into their hearts to be their Lord and Christ for then it would have been well with them for ever though this Author makes such a state but the first image and most unwarrantably calls such the devils subjects page 361. Page 151. He saith Those that come into this first image who yet he saith are not in a saving state have by Christ renewed in them the same pure nature for kind wherein man was at first created and in that state are fed and nourished up at Christs own Table eating his flesh and drinking his blood to the growing up into one living body with him Whatsoever this Author saith of the natural mans having the same pure nature for kind that was in Adam at first if we will believe the Scriptures they will tell us the contrary as Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of his heart was onely evil continually where then was the pure nature for kinde that man was at first created in and in the Psalms its said that God looked down from heaven and behold there was none righteous no not one and Jer. 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things yea desperately wicked who can know it and Jer. 4.14 Wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved which plainly imports thus much that though there may be a great deal of outward reformation in the natural man yet the hearts of none are truly washed from wickednesse and purified but they shall be saved and 2 Pet. 2.14 the Apostle saith of the false teachers who yet no question made a fair shew that they had eyes full of adultery or of the Whore and could not cease to sin where was the same pure nature in kinde that was in Adam when they could not cease to sin but the Author saith further that these men are nourished up at Christs own Table eating his flesh and drinking his blood but he is sufficiently mistaken for what is it to be nourished up at Christs Table but to be nourished up in faith love holinesse and is the natural man thus nourished up what is this but to be nourished up to eternallife and whereas he saith they eat his flesh and drink his blood I answer then they must needes be saved if we will beleive Christs owne expresse words John 6.54 who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life for though this Author maketh nothing of eating Christs flesh and drinking his blood and maketh it but his first Image in which there is no salvation yet saith Christ in the 55. verse of that chap My flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him and least we should beleive such doctrine as this Author bringeth that this is but the first Image or Covenant of works and falleth short of salvation to eate Christs flesh and drink his blood the Lord Jesus maketh a solemne asseveration to evince it he saith in 57. verse As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me shall live by me Thus notably hath Christ confuted this Authors doctrine and left it upon record for a witness against him he saith further that by thus eating of Christs flesh and drinking his blood they grew up into one living body with him and yet by his doctrine in no saving state for all this so that men may be living members of Christ and yet never be saved strange doctrine indeed shall any that are one living body with Christ be damned the Apostle saith Ephe. 5.23 that Christ is the Saviour of the body and I think wee may believe him but he quoteth Luk. 13.25.26 How men shall plead they have eaten and drunk in Christs presence and he hath taught in their streetes but what is this to the purpose did all that sat at table with Christ in the daies of his flesh and eat and drink with him eat his flesh and drink his blood and were all those that heard him teach in their streets made one liveing body with him this would be as strange an inference from this place as those that conclude 7. Sacraments from the five loaves and 2. fishes and alas these were so far from being one living body with Christ that the next verse telleth us that Christ shall say to them I know not where you are and so far from having pure nature of the same kind with Adam that Christ shall say to them Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity What a slurre he casts upon the Godly and Churches of Christ Page 153. calling them the worldly church the incorporated body of visible Saints called out and separated from the world a very cleaver contradicition for if they be called out and separated from the world how are they a worldly church yea and he after confesses they have a manifest selfe-distinguishing proression not onely from all heathenish worship but from corrupt Christian professions and practises but then will I aske this Author how then are they a worldly Church Page 154. He saith that these are a true Church and as Revel 12.1 are cloathed with the Sun yea are the Nursery or womb of all the true Spirituall seede But if they be the true Church of Christ then they are in a saving state and then they are subject to Christ Eph. 5.24 Christ loveth them and hath given himselfe for them v. 25. and presents them to himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing holy and without blemish sanctifies and cleanses them by the washing of the water through the word v. 25.29 and surely all this amounts to eternall salvation and to be cloathed with Christ the Son of righteousness Revel 12.1 wrapt up in these beames of light and life holdeth forth salvation fully and I pray how can these be the nursery and wombe of all the spirituall seede and yet not be the spirituall seede themselves he maketh these but flesh in their highest attainements and John 3.6 that which is born of the flesh is flesh and no better he maketh them but the Law and the Covenant of workes and doth he think the Law and its righteousness is the nursery and wombe of all the spirituall seed the Apostle will teach us another lesson Gal. 3.2 where he asketh the Galatians such a question received ye the spirit by the hearing of the Law or by the preaching faith was the Law or first Covenant the nursery or wombe which brought forth the Spirit in you surely no but the hearing of faith and so Gala. 4.23 he who was of the bond-woman was after the flesh but he that was of the freewas by promise the bondwoman and all that are her children are in bondage Now this Author counts this Church and this state that we are treating on to be but the bondwoman the Law and yet
the life of our spirits and therefore blame me not if I sometime speak plain English it s not against his person but against his doctrine The Lord make known his truth more perfectly and establish us in it and grant that all our poor labours may tend to the advancement of it and that we may neither speak nor write nor do any thing against the truth but all for the truth Tetuey the 29th of he Month commonly called March 1656. So prayes the Lords most unprofitable servant MARTIN FINCH CHAP. I. Concerning the first Adam the cause of his Fall and of the Angells the cause of their Fall GOD made man righteous created him in his owne image in respect of certaine divine excellencies and qualities he bestowed upon him placed him in the garden of Eden was pleased to forbid him the eating of the tree of knowledge nor to touch it lest he dye this state of happiness that Adam was in was mutable and uncertain because upon his disobedience he forfeites all his priviledges annexed to his state and God never resolved by his mighty power and over-ruling Spirit to keepe him from disobedience so that he stood a very little while in innocency but by disobeying God in eating of the forbidden fruit fell from his first purity and holyness of minde and openeth a wide doore for sin to enter into the world and death by sin this sin of A-Adam had many aggravations as he said to Naaman the Assirian if the Prophet had bad thee do som great thing wouldest thou not have don it how much more now he bids thee but wash and be clean so Adam if thy Creator that made thee so noble and excellent had required harder service then ever he required of thee wouldest thou or shouldest thou have done it and if he had forbidden thee al the trees of the garden but one shouldest thou not have obeyed him in it how much more when he forbiddeth thee but one tree among so many wouldest thou not forbeare it I might shew if there were need how this sin of Adam was spiritual Idolatry Adultery and ingratitude towards that God that had done so much for him having said this by the way let us examine what this Author saith of Adams state before the fall and how he fell Page 67. He saith that God did not give Adam sufficient grace and strength to doe what he required and commanded but it was Adams weakness to thinke so But I answer then his fall waâ— necessary whether he would or no even like our case that have cause to complaine with Paul Rom. 7. the evill which we would not do that we do for want of strength to resist the motions of sin and temptations to it though it be quite against our will and the desire of our hearts as to the inward man according to which we delight in the Law of God and would noe way offend him but this would lessen the sin of Adam in disobeying Gods commands if he had not power and ability given him by God to do what God required of him this impotency which we are sensible of came by the fall and was not before he and we in him lost that divine excellency and strength which God had bestowed upon him Page 70. He saith that the frame of Spirit and minde that God had in his eye to bring upon Angells and men stands in direct opposition and crosse constitution to what the Angells and Adam had at first Unlesse the Author meanes here that mens having life in the way of their own righteousness their having life by Christ and his righteousnesse stand thus in direct opposition I know not how what he saith is true and if he should mean so he should not have put Angels and men together for the Scripture tells us of no Angels that are justified by Christ blood and made the righteousness of God in him but I thinke this is not his meaning because he doth not say that the way of geting life in one state and another were so differing but he saith the frame of Spirit and minde in the one and the other stand in direct opposition I know the believer in Christs grace is in some things differing from Adams as in closing with Christ by acts of faith and seeing such sinfulness and unworthiness in himselfe which Adams state did not admit of yet neither is this the meaning of the Anthor neither is there such a direct opposition and crosse constitution here such a frame of Spirit is as suitable to the believers state as Adams was to his but surely he meanes that the higher Image which he supposes is the unvailed glory of the Father and this lower image in which Angells and man were made at first stands in direct opposition and crosse constitution now the Author makes the unvailed and original glory to be the witness of the first person in the Trinity and the state of the Angels and of the first Adam to be the witness of the second person in the Trinity and do these stand in such direct opposition and crosse constitution surely the operations of the blessed Trinity stands in the most compleat and perfect harmony that this direct opposition is not in the operations of the persons of the blessed Trinity but in our either mistaken or imperfect knowledge of them Concerning Adams state he saith further Page 54. That on the Seventh day there was to be ministred to him a far higher and more exalted capacity of minde for the enabling him unto an everlasting happy and compleat communion with God The Scripture saith nothing of this that we must reject it as being but mans conceit Adam was already in such a state as he might have enjoyed such happy communion with God as God thought fit to communicate to him while he obeyed him and did his will in what herequired of him such communion as was a high glorious priviledg the Scripture saith not a word of any higher state that God offered himâ— but there is one Scripture that the Author quotes for this 1 Cor. 15.44 45 46 47 48 49. he makes corruptible and mortall to be meant as the state wherein the first Adam was made incorruptible and immortality to be meant of the higher Image which Adam was offered and refused which he calls Christ in the Spirit and Christ in his Heavenly appearances Now that Scripture speakes of the resurrection that we shall be made alive and the corruptible shall put on incorruptability and the mortall immortality yea the the very wicked shall never goe out of being which would be a priviledge and mercy to them but body and soule kept up in being to beare the vengeance oâ— eternall fire and wrath for ever and so the Apostle goeth on to shew the difference betweene our bodies here and in Heaven how Spiritual they shall be there our vile bodies changed into the likeness of Christs glorious bodie as they are now in
woman made under the Law he was sent to seeke and to save that which was loft he came to call sinners to repentance he was set forth to be a propitiation for our sins thorough faith in his blood with innumerable places of Scripture to that purpose And we may very well in answer to this Author affirm that God if it had seemed good in his sight could have given eternal life to Adam and preserved him to the Heavenly kingdome in the state wherein he created him but he saith Jesus Christ from the beginning was the right object of faith to Angells and men but I answer that the Lord Jesus could not be so the object of faith to them as he is to us since the fall for before that they were whole and needed not the Physitian could not come to Christ the brazen serpent for healing as those that were stung with the fiery serpents they could not come as lost creatures and weltring in their blood to Christ that they might have life could not apply his blood to cleanse them from sin when as yet they had not sinned nor any guile found in their mouthes but if men instead of admiring the rich and great salvation brought to light through the glorious gospel will curiously pry into the state of the Angells and things which they have not seene vainely puft up with a fleshly minde under the notion of a spiritual mind will be contentious about these things we have noe such custome nor the Churches of God but leave them to flatter themselves in their owne speculations desiring our selves to he found thankfull to God and admirers of his love who when we were Enemies reconciled us unto himself by the blood of his son and desirous to give all diligence to make sure our union and communion with him the Lord our righteousness who when we were lost came to seek us and to save us Page 94. He saith that Jesus Christ was the surety and Mediator of both Testaments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sponsor is one that undertakes to pay anothers debt that Jesus Christ is said to be the surety of the better Testament Hebr. 7.22 which better Testament is the covenat of grace not the covenant of workes and he is surety of no other Testament but that and according to the tenour of that covenant he the surety payes our debts to God the creditor payes that which he never took suffereth for our sins the just for the unjust to bring us to God and so doth the holy Ghost distinguish betweene Moses and Christ John 1.1.7 Telling us the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ and Hebr. 8.6 Christ hath obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better covenant not of the old which is established upon better promises then Do this and live and soe likewise Hebr. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by meanes of death for the redemption of transgressions under the first testament they which were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance so the believers under the old testament by this Jesus the Mediator of the new testament being called were justified received the promise possession of the eternal inheritance as well as we to name no more Scriptures where I might abound see Heb. 12.24 And to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling making it a great part of the glory and excellency of the Gospel dispensation above that of the Law that Jesus is the Mediator of this covenant which if they had been of the Authors mind they might have slighted saying that so he was of the other but enough to shew the Authors mistake in this particular Page 69. He saith that Christ had an exercise of a new life set up in him in a way of faith by which he did not onely perform the righteousness and obedience required of man by the Law or first covenant but that also which is required of him by the new and second Covenant Concerning the new life faith as the author calleth it that was set up in Christ the author will give us accasion to speak afterwards for he thinketh Christ had a new birth and regeneration as well as we In the mean while this is not very clear that Christ did performe that righteousness obedience which is required of man by the new second Covenant the gospel or new Covenant calls for Faith in Christ repentance thankfulness mourning for sin I wis the Gospel calls for these things and if the author had said Christ purchased these things for us and all things the gospel or new Covenant calls for so that those for whom he Purchased them shall have them in the appointed time bestowed upon them if he had said thus we should have agreed with him but to say that Christ by a new life and way of faith performed all that the new Covenant or gospells requires will hardly goe downe with us did Christ believe repent mourne for sin and we must note all this while that the author doth not speake this of Christs passive obedience whereby he performed the Fathers will in bâ—aring our sins in his owne body upon the tree but he speakes of it as a part of his active obedience neither doth the dispute come in here whether we are justified by both Christs active and passive obedience but the question here is only of the nature of Christs active obedience whether therein he performed the obedience that the Gospel or new Covenant requires that is did believe in a Saviour repent and mourn for sin I wis Christ was no sinnes that he needed to believe in a Saviour he was no sinner that he needed to mourn for his sins these are things no way suitable to the person of Christ to do but suitable to us who are to believe in him that justifies the ungodly and to loath our selves for our iniquities and abominations but we shall see by and by how he levels the Lord Jesus debases him whom God hath so highly exalted and given him a name above every name and so he saith Page 97. That Christ by bringing his fleshly principles into the cossation and rest required by the law of the new Covenant he attaines the end for which they were at first given him arriving at that most neere and intimate communion with God which onely by faith or the exercise of a newness of life and operation can be attained Now I would faine know what fleshly principles there were in Christ that the law of the new Covenant required to be laid downe and brought into cessation are these words of truth and soberness concerning our blessed redeemer God blessed for ever that he had such fleshly principles in him as the law of the new covenant required should be brought into cessation truely we have other manner of thoughts of
Spirituall food the unbeleevers among them eat that food the true Beleevers eate the hidden Manna and lived for ever and it followeth that they all dranke of that Spirituall Rock that followed and that Rock was Christ but what is the meaning of it but that they drank all of the Rock that is Spoken of Exod. 17.9 which Moses smote and water came out that they might all drink which Rock was Christ that is a type of Christ the rock of ages who being for the transgressions of Gods people smitten and bruised by the Father from him cometh living waters springing up to eternal life so that this place holdeth forth this only that all the Jews did drink of the water of that Rock which was a type of Christ and this will not do him any service to make out his judgment Another Scripture he quotes is Jerem. 31.32 That my Covenant they brake though I was an husband to them that is I shewed a great deal of kindness to them and made a way thorough the Red Sea for them leading them thorough the deep as a horse in the wilderness that they should not stumble and notwithstanding all this they soone forgot his works and quickly turned aside out of the right way and walked contrary to him and provoked him with their iniquities and abominations and therefore God speaketh of a better Covenant that he maketh with the spiritual Israel that is to write his Laws in their hearts and put his fear into their hearts which they never had done for them who were the unbelievers among the Jewes neither did they receive Christ into their hearts as Lord and Christ which is the thing in question and Isai 63.8.9 10. which he quotes holds forth the same even the great deliverances that the God of salvations wrought for the children of Israel when he led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arme dividing the water before them to make himself an everlasting name but this place holdeth forth nothing of the Authors doctrine that they had all received Christ into their hearts to be their Lord and Christ Ezek. 16. He quotes often for these things because it s there said that when they lay in their blood God said unto them live and made them perfect through the comeliness put upon them which he saith was the comeliness and righteousness of Christ and yet they and God parted and he became their enemy But let us well weigh the 16. of Ezek. The Lord is there declaring what he had done for the people of Israel when they lay in their blood and as Exod. 1.14 Their lives were made bitter to them with hard bondage and then God heard their groaning and God had respect to them he heard their cry and knew their sorrows and so in this place of Ezekiel the low and helpless condition of the people of Israel is compared to a poor infant newly born but ver 14. God did so much for them that they prospered into a Kingdom they became a great and glorious Nation that the children of Israel were now growne to be like the sand of the Sea shore innumerable so that he saith ver 14. that their renown went forth among the Heathen for their beauty that is that the heathen took notice of their strength and glory and that God had done great things for them so that many of them sought to make league with them for they were perfect through the comeliness that he had put upon them he had given them glory above all the Kingdomes of the earth Statutes and Ordinances Lawes and righteous Judgments he had not dealt so with any Nation as he had done for them Now when we make use of these passages in this Chapter to hold forth regeneration Christs righteousness and such things then we must be careful of not overthrowing the true litteral sense of them and when we take it in a spiritual sense and so understand these things of the body of the Jewes then it is easily detected to be a wresting of the words to say all the Jewes had spititual life by Christ and had his righteousness and comeliness put upon them we have seen the meaning is otherwise but this we must understand that those things that are litterally spoken of the whole body of the Jewes are spiritually only to be applied to the people of God Jewes or Gentiles for many of this people of the Jewes were so far from having such an union with Christ and were so far from such a sanctification which he saith men have by union with Christ in the flesh that they were Idolaters Adulterers and their lives worse then the Heathen and whosoever shall read out this 16 Chap. of Ezek. shall see how wicked and ungodly this Nation of the Jews were They committed spiritual fornication they joyned themselves to idolatrous Nations verse 15. adorned the high places and Temples of their Idols ver 16. God had given them plenty of gold and silver and they made images and idols of it ver 18. and set his oyl and his incense that should have been used about his service used them about their Idols ver 18. and so he goeth on to shew the wickedness of this people and will this Author or any man upon second thoughts think that such men as these have union with Christ and have received him into their hearts as their Lord and Christ and have his comeliness and righteousness put upon them The Author goes on page 118. saith he It is evident then that upon such conditional termes as are comprehended in the tenour of the first Covenant Christ can and doth cause his own reception in the hearts and consciences of men and that there are inseparable benefits attending and accompanying this manner of reception or believing in Christ which is begotten and held but upon the wavering principles of the first Covenant The Author had laid down his judgement and quoted four Scriptures for it and not so much as tells us how he would argue from them which Scriptures we have taken the pains to weigh and finde that they do not prove any thing for his purpose and now without any more to do the Author tells us it is evident truly if he makes it no more evident then he hath don yet he wil fail mightily in his undertaking but what is it he hath made so evident why that Christ can and doth cause men to receive him upon the conditional terms of the first Covenant and what were the conditional terms of the first Covenant but do this and live and doth Christ bring men to believe in him and cast anchor in their storm upon his righteousness and blood upon the terms of the old Covenant Keep the Law and ye shall live no surely but upon the terms of the Covenant of Grace Believe and ye shall live come to Christ and ye shall have life But let us hear what benefits the soul hath that receives Christ in
saith this is the nursery and wombe of all the spirituall seed but v. 30. What saith the Scripture cast out the bond-woman and her Son for the Son of the bond-woman shall not be heire with the Son of the freewoman but he saith v. 26. Jerusalem that is above is free which is the Mother of us all The new Covenant of grace that is the womb the nursery the Mother of us all not the Law the bond-woman and telleth us plainly in the last verse that we are not the children of the bond-woman but of the free thus we see how this Author clasheth with the Scripture Page 166. And in divers other places he makes use of the 2 Cor. 5.16 to prove his doctrine that Christ may be known received into the heart as Lord and Christ and yet no saving state the words are these wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have knowne Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know wee him no more What is the meaning of this Scripture we may understand it thus wherefore henceforth know wee not man after the flesh that is to say Jew and Gentile that because a man is a Jew that therefore he must pe accounted one of Gods people or because he is a Gentile that therefore he must be a lost creature without hope without God in the world yea though we have known Christ after the flesh that is have looked upon him onely as a Jew and of the seed of David according to the flesh but we henceforth look upon him on more Barely under such a consideration but as he that is the onely begotten Son of God full of grace and truth wee know him as he that was sent into the world to save sinners and was delivered for our offences and rose againe for our justification as the verse before saith that he dyed for us and rose againe or take it thus though we that is some of us the Apostles of Jesus Christ have conversed with Christ in the flesh when he dwelt amongst us and had too humane and natural affection to his bodily presence yet we knowing as John 6.36 that it is the spirit that quickens the flesh profiteth nothing that the bodily Presence of Christ profiteth nothing without the presence of his grace righteousnesse and spirit in our hearts henceforth we know him no more after that manner but our love and affections are set upon Christ as he that hath offered up himselfe in the eternall spirit to obtain an eternal redemption for us and has ascended to his Father and to our father to his God and to our God where he ever liveth to make intercession for us and therefore I doe not see how this place will make in the least for the Authors doctrine but he maketh to know Christ after the flesh to be the receiving of Christ into the heart as Lord and Christ and being justified by his blood and sanctified by his spirit according to the first image as he calls it I hope such knowledg of Christ should be retained not thrown up though he calls it but the first image Page 170. He saith God is pleased through the blood of Christ to declare himself reconciled to the whole Race of mankind beholding them in the seed of the woman the second Adam and to prove this quotes 2 Cor. 5. Jer. 31. compared with Ezekiel 18. where he saith Christ challenges all souls to be his But the Author should have quoted the verses of those chapters that he thought would prove this and should have shewn how he would have argued from them and then I would have taken the pains to have answered him though there is no need at all seeing Perkins Twisse Mr. Owen and Mr. Kendall and others have so fully canvassed that opinion of generall redemption to whom the Church of God owe much for their labours and travels in that point but whereas he saith that in that Ezek. 18. it s said all soules are mine what if it be spoken of God as Creator and not of Christ as Redeemer nay plainly enough it appears so to be meant if we view the place and let the Reader well consider Rom. 5.10 If we were reconciled by Christs blood how much more shall we be saved by his life by him reigning in heaven and sit down at the right hand of God But in the same page he saith That this is so evident that the creature it self Rom. 8.19.20 entrnestly groans and labours exspecting a restonation by this price of redemption paid by Christ There is no question but the creature suo modo according to its own manner and capacity both waits for a restoration and for the manifestation of the sons of God but doth this make the point of universal redemption evident surely no for I hope that the Author will not say that Christ died for their irrationall creatures then indeed we might do as he did that went and preached to the Wolfes and wild beasts truly this which he saith maketh it so evident to me comes not within many miles of a clear proof or any at all of universall redemption Page 172. He saith of those in this first image that God doth not impute sins past to them and often reneweth pardon to them for sins present exercising his forbearance for the sake of his own Justice as pacified and attoned by Christs Sacrifice and for this he quotes Psal 78.38 But I pray what sins doth the Author account sins past that God doth not impute what all sins before their coming into this image all their unbelief pride hatred of God and all their sins whatsoever before they came to have this union with Christ he calls union with Christ in the flesh and doth he think that the gifts and calling of God are not without repentance doth God justifie and unjustifie again pardon and then fall upon the sinner crosse the book and then make him pay the utmost farthing no with him is no variableness nor shadow of changeing once pardon and ever pardon once our God in Christ and ever so it s one thing for God to exercise forbearance to men and another thing to pardon their sins its one thing to forbear the debt and another thing to forgive it and cancel the bond this forbearance is no payment nor forgiveness of the debt though God doth not presently sue the bond and vengeance be not executed speedily yet this doth not argue that he hath forgiven the debt But let us see whether the Scripture he quots Psal 78.38 prove what he saith the words run thus but he being full of compassion for gave their iniquity and destroyed them not yea many a time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath But with forgiveness was this but that the generality of that people God was propitious to them as the word is often rendred and did not stir up all his wrath and the elect a mong them their sins
Christ and lose it the notionall and historicall faith and beliefe of the Gospel may be lost and men may sin away such inlightnings and convictions of the spirit but such faith as truly receives Christ into the heart and unites us unto him in the greatest stormes will not be shipwrackt and that man having this faith and hope in Christ hath an Anchor for his soule both sure and stedfast Heb. 6. ult this faith swims in the sea of Christs blood in the Ocean of free grace where it cannot suffer shipwrack Page 221. 222. He saith concerning Abrahams calling that his first remove was out of the state of degenerate nature and his heathenish life into circumcision or experience of that commumon with God which is by the first Covenant which he made use of but as an Iun in his passage to the higher state If the Author had consulted with the fourth Rom. he would have bloted out this passage for in that Chap. the Apostle haveing spoken of justification Gods imputing righteousness without workes and remembering their sins no more he telleth us in the 9.10.11.12 verses that before ever Abraham received the signe of circumcision he was thus justified and therefore had true saving faith He received circumcision a seâ—l of the righteousness of faith which he had being yet uncircumcised that he might be the father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed to them also and the Author is mistaken to think that circumcision was a seale of the Covenant of workes for it was a seale of the righteousness of the new covenant which Abraham had believed in before Page 318. He saith these under the first image wherein yet there is not eternall life are planted into Christ as branches in the vine and good olive tree and so rendred righteous in the righteousness of their head and root That place John 15.1 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit is taken away the learned very well and according to the originall read thus Every branch that beareth not fruit in me is taken away and so the meaning is that though men beare never so much fruit by their husband the law yet all these children are but bastards unlesse they be married to Christ the true husband and though such may go for true saints yet they are not and doth not at all hold forth that any man may be truly in Christ and yet not be in a saving state which will be more evident if we compare this place with Rom. 8.1 where the Apostle saith That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus to them that are truly in Christ planted into him to such there is no condemnation but they are passed from death to life and this Author confesses that these men are rendred righteous in the righteousness of Christ their head and root and if so what hinders their eternall salvation will not Christs righteousness justifie them and save them for ever we are content to leave it upon that issue and venture our soules upon that score that if our being rendred righteous in the righteousness of Christ our head and root will not bring us to Heaven we are willing to miscarry for ever but we know assuredly that his righteousnesse will justifie us for ever and save us to the utmost that come to God by him In that Page 318. He saith these go about to establish their owne righteousness not submiting to the righteousness of God But hath not the Author often said that these men in the first image seek acceptance with God onely by the righteousness of Christ and in this same page saith they are rendred righteous in the righteousness of Christ their head and if so how do they go about to establish their owne righteousness but the mystery lieth in the Authors understanding of the righteousness of God distinguishing betweene the righteousness of Christ and the righteousness of God but it s the righteousness of Christ that the Scripture calls the righteousness of God and we have shewed before why the righteousness of Christ is called the righteousness of God not as if the righteousness of Christ by which we are justified was the eternall righteousness of the Godhead as Osiander dreamed which is not communicable unto us but whatsoever the Author saith here of men in the first image that they will not submit to the righteousness of God yet page 118. he saith they are made the righteousness of God in Christ Page 320. He saith these are begotten againe into Gods own likness wherein man was created at first and have the visible characters thereof shining forth in it not written with inke and on tables of stone but with the spirit of the liveing God and on the fleshly tables of the heart shewing it selfe a right change and a reall heart work above and beyond all that is accounted civility and morality and above all notion and spirituality that is but head work and fancy and the tempter perswades them to rest here and praise and blesse Gods word and makes them say its good for us to be here especially if we be upon the Mount and brought hither by Christ himself It being supposed what the Author confesses that these look for acceptance with God onely in the beloved this is a blessed state and all they that are brought into it are taught of God and not by the devill as the Author imagines to blesse Gods word and be thankfull for this rich grace and say its good for us to be here whither should we go we are with him that hath alone the words of eternal life we are with him that justifies us sanctifies us stays us with flaggons comforts us with apples quickens us influences us with his spirit kisses us with the kisses of his mouth whose love is better then wine guides us by his counsell and afterwards brings us to his glory surely we may blesse the word of the Lord and magnifie his grace and say its good to be here and blesse the Lord that he brought us to this blessed state and for sanctification who are partakers of it as the Author here describes it but the true believers its they onely that put on the new man which after the image of God is created in righteousnesse and true holiness 〈…〉 3.3 rejoyced in such as the Epistle of Christ whose hearts were so written on by the spirit of the living God and Hebr. 8.10 it s made a speciall blessing of the new Covenant of grace I will put my lawes into their minde and write them in their hearts such have God to be their God in Covenant for ever and they his people for ever and though the heart of a naturall man may in some sort be swept and garnished yet not thus written on by the spirit of God as the Author saith Page 325. He saith That these in the first image have their consciences purged from dead
in his death and sufferings that he partakes of the benefit of that bloody sacrifice such a fellowship and share he hath in Christs sufferings that what Christ did in suffering for his sins is imputed to him by an act of the free arace of the Pather as if he himselfe had done it Again the believer is called into fellowship with Jesus in persecution that he suffers with him is despised with him and thus as the Apostle saith As Christ was so are we in this present World without form or comeliness of no reputation in the worlds account Sometimes Regeneration is set out by a planting into the likeness of Christs death Rom. 6.5 10 11. Christ in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God and we are planted into the likenesse of his death when as v. 11. we likewise are dead indeed unto sin and live unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord that as it follows v. 12. sin doth not reign in our mortal bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof Again sometimes Regeneration is set out by putting on the Lord Jâ—sus Christ as Rom. 13.14 Then it shewes how the true believer puts on the rigteousnesse of the Lord Jesus is willing to be uncloathed of the menstruous rags of his own righteousnesse that he may be cloathed upon with the righteousnesse of Christ Sometimes also it is set out in Scripture by comming unto Christ and taking his yoke upon us as Matth. 11. ult to shew us how the true believer is submitted and given up to Christ is his servant is under his voke under his rule and government is willing to be ruled and governed and commanded by Christ whose commandements are not grievous Sometimes Regeneration is set out by fleeing for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before as in the Gospel so Heb. 6.18 to shew us that the true believer seeth his lost estate without Christ and fleeth unto Christ as a City of refuge from the Avenger of blood and whereas there is mercy and life and pardon and righteousnesse tendred to sinners in the Gospel and open proclamation that whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely and sorgivenesse of sins grace and glory is preached in Christs name this soule hath laid hold upon this hope set before him accepted of this grace accepted of these terms of mercy and peaee and so layes down armes against Christ True Regeneration is a difficult thing and therefore there is great need of the Seal of the Spirit to satisfie us about the work of grace upon our hearts for there is a counterfeit faith and a counterfeit repentance there is both an acquired faith and an infused faith there is a believing that is only a work of a mans understanding and not the work of the Spirit Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth to righteousnesse It is not enough to assent with the understanding it s a marvellous difficult thing to find out the difference between that faith that is of a mans own making upon conviction and illumination and that faith that is wrought by the spirit of God by way of creation and infusion and therefore thousands in the world are everlastingly cheated and cousened in this matter But when a man comes to be outed of himself of self-righteousnesse and self-strength and self-wisedome and close with Christ in a word of grace in a free promise that is the work To rest in legal conviction to rest upon duties and qualifications to rest in amendment of life to rest in Notions and head-knowledge of Christ and free grace these are false rests but for the soul to be nothing and utterly lost in himselfe and to apply the blood and righteousness of Christ is a safe and saving state for this is the will of the Father that sent him That whosoever seeth the Son and believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life CHAP. V. Treats of Justification and shews that whosoever is justified by Christs blood and made the righteousnesse of God in him is in a sasing state and shall never come into condemation THe Doctrine of Justification was well called by Luther the Doctrine of the standing or falling of the Church of God this Doctrine so necessary so precious hath this Author miserably mistaken Page 118. He tels us that men in his first image who are not yet in a sasing state have Christ for their righteousnesse in a way of Justification and page 119. tells us this Righteousnesse and Justification the world hath in common with true Believers This Doctrine of his is most dangerous and is most highly dishonourable unto Christ making the blood of the Covenant a common and vain thing that men may be made the righteousnesse of God in Christ and yet not be in a saving state which this Author doth in so many words affirm in that page before mentioned therefore let us treat a little of this blessed doctrine of Justification Justification is to be considered either as an immanent or a transient act in God in the first consideration it is a gracious purpose in God from all eternity not to deal with the Elect according to their sins but to absolve them and forgive them all their trespasses Justification considered as a transient act is Gods justifying and absolving the poor sinner in his own conscience and actually imputing Christs righteousnesse to him when he believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly none but those that are eternally saâ—ed are thus justified for men are not justified and unjustified again as this Author fancies Christ hath taken away the curse of the law from them Gal. 3.13 Now as 1 Cor. 15.46 The strength of sin is the Law the strength and power that sin hath to cast any man into hell is from the Law that the Law is broken and the Law is not satisfied but now Christ having for any man taken away the curse of the Law sinne hath no power to condemn that man it hath no strength and power to doe it for it hath its power from the Law and Christ hath satisfied that and is become the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 Who can lay any thing to the charge of those that are thus justified by Christ the Law cannot for Christ hath satisfied the Law and paid it the uttermost farthing yea God through the righteousnesse of Christ is a just God in being a Saviour of them that believe in Christ Christ the surety of the better Testament having paid the debt God is just in being the justifier of him that in Jesus Rom. 3.26 Just to deliver them from going down to the pit for whom Christ hath paid a ransome And so Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the blood of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life by hum living and reigning in
by him in his own person imputed to him as he saith but now the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace are so differing as we have already discovered that its impossible that a man can be justified upon the terms and tenour of the Covenant of grace and works too for what saith the Scripture Rom. 11.6 If it be by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then it is no more grace otherwise work is no more work and to be justified by faith and to be justified by the Law and upon the tenour of the Covenant of works are everywhere in the Scripture rendered inconsistent I say not this as if I owned the Authors judgement in that particular as if what he calls being justified upon the tenour of the first Covenant were so indeed for there is no such thing but whosoever is justified by Christ is justified upon the terms of the Covenant of grace but to shew how the Author maketh a linsey-woosley businesse of it and falls into that mistake according to the tenour of his judgment that he would impose upon us to wit our looking for justification by the Covevenant of works whereas we look for our justification only upon the terms and tenour of the Covenant of grace and think the justification of the new Covenant so entire and perfect that we look for no justification upon the tenour of the Covenant of works to compleat it for as Paul told the Galatians if they were but circumcised to wit with a conceit to adde that to the righteousness of the new Covenant for their justification Christ should profit them nothing no though this Author insinuates that those that are called Orthodox are ignorant of the way of justification by the Covenant of grace yet they are not to seek for the knowledge of it nor do not distract mens faith as this Author doth to send them first to Christ for a justification upon the tearms and tenour of the Covenant of works and when they have got that to see that they are not safe there but then they must get a justification according to the Covenant of grace no they do not go about the bush thus but hold forth Christs righteousness and the Covenant of grace and mercy directing men to apply the blood of sprinkling to receive Christ to be their Priest to save them their King to rule them and their Prophet to teach them and then they have an Ancre for their soules both sure and stedfast CHAP. VII Takes a general View of the Authors Book HAving already particularly singled out some of the Authors Doctrine and examined it under several Chapters I shall now give the Reader a more miscellanious and general view of this Authors Doctrine And here we shall not oppose all that might be opposed but keep to the end which I propounded to my selfe to wit to deal with those passages in the Book that obscure the Gospel and are most likely to mislead or stumble-the unwary Reader Page 83. He saith Cain and Abel were both for a while worshippers and servants of God approaching to him by Sacrifice in testimony of their coming and relying upon the blood of Christ Cain without faith only by a life derived from Christ as he is head of the natural man and he hated Abel because he was in the higher Image But what Scripture saith Cain was a servant of God or had such a life from Christ as the Author speaks of though he offered sacrifice as well as Abel yet every one that offereth sacrifice is not presently the servant of God what though Cains mother said she had gotten a man from the Lord of him are all things that any mother may say in a sense of the wickedest child and though he offered sacrifice yet it doth not follow as the Author saith that he relyed upon the blood of Christ a man may doe a hundred times more then that and yet never rely upon the blood of Christ and if Cain did hate his brother Abel because he had true faith in Christ and so offered up a more acceptable sacrifice then he yet it doth not therefore follow that as the Author saith he was the servant of God and relyed upon the blood of Christ and was in the first image but rather the contrary that he was not thus for if he had owned and relyed upon the blood of Christ his sacrifice would have been accepted as well as Abels for it was by faith and relyance upon Christs blood that Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain Page 175. He saith Christ brings us to eternal glory the same way he came to it himself who was made perfect by sufferings But we are brought to eternal glory by the righteousnesse of another imputed to us but so was not Christ we are brought to glory by Christs sufferings not by our own let us have a care of Sâ—â—â—ianism Page 175. He saith that every man may keep himself from such high provocations for which God swears in his wrath they shall never enter into his rest God can keep men from such high provocations and wilful resistance of him and his wayes but man cannot keep himselfe God can do it by his restraining grace but man cannot The way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps without Christ we can doe nothing and therefore David prayed that God would incline his heart to his testimonies and not to covetousnesse the very inclination of the heart in man to the wayes of the Lord is from the Lord not from our selves Truly I think even those that are Saints if the Lord had left them to themselves would have fallen into those high provocations and wilfull resistance and refusal of Christ which is the main thing for which he swears in his wrath that we shall not enter into his rest If Saints and such Saints as Noah David Peter and Solomon when left to themselves did fall so shamefully then what power is there in other men to keep themselves from the greatest sins David one of them saith Psal 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee These Saints that fell as they did would have backslided and revolted more even into all evil were it not that God kept them by his mighty power and plucked them as firebrands out of the fire let us not think every man hath power to keep himselfe from such high provocations and wilfull resistance of Christ and his grace but rather admire and be thankfull to him who is so rich in mercy as to keep any of us from the greatest transgression and transgressions for we who as the Scripture telleth us are not able to think a good thought of our selves are not able to keep our selves from the highest provocations what are we but an infinite and endlesse evil we goe astray as soon as we are