery 2. How the Gospel is a Help as well as a Rule to save those that embrace it and Lust cannot deceive us by it into sin or misery but obstinacy and refusal may and will dam up all hope God therefore hath left off his Threats and Poenal dispensations to all faithful Souls Though he do inflict some Judgments as he did before yet not in that manner nor for that end as formerly The Unbelieving are justly punished but the Faithful are fatherly corrected This is a dispensation of mercy even in Afflictions to them 1. The assistances of the Spirit and the comforts thereof do abundantly recompense and moderate the pains of the flesh 2. The hope of Rewards engages them against hope to believe in hope Still God draws by the cords of Love by Perswasions and Entreaties not by Threats or Compulsions Understand therefore O Man the work of God's grace toward thee Whereas by Law and the Righteousness thereof thou art deceived in trusting to thy self breaking the Law by Lust By Grace and the Righteousness of God thou art not deceived in trusting to Christ fulfilling the Law by love A Covenant of Works by Law could not save thee for they are external only A Covenant of Faith by Grace can save thee by internal Righteousness So no Salvation by Law or Covenant of Works for outward Righteousness But by the Gospel or Covenant of Grace by inward Righteousness This is Faith this is the Righteousness of Faith The CONTENTS Mystical Precepts Mystical Providences TITLE XV. Of the mystery of the Law Of the mystery of the Law GOD gave a Civil Law by Moses to the Jews for their own Government and an Ecclesiastical Law for his own Worship 1. That they might live by no other Laws than God's 2. That they might not worship any other God in any other manner than God had prescribed Upon performance of their obedience to this Law was the Land of Canaan given them a figure at the same time of Heaven This Law had a double sense of Precepts Literal or Carnal and Spiritual or Mystical This Law had a double sense of Promises Literal or Carnal and Spiritual or Mystical Mystical Precepts The Spiritual and Mystical Precepts and Promises for eternal Salvation were ordained before the Law and under the Law not by the Law and after the Law most fully by the Gospel The Sons of men before the Flood departed from these Precepts but the Sons of God kept them and therefore God made a special application to those of them that were of Abraham's stock espousing them to himself and separating them by his peculiar Promises and Commands from all the rest of the Sons of men that followed Idolatry This separation from God began betimes one of Adam's Sons followed the true Worship the other departed from God with his Posterity after their own Will Gen. 4. ult Then did Lamech first violate that Law of Monogamie which was given to Mankind in the state of Integrity from whose Family the old Doctours of the Jews affirm that Idolatry first sprang As Ferity in eating live flesh with the blood thereof and Barbarism from those Mighty hunters who would live for themselves not for the common good of Mankind These Sons of men lived by their own Wills by Force Heb. 11. not
Rebellion by providing for my Family I am deceived in Covetousness Extortion because I am a Gentleman I must not starve therefore I will take a Purse upon the High-way because I have a Wife and many Children and poor Kinred to maintain therefore I will gripe and grind the faces of the Poor and take all the unjust courses I can by a Community I am deceived in levelling and denying all Propriety and Superiority 5. By a pretended Law of God in a certain Law of Man Instances 5. By a pretended Law of God I am deceived in a certain Law of Man As by the Jewish Ceremonial and Judicial Laws now abolished which were once established by God I would have Adultery to be death and Theft punished only by Restitution a Tooth for a Tooth c. By Dominion pretended to be founded upon Grace I would deny all legal Propriety and none but the Babes of Grace should have right to any of the Creatures By imagination of Christ's reigning a Thousand years upon Earth I would destroy all the wicked in the World by Community of all things I deny the Propriety in any thing by God's seeing no sin in his Children I affirm they sin not at all or most of all and yet shall never be punished by the work of Grace irresistibly and absolute Assurances of salvation I presume to run on in wickedness till God call me and to be free from all doubts and fears 6. By a private Law in a publick Law Instances 6. By a private Law I am deceived in a publick Law I will be true to my Neighbour but false to the State I will sell cheaper than others on purpose to engross all the trade to my self and cheat so much the more those that I employ to work under me I will tithe Mint and Cummin and devour Kings Priests Widows and Orphans houses I will be quiet at home and factious and tumultuous in the Church and State an Angel in the Church and a Devil in my House I will use private Prayers by the Spirit and Fast and Preach in close Conventicles and despise publick Set-forms of Prayer and Fastings and Sermons in the open Church 7. By the Moral Law in the Ceremonial Law Instance 7. By the Moral Law I am deceived in the Ceremonial Law Because of Spiritual worship I will endure no Bodily worship because I may worship God in every place I will not worship him in a Set-place commanded because I must serve God every day I will observe no Holydaies 8. By the Ceremonial Law in the Moral Law Instance 8. By the Ceremonial Law I am deceived in the Moral Law Because I worship God in External forms I will not be careful of the sincere worship of my heart If I am baptized and receive the Sacrament and pray and fast and give Alms I will trust to the opus operatum the work done I will draw near to God with my lips when my heart is after my Covetousness SECTION V. 5. By one Law in all other Laws Instances V. By one Law in all other Laws By the Law of Zeal I would be quite lawless I would be as Elias Phinehas the Maccabees the Jewish Zealots the Stoicks the Roman Tribunes the Lacedemonian Ephori like Tully Demosthenes the factious Oratours and Poets the Oracles and Soothsayers kill steal lie flatter or do any thing as if by divine impulse break through all Laws for the glory of God and the good of the Commonwealth I would as Jehu drive furiously kill and slay and rob a Kingdom and say Come see my zeal for the Lord. I would like Brutus Cassius Cateline Sylla Marius Mauritius Phocas Ravilliac Massenello Cromwell Bradshaw c. banish proscribe murder massacre assassinate Kings Nobles Priests or People for God's Cause or my Countrie 's good I would preach Christ and persecute his Members I would propagate Religion by the Sword as the Turks do and say the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon and write upon my Sword Holiness to the Lord and cry cursed is he that witholdeth his hand from blood and doth the Work of the Lord negligently And curse ye Meroz curse ye bitterly those that come not to the help of the Lord against the Mighty This is the Zeal that sets the World on fire these are the daring men that have their Fates written in their Foreheads that are canonized for Saints and dye the Martyrs of Jesus or Mahomet and are called of God to be his Executioners to destroy all the wicked of the World to ride up to the Horse bridles in blood to carry all clear before them possess and rule all the Earth and after all mount up to rights into Celestial Mansions Cavete Principes Sacerdotes Nobiles c. My Zeal to Rome makes me cross the Law Temporal my Zeal to Geneva the Law Ecclesiastical and make them Ropes of Sand. This is the Hercules that clears the Augaean stable the St. George and Amadis de Gall that rids the World of Monsters and relieves all distressed Souls These sight the Lords Battels these are the Favourites and Darlings of Heaven and the Jewels of the Earth these are taught of God by the Impulse of the Spirit seeking God and finding Kingdoms these have signal Victoies and are as signally destroyed as ever that Egyptian Theudos the Gaulonite Moses Barchochebas David George John of Leyden Knipperdolling and Cromwell were By this Law I will outlaw the Law maintain and make the King a Subject My care of the Clergy and consistory would subordinate the Prince to the Priest and my love to the Lay-Presbytery would make Princes truckle under the People Iterum atque iterum cavetè Principes By this Law I walk alone in the pride and loftiness of my spirit By virtue of my zeal for the Lord of Hosts I am above all Laws I tread upon the necks of Kings and trample Lions under my feet Nay I sore aloft in the Clouds and disdain the poor Ants crawling upon this Mole-hill and fly swifter than the Wind upon the wings of the Spirit Alas poor vile Souls I have some pity in my holy anger I could tell them of higher and statelier conducts but they are not able to bear the ravishments and raptures of the Spirit Thus much inspired Learning makes me mad and Madmen will be subject to no Laws So with and without a Law I am deceived and will be deceived any way I care not God help me The CONTENTS Deliberation by halves Judgment by likelyhood Ampliations and limitations of Law Weighing my action by one Law Suspense between two Laws Sin hath the casting voice Reason of Law TITLE VII Of the Reasons of Deceit THE Reasons in general why one Law deceives me in another may be these Deliberation by halves I. To resolve upon my Action I deliberate to halves I grant the conclusion upon demi-Principles I lay an Action in the balance stript from those
any other name by which the World can be saved but only by the name of Christ who is the same yesterday to day and for ever in whom all the Promises of God are Yea and Amen There have been different Dispensations but the same Grace Yet still I say Believers were never under the Law as it was the Covenant of Works were allways under the Law as it was the Covenant of Grace St. Chrysostom expounds the History of the two Twins Hom. 42. in Gen. Gen. 38.30 which Thamar brought forth by her Father in Law Judah by the Mystery of Christians and Jews By God's appointment he that first put forth his hand was last born that thereby might be signified the entrance of the Law which yielded unto Faith For Abel Enoch Noah Melchisedec and Abraham before the Law pleased God as Christians do after the Law But that there might be some suppression of the over-flowings of sins in the world the Law was given which though it did not quite extinguish Sin yet it restrained it much by Terrible Punishments which in the last Place Faith utterly took away by most comfortable Mercies Come on therefore thou Covenant of Grace and we shall be saved by thee that could not be saved by the Covenant of the Law We have an holy boldness to appeal from the Throne of Justice unto the Mercy-Seat from Works to Faith from Law to Gospel from Bondage to Liberty from Death to Life This is the height of all perfection Behold I shew unto you the most excellent way God demonstrating his great kindness to the Sons of men he gave grace before more sparingly but now most largely and generally full measure pressed down and running over Grace for Grace This is the Standard of the Lord set up upon a hill Flie to it all ye Nations that are heavy laden with the burden of your sins and ye shall find rest for your Souls in the Dispensations of Righteousness Grace and Glory Why will ye groan under bondage and never look out for freedom Why will ye die O ye Sons of Men Come on let us leave Moses behind us and follow Christ Come O come to my Soul thou that art highly beloved of the Father full of Grace and Truth and of thy fullness we shall all receive grace for grace Come Thou Fairest of ten thousand to the Jew labouring under the costly Ceremonies and deadly Injunctions and relieve him into a spiritual Worship and a lively Commandment To the Gentile groping under darkness and stooping under Satan's load and give light and put thy easie burden upon his shoulders Trust not Thou Jew in thy Flesh and in thy Law for the Righteousness thereof but trust to the Spirit and to the Gospel for the Righteousness thereof Trust not Thou Gentile to thy Arts or Arms but trust to the saving knowledg and power of Christ and to the lively Oracles of God Let both Jew and Gentile come up to a better Rule approach to a higher Sun Ye were in Plato's care before and saw nothing but shadows Come forth now into the open Light and see the Beauties of the Substances themselves See what a Dispensation the Gospel is Heretofore a little Grace and a great deal of wrath Now all Grace and no Wrath Heretofore a little Rule a Law Form a Temporal Law of Wrath Now a vast Direction a high Tribunal an Eternal Law of Grace Heretofore Cursing now Blessing Heretofore Threatnings and Fears now Promises and Hopes Heretofore a Law that could wound now a Law that can cure A Law that could kill now a Law that can make alive Never such a Dispensation as this Nothing done by judgments and Fears but all by Mercies and Love that casteth out Fears Transition This is the Reformation that is so welcome to the World that for so many Ages was longed for The Consolation so long waited for The Hope of all the Ends of the Earth and of them that remain in the Broad Sea The Fourth BOOK OF THE GOSPEL OR New Testament The CONTENTS Law changed Priesthood changed Sacrifices Gospel a Covenant of Faith God may change the Law Law advanced to Spirit Types Secret of Christ understood by degrees Divine Dispensations Creation Fall Promise Faithful Vnfaithful Gentiles feared God Law written Rites why commanded Civil Law Rule Outward Service trusted in Prophets sent Christ sent Jews Idolaters before Christ time Jews destroyed Gentiles called Old Religion antiquated Aaron's Priesthood Christ's Priesthood Typical Redemption from typical sins Real Redemption from real sins Salvation of all Men. No more Changes TITLE I. Of the Reformation AND it was high time for a Reformation and it brought mighty Changes with it and all for the better 1. Because the Priesthood was changed Heb. 7.12 Law changed Priesthood changed there was a necessity of a change also of the Law for the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better Covenant did Of this the Prophets foretold Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Covenant they brake although I was a Husband unto them saith the Lord But this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People For they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more I will not reprove thee for thy Sacrifices Ps 50.8 c. or for thy burnt Offerings I will take no Bullock out of thine house Sacrifices nor Hee-goat out of thy fold c. Offer thy God thanksgiving and pay thy vows to the most High c. For thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it Ps 51.16 c. thou delightest not in burnt Offerings The Sacrifices of God are a troubled Spirit a broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Sacrifice and Burnt offering thou didst not desire but mine eyes hast thou opened Ps 40.6 Burnt offering and Sin offering hast thou not required Then said I Loe I come in the volume of the Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me Is 1.11 c. I am full of the Burnt offerings of Rams and the fat of Beasts and I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs or of Hee-goats When ye
Ro. 2.19 20. the Law written in their hearts but turned to Idolatry and all unnatural wickedness becoming still more and more vain in their Imaginations Gentiles feared God Yet during the time of all this first wilful Ignorance and then just obduration many of the Gentiles that used their Natural light well and therefore had more given them did truly fear God and were rewarded by him Law written When the Law of Nature was thus obscured partly by wilful neglect of the use of the Rational faculties and partly by heedless following after the multitude of evil Examples of such whose imaginations and deeds were only evil and that continually It pleased God after many Revelations to the ancient Patriarchs and more clearly by Promise to Abraham and to his Seed to write that Law of Nature which they also began to forget as to the first rudiments and elements thereof in Tables of Stone that they might read what they should have read in their own hearts because they were a very dull and carnal People Rites why commanded And to this Law Natural or Moral he added a Law Ceremonial to busie them with the use of such Rites to the Worship of the True God as others used in the worship of false Gods because he knew they were most prone to Idolatry out of fondness wantonness and novelty to be like unto other Nations And to encourage them he promised and performed real Rewards of a Land flowing with Milk and Hony And moreover Civil Law he gave them Civil Laws and Statutes proper for them at that time and in that place the better to keep them in their obedience unto him And engaged them over and above by many miraculous Deliverances And for the same purpose he Ruled them by men of Prophetical and Princely Spirits such as he chose on purpose Rule as Moses and the rest of the Judges to teach them rule them and fight for them till they began to shake off that divine Rule by God their King and to affect the Kingly Government after the manner of other Nations To which humour God also condescended still â—roving them and striving to win them to their duty to him who had done such great and signal things for them and promised to be their God as he had been the God of their Fathers setling them in the Promised Land But notwithstanding all these Endearments as of a tender Father cherishing his Children in his bosom and carrying them as a Nurse in his arms yet still they observed not his Laws Moral Ceremonial or Judicial but went a whoring after their own Inventions and did according to all the Abominations of the Heathens that were round about them And because when they abstained from actual Idolatry Outward Service trusted in they either murmured and snuffed at the Service which God enjoyned them or trusted only in the outward performances thereof though their deeds were never so wicked or if not so yet to the bare external Sacrifices and other Ceremonies enjoyned them thinking thereby to obtain God's favour though in their hearts they continued wicked and would have exprest it in their works if they durst for God shook his Rod over them I say because they thus degenerated from Abraham Isaac and Jacob Prophets sent and at the best trusted to a Carnal Ordinance therefore God was not wanting to send them Prophets rising up early and sending them to call upon them to keep his Laws outwardly and moreover to look to the inward sincerity of their hearts and thereupon to expect more than a Land of Milk and Hony and long Life or any other Temporal Reward Yet still they were dull of hearing and a crooked perverse and stiff-necked Generation At last Christ sent after all these Husbandmen and Servants slighted and abused by them Christ the Son of God comes and puts an end to the Carnal Services and Worship made but for a time and enjoyned them a Spiritual Worship and declared an Eternal Reward to them and to all other Nations upon their Faith and Repentance only The Jews notwithstanding Christ's own Presence Miracles Doctrine Jews Idolaters before Christ's time Death and Resurrection and the Preaching of the Apostles after his Ascension still lingred after Moses his Law and yet increased in all kind of wickedness except that one sin of Idolatry for which they had been so sorely swinged by a never to be forgotten Babylonish seventy years Captivity that they dreaded that Sin ever after and do to this day Jews destroyed And still they deny Christ to be the True Messiah though the Learned'st of them cannot deny but that all the Prophecies concerning him are fulfilled and dream of a Temporal Messiah to deliver them from the power of the Romans and now from all other Powers wherever they are scattered and for this their unbelief they were destroyed from being a Nation and are become Vagabonds unto this day Gentiles called Then did God call in the Gentiles to supply their places who accordingly did come in by the means of the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles and their Disciples This is the last and fullest Dispensation that ever God did make by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things Old Religion antiquated Thus the Old Religion of the Old Testament was antiquated and abolished and the New Religion of the New Testament established and confirmed among all People for ever The middle wall of Partition that was between the Jews and the Gentiles being broken down of twain making them one Eph. 2.14 having slain the Enmity thereby blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and was contrary unto us Tantae molis erat Divinam condere Gentem Such is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so various and wonderful are God's Dispensations and his waies past finding out Thus Christ is the end of the Law continuing till John the last of the old Prophets and the first of the new So Aarons Priesthood is turned from the Altar So Aarons Priestly Law is vanished and gone and a New Priesthood and a New Law appears to endure for ever Here is a manifest and famous change of Law and of Priesthood Because Aarons Priesthood I. In Aaron's Priesthood all things are weak and imperfect As Heb. 7.28 1. A Priest weak a mortal man The Law maketh men high Priests which have infirmity One that was fain to offer for his own sins and stood trembling in the Holy place and sprinkling the Blood upon the Vessels and upon himself for fear the wrath of God should break forth upon him Heb. 9.24 2. A Tabernacle weak made with hands of wood and stone and skins of Beasts c. in which were Cherubins and Candlesticks c. Heb. 9.9 3. Sacrifices weak that could not purifie the Conscience and therefore reiterated Heb. 8.13 4. A Covenant weak old and decaying and ready to vanish away
was come to convince the World that this was the great meaning and intent of the Law Thus the Precepts of inward Obedience were translated out of Natures Law into that of Moses which the Prophets did often inculcate because the People were gross of Understanding readily supposing at first sight as all idle and carnal People are apt to do that an external Obedience would answer the Letter of the Law well enough teaching them to regulate the inward Obedience of the heart which even the Law it self did tacitely require and their Fathers expresly taught before the Law was given in Writing Outward Obedience It is plain then to considering men That they must not trust to the outward Observations of the bare negative Precepts of the Moral Law nor to the Ceremonials or Judicials that Moses had enjoyned so as from thence to promise to themselves the Favour of God and the Reward of the World to come as by not having any other Gods not worshipping Images not swearing falsly not doing Murther not committing Adultery c. or by paying of Tithes Sacrifices Washings Sabbaths c. For which conceipts Christ reproved the Jews as the Prophets had done before as if the offended Deity were to be bribed with Sacrifices Feasts or Fasts or any other Performances Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites Matt. 23.23 c. for ye pay Tithes of Mint and Annise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Mercy and Faith these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone c. Luk. 11.42 Mar. 7.48 Mat. 12.1.12 Psa 40.7.12 Ps 50.8.13 Ps 51.18 Isa 1.1.20 Isa 58.3.10 God requires no Sacrifices so much as Obedience Jer. 7.21 22 23. Patience and Hope in Afflictions Lam. 3.25.33 The Calves of the Lips Hos 14.2 Mich. 6.6 7 8. Zach. 8.16.19 In all which Instructions and Exhortations to the inward Obedience and Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth they have shewed themselves the true fore-runners of Christ and his Apostles Sufficient means under the Law So that still they had sufficient means before and under the Law unwritten and written considering whose Law it was and by the teaching of the Fathers and Prophets to make them understand the Spiritual Duties and Rewards that were so far hinted and to oblige them to expect the coming of the greatest Law-giver who should teach them all things more clearly Love of God The Sense therefore of that great Law Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy strength though so far as it depends upon the bare Covenant of the Law it is limited to the Observation of those Precepts which God should confine their Civil life unto in the Service of him alone for a temporal Reward yet in the full latitude it may contain all that Christianity requireth Love of Neighbour And as for that Precept of loving their Neighbour as themselves it meant no more at first sight than of loving the Israelites their Brethren and friends but hating the Moabites c. which were Strangers and Enemies But really and truly according to the Law of Nature it meant all Mankind Matt. 5.43 be they never such Strangers or Enemies In like manner the Commandments Lev. 18.5 Ez. 20.11.21 Life which if a man keep he shall live in them they are first meant of this life but their last meaning extends to the life to come for they are large Commandments and fit to contain both internal and external obedience and large Subjects for the Prophets to preach upon as they did and for Christ to expound as he did in the highest sense they ought to bear Christ expounded the Law Lev. 18.18 according as it was foretold to Moses I will raise thee up a Prophet from among thy Brethren like unto thee and I will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto thee in all that I have commanded him Which was fulfilled answerably for God approved of him by a voice from heaven saying This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him This is the secret and spirit of God's Law and Covenant which he sufficiently manifested to those that severely kept the outward and civil part according to the Letter v. Ps 25.13 15. and 19.9 10. and 119.18 The CONTENTS Eternal life Rites troublesome and chargeable Permission Things not originally good Sacrifices Sacrifices first from Men. Imperfection Rigour TITLE III. Of the weakness of the Law AS to the main Body of the Law Of the weakness of the Law it was weak and imperfect in the Letter thereof in many respects There was no Command in all the Law for spiritual Prayer Instance 1 i. e. for spiritual and eternal Blessings as for Remission of sins Sanctification of the Spirit Mortification a new Creature Resurrection and Life eternal We read of few that made publick Prayers but Kings or Priests or Prophets whereas the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication is poured upon all People in the Gospel The Sadducees denied the Resurrection Angels and Spirits yet were Instance 2 they learned in the Law Teachers and great for Rule and Power which argues that there was no clear demonstration of these things in the Law Some glimmering of these things they had in their Sufferings especially in and after the Captivity towards the dawning of the day of the Gospel when they had lost the glory of their Land and were subjected to forreign Powers to shew that these Temporal felicities were forfeited for their disobedience and that they must look for a higher Covenant and Felicities more durable by embracing a purer Worship and Conversation they having failed in the Law and Services first given them for which neglect they were all taken away and their Temple and Country afterward laid waste and became a Curse These Spiritual things they could not discern to be meant because not expressed in the Law but Christ proves the Resurrection by the Law saying Matth. 82.30 c. Ex. 3 6. Have you not heard that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living V. Mar. 12.18 Luc. 20.27 But had it been plainly covenanted for in the Law none durst openly to have denied it yet he bids them search the Scriptures for it for in them ye think to have eternal life Joh. 5.39 and they are they which testifie of me And the word Think is a term of abatement Insinuations and Intimations they had but no plain Demonstrations thereof As Is 26.19 Ezek. 33. 1 Mac. 12.1 2. Job 19.25 Ps 73.2 20. Jer. 12.1 2. Mal. 3.13 18. Hab. 2.3 24. Ps 16.1 Is 37.10 21. Ps 17.15 and 126.5 6. Heb. 7.19 10.19 8.6 9.15 7.19 and 9.14 2 Tim 1.9 10. Aug. Ep. 122. St. Austin saith Mihi in
Spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience Satan is a warlike Prince fights daily against the Saints His Army consists of Principalities and Powers Rulers of darkness Spiritual wickednesses in high places i. e. several Regiments of Devils Eph. 6.12 We wrestle not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers c. All these Spirits are enemies to the godly for he fights against them but they are Commanders over the Sinner for he serves under them As the poor Gadaren had a Legion of Devils that possest him so the poor Sinner hath a Legion of Lords that command him This makes the slavery out of measure slavish because the multitude of Lords doth multiply slavery For one Father to have many Children is an honour but for one Child to have many Fathers to be Filius populi is true Baseness and Bastardy So for one Lord to have many Slaves is a glory but for one Slave to have many Lords is extreme Baseness and Slavery The Use of all is to draw thee from Sin because sin is true slavery Thou detestest Slavery in the least degree when it bars thee of the propriety of thy Goods and wilt thou endure the slavery of Sin the basest-slavery that is Wilt thou fear the highest degree of it when it bars thee from the propriety of thy self and forces thee to vile and base acts Set thy Soul against this slavery by striving to oppose it and God give thee grace to be free from it for Jesus Christ his sake Amen The CONTENTS Grace cannot deceive TITLE XIV Of the Innocency of the Law Transition NOtwithstanding all that hath been said of the weakness and insufficiency of the Law and of the deceit and bondage thereby still the Law is holy just and good because God is so that made it That must needs be Spiritual because God is a Spirit A thing therefore may be the occasion of sin though in it self it be never so harmless As all the good Creatures of God which being abused groan again after their manner and long to be delivered from their servitude So the Law of God gives no occasion to Sin of it self but Lust takes occasion from the Law to stir up sin contrary to the Law And therefore the Law retorts upon Sin again to condemn it so much the more and to punish it so much the more So that the effect of the Law through the sinfulness of sin is to work sin and wrath deceit fear and bondage and to hold men down continually under this trembling condition all their life long through the horrour of death And the Law of Morality besides the penalty of scourging or Death without mercy annexed thereunto to keep men from Transgressions hath also a Ceremonial Yoke to put upon the Shoulders of such as otherwise would fall to Idolatry c. which altogether could not do but was a heavy Yoke too heavy for them to bear And therefore the Law it self for that part thereof which was Typical and Ritual fell of it self as altogether unprofitable and that small part thereof which was Moral fell not but longed for greater perfection and Grace to be added above the Justice and Rigour which was so ineffectual and accordingly the Law was delivered from the Insufficiency thereof as it was but the lowest part of Morality and was fulfilled to the highest pitch of Spiritual Perfection by Christ who came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And those that were under this Law either written or not written either Jew or Gentile were delivered from this State of Bondage and Fear into the glorious liberty of the Children of God So the Law of Justice must needs be a just Law to direct and a severe Law to punish and when it had directed and punished it did all it could do but reformed none from Sin at least inwardly nor saved none from Punishment so that still it left men sinful as it found them and more too and left men miserable as it sound them and more too So that there is an Impossibility that ever any man should be saved by the Law and an Impossibility that any man can be saved by any thing but Grace II. In all God's Dispensations he giveth us to understand 1. That the Law of nature was not sufficient to keep man in the Innocency in which he was created because he was deceived by his Lust a-against which that Law gave him no strength by the strength of his Will he might have stood but not by the strength of the Law So he was deceived in that 2. That when the Law of Nature came to be written for him to read with his bodily eyes as he might before with the eyes of his mind yet still it would not do And when Poenal Laws were added they might keep him in bondage and bodily fear of Death as they did but never secure him from offending nor spare him when he did offend and still it would not do So Justice still shews us every way and by the Law so much the more So the Law deceives us by shewing us the way into which it had no power to put us but left us to take that right way and threatned us if we should offer to leave it So still alas we are deceived by Law and Justice which both intended us good but our own Lust hindred it from coming upon us But as for Grace and Mercy they can no way deceive us Grace cannot deceive nor will they suffer our Lust to deceive us Law and Justice in themselves do not deceive us but Lust does properly deceive us by them Grace and Mercy in themselves do our Work for us and can no way deceive us directly nor indirectly Law and Justice though they did not directly deceive us yet Lust did for all them for they could not help it though they stood by all the while and looked on But Grace and Mercy they do no ways deceive us nor suffer us to deceived So that there is more power in Grace and Mercy than in Law and Justice For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through Lust that Grace did do in that it was strong through Faith And not only condemned Sin in the flesh as the Law did not but destroyed Sin in the flesh and out of the flesh as the Law could not do by Christ's taking in mercy our Flesh upon him See how God gives us wonderfully to understand the power of his Justice to humble us for sin so much condemned and punished in us and to know the greater power of his Mercy to raise us up from sin so much pardoned and unpunished in us 1. God put Mankind under the administration of the Law of Justice to convince him of his sin and of God's just wrath That he might see there was no help for him in himself nor from any Creature no not from God's Law it self that he might abhor himself and bewail his
by Law but Abel Noah Enoch c. the Sons of God before and after the Flood lived all by Faith Mystical Providences In all which Dispensations not only the Rites and Ceremonies of Worship the words of the Law and Prophets but the actions of God's Providence were Mystical to represent the things of Faith as Paradise and the Trees of Life and of Knowledge the marriage of Adam and Eve Eph. 5.32 the Calling of Abraham the Ark the Bondage of Egypt and deliverance through the Red Sea the Wilderness the Land of Canaan the Captivity of Babylon c. The interpreters that stick in Literal sense of the Old Testament cleave close only to the outside and bark but never come near the pith and marrow therein contained The History and Letter is not to be neglected but the truth of Faith covered and veiled in the Law and the Prophets and in the Transactions of God is to be searched diligently As the Fathers themselves and Prophets enquired after this Salvation and Grace which was to come unto them 1 Pet. 1.10 which things the Angels themselves desired to look into This is testified in the Scriptures 2 Cor. 3.6 c. God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit of the ministration of the Spirit and Life and of Righteousness much more glorious than that of the Flesh and of Death and Sin The Fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea 1 Cor. 10.1 c. and were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same spiritual meat and did all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ c. Now what is it to be baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea but to pass through the Sea under the covering of a Cloud submitting themselves to the conduct of Moses as the Faithful do under the banner of Christ in Baptism And what are the Meat and Drink and the spiritual Rock but types of the spiritual Meat and Drink and Rock of Christ which the Apostle hints saying Now all these things happened to them for our examples and are written for our admonition verse 11. upon whom the ends of the World are come And Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 But most clearly speaks the Apostle in these words Now we have received not the spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God 1 Cor. 2.12 c. that we might know the things that are freely given us of God which things also we speak not in the words which Man's wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual What are these Spiritual things but the Spiritual sense of Moses Law and of the Prophets compared with the more Spiritual things of the Gospel and of Christ In this sense the Law is Spiritual Ro. 7.14 Acts 7.38 and Moses is said to have received the living Oracles of God And the Jew and Circumcision openly in the Flesh and Letter is distinguished from the Circumcision of the heart and the Judaism of the Spirit This is the Righteousness of God Ro. 2.28 29. Ro. 1.17 revealed from Faith to Faith from the Law to the Gospel Grace for Grace the Grace of the Gospel revealed for that which was concealed in the Law For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1.16 17. Luc. 24.45 And they erre that know not the Scriptures of the Old Testament in these senses for in them there is Salvation contained through Faith not the works of the Law as appears by the whole Catalogue of Saints in the eleventh of the Hebrews Indeed the kingdom of Heaven is not expressed in the Letter but in the Spirit of the Law which all did not perceive else how should the Sadduces part of the most Learned and many among the Priests and of the Sanhedrin not discern it Vide Act. 4.1 6. and 5.17 and 23.6 The Promises of the Law are plainly extant Exod. 16.27 28. and 19.5 6. and 23.25 Deut. 26.16 and 27.28 29 30. Lev. 25. per totum Heb. 7.19 and 8.6 and 9.15 and 7.16 and 9.9 14. 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Math. 22.36 Now these Carnal Rewards were not proportionable to a Spiritual Law therefore the Law was Carnal as the Promises were For the Moral Precepts that are of perpetual right are in their office Carnal if they be exerted no farther than the measures of a Carnal life As the Precept of loving our Neighbour respected only the duty of a Civil life among the Jews because the same offices of Civility were forbidden to be exercised by them towards the Ammonites Moabites Idumaeans and Egyptians Deut. 23.3 6 8. and 25.17 18 19. Upon this account Mordecai is supposed to deny to give honour to Haman Esth 2.3 These Precepts were given upon the account of hindering the infection of Idolatry by too much familiarity of Consanguinity Affinity or intimacy of Conversation And these very Enemies of God's People were figures of the Enemies of all Christians And this sense of the Law in this case Christ himself does declare in the Parable of him that fell among Thieves Luk. 19.29 By this way and method if due care were taken the Scriptures might be understood and the Word of Truth rightly divided and things new and old exactly distinguished and the difference between Judaism and Christianity exactly stated By this one distinction of a Mystical and Literal sense the Law of Works might be discerned from the Law of Grace the Righteousness of the Law from the Righteousness of the Gospel ☞ By this we should understand that all that was brought in by Moses is vanished and gone and nothing is of force or virtue to remain but that which was introduced by God of Christ from the beginning to be promulgated instaurated and fully reformed in the fullness of the Gospel times by Jesus Christ in the flesh Only we must take heed That although the reason of God's divine Counsel for the restauration of Man fallen in Adam is more clearly revealed by the Gospel than it was before or under the Law yet nevertheless it is not to be expected that out of the Scriptures we should define the same bounds of offices set by the preaching of the Gospel which were known and received to them that understood the Spiritual Law under Moses which was a Law that vailed a better Law For what should hinder but that while the same Reason of Salvation stands in force at all times there should be some offices proper only for some of those times according to the different manner of God's divine Revelation And therefore now all Carnal offices do cease which never were in their own nature acceptable unto God for they are
come to appear before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my Courts Bring no more vain oblations Incense is an abomination unto me the New Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even the solemn Meetings your New Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary of them When you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you when ye make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood Wash ye make ye clean c. For I spake not unto your Fathers nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt concerning Burnt offerings or Sacrifices Jer. 7.22 but this thing I commanded them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my People and walk ye in all the waies that I have commanded you that it may be well with you Wherewith shall I come before the Lord Mich. 6.6 c. and bow my self before the High God Shall I come before him with Burnt offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams with ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl shall I give the fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God And he shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week and in the midst of the week he shall cause the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease Dan. 9.27 and for the overspreading abominations he shall make it desolate even until the consummation Christ saith the Law and the Prophets were till John and no longer and since that time the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and every man rusheth into it and the violent take it by force We are not under the Law but under Grace Ro. 6.14 We are dead to the Law and the Law is dead unto us by the Body of Christ and free from the former Husband that we should be married to another Ro. 7.4 even unto him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God Gal. 3.19 The Law was added because of Transgressions till the Seed should come to whom the Promise was made When we were Children we were under the Elements of the World Gal. 4.4 5. but when the fulness of time was come God sent his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons Because the Gospel was a Covenant of Faith 2. Reas Gospel a Covenant of Faith quite contrary to the Covenant of Works as the Law was For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Christ is now made our King and Lawgiver and we are his Subjects till the day of Judgment when he shall give up the Kingdom to God the Father No wonder if this change be made 3. Reas God may change the Law For God is the Supreme Law-giver and therefore hath power over his own Law as being Creatour he hath power over his own Creatures God is immutable in himself but his Works are changeable every day He that commanded not to kill might command Abraham to kill his Son And after he had to the Jews given a Law by Moses he gave another Law to the World by Christ For finding fault with the first he established the second Heb. 8. which was a better Covenant and established upon better Promises The former grew old and was ready to vanish away and gave place to the Law of Faith Jam. 2.8 12. Ro. 8.12 the Royal law of Liberty The law of the Spirit of life to make us free from the law of sin and death And as mens Wills are ambulatory till their last Will which is established by death so was God's Will till the Gospel was given as his last Will established by the death of Christ Because Christ advanced the Law and Worship of God from Carnal to Spiritual from childish and imperfect usages to such as were natural 4. Reas Law advanced to Spirit manly and perfective Christ also advanced the Rewards of God from Canaan to Heaven from life Temporal to life Eternal by bringing Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel A consideration of this Change and of Christ that made it 5. Reas Types was in respect of the Types and Figures of the Law and of the Transactions and Dispensations of affairs in the Commonwealth of the Jews under the Law Vide 1 Cor. 10.1 Heb. 11.26 and 13.8 1 Pet. 1.10 2 Cor. 1.20 1 Cor. 15.22 Ro. 5.12 to 19. Heb. 9.15 Act. 13.29 Rev. 13.8 1 Pet. 1.19 Heb. 9.25 28. SECTION I. All did not know then how Christ was their Saviour as we do Secret of Christ understood by degrees Heb. 11. but they understood it darkly and afar off and longed to see that day and waited for the Consolation of Israel This they learned as they were able of their Superiours the Prophets and Judges and Fathers of old who being acquainted with this Secret were to acquaint the People with it sparingly and by degrees as they themselves were but able to do for though great and knowing men in their several times yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater and more knowing than they Of which Salvation the Prophets enquired and searched diligently 1 Pet. 1.10 who prophesied of the Grace that should come searching what and in what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before hand the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which things the Angels desire to look into Divine Dispensations By all which passages it appears how admirable the divine Dispensations have been in all Ages Creation God made Man upright and made a Covenant with him of Obedience for Life Fall which he brake by Disobedience to the heavenly Command and had the wages of Death Promise Then God propounded and promised another Covenant to be confirmed by the promised Seed And man repenting of his Disobedience and believing was restored and saved thereby Faithful After that the Sons of God that were faithful and kept the worship of the true God taught their Children what was revealed unto them of God and delivered to them of their Fore-fathers Unfaithful The Sons of men that were unfaithful were so far from walking after what was taught them that they did not so much as follow the light of Nature
A Commandment carnal and temporal Heb. 7.16 Christ's Priesthood II. In Christ's Priesthood all things were strong and perfect As 1. A Priest strong An immortal God free from sin without succession Gen. 24.19 20. without Father without Mother having the power of the eternal Spirit and of an endless life 2. A Tabernacle strong made without hands eternal in the heavens for all the Elements shall melt with fervent heat but the Holy of Holies the Heaven of Heavens higher than the highest are Eternal 3. Sacrifices strong that did purifie the Conscience and take away sin and were never iterated 4. Aaron stood in the midst of his Sacrifices of Lambs and Bulls and Calves c. before an Altar of Stone or Wood but Christ is the Sacrifice himself and the Priest and Altar Heb. 9.12 20. Not with the blood of Bulls c. but by his own Blood he entred into the Holy place Through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself to God without spot Heb. 9.14 purging our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God One for all 1. No other hands could offer Christ's Blood but his own they were too profane No Priest in the Masse can or ought to offer up Christ he is only worthy to offer up himself 2. No Marble or Golden Altar pure or rich enough to offer Christ upon He offers up himself upon the Altar of his eternal Spirit Through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself to God 3. No Temple stately enough to offer Christ in The whole World is God's Temple The lower World is the outward Court and the higher is the Holy of Holies Christ is the Minister there Heb. 8.2 that sacrifices in that true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man and offers himself the True Sacrifice the Lamb slain from the beginning of the VVorld He offered up himself once by his own Blood he entred through the Veil that is to say his Flesh into the true Holy place Heb. 7.27 the Throne and Mercy-Seat of God there to appear in the presence of God for us for ever 4. A Covenant strong and everlasting made upon better Promises I. Typical Redemption from Typical Sins Aaron's Order tends to a Legal Typical Redemption from Legal and Typical Sins as To touch a dead Body to eat Flesh unclean to touch a Leper c. Touch not taste not handle not c. These were no Real sins because these Touchings and Tasting c. did not defile the Soul Not that which goeth into the mouth doth defile the man but that which goeth out of the mouth c. Whether we eat or drink we are not the better or if we eat not we are not the worse The Kingdom of God consisteth not in Meats and Drinks Call nothing Common or Unclean To the Pure all things are pure in their own nature These uncleannesses were in the Flesh only not there really but because of the Prohibition Now the Blood of Bulls and of Goats was sufficient to wash away such sins But as for Real sins in their own nature sinful that defile the Soul such as Murther Adultery Theft Rebellion c. There were no Sacrifices for these at all they were not pardoned the punishment was Death Temporal without Mercy or Restitution or VVhipping c. Now a VVeak Priest was sufficient to offer for such Typical Sins And a weak Tabernacle of Skins or a Temple of Stones was good enough for such Sacrifices as never pleased God in themselves and for such sins as never offended God in themselves but only as forbidden for a time to preserve the greater reverence in an irreverent People and to keep them from Idolatry which they were so prone unto Real Redemption from Real Sins II. Melchisedec's order it works a Real and Eternal Redemption from Real and Eternal Sins and Punishments Sins of thought word and deed that pollute the Conscience as Carelessness VVilfulness Presumption Rebellion Infidelity Malice c. Punishments of a blind mind a hard heart a seared Conscience For these there is provided 1. A Priest of Infinite Dignity 2. A Sacrifice of Infinite Value 3. A Tabernacle of Infinite Holiness 4. A Law of Infinite Perfection 5. An Oath of the Most high God to consecrate an Eternal King Priest and Prophet and to settle Eternity upon that Salvation which was for all men Salvation for all Men. 1. For all men I say whosoever will offer and give themselves up to this Great High Priest and Bishop of our Souls that gave himself up for all 2. For all that will partake of this Sacrifice and Altar by eating the Flesh of Christ and by drinking his Blood For they that offer the Sacrifices are partakers of the Sacrifices 3. For all that wait for the coming forth of this great High Priest out of his Tabernacle the Holy of Holies at the last day For without the People waited for the High Priest while he prayed for them within So we look for Christ's coming out again to bring us into that Holy place which he is gone before into to prepare a place for us Now this offering up of our Selves in and through Christ unto Christ is really by mortifying and crucifying our Corruptions and Lusts This is to be crucified with Christ to die with him to be baptized with him to be buried and rise again with him And this is the great Reformation that Christ made Old things are done away and all things are become New I. Old things are 1. Imperfect Light of Nature Carnal Righteousness 2. Sin 3. Punishment 4. Sacrifices 5. Old Testament 6. Vain Philosophy 7. Temporal Promises 8. Old Man Old Creation Old Birth Flesh 9. Carnal VVorship VVorks c. II. New things are 1. Perfect Light of Grace Spiritual Righteousness 2. Justification 3. Reward 4. Christ's Sacrifice 5. New Testament 6. Christian VVisdom 7. Eternal Salvation 8. New Man New Creature New Birth Spirit 9. Spiritual VVorship Grace SECTION II. From henceforth no New Changes to be made No more Changes 1. In Doctrines as to return to Judaism or Heathenism again 2. In Worships as to return to Sacrifices or set up a systeme of Ceremonies in defiance after God hath pulled down his own Rites From henceforth new Laws call for new Manners Greater obedience due from Christians than from Jews or Heathens and greater thankfulness to God for his wonderful wisdom and mercy in bringing us into this state of Grace and Salvation and for the assistance of his Spirit in all these dispensations of Grace unto glory But stay before we leave speaking of this wonderful Reformation let us consider this great and eternal Change a little better What is all gone say you and nothing at all left no not a hoof of all the Sacrifices and Services that were before No Priest no Law no Sacrifice no Temple no Altar Yes CHRIST is the Priest Sacrifice Temple Altar and his Gospel is the
Law for ever It is a Change for the better Carnal things for Spiritual Temporal things for Eternal A New Covenant established upon better Promises 1. And indeed here is the continuance of the same Priesthood that ever was but never so known before and that ever will be and be better understood 2. And here is the continuance of the same spiritual Temple Altar and Sacrifice that ever was but never so known before and that ever will be and be better understood 3. And here is the continuance of the same spiritual Law that ever was but never so known before and that ever will be and be better understood Christ is a Priest without beginning or end of daies The Law of Nature began with nature and God's worship therewith The Carnal Priesthood Worship and Law were Intermedial Temporal and Typical and by their intervention there was no interruption of the spiritual Priesthood Worship or Law which was the same for substance not perfection before under and after all the Mosaical Dispensation O the depths of the manifold wisdom of God! how unsearchable are his waies Melchisedec was greater than Abraham Moses Aaron and all the Prophets but behold a greater than Melchisedec is here 1. The King and Prince of Righteousness and Peace indeed 2. The Priest that truly blesseth and titheth all men even the Blessers and Tithers themselves and to him they offer their spiritual Offerings and Tithes in token of Subjection and Thankfulness Now is the Truth of all things even the full Will of God revealed by this Great Prophet Look for no more Kings Priests nor Prophets for CHRIST is all these Heb. 10.19 c. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated through the Vail that is to say his Flesh and having an High Priest over the house of God let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised and let us consider one another to provoke unto Love and to Good works for if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaries He that despised Moses 's Law died without mercy of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God The CONTENTS Few Disciples in Christ's time Resipiscence True Wisdom TITLE II. Of the Nature of the Gospel THE New Testament contains the compleat Will of God in toto in solido for Duties to be done and Trespasses to be left undone and for Rewards to be had and Punishments to be avoided And this Religion admits of no Intermixtures but must be pure and free from all compliances with any other especially from the two extreams of Judaism and Gentilism While Christ was alive and preached this New Religion Few Disciples in Christs time he gained but few Disciples who dared to confess him openly for fear of the Jews Joh. 9.21 and 12.42 But after his death multitudes of all Ages Sexes Sects and Nations believed and confessed him though with the Cross So true was that saying of Christ If I ascend up to Heaven I will draw all men after me Joh. 12.32 Then Joseph Nicodemus the Centurion and many of the Priests and Jews that crucified him made open Confession of him But ten days after his Ascension Three thousand were converted by one Sermon of St. Peter's The Reason was Act. 2.41 Reason because the Resurrection of Christ after all his Miracles made ample Demonstration to the World that he was the Son of God and the Saviour of the World This Doctrine Conversation Miracles Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and the Mission of the Holy Ghost opened a wide door of Hope to all Sinners by Repentance to be saved from all Sins and Miseries and admitted to all happiness from which they could not be delivered and unto which they could not be received by any other means or mediation whatsoever This Resipiscence or after-wisdom of blinded Souls Resipiscence disclaiming their own seeming Excellencies and relying upon the Grace of God is divine and coming from above opposed to the earthly Wisdom which is natural sensual and carnal This is the true Conversion and Transforming from the World unto God from Darkness unto his marvellous Light the Regeneration and new Creation the putting off of the old Man with the Corruptions and Lusts and the putting on of the New man which after Christ is renewed in Righteousness and true Holiness This is Justification Sanctification Separating Cleansing Mortification Self-denyal Circumcision of the Spirit Crucifixion taking up the Cross Death unto sin Life unto Righteousness Planting into the likeness of Christ's Death Burial with him in Baptism the Power of his Death the Fellowship of his Sufferings and Vertue of his Resurrection All these and such like precious things are comprehended under the Notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Repentance of the Gospel for the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 3.2 Mat. 4.17 Luc. 24.47 True Wisdom This is the Foundation of all Christian Comforts No Jew by the Law written nor Gentile without the Law attained unto this Wisdom All the Wisdom of the World was Foolishness unto it the Gospel only effected this saving Reformation and all other things were but Loss and Dross and Dung in comparison of the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg This was the Day-spring from an High that visited them that sate in Darkness and in the shadow of Death that made the Jew amazed at the insufficiency of all his Service and the Gentiles confounded at their vain Philosophy and Worship This confounds the Wisdom of the wise and brings to nought all the imaginations of Mankind This makes the proud and stubborn veil their high Conceits and stoop to the Contrivances of the Great God By this they see themselves outwitted and their Freedom purchased by a way they could never have invented Thus they are brought from their own Darkness into the marvellous Light of God and translated from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God Here they perfectly see and feel that Holiness and Blessedness which before they groped after but by no means could attain unto till Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life made demonstration of it to the World in whom all the Nations of
due yea Grace gives much good when much evil is due The Law is inexorable and spares none but Grace is easie to be entreated and spares all For Grace is a priviledge above Law rather than extremely contrary to Law An act of Super-justice rather than contrary to Justice For Mercy rejoyceth and triumpheth over Justice as being the special and highest work of God in which he most delighteh This is the Trone of Grace this is the Mercy-Seat Throne of Grace the great Court of Requests and of Chancery Ubi Jus fit Jus datur where Rights are made and where Rights are bestowed whereas in other Courts of Law Rights are only declared Such Courts are much inferior Ubi Jus dicitur where Rights are declared upon Justice to those higher ones where they are created and granted upon Mercy and Bounty and God's Mercies are above all his Works 3. So God's Grace is opposed to Wrath in extremes Wrath. As Grace gives more good than is due by Law so Wrath gives more evil than is due by Law And this Wrath God executes by taking the Sword into his own hands and punishing our sins himself beyond the ordinary way of the Law as Kings by their Prerogatives may do by Wrath to execute Vengeance more than the bare Law calls for upon some extraordinary offences on some extraordinary occasions which they themselves can best judge of especially when the Inferior Judge is negligent of his duty in not inflicting the Punishment which the Law required and when sins have been done with a high hand in open defiance of Rule and Law to the endamagement of the Commonwealth Unto this Wrath God's Grace is extremely opposed For when Law and Anger were heavily against an obstinate Sinner and the Sword of both threatens to devour in an extraordinary way then steps in Mercy and stops the Flood-gate of Anger and saves the dying Soul from the Pit of Ruine which was ready to swallow him up because God sees remorse in him though he have been notoriously wicked yet it is the good will and pleasure of God for the Glory of his Grace to spare as a Father spareth his Son that serveth him to blot out iniquities transgressions and sins and to remember them no more but that they shall be as though they had never been and now that Soul shall live he shall not die SECTION I. Works 4. So God's Grace is opposed to Works which are the Merit of the Creature but this is the Grace of the Creatour Works deserve wages but Eternal life is the gift of God Grace dignifies a Person that deserves it not No man can deserve to be born of his Father or after he is born he cannot deserve to be made the Son and Heir of another man But the only cause of a Son is Love either by Nature or by Adoption and therefore the only cause to be made the Son of God is the Grace of God not the Works of Man Free Grace Such love of God is the Grace of God whereby the Receiver is honoured and profited and yet he never deserved it This is free Justification by Grace Ro. 3.24 of Faith and therefore not of Works that it might be by Grace only otherwise Grace were no more Grace and Works were no more Works This is the Riches of God's Grace whereby we are accepted in the Beloved The gift by Grace the kindness and good will of God This Grace of God is without Cause it is it self the supreme and high cause having no other Cause above or beyond it to actuate and move it Nor can any Works so much as concur with Grace because Grace is the sole Cause For if Salvation were of Works it should be of Debt and then it could not be of Grace They are inconsistent and contrary the one to the other Ro. 4.4 Now to him that worketh is the Reward reckoned not of Grace but of Debt But if it be of Grace it is of Gift and then it cannot be of Works Ro. 11.6 And if of Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done Tit. 35. but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost By this Grace I a poor miserable Sinner attainted in the attainder of Adam's sin and born to temporal and eternal Miseries am looked upon with the eye of Mercy to be justified from all my Sin and Misery and to be invested with Holiness and Happiness And the farther Love and Grace of God to me is that all this should be done in a Testamentary way whereby I should be the more sure of it For such an Instrument as a Testament is requires all the favourable construction that can be imagined that it may take effect according to the best meaning of the Testator Rich Grace And still the Exceeding riches of his Grace appears that he did settle this his Testament by the Death of Christ who was his own and only Son whom he substituted to die in his stead For God could have setled his Testament by means less chargeable than was the precious Blood of his own Son but he could not to shew the abundance of his Love who so loved the World as that he sent his only begotten Son into the same and gave him over unto death that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And lastly all this is Grace for Grace that is freely and out of mere Grace and only for the Thanks of the Receiver SECTION II. I have enough then to uphold my Soul withal till I die Assurance and when I die to lie down with my Body in hope of a glorious Resurrection And after my death my Soul shall wait for it and at last it will come at which time my Saviour will come again and call me from the Regions and Receptacles of Rest to put my Soul and Body both into the full possession of the Inheritance to which I have a present Right by Faith in the New Testament of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Against this New Testament established by Jesus Christ the Jews did mightily stickle Jews loth to leave the Law Because the Old Testament was God's Testament written and God had made a solemn Testimony thereof on Mount Sinai where with terrible Lightning and Thunder and the shrill sound of the Trumpet and by the Fire and Smoak and the quaking of the Mountain and the voice of the Angel who represented God it was testified in the sight and hearing of all the People And also because this Law and Testament had a long prescription of fifteen hundred years together and in such cases men do use to struggle very hard and are loth to part with their so ancient Laws Customes and Priviledges especially concerning their Religion and Worship and a Change is commonly very
born of the flesh is flesh but afterwards they are made Spirit For that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3. And except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven which is the first Resurrection And again Christians must first die as all Flesh must do and afterwards must live as all Spirits must do And as the Soul is alwaies Spirit but not fully sanctified nor fully glorified till after the Bodie 's Resurrection so the Flesh is alwaies Flesh but yet made spiritual by Regeneration but not fully Spiritual till the full Regeneration of Glory after death which is the second Resurrection For thiis Mortal must put on Immortality and this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Earth must put on Heaven and this Flesh must put on Spirit and this Terrestrial must be made Coelestial for as we have born the Image of the Earthly so we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly There are Natural Bodies and there are Spiritual Bodies but first that which is Natural and then that which is Spiritual So without Death Temporal we cannot be prepared for Life Eternal For except we fall we cannot rise and except we rise from the Earth we cannot ascend into Heaven and except we ascend into Heaven we cannot enter into the Inheritance of Glory SECTION I. Christ's Ascension Christ therefore after his death and burial ascended in his own Person far above all Heavens that he might as a King Priest and Prophet fully execute the Will of his Father and our Father which is in Heaven Now he that ascended Eph. 4.9 what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth And he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things or more truly that he might fulfil all things that is by a Plenary Administration and discharging all the Gifts and Legacies devised by God For when he ascended up on high Eph. 4.8 he led Captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And for the preparation of his Church Militant that they may be Triumphant He from thence gave some to be Apostles Spirit 's Mission Eph 4.11 12. and some to be Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now to do these things is to execute and fulfil the Will of God Wherefore it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the sins of the People For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise i. e. the Promised Possession of Eternal Inheritance This Doctrine was taught by Christ himself Joh. 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you And after his death he said Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day Luk. 24.46 And that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Thus Christ died for the Testification Coroll Confirmation and Execution of the New Testament and consequently for the Remission of sins Mortification Justification Sanctification Resurrection and Glorification of all the Scripti haeredes whose Names are written in the Book of Life The CONTENTS Spiritual Lively In force for ever Literal Deadly Abrogated for ever Consequences Cautions Instructions Exhortations TITLE VII Of the Testaments compared THis last and greatest and best Disposition of God's Grace to all the World called the New Testament that we may yet the better understand let us compare it with the former and lower way of God's Disposition to the Jews only called the Old Testament as it was established by the Law given upon Mount Sinai in these two points The New Testament is Spiritual lively and in force for ever The Old Testament is Literal deadly and abrogated for ever SECTION I. Spiritual I. The New Testament is Spiritual lively and in force for ever 1. Spiritual 1. Because it is perfect agreeing to the Spirit of God which the other was not being imperfect and Carnal 2. Because it conveyeth Spiritual gifts and graces plentifully which the other did not 3. Because it was written by the Spirit in the Tables of the heart whereas the other was only in Tables of Stone Lively 2. Lively 1. Because it creates the life of Grace and Glory In force for ever 3. In force for ever Because it is God's last Will and ratified by the Death of Christ and therefore unalterable SECTION II. Literal II. The Old Testament is Literal deadly and abrogated for ever 1. Literal Because Carnal rigorous weak rude and beggarly as Rudiments and the lowest principles of Morality and Ritual worship 2. Deadly Deadly Because working nothing but wrath and death making sin appear to be exceeding sinful and affording no Remedy against it 3 Abrogated for ever Abrogated for ever Because ordained only for a time as being shadowy and typical of Substances to come The Law made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 but the coming in of a better Hope did The Gospel is the only true Service with which God is well pleased For God is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth God will now be served in the newness of the Spirit Ro. 7.6 not in the oldness of the Letter Say not in thine heart Ro. 7.6 Who shall ascend into Heaven to bring Christ down from thence or who shall descend into the Deep to bring Christ again from the dead For the word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart Ro. 10.6 The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and Life Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The Law of the Spirit of Life hath made
all these So the Church hath her Pupillage and Tutorage and also her Majority and full Age. However God revealed himself at sundry times and after divers manners by his Servants to the infant Church in former Ages Heb. 1.2 yet in these last and riper daies he hath more fully revealed himself by his Son Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 10 11 12. ready to be revealed in the last time of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven which things the Angels desire to look into And these all having obtained a good report through Faith received not the Promise God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect SECTION II. Jews a childish People The Jews are reckoned a childish People who though they had perpetual Oracles Miracles and Prophets among them as evidences of God's Presence and Protection yet they fell of shamefully to Idolatry A Prodigy GOD being daily in their eye and as it were handled by them in Egypt at the Red-Sea by a Pillar of Fire by night and of Cloud by day in the Wilderness giving them the Law and Manna from heaven c. in the Tabernacle and in the Temple when they came into the Land of Canaan That all along they should distrust his Goodness and Rebel against him But after seventy years Captivity that sore and lasting Calamity for all their Idolatries they began to come to their Wits arriving at some degree of maturity and growth The Temple so destroyed and now so proudly re-edified and their Enemies still increasing upon them and God withdrawing his visible presence from them by little and little and no Angel nor Prophet appearing to comfort them they were taught that there was some higher Worship and more Spiritual happiness intended for them than the Law did promse And they began by degrees to elevate their minds to seek him in his proper dwelling place of Heaven and to rely upon Coelestial and Eternal Promises as appeared by the constancy of their Sufferings under Antiochus even to Martyrdom in the Hope that their Fathers the best of them had That they might obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 11.35 Thus their Affections were weaned by degrees towards the dawning of the Gospel and the Day-spring from on high which was shortly to visit them All hopes of Temporal happiness failing them being put under the Roman-yoke also which they so much abhorred the Wisest among them did look up higher than this World and waited for the greater Consolation of Israel who was to be the Hopes of all the ends of the Earth The Glory of the Scepter being at last departed from Judah first ravished from them by one of the Limbs of the Macedonian Lion and afterwards grasped by the Talons of the Roman Eagle after this deadly gripe the Royal Stock was quite extinct and the Office of Aaron perplexed and all things in Church and State so blended contrary to their Original Institution that they were at their wits end as to any Temporal recovery which made the Understanding Party look up higher but the Generality were sorely abused by their Leaders and Teachers Then came John the Baptist the Preacher of Repentance to the Poor people and to the Scribes and Pharisees that generation of Vipers warning them to flee from the Wrath and to embrace the Mercy that was to come and to bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance and not to say any more in their hearts That they had Abraham to their Father for God was able out of the Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham not to trust in the Temple for not a stone shall be left upon a stone and the Axe was laid to the Root of the Tree and every Tree that brought not forth good fruit was to be hewn down and cast into the fire Also Christ was to come with his Fann in his hand who would throughly purge his floor and gather his Wheat into his Garner and burn up the Chaff with unquenchable fire And except men were born again and except their Righteousness did exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they should never enter into the Kingdom of heaven but must be baptized not with VVater but with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Many mighty Miracles were done by Jesus Christ and his Disciples in all the Regions round about so as it was never heard of or seen before since the VVorld stood At this hearing and seeing of these VVonders the People were amazed and all sorts began to enquire saying What shall we do The Law and the Prophets were until John Luk. 10.16 since that time the Kingdom of heaven is taken by violence and every man presseth into it Thus was the way of the Lord prepared and his paths made streight Every Valley was exalted and every Mountain and Hill brought low Luk. 3.5 c. and the crooked paths made streight and the rough waies made smooth and all flesh was to see the Salvation of God And the Axe laid to the Root of the Tree and every Tree that brought not forth good fruit was to be hewn down and cast into the fire So the Jewish Church was in its Minority under the Law as under a School master which taught them Elements and gave them Corrections i. e. Elements of civil Conversation with others and sobriety in their own persons Principles of Morality as forbidding of Murther Adultery Theft c. sitting them thereby for the prohibition of Anger Malice Lust c. in the New Law of Christ who saith Math. 5.28 Whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart And he that hateth his Brother is a Murtherer And from Usury he teacheth to lend freely looking for nothing again and from Oaths not to swear at all but let their Yea be Yea and their Nay Nay and from Shadows and Ceremonies to bring them to Substantial and Spiritual worship and from Circumcision with hands in the Flesh to Circumcision without hands in the Spirit Coll 2.11 in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ All this Service was Servile as 1. To be subject to positive Laws against the Laws of Nature and forced to Punishments for breaking of them An ignorance or neglect of a Statute was expiated by a Sacrifice or Sin offering but a wilful breach by Presumption was
concernments is much pleased with them that after a little pain and patience there may be the greater indulgence unto carnal things for which they quickly hope for expiation by carnal sufferings A great cheat in carnal Religion Thus the outward man is much pleased 1. With the History of the Cross of Christ 2. With the pictures of the Cross of Christ and sheds many a melting tear at the actings of this Tragedy 3. With Whippings Fasting Sackcloth Pilgrimages c. Col. 2.18.23 A voluntary humility a shew of wisdom in Will-worship and humility in neglecting of the body and not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh 2. The Inward Cross is the power and virtue of Christ's death the spirit of Mortification and Self-denial the Spirit the Inward Man is much delighted with these exercises of the Spirit the Mystery of Christ's Cross the Memory and Love of Christ crucified the Joy and patience of suffering for Christ 2. The Effect of the Cross Crucifixion Effect of Cross Crucifixion Procured by Outward Cross which is 1. Procured and merited for us by the outward Cross and Passion Sacrifice and Oblation of Christ for us By these is Salvation from the victory of Sin Death and Hell all conquered by Christ Propitiation and Attonement made Security from the barr of Justice that Scopulus Reorum and Curse of Law Solus calcavit Torcular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ trod the Wine press of God's wrath alone no Angel nor Man to help him He left nothing undone that he might be the Author and Finisher of our Salvation and was made perfect through sufferings 2. Wrought and effected to us and in us by the Inward Cross and Passion of Christ sacrificed and offered in us This is the spirit and power of his death the virtue of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings Philosophy 1. Philosophy did combate much with sin Vertue kills Vice Reason destroys Passion Brave Seneca cries out like a Christian O when shall I see the day when all my Passions shall be subdued and that I shall say Vici I have overcome them Christianity 2. Christianity much more more than Conquerors I thank God through Jesus Christ Thanks be to God which hath given us Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Only be valiant and of a good courage Flie from sin as from a serpent resist the Devil and he will flie from you stand still and see the salvation of God This power of the Cross will do our work for us and in us this death destroys death this is to conquer by suffering Depressu Resurgo the more kept down the more we rise A Divine virtue in Christ's sufferings a great conquest made by the Son of God in his own person for us in our persons for our selves under him and by him From hence we have power to conquer Sin Law Satan Death I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Hence we overcome the world are dead unto it using the world as if we used it not this is our victory even our Faith this is Self-denial Mortification Crucifixion with Christ Regeneration a New Creature Thus Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquity and purified to himself a people zealous of Good works perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord that they might obtain an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith which is in Christ Jesus It is not therefore good to glory in Carnal things such as Eloquence Wit Beauty Health Honour Riches c. It is not good to glory in Carnal Religion such as are 1. Ceremonies Judaical or Heathenish 2. Ordinances Opus operatum Prayers Fastings Hearings c. It is good to glory in Spiritual things such as are Faith Love Hope Patience Joy Peace Rejoyce in the Lord evermore and again I say rejoyce But this is counted no Joy but Melancholy or Religious Madness in Sequestrations from worldly Policies and Glories and Conversation wit God and our own Souls The gaieties of this world affect the senses and they are counted little better than stark Fools that prefer undiscerned contentations of the spirit before them When Paulinus a Young Noble Man and Senatour of Rome renounced the World and became a Christian the whole City wondred at it and all the Wits jear'd at his retirement from the splendour of the Court What a Gallant so young ex illâ formâ ex illâ prosapiâ illâ indole so beautiful of such a family and of such ingenuity and leave all his companions and pleasures Such men are counted mad men and weary of their lives scorning the delights of Nature Paula and Melania two Noble Ladies left their honours and estates for the Cross This was presently Table-talk for all Rome St. Paul so noble so learned so honour'd as he was counted all but Loss and Dung to gain Christ was as a man crucified and dead unto the world the world had no favour for him nor he for the world so is a Christian not of this world dead to it looks to higher things As the Jews had no dealing with the Samaritans so Christians have not their conversation with the world As a man Proscribed is pursued from place to place hiding his head so is a Christian As a Woman divorced from the Bed and Board of her Husband lives still in the family walks up and down like a shadow hath food and clothing only upon courtesie but no countenance from her Husband nor respect from her children nor command over her servants So are those that take up the Cross of Christ and follow him Cast therefore your eye once more upon this great Mediator in all his Transactions Here 's a Conception Birth Life Cross Death Here 's a Resurrection Ascention Entrance and Oblation in the Holy Place Session and Intercession And what a coming to Judgment will that be at the Last Day How is all this apprehended Why was all this Action and Passion Shame and Glory Was not a Deity offended and thereby appeased How Affected what Joy what Sorrow what Hope what Faith what Obedience what Thankfulness what Love what Oblation of all that we are and have and all nothing to what is due from us but is all accepted of God More would a Soul inflamed with divine love do or suffer She cannot do what she would but she will do what she can and throw her self into the arms of her dear Lord praying him to accept her as she is and make her such as he would have her for to be for his own great Mercies sake I. Christ the true Sacrifi◠and Priest Christ therefore is the Absolute and true Sacrificer and Sacrifice in se per se in himself and by himself 1. Because he only perfectly pleased God This is my Well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He only was without sin he only fulfilled the Will of his Father 2. Because he only is the cause of all our
of God have been thoughts of love and kindness in him all along from the beginning of the world but especially in the days of the Gospel And that God's love was always to mankind though not so clearly demonstrated as it is now by Christ How therefore this frowning face of terrors and amazements in his dealings here giving mortals no rest for the little space he hath afforded them to stay in this world and plunging them into eternal torments in the world to come can consist with the gentleness and justice of his nature I can in no wise be satisfied I am not able to conceive of a good Prince but that he will be always careful to preserve the lives and fortunes of his good Subjects and use all possible means to reduce the rebellions and still to be sparing of the blood of his People even where his Justice calls for it Nay every petty King of a Town or Family will do the same within the circuit of his power How much more then shall the Great and Gracious not only Potentate but Creator and Redeemer of the World hover over his poor creatures and servants for good and be infinitely and therefore inexpressibly tender of their Temporal and Eternal Wellfare But I am told that God reprobates the far greatest part of the world to shew the Glory of his Justice and absolute Soveraignty over his creatures And here I must cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the Depth and if I be one of these Cast-aways must be as the rest contented and for ever silent 'T is true I must if so and there can be no help for it nor must Mortals complain for who art thou O Man that thou shouldest dispute against God But how these men more than others of equal judgments should come to this pitch of Knowledg to determine this thing thus I cannot imagine nor whence they had this revelation And how this agrees with God's declaration of himself to be willing that all men should be saved and come to the knowledg of the Truth and not to delight in the death of any Sinner will put them to a stand Well however it is I am sure that God is good and if God hath given men reason to understand what is Justice and Mercy how the wisdom of God though infinitely above should be as infinitely contrary to this our humane understanding will be very hard to conceive Still Justice is Justice and Mercy is Mercy in God or Man though in vast differences of degrees We shall never know how but we may always know that God is Just and can and will do us no wrong I take the safest side therefore I hope if I interpret humbly all his dispensations though seemingly never so harsh to be cum favore that if he do as certainly he does severely punish yet he will as graciously reward those that fear him for all their miseries in this life And if God inflicts as he doth the same Calamnities now under the Gospel as he did before under the Law yet it is in a different manner in the Church's Majority from what it was in her Minority And that though the former Dispensation was in wrath yet now it is in Grace and was always just Well let the Inhabitants of the earth work righteousness as well as they can and trust God for his Mercies and through the tender mercies of God they shall be sure never to miscarry I am certain Grace is Grace and above Wrath though I suffer never so much And that God does not dodgenor lie upon the catch with mankind to destroy them but rather waits for their conversion to save them I will trust in God therefore though I am never able to understand the reasons of his workings From henceforth I will never go about to measure the depths of God's Providences by the shallowness of my comprehensions I will be meditating and doing good and leave all to God But it is high time to leave this dreadful Subject of mis-representing God in his Counsels so fatal to mankind Gospel-Dispensations Let us see what other mis-understandings there are of God's Dispensations God was pleased suitably to the non-age of the Church to address himself very much to the lower faculties of the Soul and the outward senses that were nearest to them and did most affect them Therefore he ordained splendid Types solemn services and many miracles as the pillar of a Cloud and of Fire the walls of water in the Red Sea the burning Mount Sinai the tabernacle and rays of Glory visible therein the Temple c. But they which look for any such apparent Expressions of Divinity now mistake the Genius of a Gospel-Dispensation to a Church Adult and capable of higher Administrations All things since Christ's coming are managed in a sedate smooth and serene temper The mysteries of the Gospel came forth in plain and intelligible forms of Speech from Mount Sion without drawing the Soul into Raptures and Extasies of amazements God doth not fright men into heaven by visible Terrours God expects now a reasonable Service a Judicious Religion acted by the Spirit of Love and of a sound mind under the Graces Truths and Glories of a Gospel-state for ever to endure This Spirit of the Gospel arriving to our Spirits in this aimable and winning manner creates a generous Spirit above the Evils or Goods in this world resolved to go through them and overcome them and settle upon absolute Eternal Goodness When men's hopes and fortunes are most embarqued in the Ship of this World without Faith They are in continual fears of Shipwrack because then all is lost that is before their sense But when men's hopes and fortunes are all embarqued in one bottom of Divine Faith they are in continual Hopes and Assurances of arrival in the Haven of Glory because then all is found that was before their Spirit in the Eye of Faith This Hope so full of glorious and blessed Immortality hath supported the spirits of such as live by their Faith better than all the Fatality of the Stoicks or the Jollity of the Epicureans These can look Sin and Death in the face by the Spirit and not be daunted by the Flesh The high Religion of the Gospel teacheth higher things than ever that of Moses or the Law of Nature or Nations or Philosophy could do Reformation This great Reformation of Religion in the World Christ declared plainly to the woman of Samaria requiring of him as a Prophet to tell her the place of worship whether it was not to be upon Mount Gerizim in Samaria where the Fathers had worshiped and not in Jerusalem as the Jews believed Upon this occasion he told her that neither she nor the Samaritans her Country-men nor the Jews nor yet the Gentiles of the World should from that time ever trouble themselves about the place or manner of Divine worship For it should be neither confined to Samaria nor Judea but should
Adopted Sons of God by Grace 2. We are sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise 3. We are renewed by Regeneration 4. We are Justified by his Grace through Faith 5. We are invited by his glorious Promises greater than we can understand Now he that considereth this state of things and hopes for the state of blessings will proceed in duty and love towards the perfection of God never giving out till he partake of the purities of God and his utmost Glories perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord till he obtain an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus In the practice of these spiritual duties there is no difficulty but what is made by the careless lives and actions of outward Christians and by their lazy and unholy Principles So that after the rate such Christians live now it is hard to know how and in what instances and in what degrees our duty ought to excell that of Moses's disciples though a Greater than Moses is here But they that love will do the thing that is good and so understand the Rule of perfection Obedite intelligetis Obey and ye shall know all that is necessary to be known for God shall lead you into all truth and love is the fulfilling of the whole Law We cannot be too careful for ignorant and weak and carnal persons especially for hypocrites because both pretend the one sort really as knowing no better but the other falsely and basely to the shame of Christianity that 1. This so high and spiritual worship inclines the minds of men to scruples and dislikes of all orders and rules in the Church and so because Christians must have but few Rites therefore they will endure none at all or such only as are of their own making We protest utterly against this spirit of men that it is an abuse of Christian Liberty and a cloak of maliciousness in hypocrites and a grievous cheat to all weak and well-meaning Christians 2. That this leads into rebellion against the religious Powers that according to their bounden duties do establish order and decency in all things belonging to the Service of God It is the principal care of the Magistrate to see that God be honourably served in Publick with decency at set times and places with set forms and postures to avoid confusion Now these pretenders to spirituality only do strongly set themselves against the face of Authority under the shew of Conscience This is a very wicked thing most contrary to the meaning of the Spirit and Power of Godliness For God hath ordained Princes to rule and Subjects to obey But these unruly Spirits under a feigned zeal for God's Cause set up their own Cause and set the whole world on fire by their ungodly Rebellions Take heed therefore of this one thing The True Gospel-Spirit minds most of all a True Spiritual Service But if Lawful and Religious Power commands a few innocent Forms to be observed in publick only to avoid Distraction they submit peaceably and still continue to worship God in the Spirit in publick In the Time Appointed by Law In the Place Appointed by Law In the Posture Appointed by Law In the Form Appointed by Law And in private too at any time place and in any form or posture as they themselves shall please What can be done more If men were not unreasonable they would be contented and come in to the Publick Worship and not proudly separate themselves as they do This did not the Jews though they had different opinions otherwise and this do not the Papists though they have several Orders and Perswasions amongst them For all Jews came to the same Temple and all Papists to the same Mass But our Sects are more unfortunately cross and more unhandsomely disobedient to Ecclesiastical and Temporal Authority than all the world besides the more is our misery Learn to be wiser and make it a matter of Conscience to fulfil all Righteousness to take your liberty in God's name in private no body desires to hinder you in the least Have ye not houses to pray in Mat. 3.13 Why despise ye the House of Prayer Shall I praise you for this I praise you not Do not forbear the assembling of your selves together as the custome of too many is to do It is spiritual Pride it is not only rebellious but uncivil and very rude to flock together to unlawful meetings or to stay at home or walk in the fields or streets or be at Ale-houses or Taverns as people unconcerned when better men than you are gathered together in the fear of God and Obedience to the Laws to Pray and Praise God and to hear his Word and to give Alms to the Poor O how decent a thing it is for Brethren to meet together in Unity And how prudent is that Devotion that places all the substance of Religion in the heart and yet uses the circumstances of order to avoid the confusion of wild Extravagancies Certain it is that if every one were left to serve God in his own way there would be no Face of a Church One would be Working or Playing while another was Preaching or Praying ignorant men and women would take upon them to teach and the blind would lead the blind till they both fall into the ditch We have greater cause therefore to bless God for establishing Powers over us without which we should be as herds of Wild Beasts rather than sober men and fall foul of one anothers persons and estates But God is the God of Order not of Confusion and we have no such unmannerly Custome nor ever had the true Churches of God Abhor therefore if you be wise all Fanatick Expressions That all Time all Places are alike so they are but not for publick Offices and that any Postures Gestures or Habits may be used so they may but not in Publick Service God and Man have given us our Liberty in Private only for the Publick we are restrained This is enough to give content to all Parties if Reason would do it for this is decent and comely in the sight of God and Man And thus it becometh us to dispute no more about such matters but to fulfil all Righteousness Spiritual Perfection From what hath been delivered at large I collect these Reasons for Spiritual Worship and Gospel-Perfection Reas I Because the Ritual Worship induced by God is abolished Believe me Ritual Worship abolished John 4.23 the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit Col. 2.16 c. and in truth Let no man deceive you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath
days which are a shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world Why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in Will-worship and humility and neglecting of the Body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh ib. v. 13. Blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances which was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross There are many proofs more to this purpose too long to set down here Because all other Ritual worship superinduced by Men must needs be Reas II as much contrary to the Analogy of Christ's worship No other rites to be superinduced and more than that of the Law was Because no Rites in themselves ever did or will please God Witness Reas III God's declaration that of old he never imposed Sacrifices upon them No rites ever pleased God and when he did he preferred Mercy and Obedience before them and says he never delighted in them and the Prophets all along called for this kind of Sacrifice in comparison whereof all others were an abomination unto him and he was weary of them Because greater perfection is required in the Christian than was in the Reas IV Jewish Religion Greater Perfection in the Christian Religion But against this kind of doctrine flie forth a swarm of Objections from the Wasps of the world This spiritual worship and perfection you speak of Obj. is hard to understand and harder to practise A hard saying who can hear it And if so who then can be saved You may understand and practise both by the Spirit Answ if you will learn and obey with your Reason and your Will The Mind and Will of the Flesh is dull to know and stout to do such spiritual things and indeed she neither can nor will act any thing towards it till it yield to the Spirit For the Carnal man understandeth not the things of God neither indeed can he because they are spiritually discerned The Spirit only understandeth the things of the Spirit and the Flesh only understandeth the things of the Flesh The Gospel is a light to our Spirit to understand it by and the Spirit of God is a light to the Gospel and Christ is the person in whom is this Spirit of whose fullness we all receive who is the light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world John 1.9 This Light is come into the World but the Darkness comprehendeth it not because the world loveth darkness rather than light because her deeds are evil Ceremonies are a great help to Devotion Obj. But Devotion brought them forth the Daughter destroys the Mother Answ They be few easie and significant and used with liberty of spirit yet God hath no where in the Gospel commanded them but forbidden such as are Jewish and Heathenish the rest that make for decency and order being enjoyned by the Church are freely to be used trusting in all things to the aids of the Spirit which helpeth all our Infirmities Use therefore all honest helps but trust to the Spirit have recourse to that Fountain and covet after the best gifts Behold I shew unto you a more excellent way The world is not able to bear these high Dispensations Obj. Why then hath God introduced them If they were impossible Answ there could no obligation be upon us to bear them nor could God be Just in imposing them The World is in its Majority now God saw it to be the time of Love the Fullness of Time The World is Older and might be Wiser than it is O that Men were Wise to learn to know in this their day of Visitation the things that do belong to their Peace 1. We have or might have heard of all God's dispensations before and under the Law and of this last and best under the Gospel what revelations providences and administrations of justice mercy and power by miracles God hath wrought 2. We have the great example of Jesus and the Saints a cloud of Witnesses before us 3. We have the New Testament read and preached with the inward teaching of the Spirit If we will not learn by all these more than they could that had not these assistances Is it not our own faults And shall we not be without excuse Wo unto us if we now bring not forth more fruits worthy of Repentance than they did who came short of the Means we have The times of the former ignorance that was not willful God winked at and forgave them because they knew not what they did for had they known better things they would have done them as many as had honest hearts Mat. 13.14 Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear For verily I say unto you that many Prophets and Righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear John 8.56 and have not heard them Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad All the old Worthies died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth Heb. 11.23 39 40. All these having obtained a good report through faith received not the Promise God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect What went ye out for to see A Prophet yea I say unto you and more than a Prophet Verily I say unto you among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he Mat 11.9 c. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffered violence and the violent take it by force for all the Prophets and the Law prophecied until John He that hath ears to hear let him hear When I was a Child I thought as a Child I spake as a Child I did as a Child but when I became a Man I put away childish things The childhood of the World is past Heb. 5.12 c. For our time we might have been teachers and not have need to be taught again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God we are dull of hearing Every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of Righteousness for he is a Babe But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil Heb. 6.1 Therefore leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ
condemned as Children of wrath that is after the Hebrew phrase such as have deserved punishment as Sons of deat hare such as have deserved death Vide 2 Sam. 12.5 John 15.12 2 Thess 2.3 1 Câ—r 11.13 14. So the Apostle disputeth Judg in your selves i. e. according to your natural Reason is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered Doth not even Nature it self teach you that if a Man have long hair it is a shame unto him c. That is not plain Nature but Customs far and neer in all Ages observed which are the Laws of Nations which are secondary Laws Rom. 1.18 c. springing from the original Laws of Nature For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shew'd it unto them But they when they knew God glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned professing themselves wise they became fools For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their Women did change the natural use into that which is against Nature And likewise also the Men leaving the natural use of the Woman burned in their lusts one toward another Men with Men working that which is unseemly and receiving to themselves that recompense of their error which was meet And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledg God gave them up to a reprobate mind to do those things who are not convenient without natural affection Col. 4.8 c. doing service to them which by nature are no Gods Others of the Gentiles which had not the Law writen on Tables did by nature the things contained in the Law these having no Law were a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another SECT XI Thus it appears that Nature teaches good and by her Dictates they that walk contrary to the course of Nature are condemned as guilty of the wrath of God and are therefore called Sons of wrath But to call these unnatural courses of Adult persons by the name of Original Sin Actual in which we are conceiv'd and born and for which we are liable to eternal death is so strange and so heterogeneal a consequence as by no considering unbiast way of reasoning can justly be deduced from such premises That Nature is good and teaches good appears in that all Men naturally desire good enquiring what is good what is Truth and who will shew us any good as 1. To do good to our selves and to others not to hurt our selves nor others 2. To keep our promises to all 3. To give every one their due This is God's Image It is as natural for Man to be good Quintil. as for Birds to flie and Fishes to swim 1. Because the Soul is a Spirit Reason and it is the nature of a Spirit to desire God and Goodness Soul a Spirit I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man Spirits delight not in corporeal things the Soul draws near to his proper object God and Goodness The breath of God breathes after God The Soul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Receptacle of God as mattter is of form As there is a sympathy between the Seed and the Womb to conceive thereby so there is a sympathy between God and the Soul God the Seed the Soul the Matrix Man is a kind of Mortal god Tertul. In homine quid optimum Ratio hâc antecedit animalia Deos sequitur saies Brave Seneca Senec. what is the best thing in Man It is Reason by this he excels all other living creatures here below and follows God himself The Soul hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certain formative quality from the kindly aspect and incumbency of God's Grace hovering and brooding over it Ephes 4.24 which makes the New Man which after God is created in Righteousnes and true Holiness SECT XII 2. Because Good is the most common and communicative thing that is Good most common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith Hope and Love are the Common Laws and Notions tending to the common salvation God dispenses not Good sparingly he shuts it not up as Gold and Metals in the bowels of the Earth or Pearls and Jewels in the bottom of the Sea Say not therefore who will shew us any good or ascend into Heaven to fetch it down from thence that we may hear it and do it or who will go down to Hell if it were there to fetch it up from thence that we might hear it and do it for it is nigh even in thy heart it is the light that is in us which if it be darkned how great is that darkness The most excellent things of God are the most common and offered to all when other things are rare and present themselves to few God is every Man 's good that will Aquinas his Sister ask'd him how she might be saved he answer'd her If you will The Predestinarian makes a cross consequence from this Object That Salvation depends upon Man's will If the King pardon and the Malefactor sues it out and takes it Answ does the King's Grace therefore depend upon the Malefactor's will should he be forc'd to take it whether he will or not Is this reasonable If Men reject the Grace of God their destruction is from themselves but their Salvation is from God The goods thing of God arrive certainly at the persons that desire them So is it not in the things of this world Every covetous person is not rich though he rise up early and goes to bed late and eats the bread of carefulness yet all will not do Every Ambitious Man is not the highest though he aspire and labour never so much to climbe up to the top of Honour yet he is forc'd to stay below and move in an inferior Orbe Every Student that sits in the Vatican is not a great Clark and there are few good in any one Trade But in Divine things it is far otherwise for every one that asketh hath and every one that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh the gates of Wisdom are opened Every one that hungreth and thirsteth after Righteousness shall be satisfied Fastidiosior est scientia quà m virtus Learning Riches Honours c. are more nice and coy than Virtue is though Virtue be most lovely yet she is not so delicate and scornful as they that have far less beauty and worth in them Paucorum est ut literati seu Divites c. omnium ut Boni Very few can attain to great Learning Honor c. But all may be good and besides Honours Wisdom Power c. when they are gotten are
inheritance and who hath to do with it if an Earthly King or Parent do so And what is this or can be to an Heavenly Estate Esau being saved as well as Jacob brought up in the same Family and Principles of the Fear of God though for reasons best known to God he had not an equal share of an Estate of Land and Dignity in this World This is enough to satisfie if Men would not be willful for the true sense of that Paragraph Ro. 9.9 c. so much mistaken and misapplied in the world to the dishonour of God and the destruction of ignorant and tender minds And as this so those other controverted points of the Real presence Free will Prayers to Saints c. might easily be understood if Men would learn to observe the scope and Analogy of the Scriptures the standard and rule to try and settle all things by and the publick Interpretation of all doubts without a visible infallible Judg. After these Allegories let us return to the true Title of Justification by Grace Transition All Right of State Power Honour or Profit requires a Title much more the state of Eternal Salvation A means must be used or some act must be done for the reception of a Divine state else the Testamentary acts of God's Predestination or Institution may be ineffectual as they are to all that refuse despise reject Because all Testamentary acts do leave unto the Party instituted a liberty to accept of or refuse the Gift For a Testament is no Law to constrain much less a fate to necessitate but is the Grace or Good will of a Testator to offer and invite to acceptation A Title is the cause that makes a just Right and assures the party thereof and defends it to him against all opposers As Birth doth to an Inheritance Work to Wages Mony to a Purchase Acceptation to a Gift SECT XXXIII Works If then the true Title to our Justification by Faith be Grace then the wrong Title is Works So Grace excludeth Works for he that claimeth by one Title must exclude all the rest Therefore no works of the Law either in the Literal sense as delivered by Moses and understood by the Israelites or in the Spiritual sense as it was declared by Christ and is understood by the Faithful are of efficacy or virtue to create us a true Title to the Right of Eternal Blessedness Seeing then the true Title to Justification by Faith is Grace under the Gospel that of Works under the Law is to be relinquished as an act of God once propounded but ever ineffectual and now altogether expired and dead together with the Law it self that required it For we are dead to the Law Gal. 2.19 that being dead wherein we were held that we might live unto God For seeing God by Christ hath declared his New Will and Testament of the Gospel therefore his former Will of the Law though for a time it were good and useful is now utterly infringed cancelled and void For by the Works of the Law no Flesh living can be justified That is no mortal Man whose life is exactly scann'd by the Law shall by observance thereof be found so compleat as to have performed universal and perpetual obedience to every Precept in every sense thereof without failing The reasoning of this Point by the Apostle runs thus If a Man will be jurally justified by the works of the Law Gal. 2.16 i. e. If he will claim a right to Heaven by the Title of his works then he must be legally justified i. e. declared never to have offended the Law For supposing but not granting that the Law can justifie morally yet it cannot do this to any but to such as are upright every way in the sight of God for if a Man offend in any one Law he is guilty of all and the work of the Law is presently to condemn him without mercy imputing to him a Right to a future Curse Rom. 4.15 saying Cursed is every one that walketh not in all the Commandments of God to do them The Law worketh wrath and whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all i. e. is guilty of Death and of more he could not be guilty if he broke all because Death is a final punishment beyond which there can be no other there being no subject of punishment because the offender is not Now though in Mens Tribunals some may be legally justified as Paul might be Touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Phil. 3.6 yet was he not thereby justified in the sight and knowledg of God So Job was a perfect and upright Man before Men but not before God Luc. 1.6 So Zacharias and Elizabeth were said to be both Righteous before God walking in all the Commandments of God blameless yet truly before God no Man living save Jesus Christ ever was or ever will be legally justified i. e. sinless or blameless before Almighty God See Ro. 1 Ro. 2. Such are all Men shut up under sin by the Law Rom. 3.9 19. that every mouth may be stopped and all the World may become guilty before God because all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God Therefore all Men being and being declared sinners by Law Heaven can come no other way but to them that are made Righteous and declared so by promise The Scripture hath concluded all under sin Gal. 3.22 that the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe The summe is this If a Man have right to Eternal Life by works jurally then he must by these works be declared upright legally before God But no Man living can be declared upright legally before God by his works and therefore works are a wrong Title to Justification which was the thing to be demonstrated Yet though works are no Title to acquire a Right yet they are a tenure to hold a Right that is acquired To be justified or to have righteousness imputed reckoned or accounted is to be absolved and quitted from sin and misery and to be intitled to holiness and happiness and all by Faith not Law v. Gal. 2.21 Gal. 3.18 Ro. 4.3 45. Reward may be of debt to the worker but it is properly and purely of Grace to the Promissary A promise creates a right and he to whom the promise of an inheritance is made by his acceptance thereof is a Person invested with right unto it 1. Therefore Justification is the Acquitting of the penitent Believer by a Judicial act of God's Grace in the Covenant of the Gospel through Christ Justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3.24 through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ 2. Therefore Justification is the Approving commending rewarding adjudging or giving right to holiness and happiness As to impute no sin is to forgive sin so to impute Righteousness is to adjudg to the high reward of Faith
unwritten unrevealed to private Souls The hearts of such great ones are in the hands of God and he teaches them Worldly Policy Self-pleasing Self-interest Pride Revenge c. must have no place here O that they that wear Crowns and Miters were wise that they would consider their vast Charge and remember their later end that they might not do amiss SECT XVI And what shall we poor Subjects do but stand aloof off and admire and obey Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harm Violate not the Persons nor the Rights nor the Estates of Princes or Priests God is in them he feels the hurts and revenges them The Powers that be are ordained of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Procul ô procul ite prophani Swell not O Rulers for God in Sacred or Civil matters Illustrious is your calling Mutuato splendetis lumine but your Glory borrow'd Ye are gods but ye must die like Men. Use both Swords as equally as gently as 't is possible O! how blessed shall ye be of God and Men for Justice Equity Mercy Piety to the Souls Bodies and Estates of the Dear Saints and Subjects of the King of Heaven and Earth And as on Earth so in Heaven your glory shall outshine all others SECT XVII 1. Thus Christ only as Mediator King Priest and Prophet Corollaries hath and holds his Office and Power of God immediately 2. The Church is a Corporation and Kingdom that hath and holds only of Christ their only Head and King and Prophet and High-Priest in Fee 3. The Keyes and Supreme Powers of the World have and hold immediately under Christ in Fee 4. The Priests and Ministers of Christ have and hold immediately from Christ in Fee 5. The Clergy and Laity owe subjection immediately to Kings and Supreme Powers under Christ 5. Ergo Kings only are Christ's Vicegerents and Vicars upon Earth to whom all Clergy and Laity are bound to be subject for Christ's sake and for Conscience sake and for the peace and welfare both of Church and State That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty My Kingdom saith Christ is not of this World And there was a strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest Luc. 22.25 c. and he said unto them The Kings of the Gentiles Exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called Benefactors But ye shall not be so but he that is the greatest among you let him be as the younger and he that is Chief as he that doth serve Jesus called them unto him and said Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise Authority upon them But it shall not be so among you Matth. 20.25 c. but whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister And whosoever will be the chief among you let him be your servant Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his Life a Ransom for many Ergo The true right justifying to the Estate of Blessedness of God in Christ is Faith and the true Tenure to hold this Blessed Estate of God in Christ is Holiness Feudum is Grace Ergo Allodium is Glory Quod erat demonstrandum The CONTENTS Transition Catholick Church Scriptures Collections TITLE III. Of the Laws of Christ's Kingdom Transition CHRIST hath the sole power of Legislation and Jurisdiction in his Church and Kingdom the Ministers of Christ are Ambassadors under him to declare his will and pleasure not to exercise Lordship over God's Inheritance Est in universis servientibus non dominium sed ministerium He that is greatest amongst you sayes Christ let him be the least and servant unto all A Judicatory power is granted unto Regal Vassals as Lords in fee over their inferior Vassals to exercise not for themselves but for their Supreme Lords in peace or war For otherwise they are all Vassals and par in parem non habet imperium Still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Legislative power is reserved to Kings They may have a kind of delegated power to make By-Laws consonant to the High Law of Christ and some laudable Customs in the Church are Quasi-Laws or By-Laws as in other Societies but they must be significant charitable easie and few SECT I. Catholick Church The Catholick Church is a faithful witness of the Truth committed to her charge and a record of all those necessary Truths but properly makes no Laws that is a prerogative reserved to the King Besides the Spiritual Laws of Christ I know not what Laws of Faith can be added And besides the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper I know not what Rites can be added for Worship only for decency and order and those few ambulatory pro re nata tempore loco populo according to the occasion time place and People with great Wisedom Charity Moderation and Christian Liberty They talk highly of the Laws of the Church the Laws of Christ given to his Church I know other Laws I do not know properly so called Let me know what Church must be the Catholick and how can the Catholick Church meet and if they could what power to make Laws Hath not Christ made sufficient Laws already In a Feudal Kingdom there are Principum placita the Rescripts of Princes but not Senatusconsulta nor Plebiscita nor Responsa Prudentum All are Pragmatical Sanctions The Prince rules all neither hath Christ any Deputy or Vice-gerent Man or Men upon Earth to rule with him or for him in his Church whereof he is the only Head But Princes under him are bound to be nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to his Church to defend the Faith they are to be wise and learn this knowledg to kiss the Son lest he be angry and so they perish if his wrath be kindled yea but a little And he hath sent his Ambassadors and Ministers under him to serve in his Gospel by the power of his own Spirit to be subject to Princes SECT II. The Scriptures only are God's Will and his Laws Scriptures in them are his Precepts and Promises and the rule of his Worship which are the true intrinsecal and acceptable Service of God If any thing else be commanded it is extrinsecal and only for decent order and so to be esteem'd and used cum favore The Laws of a Spiritual and Military Kingdom as Christs is are Spiritual The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but Spiritual and mighty for the casting down of the Spiritual and strong holds of Principalities and Powers and Spiritual wickedness in high places And all Christians or Souldiers take the Sacrament or Military Oath in Baptism to be true to their General to fight under the Banner of Christ against the World the Flesh and the Devil to their lives end This is the good
writ of Christ or not whether Judaism was to make way or give place to Christianity or not And seeing it can no more be questioned whether or no the Jews were to take upon them the Law of God as their King for the condition upon which they were to expect the land of Promise it is plain there wants nothing that can be required duely to infer that the condition the undertaking whereof entitles Christians to life everlasting is the profession of Christianity and the performance thereof that which is rewarded by the performance of all the promises which the Gospel tenders as the performance of the Law was that which secured the Israelites in the land of Promise against their enemies round about Now we know that when the Covenant of God with Abraham for the land of Promise came to be limited as to the condition required by God to the Law of Moses that Circumcision which God had required of all Abraham's seed became a condition limiting the same to the Israelites the want whereof at eight days old was a forfeiture of that promise For the waters of the Red Sea which saved them and drowned the Egyptians the Cloud that overshadowed them the Manna which they ate and the waters of the Rock which they drank though according to St. Paul Sacraments answerable to the Sacraments of the Church were so but for the time that they travelled through the Wilderness If therefore by virtue of these the Israelites were entituled to the land of Promise which of Circumcision is evident then must the Sacrament of Baptism be necessarily requisite to the right of a Christian in the heavenly Inheritance Mr. Thornd l. 2. c. 29. p 249. So that by publishing the Gospel the original Law of God is not abrogated continuing still the Rule of mens actions but rather strengthned and enlarged to all those Precepts which are positive under the Gospel and come not from the light of Nature as necessary conditions to salvation in all estates It may be called a new Law as proposing new terms of salvation which if any man challenge to be a derogation to Gods original Law I will not contend about words As for the Law of Moses if we consider it as containing the terms upon which the people held the land of Promise the publishing of the Gospel neither abrogates it nor derogates from it being only given to hold till the time of Reformation Heb. 9.10 But if we consider it as containing an intimation of that Spiritual obedience which God required of those that would be saved under that light by the outward and civil obedience of these positive Precepts whereby they were restrained from the worship of Idols and commerce with idolatrous Nations in proportion of the reward of the World to come signified by the happiness of the land of Promise then must we acknowledge another dispensation in the same original Law by the Law of Moses and for the time of it which was also in force under the Fathers from the beginning though not burthened with that multitude of positive Precepts which the Law of Moses brought in for the condition upon which they were to hold the land of Promise And in opposition to those it is called by the Fathers of the Church The Law of Nature not in opposition to Grace the very giving it by Gods voluntary appearing to the Fathers and instructing them by familiar conversation as it were being a work of meer Grace as also the effect of it in the works of their conversation which we find so truly Christian that the Fathers of the Church do truly argue from thence That Judaism is younger than Christianity And therefore I do here acknowledge this his dispensation by which the Fathers obtained salvation before the Gospel to have been granted also in consideration of that obedience which our Lord Jesus had taken upon him to perform in the Fulness of time Nothing hindring us to understand in Gods proceeding with them something like that which in the Civil Law is called Novatio or Delegatio renewing of Bonds or Assignation of payment God accepting the interposition of our Lord Christ to the reconcilement of them being as if he accepted a new bond for an old debt or of payment by Proxie to be made at a certain term This is a point as manifest in the Scriptures of the New Testament as was requisite that a point not concerning the salvation of those that live under the New Testament but the understanding of the reason thereof in the salvation of those that died under the Old for the maintenance of it against unbelievers should be manifest 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. I would not have you ignorant Brethren that your Fathers were all under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea and all were baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and all ate of the same spiritual meat and all drank of the same spiritual drink for they all drank of the same spiritual Rock that followed him Now the Rock was Christ They that entred into a Covenant of works to obtain the land of Promise entred not expresly into a Covenant of Faith in Christ for obtaining the World to come no more than being baptized into Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea that is into his government into the observation of the Laws he should give in hope of the Promises he should give they can be said to have been baptized expresly into Christ and that Profession which his promises require Wherefore when he saith that the Rock was Christ his meaning is not immediately and to those that rested in this temporal Covenant of works But as the Manna was Christ and Moses was Christ by the means of that faith which God then received at their hands to wit the assurance of everlasting happiness for them who under this calling should tender God the spiritual obedience of the inward man upon those grounds which his temporal goodness the tradition of their Fathers and the instruction of their Prophets afforded at that time Now I appeal to the sense of all men how those can be said to have that interest in Christ which I have shewed that Christians have and therefore in the same ground if there were no consideration of Christ in the Blessings of Christ which they enjoyed Wherefore when St. Paul proceeds hereupon to exhort them Not to tempt Christ as some of them tempted we must not understand that he forbids us to tempt Christ as they tempted God but that they also tempted Christ who went along with them in that Angel in whom the name of God and his word was So when the Apostle saith That Moses counted the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt for he looked at the recompence of reward Heb. 11.26 when putting them in mind to follow their teachers considering the end which they had attained and Moses aimed at he addeth Jesus Christ is the same yesterday