mentis and so it concludeth not the Question 2. It s Antinomian doctrine to make opposition between the Gospel promise and the debt of the promise the debt of works Rom. 4. and Rom. 11. is Law-debt due to the worker as an hireling is worthy of his wages because hee hath done the work perfectly according to a covenant made with his Master In which case no man sayes the wages of the labourer is a free-gift But if whatever the Lord promise to us in the Gospel make God a debter and the thing promised to be debt then let Antinomians speak out for they say The whole letter of Scripture and so of the whole Gospel-promises hold forth a covenant of works contrary to Gal. 4. where there be two covenants one of works another of grace and contrary to the promises of grace in the Gospel Joh. 2.16 Heb. 8.10 11 12. Mat. 11.28 1 Tim. 1.15 2 All the promises of the Gospel must make salvation debt was not Christ promised in the Prophets to the lost world Rom. 1.2 The inheritance is not by Law but by promise Gal. 3.17 18. Rom. 9.8 9. Luk. 1.45 54 55 68 69 70. Is Christ come to save sinners by debt or by grace is salvation debt its promised Is not righteousnesse promised to him that beleeves Rom. 4.5 then righteousnesse must be debt and so not of grace for Cornwell telleth us Pag. 13. The right which a man hath by promise to a worke maketh the assurance of the promise but of debt unto him and then the promise is not sure to him out of grace Then all the promises of an established Kingdome to David and his seed if they should keep Gods commandements all the blessings and salvation promised to beleevers in the Old and New Testament so they bring forth the fruits of a lively faith are mercies of debt not of free-grace I well remember that the Famulists say It is dangerous to close with Christ in a promise And There can be no true closing with Christ in a promise that hath a qualification or condition expressed I rather beleeve the Holy Ghost Ho every one that thirsteth come to the water come buy wine and milke without money and without price Isai. 55.1 And if any man thirst let him come to me and drink Joh. 7.37 And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Revel 22.17 Mar. 1.15 If Cornwell can free willing thirsting desiring from working hee hath much divinity Yet the water of life and salvation promised to such cannot be debt but free grace for they are promised to these freely and to be bestowed without money Of the same straine is the fourth Argument of Cornwell Object 5. When sanctification is not evident it cannot be an evidence of justification But when justification is hidden and doubtfull sanctification is not evident Therefore sanctification cannot be our first evidence of justification The Minor is proved Because when faith is hidden and doubtfull sanctification is not evident But when justification is hidden and doubtfull faith is hidden and doubtfull therefore when justification is hidden and doubtfull sanctification is not evident The proofe of the Major is 1. Faith is the evidence of things not seen and so makes all things evident then when faith is hidden what can be cleare 2. Because no sanctification can be pure and sincere but when it is wrought in faith and so it cannot be evident but when it clearely appeareth to be wrought in faith Answ. 1. There is in the Conclusion first the first evidence of justification that is not in the premises against all art The Proposition When sanctification is not evident it cannot be an evidence of justification is weake and weakly proved For there is a twofold evidence one of sense and feeling spirituall another of faith When sanctification wants the evidence of faith that I cannot beleeve salvation from mine owne Christian walking yet may the soule have evidence of feeling and sense that we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Heb. 13.18 and wee dare say Lord wee delight to doe thy will and long for thee O Lord as the night-watch watcheth for the morning and whom have wee in heaven but thee c. and can out of sense give a testimony of our selves yea and can place all our delight in the excellent ones Psal. 16.3 119.62 1 Joh. 3.14 so as the heart warmes when we see the Saints and in this case sanctification is evident when remission of sinnes may be under cloud else this Argument does conclude if it have any feet that sanctification ever and at all times is dark when justification is dark and so sanctification is never an evidence of justification but when justification is evident So the wisdome of God is taxed as if hee would never have us to know that wee are translated from death to life because wee love the brethren but when wee evidently know wee are thus translated though wee had no love to the brethren Then the Lord hath provided a candle for his weak ones by this Argument when it is day-light but hath deny'd any candle-light moon-light or star-light when it is darke night 2. The Major is not proved Faith is not so the evidence of all things as that it maketh all things evident to our spirituall sense for Cornwell granteth faith may be hidden then it can evidence nothing when it is is hidden Love to the brethren keeping of his commandements yeeld sensible evidences that wee are justified even when faith is not evident and how many are convinced they have undoubted marks of faith and justification who doubt of their faith and justification And so the Minor and Probation of it is false for it is most false that when faith is hidden and doubtfull sanctification is not evident this is asserted gratis not proved As if yee would say Ever when the Well-head is hidden the streames are not seen when the sap and life of the tree is not seen but hidden the apples leaves and blossomes are not evident This is a begging of the conclusion for then should a man never neither first nor last know that hee is translated from death to life because hee loves the brethren Why Because when translation from death to life or when faith and justification is hidden the love to the brethren and all the works of sanctification are hidden saith this Author 3. The second proofe of the Major is lame Sanctification is never pure and sincere without faith saith hee Ergo It cannot be evident but when it appeareth to be wrought in faith The consequence is null just like this Sweet streames cannot flow but from a sweet spring ergo It cannot be evident and cleare to my taste that the streames are sweet except I taste the water at the fountaine-head and see it with mine eyes and my taste cannot discerne the sweetnesse of the fruit except my senses were
ô house of Israel Christs will is heaven Christ thinks it is best that his Fathers will stand and his humane will be repealed Rom. 15.3 for even Christ pleased not himselfe to have no will of your owne is the Pearle in the ring a Jewel in submission 2. that the Lords end is good he minds to have me home to heaven then as in his six dayes workes of creation he made nothing ill so hee hath been working these five thousand years and all his works of providence are as good as his works of creation hee cannot chuse an ill meane for a good end if God draw my way to heaven through fire tortures bloud poverty though hee should traile me through hell hee cannot erre in leading I may erre in following Object But there is a better way beside and hee leades others through a rosie and greene valley and my way within few inches to it is a wildernesse of thornes Answ. Gold absolutely is better then a draught of water but comparatively water is better to Sampson dying for thirst then all the gold in the earth So cutting a veine is in it selfe ill but comparatively letting bloud through a cut veine is good for a man in danger of an extreame Feaver there is no better way out of heaven for thee then the very way that the Lord leades thee God not onely chuses persons but also things and every crosse that befalls thee is a chosen and selected crosse and it was shapen in length and breadth and measure and weight up before the Throne by Gods owne wise hand Heaven is the workehouse of all befals thee every evill is the birth that lay in the wombe of an infinitely wise decree so God is said to frame evill as a Potter doth an earthen vessell so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã jatsar signifieth Jer. 18.11 to frame a vessell of clay is a work of art and wisedome so it s a worke of deliberation and choise God is said to devise judgement against Babylon Jer. 51.12 And the Lord hath done to his people the things which he devised ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to think meditate studie devise Deut. 19.18 and Isai. 45.7 he creates darknesse and evill it is such a worke of omnipotency and wisedome as the making of a world of nothing then if God follow infinite art in shaping vengeance against Babylon farre more must he wisely study to mould and shape afflictions for his owne for no afflictions befalleth the Saints but they be well framed chosen wisely studied forged and created crosses A Potter cannot frame by deeper Art and judgement a water-pot for such an end and use a fashioner cannot frame clothes in proportion for a mans body so fitly as the wise Lord in judgement and cunning shapes frames this affliction as a measure for thy foot only poverty for this man and its shapen to his measure wicked children and the sword on Davids house fittest for him such a loathsom disease for this Saint want of friends and banishment for such a man another more and heavier should be shapen to wide for thy soule and another lighter should have been too strait short and narrow for thee It s comfortable when I beleeve the draught portraiture and lineaments of my affliction were framed and carved in all the limmes bones parts qualities of it in the wise decree and in the heart and breast of Christ It were not good to bear a Crosse of the Devils shaping were there as much wormwood and gall in the Saints cup as the Devil would have in it then hell should be in every cup and how many hells should I drink and how often should the Church drinke death It s good I know Christ brewed the cup then it will worke the end for be it never so contrary and soure to my taste and so unsavory Christ will not taste poyson in it he hath purposed I should sail with no other winde to heaven and I know its better then any winde to me for that Port. Rule 6. Christ prescribes no way to his Father but in the generall The Lords will be done on me saith he be what it will Let hell and death and Devils malice and heavens indignation and enmity and warre ill-will and persecution from earth hard measure from friends and lovers if the will of my Father so be welcome with my soule welcome black crosse welcome pale death welcome curses and all the curses of God that the just Law could lay on all my children and they are a faire number welcome wrath of God welcome shame and the cold grave The submission of faith subscribeth a blanke paper let the Lord write in what he pleaseth patience dares not contest and stand upon pennies or pounds on hundreds or thousands with God Moses and Paul dare referre their heaven and their share in Christ and the book of life to Christ so the Lord may be glorified Submissive faith putteth much upon Christ Let him slay me yet I will trust in him said Iob 13.15 Heman alledgeth it was not one single crosse Psal. 88.7 Thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves And David Psal. 42.7 All thy waves and thy billowes are gone over me One of Gods waves could have drowned David afflictions coming in Armies and in a battle-array say that one single Souldier cannot subdue us Lawfull warre is the most violent and the last remedy against a State and it argueth a great necessity of the Sword Job had an Army sent against him and from heaven too cap. 6.4 The terrors of God doe set themselves in array against me See what a catalogue of sufferings Paul did referre to God 2 Cor. 11.23 24 25 c. one good violent death would have made away a stronger man then Paul yet he was willing for Christ to be in deaths ofen ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã many deaths many stripes many prisons five times nine and thirty stripes this was neer two hundred stripes every one of them was a little death Thrice beaten with rods once stoned thrice in shipwrack night and day sailing in the deep in journeying often in perils of waters in perils of robbers in perils of his owne country men in perils by the heathen in perils in the City in perils in the wildernes in perils in the Sea in perils among false brethren in wearinesse and painfulnesse in watching often in hunger in thirst in fasting often in cold in nakednesse c. Many of us would either have a crosse of our own carving as we love will-worship and will-duties so we love will-suffering and desire nothing more then if that we must suffer Christ with his tongue would licke all the gall off our crosse and leave nothing but honey and a crosse of sugar and milk we love to suffer with a reserve and to die upon a condition an indefinite and catholique resignation of our selves without exception to Christ and to undergoe many furnaces many hels
many deaths as Christ will is a rare grace of God and not of ordinary capacity Rule 7. Christ in submitting his will maketh the Prophecies the revealed Gospel his rule and in the matter of duty is willing to be ruled by Gods revealed will in the matter of suffering hee is willing that the Lords will stand for a Law to which hee doth willingly submit and will in no sort quarrell with everlasting decrees To be ruled by the one is holinesse to submit to the other is patience For patience is higher then any ordinary grace in regard its willing to adore and reverence something more and higher then a commanding promising and threatning will of God It was a grace in Christ most eminent in the Lamb of God dumb meek and silent before his shearers the meekest in earth and in heaven that hee did not onely never resist the revealed will of God but never thought motion nor any hint of a desire was in him against the secret and oâernall decree and counsell of God Christ will not have us to make Images of him who is the invisible God but when in his works of justice power love free grace hee setteth before us the image of his glorious nature and attributes hee will have us to adore him in these According to his decree of reprobation hee raised up Pharaoh to be clay to all men on whom as on a voluntary and rationall vessell of wrath they might read power justice truth soveraignty in these works wee are to tremble before him and adore the Lord. So in works of Grace that are the Image of the invisible God the Lord is to be loved 1 Tim. 1.16 In Paul the chiefe of sinners the Lord holds forth an image of the freest grace no lesse then in the revealed will of God for 1. Christ made an example of mercy and free grace in him 2. Hee made a speaking and crying spectacle to all Ages an ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a printed copy of crying grace to all the world and in this wee are to adore and submit to him Such a limb of hell hath received mercy not I who before men was holier O submit to this worke of grace as to the copy of his eternall decree and be silent Rule 8. Christ putteth nature and naturall reason that his naturall will might seem to plead withall under the Lords feet So it would seeme strange God hath many sonnes but none like Christ hee was a Sonne his alone hee had never a brother by an eternall generation hee was the onely heire of the house but never a son so afflicted as hee This seemes against all reason But Christ brings in his Fathers will with an ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã But Mat. 26.39 Joh. 12.27 Luk. 22.42 Mark 14.36 But thy will be done It s against submission to put absolute interrogatories upon the Lord Wee love to have God make an account of his providence to us and that the last and finall appeale of the wayes of the Lord should be to our reason as to the great Senate and supremest Court in heaven and earth It s true Christ putteth a Why upon God My God my God why hast thou forsaken me but 1. with the greatest faith that ever was a doubled act of beleeving My God my God 2. With the extremest love that ever was in a man it s also a two-fold cord of warmnesse of heart to his Father My God my God 3. It s a word relative to the covenant between the Father and the Son for My God is a covenant-expression that the Father will keep what he hath promised to his Son and relateth to the infinite faithfulnesse of the Covenant-Maker 4. God relateth to the Dominion Lord-ship and Soveraignty that the Lord hath and therefore that Christ will submit to him 5. Christs complaint of the Lords forsaking sheweth the tendernesse of his soule in prizing the favour of his Father more then any thing in heaven and earth And therefore Christs why is a note of 1. Admiration 2. Of sinlesse Sorrow conjoyned with love tendernesse and submission to God Christ cannot speak to his Father beside the truth But every man is a lyar and wee seldome put questions and queries upon Soveraignty but wee preferre our reason to infinite wisdome Job is out and takes his marks by the Clouds and the Moone when hee saith Job 13.24 Why holdest thou me for thine enemy Chap. 3.11 Why died I not from the womb why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly And Jeremiah 15.18 Why is my paine perpetuall and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed Chap. 20.18 Wherefore came I out of the wombe to see labour and sorrow that my dayes should be consumed with shame All the Lords works are full yea with child of reason wisdome and grave and weighty causes and though wee see not his acts to have a why yet there is a cause why hee doth all hee doth reason is necessity to him and an essentiall ingredient in all his actions Rule 9. In this Administration of Providence with Christ the Lord goeth many wayes at once In this very act hee redeemeth the world judgeth Satan satisfieth the Law and Justice glorifieth Christ destroyeth sin fulfilleth his owne eternall will and counsell In one warre hee can ripen Babylon for wrath humble his Church deliver Jeremiah punish Idolatry In the same warre hee can humble and correct Scotland harden Malignants that they will not hearken to offers of peace and blow up their haters that they may be lofty through victories and be ripened for wrath through unthankfulnesse to God Providence hath many eyes so also many feet and hands under the wings to act and walk a thousand wayes at once There is a manifold wisdome in Providence as in the work of Redemption In every worke that God doth hee leaveth a wonder behind him No man can come after the Almighty and say I could have done better then hee It s naturall to blame God in his working but unpossible to mend his work Rule 10. Nor is Christ made a loser by losing his will for the Lord but his will is fulfilled in that which he feared Heb. 5.7 Providence submitted unto rendereth an hundred fold in this life Matth. 19.29 God makes the income above hope Gen. 48.11 And Israel said to Ioseph I had not thought to see thy face and lo God hath shewed me also thy seed One berry is not a cluster that two men cannot bear but it s a field an earth of Vine-trees in the seed Ephes. 3.20 He is able to doe above all things ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã more then aboundantly above that we can aske or thinke above the shaping or frame of my words and thoughts But I can ask heaven he can give more then heaven and above heaven yea I can think of Christ but he can give above the Christ that I can thinke on
which is offensive to God 1. Temptation is a working or an act of stirring in the tempteâ not Physicall but Morall and Objectivâ no tempter who is only a tempter can by any reall action fire the will Satan doth but knock by his Logick at the out-side of the doore but cannot open Free-will is a tender excellent piece of creation and either the best or the worst of the whole creation of God See well to it it s a worke of your whole life time to watch this doore 2. Tentation is an act of moving or stirring the powers of the man As when wine is stirred and wine and dreggs are jumbled through other or a Fountaine troubled and water and clay mixed in one hence every tempted person is some way a sufferer though hee know not particularly it is so As the Fish tempted with the baâte the Bird with the Fowlers song are sufferers though they know not there is a breaking in upon the phancie sense reason will and affections to strike a hole in the soule So tempting is called piercing though the foole going to the chambers of death knoweth not that it is for his life Prov. 7.23 To be tempted is a matter of great concernment illumination is most necessary here and specially to know that God aymeth at the tryall of our Faith and other glorious ends And that 1. Satan seekes some of his owne worke in us as God seeketh to bring out some of his worke in us 2. That Satan aymes to goe betweene the beleever and his strong hold 3. That he aymeth at house-roome in the soule 3. The temptation works upon both the inward and outward man on senses fancie minde inclination will and affection but hath a speciall designe at the soule 4. By the temptation any is or may be moved to sinne for all tempted are not actually induced to sinne Christ was really tempted of the Devill but was never induced to sinne Satan shot his arrowes at Job for nothing he lost his labour in seeking the failing and drinking up of Peters faith Therefore to be tempted of the Devill or the World is not a sinne 5. The temptation worketh under the colour of good The first Printing iron and Master samplar of tempting hath this Character of apparent good Gen. 3.6 The Woman saw that the fruit was good 1. Because tempted persons are reasonable creatures and as instinct taketh with birds and beasts and poore nature swayeth elements in their motion so reason is a strong tying chaine 2. Every temptation hath a garment or rather a shirt of truth in the understanding and comming under the shaddow and rooffe of the desiring facultie as good nothing hindereth it to take but a marring of the understanding in apprehending some blacke spot in the fairenesse of it When Satan sayleth faire with favour of the winde and commeth in his Whites and in cloth of Gold as an Angel of light wee are as readily moved often such is our childishnesse with good-like as with good Beleeve not therefore a white Devill because white O beware to yeeld your tongue to licke a honey-temptation under the veile of sweetnesse Receive things rather because lawfull then because good or pleasant 2. Beleeve it there can be no reason for sinne no reason can wash the Devill to render him faire neither thirst nor company can bee a reason of drunkennesse An injury cannot justifie every Warre and bloud-shed because injury is a sinne and to wash one sinne with another is as if you should wash a foule face with Inke-water 3. Beleeve sinne to be folly and darknesse and light of reason can bee neither father nor mother to folly and darkenesse holinesse is white and faire within and without 6. The object of the temptation in the definition the terminus ad quâm is that which is offensive to the majesty of God That we may understand this remember foure are said to tempt 1. God his tempting neither in the condition of the worke or intention of the worker is sinne But the Lord proveth you saith Moses to Israel that he might know whether yee love the Lord your God 2. Our owne lusts tempt and lead aside Jam. 1.14 And as fire cannot but make fire so both in the intention of the worke and the worker the end of temptation is sinne Concupiscence is a mother that cannot bring forth a good daughter 3. If men tempt to sinne as a Magistrate by good Laws tempteth wicked men the end is not necessarily sinne in the intention of the doer though no man can formally tempt another to sinne but he sinneth and tempteth to sinne both wayes And when Satan tempts hee driveth ever at sinne both waies we are to feare God to watch to stand out when he tempteth 2. Now we are to consider that though Satan be sentenced already and as a Malefactor under baile and in chaines yet hath he leave to walke too and fro in the earth and is not yet cast in prison nor are wee freed from his temptation the personall persecution and malice of Satan as we are from the persecution of the damned now in hell who did persecute us here on earth but cannot now No doubt but as the good Angels strooke the men of Sodome with blindnesse so the ill Angels have the like power on the senses a man possessed with the Devill was both dumbe and deafe Job 2.7 Satan smote Job with sore boiles from the sole of his foot unto his crown and so Devils have power over the senses and bodily organes and so of necessitie over the bloud to cause rottennesse in it which must be in boyles and to alter and infect the humors Psal. 78.49 Evill Angels were ministers of the Lords plagues on the Egyptians But I shall not thinke it a good Argument to prove that Angels can jumble the humours to make many things appear without that they are not and that they can work on the internall senses the fancie and imagination because we our selves by an act of free-will can stirre up the memory of things and provoke our fancies to the apprehension of things Ergo Angels either good or evill can doe the like This is but a sorry poore reason for we our selves can doe many things within our selves which the Angels cannot doe I know the thoughts of my owne heart when they come forth in act 1 Cor. 2.11 No Angels good or ill can know them I can with an obedientiall act of free-will by grace set my free-will on acts to command my memory fancy imagination thoughts to meditate on by-passed experiences of Divine favours and sweetly solace my selfe in God with these thoughts no Angels in heaven or hell can determine my free-will to those Spirituall acts yet by the grace of God I can doe it Nor is that true what ever an inferiour power can doe that a superiour can much more doe if there be orders in Angels a superiour Angel
con-naturall end of Christs death is Joh. 10.10 That his sheepe may have life and have it more aboundantly he suffered the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 and in the very act of suffering to speake so or in that he was stripped and dyed The chastisement of our peace was on him Esai 53.5 This cannot bee such a possible heaven a fowle sleeing in the aire a may be as farre off as a never may be which may consist with an inevitable hell So as Christ dyed not but on a poore hopelesse venture and a forlorne contingencie that might as soone fill Hell with the damned soules of all the world as grace Paradice with redeemed ones 6. His comming in the world hath no such Arminian end that we reade of as a possible saving or an obtained salvation that thousands yea not one in the world may ever enjoy but he came to seeke and actually and intentionaly to save that which was lost Luk. 19.10 to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 and Paul the first of sinners and not for wrath but that we might obtaine salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 5.9 7. Nor did he so die that we should not live to our selves but unto Righteousnesse but that we might be 1 Pet. 2.24 redeemed from this present evill world Gal. 1.4 from our vaine conversation 1 Peter 1.18 That hee might redeeme us from all iniquitie and purifie to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 That wee should glorifie God in our bodies and Spirits which are Gods 1 Cor. 6.20 That hee might present to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blemish Ephes. 5.27 Now Christ may obtaine the native and intrinsecall end of his death though all the Redeemed ones say the Arminians Live to themselves and never be redeemed from the present evill world nor from their vaine conversation and live and die to themselves and walking in their lusts 8. And upon what ground Christ is made Lord hee is made also a husband to the Church for the husband as an husband is made head of the wife Now the intrinsecall end and so the specifick acts of this husband who is joyned to us by the marriage-covenant of free grace must bee free love to his Spouse as Paul expoundeth it Ephes. 5.25 and the native fruit and end of Marriage is that the Spouse might have interest in the righteousnesse glory spirit wisdome and sanctification the kingdome and throne of the Husband and Lord not that hee might condemne and destroy his Spouse 9. It is a reasonlesse conceit that after Christ dyed hee hath a freedome to transact for our actuall saving and glorifying in what termes he will Law or Gospel Grace or Works because he dyed the surety of the covenant of grace Hebr. 7.2 and made his Testament and last will and confirmed it by his death as our friend and bequeathed to his poor friends the promise of an eternall inheritance Heb. 9.15 and so he died as the Mediator of the New Testament and sealed the Covenant with his blood which is therefore called the blood of the eternall covenant Heb. 13.20 Zach. 9.11 And therefore neither the first Testament was dedicated without blood Heb. 9.18 19 20 21. and Christ by his blood entred into heaven as a Priest to intercede for us v. 23 24. And this Arminian way over-turneth the whole Gospel which is a bargaine of blood between the Father and the son Christ and Christ dying and justifying pardoning the iniquities of his people making them heires of the same Covenant and Kingdome with himselfe is in this Indenture of free Grace the chiefe man Now unpossible it is that this can be an effect of Christs death that he may set up a covenant of grace and a Gospel-way to Heaven or set up another way when as by the Gospel-covenant only God gave Christ a body indented with him to doe the worke to make his soule an offering for sin and God promised to him if he would die a seed and that the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand that his soule should be satisfied that he should justifie many intercede for many Isai. 53.10 11 12 13. Now if all might eternally perish notwithstanding that Christ died for them and it were free to Christ to make such a Covenant after his death in which not one man possibly may be saved Christ then should doe his work and yet not have his wages nor have a seed nor justifie his people nor have a willing people to serve him yea then should Christ offer the sacrifice of his body as our Priest on earth in sheding his blood and yet not enter into Heaven and the Holy of Holiest to intercede for us as our High Priest there also 10. All the offices and relations of Christ and comfortable promises of the Gospel shall be overturned for it is in the free will of man that Christ be King or no King Head or no Head of the Church a Husband or no Husband Clear it is Christ is a Gospel King now if his death might stand and attain its intrinsecall end and effect which is a meer possible reconciliation and a salvation to his people standing only in a may be or a may never be then Christ is a Gospel-King without a Kingdome of Grace the fruits whereof are righteousnesse joy of the Holy Ghost and peace Rom. 14.17 He is a King but Iudah shall never be saved in his dayes there shall be no righteousnesse no peace no joy in his Kingdome he is a Redeemer and a Saviour but his people all are eternally lost and die in bondage and misery and in their sins he is a Saviour but saves not his people from their sins he is the chief corner stone but no other living stones are built on him he is a head but hath not a living body quickned by his Spirit nor a body that is the fulnesse of Christ he is a Husband but the essence of his maritall and husbandly power standeth in that he hath power to destroy his Spouse eternally That he hateth his own flesh he is a Shepherd and a good Shepherd and layeth downe his life for his Sheepe but the roaring Lyon devoureth all his Flocke he carrieth not the Lambes in his bosome he feedeth them not in the strength of the Lord he causeth them not lye downe safely he leadeth them not to the living waters they hunger and starve eternally he is the vine-tree but no man bringeth forth fruit in him He is an eternall Priest but the sins of all he offereth for remaine in heaven before the Lord for ever hee is the promised seed and by death triumpheth over Devils and Principalities and powers but the Serpents head is not bruised Satan is not cast out Satan reigneth and ruleth in all mankinde He hath much in Christ
onely begotten Sonne into the world that wee might live through him 5. The Scripture casts out a longer rope yet that thou mayest reach to Christ art thou not a Man if thou be not a sinner nor a visible Saint nor a bruised Reed thou art one of mankinde see the Gospel will not have thee to dispaire or to foment and harbour strange and far-off thoughts of Christ Tit. 3.4 But after that the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour to man appeared he saved us 1 Tim. 2.3 God our Saviour will have ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all men to be saved 6. The farthest from Christ must be creatures that are nothing but bits of the world now the name World is a frameder and a farther-off word then the name of Man or Sinners it s the farest off-word for fallen Angels are members and citizens of the World therefore the Gospel is preached to the World Christ is brought in in the Gospel as a World-lover as if he were a whole World-Saviour he takes away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1.29 He so loves the world Joh. 3.16 He giveth his flesh for the life of the world Joh. 6.51 In this Grammar of the Holy Ghost observe wee by the way for resoluton the wisdome of God in framing the words of the Gospel It cannot be said that God loved all the world in Christ his beloved and all and every sinner and all the race of mankinde Yet laying downe this ground that God keepeth up in his minde the secrets of Election and Reprobation till he in his owne time be pleased to reveale them the Lord hath framed the Gospel-offer of Christ in such indefinite words and so generall yet without all double dealing lying or equivocating for his owne good pleasure is a rule both of his doings and speaches As 1. seldome doth the Lord open Election and Reprobation to men till they by grace or in the order of his justice open both the one and the other in their owne waies and therefore he holdeth out the offer of Christ so as none may cavell at the Gospel or begin a plea with Christ. 2. Seldome doth the Gospel speake who they be that are Elect who Reprobate yet doth the Gospel offer no ground of presuming on the one hand or of despairing on the other For if thou bee not a beleever nor a weake reed nor a Saint yet thou arâ a sinner if not that thou art a man if not that thou art one of the world and though the Affirmative conclude not I am a sinner I am a man I am one of the world but it followeth not therefore I am elected to glory or Ergo I am ransomed of the Lord. Yet the Negative touching Reprobation holdeth I am a Sinner I am of the World I am a man hence it followeth not therefore I am a reprobate and therefore I have warrant to refuse the promise and Christ offered in the Gospel It followeth well therefore I must be humbled for sinne and beleeve in Christ there is roome left for all the Elect that they have no ground of standing aloofe from Christ and the rest never come and most willingly refuse to come nor have the Reprobate ground to quarrell at the decrees of God though they bee not chosen yet they are called as if they were chosen and they have no cause to quarrell at conjectures they have as faire a revealed warrant to beleeve as the Elect have they are men sinners of the world to whom Christ is offered why refuse they him upon an unrevealed warrant 4. The fourth ground of Christs good will to draw all men is that Christ goeth as farre in the dispensation of free grace as sinners as the chiefe of sinners Grace journies all along and can goe no further then Hell and Damnation Luk. 19.10 The Sonne of man came to seeke and to save that which is lost as if Christ would say is any man a sinner and who are not and a lost sinner see and behold I am a Saviour for that man Christ went as low downe to Hell in the freedome of grace to save as Zacheus in evill doing to destroy Mary Magdalen went as farre on toward Hell as seven Devils Grace in Christ went as farre on as to redeeme from seven Devils Manasseh as if he had intended to make sure worke of Hell runnes on to empawnd soule and salvation and gives himselfe to witchcraft observing of times to cause the streets of Hierusalem runne with bloud to all abominable idolatry mercy in the Lord went as neere hell to save him Paul goeth so farre on the mouth of the furnace as to waste the Church of God and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Act. 8.3 to make heapes of dead men in the Church and there came nothing out of his nostrils for breathing and respiration Act. 9.1 but threatnings that is ripe purposes of bloud yea murthering of the Saints came out of his mouth with every word hee spoke but Christs free-grace pursues him hard and out-runnes him Christs grace came as it were a step below Paul and saved him 1 Tim. 1.14 And the grace of our Lord saith he was more or over-abundant in me through faith and love Jer. 3.1 And thou hast played the harlot with many companions or lovers yet returne to mâââ saith the Lord. It s here as if Christs rich grace and our extreme wickednesse should strive who should descend to the lowest roome in Hell the latter to destroy the former to save and here Christ defies the sinner to be more wicked then he can be gracious 5. Christ in the Gospel as a great Conquerour sends out Writs signed under his Excellencies hand come and meet me who will and be saved as farre as graced will can goe as farre goeth the good will of the conquering Prince Râvel 22.17 It s much worthy of observation how that sweet Evangelicke invitation is conceived Esai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsts ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is alas or ah every one that thirsts come to the waters and he that hath no silver come buy and eat as if the Lord were grieved and said woe is me alas that thirsty soules should die in their thirst and will not come to the water of life Christ and drink gratis freely and live For the Interjection ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ho is a marke of sorrowing as Ah or wo every one that thirsts Esai 1.4 Ah sinnefull nation or wo ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the sinnefull nation Vers. 24. Ah I will ease me or alas ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I will ease me of my adversaries Jer. 22.18 They shall not say of Jehojachim ho or alas or woe to my brother ah Sister It expresseth two things 1. A vehemencie and a serious and unfamed ardencie of desire that we doe what is our duty and the concatenation of these two extreamely desired of God our comming to Christ and our salvation this morall connexion
12.10 and of the Spirit on the thirsty ground Esai 44.3 is a work of creation Ephes. 2.10 Psal. 51.10 a quickning of the dead Ephes. 2.1.2.3.4 Ioh. 5.25 2 Cor. 4.6 and the wildernesse is not here a coagent for the causing roses to blossome out of the earth 2. The effect is not wholly denyed of the collaterall cause and ascribed wholly to another If Peter and Iohn draw a ship between them with joynt strength you cannot say the one drew the ship not the other But Christ said flesh and blood maketh no revelations of Christ but his father only Mat. 16.17 Mat. 11.25.26.27 Iam. 1.18 Ioh. 1.18 Then neither blood nor the will of man contribute any active inââuence to the first framing of the new birth nor can clay divide the glory of regeneration with the God of grace who maketh all things new Asser. 2. The soule or its faculties are not destroyed in conversion Peters will which he had when he was young was the same when converted but renewed Ioh. 21.18 the Saints that Peter writeth to are not to âunne to the same excesse of ryot as of old they wrought the will of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4.3.4 Paul and Titus were the same men when dâsobedient and serâing divers lusts and when converted and now washen regeneratâd and justified heirs Tit. 3.1.2.3.4 Paul the same man a persecuter and an Apostle but Grace made a change 1 Cor. 15.9.10 the same minde and spirit remaineth in nature but they are renewed in the spirit of the minde Rom. 12.2 Eph. 4.23 It is the same heart but turned to the Loâd 2 Cor. 3.15.16 Christ but removeth the scum and the drosse and the false metall and frames the man a new vessell of mercy Asser. 3. The person of the holy Ghost is not united to the soul of a beleever nor are there two persons here united or made one Spirit by union of person with person but the person is said to come to the Saints and to dwell with them and to be in them Ioh. 14.16.17 and God hath sent the Spirit of his son in our hearts crying Abba Father not that the holy Ghost in propper person doth in us formally and immediately beleeve pray love repent c. We being meer patients in understanding will affections memory as Libertines teach But the holy Ghost cometh to the Saints and dwelleth in them in the spirituall gifts and saving graces and supernaturall qualities câeated in us by the holy spirit and acted excited and moved as supernaturall and heavenly habits to act with the vitall influence of our understanding will and affeââions I prove the former part 1. Because such a union of the person of the holy Ghost in us beleeving loving joying praying and immediately in us were that blasphemous dei-fying and Goding of the Saints so as beleeving loving praying were not our works but the immediate acts of the holy Ghost and either the faint manner of beleeving or the cold slacked loving and praying of Saints or their not beleeving and sinfull omission of the acts of faith love praying rejoycing could not be more imputed to Saints as their sinfull defects and transgressions but must be laid on the holy Ghosts score then we can impute the splitting of a ship to the ship it self and not to the negligent and willfull pilot who of purpose dashed the vessell on a rock but we must not in reason blame the ship but the Pilot for the losse of the ship is the onely and proper fault of the man that stirred the ship and the ship is innocent and harmlesse timber Now what sinne can be in the Saints in these supernaturall acts if the holy Ghost immediately in his owne person stirre the helme and only without us act these in us we might with as good reason say the shop that a man worketh in doth make the portrait which is a great untruth since the artificer in the shop doth it as say that the Saints doe pray beleeve rejoyce if the holy Ghost immediateây doe all these in them as in a shop 2. Vpon the same ground the Lords coming down and filling Iohn Baptist from his mothers womb and the Apostles and Steven full of the holy Ghost should be the holy Ghosts personall filling of them and his immediate acting in them without any action of them in preaching praying and their heavenly bold confessing of Christ before men and there should be no difference betweene the Ark and Temple of Ierusalem filled with the immediate presence of God in the Lords manifestation of his glory there and these Saints filled with God in these works of free grace I shall not beleeve that the person of God can be said to be united to either Ark Temple Apostle or Martyr all the union is in the effects and manifestations of graces or tokens of Divine presence which are creatures rising and falling with time 3. That excellent and living ârk the most gloâious and admirable thing that heaven hath the Lord Iesus is God and man two natureâ united in one person But both the word of God making that He that same Holy thing borne of the virgin Mary the Son of God Luke 1.5 and that same He and person who came of the Iewes according to the flâsh to be God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 Hâbr 7.3 Matth. 16.13.16 and the third generall Councell called that of Ephesus and after the counsell of Chalcedone ver 4. and 5. doe evidence to us that Christ cannot be two persons as Nestorius dreamed and one person Paul spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to Iliricum about ten hundreth miles I know not he but the Grace of God that was with him 1 Cor. 15.9.10 not hee but the Lord True but the question now is whether Paul and the holy Ghost in all these works of grace were two persons become one Spirit by union as some dreamers affirme because both did the work I beleeve not God and cloudâ rained down Manna to Israel O but Christs father Ioh· 6. gave the Manna but the question is if the person of God were united with the clouds or any second caâses producing Manna so the Lord maketh rich and poore killetâ and maketh alive maketh snow froast fair weather dâouth and raine the Sunne to rise and go downe and that in his owne person Father Sonne and Spirit He he onely made Heaven Earth Sea and all creatures and the world ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Acts 17.25 and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Psal. 33.9 doe prove him to be a person who doth all these But we cannot say that the person of God must be united with Clouds Ship Sea Sunne Heavens Men fighting and Men Saving and Killing and that God personally filleth all creatures only God in the immensitie of âis nature is all these and every where and is in them by his operation so the holy Ghost is with the Saints and dwelleth in ãâã not by union of his person to them or the immensitie
know that Christ was in mee before I beleeved and thaâ I received him from eternity or from my conception 3. To beleeve maketh mee a sonne borne not of flesh and blood Ioh. 1.12.13 and Gal. 3.26 and by faith wee receive the Spirit This then must be nothing else but I know by the light of faith I was a sonne before and had received the Spirit before I beleeved What more absurd 4. And by faith I live not Christ liveth in mee and I am crucified and mortified that is by faith I know that I did live the life of God and was crucified to the world whereas I was dead in sinnes before I beleeved 5. And because beleeving is somewhat more then a naked act of the mind it being a fiduciall adherence unto and an affiance acquiescence heart-relyance staying on Christ or a rolling of our selves on God for salvation as is clear in the originall holy languages of scripture Psal. 18.18 Esai 26.3 Psal. 112.8 Esai 10.21 Mich. 3.11 Psal. 22 8. Psal. 55.22 1 Pet. 5.7 Cant. 8.5 Ioh. 1.12 It s too hungry a notion of faith to make it nothing but a knowing of that which really was before for heart-adherence is not an act of the mind and so not an act of knowledge but of the will and affection in which there is no act of knowledge formally though it presuppose an act of knowledge 6. Then wicked men must be in their sinnes not justified in his blood because they will not know that Christ dyed for them in particular and that Christ bore their sinnes on the crosse and justified and pardoned them long agoe all which to beleeve is to hold a lye in the right hand But to returne Asser. 7. How the Lord worketh in us to will and to do the power and the act and yet we are guilty in our omissions of good or in our sinfull and remisse manner of working with the grace of God is a point more mysterious then I dare undertake to explaine if these may give light I offer them to the Reader Posit 1. Grace free-grace is the great and Master-wheele that carrieth about heart senses foot and hand not that only but seede and tree and fruit the flower the principle dependeth necessarily on free grace and for a third the state and condition is higher then either principle or seed or fruit to bee an heir of glory is more then a supernaturall principle of gift and more then one single action above nature Grace must make the principle gratious and grace must inact and quicken the principle to bring forth and graces policie makes naturall men citizens of heaven sonnes of God heirs of life Ioh. 1.12.13 Gal. 4.4.5 Positi 2. This must stand as a ground that there is not any gracious act performed by the members but the head Christ is so interessed in it that as even the finger and toe in the naturall body cannot stirre without the motion takes its beginning from life and head so neither can the mysticall body or any joynt or member of it act or move in its supernaturall or be of grace but every individuall act of grace must pay the rent of glory to the mysticall head whose predeterminating influence does act and stirre the ship for Christ is not only the compasse and day-Starre according to which spirituall motions are directed and hand and finger foot and all see with the visive power seated in the head for they have no facultie of seeing in themselves and the Saints in these actions stirre with the light in the two eyes or seven eyes and lamps that are in the head Christ but also the real motions of grace in their physicall as well as in their morall sphere are shapen and acted by Christ It is not much though it be a wonder that a huge great ship made up of so many peeces of dry and dead timber can move regularly through so many circles compasses turnings of many coasts countreyes change of windes ten thousand miles to a certain herbrie when timber is acted and moved with the borrowed art and reason of a man stirring the helme so there is a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a reason a wisdom in him who is made our wisdome to act the Saints in their heaven-ward motion that are carried through so many sea-circles turnings contrary windes of temptations afflictions various soule-dispensations of sweet and sowre absence presence going and coming again of Christ to such a determinate home as heaven for the Father must thank the stires-man Christ his sonne that the broken bark and all his poore friends are landed with the borrowed art of Christ and no more thanks and praise to us then to dead timber That we should be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the praise of his glory Ep. 1.12 as if our passive being it is a borrowed expression for we are coagents with and under Christ in the work were destinated to the praise of the glory of his grace but wee are so drawne as Christ is great Lord moderator and authour and God in the second and new world of grace as God creator is in all actions of nature Ioh. 15.5 without mee as your vine tree in whom you grow and a stock in whom you bring forth fruit every blossome of of life every apple yee can do nothing Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in you to will and to doe according to his good pleasure 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you ward is not weak but is mighty in you then every word that Paul spoke Christ in him spoke it not formally as if Paul had been a mâer patient but efficaciously Rom. 15.18 for I will not dare to speak of any of these things which Christ hath not wroughtly me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed Esa. 27.3 I the Lord doe keep the Church the garden of red wine I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day keeping and watering every moment is grace actuall every moment to make his tender Vines grow and preserving his own from succumbring under every temptation 2. There were no ground for Adams thankfulnesse and praise that he stood one moment or that he gave names to every thing according to their nature or ever heard with patience the command of God thou shall not eat if in every act of obedience he had not need of the actuall predeterminating influence of God nor were there ground for this prayer in faith and in patient submission to God as to one to whom we owe the prayses of the not failing of our faith Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil nor were there 3 any glory due to Christs advocation and intercession that we fall not fully and finally off Christ and from Christ and the state of Grace when we are tempted if free-will not the actuall influence of
first morning and dawning of election ibid. The Arminian hope and comfort and their wild Divinity not in Scripture 428.429.430 The Lords generall good will to save all and every one comfortlesse 432.433 The fountaine good will of God separateth elected persons from others 4â2 433 Arminians resolve all in mans will and merits 434.435 Paulâs out-cry O the depth opened 435.436 Onely free grace not freewill maketh one to differ from another 437.438 The abundance of grace 439 440 All love especially a three fold effectuall in God no lip love in him 440 441 Christs love cannot mis-carry ibid. Very active 442 Ten objections from feare of Reprobation and sinne that seâ me to hinder beleeving removed 4â3 â44 445 Christ can draw as guilty as thou art 447.448 The person to whom we are drawne most considerable from severall excellencies in him 449.450.451.452 Christ a home and rest 451 Three parts of Christs compleatnesse 1. His fulnesse 453 2. His primacy 453.454 3. His excellencie 454.455.456 Resisting of Christ a high sinne 457 Christ good at drawing of sinners ibid. 458.459 Resisting a great sinne 459.460 Marks of a meere Moralist 461.462 Errours of Libertines touching Free will 462.463.464 What activitie we have in our conversion 464 The faculties of the soule not destroyed 464.465 Grace inherent in us not the person of the Holy Ghost 464.465.466.467 The Blasphemy of the Libertine H. Nicholas who said he was Godded ibid. The union of the Holy Ghost with the Saints not personall 467.468.469 Grace and Free will joyned in acting in a fourefold sense 468 469.470 The covenant of grace how conditionall 471.472.473 Crispe refuted 472.473.474 Differences betweene Law and Gospel 472 Grace in the Old Testament and Justification the same in Nature with that in the New Testament 474 47â.476 How faith is a condition of the Covenant 476.477 How grace acteth in all Christs Members 479. â80 Christ onely not any creature Man or Angel can calme a disquieted soule 480.481 The Lords deniall of grace falleth under a three-fold consideration 481.482.483 The freedome of grace evidenced in Angels 482 In the conversion of men 483 48â We are to pray when under indispositions we cannot ibid. Flesh and Spirit in their up's and downes 485.486 In what cases God usâth to withdraw ibid. We are to stirre and blow grace our selves 486.487 How we sinne in not doing though actuall predâterminating grace be not in our power 487.488.489 How we leave God ere he leave us 489 How we are to beleeve that God will joyne his influence of actuall grace 489.490 Grace not a Morall sparkle 490.491 Mens impotencie to come to Christ wilfull ibid. The condition of Christs drawing 492.493 Christs and our leaving of the earth and the reasons 493.494.495 Christs dying a speciall ground of Mortification 496. â97 To be crucified to the World what it is 497.498 How base the earth is to a Saint ibid. Antinomian Mortification fleshly and refuted 490.491.492 Libertines and Antinomians compared together from some passages of Calvine Instruct. advers Libertinos 500 501.502.50â.504.505.506 Sinnes of the Justified to Antinomians no sinnes 502.503 Sense and feeling of sinnes to Antinomians 503.504 How a Convert cannot fall in the same sinne againe 506.507 Sorrow for sinne habituall in the Saints contrary to Saltmarsh 507.508.509 Mortification not an act of Faith 509.510.511 Mortification personall Physicall reall not the Antinomian imputative and apprehensive Mortification refuted 509.510.511 Antinomians deny sinne to be in the justified 512.513 The fleshly distinction of Denne and other Antinomians of sin in the conscience and sinne in the conversation refuted 513.514 Mortification is in abstaining from sinne and in the remissenesse and faintnesse of the powers of the soule to act sinne 516.517.518 To live by Faith includeth sanctification ibid. A sinner as a sinner not humbled is not to beleeve applicatorily 518.519.520 Holinesse and Morall vertues much different 520 521 To adde to Antinomian Mortification is to adde to Christ. 521.522 Eight Queries propounded to Antinomians touching the Law Enthysiasmes Gospel-commands sinnes of the justified c. 522.523 Divers Manifestations of Christs deadnesse to the world 524.525 The Lords various dispensation in leading some to heaven in flowings of free grace others in low desertions 525.526 Christ strong to save 528 Minded us much in death 528.529 The World a weake thing to Christ. 529.530 Christ strong on the Crosse. ibid. Providence most speciall in excellent things 530.531 A three-fold excellency of the working of Christ on the Crosse. 531.532 Christ drawes sinners 1. Lovingly 532 2. Suffering paine ibid. 3. Strongly 532.533 Compleatly Ibid. 5. Finally dying and drawing 533.534 What it is to be lifted up from the earth 534.535 The Scriptures deepe plaine not obscure why wee accuse them 535.536 Christs dying ibid. The kind of his death 537.538 Seven considerations of Christs dying 537 538.5â9 Christs love went to death with him ibid. Christ willing to die and must dye ibid. A wondring that Christ should dye ibid. Reason would say Christs body should be precious as the Sunne ibid. It s much that Christ should part with life 5â9 Three ingredients in Christs death 1. The curse 2. Merit 3. Divine acceptation 540.541 Foure sad conditions in the ransome that Christ payed 541 1. A man given for a man 2. A King for a servant 3. A King handled as a slave ibid. The ransome given must die 542 Death the end of Christs labours ibid. Christs victory in dying 543 His welcome 544 Comforts to dye from the dying of Christ. 544.545 Christ had good hap to the Crosse. ibid. Death perfected Christ. 546 547 Life lame without the life hid with Christ. 547.548 Reall Mortification pressed from Christs death 545.546 Comfort of pardon from Christs death 549 Sinne sweet suffering for sinne sad 550 In the kind of Christs death three Characters 1. Paine 2. Shame 3. A Curse 550.551 In the paine of Christs death three 1. Violence ibid. 2. Slownesse of dying ibid. 3. Many degrees of life taken from Christ. 550.551.554 How Christ was capable of shame ibid. 555 How not 555.556 How shame penall might stand âith the dignity of his person 557.558 How Christ was a curse 558.559.560 Death naturall and violent 561 Indifferent accidents of death 562 How a man is ripe for death 562.563 Our errors and fancies touching the Crosse. 564.565 The bloud not dryed off Christ while he was in heaven ibid. We condemne the wisdome of God in our murmuring under the Crosse. 566 How farre we may chuse our owne Crosse. 567 The circumstances that fall in our crosse dressed by infinite wisdome 567.568 That a blessed Spirit take on him to bee a cursed sinner admirable 571.572 Wee are not freed from the Law as a rule of righteousnesse 572.573 Neither Law nor Gospel obligeth a beleever to Sanctification by the Antinomian way 574.576 We are no more under the Gospel nor under the Law by the Antinomian way 574.575 Antinomians enemies to close walking with God 575.576 Men naturally are not
doth not suffer but is rather enlarged by exhalation Yet is there great halting in these comparisons because though the soule cannot be sick when the body is distempered for there is nothing of the Elementary nature nor any contemperation of Physicall humours in it because of a more sublime and pure constitution yet there is such alliance and intire society between the soule and the body that the soule through concomitancie and sympathy does suffer as the In-dweller is put to the worse if the house be rainy and dropping The soule findeth smoke and leakings of paine in that it s pinned in a lodging of sick clay and so put to wish an hole in the wall or to escape out at doore or window as often our spirits are over-swayed so with distaste of life because of the foure accidents that doe convey it that they think the gaine of life not so sweet as it can quit the cost But the blessed God-head united to the Man-hood cannot so much as for companies cause be sick pained or suffer nor can the God-head be weary of an union with a troubled soule Wee conceive in the grave and death that glorious fâllowship was never dissolved Secondly Many things may suffer by invasion of contraries as shoot an arrow against a wall of brasse some impression may remaine in the wall to witnesse the violence that has been there and wee know that They shall fight against thee but they shall not prevaile But the blessed God-head in Christ is uncapable of an arrow or of repercussion there is no action against God hee is here not so much as a coast a bank or bulwurke capable of receiving one spitting or drop of a sea-wave onely the Man Christ the Rose of heaven had in his bosome at his root a fountaine Oh how deep and refreshing that kept the Flower greene under death and the grave when it was plucked up it was faire vigorous green before the sunne and thus plucked up and above earth blossomed faire Thirdly Not onely the influence and effects of the glorious God-head did water the Flower and keep strength in Christ so I think God can keep a damned man in the doubled torments of everlasting wrath with strength of grace courage faith the love of Christ for ever as hee could not be overcome by hell and devils but there was the fulnesse personall of the God-head that immediatly sustained the Man Christ it was not a delegated comfort nor sent help nor a message of created love nor a borrowed flowing of a sea of sweetnesse of consolation but God in proper person infinite subsistence the personality of the Sonne of God bottomed all his sufferings the Man-hood was imped and stocked in the subsistence of the tree of life It s true God is a present help to his Saints in trouble but his helping is in his operation and working but hee is not personally united to the soule It s abominable that some Famulists teach that as Christ was once made flesh so hee is now first made flesh in us ere wee be carried to perfection Because not any Saint on earth can be so united personally to God as the Son of Man for hee being made of a woman of the seed of David the Son of Man hee and not any but hee is the eternall Son of God God blessed for ever The Child born to us is the mighty God the Father of age the Prince of peace Isai. 9.6 Rom. 9.5 Gal. 4.4 There is a wide difference between him the second Adam and all men even the first Adam in his perfection 1 Cor. 15.47 If Christ suffered without dissolving of the union God keeping the tent of clay and taking it to heaven with him in a personall union then God can in the lowest desertion dwell in his Saints We complaine in our soule-trouble of Christs departure from us but hee is not gone our sense is not our Bible nor a good rule there is an errour in this Compasse The third Particular was the Cause What cause was there Papists say there was no reason of Christs soule-suffering except for sympathy with the body Wee beleeve that Christ becoming Surety for us not his body onely but his soule especially came under that necessity that his soule was in our soules stead and so what was due to our soules for ever our Surety of justice behoved to suffer the same Isai. 53.10 Hee made his soule an offering for sinne Sure for our sin Nor must wee restrict the soule to the body and temporary life seeing hee expresseth it in his owne language And now is my soule troubled Secondly There was no reason of Christs bodily sufferings when in the garden hee did sweat bloud for us nor had any man at that time laid hands on him and all that agonie hee was in came from his soule onely Thirdly Nor can it be more inconsistent with his blessed person being God and Man and the Sonne of God that hee suffered in his soule the wrath of God for our sinnes then that his soule was troubled and exceeding sorrowfull heavie to the deaths in an agonie and that hee complained My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And the cause of this soule-trouble was for sinners this was Surety-suffering The choicest and most stately piece that ever God created and dearest to God being the Second to God-man was the Princely soule of Christ it was a Kings soule yet death by reason of sinne passeth upon it and not a common death but that which is the marrow of death the first-borne and the strongest of deaths the wrath of God the innocent paine of hell voyd of despaire and hatred of God If I had any hell on me I should chuse an innocent hell like Christs Better suffer ill a thousand times than sinne Suffering is rather to be chosen than sinne It was pain and nothing but paine Damned men and reprobate devils are not capable of a godly and innocent hell they cannot chuse to suffer hell and not spit on faire and spotlesse Justice because Christs bloud was to wash away sin hee could not both fully pay and contract debt also But if it be so that death finding so precious a Surety as Christs Princely and sinlesse soule did make him obey the law of the Land ere hee escaped out of that Land what wonder that wee die who are born in the Land of death No creature but it travelleth in paine with death in its bosome or an inclination to Mother-Nothing whence it came God onely goeth between the mightiest Angel in heaven and Nothing All things under the Moone must be sick of vanity and death when the Heire of all things coming in amongst dying creatures out of dispensation by Law must dye If the Lords soule and the soule of such a Lord dye and suffer wrath then let the faire face of the world the heavens look like the face of an old man full of trembling white haires
want nothing Mercy be satisfied Peace should kisse righteousnesse and warre goe on in justice against a sinlesse Redeemer Angels bowing and stooping downe to behold the bottome of this depth 1 Pet. 1.12 cannot read the perfect sense of the infinite turnings and foldings of this mysterious love O Love of heaven and fairest of Beloveds the flower of Angels why camest thou so low down as to be-spot and under-rate the spotlesse love of all loves with coming âigh to black sinners Who could have beleeved that lumps of hell and sinne could be capable of the warmings and sparkles of so high and princely a Love or that there could be place in the brest of the High and lofty One for forlorne and guilty clay But wee may know in whose brest this bred sure none but onely the eternall Love and Delight of the Father could have outed so much love had another done it the wonder had been more But of this more else-where Wee may hence chide our soft nature the Lord Jesus his soule was troubled in our businesse wee start at a troubled body at a scratch in a penny-broad of our hyde First There is in nature a silent impatience if wee be not carried in a chariot of love in Christs bosome to heaven and if wee walk not upon scarlet and purple under our feet wee flinch and murmure Secondly Wee would either have a silken a soft a perfumed crosse sugered and honyed with the consolations of Christ or wee faint and providence must either brew a cup of gall and worm-wood mastered in the mixing with joy and songs else wee cannot be Disciples But Christs Crosse did not smile on him his Crosse was a crosse and his ship sailed in bloud and his blessed soule was sea-sick and heavie even to death Thirdly Wee love to saile in fresh waters within a step to the shoare wee consider not that our Lord though hee afflict not and crush not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from his heart Lam. 3.33 yet hee afflicteth not in sport punishing of sinne is in God a serious grave and reall work no reason the crosse should be a play neither Stoicks nor Christians can laugh it over the Crosse cast a sad glowme upon Christ. Fourthly we forget that bloody and sad mercies are good for us the peace that the Lord bringeth out of the wombe of warre is better then the rotten peace that wee had in the superstitious daies of Prelats What a sweet life what a heaven what a salvation is it we have in Christ and we know the death the grave the soule-trouble of the Lord Jesus travelled in paine to bring forth these to us Heaven is the more heaven that to Christ it was a purchase of blood The Crosse to all the Saints must have a bloody bit and Lyons teeth it was like it selfe to Christ gallie and soure it must be so to us Wee cannot have a Paper-crosse except we would take on us to make a golden providence and put the creation in a new frame and take the world and make it a great leaden vessell melt it in the fire and cast a new mould of it Fiftly the more of God in the Crosse the sweeter as that free grace doth budde out of the black rod of God to the soule that seeth not and yet beleeveth and loveth the Crosse of Christ drops honey and sweetest consolations Wee sigh under stroakes and we beleeve The first Adam killed us and buried us in two deaths and sealed our grave in one peece of an houre he concluded all under wrath Now how much of Christ is in this Omnipotencie infinite wisedome when Angels gave us over and stood aloofe at our miserie as changed lovers free Grace boundlesse love deepest and richest mercy in Jesus Christ opened our graves and raised the dead Christ died and rose againe and brought againe from the dead all his buried brethren Sixtly we can wrestle with the Almighty as if we could discipline and governe our selves better then God can do Murmuring fleeth up against a dispensation of an infinite wisdome because its Gods dispensation not our owne as if God had done the fault but the murmuring man onely can make amends and right the slips of infinite Wisdome Why is it thus with mee Lord saith the Wrestler Why doest thou mis-judge Christ he who findeth fault with what the Creator doth let him be man or Angel undoe it and doe better himselfe and carry it with him Seventhly we judge God with sense with the humor of reason not with reason the oare that God rolleth his vessell withall is broken say we because the end of the oare is in the water Providence halteth say we but what if sense and humour say a straight line is a circle The world judged God in person a Samaritane one that had a devill if we mis-judge his person we may mis-judge his providence and wayes Suspend your sense of Gods wayes while you see his ends that are under ground and instead of judging wonder and adore or then beleeve implicitly that the way of God is equall or doe both and submit and be silent Heart-dialogues and heart-speeches against God that arises as smoake in the Chimney are challengings and summons against our highest Landlord for his owne house and land Secondly If Christ gave a soule for us hee had no choiser thing the Father had no nobler and dearer gift then his only begotten sonne the sonne had no thing dearer then himselfe the man Christ had nothing of value comparable to his soule and that must runne a hazzard for man The Father the Sonne the Man Christ gave the excellentest that was theirs for us In this giving and taking world we are hence obliged to give the best and choisest thing we have for Christ. Should wee make a table of Christs acts of love and free grace to us and of ouâ sinnes and acts of unthankefulnesse to him this would be more evident as there was 1. before time in the breast of Christ an eternall coale of burning love to the sinner this fire of heaven is everlasting and the flames as hot to day as ever our coale of love to him in time hath scarce any fire or warmenesse all fire is hot Oh we cannot warme Christ with our love but his love to us is hotter then death or as the flames of God Wee were enemies in our minds to him by wicked workes Col. 1.21 Heires of wrath by nature Christ began with love to us we begin with hatred to him 2. The Father gave his onely begotten Sonne for us how many Fathers and Elies will not let fall one tough word to all the sonnes and daughters they have for the Lord God spared not his Sonne but gave him to the death for us all Earthly Fathers spare clap their Sonnes Servants Friends Magistrates flattering Pastors their people in their blasphemies for him 3. Christ gave his soule to trouble and to the horrour of the
upon Act of atonement and free redemption in Christ standeth uncancelled and firme being once received by faith the justified soule ought not so to be troubled for sin as to mis-judge the Lords by-past work of saving Grace 1. Because the beleever once justified is to beleeve remission of sins and a payed ransome If now hee should beleeve the Writs once signed were cancelled again hee were obliged to beleeve things contradictory 2. To beleeve that the Lord is changed and off and on in his free love and eternall purposes is a great slandering of the Almighty 3. The Church Psal. 77. acknowledgeth such mis-judging of God to be the soules infirmity Psal. 77.10 I said This is my infirmity Asser. 2. Yet de facto David a man according to Gods heart 1 Sam. 12.12 13. fell in an old feaver a fit of the disease of the Spirit of bondage Psal. 32.3 When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long V. 4. For day and night thy hand was heavie upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of summer So the Church in Asaph's words Psal. 77.2 My sore ran in the night and ceased not either his hand was bedewed with teares in the night as the Hebrew beareth or a boyl of unbeleefe broke upon me in the night and slacked not Vers. 7. Will the Lord cast off for ever will hee be mercifull no more Then faith and doubting both may as well be in the soule with the life of God as health and sicknesse in one body at sundry times and it is no argument at all of no spirituall assurance and of a soule under the Law or covenant of works to doubt as sicknesse argueth life no dead corpse is capable of sicknesse or blindnesse these are infirmities that neighbour with life so doubting with sorrow because the poore soul cannot in that exigence beleeve is of kin to the life of God the life of Jesus hath infirmities kindly to it as some diseases are hereditary to such a family 2. The habit or state of unbeleefe is one thing and doubtings and love-jealousies is another thing Our love to Christ is sickly crazie and full of jealousies and suspitions Temptations make false reports of Christ and wee easily beleeve them Jealousies argue love and the strongest of loves even marriage-love 3. By this all acts of unbeleefe in soules once justified and sanctified should be unpossible Why then the Lords Disciples had no faith when Christ said to them Why doubt yee O yee of little faith It happily may be answered that the Disciples Mat. 8. doubted not of their son-ship but of the Lords particular care in bringing them to shore in a great sea-storme To which I answer It s most true they then feared bodily not directly soule-ship-wrack but if it was sinfull doubting of Christs care of them Master carest thou not for us the point is concluded That doubting of Christs care and love may well inferre a soule is not utterly void of faith that is in a doubting condition 4. The morning dawning of light is light the first springing of the child in the belly is a motion of life the least warmings of Christs breathings is the heat of life When the pulse of Christ new framed in the soule moveth most weakly the new birth is not dead the very swonings of the love of Christ cannot be incident to a buried man 5. When Christ rebuketh little faith and doubting hee supposeth faith hee who is but a sinking and cryeth to Christ is not drowned as yet 6. The Disciples prayer Lord increase our faith Christs praying that the faith of the Saints when they are winnowed may not faile the exhortation to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might prove the Saints faith may be at a stand and may stagger and slide 7. The various condition of the Saints now it s full moon againe no moon light at all but a dark ecclipse evidenceth this truth The beleever hath flowings of strong acts of faith joy love supernaturall pâssions of Grace arising to an high spring-tide above the banks and ordinary coasts and âgain a low-ground ebbe The condition in ebbings and flowings in full manifestations and divine raptures of another world when the wind bloweth right from heaven and the breath of Jesus Christs mouth and of sad absence runneth through the Song of Solomon the book of the Psalmes the book of Job as threeds through a web of silke and veines that are the strings and spouts carrying bloud through all the body lesse or more Asser. 3. The justified soule once pardoned receiveth never the Spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 to feare againe eternall wrath that is This Spirit in the intension of the habit such as was at the first conversion when there was not a graine of faith doth never returne nor is it consistent with the Spirit of Adoption Yet happily it may be a question if a convert brought in with much sweetnesse and quietnesse of Spirit shall fall in some hainous sinne like the adultery and murther of Dâvid have not greater vexation of Spirit then at his first conversion but more supernaturall But yet this must stand as a condemned error which Libertines doe hold That frequency or length of holy duties or trouble of Conscience for neglect thereof are all signes of one under a Covenant of Works And that which another of that way saith in a dangerous medicine for wounded soules Where there is no Law as there is none in or over the justified soule there is no transgression and where there is no transgression there is no trouble for sinne all trouble arising from the obligement of the Law which demandeth a satisfaction of the soule for the breach of it and such satisfaction as the soule knowes it cannot give and thereby remaines unquiet like a debtor that hath nothing to pay and the Law too being naturally in the soule as the Apostle saith The Conscience accusing or else excusing It is no marvell that such soules should be troubled for sinne and unpacified the Law having such a party and ingagement already within them which holding an agreement with the Law in Tables and Letters of stone must needs worke strongly upon the spirits of such as are but faintly and weakely inlightned and are not furnished with Gospel enough to answer the indictments the convictions the terrors the curses which the Law brings And a third And indeed Gods people saith he need more joyes after sinnes then after afflictions because they are more cast downe by them and therefore God useth sinnes as meanes by which he leades in his joyes into them in this world and alâo in the world to come their sinnes yeeld them great joyes Indeed in some respects they shall joy-most at the last day who have sinned least But in other respects they have most joy who have sinned most for sinne they little or much they all
the Society mixed with the godly they thinke it a worke of the flesh to confesse their owne sinnes this is to steale the word of the Lord from his people So David Psal. 25.7 Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my trangressions The sinnes of his youth as touching obligation to eternall wrath were pardoned I question it not but in regard God was turned from him in the flamings of love and his sinnes sealed up in a bagge in regard of innumerable evils that lay on him he prayeth Vers. 16. Turn thee unto me Hebr. Set thy countenance on me Gods favour in the sense of it was turned away and Vers. 18. Looke upon mine affliction and paine and forgive all my sinnes the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with a point in the left side of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to carry away Jerome aufer take away all my sinnes Isai. 53.4 hee carried or did beare as a burden our iniquities Vatablus portavit Pagnin parce condona Spare or pardon all my sinnes then sinne heere is pardoned onely according to the present paine and griefe of body and soule that was on David Psal. 3â 4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as a heavy burden they are too heavie for me Wee have no reason to beleeve that David thought himselfe already a condemned man and now in hell though some sparkes of hell's wrath and fire not in any sort as satisfactory to divine justice or as a fruit of Gods hatred and enmity can fall on the children of God yet it s not imaginary but reall anger God was really angry with Moses at the waters of strife The thing that David did against Vriah displeased the Lord not in David's opinion onely And though the hell for a time in the soule of God's children and the hell of the reprobate differ in essence and nature in that the hell of the reprobate is a satisfactory paine 2. and that iâ floweth from the hatred of God but the hell of the godly not so yet in this materially they are of the same size that the one as well as the other are coales and flames of the same furnace and neither are imaginary Then againe Sinnes of youth long-agoe pardoned though sometimes dearly beloved are like the ghost of a deare friend some yeares agoe dead and buried that re-appeareth to a man as dead Samuel did to Saul look how loving and deare they were alive they are now as terrible and dreadfull when they appeare to us living out from the land of death so are sins of youth when they rise from the dead and were pardoned in Christ long-agoe they appeare againe to David and Job and the Saints with the vaile and mask or hew of hell and sealed with temporary wrath Psal. 99.8 Thou wast a God that pardonedst or forgavest them though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions The same word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is given to God when hee taketh vengeance on his enemies Num. 31.2 Esay 1.24 I will be avenged of mine enemies 2 King 9.7 That I may avenge the bloud of my servants the Prophets So is the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vengeance used Deut. 32.43 Hee will render vengeance to his adversaries And if one and the same temporary judgement in the two Theeves that were crucified with Christ be so differenced that mercy is stamped on the same death to the one and wrath to the other wee may well say there is a temporary vengeance and wrath that befalleth both the Saints and the Reprobate in this life and the difference is in the mind and intention of God in both And that God pardoneth sin when hee removeth temporary wrath So 2 Sam. 12.13 Nathan saith to David The Lord also hath caused thy sinne to passe away why Thou shalt not die This is meant of temporall death especially as the context cleareth V. 10. The sword shall not depart from thine house And V. 14. The child borne to thee shall surely die Then the Lords putting away of Davids sin was in loosing him from the sword in his own person not in his house and children for by proportion of divine justice though tempered with mercy the Sword was punished with the Sword I doe not exclude relaxation from eternall punishment but remission going for relaxation of punishment Then as there be two sorts of punishmenâs one temporary and another the eternall wrath to come so there are in Scripture two sorts of remissions one from the temporary another from eternall punishment Therefore sin is put for punishment Gen. 4.13 Mine iniquity saith Cain is more then I can beare or My punishment is more then I can bear Levit. 24.15 Hee that curseth his God shall beare his sinne Ezek. 23.49 And yee shall beare the sinnes of your Idols Num. 9.13 The man that is cleane and forbeareth to eat the Passe-over that man shall beare his sinne So when God layeth sin to the charge of the sinner in punishing it hee is said to lay a burden on the sinner 2 King 9.25 And to remove this burden is to pardon the sin 2 Chron. 7.14 If my people humble themselves then will I heare from heaven and will forgive their sinne and will heale their land by removing the locusts and the pestilence See the pardoning of their sin is exponed to be the removing of the locusts and pestilence And to call sins to remembrance is to punish sin The Shunamite saith 1 King 17.18 Art thou come to me O man of God to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my sonne Job complaineth c. 13.26 Thou makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth Now though out of unbeleefe hee might apprehend that hee was cast off of God and a man rejected of God and that his sins were never pardoned and hee himselfe never delivered from the wrath to come these legall thoughts might keep Job in a distance from God to his owne sinfull apprehension yet it shall be unpossible to prove that Job in all these complaints had no other but a meere legall esteeme of Gods dispensation and that 2. God stamped not temporary wrath and the paine of a hidden and over-clouded God the substraction of the sense of divine manifestations of love the Lord standing behind the wall in all these afflictions Now it s known that as these are often trialls of the faith of the Saints yet are they soure fruits of our fleshly indulgence to our carnall delights and of our not opening to our Beloved when hee knocketh Cant. 5.2 3 4 5 6. And though the godly doe stedfastly beleeve their salvation is in a Castle above losing yet in reason sin bringing broken bones Psal. 51.10 a sad cloud the damming up of a spring of Christs love spread abroad in the heart a temporary hell in the soule it must be sorrowed for hated mourned for confessed and yet in all these there is no necessity of such a Law-spirit of bondage to work these
glorious soule-ravishing comforts in seeing the seven golden Candlesticks and the Sonne of man in such glory and majesty Revel 1.12 13 14 15. Yet it appeares to be a dissertion that hee is under when Christ forbiddeth him to feare and when hee must have the hand of Christ laid on his head and when hee falleth down at Christs feet as dead V. 17.18 And when Isaiah saw the glorious vision Chap. 6. The Lord sitting on his throne high and lifted up it must be a throne higher then the heaven of heavens that he siteth on and his traine filling the Temple It 's a dissertion he falleth in vers 5. Then said I woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hoasts he was a pardoned man before It 's so with us while the body of sin dwelleth in us that we cannot being old bottles beare new wine and therefore the fulnesse of God breaketh crazie lumps of sinfull flesh and blood as a full tide is preparatorie to a low ebbing and full vessels in the body to a feaver Would Christ in his fulnes of the irradiations of glory breake in upon us he should breake the bodily organs and over-master the soules faculties that all the banks of the soule should be like broken wals hedges or clay channels which the inundation of a river has demolished and carried away from the bottom Flesh and blood is not in a capacitie of over-joy and can hold but little of heaven no more then earth cold beare such a glorious creature as the Sunne we must be both more capacious and wider and stronger vessels before we be made fit to containe glory wee are leaking and running-out vessels to containe grace Manifestations and rays of Divine love are too strong wine that grew up in the higher Canaan for our weake heads Asser. 3. Dissertion commeth under these considerations 1. As it 's a crosse and a punishment of sinne 2. As a triall from meere Divine Dispensation 3. As it 's a sinne on our part full of sinfull mis-representations of Christ. In the first consideration wee are to submit to any penall over-clowding of Christ 1. Because the eye cannot water to looke on any Crosse of Christ where Faiths aspect goeth before and saith Though I sit in darkenesse yet I shall see light 2. There is required a sort of patience under sinne as ' its either a punishment of an other sinne as David was submissive to the sinfull railing of Shimei and the wicked treasons and incestuous pollutions of his Concubines by his son Absolom Or as sinne dwelleth in us and in Divine Dispensation must be our Crosse as well as our sinne we are to bee grieved at our sinnes as they crosse Gods holy will but as they are our owne crosses and thwart our owne desires and now are committed by us or dwell in us we are not to bite at and utter heart-raylings against Divine providence who might have prevented and efficaciously hindred these sinnes and yet did not hinder them 3. This Dispensation should be adored as a part of Divine wisdome that broken soules are not wholly cured till they be in heaven Sinne is a dis-union from God Jesus doth not so compleatly soder the soule to God but the seame hath holes and gapings in it by reason of the in-dwellings of sinne Rom. 7.17.18.19.22.23 And since Libertines will confound Justification with Regeneration we say ther Justification they speak off is never perfected in this life And because sinne as sin which remaineth in our flesh must make God and the soule at a distance there cannot be such perfect peace as excudeth all soule-trouble the blew scarre of the wound remaineth so and the dreggs of that domestick falling-ill that we have of our first house of Adam are so sâated in us that as some diseases recurre and some paine of the head when an East-wind bloweth so the disease wee have in our head the first Adam sticketh to us all our life and when temptations blow wee find the relicts of our disease working and foaming out the smell of the lees and sent that remaineth Christ has need to perfume our ill odours with his merits for our begun Sanctification is so unperfect as that yet our water smelles of the rotten vessell the flesh and we cannot but have our ill houres and our sicke daies and so a disposition to sinful dissertions 4. Unbeliefe naturally stocked in the body of sin is humerous and ill minded to Christ there is a lyar in our house and a slanderer of Christ that upon light occasions can raise an ill fame of Christ That he is a hard man and gathers where he did not sow that Christ is nice and dainty of his love that he is too fine too excellent and majestick to condiscend to love me and take this as the mother-seed of all sinnefull desertions to blame Christs sweet inclination to love us as well as his love I knew thou wast a hard man it 's dangerous to have ill thoughts of Christs nature his constitution actu primo The next will bee to censure his waies his saveing and his gathering which I take to bee the currant objection of old Pelagians and late Arminius O he must gather where he did never sow if he command all to beleeve under the paine of damnation and yet he judicially in Adam removed all power of beleeving so hee putteth out the poore mans eyes and cutteth off his two leggs and commandeth him to see with no eyes and walke with no leggs under paine of damnation men beleeve not they hate Christ by nature and hatred hath an eye to see no colour in Christ but blacknesse as the instance of the Pharisees doth cleare who saw but devilry in the fairest works of Christ even in his casting out of Devils Asser. 4. Dissertions on the Lords part are so often meere trials as we may not thinke they are greatest sinners who are most disserted Dissertion smelleth more of Heaven and of Christ disserted for our sinnes then of any other thing it 's the disease that followes the Royall seed and the Kings blood it 's incident to the most heavenly spirits Moses David Heman Asaph Ezechiah Job Jeremiah the Church Psal. 102. Lament chap. 1. chap. 2.3.4 it is oare that adhereth to the choisest gold But how is it say some that you read of so little soule-dissertion in the Apostles and Beleevers under the New-Testament and so much of it under the Old-Testament Is it not because it belongeth to the Law and the Covenant of Works and to the Spirit of the Old Testament and nothing to the Gospel of Grace So Antinomians dreame I answer We read indeed of heavier and stronger externall pressures laid on men to chase them to Christ under the Law then under the Gospel Because the Gospel
speaketh of curses and judgement in the by and the Law more kindly and more frequently because of our disobedience and of the preparing of an infant Church under none-age for Christ. But though the Gospel speake lesse of Gods severitie in externall judgements as in killing so many thousands for looking into the Arke for Idolatrie yet the Apostle saith that these things were not meerely Pedagogicall and Jewish so as because the like are not written in the New-Testament it followeth not they belong not to us for saith he 1 Cor. 10.6 Now these things were our examples vers 11. Now all these things happened unto them for examples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Ergo the like for the like sins do and may befall men under the Gospel Moreover never greater plagues then were threatned by Christs owne mouth never wrath to the full came upon any in such a measure as upon the City of Jerusalem and the people of the Jewes for killing the Lord of glory And though no such dissertions be read of in the Apostles as of Job who yet was not a Jew and yet more disserted then David Heman or any Prophet Ezechiah the Church Lament Chap. 2. and 3. Yet we are not hence to beleeve that there were never such dissertions under the New-Testament For as externall judgements so internall soule-trials are common to both the Saints under the Old and New-Testament as is evident in Paul 2 Cor. 1.8 9. 2 Cor. 5.11 2 Cor. 7.4 5 6. 1 Pet. 1.6 7. and as both were frequent under the Old-Testament so were they written for our learning And if it were to the Jewes meerely Pedagogicall to have terrors without and feares within and to be pressed out of measure or to afflict their soules for sinne were a worke of the law then to be afflicted in conscience were a denying that Christ is come in the flesh And simply unlawfull whereas the Lords absence is a punishment of the Churches not opening to Christ Cant. 5.4 5 6. And Gods act of with-drawing his lovely presence is an act of meere free dispensation in God not our sinne For this would be well considered that the Lords active dissertion in either not co-operating with us when wee are tempted or 2. his not calling or the suspending of his active pulsation and knocking at the doore of our soule or 3. the not returning of a present comfortable answer or 4. the with-drawing of his shining manifestations his comforts and the sense of the presence of Jesus Christ cannot be formally our sinnes indeed our unbeleefe our sinning which resulteth from the Lords non-co-operating with us when wee are tempted our mis-judging of Christ as if it were a fault to him to stand behind the wall which are in our dissertions passive are sinnes Asser. 5. Saddest dissertions are more incident to the godly then to the wicked and naturall men as some moth is most ordinary in excellent timber and a worme rather in a faire rose then in a thorne or thistle And sure though unbeleefe fears doubtings be more proper to naturall men then to the Saints yet unregenerate men are not capable of sinfull jealousies of Christ's love nor of this unbeleefe which is incident to dissertion wee now speak of even as marriage jealousie falleth not on the heart of a Whore but of a lawfull Spouse 2. According to the measure and nature of love so is the jealousie and heart-suspitions for the want of the love whence the jealousie is occasioned The soule which never felt the love of Christ can never be troubled nor jealously displeased for the want of that love And because Christ had the love of God in another measure possibly of another nature then any mortall man his soule-trouble for the want of the sense and actuall influence of that love must be more and of an higher and it may be of another nature then can fall within the compasse of our thoughts never man in his imagination except the man Christ could weigh or take a lift of the burden of Christ's soule-trouble The lightest corner or bit of Christ's satisfactory Crosse should be too heavie for the shoulders of Angels and Men. You may then know how easie it is for many to stand on the shore and censure David in the sea and what an oven and how hot a fire must cause the moisture of his body turne to the drought of summer The Angels Joh. 20. have but a theory and the hear-say of a stander-by when they say Woman why weepest thou Shee had slept little that night and was up by the first glimmering of the dawning and sought her Saviour with teares and an heavie heart and found nothing but an empty grave O they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him And the daughters of Jerusalem stood but at the sick Spouses bed side and not so neare when shee complaines I am sick of love To one whose wanton reason denyed the fire to be hot another said Put your finger in the fire and try if it be hot Some have said All this soule-trouble is but melancholy and imagination Would you try whether the body of an healthy and vigorous man turned as dry as chaffe or a withered halfe-burnt stick through soule-paine be a cold fire or an imagination and what physicke one of the smallest beames of the irradiation of Christ's smiling countenance is to such a soule you would not speake so Asser. 6. Why some of the Saints are carried to Abraham's bosome and to heaven in Christ's bosome and for the most feast upon sweet manifestations all the way and others are oftner in the hell of soule-trouble then in any other condition is amongst the depths of holy Soveraignty 1. Some feed on honey and are carried in Christ's bosome to heaven others are so quailed and kept under water in the flouds of wrath that their first smile of joy is when the one foot is on the shore and when the morning of eternities Sunne dawnes in at the window of the soule Some sing and live on sense all the way others sigh and goe in at heavens gates weeping and Christ's first kisse of glory dryes the tears off their face 2. Christ walkes in a path of unsearchable liberty that some are in the suburbs of heaven and feele the smell of the dainties of the Kings higher house ere they be in heaven and others children of the same Father passengers in the same journey wade through hell darknesse of feares thrones of doubtings have few love-tokens till the marriage-day 3. There be not two sundry wayes to heaven but there are I doubt not in the latitude of Soveraignty hundreds of various dispensations of God in the same way Jerusalem is a great City and hath twelve and many ports and angles and sides to enter at but Christ is the one onely way hee keeps in all
clay in our water but because good works are not our Saviours it s no good ground to say they have no influence in the way of our salvation and they are not way-marks in our journey because they are no part of the ransome that bought heaven Wee have a grand opinion of our owne righteousnesse and when wee misse it wee think wee misse Christ himselfe which is a great mis-judging and argueth a beleeving in our selves not in Christ. And often soule-trouble ariseth from defects omissions and sinnes in our selves If simple griefe for sin as offensive to love arise that 's good soule-trouble but such soule-trouble as shaketh the bottome of faith and turneth the soule off Christ to seek righteousnesse in it self is damnable as it 's hard for an unregenerate man to see sinne in it's dreadfullest colours and not despaire so it 's hard for a regenerate person to see sinne as sinne and not to fall on unbeliefe and doubting of Christs love Antinomians thinke any anxiety for sinne which expelleth actuall rejoycing in Christ our turning off Christ and our casting of the conscience againe under the Spirit of bondage and worke of the Law Which is contrary to truth and the command of James to be afflicted and mourne and Christs saying Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted and Peter who saith there may be need that the Saints be in heavinesse for a season It 's a great point of wisdome 1. to know how farre forth our spirituall walking may be a seed of comfort we may easily erre on either hands 2. The Logick would bee humble Lord I am not hauty Ergo I am comforted in thee Paul saith well I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby justified we would not build a Towre on a Moale-hill 3. From our sinnefull walking we may draw grounds of godly sorrow yet not grounds of unbeliefe Faith and Godly sorrow are consistent together 4. It 's not safe to argue that wee are not in Christ from the wants adhering to our sincere performances While we slander our selves we may slander the Spirit of God 5. The measure of our obedience cannot bee a warrant to counter-argue Christ as want is no warrant to stand farre off from Christ no more then it 's good Logicke to flee from the fire because you are cold or to bee at odds with gold because you are needy and poore poverty may conclude a sayling with low sayles and humility but not unbeliefe your want of all things should not empty rich Jesus Christ. 7. Absence of Christ mis-apprehended through unbeliefe occasioneth soul-trouble In which there is something which evidenceth saving grace in the troubled soule as is afore said For the want of the thing loved cannot but here be a gracious torment to the lover The Spouse is sicke and dyeth when she wanterh him whom her soule loveth Cant. 2.5 chap. 5. vers 6 8. David so expresseth himselfe Psalm 84.2 My soule longeth yea even fainteth or dyeth or is at an end for the Courts of the Lord my flesh and my heart cryeth out for the living God The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to desire or to bee consumed or to make an end of any thing Davids desire of injoying God was such as it was his death to want God it may hold forth as Pagnine observeth that Davids soule either extremely desired the Lord or dyed upon the absence of God But to be anxiously troubled in an unbeleeving manner is the sinnefull soule-trouble Why doth the soule doubt of Christs Winter more then of his Summer Absence and presence his comming and his departing are both his owne workes God hath liberty in the one as in the other as it is Gods liberty to make faire weather and stormes to make a faire day and a cloudy day To make David a King and his brethren shepherds and common souldiers so hath he his own freedome in the breathings of his owne Spirit and the blowing of his own winde or of the drawing a curtaine over his owne face and hiding himselfe and neither in this nor in any of his waies of freedome can we challenge the Lord or plead against him And if we thinke we doe well to be angry even to the death at the motions and breathings of Christs free love then may we compel Christ to be kind and visit us as we think good What ever yee be Christ is Lord of his owne presence and visits and it 's good the Kings Chamber of presence be a Dainty and Christs wine bee not so common as water nor can wee here force kindnesse or acts of heavenly manifestations on him he hides himselfe Why he is as reasonable and wise in his going as in his comming 2. We should take on us to steward and husband the kisses and embracements of Christ better then he can doe himselfe and should quarrell because the Lord hath not thought fit to make Heires and Minors that are yet under Non-age Masters and Lords of their owne young heaven this were not a good world for us Christs love is better then wine Cant. 1. Neither our head nor our heart could endure to drinke at our own will of this new wine of the higher Kingdome Better for us it is that Christ beare the key of the Well of life then children have it and if the Government of the higher and lower familie bee upon the shoulders of Christ the leading of this or that single person to heaven is worthy Christs care 3. And consider that Christ goeth not behind the mountaine or hideth himselfe upon meere hazard but so weighty reasons that love may bee sharpened through absence that the house may be adorned with new Hangings and Christs bedde made greene that care may bee had when he resteth in his love not to stirre up nor awake the beloved untill he please that the high Tydes and rich Feasts of Christs love after sad and heavy desertions may heighten the worth and esteeme of Christ that faith and love may with more of the violence of ven lay hold on Christ after long seeking and not part with him on so easie termes Cant. 3.1 2 3 4. that we may know what weakenesse is in our owne clay legs under desertion and how we are to walke on Christs legges which are pillars of marble set on sockets of gold that absence and presence the frownings and smilings of Christ may bee to the Saints the little images of hell and heaven and broken men may read their debâs in Christs count-booke of free grace with teares in their eyes and songs of praise in their mouth That wee may bee in high love and sicke for absent Christ and may be at the pains through thicke and thin to seeke him And lâarne to live lesse by sense and more by faith and resolve to die beleeving and be charitable of Christ absent and kisse his veile when we can see no more and be upon our watch-towre
mans doubting from signes inherent in the man and if hee be a back-slider in heart you fetch fire and water from beyond the Moone to cure him or you must fetch warrants to convince him from the mind eternall counsells of love and free grace within God and that is all the question between the poore man and you You cannot prove God hath loved him from everlasting because hee hath loved him from everlasting If Libertines in this Argument intend to prove that a chosen convert in Christ hath no ground to question that hee is not beloved of God and not in Christ 1. That is nothing to the Thesis of Antinomians maintained by all that sinners as sinners are to beleeve Gods eternall love in Christ to them and so all sinners elect or reprobate are to beleeve the same 2. It s nothing to the universall commandement that all and every one in the visible Church wearied and loaden with sin or not wearied and loaden are immediatly to come to Christ and rest on him as made of God to them their righteousnesse sanctification and redemption without any inherent qualification in them 3. It s nothing to the point of freeing all and building a golden bridge to deliver all who are oblieged to beleeve elect or reprobate from doubting whether they be in Christ or not that they may easily come to Christ and beleeve his eternall love and redemption in him though they be in the gall of bitternesse and bonds of iniquity and that immediatly Which golden Paradise to heaven and Christ Antinomians liberally promise to all sinners as sinners I cannot beleeve that it s so easie a step to Christ. For the second It 's a dreame that God loveth sinners with the same love every way wherewith hee loveth his owne Sonne Christ. And why Because God loveth us onely for his owne Sonne and for nothing in us Ergo Farre more it must follow it s a farre other an higher fountaine love wherewith the Father loveth his owne eternall and consubstantiall Sonne the Mediator betweene God and man and that derived love wherewith he loveth us sinners As the one is 1. Naturall the latter free 2. The love of the Father to the Sonne as his consubstantiall Son and so farre as it 's essentially included in his love to Jesus Christ Mediator is not a love founded on grace and free-mercy which might never have beene in God because essentially the Father must love his Sonne Christ as his Sonne and being Mediator he cannot for that renounce his naturall love to him which is the fundamentall cause why hee loveth us for Christ his Sonne as Mediator but the love wherewith the Father loveth us for his Sonne Christ is founded on free Grace and mercy and might possibly never have been in God For 1. as he could not but beget his Sonne he could not but love him nature not election can have place in either but it was his Free will to create a man or not create him 2. He cannot but love his Sonne Christ but God might either have loved neither man nor Angel so as to chuse them to Salvation and he might have chosen other Men and Angels then these whom he hath chosen God hath no such freedome in loving his owne Consubstantiall Sonne 2. It s an untruth that God loveth his chosen ones as he doth love his Sonne that is with the same degree of love wherewith he loves his Sonne I thinke that not farre from either grosse ignorance or blasphemie It possibly may bee the same love by proportion with which the Father tendereth the Mediatour or Redeemer and all his saved and ransomed ones but in regard of willing good to the creature loved he neither loveth his redeemed with the same love wherewith hee loveth his Sonne except blasphemously we say God hath as highly exalted all the redeemed and given to them a name above every name as he hath done to his owne Sonne nor doth he so love all his chosen ones as hee conferreth equall grace and glory upon all alike as if one starre differed not from anoâher starre in glory in the highest heavens Our owne good works cannot make our Lord love us lesse or more with the love of eternall election but they may make God love us more with the love of complâcency and a sweeter manifestation of God in the fruits and gracious effects of his love According to that John 14.23 Jesus said if a man love me he will keepe my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him The third reason is the same with the first and proveth nothing but a Major Poposition not denied by the disquieted sinner which is this Who ever is justified and chosen cannot be condemned whom ever the Lord once loveth to salvation he must alwaies love to salvation for his love is like himselfe and changeth not But the disquieted sinner is chosen and loved to salvation This Assumption is all the question and the truth of a Major Proposition can never prove the truth of the Assumption Saltmarsh Free Grace Chap. 4. Pag. 83.84 85. Because you feele not your selfe sanctified you feare you are not justified If you suppose that God takes in any part of your faith repentance new obedience or sanctification as a ground upon which he justifieth or forgiveth 1. you are cleare against the Word for if it be of Workes it is no more of Grace 2. It must then be the onely evidence you seeke for and you aske for sanctification to helpe your assurance of justification but take it in the Scriptures way 1. In the Scriptures Christ is revealed to be our sanctification Christ is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Yee are Christs but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus He hath quickned us together with Christ. Wee are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good workes Jesus Christ himself being the chiefe corner stone That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that new man which after God was created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Wee are members of his body of his flesh and his bones And being found in him not having mine own righteousnesse I can dâe all things through Christ which strengthneth me But Christ is all in all Your life is hid with Christ in God Heb. 13.20 21. All these set forth Christ as our sanctification the fulnesse of his the all in all Christ hath beleeved perfectly for us he hath sorrowed for sinne perfectly he hath obeyed perfectly he hath mortified sinne perfectly and all is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods 2. The second thing is Faith about our owne sanctification we must beleeve more truth of our owne graces then we can see or feele the Lord in his Dispensation hath so ordered that here our life should be hid with Christ in God that we should
and mis father it is no darkening of Christ and free Grace 1 Cor. 15.9 10. Asser. 9. There is a great difficultie yea an impossibility when the Lord hides himselfe and goeth behind the Mountaine to command the flowing and emanations of Free grace 1. Because desertion were not desertion if it were under the dominion of our Free-will For desertion as a punishment of sinne cannot be in the free-will of him that is punished every punishment as such is contrary to the will of the punished and desertion as an act of free dispensation for triall must be a worke of omnipotent dominion 2. As in workes of nature and art so is it heere that God may be seene in both doth not men sweat till sow much and the sun and summer and clouds warme dewes and raines smile upon cornes and meddowes yet God steppeth in betweene the mouth of the Husbandman and the sickle and blasteth all and the Lord takes away the physme stay and staffe of corne and grasse and there is bread enough and yet famine and starving for hunger Doe not some rise early and goe late to bed eat the bread of sorrow yet the armed souldier of God extreme poverty breaketh in upon the house Doe not watch-men wake all the night yet the City is surprised and taken in the dawning because the Lord keepeth not thâ City The Lord doth all this to shew that hee is the supreme and absolute Lord of all second causes Why but hee hath as eminent and independent a Lordship in the acts of his free departure and returns in the sense of his love Hath not the King of Saints a withdrawing roome and an hiding place Is not his presence and manifestations his owne The deserted soule prayeth cryeth weepeth the Pastor speaketh with the tongue of the learned the Christian friend argueth exhorteth experience and the dayes of old come to mind the promises convince and speake home to the soule the poore man remembreth God and hee is troubled the Church and many Churches pray Christians weep and pray yet Christ is still absent the man cannot have from all these one halfe smile from Christ's face the vision will not speak one word of joy All these can no more command a raging sea and stormy winds to be still and create calmnesse in the soule then a child is able to wheele about the third heavens in a course contrary to its naturall motion Omnipotency is in this departure God himselfe is in the dispensation and absolute freedom of an independent dominion acteth in the Lord 's covering of himselfe with a cloud and putteth an iron crosse-barre on the doore of his pavilion and can you stirre Omnipotency and remove it Think you praying can charme and break independent dominion working to shew it selfe as a dominion 3. The sense of Christ which is wanting in desertion cannot be enforced by perswasion no more then you can by words perswade the deafe to heare Oratory cannot make the taste feele the sweetnesse of honey There is a light that cometh from heaven above the sunne and moone yea above the Gospel and is not extracted or educed out of the potency of either the soule nay nor of the Gospel I conceive that bringeth forth in act the white stone and the new name and as nature and instincts naturall performe their naturall duties without any oratory so as perswasion cannot make the fire to burne nor the sunne to shine nor the bird to build its nest nor the lambe to know its mother nature doth all these So neither doth the perswasion of Paul preaching the Gospel Act. 26.28 Act. 16.14 the same thing and every way the same worke that the Lord doth in perswading Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 I could easily admit that wee are patients in receiving the predetermination active of the Holy Ghost in either beleeving or in actuall enlightening and the actuall witnesse-light by which Christ shineth in the heart for producing actuall assurance though in the same moment and order of time not of nature wee be also agents Asser. 10. Though meanes must not be neglected as praying and waiting on the watch-tower for the breathings of renewed assurance yet as touching the time manner way and measure of the God's absolute dominion is more to be respected here then all the stirrings and motions of the under wheels of prayer preaching conference Asser. 11. The soule should be argued with and convinced thus Why will you not give Christ your good leave to tutor and guide you to heaven He hath carried a world of Saints over the same seas you are now in and Christ payed the fare of the ship himselfe not one of them are found dead on the shore they were all as black and sun-burnt as you are but they are now a faire and beautifull company without spot before the throne and clothed in white they are now on the sunny side of the river in the good Land where glory groweth farre above sighing and jealousie You are guilty of the breach of the Priviledge of Christ 1. Hee is a free Prince and his Prerogative Royall is uncapable of failing against the Fundamentall Lawes of Righteousnesse in the measuring out either worke or wages grace or glory Mat. 20.13 Friend I doe thee no wrong mine owne is mine owne Object O but hee is sparing in his grace his love-visits are thin sowen as straw-berries in the rock Answ. I answer for him 1. The quantity of grace is a branch of his freedome 2. Why doe you not complaine of your sparing improving of two talents rather then of his niggard giving of one only Hee cannot sin against his liberty in his measuring out of grace you cannot but sin in receiving Never man except the man Christ durst since the creation the holiest I will not except face an account with God for Evangelick receipts Christ to this day is behind with Moses David Isaiah Jeremiah Job Peter John Paul and all the Saints in the using of grace they were below grace and Christ was necessitate to write in the close of their counts with a pen of grace and ink of his bloud Friend you owe me this but I forgive you They flew all up to heaven with millions of arrearâs more then ever they wrought for As some godly rich man may say This poore man was addebted to me thousands now hee is dead in my debt I forgive him his grave is his acquittance I have done with it Christ upbraids not you with old debts that would sink you why cast yee up in his teeth his free gifts 3. Think it mercy hee made you not a gray-stone but a beleeving Saint And there is no imaginable compariâon between his free gifts and your bad deserving 2. The way of his going and coming should not be quarrelled The Lord walketh here in a liberty of dispensation a summer-sunne is heritage to no Land It was not a bloud of a
within the trunk or body of the true to feel see and taste the sap of life from whence the fruit cometh Yea the contrary consequence is true because I smell sincerity love single intentions to please God in my works of sanctification therefore I know they came from Faith so the Holy Ghost should delude us when hee saith Wee know wee know or beleeve in Christ because we keepe his commandements Ergo We cannot know this except it bee evident that our keeping of his Commandement come from faith and the knowledge of God Object 6. Such a Faith as a Practicall Syllogisme can make is not a faith wrought by the Lords almighty power for the conclusion followeth but from the strength of reasonings not from the power of God by which alone divine things are wrought Ephes. 1.19 20. Col. 2.20 But faith wrought by a word and a worke and the light of a renewed conscience without the testimony of the Spirit is such a faith as a practicall Syllogisme can make Ergo such a faith so wrought is not wrought by the Lords almighty power The Minor is proved because all the three the Word the Worke and the light of Conscience are all created blessings and gifts and therefore cannot produce of themselves a word of almighty power and the word of it selfe is a dead letter the worke is lesse for faith commeth by hearing a word not by a worke Answ. When Master Cornwell saith By the power of God alone Divine things such as faith that layeth hold on Christs righteousnesse are wrought Ephes. 1.19 Col. 2.20 hee excludeth the ministery of the Gospel and all the promises thereof for they are created things and so they have no hand nor influence in begetting faith Antinomians will have us beleeve that Paul Ephes. 1.19.20 Col. 1.20 thinkes no ministery of the Word nor any hearing of the preached Word begetteth faith contrary to Rom. 1.16 Rom. 10.17 but by the onely immediate power of the Spirit we are converted without the Word Nor is here that which is in question concluded never Protestant Divine taught that without the actuall influence of omnipotent Grace can faith or spirituall sense that we are justified be produced by the Word worke or created light alone nor can the corne grow alone by power in the earth clouds or raine nor any Creature move without the actuall influence of the omnipotent Lord in whom we move therefore by this reason we could not know that the Sunne shall rise by the rising of the morning starre nor can we have any supernaturall sense by our holy walking contrary to Scripture 1 John 2.3 1 John 3.14 But we know by this all faith is ascribed by Antinomians to the immediate testimonie and Enthusiasticall inspiration of the Spirit as for the searching of Scripture say they it s not a sure way of searching and finding Christ it s but a dead letter and holds forth a covenant of works in this letter and therefore with the old Anabaptist they 'll have no teaching by Scripture but onely teaching by the Spirit We hold that conditionall promises are made to duties of Sanctification therefore we may have comfort and assurance from them in our drooping condition Cornewell answereth Pap. 23.24 25. The promises are not made to us as qualified with such duties of sanctification for then they should belong to us of debt not out of Grace Rom. 4.4 But in respect of our Vnion with Christ in whom they are tendered to us and fulfilled to us Satisfaction is made to the thirstie not for any right his thirst might give him in the promise but becausâ it directeth to Christ who fulfilleth the condition and satisfieth the soule and the soule must first have come to Christ and gotten his first assurance from faith in Christ not from these conditions and duties Answ. 1. This is a yeelding of the cause We say there bee promises of the water made to thirsty soules not as if the right jus law merit debt that we have to them belonged to us for the deede done but for Jesus Christ onely 2. Not as if wee upon our strength and the sweating of free-will did conquer both the condition and reward 3. But yet wee have comfort and assurance when we by grace performe the duty that our faithfull Lord who cannot lye will fulfill his owne promise 4. He knoweth nothing of the Gospel who thinketh not God by his promise commeth under a sweet debt of free-grace to fulfill his owne promise and that this debt and grace are consistent But Antinomians breath smell of flâshly liberty for they tell us Conditionall promises are Legall contrary to the Gospel Rom. 10.9 John 3.16 Joh. 5.25 That that it s not safe to close with Christ in a conditionall promise if any thing be concluded from water and bloud it s rather damnation then salvation That its a sandy foundation to prove that Christ is mine from a gracious worke done in me by Jesus Christ were it even Faith For we are compleatly united to Christ without faith wrought by the Spirit It s incompatible with the Covenant of Grace to joyne faith with it To be justified by faith is to bee justified by workes That to say there must be faith on mans part to receive the Covenant is to undermine Christ. Neither Cornwell nor Saltmarsh oppose these blasphemies but extoll the Patrones of them in New-England Father save me from this houre Father is a word of Faith But had Christ need of Faith Answ. Not of faith of confiding in him that justifieth the sinner except he had faith of the justifying of his cause in Gods acquitting him of suretieship when he had payed all but hee had faith of dependencie on God in his trouble that God would deliver him and he was heard in that which he feared And Q. 2. how could there be a faith of dependencie in Christ for hee was the same independent God with the Father Answ. There were two relations in Christ one as Viator going toward glory and leading many children with him to glory another as comprehensor seeing and enjoying God 2. There were two sights in Christ one of Vision another of Vnion the sight of Vnion of two natures is the cause of the sight of vision Christ being on his journey travelling toward glory did with a faith of dependency rest on God as his Father seeing and knowing that the Union could not be dissolved but as a Comprehensor and one at the end of the race injoying God in habit there was no necessitie that Christ should alwaies Et in omni differentiâ temporis actually see and enjoy God in an immediate vision of glory For 1. this implyeth no contradiction to the personall union even as the seeing of God habitually which is the most joyfull sight intelligible and by necessitie of nature does produce joy and gladnesse may and did consist in
Christ with groanings and sadnesse of Spirit even before his last sufferings so the interruption for a time of the actuall vision of God might stand with Christs personall happinesse as God-man 2. If we suppose there were just reasons why God should command that Angels and glorified Spirits should not actually see God for a time there were no repugnancy in this to their true blessednesse so it fell not out through their sinnes no more then the Sunne should lose any of its nature if wee suppose God should command it to stand still and to be covered with darkenesse many dayes as in Joshuahs time it stood still in the firmament some houres and for a time was covered with darkeness at the suffering of Christ. What an enterposed cloud of covering it was or what a skreene did interrupt the flux of the beames and rayes of the Godhead from actuall irradiation on the soule and faculties and powers of the soule of the man Christ is more then I can determine Certaine it is God was with the Manhood and so neere as to make one person but there was no actuall shining on the powers of the soule no heate and warmnesse of joy but as if his owne infinite Sea of comfort were dryed up he needed a drop of the borrowed comfort of an Angel from heaven Now whether this Angel Luk. 22.43 did wipe the sweat of bloud off his holy body and really serve him that way or if the Angel was sent with good words from the Father to comfort him and say to this sense O glorious Lord courage peace and joy and salvation shall come thy Father has not forsaken thee utterly it cannot be knowne but Luke saith an Angel appeared from heaven ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã strengthning him But it was admirable that the Lord of all consolation should stand in need of consolation and a good word from his owne creature or that the great Lord the Law-giver should need the comfort of Prayer or any Ordinance O what a providence what a world is this that God-man sweet Jesus is put to his knees and his prayers with it Come see the Lord of life at a weake passe he is at God helpe me at Teares and sighing God save me This is more then if the whole light of the Sunne were extinguished and it behoved to borrow light from a candle on earth and the whole Sea and Rivers dryed up and they behoved to begge some drops of dew from the clouds to supply their want 2. Christ himselfe refused comfort to himselfe There was a sea of joy in Christ within him but not one drop can issue out on the powers of his soule joy is sad fairenesse black faith feareth and trembleth the infinite All lieth under the drop of the comfort of a creature-nothing Riches beggeth at poverty 's doore the light is dark greennesse withereth and casteth the bloome life maketh prayers against the death of deaths the glory and flower of heaven standeth sad and heavie at the jawes and mouth of hell 3. Mat. 26. Hee prayed to this sense falne on his face to the earth once O my Father remove this cup but hee is not answered Hee knocketh the second time O my Father if it be possible remove this cup. O but here 's a hard world the substantiall Sonne of God knocking and lying on his face on the earth and his Father's doore of glory fast bolted the Sonne cannot get in The like of this providence you never read nor heare of The naturall Son of God cryeth with teares and strong cryes with a sad heavie and low Spirit to his Father hee cannot get one word from heaven nor halfe a glympse of the wonted glory that was naturall and due to him as God O rare and sad dispensation He must cry the third time O my Father remove this cup. We storme âf the Lord doe not open his doore at the first knock O what hard thoughts have some of God if a floud of love issue not from his face at the first word but the Lords Saints are not to look for a providence of the honey drops of the fattest consolations of heaven in every ordinance of prayer and praises O what a sad administration Psal. 22.2 O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not and in the night season and am not silent The Church speaketh sadly to God What can be worse then this Lam. 3.7 Hee hath hedged me about that I cannot get out hee hath made my chaine heavie Yet to open a sad heart in the bosome of a friend farre more to God is much ease but here is worse Vers. 8. Also when I cry and shout hee shutteth out my prayer Psal. 69.3 I am weary of crying my throat is dryed mine eyes faile while I wait for my God It is grace to put a construction of love and faith on the Lord 's not answering our desires These experiences may silence us 1. It may be good that the Lord answer and not good that hee answer now The Saints are often ripe for praying when they are unripe for the mercy of a reall answer and help from God Two things necessitate prayer 1. Our duty to worship 2. Our necessity and straits But on our part wee are not ripe for an answer for any of these being yet not humbled and praying with slow desires little fervour of faith 2. It s possible it be our duty to pray as supposing a reall necessity of what wee need and yet it is not our good that God heare us now No doubt Abraham and Sarah both prayed for a son many years before the one was an hundred the other ninety and nine years old but it was not good that God should heare them till it be a miracle and a new way and more then ordinary providence they were answered 3. God refuseth never to heare us for favours that are non-fundamentalls toward everlasting life but when it s better be not heard then heard Moses might possibly not know a reason but it was better for him that he saw afarre-off the good land more for faith and mortification and heavenly mindednesse which hee saw not then that hee should enter with the people into that land which hee prayed for 4. Not any of the Saints considering that all things worke together for good to them that love God but as they praise God that hee hath heard their prayers so they praise God in some things that their prayers lie at a fast bolted doore and take it well in other things that hee was displeased with them and so that they have cause to be humbled that God did grant their desire Let it be that David prayed for a sonne and God gave him Absalom it s a question if David had not cause to wish hee had never been born 5. God hath equally regulated and limited our desires to be heard and our willingnesse faith submission and patience and our praises according as
we are heard or not heard yet wee are lesse in praises when wee are heard and our desires fulfilled and in submission when wee are not heard then wee are forward to praise because necessity and straits can more easily obtaine of us to pray and set on moving the wheels of our affections then grace can keep our spirituall affections in heat of motion or limit and border our naturall affections in praising when they take them to their wings David Psal. 22. Psal. 69. O my God I cry night and day till my throat be dry in asking but where doth hee say O my God I praise night and day till my throat be pained in praising and my heart and eyes are wasted and spent in submissive waiting for thee and praising for not hearing mee in some things 6. God is equally gracious to his own in not hearing and granting as in fulfilling their desires 7. No man should take it hard not to be answered at the first when the prime heire Christ was kept knocking at his Fathers doore 8. Heard or not heard the prayers of faith have a gracious issue though the drosse of them be cast away 9 As praises have no issue but to give to God not to our selves so prayers in faith are to be offered to God as God though nothing returne in our bosome that God may be extolled Christ knew deliverance from this hour cannot be granted yet hee prayes 10 Faith is required no lesse to beleeve the good that the Lord mindeth us in not hearing us then the good hee intendeth in hearing and fulfilling our desires No condition of providence can fall wrong to faith which can flie with any wings and saile with every wind so long as Christ liveth Father save me from this houre Christ bottometh his prayer on the sweetest relation of a Father and a Son Father save me So Joh. 17. Father glorifie thy Son Vers. 5. And now Father glorifie me Six times in that prayer hââ useth this stile Mat. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth Mat. 26. O my Father remove this cup. His Father was great in his esteem none like his Father It s a strong argument to Christ to perswade an hearing and a deliverance and hee was heard in that which hee feared Hee had no end in his coming into the world but to doe the will of his Father Joh. 5.30 2. Love is a sweet ingredient in prayer the beloved Disciple John who onely of all the Evângelists setteth down Christ's love-prayer chap. 17 useth it more frequently then any of the other three Evângelists 3. Propriety interest and covenant-relation is a sweet bottome and a strong ground for prayer So in praying hath Christ taught us to say Our Father which art in heaven And Psal. 5.2 Hearken unto my voyce my King and my God 2 King 19.19 Now therefore O Lord our God I beseech thee save us out of his hand Ezra bottometh his prayer on this Chap. 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush And Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.12 O our God wilt thou noâ judge them In prayer consider what claime and interest you have to God if you be a sonne and hee a Father Bastards cannot pray strangers without the Covenant and Heathen having no right to God as their God and Father may petition God as a subdued people doe their Conqueror or as ravens cry to God for food and as some howle upon their beds for corne and wine Hos. 7.14 but they cannot pray for praying aright to God there is required not onely gracious ingredients in the action but also a new state of adoption and filiation many speake words to God who doe not pray many tell over their sinnes who confesse not their sinnes to God many speake good of God who doe not praise God many sigh and grone in praying and have no deep sense of God or their owne sinfull condition Trees growing together make not alwayes a wood Ah our prayers God knowes are often out of their right wits Many cry Father to God but lie for they are not sonnes and their words are equivocation Thousands claime Father-ship in God where there is no Son-ship nor fundamentum in re no ground in the thing it selfe A new nature is that onely best bottome of praying that taketh it off from being a taking of the Name of God in vaine All creatures speak of God and in their kind to God but onely a sonne can speak to God in prayer as to his Father calling upon God with a pouring out of the soule to him in Christ is essentiall to sonnes Father save me from this houre Christ had no meanes of refuge safer and surer in his trouble when hee knew not what to doe then prayer Christ had never a greater businesse in hand then now hee was to transact with God and divine Justice the Law of God in the weighty bargaine of paying a ransome of dearest and preciousest bloud to open the new way to heaven hee had to doe with devills principalities and powers and hell to subdue devills and death and hell and to redeeme his Catholike Church from the second death and hee was to offer himselfe a Sacrifice to God through the eternall Spirit for the sinnes of the whole elect and hee must use prayer in all this great work The greatest works have been thus effectuated For the dividing of the red sea Moses cryed to the Lord and it was done Hezechiah obtaineth 15. yeares lease of his house of clay from Jehovah his Land-lord and how 2 King 20.2 Hee turned his face to the wall and prayed Jonah broke the prison of hell by prayer Jeremiah had many against him Chap. 20.12 Vnto thee saith hee to the Lord I have opened my cause Daniel in his captivity Ezra when the people were under wrath Ester and her maides when the Churches destruction is warped and in weaving by prayer loose the captive bands and break death's jawes So low a man as Job Chap. 7.20 was What shall I say to thee O preserver of man David looketh back to his prayers Psal. 34.6 and when hee is over-whelmed Psal. 61.2 From the ends of the earth will I cry to thee when my heart is overwhelmed To Elias this is the key that openeth heaven The last great work the perfecting of Mysticall Christ the judgeing of the world the putting crownes on the heads of so many thousand Kings must have prayer to bring it to passe Even so come Lord Jesus The putting and keeping on the crowne on Christs head is by prayer his Sword Crowne and Scepter stand and prosper by this prayer Thy Kingdome come 2. Though Christ knâw of his owne deliverance and was sure of it yet hee will not have it but by prayer Christ had Son right to heaven yet he will take a new gift of heaven by prayer-right Christ maketh prayer his new Charter Joh. 17.5 Father glorifie me with the glory which I
of God that the punishment of sinne be infinite in duration or if it depend on the nature of sinne and of divine justice so as essentially God be necessitated not from any free decree that is not properly necessitie but essentially from that spotlesse and holy justice which is essentially in him to punish those who equally sinned on earth with equall torments in hell and all with eternall punishment Yet notwithstanding all this Christ by his death not onely exhausted the infinite punishment due to us as infinite mountaines of Sands can drinke up all the finite Seas Rivers Brookes and fountaines of the earth but he purchased to us an infinite and eternall weight of glory by the worth of his merit Now by this there must be more in Christs death then we can easily conceive as it is more to bring Israel out of Egypt onely and devide the red Sea and to present them living men on the shore then to doe that and also to give them in peaceable possession that good land which floweth with milke and honey And it s much to deliver a slave from perpetuall poverty misery and bondage and not onely that but positively to make him a rich honourable and glorious King all which Christ by his bloud purchased to us I leave it then to be disputed whether Christs sufferings had not onely a morall meritorious and legall worthynesse from the free act of Gods acceptation or also an intrinsecall worth and weight reall and intrinsecally congruous and proportionable to the paine and shame he delivered us from and the glory that positively he conquesed for us It is more to pay a poore mans debts then to make him rich Quest. 1. If Christs sufferings were limited in regard of time and houres why then could he suffer infinite punishment It involleth a contradiction to limit that which is infinite and if an Angel was sent to comfort him it is like God did extend mercy and not unmixed and satisfactory justice to him Answ. Moderation in suffering as an Angel to comfort him that not a bone of him should be broken that he should not lye three full dayes in the grave that his body should not see corruption all these may well stand with sufferings that are infinite morally and from the worth of his noble and glorious person who is God blessed for ever And it proveth that all the exactest justice that the Lord followed in the persuing Christ to the second death for our sinnes was not in inflicting punishment on Christ intensively and intrinsecally infinite and which should be infinitely satisfactory if wee lay aside all supposition of the punishment of the person suffering who was infinite and of the free and voluntary acceptation of God Quest. 2. But then was not all the infinitenesse of justice in punishing Christ not in inflicting paine infinitely and intensively extreame on him but in that the person was infinite but the paine finite both in time and otherwise Answ. Wee hold that the suffering for the time was so extreme that hee and hee onely could ândure the infinitâ wrath of God but whether all the infinitenesse of paine flow from this that the person was infinite or that the paine was intrinsecally infinite we desire not too curiously to determine Sure the infinitenesse of his person conferred infinitenesse of worth to his merit so as hee purchased a Church by the bloud of God Act. 20.28 The Lord Jesus gave himselfe for his Church Ephes 5.25 26. and a ransome for many Mat. 20.28 1 Tim. 2.6 But I see no reason why Christs suffering should be thought finite because hee suffered in some few dayes then the Lords acts of creating the world of raising the dead working of miracles should be finite acts because absolved in a short time Hence wee cannot say what an obligation is on us to Jesus Christ âove for love is too little because our drop of dew can ãâã no proportion to his infinite and vast sea of tender love to us As Christ gave himselfe an infinite ransome by Law for us so hee brought us under an infinite debt of love and service to him Christ payed all our debts of Law to infinite Justice but wee shall never pay all our debt of love to him O how many thousand talents are wee owing to Christ And because glory is a love-engagement to Christ the longer we enjoy the glory of heaven through millions of Ages the debt to the Lamb to him that sitteth on the throne will be the greater and shall grow infinitely Praises for eternity shall take nothing down of the debt Know you are the sworne and over-engaged and drowned debters of Jesus Vse 2. The sufferings of Mysticall Christ are but for an houre for a night and joy in the morning Psal. 30.5 A little season Revel 6.11 Three dayes Hos. 6.1 A short time and the vision will speake and will not tary Hab. 2.3 Heb. 10.37 It s but tribulation ten dayes Revel 2.10 And which is shorter then all a moment 2 Cor. 4.17 and the shortest of all Isai. 54.7 a little moment All the generations of the first-born that were in great tribulations and in the wombe and belly of the red sea are now come off safe and landed on the shore and are now up before the throne in white triumphing with the Lamb the houre is ended some of them two thousand yeares agoe are eased of burning quick of the sword of the tââth of lyons Jobs face now is not foule with weeping Davids soule droopeth away and melteth no more with heavinesse as Psal. 119. The traces of tears on Christs faire face are fifteen hundred yeares agoe washed off and dryed with his Fathers hand Paul is now beyond fears without terrors within and the sentence of death All the Martyrs now are above the fire the faggoâs the rack the gibbet the axe What thoughts hath John Baptist now of beheading or Steven of stoning to death the gashes and wounds of the stripes of the Apostles scourged for the name of Jesus are over now There is not one sigh nor one tâare nor one cry nor one death now in heaven all the former things are gone Afflictions are but a short transe for an houre our short-living sufferings will be over quickly We are near the shore Our inch of winter shall weare out there is but a little bit of soure death before us the Ceremonies of death's approaching of the noyse of its feet of its awsome and dreadfull gloome the train of little images of death the aking of bones the stiches of heart the paine of the side and such soft passing accidents and the name are more then death it selfe and all these shall passe over quickly Wee have not Centuries nor Millions of yeares to suffer hee who limited a time to the Head Christ's suffering hath set so many sand-glasses and determined so many houres for all our sufferings Yea 2. the gall in our cup must be weighed
hoasts came against Christ Heaven Hell Earth any Adversary but God the enimity of men cannot make me or any man formally miserable There be great edges and Emphasis in these words My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Not a point not a letter of them can be wanting they are so full and Emphatick 1. My God my God the forsaking of Angels is nothing that Men all men friends all my inward friends forsake me is not much they doe more then forsake they abhorre Job their friend Job 19.19 that father and mother and all my mothers sonnes forsake me is hard yet tollerable Psal. 27.10 Psal. 31.11 Psal. 88.18 Yea that mine own heart and flesh forsake me is an ordinary may bee amongst men Psal. 73.26 But Gods forsaking of a man is sad 2. If he bee a God in covenant with me both God and then my God that is a warme word with childe of love if he forsake me it is hard When our owne leave us we forgive all the world to leave us 3. In forsaking there is a great Emphasis any thing but unkindnesse and change of heart and Love is well taken this speaketh against Faith though Christ could not apprehend this the Lord cannot change Christs could not beleeve such a blasphemy yet the extremity of so sad a condition offered so much to the humane and sinnelesse and innocent sense of Christ a change of dispensation 4. Me Why hast thou forsaken me the sonne of thy love thy onely begotten Sonne the Lord of glory who never offended thee but the relation of Christ to God was admirable hee was as the sinner made sinne for us in this contest the enimity of a Lyon and a Leopard is nothing Hos. 13.7.8 the renting of the caule of the webbe that goeth about the heart is but a shaddow of paine to the Lords running on a man as a Giant in furie and indignation 2. Hell and all the powers of darkenesse came against Christ in this houre Col. 2.14 15. 3. All the earth and his dearest friends stood aloofe from his calamity there was no shoare on earth to receive this ship-broken man In regard of that which was taken from Christ it was a sad houre which I desire to be considered thus 1. The most spirituall life that ever was the life of him who saw and enjoyed God in a personall union was vailed and covered 1. Possession in many degrees was lessened but in jure in right and in the foundation not removed 2. The sense and actuall fruition of God in vision was over-clouded but life in the fountaine stood safe in the blessed union 3. The most direfull effects in breaking bruising and grinding the Sonne of God betweene the millstones of Divine wrath were heere Yet the infinite love and heart of God remained the same to Christ without any shaddow of variation or change Gods hand was against Christ his heart was for him 4. Hence his saddest sufferings were by divine dispensation and oeconomy God could not hate the Son of his love in a free dispensation he persued in wrath the surety and loved the Sonne of God 5. It cannot bee determined what that wall of separation that covering and vaile was that went between the two united natures the union personall still remaining intire how the God-head suspended its divine and soule-rejoycing influence and the man Christ suffered to the bottome of the highest and deepest paine to the full satisfaction of divine justice As it is easie to conceive how the body in death falleth to dust and ill smelling clay and yet the soule dieth not but how the soule suffereth not and is not sadned is another thing How a Bird is not killed and doth flee out and escape and sing when a window is broken with a great noise in the cage is conceivable but how the bird should not suffer or be affected with no affrightment is harder to our apprehension and how ship-broken men may swime to the shoare and live when the shippe is dashed in an hundreth pieces is nothing hard but that they should be nothing affrighted not touch the water and yet come living to shoare is not so obvious to our consideration Yea that the soule should remaine united with the body in death and the Ship sinke the passengers remaining in the ship and not bee drowned is a strange thing The Lord suffered and dyed the Ship was broken and did sinke the soule and body seperated and yet the God-head remained in a personall uinion one with the Man-hood as our soule and body remaine together while we live and subsist entire persons Vse 1. Christ hath suffered much in these sad houres for us hee hath drunken Hell drie to the bottome and hath left no Hell behind for us Heb. 12.2 Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith he hath not onely suffered so much of the Crosse but he hath suffered all the crosse he hath endured the crosse despised shame In the originall the words are without any Article ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã It is as much as he hath left no crosse no shame at all to be suffered by us and Phil. 2.8 He was obedient to the Father he saith not to the death but to death even death of the Crosse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã It holdeth forth to us that Christ suffered so much for us as hee hath taken up to heaven with him the great Crosse and hath carried up with him as it were the great death and hath left us nothing or very little to suffer and indeed Christ never denyed but affirmed he himselfe behoved to dye but for the beleever he expressely denieth hee shall dye and that with two negations Joh. 11.26 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He shall never in any sort dye and for our sufferings Paul calleth them Col. 1.24 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the remnants the leavings the dregs and after-drops of the sufferings of Christ the sips and dew-drops remaining in the bottom of the cup when Christ hath drunken out the whole cup so are our affections and being compared with what Christ suffered they are but bitts fragments and small pieces of death that we suffer for the first death that the Saints suffer is but the halfe and the farre least halfe of death it s but the lips the outer porch of death the second death which Christ suffered for us is onely death and the dominion Lordship and power of death is removed Why doe you then murmur fret repine under aflictions when you beare little wedges pinnes and chips of the Crosse Your Lord Jesus did beare for you the great and onely Crosse that which is death shame and the Crosse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by way of excellencie so called It is true the Spouse of Christ since the beginning of the world and since Christs time these 1600. Yeares hath been crying as a woman travelling in birth of a Man-childe and the Dragon neare persuing her and is not yet
brought to bed Lord Jesus when will the Man-childe be borne and thy Spouse be eased of the birth Yet is not this disease deadly Sion as soone as shee travelled brought forth her child Isai. 66.8 All her shaddowes of sufferings shall be quickly gone The Spouse cannot die of child-birth paine Christ will save both the Mothers life and the Babe 2. Sinne is a deare and costly thing In heaven in the Count-book of Justice it goeth for no lesse then the bloud of God the shaming of the Lord of glory Justice for the request of all the world and the prayers of Christ could not abate one farthing A mans soule is a deare thing Exchange of commodities of silkes purple fine linnen is much exchange of Saphires Diamonds Rubies and other precious stones for baser commodities is much more and that ships-full of the gold of Ophir should bee given for bread and things obvious is a rich traffiquing but the market and value of soules as it hath not since God made man on earth fallen or risen so it is ever above a world Mat. 16.26 What hath a man profitted if hee lose this God will not take Silkes nor Purples nor Saphires nor Rubies nor Navies loaden with fine gold nor any corruptible thing 1 Pet. 1.18 for soules The price is one and the same soules were never bought nor sold nor exchanged nor ransomed but once and the price is one and as high as the soule and bloud of the Lord of life Job 27.8 What is the hope of an hypocrite though hee hath gained when God taketh his soule from him let him cast up his accounts and lay his charges hee stands a poore man a man without a soule What mad men are wee who sell soules daily for prices so farre below the Lords price A man that would wood-feet a Lord-ship of many thousands yearly for a base summe some pence or for a nights sleep in a straw-bed and bind himselfe not to redeeme it what a waster were hee how worthy to begge Satan is going through the world and hee gives some pence in hand O how sad a reckoning when the Devill the cozening Creditor comes at night with his back counts Pay mee for your sweet lusts I gave you answer my Bill for your idle oaths your lies oppressions cozening Covenant-breaking your unjust judging your starving and murthering of the widdow and the fatherlesse by detaining of the wages of the Souldier your sleighting of Christ and reformation and the price is referred to God and the market knowne Sathan can abate nothing thy soule he must have and within few dayes the body too is this wisdome to earne hell and to make away a noble soule for a straw 3. What are wee to give for Christ what bonds of love hath he layd on us who earned our Heaven for us at so deare â price I desire onely these considerations to have place in our thoughts 1. As God had but one Sonne and one onely begotten Son and he gave him for sinners so Christ had two loves one as God and another as man he gave them both out for us and two glories one as God one as Man and Mediator the one was darkened for us ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he emptied a Sea of glory for us he powred it out for us and for his other glory he laid it downe as it were in hell endured infinite wrath for us 2. He went to death and the grave made his testament and left his love grace and peace in legacie to us 3. Greater love then this hath no man but he saith not greater love then this hath no God That God did let out so much love to men is the wonder of the world and of heaven Wee may find words to paint out creatures and the garment may be wider then the thing but should Angels come and helpe us to find out expressions for Christs love words should bee below and in this side of Christ. 4. Behold the man saith an enemy of Christ but behold him more then a man behold the Lord in the Garden sweatting out of his holy body great blobs and floods of Love trickling downe upon sinners of clay Men and Angels come see and wonder and adore 5. Love was Christs cannon-Royall he battered downe with it all the forts of hell and triumphed over Principalities and powers Christ was judgement-proofe he indured the wrath of God and was not destroyed he was hell-proofe and grave-proofe hee suffered and rose againe but hee was not love-proofe to borrow that expression he was not onely love-sicke for his Church but sicke to death and dyed for his friends Cant. 2.4 His banner over his Church was love Saints bee sworn to his collours die and live with Christ and take Christ in the one arme his cause and Gospell in the other and your life betweene both and say to all enemies take one take all The midst of Christs Chariot is paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem Cant. 3.10 Christs royall seat both in the Gospel in which he is carried through the world as a Conquerour Revel 6.2 and in the soules of his children is love From the sense of this it were our happiest life to live and love with Christ for hee hath carried up to heaven with him the love and the heart and the treasures of the sonnes of God so as all ours are with him above time 6. Wee are not to feare death extreamely nor hell at all Christ feared both for our comfort hee hath taken away the worst of death In that 1. He hath subdued hell and sinne and there remaineth to us but the outer side of death 2. The beleever but halfe dies and swoneth or rather sleepeth in the grave 3. He dyeth by will because he chooseth to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 rather then by nature or necessity 4. As dying and sufferings are the cup that Christ dranke so are we to love the cup the better that Christs lip touched it and left the perfume of the breathings of the Holy Ghost in it In common Innes by the way side Princes and common travellers and thousands lye in one bed the clothes may be changed but the bed is the same Christ tasted of death Heb. 2. for us but there was gall in his cup that is not in ours Christs worm-wood was bitter with wrath ours sweetned with consolation 7. All the Saints are in Christs debt of infinite love When we grieve the Spirit purchased by Christ we draw blood of his wounds a fresh and so testifie that wee repent that Christ suffered so much for us The Father hath sworn and will not repent that he is an eternall Priest and stands to it that his bloud is of eternall worth and when the Father sweareth this Christ is the same one God with him and sweares that he thinketh all his bloud well bestowed and will never give over the bargaine his Bride is his Bride though
for the truth of Christ may have a naturall and conditionall desire and inclination to live though his living be contrary to the Lords revealed will commanding him to seale the Gospel with his bloud and to confesse Christ before men 3. If the brother sonne daughter wife or friend that is as a mans owne soule Deut. 13.6 blaspheme God yea if father or mother doe it Deut. 33.8 9. yet is a father oblieged to stone the son or daughter the son being a Magistrate or a Levite and Priest to judge according to law the Priests lips should preserve knowledge Mal. 2.8 that his father or mother ought to be stoned to death yet ought not father or sonâe to lay aside that naturall desire of being and life to sonne father brother which the law of nature in the fifth Command doth require especially the desire being conditionall with submission to Gods will as the desire of Christ is here and the Command to stone the blasphemer that the father stone the son the son the father being positive and though founded on the law of nature that a man preferre his Lord Creator and God before sonne or father and mother yet are they not precepts of the law of nature such as is the precept of nature that a man desire his owne life and being the father the life and being of the son Asser. 5. The apparent opposition for it is not reall is rather between Christ's sensitive and his sinlesse meere naturall desire and affection and his reasonable will then his will and the will of God Nor can any say there is a fight or jarring between the conditionall desire of Christ subjected in the same act of praying to the Lords decreâ and the resolute and immutable will of God The Law of God because holy and spirituall doth require a conformity between all the inclinations and motions of our soule and the law of nature but an absolute conformity betweene all our inclinations and every positive command of God such as was the Lords command that Christ should die for sinners is not required in the Law of God If Adam submit his naturall hunger or desire to eat of the forbidden tree to Gods Law and eat not there is no sinfull jarring between his will and Gods positive Law Thou shalt not eat of the tree of Knowledge of good and evill It becomes us as Christs example goeth before us to submit in the hardest and most bloodie providences to the straight and holy will of God 1. Christ prââesseth he hath no will divided from Gods will he layeth down his glory his heaven his life his fruition of the sweet influence of an highest vision love presence feeling of God in a personall union at the feet of God that the Lord may carve and cut and dispose of him and his blood as he thought good 2. All the difficulty in us in whom dwelleth a body of sinne is to answer the objections that flesh and blood hath against a sad providence which I will labour to doe and then give some rules for direction Obj. 1. This is a bloody and rough way that the Lord leadeth his people that they drink wormwood and gall of blood and not tears onely Ans. Providence is full of mysteries let the way be shame the crowne is glory and the present condition be hell the end is heaven Providence is a hand-writing of mercy though we cannot ever read it more then Belshazzar could read his bill of justice we see a woman with child but cannot tell whether it be a living or a dead birth shee shall bring forth or whether the child shall be base and poor or honourable and renowned ere he die The births in the wombe of providence are invisible to us out of the ashes of a burnt and destroyed Church the Lord raiseth up a Phenix a Kings daughter a Princesse that shall rule the Nations with a rod of iron a Zion that hath the strength of an Vnicorne yea Iacobs seed shall be in many waters his King shall be higher then Agag and his Kingdom shall be exalted God brought him out of Egypt Num. 24.7 8. Christ breweth the water of life out of drinke of gall wormwood and blood if the head be gold as Christ is the body cannot without great incongruity be base clay Obj. 2. But all go wrong confusion and vastation lye on the people of God Ans. To him who sitteth on the Throne and gives Law and Judgement to the most unconstant things imaginable the waves of the Sea and orders them and rules a Sea of glasse a brittle and fraile thing and a Sea of most unnaturall confusions a Sea mingled with fire nothing can be out of order hell the Beast and Dragon that make warre with the Lambe the laying wast the holy City the killing of the Witnesses are all orderly means ranked by the Lord whose Armies cannot reele nor spill their march when he drawes them up to the execution of his wife decrees the confusion is to our eye but judgement law and order there are though not visible to us Who can pull him out of his invisible and high Throne of wisedome counsell and power it may be he sits not alwayes on his Throne of justice Obj. 3. But what a providence is it that those that open their mouth against heaven are fat and shine and prosper and those that fear God are plagued every day and killed all the day long and counted as sheepe for the slaughter Answ· 1. Offend not against the generation of the children of God as if it were lost labour and as good to sow wheat in the Sea as serve the Lord and walk mournefully before him you see their work but not their wages 2. It is painfull to trace providence in all its wayes circuits bout-gates lines turnings But 3. surely in the end God turneth the tables âhe maketh all odds equall the emptie bucket goeth downe the full cometh up 4. The Lord hath set the wicked in a chaire of Gold but on the top of a house and rouling stone above the mouth of a pit ten hundred fathom deep This is a jogging and slippery condition 5. They slip away to eternity and to Hell in a moment 6. Their happinesse is a golden dream Psal. 73.12 13 c. Obj. Meanes faile men chanâe creatures are weake Answ. So long as Christ changeth not and your Head liveth and stirreth the helme of heaven and earth all must be well if all life all health and so much as eternall life be in the Head how can the heart ake or quake except it first create and then fancie fears and doe not really suffer Obj. 5. Our Kingdomes strength is gone we cannot subsist Ans. Col. 1.17 18. In Christ all things subsist he is the head of the body the Church Faith is the substance Budeâs the boldnesse and fortitude Beza the firme and constant expectation the Syrian and Arabian the confident
breath Natures weake leggs in walking up the Mount are good for the adding wind and tyde and high sailes to the praysing of Christ and free Grace Vtile est peccavisse nocât pâccare It is profitable that we have sinned that Grace may be extolled it is ill to sinne Even to the nature of man its good that hee hath dyed and hath beene in the grave yet it s not good but contrary to nature to die and to ly in the grave 6. It s our forgetfulnesse that wee see not the dearest to Christ hath beene kept lowest and most empty in their owne eyes hidden grace extolleth Christ. 2. That often the Saints are kept in a condition of sayling with as much wind as blows with praying and beleeving 3. That yet prayer and the sweating of Faith cannot earne nor promerit the renewed sense of Christ so as Christ returneth to eate his honey-combe and his wine and milke and banquet with the soule rather at the presence of these acts then for them as some have said thouâh with no strength of reason that fire burneth not the Sunne enlighteneth not the âarth doth not send forth floures and herbes but God at the naked presence of these causes doth produce all effects yet in this case it hath a truth that the sweating of all supernaturall industry cannot redeeme the least halfe glimpse of Gods presence in the sense of eternall love when God is pleased for trialâ to hide himselfe 7 Our great fault heere is merit that we tye the flowings and inundations of Christs love to the becke of our desires whereas we may know 1. That the Sunne doth not shine nor the raine water the earth in order to merit 2. Wee should know that grace and all the acts of grace are almes not debt and that a rich Saviour giveth grace to us as beggars and payeth it not to hirelings as the due or as wages wee can crave for our worke but wee love peny-worth's better then free-gifts But for this cause came I to this houre Christs worke of redemption was a most rationall worke and was full of causes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã this saith that to redeeme losed sinners was not a rash and reasonlesse worke 1. There was no cause compelling Love cannot be forced John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Grace worketh more from an intrinsecall cause and more spontaneously then nature For Nature often is provoked by contraries for selfe-defence to worke as fire worketh on water as on a contrary the wolfe and the dogge pursue one another as enemies But Grace because grace hath abundance of causality and power in it selfe but hath no cause without it 2. Any necessitie of working from Goodnesse in the Agent as from such a principle is strong 1 Tim. 1.15 It s a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be received that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners If the thing be worthy ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of all receipt and embracing then it must bee good an Agent working from a Principle of goodnesse doth in his kind worke necessarily though he may also worke from another principle freely John 10.11 I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheepe Luke 19.10 For the Sonne of man is come to seeke and to save that which is lost 3. God will seeke reasons or occasions without himselfe to be gracious to sinners When no reason or cause moveth a Physitian to cure but onely sicknesse and extreame misery wee know grace and compassion is the onely cause Ezech. 36.23 I will sanctifie my great name Why Which was prophaned among the heathen and which ye have prophaned in the midst of them then the true cause must bee expressed Vers. 22. Thus saith the Lord God I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy Names sake 4. The Lord taketh a cause from the end of his comming Math. 20.28 The Sonne of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransome for many Joh. 18.37 To this end was I borne and for this cause came into the world that I should beare witnesse to the truth Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and have it in aboundance 5. Some thing yea very much of God is in the creation much of God in his common providence but most of all yea whole God in the redemption of man God manifested in the flesh is the matter and subject of it Grace the moving cause most of all his attributes working for the manifestation of the Glory of pardoning mercy revenging justice exact faithfulnesse and truth freest grace omnipotency over hell devils sinne the World patience longanimity to man cooperate as the formall and finall causes it is a peece so rationall and full of causes that as he is happy Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas who can know the causes of things so Angels delight to be Schollers to read and study this mysterious art of free Grace Eph. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 Works without reasons and causes are foolish The cause why we doe not submit to God is because we lye under blind and fatherlesse crosses its true Affliction springs not out of the dust and crosses considered without God are twise crosses Three materiall circumstances in crosses are very considerable Quis quare quomodo 1. Who for what cause and how doth God afflict us Who afflicts is worthy to be known Esai 42.24 Who gave Jaakob for a spoile and Israel to the robbers The highest cause of causes did it Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth good to him 2. For what end God the Lord did this is a circumstance of comfort Why led the Lord Israel through a great and terrible wildernesse wherein were fiery Scorpions and Serpents and drought Deut. 8.16 That he might prove thee to doe thee good at thy latter end 3. And how the Lord correcteth is worthy to be known He correcteth Jaakob in measure Jer. 6.28 Mercy wrapped about the rod and a cup of gall and wormewood honeyed and oyled with free love and a piece of Christs heart and his stirred bowels mixed in with the cup is a mercifull little hell Psal. 6.1 Jer. 31.18 19 20. The Law saith A Bastard hath no father because his father is not knowne The Philistimes are plagued with Emerods but whether that ill was from the Lord or from Chance they know not The crosse to many is a bastard We suffer from Prelats because wee suffered Prelats to persecute the Saints Papists shed our bloud why Our fore-fathers burnt the witnesses of Christ and we never repented Christ and Anti-christ are at bloudy blowes in the camp Anti-christ hath killed many thousands in the three kingdomes for Religion that is the quarrell and
when England had often before and have now opportunity they will not lift Christ up on his throne nor put his Crowne Royall on his head but doe put it on their owne head but the judgement is not yet at an end Scotland hath not walked worthy of the Gospel but have fallen from their first love We take not a deliberate list of every limbe thigh legge and member of this nationall wrath and we neither see wherefore we are afflicted nor how For this cause came I to this houre There is some peculiar act of Christs will here holden forth and that is Christs peculiar intention to die for his people in which we are to consider the activenesse of Christs will in dying for man which may be seene 1. In his free offering of himselfe and his service to the Father Psalm 40.6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine eares hast thou opened Heb. 10.5 A body that is the office house and instrumentall subject of obedience to the death as the eare is of hearing and obeying the commandements of God thou hast prepared me Vers. 7. Then said I loe I come in the volumne of thy booke it is written of me to doe thy will ô God In these words Christ is brought in as a servant with three excellent quallities 1. Physically he is fitted with a body and a soule to offer to God for us as in a servant there are required strong limbs and armes to endure drudgery in this he was borne of his mother for this sad service his Master furnished him for this even the seed of mans flesh and bloud for suffering 2. There were morall habilities in him promptitude of of will So the Lord is brought in as a Lord and Master in justice crying servant O Sonne and servant Jesus I have a businesse for thee of great concernment At the first word as all good servants doe Christ takes him to his feet and compeares before his God his Master and Lord Loe I come here am I so servants of old answered their Master What service wilt thou command so hard which I will not undergoe Master here 's a body for thy worke here be cheekes for the nippers a face for those that will plucke off the haire a backe for smiting a body for the crosse and the grave Christ as a servant uncovered standing on feet would say Lord send mee thy seruant to the Garden to worke under the burden of thy wrath till I sweat blood bid me goe to shame to scourging and spitting is it thy will I goe up on the cursed crosse and bee made a curse for sinners that I be crucified and die that I goe lower in to the utter halfe of hell the grave which is a sad journey loe here am I willing to obey all 3. There was in Christ not onely willingnesse but delight Psal. 40.8 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã My God I delight to doe thy will every servant cannot say this to his Master thy Law is in the midst of my heart 2. His willingnesse to die was a part of his Testament and last Will he dyed with good will and left in Legacy his death and the fruits of it his blessing his heart his love his peace his life to his bride in Testament confirmed by Law to all his poore brethren and friends Heb. 9 17. and John 14.27 Peace I leave in testament with you But the Orphane and the poore friend gets not all that his dying Father and friend leaves in Testament but Christ gives possession himselfe ere he die My peace I give to you but to the point His latter Will was willingnesse to die 3. No externall force could take his life from him against his will John 10.18 No man taketh my life from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I have power to lay it downe and I have power to take it againe Yet lest it should seeme a will-action in Christ and âo not obedience he addeth This Commandement that is the will of a Superiour have I received of my Father Compelled obedience is no obedience exact willingnesse was a substantiall and essentiall ingredient in Christs obedience Acts of Grace cannot be extorted can yee teare a shoure of raine from God in an extreame drouth or bread from him in your hunger against his will Farre lesse since Christs dying was an act of pure grace can any compell him to dye for man Love arrested his holy will and that made him runne apace to dye for us O blessed be his good will who burned himselfe in the Bush in a fire of free love 4. Though dying be a passion yet Christs dying was both a passion and an action Will added as much perfume and strength of obedience as nature and paine shard-ship shame and abasement could doe his life was not so much plucked from him as out of his owne hand As an Agent he offered his bloud and soule yea himselfe to God through the eternall Spirit Hebr. 9.14 Love was the coard the chaine that did bind Christ to the Altar 5. Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã on this intention came to this houre so is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã often in Scripture Not onely his will but the floure of his will his intention was to die for Christs eye and his heart and his love was on his Bride the intention is the most eminent act that Love can put forth Christs eye and his heart being upon his Spouse he made our salvation his end and measure of his love to compasse this end the Lord laid many Oares in the water his rising earely his night watching his toyling his sweating his soare and hard Soule-travell as being heavy with Child of this end O might I have a redeemed people was all his care and his soule was eased when dying bleeding crying he went thorough hell and death and slept in deaths blacke and cold prison and his Redeemed ones in his armes When hee came to the end of this sad journey and found his Ramsomed ones he said I have sought you with a heavie heart faire and foule way sad and weary and all is well bestowed since I have gained you Let us up together to the hill of Spices to our Fathers house to the highest mountaine of Frankincense All that Christ did was for this end That he might deliver us from this present evill world Galat. 1.4 That he might be a ransome for many Matth. 20.28 That we might have life and have it more abundantly Joh. 10.10 That he might seeke and save the lost Luke 19.10 That he might present his wife a glorious Church to himselfe not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that she should bee holy and without blemish Ephes. 5.26 27. that wee being dead to sinne should live to righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 Christ came to seeke and travelled ever till he found his desire a redeemed and saved people and then hee rested Even as hee journyed through
Christs love is stronger then hell Our affections often take fire from difficulties as absence of the Beloved kindles a new fire Stollen bread because stollen is sweeter and not our nature onely but longing after Christ nititur in vetitum inclineth to that which is forbidden What if Christ be longed for and loved more when absent then present 2. The other Character is That when the end is obtained all operation for or about the meanes ceaseth and the soule hath a complacency in the fruition of the end When the wretches chests are full hee hath an heart-quietnesse in gold Luk. 12. Soule take thine ease but if the soule have an akeing and a disquieting motion after gold is obtained it is not because gold was not his end but because hee hath not obtained it in such a large measure as hee would or because it s but a sick and lame end and cannot satiate but rather sharpen soule-thirst after such corruptible things When Christ is obtained the soule hath sweet peace Hee that drinketh of the water of life thirsts no more appetitu desiderii as longing with anxiety for this as wee doe for earthly things which we want though hee have appetitum complacântiae a desire of complacency and a sweet self-quietnesse that his heritage pleaseth him well and his lines are fallen in pleasant parts and rests on his portion and would not change it with ten thousand worlds Men by this who are fishing and hunting after some other thing then Christ may know what is their end when Christ and Reformation come to their doores they will have neither but cast out their lines for another prey Men now fish and angle for gaine in lieu of godlinesse Vers. 28. Father glorifie thy Name Then came there a voyce from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it againe Here is the last Article of Christs prayer Father glorifie thy Name 2. The Returne of Christs prayer by an audible answer from heaven This Prayer Glorifie thy Name Father is of an higher straine Father I am willing to die so thou be glorified in giving to me strength to suffer and thou redeeme lost man by me and by so doing glorifie thy Name Christ never in his hardest suffering would be wanting to glorifie God Now how farre the glory of God in doing and suffering should be intended and desired by us in these considerations I propose 1. Wee are to preferre the Lords glory to our owne life and salvation no point of self-denyall and renouncing of self-pleasing can reach higher then this when Christ is willing to be the passive object of the glory of God Put me Father to shame and suffering so thou maist be glorified Paul and Moses are not farre out but they are farre out of themselves when the one for the glory of the Lord in savinâ the people of God willeth his name may be razed out of the book of life and the other to be separated from Christ for the salvation of his kinsmen Gods chosen people When Abraham is willing that Glory to the Lord should be written with the ink of his sonne Isaac's bloud and the Martyrs that their paine may praise God they then levell at the right end for that must be the most perfect intention that comes nearest to the most perfect This is nearest to Gods intention for hee created and still worketh all for this end that hee may be glorified Pro. 16.4 Revel 4.11 Rom. 11.37 Now if Christ put all to sea and hazard all hee hath to guard the Lords Name from dishonour and made his soule his life his heaven his glory a bridge to keep dry and safe the Glory of God that it sink not and if God would rather his deare Son should be crowned with the Crosse and his bloud squeezed out with his precious life then that any shame should come to his Name then are wee to interpose our selves even to sufferings and shame for the glory of God Suppose a Saint were divided in foure and every member with life in it and torment of paine fixed in the foure corners of the heaven East and West and South and North and the soule in the convexity of heaven under the paine of the torment of the gnawing worme that can never die these five were oblieged to cry with a loud voyce in the hearing of heaven of earth of hell of Men and Angels and all creatures Glory glory be to the spotlesse and pure justice of the Lord for this our paine and when the damned are noted to speake against their sentence of condemnation When saw we thee hungry and fed thee not c. Mat. 25. it is cleare they are oblieged to acquiesce to this that they are made clay-vessels passively to be filled to the brim with the glory of revenging justice and ought in hell to praise the glory of revenging wrath as the Saints in heaven are bottles and vessels of mercy from bottom to brim filled with the glory of mercy to praise his grace in heaven who redeemed them the one Psalme is as due and just as the other What the damned doe not or doe in the contrary is their sinne One prayed his death paine torment sad afflictions that may out-runne him ere hee escape into the grave yea that his hell might with his owne good will be a printed booke on which Angels and Men may read the glory of inviolable justice 2. Wee love that the holinesses and grace of others were ours that we might glorifie God but we glorifie him not with that which he hath given us yea we have a sort of wicked emulation and envy if others glorifie God not we Moses acquiesced to Gods dispensation that the Lord might be glorified in the peoples possessing of the holy Land though hee himselfe should not bee their leader but not at the first There is a cumbersome piece called I ego selfe that hath an itching soule for glory due to another 3. O how unwilling are wee that the Lords glory over-weigh our ease and humour Master forbid Eldad and Medad to Prophecie saith Joshua No Moses will have God glorified be the instruments who will 4. There is a two fold glory here due to God 1. Active the glory of duties to be performed by us 2. Passive the glory of events that results from the Lords government of the world wee are to care for both but wee doe it not orderly We are more carefull of Gods passive glory which belongs to himselfe then we ought to be Hence say we what confusions be there in the world Nation breakes covenant with Nation Heresies and blasphemies prevaile Antichrist is yet on his throne the Churches over Sea oppressed the people of God led to the Shambles as slaughter-sheep and destroyed and killed Hundreds of Thousands killed in Ireland many thousands in England and very many thousands about the space of one year taken away in Scotland with the Sword and the
was contrary to the course of nature darkened and by the Rocks when they were rent and the Temple cloven asunder and the Graves opened when men weakely or wickedly denyed him and would not onely not preach his glory but blaspheme his name 5. He was glorified in his resurrection being declared to be the Sonne of God and obtained a name above all names and was by the right hand of God exalted to be a Saviour and a Prince to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes Phil. 2.9 Ephes. 1.20 Act. 5.31 Act. 3.13 6. He shall come againe in his glory Math. 25.31 And shall be glorified and admired in all his Saints 2 Thess. 1.10 The fairest and most glorious sight that ever the eye of man saw shall be when Christ shall come riding through the cloudes on his Chariot of glory accompanied with his mighty Angels and with one pull or shake of his mighty armes shall cause the Starres to fall from heaven as figges fall from a fig-tree shaken with a mighty wind and blow out all these candles of heaven with one blast of his ire and A fire shall goe before him and burne up the earth with the works that are therein when the higher house of heaven and the lower of the earth shall meet together and when Mystical Christ shall be glorified If there be so much glory in Jesus Christ and his sufferings as he must beare the glory Zach. 6.13 And All the glory of his fathers house be upon him Esai 22.24 His Crowne of glory on his head must be so weighty and ponderous with Rubies Saphires Diamonds that it will break the neck of any mortall man King or Parliament to beare it None on earth have a head or shoulders for this so weighty a Diademe Parliaments have not necks worthy to carry Christs golden bracelets nor a backe to be honoured with his robe Royall if they will but take his Scepter in their hand it shall crush them as clay-vessels this stone hewen out of the Mountaine without hands shall crush the clay-leggs of Parliaments and then how shall they stand God properly glorifies himselfe Angels and Men are but chamberlaines and factors to pay the rent of his glory and because he will give himselfe his Sonne his Spirit to us and his grace and yet will not give his glory to another let us beware to intercept the rents of the Crowne Object The Lord giveth grace and glory Psalm 84. And he hath a crowne of glory laid up for his Saints in the heavens Answ. That glory is but matured and ripened grace Gods glory is the eminent celebrious and high esteeme that Men and Angels have of God as God or the foundation of this to meddle with this is to encroach upon the Crowne and Prerogative royall of God Glory imparted to Saints in heaven is but a beame a lustre shaddow or way of that transcendent and high glory that is in God and is as farre different from the incommunicable glory of God as the shaddow of the Sunne in a Glasse or in the bottome of a Fountaine and the Sunne in firmament We may desire the chips and shaddows and raies of glory but beware that we meddle not with that which devels and men alwaies seeke after in a sacrilegious way 3. We are hence taught to admire the excellencie of the unsearchable knowledge and skill of Divine providence out of Christs abasing himselfe to take on him our nature 2. Out of his miracles that were just nothing to blind-naturall-men 3. Out of his death and shame the Lord extracteth the most eminent and high glory of his name That Omnipotencie should triumph in the jaw-bone of an Asse in a straw in a crucified man commends the glory of God and the art of his workmanship to make Gold out of clay and iron Diamonds and Rubies out of the basest stones would extoll the art of man A creation out of nothing and Flowres Roses Forrests Woods out of cold earth is the praise of the wisdome and power of the Creator the baser the matter be the art of the Author is the more glorious if the worke be curious and excellent God here 1. Out of death shame sinfull oppressing of the Lord of glory raiseth the high worke of mans Redemption 2. When we spill businesse and marre all through sinning and provoking God then Israel must bring a spilt businesse to God that he may right them Judg. 3.10 11. God can find the right end of the threed when matters are ravelled and disordered We see now Nations confounded enemies rising against us But bloud warres confusions oppression and crushing downe of Christ and his Church are good and congruous meanes when they have the vantage of being handed by omnipotencie When we worke the instrument must bee as big as a mountaine and then our eye cannot see God for the bignesse of the Instrument God regardeth not the nothings and the few that he worketh withall Dead men can sight when God putteth a sword in their hand Men shall fall under wounded men beware of robbing God of his glory Did ever a decree or a counsell of God part with child Or can Omnipotencie bring forth untimely births or prove abortive You see Christ now in the death-house of Adams sonnes and wrestling with hell yet God by Christ at the weakest works his end death is a low thing sinne is farre more base but when God acts at the end of either they have a scope and end as high as God to glorifie God 3. If God hath been and must be glorified in all that is done what doe we doe we trouble our selves to seeke glory one of another We are created for this end and it s our glory to fetch in glory to God What can the aiery applause of men bee golden stilts for creeples to walke to heaven withall Or can the peoples poore Hosannas be silken sailes to our ship or golden wings that by these you man saile and flye up to heaven Where is Belshazzer who but built a house for the glory of his owne name Where is Herod who did receive one word of a God which the people did steale Doe not these fooles take little roome in print and at this day as little in the clods of the earth The Roman State would not permit Christ to be a God What was their doome must not a Kingdome cast its bloome fall and wither that will not suffer Christ to be a King in his Church Vers. 29. The people therefore that stood by and heard it said it thundered others said an Angel spake to him Another effect of the Prayer of Christ doth follow in the people They had sundry judgements of this Answer from heaven Some said it was a thunder for they understood it not Others nay but it is above nature An Angel hath spoken to him It thundered Doth not any rude shepherd or the most simple ideot know a thunder
opposition to another known false god though all may oppose the Gospel The Lord complaines of a whorish heart that playeth the harlot with many lovers Jer. 3.1 and heaven and saving grace stands on an indivisible point like the number of seven one added one removed varieth the nature no man is halfe in heaven halfe in hell almost a Christian is no Christian. When Adam fell from one God hee fell upon many inventions not upon one onely Eccles. 7.29 Our wandering is infinite and hath no home either God is a thunder or then hee is an Angel speaking from heaven Consid. 5. Men think the supernaturall wayes of God a thunder in the aire which is a most naturall work the ebbing and flowing of the Spirit either naturall joy or melancholly naturally following the complexion of the body It s Grace that puts a right sense on the works of God as on the word wee are no lesse heterodox in mis-interpreting the wayes and workes of God then in putting false and unsound senses on his word Emrods plagues the Philistines they doubt if chance or if the God of Israel have thus plagued them Moses works miracles the Magicians work miracles and the Egyptians doubt whether their false god or the living God that made the heaven and the earth hath wrought the miracles When God and Nature both worke naturall men or Saints as naturall betake themselves to the nearest God As sicknesse comes the naturall man saith Neglect of the body health the moone humours the air cold weather did it but hee looks not to God And the beleever guilty of a breach of the Sixth Command in neglecting second causes and in needlesse hurting the body seeth not this but fathers all upon God onely in a spirituall dispensation and considereth onely dispensation in God not sin in himselfe 2. Mercies grow invisibly and wee see not wee are ready to sleep at mercies offered When Christ knocks in love wee are in bed Cant. 5. 3. Judgements speak in the dark but wee heare not the Lord fatteneth some slaughter-oxen for hell and death is on some mens faces even the second death on their person but they see not To heare the Lords rods and who hath appointed it is the man of Wisdomes part Micha 6.9 There is an Orthodoxe Wisdome and Will as there is an Orthodox Faith Will as well as the minde can frame Syllogismes every unrenewed man hath a faith of his owne in the bottome of his will 2 Pet. 3. Some are willingly ignorant Some Jer. 9. through deceit refuse to know the Lord whereas lusts puts out reason and takes the chaire Lust hath stout Logick against Christ a fleshly minde vainely puffed up is a badge of bastard wit out-reasoning all the Gospel O but grace is quick-eyed sharpe and a witty thing to see God vailed in under the curtaine of flesh to see Christ and heaven through words and the Gospel with childe of so great a salvation Consid. 6. What wonder that there bee divisions about Christ. Some will have the Lord speaking from heaven a thunder others an Angel Christ is the most disputable thing in the world Math. 16.13 14. there be five Religions and sundry opinions touching Christ the Scribes and Pharisees had many sundry opinions and one of them is the right way onely and tenne false Joh. 7.40 Many say Christ is a Prophet Vers. 41 Others said this is the Christ Others no Shall Christ come out of Galile and there was a division among them Luke 2.34 Christ is for a signe that shall bee spoken against And amongst Christs sufferings this is one Hebr. 12.3 He sustained ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã contradiction of sinners Math. 24. Many false Christs shall arise There is but one heaven and one way to heaven and there is but one hell but there be thousands of wayes to hell from one point to another you can draw but one straight line but you may draw tennâ thousand crooked and circular lines The truth is one and very narrow the lie is broad and very fertile and broodie error is infinite It s a blessed thing to find wisdome to hit upon Christ and adhere to him there be some dicets and couseners Ephes. 4.14 that lye in wait to deceive the simple and they cast the dice for heaven and can cast you up any thing on the dice either one or seven do yee then resigne your selves in this wood of false Religions that now is to Christ to be led to heaven Many now teach there be some few fundamentals beleeve them and live well and you are saved And many false Teachers that turne the Gospel upside downe say it is the same Gospel though the head be where the feet should be and for errors we wrong not truth so long as we hold nothing against fundamentals Should a man remove the roofe of your house cut down the timber of it and pick out all the faire stones in the wall and say Friend I wrong not your house see the foundation stones are safe and the foure corner stones are sure in the meane time the house can fence off neither winde nor raine would not this man both mock you and wrong you He that keeps the foundation Christ shal be saved though he build on it hay and stubble 1 Cor. 3. It s true But it was never the intent of the Holy Ghost That a man beleeving some few fundamentals though he hold and spread lyes and false Doctrines is in no hazard of damnation or that hee hath liberty of conscience to adde to the foundation hay and stubble and untempered morter and to daube dirt upon the foundation Christ and not sinne the place speaks no such thing but of this else where Others said it was an Angel These come neerer to the truth for they conceive there is more in this voice then a worke of Nature such as a thunder is they think an Angel spoke to Christ and they are convinced that Christ keeps correspondence with Heaven and Angels Angels have been and are in high estimation among men alwaies and there is reason for it 1. There is more of Heaven in Angels and more of God then in any of their fellow-creatures Sinnefull men have been stricken with feare at the sight of them they are persons of a more excellent countrey then the earth John the Apostle did overvalue an Angel Revel 19. Revel 21. And fell downe to worship him 2. Angels elect and chosen never lost their birth-right of creation as Men and Devils have done they were created as the Lilies and Roses which no doubt had more sweetnesse of beauty and smell before the sin of man made them vanity-sick Ro. 8.20 but they have kept their robes of innocency their cloth of gold above five thousand yeares without one sparke of dirt or change of colour for they never sinned innocencie and freedome from sinne hath much of God Adam as many think kept not his garments cleane
indeed is a publike thing but because its the heritage of perishing things it is not publike in comparison of eternity And Christ because a publike Spirit for the whole family of elect Angels and Saints in heaven and earth is a matchlesse excellent one And its observable that there is nothing in heaven that is the seat and element of happinesse and the onely Garden and Paradise of the Saints felicity but it is publike and common to all The inhabitants the glorified Saints and Angels all see the face of him that sitteth on the Throne of degrees of fruition I speak not they all drink of the river of water of life all have accesse to eat of the apples of the tree of life there is no forbidden fruit in heaven all have the blessing of the immediate presence of the Lamb and there is neither need of Sunne or Moon or light of a candle to any all equally enjoy eternity there is one Lease and Terme-day to the lowest inhabitant of glory and that is eternity there is common to them all one City the streets whereof are transparent gold that the poorest inhabitants of a Town walk on a street of gold of Ophir is a great praise to the City it is common to them all that they shall never sigh never be sad never sicken never be old never die and eternall life is common to them all and then all feele the smell of the fairest Rose that Angels or Men can think on the Flower the onely delight the glory the joy of heaven the Lord Jesus all walk in white and can sin no more Then a publike Spirit who is for many is the excellentest Spirit Men of private spirits who carry a reciprocation of designes onely to themselves and die and live with their owne private interests are bad men When our selfe is the circle both center and circumference wee are so much like the devill who is his owne god adores himselfe and would have God to adore him Mat. 4.9 Now Christ is the most publike relative and communicative Spirit and Lord that is 1. All Christs offices are for others then himselfe Hee is not a Mediator of one A Redeemer is for captives a Saviour for sinners a Priest for offenders and trespassers a Prophet for the simple and ignorant a King to vindicate from servitude all that are in bondage the Physician for the siâk and this speaks for you sinners 2. Why did hee empty himselfe Luke 19.10 1 Tim. 1.15 and come into the world ãâã sinners 3. Why was he a fitted Sacrifice to die Joh. 7.19 For their sake also sanctifie I my selfe that they also may be sanctified by the truth 4. His dying was a publike and relative good Joh. 10.10 For his sheep For Joh. 15.13 his friends For Rom. 5.10 his enemies For his Wife to present a Bride without spot or wrinkle to God Ephes. 5.25 26. 5. And hee rose againe for us even for our justification Rom. 4.25 6. And whose cause doth Christ advocate in heaven now Ours For us if wee sinne 1 Joh. 2.1 hee intercedes for us Heb. 7.25 That wee may have boldnesse to enter into the holy of holiest Heb. 10.19 7. Christ hath so publike an heart that hee longs to returne againe and to see us Joh. 14.3 I will come againe and receive you to my selfe A Surety is a very relative person and for another the head is for all the members the meanest and lowest and it is not enough to him to rent the heaven and digge a hole in the skyes once when hee was incarnate but hee makes a second journey in coming down to rent the heaven and fetch his Bride up to himselfe They are hence rebuked that so improve Christ as if hee were a Jewel locked up in a Cabinet in heaven to be touched and made use of by none Oh I am a sinner I am a wretched captive what have I then to doe with so precious a Lord as Christ But I pray 1. wherefore is Christ a Saviour is hee not for sinners Wherefore a Redeemer is it that hee should lye by God as uselesse was he not a Redeemer for captives 2. What if all the world should say so Christ should be a Saviour and save none a Redeemer and ransome none at all for all are sinners all are captives Christs very office begets an interest in the sick to the Physician Claime thine interest O sick sinner Now this voyce was unknowne to those that heard it and yet it was for men that understood it not Christ acteth for us when wee are sleeping The people of God were to be seventy yeares in Babylon and were going on in their obstinacy yet then God saith Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts I thinke toward you you know them not I love you but yee know not even thoughts of peace and not of evill to give you an expected end Many glorious mercies are transacted in Gods mind without our knowledge Ere the corner stone of the earth was laid hee had made sure worke of our election to glory Ephes. 1.4 Rom. 9.11 2. The everlasting covenant between the Father and the Son that blessed bargaine of free-redemption in Christ was closed from eternity Jer. 32.39 40. To doe us good when wee are farre-off and know no such thing is a great and free expression of love 3. Wee should be narrow vessâls not able to containe our joy without breaking if wee understood what an house not made with hands were prepared for us in the heavens but our life is hid with Christ in God it appeares not now what wee are You never saw the Bride the Lambs Wife broydered with heaven free-grace and riches of glory Every Saint is a mystery to another Saint and that is the cause that love to one another is so cold Every Saint is a riddle and a secret to himselfe It was a priviledged sight even a priviledge of the higher House and of the Peeres of Heaven that John saw Revel 21.10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountaine and shewed me the great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God Vers. 11. Having the glory of God and the light was lâke a stone most precious even like a Jaspar stone cleare as Chrystall Here is a Kings daughter a beautifull Princesse in the gold of heavens glory arrayed with Christ who seeth this while wee are here every one seeth not such a sight of glory If there be such an active application on Gods part that Christ is fitted and dressed for sinners there should be a passive application on our part O what an incongruity and unsutablenesse betweene Christ and us hee is a Saviour for sinners wee are not sinners for a Saviour hee is open and forward to give wee narrow and drawing to receive A Physician that thrusteth his art and compassion to cure is unfitting for a sick one froward and unwilling to be
cured Wee should be for Christ as for our onely perfecting end but it is not so Oh men are for their owne gaine from their quarter Esay 56.10 Their eyes and hearts are not but for covetousnesse Jer. 22.17 For the glory of their owne name Dan. 4.30 For the continuance of their houses to many generations Psal. 49.11 For the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 If Christ be for the Saints then all other things are for them all things are theirs Death is a Water-man to carry them to the other side of time the earth the Saints Innes the creatures their servants as sun moon and starres are candles in the house for them Providence for them as the hedge of thornes is to fence the wheat the flowers the roses not the thistles and all because Christ is their Saviour Verse 31. Now is the judgement of this world now shall the Prince of this world be cast out Two enemiâs are here judged the World and Satan As touching the former enemie Wee are to consider the time Now 2 the enemy the World 3 The restrictive Pronoune This world 4 That which Christ acteth hee judgeth the world But what is meant by the judgement of the world Some understand that now by Christs death is the right constitution of the world as if the world were put in a right frame and delivered from vanity and restored to its perfection by Jesus Christs death Others thinke by the world is meant the sinne of the world or the sinning world in that Christ condemned sinne in the flesh by his death But by the World is meant the reprobate and wicked world that are here ranked with Saâan for Christ in his death gives out a doome and sentence on the unbeleeving World because they receive not him as John 3.19 This is the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã judgement of the world that light is come into the world and men loveh darkenesse c. Now for the first of these We see that Hope helps the weake before Christ yoake with devils hell and death he seeth and beleeveth the victory It was now a darke and a sad providence with Christ in his soule-trouble but hope lying on the cold clay prophecieth good Hope among the wormes breathes life and resurrection Psal. 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my soule in grave Vers. 11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life Psalm 118.17 I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. He was at this time in regard of danger almost in deaths cold bosome Saw yee never Hope laugh out from under dead bones in a bed Boylie rotten and halfe dead Job Chap. 19. â6 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day on the earth Vers. 26. And though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God And 2 Cor. 5.1 Hope doth both die and at the same time prophecie heaven and life Wee know if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the heaven Would any man say Paul how know yee that the Answer is Faith holdeth the candle to Hope and Hope seeth the Sun in the Firmament at midnight We know if this house be destroyed we have a better one 2 Hope is one of the good Spies that comes with good tydings bee not dismayed God will give us the good land when they were plucking the haire off Christs face and nipping his cheekes Hope speakes thus to him and to all standers by Esay 50.7 For the Lord God will helpe me therefore I shall not be confounded therefore have I set my face as flint and I know that I shall not bee ashamed It is a long Cable and a sure Anchor Hebr. 6.19 Which Hope wee have as an Anchor of the Soule both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that which is within the vaile Hope is Sea-proofe and Hell-proofe and Christ is Anchor-fast in all stormes Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1.27 3 A praying grace is such a prophecying grace as both asketh when he prayeth Father glorifie thy Name and taketh an answer so doth Christ here take an answer Now is the judgement of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out He was not yet cast out but hope in Christ with one breath prayeth Father save me from this houre and answereth I shall be saved the world and the prince-enemy shall be cast out It s a wine-battel all shall bee well Faith and Hope laugh and triumph for to morrow Psalm 6. Rebuke me not Lord in thine anger Vers. 4. Returne O Lord deliver my soule Vers. 8. He takes an answer For the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping Vers. 9. The Lord hath heard my supplication Psal. 35. He prayes that the Angel of the Lord would chase his enemies And hee answers himselfe in Antedated praises Verse 9. And my soule shall bee joyfull in the Lord. Verse 10. All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee c. He makes a bargaine afore-hand Hope layeth a debt of prayses upon every bone and joynt of his body Psalme 42. Banished forgotten and whithered David complaines to God and in hope takes an Answere Verse 8. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time We have need of this now When Scotland is so low they cannot fall that are on the dust and more thousands under the dust with the Pestilence and the Sword and the heart-breake of forsaking and cruell friends that not onely have proved broken cisternes to us in our thirst but have rejoyced as Edome did at our fall then ever Stories at one time in Ancient records can speake and God grant friends turne not as cruell enemies as ever the Idolatrous and bloudy Irish have beene Yet there is hope in Jsrael concerning this thing The Lord must arise and pitty the dust of Sion Our bones are scattered at the graves mouth as when one heweth wood Though we sit in darkenesse we shall see light Some say there is no help for them in God O say not so they that are now highest must bee lowest God must make the truth of this appeare in Britaine Ezech. 17.24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought downe the high tree and have exalted the low tree and have dryed up the greene tree and have made the dry tree to flourish I the Lord have spoken it and have done it Others say wee shall bee delivered when we are ripened by humiliation for mercy No it s not needfull it bee ever so God sometime first delivereth and then humbleth and hath done it the Lord delivered his low Church when they were in their graves Ezech. â7 but they were never prouder then when they loaded the power the faithfulnesse and free grace of God with reproaches and said
Ezech. â7 11 Our bones are dryed and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts This world This is the lost World 1. Because it is the judged World John 3.19 2. It is that World of which Sathan is Prince The world being the damned is the worst of the creation which I prove from the word and withall shall give the signes and characters of the men of the world 1. The World is the black company that lyes in sinne all of them 1 John 5.9 The whole world lyes in sinne They are haters of Christ and all his John 15.18 If the world hate you yee know saith Christ that it hated me before you 2. They are a number uncapable of grace or reconciliation which is terrible and have no part in Christs prayers Joh. 17.9 I pray not for the world nor of Sanctification the Comforter that Christ was to send is Joh. 14.17 the Spirit that the world cannot receive 3. It is one of the professed enemies on Christs contrary side that he overcommeth and wee in him Joh. 16.33 In the world you shall have tribulation They are the onely troublers of the Saints But be of good cheere I have overcome the world 1 Joh. 5.4 Whosoever is borne of God overcometh the world 4. It s a dirty and defiling thing Pure religion saith Iames 1.27 keeps a man unspotted of the world It is the praise of the Church of Sardis Revel 3.4 that there was amongst them a few names that had not defiled their garments but kept themselves from the pollutions of the world it s a sutty Pest-house there bee drops of sutt that defiles men in it 5. There can be no worse Character then to be a child of the world It is a black mark Luke 16.8 You know the Hebraisme Children of disobedience that is much addicted to disobedience as the Sonne hath the nature of Father and Mother in him Children of pride of wrath much addicted and farre under the power of wrath and pride So the sparks of fire are called Job 5. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the daughters of the burning coale then a childe of the world is one that lay in the wombe of the World one of the worlds breeding opposed to a Pilgrime and a stranger on earth for a stranger is one that is borne in a strange land Psal. 119.19 Psal. 39.12 Hebr. 11.13 and contrary to a childe of light Who hath the Pilgrimes sigh ordinarily night and day Oh if I were in my owne Countrey Wrong him not his mother is a woman of heaven she is a mighty Princesse and a Kings daughter Rev. 21.10 the New Jerusalem the Church of God came down from heaven Father Mother Seed Principles and all are from heaven 2. There is a Spirit called the Spirit of the world 1 Cor. 2.12 This Spirit is the Genius the nature and disposition of the World 1 Ioh. 2.16 and is all for the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and these bee the Worlds all things Such a soule knoweth not the white stone and the new name nor can he smell the rose of the field and the Lillây of the valley nor knowes he the Kings banqueting house nor the absence or presence of Christ in the soule the mans portion is in this world Psal. 17.14 within the foure angles of this clay-globe This World The World the Lord Jesus judgeth is this World a thing that cometh within the compasse of time and may be pointed with the finger 1. It is neere our senses therefore called Gal. 1.4 The present evill world the world that now is on the stage so 2 Tim. 4.10 Dâmas hath forsaken me and hath loved ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the world that is upon its present Now. The World that is on its Post and Now in its flux motion and tendencie to corruption 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich in THIS WORLD that they be not high minded this World is opposed to eternity and to life eternall for the which the rich are to lay up a sure foundation Luke 20.34 The sonnes of THIS WORLD Marrie and are given in Marriage Vers. 35. But these that shall be counted worthy of that World and the resurrection from the dead neither Marry nor are given in Marriage Vers. 36. Neither can they doe any more ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that world this puts a great note of excellencie on the World to come 2. This World is a thing that comes under our senses and that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a single one creature that we may point with our finger Satan from the top of a mountaine shewed Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã All the kingdomes of the World and the glory or opinion of them Matth. 4.8 and it is Luke 4.5 all the Kingdomes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hee shewed him the phancie of the habitable earth in a point of time the life to come cannot come under your senses Yee cannot point out the throne of God and the Lambe and the Tree of life and the pure River of water of life that proceeds out of the throne of God and of the Lambe there be such various treasures of glorie in the infinite Lord Jesus so many dwelling places in our Fathers house that yee cannot number then all The Kingdomes of this world and the glory of it comes within tale and reckoning I grant this is meant of the structure and dwellings of the World but they are the setled home of Reprobate men It were good if wee could beleeve that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the world the figure and paintrie of this house of lost men 1 Cor. 7.30 is in a transe and passing away ah are yee conform'd to the World Your condition is woefull The World sweares and so doe you the World serves the time in Religion and so doe you the World is vaine in their apparell the World cousens lyes whores and so doe you the world hates Christ and his friends and so doe you the World lyes in sinne it is the fashion of the World and so doe you Oh! if you would be conformed to the new World in righteousnesse and holynesse 1. The in-dwellers are all the children of a King and Princes and their mother a Princes daughter 2. The lowest piece of the dwelling house of that other World the heavens we see are curious worke any one pearle or candle of Sunne or Moone or Starres is worth the whole Earth setting aside the soules of men 3. The foundation of the City is precious Stones Revel 21. c. What fooles are we who kill every one another for peeces and bitts of the Lords lowest foot-stoole for the earth the seat of the worldly man is but the foot-stoole of God The judgement of this World How did Christ condemne and passe sentence on the wicked world in his death 1. He did it Legally in that his offering of a
sufficient Ransome for sinne there is a seale put on the condemnation of all impenitent men that they shall not see life but the wrath of God that they were by nature under being the captives of the Law abideth on them John 3.36 Because they beleeve not in the Sonne of God John 16.9 Christs dying day was the unbeleevers Doomesday 2. Hee condemneth the World Declaratorily in removing the curse from all the persecutions of the ill world which was also more then a declaration it being a reall overcomming of the world John 14.33 Hee hath removed all offence from the enemitie and deadly fewd that the World beareth against the Saints Christs good will in dying hath sanctified sweetned and perfumed the Worlds ill-will to the Saints 3. He judgeth the World in his death exemplarily as it s said Hebr. 11.7 Noah condemned the world in preparing an Arke So Christs example of obedience in dying for the world at his Fathers command John 10.16 condemnes the Worlds disobedience Christ dying and in his thirst not Master of a cup of water is a judgement of the drunkard his dying being stript of his garments is a condemning of vaine and strange apparell his face spitted on saith beauty is vanity his dying bâtweene two theeves saith a high place among Princes is not much when the Prince of the Kings of the earth was marrowed with theeves his being forsaken of lovers and friends condemneth trusting in men and confidence in Princes or the Sonnâs of men all this is for our mortification that we love not the World for its Christs condemned malefactor Now is the Prince of this world cast out Here two things are considerable 1. Who is the Prince of this world 2. How he is by Christ cast out The Prince of this World is Satan so called John 14.30 And the Prince that rules in the Children of disobedience Ephes. 2.2 called with a higher name 2 Cor. 4.4 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The God of this world What Princedome or what God-head can the Devill have in the world or who gave to him a Scepter a Crowne and a Throne For Satan hath a Throne Revel 2.3 The Devill is not 1. a free Prince 2. Not an absolute Monarch 3. Nor a lawfull King not free because he is a captive Prince reserved in everlasting chaines of darkenesse unto the judgement of the great day Jude 6. The Sonne of God is the onely free prince in the world there be none independently free in heaven and earth but he John 8.36 The kingdome of grace is an ancient free estate and never was never can be conquer'd not by the gates of hell Mat. 16.18 Zach. 12.3 and in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone though all people of the earth be gathered together against it Sure Christ is a free king by all the reason and lawfull authority in heaven and earth Psal. 2.6 7. Hell is no free princedome all in it are slaves of sinne Iohn 8.34 39 40 41 42 43 44. The libertie of loving injoying seeing and praysing God and leasure or thoughts or cares to doe no other thing is the onely true liberty and liberty to be a King and absolute over lusts and wicked will is the onely liberty Psal. 119.45 I shall walke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in latitude in breath in liberty for I seeke thy precepts 2. Hee is not an absolute Prince 1. Hee is under baile and in chaines of irresistible providence Satans providence in power is narrower then his will and malice otherwise hee had not left a Church on earth 2. Hee can doe nothing without leave asked and given against Job nor could hee winnow Peter till hee petitioned for it 3. Hee is not a lawfull Monarch but usurpeth and therefore is called the god of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 not that hee hath any God-head properly so called 1. It s true a black Monarch weareth Christs faire Crown and intrudes on his Throne in every false worship as Levit. 17. Hee that killeth oxe or goat or lamb to the Lord in the camp and bringeth it not to the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation unto the Priest Vers. 7. Offereth sacrifice to devills 2 Chron. 11.15 Jeroboam ordained him Priests for the high places and for the devills and for the calves that hee had made 2. To feare the Devill the Sorcerer or him that can kill the body as Satan may beare the keyes of prison houses and the sword Revel 2.10 more then the Lord is to put a God-head on the Devill 3. Satan usurpeth a God-head over that which is the flower and most God-like and divine peece in man the mind 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the mind of them that beleeve not and hee makes a work-house of the soules of the children of disobedience Ephes. 2.2 they are the Devill 's forge and shop in whom hee frames curious peeces for himselfe 4. His crowne stands in relations Fathers Tyrants by strong hand and Lords by free-election were Kings of old so the Devill is a father hath children and a seed Act. 13.10 1 Joh. 3.10 the world is his conquest and his vassalls Acts 10.38 2 Tim. 2.26 1 Pet. 4 3. 5.8 are the world which hee governes and rules by the three fundamentall principles of his Catholike Kingdome which hee hath holden these 5000. years The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life 1 Joh. 2.16 Sinners hold the crown on the Devill 's head their loyalty to Prince Satan acteth on them to die in warres against the Lamb and his followers A cause is not good because followed by many Esay 17.7 in that day when the Church is but three or foure berries on the top of the olive tree a man one single man shall looke to his Maker Men come to Sion and follow Christ in ones and twoes of a whole Tribe Jer. 3.14 They goe to hell in thousands a whole earth Revel 13. worships the Westerne Beast and the Easterne Leopard hath the farre greatest part of the habitable world Indians and Americans worship Satan Christs are but a little flock ah the way to heaven is over-grown with grasse there the traces of few feet to be seen in the way onely you may see the print of our glorious Fore-runner Christs foot and of the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and the handfull that follow the Lamb. Follow yee on and misse not your lodging Shall be cast out There is a two-fold casting out of Satan one for his first sin 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell Jude vers 6. This is a personall casting out not spoken of here But Satan must have two hells for though the Gospel was never intended to Satan yet Satan is guilty of Gospel-rebellion in that the Dragon fighteth with the Lamb and the weak woman travelling in birth by the Gospel to
bring forth a man child to God And 2. as Satan is the mysticall head and Prince of that condemned body hee is cast out and hee hath a power in regard of the guilt and dominion of sin both over the elect and the reprobate Christs death hath broken hells barres and condemned sinne in the flesh Rom. 8.3 and dissolved the works of the devill and taken his Forts and Castles and 1 Joh. 3.8 taken many of Satans Souldiers captives Death was the Devills Fort-royall Hell is his great Prison-house and principall Jayle these hee hath taken 1 Cor. 15.55 56. Hos. 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeeme them from the power of death O death I will be thy plague O grave I will be thy destruction And these captives can never be ransomed out of Christs hand again for saith hee repentance shall be hid from mine eyes When Christ spoyles hee will never restore the prey againe Hee hath overcome the world Joh. 16.33 and that was a strong Fort and hee hath delivered the Saints from the dominion of sin because they are under a new Husband Rom. 6.6 7 8 9 10. Rom. 7.1 2 3 4 5 6. All crosses have lost their salt and their sting even as when a City is taken by storming all the Commanders and Souldiers are dis-armed and when a Court is cryed down by Law all the members and Officers of the Court Judge and Scribe and Advocates that can plead Pursevants Jayles are cryed down they cannot sit nor lead a Processe nor summon a Subject So when Christ cryed down Satans Judicature and triumphed over principalities and powers and annulled all Decrees Lawes hand-writings of Ordinances that Satan could have against the Saints Col. 2.14 15. all the Officers of hell are laid aside the Devill is out of office by Law jure the Jayles and pits are broken Esay 49.9 That thou maist say to the prisoners Goe forth to them that are in darknesse Shew your selves Zech. 9.11 When a righteous King cometh to the crown hee putteth down all unjust Vsurpers If Satan be cast out wee are not debtors to the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 8.12 Sin hath no law over us There is a law of sinne a dictate of mad reason by which the sinner thinks hee is under the Oath of Allegiance to Satan and his crown scepter and honour hee must defend but there is no reason no law in hell and in the works of hell And if hee be once cast out who is this usurping lawlesse lord if you sweep the house to him and take him in againe to a new lodging one devill will be eight devills for Satan thus cast out will returne with seven devills worse then himselfe Remember Lot's wife if yee be escaped out of Sodome Looke not over your shoulder with a wanton and lustfull eye to old forsaken lovers let repentance and mortification be constant Now is the Prince of this world cast out But yet to consider more particularly Satans Princedome and Satans Power I adde yet more of these two heads 1. The Power of Satan 2. The Punishment of Satan His Power is held forth in that hee is a Prince 1. In his might and power naturall 2. In his power acquired 3. In his power sinfull and judicially inflicted The Devil's Power hee was created in both in the mind and will and executive faculty by no Scripture or Reason can be imagined to be lesse before the fall of these miserable Spirits then the power of their fellow-Angels 1. The Angels being all created holy and according to Gods image they must have been created with their face to God and in their proper place and sphere and so with power to stand in their place Now what station can these immortall Spirits be created in rather then in a state of seeing God 2. Satan abode not in the truth saith the Lord Jesus Joh. 8.44 and the bad Angels left saith Jude vers 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã their proper dwelling These two places compared together seemeth to hold forth that truth and the first truth God seene and knowne though not immutably was the first element native countrey of the Angels They must then see God and his face It is a bold and groundlesse conjecture of some rotten Schoolmen to say That truth from which the Angels are said to fall was the Gospel-truth and that They envied that man was in Christ to be advanced above the Angelike nature 1. It s a dreame that the Gospel was revealed to the Devils before their fall for then their owne fall and future misery that they were to be kept eternally in chaines of darknesse on the same ground must be revealed to them What horror and sadnesse must fill Adams mind and the Angels spirit if hell and the necessity of God manifested in the flesh was revealed to them in the state of happinesse 2. The mystery of the riches of the glorious Gospel was hid from the beginning of the world and the glorious elect Angels come in time Ephes. 3.8 9 10. to learn that manifold wisdome of God and delight in Peters time to looke into it as to a great secret of God 1 Pet. 1.12 Wee have not then reason to think this secret was whispered in the eares of the Devils before they fell 2. It s true Mat. 18. The elect Angels ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã alwayes now behold the face of Christs Father for now they are confirmed that they cannot look awry and turne their eyes off Gods face even when they come downe as servants to the heires of glory on earth they carry about with them their heaven and the pleasures of the Court they enjoy no reason their posting among sinners should decourt them or deprive them of the actuall vision of God But it followeth not therefore the falne Angels never saw the face of Christs Father it followes onely they saw it not immutably and in a confirmed way of grace and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã alwayes as now the elect Angels doe â It s no Princedome in Satan to know the thoughts of the heart this is proper to God onely 1 King 8.39 Jer. 17.10 Psal. 44.21 Nor hath hee or the good Angels any immediate Princedome over the will to know what are my thoughts or to know one anothers thoughts or to act immediatly upon free will not because the thoughts of the heart are objects of themselves so abstruse and high that they are not intelligible for a mans owne spirit knowes the things in himselfe 1 Cor. 2.11 Yea 2. then they could not be known by revelation for God cannot by revelation cause a finite understanding comprehend an infinite object because the object exceedeth the faculty in proportion infinitely The thoughts of a mans heart cannot so exceed the understanding faculty of a man farre lesse of an Angel Therefore God in the depth of his wisdome by an act
hands of Satan hee found Satan under old treason committed against God for before this hee kept mankind captive and found him under a sentence for it and cast downe to hell and because Christ was God and the same God equall with the Father therefore hee made good his Fathers deed and putteth his seale and Amen to that sentence and for new treason against God in man his Image whom God had made lord and little king of the earth Christ gave out a new sentence against Satan Gen. 3.25 I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Consid. 2. All punishment on Satan is now inflicted by the Mediator Christ for since Satan came in the Play to appeare a Satan and Adversary to man hee set up another kingdome of darknesse opposite to the kingdome of the Son of God Col. 1.13 Joh. 14.30 hee persecuteth the woman that brought forth the Man-child Revel 12.13 hee goeth forth in his Instruments to gather the kings of the earth and the whole world to the great battell of that great day of God almighty Revel 16.14 and maketh warre with the Lamb. Revel 17.13 14. Hee is the accuser of the brethren Revel 12.10 The king of the bottomlesse pit whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon Revel 9.11 Hee is the Arch-destroyer and destroyeth all in relation to the Man Christ and his Church therefore is Christ raised up a Redeemer a Saviour to revenge the cause of his brethren and came in the flesh to destroy Satan his kingdome and works to enter in Satans house to bind the strong man and spoyle him of his goods Heb. 2.14 1 Joh. 3.8 Joh. 14.30 Mat. 12.29 30. Gen. 3.16 Col. 2.15 16. And when Christ by reconciling all things in heaven and earth to God Col. 1.20 became the head of Angels and Men Col. 2.9 Col. 1.18 Col. 2.10 hee was stated in an headship over all the tribes of men and Angels to confirm the good Angels that they should not fall and to redeeme falne Men and when all State-solemnities at the Coronation of Jesus Christ are performed and the Father had said Psal. 2.6 Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Sion Act. 5.31 hee must by his office and Royall place reigne over the Rebells that are mixed with the willing Subjects and bruise them with a rod of iron whether they will or no And as when there is fewd and warres betweene two Houses and bloud on either side there is an hâire borne of one of the Houses to make peace between them and take order with and subdue the rebellious who refuse peace and to revenge the injuries so were there warres between the Soveraigne Majesty of the Lord our God and both Angel-nature and Mankind Angels and Men had highly injured the Lord and wounded his honour Christ Jesus a borne Heire of the seed of David and of the Royall line of heaven God equall with the Father comes to the Crowne and makes peace between the Lord and Men and so farre reconcileth the good Angels that they cannot fall out with God but stand by the grace of the new Heire and Christ revengeth upon the Devils and the world the wrongs done to God and subdueth both under God Consid. 3. It is considerable what wisdome and counsell is here in warre Satan foiled man and subdued him as his vassall and slave to the condemnation hee himselfe was under and Man must be king lord and Judge over Devils Angels who envied Mans happinesse and destroyed mankind must appeare personally be arraigned sentenced and condemned before the Man Christ. Man was shut out of Paradise by the envie of Angels now hath the Man Christ the keyes of Paradise of heaven and hell and death and the grave Christs garments are wet and stained not with Edoms bloud Esai 62. but to borrow the expression hee goeth to heaven in triumph and his apparell red with Angel-bloud and so leadeth captivity it self captive Other Warriours take away the life of the living but he taketh away the life of death it selfe Others subdue captives never one save the Man Christ subdued captivity Consid. 4. Victory over Devils by the man Christ is more glorious then if God had interposed absolute Soveraignity and Power because mercie grace truth justice are the sweet ingredients going out with the bloud of God in it and omnipotencie is much seene in that one little despised man of clay totally routâth and destroyeth Satan and many legions so that though Devils keepe the fields and dayly sight yet thây can never make head againe against Christ nor win one battle or pull one captive out of Christs hand Consid. 5. Heaven is not conquered againe nor Hell and Devils subdued by a sudden surprise or a stratageme but in faire warres and in an open set battell Coloss. 2.15 Hee on the Crosse made a shew openly and triumphed over Devils Vse 1. If God onely know the heart and its secrets and Men and Angels cannot we should aime and studie sinceritie one witnesse of integritie here is more then millions of witnessâs this one witnesse the Searcher of hearts will cast a man though he had a jury of Angels to absolve him and all the men on earth were on the Inquest and Assise to carry him up above the skies and the heaven of heavens as more innocent then all the Angels and if Angels all Angels and men were on you jury to condemne you to be as foule and guiltie as the Prince of Devils yet Rom. 8. If yee be in Christ. Vers. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Vers. 34. Who is he that condemneth Rest upon the Testimony of no man there bee thousands faire and and spotlesse standing before the Throne whom the World condemned to hell as foule and black wee may instance in Jesus Christ his Apostles and the Martyrs of Christ and thousands the blind world have written in heaven amongst the stars and Gods above the clowds in the Quire of Angels as Augustus Caesar and thousands of these whom Jesus Christ did never owne but as enemies O what is the worth and price of a conscience sprinkled in the bloud of the Lambe And what a precious voice is the testimony of the Spirit And what a valide Passe and a Magna Charta a noble testificate is that in heaven and eternity if Jesus Christ say Behold a true Jsraelite indeed in whom is no guile Vse 2. What is light and knowledge though you had as much as the Devils have who are torches and lamps of hell for knowledge if all your wisdome be against Christ It s a black commendation Jer. 4.22 My people are foolish they have not knowne me they are sottish children and they have no understanding Yet
not wearied thee with incense Jer. 2.5 What iniquity have your fathers found in me Micah 6.3 O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me It is strange that sinners can see a black spot on the Lords faire face or that their will that is nearer of kin to reason then the affections that are in beasts should be averse to God yet it is said of wicked men that they are haters of God Rom. 1.30 His citizens hated him Luk. 19.14 Joh. 15.24 And especially these speeches carry allusion to Ps. 81.11 Israel would have none of me ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Israel had no liking of me no will of me So that weakenesse simply is not the nearest cause of our not comming to Christ but wilfull weaknesse or rather weak-wilfulnesse 1. Because in agents that cannot worke there impotencie or lownesse of nature is the cause as the reason why a horse cannot discourse as a man is because his nature is inferiour to the reasonable nature of a man and not because the Horse will not but because he cannot discourse The cause why a lump of clay casts not such light in the night as a candle or a starre in the firmament is the basenesse and opacitie of the nature of clay to produce such an action as to give light there is not such a thing as will in the clay which intervenes between its nature and the no-giving light in the night But men hearing the Gospell doe not beleeve not only because they cannot for beasts cannot beleeve but because as Christ saith They will not beleeve Joh. 5.40 They will have none of Christ. Psal. 81.11 They will not have Christ to reigne over them Luk. 19.14 And will intervenes betweene the impotencie of their will and their disobedience 2. Because that hatred of God and of Christ ascribed to unregenerate men Rom. 1.30 Luk. 19.14 Joh. 15.24 is the birth that lay in the wombe of Will and comes from Will as Will and not onely from Will as weake so mens delighting and their loving to be estranged from Christ and to satisfie themselves with other lovers beside Christ are high bended acts of the Will Which argueth that not onely weaknesse but wilfulnesse hath influence in mens unbeliefe 3. The Lord chargeth men with this Matth. 23.37 I would yee would not 4. Conscience taketh it on its will and fathers disobedience on the will 1. Sam. 8.19 Nay but we shall or we will have a King Jer. 44.16 The people avow their will and peremptory resolution is we will not hearken to thee 6. But for the ground reason and cause on Christs part of drawing it is free grace and only free grace which are holden forth in these Positions Pos. 1. As there is no merit good deserving worke or hire in the miserable sinner dying in his bloud dead in sinnes out of his wit and disobedient deceived and serving divers Lusts Ezech. 16.4 5 6 7 8. Ephes. 2.1 2 3 4. Tit. 3.3 4. So there is as much love mankindnesse and free grace in heaven in the breast of Christ as would save all in hell or out of hell I speake this in regard not of the Lords intention as if he did beare all and every one of mankind a good will purposing to save them But because their lyes and flowes such a Sea and Ocean of infinite love about the heart and in the bowels of Jesus Christ as would over-save and out-love infinite worlds of sinners so all could come and draw and drinke and suck the breasts of overflowings of Christs free grace in regard of the intrinsecall weight and magnitude of this love that if you appoint banks to channell or marches to bound this free love God should not bee God nor the Redeemer the Redeemer Pos. 2. Could any created eye of Men or Angels reach or compasse the thousand thousand part of this love with one look such an act of adoration and admiration must follow thereupon as should breake the soule and breast of this creature in a thousand pieces but Christ in heaven and out of heaven is hid Infinitenesse is a secret that Angels or Men never did never shall comprehensively know there is a secret of love seene in heaven but never seene how little of the Sea doe our naturall eyes behold Onely the superfice We see but a little part of the skinne or hide of the visible heavens with our bodily eyes but so much as is seene is of exceeding beauty No eye bodily can see the bottome of the Seas or the large in-fields in the visible heavens If the infinite lumpe of the boundlesse love of Christ were seene at once what a heavens wonder what a worlds miracle would Christ appeare to bee But as much of Christ is seene as vessels of glory though wide enough can comprehend But if Angels and glorified Saints see much of Christ and so accordingly as they see and know doe praise him and yet cannot over-praise and out-sing so much as they see and if the in-side of infinitenesse of love free grace mercy majesty dominion be an everlasting Mystery Angels and Men are below merit even in heaven and Angels and Saints must be ashamed of and blush at the imagination of merits for an infinite lovely Majesty seen and not praised nor loved in any measure of equality or commensuration to his dignity and worth must lay infinite though sinlesse debt for eternity on all the Citizens of glory whether home-borne or natives of that Countrey as elect Angels or adopted strangers as glorified Saints Pos. 3. The manner of graces working on Saints is gracious and so essentially free as is evident in our first drawing to Christ when many sins are forgiven and so the soule loves much and the sweetest burden in heaven or out of heaven is a burden of the love of Christ All debt must be a burden to an ingenuous spirit but the debt of free grace that lieth from eternity on Angels and Men is a lovely and a desireable paine That men before they were men and had being and before all eternity were in the bosome of Christ the ingaged debters of the Lambe in the purpose of free grace loved with an everlasting love is a deepe thought of love and that being was gratious being before actuall being speaketh and cryeth much love and it s the floure the glory the crowne of free grace that Gods free love in Christ casteth forth the warming rayes and beames of the Redeemers kind heart on men who are enemies darkenesse haters of God dead in sinne dying in blood and pollution And how broad how warme and how ranckly must the faire and large skirts of Christs love smell of admirable grace when they are spred over the bleeding the loathsome the blacke and unwashen sinner is not every word a heaven Ez. 16.8 Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was
Libertines doe us from which wee are as farre as the East from the West Propos. â It is not our doctrine but the weakenesse of sinners and of the flesh that we should be shie to Christ and stand aloofe from the Physitian because of the desperate condition of our disease This is as if one should say it is not fit for the naked to goe to him who offereth white linnen to cloath him nor that the poore should goe to him who would be glad you would take his fine gold off his hand or to say set not a young plant but let it lye above earth till you see if it beare fruit Unworthinesse in the court of justice is a good plea why Christ should cast us off but unworthynesse felt though not savingly is as good a ground to cast your selfe on Christ as poverty want and weakenesse in place of a Statute and act of Parliament to beg though the letter of the Law forbid any to beg Propos. 4. Acting and doing thouâh neither savingly nor soundly is not merit of grace yet not contrary to grace to obey the law of nature to give almes is not against grace Libertines should not reject this though it be not all but a most poore All to engage Christ. Propos. 5. Faith is a morall condition of life eternall and wrought in us by the free grace of God I never saw a contradiction between a condition wrought by irresistible grace and the gift or free grace of life eternall for life eternall given in the law and Adams doing and performing by the irresistible acting and assisting of God are not contrary yet the former was never merit but grace the latter was Legall doing Propos. 6. We doe receive the promise of willing and doing wrought immediatly in us according to the good will and most free grace of Christ and yet we are agents and worke under Christ. Propos. 7. Luther for I could fill a booke with citations Calvine and all our Protestant Divines are for qualifications voyd of merit or promise before conversion and for gracious conditions after conversion under the Gospel Antinomians belie Luther Propos. 8. Antinomians yeeld the preaching of the Law and preparations before conversion and conditions after and peace from signes of sanctification c. yet they are to be reputed enemies to grace and holinesse and turne all sanctification in their imaginary faith and justification of which they are utterly ignorant Never Antinomian knew rightly what free justification is Propos. 9. Immediate resting on Christ for all wee doe and drawing of comfort from the testimony of a good conscience are not contrary Propos. 10. Holinesse idolized or trusted in is to make Christ the alone Saviour no Saviour Propos. 11. God is not provoked to reprobate whom hee elected from eternity by new sins yet is hee displeased with Davids adultery so farre as to correct him for it and Solomon for his back-sliding with the rod of men Propos. 12. Works before justification please not God but it followes not that God keeps not such an order as sense of sin though not saving should goe before pardon and conversion no more then because Adams sin pleased not God therefore it should not goe before the Sons taking on our flesh If we are not to doe nor act any thing before conversion neither to heaâe conferre know our sinfull condition nor be humbled for sin despaire of salvation in our selves because these are not merits before conversion nor can they procure conversion to us neither are wee after conversion to beleeve for beleeving cannot merit righteousnessâ and lâfe eternall nor are we to heare pray be patient rejoyce in trâââlation for not any of these can procure life eternall to us And why is not the doing of the one as wâll as the other a seeking righteousnesse in our selves Propos. 13. The promise of Christs comming in the flesh 2. and of giving a new heart are absolute promises the former requireth no order of providence but that sin goe before redemption the latter requireth an order of providence not of any Gospel-promise or merit in any sort there nâver was never can be merit betwâen a meere creature and God Propos. 14. There is no faith no act of Christs coyn or of the right stamp before justification Propos. 15. Wee are justified in Christ virtually as in the publike Head when hee rose again and was justified in the Spirit 2. In Christ as hâs merits are ãâã cause of our justification 3. In Christ apprehended by faâth formâlly in the Scriptures sense in the Epistle to the Romanes and Galathians not that faith is the formall cause or any merit in justification but because it layâs âold on impâted riâââeoâsnesse which is the formall cause of our justiââcaâion 4. We are justified in our own sense and feeling not by faith ãâã because wee may beleeve and neither know that wee bâlâeve nor be sensible of our justification but as wee know that wee beleeve whether this knowledge result from the lighâ of faith or from signes as meanes of our knowledge 5. Juââiâication by way of declaration to others is not so infallible as that the Scripture calls it justification properly so named Object 8. I was sixthly in hearing the word shined upon by a sweet witnessing of the Spirit But O how I did strive against this work I was called upon but I put away all promises of mercy from me I may justly say The Lord saved me whether I would or no. Sometimes I was dead and could not pray sometimes so quickened that me thought that I could have spent a whole night in prayer to God Answ. 1. If the faith of the eternall love of free election was his first conversion no wonder hee was shined upon with light But it was not Scripture-light but wild-fire for the method of Christs drawing in the Scripture is not Enthusiasticall up at secret election at first There is no doubt wee put Christ away from us after conversion Cant. 5.1 and that so Christ saves us against our will That the principle of saving is free grace 2. that free will is neither free nor willing till Christ first draw us till hee renew and work upon the will But I feare Antinomians will have free will a block to doe nothing at all If Christ will let me sinne say they let him look to it upon his honour be it And Faith justifies an unbeleever that is that faith that is in Christ justifieth me who have no faith in my selfe And It is legall to say wee act in the strength of Christ. And To take delight in the holy service of God is to goe a whoring from God And A man may not be exhorted to any duty because hee hath no power to doe it And The Spirit acts most in the Saints when they endeavour least And In the conversion of a sinner the faculties of the soule and working thereof are
destroyed and made to cease Yea saith the Bright Starre cap. â pag. 20. The naked influence of God annihilates all the acts of the soule Cap. 4. pag. 28. Boyling desires after Christ savours too much of action hindereth the soule to be perfectly illuminated and to arise to the rosie kisses and chaste embraces of her Bridegrome See Theolog. German cap. 5. pag. 9 10. and In place of them the Holy Ghost works And this Author saith The Spirit of adoption works not freely when men are in bondage to some outward circumstances of worship as time place or persons that thây cannot pray but at such houres or in such places c. Protestant Divines teach no such thing But his aime is to set on foot the Familists Doctrine That wee are not bound to keep a constant course of prayer in our Families or privately unlesse the Spirit stirre us up thereunto Saltmarsh saith hee thought hee could have spent a whole night in prayer but 1. whether hee did so or no hee expresseth not lest hee should contradict his Brethren the Familists of New-England who teach That to take delight in the service of God is to goe a whoring from God 2. It would be asked Whether this sit was on him before or after his conversion To say before would seeme a delusion or a preparation of eminency if after conversion it s to no purpose except to be a mark of a converted man And Antinomians have no stomack to Marks nor belongs it to the way of his conversion which hee relates It is true wee cannot tye the Spirit to our houres but then all the Lords-day-worship all set houres at morn or at night in private or in families set times and houres for the Churches praying preaching heating conference reading were unlawfull for wee cannot stint the Spirit to a set time nor are wee tyed to time except to the Christian Sabbath Some may say It s no charity to impute Familists errors of New-England to Antinomians here Answ. Seeing Saltmarsh and others here doe openly owne Antinomian Doctrine as the way of Free grace they are to be charged with all those till they cleare themselves or refute those blasphemies which they have never done to this day Object 9. I seldome desired pardon of sin till I were fitted for mercies but now I see wee are pardoned freely O rest not in your owne duties Answ. To desire pardon of sin before we be sitted for pardon by no Divinity is contrary to free pardon though such desires be fruitlesse as coming from no gracious principles Asser. 8. To beleeve and take Christ because I am a needy sinner is one thing and to beleeve because I am fitted for mercy and humbled is another thing This latter wee disclaime Preparations are no righteousnesse of ours nor is it our Doctrine to desire any to rest on preparations or to make them causes foundations or formalia media formall meanes of faith they hold forth the meere order and method of graces working not to desire pardon but in Gods way of fore-going humiliation is nothing contrary but sweetly subordinate to free pardon And to cure too suddenly wounds and to honey secure and proud sinners and sweeten and oyle a Pharisee and to reach the Mediators bloud to an unhumbled soule is but to turne the Gospel into a charme and when by Magick you have drawne all the bloud out of the sick mans veines then to mixe his bloud with sweet poyson and cause him drinke and swell and say you have made him healthie and fat Now Peter Act. 2. poured vinâger and wine at first on the wounds of his hearers when hee said Yee murthered the Lord of glory and they were pricked in their heart This is the Law 's work Rom. 3. to condemne and stop the sinners mouth And you cannot say that Peter failed in curing too suddenly because hee preached first the Law to wound and prick them for that they crucified the Lord of glory before hee preached the Gospel of beleefe and Baptisme And the Lord rebuking Saul from heaven convincing him of persecution casting him downe to the ground striking him blind while hee trembled And the Lords dealing with the Jayler was fourer work then proposing and pouring the Gospel oyle and honey of freâly imputed righteousnesse in their wounds at the first and a close unbottoming them of their own righteousnesse And the Lords way of justifying Jews and Gentiles is a Law-way as touching the order Rom. 3. Having proved all to be under sin Vers. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. hee saith Vers. 19. Now wee know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God Indeed if they be convinced of sin by the Spirit and so converted and yet under trouble of mind a pound of the Gospel for one ounce weight of the Law is fit for them But Antinomians erre not knowing the Scriptures in dreaming that converted soules are so from under the Law that they have no more to doe with the Law no more then Angels and glorified Saints so as the letter of the Gospel doth not lead them but some immediate acting of the Spirit And that 2. there is no commandement under the Gospel but to beleeve onely That 3. mortification and new obedience as M. Town and others say is but faith in Christ and not abstinence from worldly lusts that warre against the soule 4. That the Gospâl commandeth nothing but perswadeth rather that we may be Libertines and serve the flesh and beleeve and be saved 5. That God hath made no covenant with us under the Gospel the Gospel is all promise that wee shall be carried as meere patients to heaven in a chariot of love 6. That the way is not strait and narrow but Christ hath done all to our hands 7. That its Legall not Gospel-conversion to keep the soule so long under the Law for humiliation contrition and confession and then bring them to the Gospel whereas wee teach that the Law purely and unmixed without all Gospel is not to be used as a dyet-potion onely to purge never to let the unconverted heare one Gospel-promise It is true Peter preached not Law to Cornelius nor Philip to the Eunuch nor Ananias to Paul but these were all converted afore-hand Wee think the unconverted man knowes neither contrition nor confession aright But I was more confirmed that the way of Antinomians is for the flesh not for the Gospel when I read that M. Crispe expounding Confession 1. Joh. 1. maketh it no humble acknowledging that the sinner in person hath sinned and so is under wrath eternall if God should judge him but hee maketh it a part of faith by which a sinner beleeveth and confesseth that Christ payed for his sin and hee is pardoned in him Sure Confession in Scripture is no such thing
come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Ch. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Acts 13.39 And by him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which yee could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 16.30 The Jaylor saith to Paul and Silas what must I doe to be saved Vers. 31. And they said beleeve on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy houshold There is an expresse required of the Jaylor which he must performe if he would be saved And Rom. 10. looke as a condition is required in the Law Vers. 5. For Moses describeth the righteousnesse of the Law that the man that doth these things shall live by them So beleeving is required as a condition of the Gospel Vers. 6. But the righteousnesse which is of Faith c. Ver. 9. Saith that if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 3.27.28.29.30 ch 4. ch 5. Faith is the condition of the Covenant of Grace and the only condition of Justification and of the title right and claime that the Elect have thorow Christ to life eternall Holy walking as a witnesse of faith is the way to the possession of the kingdome As Rom. 2.6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds Vers. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternall life Vers. 8. To them that are contentious Vers. 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that doth evill of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Matth. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Ver. 33. For I was hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirstie and ye gave me drink c. And let Antinomians say we are freed from the Law as a rule of holy walking sure the Gospel and the Apostles command the very same duties in the letter of the Gospel that Moses commanded in the letter of the Law as that children obey their parents servants their masters that we abstaine from murther hatred of our brother stealing defrauding lying c. that we keepe our selves from Idols swearing strange gods I doe not say that these duties are commanded in the same way in the Gospel as in the Law For sure we are out of a principle of Evangelike love to render obedience and our obedience now is not Legall as commanded by Moses in strict termes of Law but as perfumed oyled honeyed with the Gospel-sense of remission of sinnes the tender love of God in Christ. So that wee justly challenge two extreme waies both blasphemous as we conceive 1. Arminians object to us that which the Antinomians truely teach to wit that we destroy all precepts commands exhortations and active obedience in the Gospel and render men under the Gospel meere blocks and stones which are immediately acted by the Spirit in all obedience and freed from the Letter of both Law and Gospel as from a Legall bondage This we utterly disclaime and doe obtest and beseech Antinomians as they love Christ and his truth to cleare themselves of this which to us is vilde Libertinisme And by this Arminians turne all the Gospel in literalem gratiam in a Law-Gospel in meere golden letters and sweet-honeyed commandements of Law-precepts and will have the Law possible justification by works conversion by the power of free will and morall suasion really without the mighty power of the Spirit and Gospel-grace and receive the doctrine of merit and set heaven and hell on new Polls to be rolled about as Globes on these two Poles the nilling and willing of free-will and they make grace to be sweet words of silke and gold on the other hand Antinomians doe exclude words letter-perswasions our actions conditions of Grace promises written or preached from the Gospel and make the Spirit and celestiall rapts immediate inspirations the Gospel it selfe and turne men regenerate into blocks and how M. Den can be both an Antinomian and loose us from the Law and an Arminian defending both universall attonement and the resistible working of grace and so subject us to the Law and to the doctrine of Merit and make us lords of our owne faith and conversion to God let him and his followers see to it Wee goe a middle way here and doe judge the Gospel to bee an Evangelike command and a promising and commanding Evangel and that the Holy Ghost graceth us to doe and the Letter of the Gospel obligeth us to doe Pos. 3. The decree of Election to glory may bee said to bee more free and gracious in one respect and justification and glorification and conversion more free in another respect and all the foure of meere free grace For Election as the cause and fountaine-grace is the great mother the wombe the infinite spring the bottomlesse ocean of all grace and wee say effects are more copiously and eminently in the cause then in themselves as water is more in the element and fountaine then in the streames the tree more in the life and sapp of life then in the branches and conversion and justification have more freedome and more of grace by way of extension because good will stayeth within the bowels and heart of God in free election but in conversion and justification infinite love comes out and here the Lord giveth us the great gift even himselfe Christ God the darling the delight the onely onely well-beloved of the Father and he giveth Faith to lay hold on Christ and the life of God and all the meanes of life in which there be many divided acts of grace to speake so which were all one in the wombe of the election of grace Pos. 4. Conversion justification are free for election and therefore election is more free but all these as they are in God are equally free and are one simple good will Though Christ justifie and crowne none but such as are quallified with the grace of beleeving yet beleeving is a condition that removeth nothing of the freedome of grace 1. Because it worketh nothing in the bowels of mercy and the free grace of God as a motive cause or moving condition that doth extract acts of grace out of God only we may conceive this order that Grace of electing to glory stirres another wheele to speak so of free love to give Faith effectuall calling justification and eternall glory 2. It s no hire nor work at all nor doth it justifie as a worke but onely lay hold on the Lord our righteousnesse Object There is more of God in election to glory then in giving of Faith or at least of Christs righteousnesse and eternall glory therfore there must bee more grace in the one then in
though no penall power was above Christs head to punish him if he should not dye Joh. 10.18 Nor was there need of any power to force him sub penâ or to awe him if hee should not obey so doe Angels with wings of most exact willingnesse obey God yet are they under the authority of a Law and command but yet under no compelling punishment Psalm 103.20.21 Psalm 104.4 So in the Saints love hath changed the chaines not the subjection Love hath made the Law silken cords and whereas corrupt will was a wicked Landlord and lust a lawlesse tyrant and the Law had a dominion over the sinner in regard of the curse Now the Spirit leades the will under the same commanding power of the Law-giver frees the sinner from the curse and turnes forcing and cursing power in fetters of love so that the Spirit draws the will sweetly to obey the same Lord the same law onely Christ hath taken the rod out of the Lawes hand and the rod was broken and spent on his own back The fewd betweene the Law and the sinner is not so irreconcilable as the Antinomians conceive so as it cannot bee removed except the Law be destroyed and the sinners free will loosed from law It standeth in blessing and cursing salvation and damnation that are effects of the Law as observed or violated Now Christ was made a curse and condemned to die for the sinner all the rest of the Law remaines It is most false that M. Towne saith To justifie and condemne are as proper and essentiall to the Law as to command 2. It is false that wee are freed from active obedience to the Morall Law because Christ came under active obedience to the Morall Law for the Law required obedience out of love Antinomians cannot say that wee are freed from obedience out of love for it is cleare Antinomians will have us oblieged by no Law to love our brother to abstaine from worldly lusts that warre against the soule but in so doing wee must seek to be justified by the works of the Law This consequence wee deny To keep one Ceremony of Moses drawes a bill on us of debt to keep all the Ceremoniall Law because now its unlawfull in any sort But to doe the duties of the Morall Law as by Christ wee are enabled layes no such debt on us but testifies our thankfulnesse to Christ as to our Husband and Redeemer The other considerable thing here is the way and manner of Christs drawing Asser. 1. The particular exact knowledge of the Lords manner of drawing of sinners may be unknowne to many that are drawn 1. In the very works of nature the growing of bones in the womb is a mystery farre more the way of the Spirit Eccles. 11.5 Know yee the ballancing of the clouds Job could not answer this And who knowes how the Lord patched together a peece of red clay and made it a fit shape to receive an heavenly and immortall spirit and at what window the soule came in 2. How God with one key of omnipotency hath opened so many millions of doores sinâe the Creation and hath drawne so many to him must be a mystery There be many sundry locks and many various turnings and throwings of the same key and but one key 1. Some Christ drawes by the heart as Lydia Matthew Love sweetly and softly bloweth up the doore and the King is within doores in the floore of the house before they be aware Others Christ trailes and draggeth by violence rather by the haire of the head then by the heart as the Jayler Act. 16. and Saul Act. 9. who are plunged over eares in hell and pulled above water by the haire of the head sure thousands doe weare a crowne of glory before the throne who were never at making of themselves away by killing themselves as the Jayler was A third sort know they are drawne but how or when or the Mathematicall point of time they know not some are full of the Holy Ghost from the womb as John Baptist. Yee must not cast off all nor must Saints say they are none of Christs because they cannot tell you histories and wonders of themselves and of their owne conversion some are drawne by miracles some without miracles the word of God is the Road-way Arminians have no ground to deny that wee are irresistibly converted because wee know not the particular way how Omnipotency conspireth strongly but sweetly to win consent without internall violence of our will which so wills as it may refuse Joh. 9. diverse times the Jewes aske the blind man What did hee to thee how opened hee thine eyes Hee gives them one sure and true Answer One thing I know once I was blind now I see All can give this testimony early or late I know I am drawn It s good the soule can say Christ is here I find him and feele him but whether hee came in at the doore or the window or digged a hole in the wall I know not All may know they were blind as well as others and by nature the children of wrath as yee know Adam hath had a building in you though now yee be renewed in the spirit of the mind by the old stones and rubbish in the house and by the stirrings of the old man When yee see the bones of a halfe dead man and his grave and find some warmnesse of life and heat yee know there hath been life and strength in the man so though yee cannot tell when Christ was first formed in you yet yee find the bones and some warme bloud and some life-stirring of concupiscence in the old man though Christ have made his grave and hee be well neare compleatly buried and his one foot in the grave God hath appointed a time for the coming of the Swallow a season when flowers shall be on the earth and when not an houre when the sea shall be full tyde but there is no set day not a determinate and set summer known to us when the wind shall blow up doores and locks of the soule and Christ shall come in But yet they are not Christs who neither know how they are drawn nor can give any proofs that they are drawne The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.12 Now wee have received not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God The converted can say I was such a man 1 Tim. 1.13 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but I obtained mercy or I was all be-mercied filled with mercy As Ezek. 16. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Thy time was a time of loves As a constellation is not one single starre but many so the converted soule observeth a confluence a bundle an army of free loves all in one cluster meeting and growing upon one stalk As to be borne where the voyce of the Turtle is heard in the land its free love to heare such
a Sermon free love that the man spake such an excellent word free love that I was not sleeping when it was spoken free love that the Holy Ghost drove that word into the soule as a nayle fastened by the Master of the assembly it was free mercy so that there 's a meeting of shining favours of God in obtaining mercy and this would be observed Asser. 2. There be two ordinary wayes of God in drawing sinners one Morall by words another Physicall and reall by strong hand Which may be cleared thus Fancie led with some gilding of apparent or seeming good as hope of food doth allure and draw the bird to the grin and sometime pleasure as a glasse and the singing of the Fowler So is fish drawne to nibble at the angle and lines cast out hoping to get food Now this is like Morall drawing in men and all this is but objective working on the fancy But when the foot and wing of the bird is entangled with the net and the fish hath swallowed down the bait and an instrument of death under it now the Fowler draweth the bird and the Fisher the fish a farre other way even by reall violence The Physician makes the sick child thirsty then allures him to drink physick under the notion of drink to quench his thirst this is morall drawing of the child by wiles But when the child hath drunk the drink works not by wiles or morally but naturally without freedome and whether the child will or no it purgeth head and stomack That there is a Morall working by the word in the drawing of sinners to Christ though most evident yet must be proved against Antinomians and Enthusiasts who write That the whole letter of the Scripture holds forth a covenant of works And The due search and knowledge of the holy Scripture is not a safe and sure way of searching and finding Christ. And There is a testimony of the Spirit and voyce unto the soule meerly immediate without any respect unto or concurrence with the word And Such a faith as is wrought by a practicall Syllogisme or the word of God is but an humane faith because the conclusion followeth but from the strength of reasonings or reason not from the power of God by which alone divine things are wrought Ephes. 1.19 20. Col. 2.20 and that because such a faith wrought by the word the works of sanctification in the regenerate and light of a renewed conscience are all done by things that are created blessings and gifts and these cannot produce that which is onely produced by an Almighty power For the word of it selfe without the Spirit yet the word is more then works of sanctification is but a dead letter but that God works faith by the word his owne Spirit concurring is cleare 1. The Prophets alledge this for their warrant Thus saith the Lord. Ergo You must beleeve it And one more and greater then all the Prophets But I say so Christ God equall with the Father speaketh 2. Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Verse 14. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard It s true the word the works of God are not the principall object of faith nor objectum quod faith rests onely on God and the Lord Jesus Joh. 14.1 1 Thes. 1.8 Your faith toward God 1 Pet. 1.21 Deut. 1.32 Joh. 3.12 Gen. 15.6 Dan. 6.23 Rom. 4.3 Gal. 2.16 2 Tim. 1.12 The word promises and Prophets and Apostles are all creatures and but media fidei the meanes of saving faith they are objectum quo Joh. 5.46 Psal. 106.12 Exod. 4.8 Psal. 78.7 of themselves they are dead letters and dead things and cannot without the Spirit produce faith Yea all habits of grace of faith of love in us are like the streames of a fountaine that would dry up of themselves if the spring did not with a sort of eternity furnish them new supply so would habits of grace being but created things wither in us if they were not supplied from the Fountaine Christ. And all beings created in comparison of the first Being are nothing and all nations to him are lesse then nothing and vanity Isai. 40.17 and so are the infused habits of grace nothing If this were the meaning of Familists and Antinomians who say that there is in us no inherent grace but that grace is onely in Christ we should not contend with them Wee teach no such thing as that Reasonings Syllogismes or the Scriptures without the Spirit can produce Faith yet is it vaine arguing to say raine and dew the Summer-Sunne good soyle cannot bring forth roses floures vines cornes because sure it is a worke of Omnipotencie that produceth all these and so its vaine to say that because Faith is the worke of the omnipotencie of Grace therefore Faith commeth not by hearing and reasoning from Scripture the contrary whereof is evident in Christs proving of the resurrection by consequence from Scripture Mat. 22.31 32. Luk. 20.37 â8 Nor can any say Christ may make discourses from Scripture and his reasonings because he is the King of the Church are valid and may produce faith but we cannot doe the like nor are our reasonings Scriptures for Christ râbuketh the Saduces Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures c. because they beleeved not the consequences of Scripture as Scripture and made not the like discourse for the building of themselves in the faith 3. The searching of the Scriptures is life eternall the onely way to find Christ. Joh. 5.39 Acts 10.43 Rom. 3.21 Esai 8.20 4. Gen. 9.27 God shall perswade Japhet by the Scriptures preached and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem Acts 16.14 Gods opening of the heart and Lydia's hearing and attending to the word that Paul spoke goe together 5. The way of Enthusiasts in rejecting both Law and Gospel and all the written word of God is because there is no light in them Some immediate sense of God and working of the holy Ghost on the soule of the child of God witnessing to me in particular that I am the child of God I deny not and that my name expressely is not in Scripture is as true but this testimony excludeth not the Scripture as if the searching thereof were no safe way of finding Christ as they blasphemously say 1. Because this Enthusiasme excludeth the onely revealed rule by which we trie the Spirits and we are forbidden to presume above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.16 and Enthusiasts have acted murthers and much wickednesse under this notion of inspirations of the Spirit 2. Because if the matter of that which is revealed be not according to the written Word Now after the Scriptrue is signed by Christs owne hand Revel 22.18 I see not what we are to beleeve of these inspirations What extraordinary impulsions and propheticall instincts have been in holy men and such as God hath raised to reforme his
his strength When John saw him thus he was so over-gloried with the beauty and brightnesse of his Majestie that whereas he was wont to leane on his bosome in the daies of his flesh now he is not able to stand and endure one glance of his highest glory but saith he Ver. 17. And when I saw him I fell down at his feet as dead And there was much lovely and tender affection lapped up in this glory when poore John fell a swouning at his feet Christ for all his glory holds his head in his swoune And he laid his right hand on my head saying unto me feare not I am the first and the last I am good for swouning and dying sinners Why I am he that liveth and was dead And behold I live for evermore Would sinners but draw neere and come and see this King Salomon in his chariot of love behold his beautie the uncreated white and red in his countenânce hee would draw soules to him there is omnipotencie of love in his countenance all that is said of him here are but created shadowes aâ words are short to expresse his nature person office lovelynesse desirablenesse What a broad and beautifull face must hee have who with one smile and one turning of his countenance lookes upon all in heaven and all in the earth and casts a heaven of burning love East and West South and North through heaven and earth and filles them all Suppose omnipotencie would inlarge the globe of the world and the heaven of heavens and cause it to swell to the quantity and number of millions of millions of worlds and make it so huge and capacious a vessell and fill it with so many millions of elect Men and Angels and then fill them and all this wide circle with love it would no more come neere to take in Christs lovely beauty then a spoon can containe all the Seas or then a childe can hide in his hand the globe of the world Yea suppose all the cornes of sand in all the earth and shores all the floures all the herbes and all the leaves all the twigs of trees in woods and forrests since the creation all the drops of dew and raine that ever the cloudes send downe all the starres in heaven all the lithes joynts drops of blood haires of all the elect on earth that are have beene or shall be were all rationall creatures and had the wisdome and tongues of Angels to speake of the lovelinesse beauty vertues of Jesus Christ they would in all their expressions stay millions of miles on this side of Christ and his lovelinesse and beauty It is the wicked fleshly disposition of Libertines who turne all the beauty excellency freenesse of grace in Christ to a cloake of licentiousnesse and a liberty of all Religions they highly under-value free-grace as any Hereticks that ever the Church of Christ law who turne all sanctification all the grace of Christ that should be expressed in strict precise accurate walking with God but as farre from merit as grace and and debt as Christs free grace and the condemning Law into a notionall speculative apprehension or rather a presumptuous imagination or Antinomian faith that Christ hath obeyed mortified the lusts of the flesh for the sinner that no Law no commandement of God no letter of the Word obligeth us to walke with God onely an immediate Enthiasticall unwarrantable inspiration of a Spirit without the Word or blasts of love when they come and not but when they come ingageth beleevers to keepe any commandement of God Never Pelagian Jesuit Arminian were such disgracefull enemies to Jesus Christ to free justification and the grace of the Gospel as Antinomians for they make the Law of God and the love of God in commanding holy walking opposite all the doctrine of the New Testament that teacheth and commandeth to deny ungodlinesse all the Old Testament and particularly the 119. Psalme reconcileth the Law commanding to keep the Lords wayes and testimonies and the love of Christ sweetning with delight and joy holy walking as one and the same way of God Vse 2. Again nothing more lesseneth Christ then the heightning of the world in the hearts of men Haman had the scum of the pleasures of 127. Kingdomes yet there was a bone wrong in his foot anger and malice to see Mordecai is a hell to him it s a sweeter burthen to bear the fire and coals of the love of Christ in the heart then the hell of envy in the soule Nay say that all the damned in hell were brought up with their burning and fiery chaines of eternall wrath to the outermost doore of heaven and strike up a window and let them look in and behold the Throne and the Lamb and the troups of glorified ones clothed in white with crowns of gold on their head and palms in their hands shewing their Kingly and victorious condition and let them through a window in heaven hear the musick of the new Song the eternall praises of the conquering King and Redeemer they should not only be sweetned in their paine but convinced of their foolish choise that they hunted with much sweating after carnall delights and lost the fulnesse of joy and pleasures that lasts for evermore in the Lords face Would we beleeve the Spies that have been visiting the new Land that Immanuel God with us is Lord of hear for Moses he was in that Land and he saith Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy helpe and who is the sword of thy excellencie David was there a landed man and what saith he of that new Land that Christ hath found out Psal. 16. Canaan at its best is but a wildernesse to it Vers. 6. The lines are fallen to me in pleasant things or places Then there must be multitudes of pleasures not one only in God My heritage is pleasant above me above my thoughts or I have a goodly heritage Solomon was a messenger who saw both lands and he saith Eccles. 2.13 Then I saw that wisedome excelled folly as far as light exceedeth darknesse And the Spouse saith Cant. 1.12 When the King sitteth at his table my Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof 13. A bundle of Myrrhe is my beloved he shall lie all night between my breasts Cant. 2.4 He brought me to the banquetting house and his banner over me was love All the Song reporteth great things of the Kingdome of Grace Ask of Isaiah What saw ye there he answereth c. 25.6 It is a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow And Ezekiel saith That there shall be a brave summer in that land Chap. 47.12 By the river upon the banke thereof on this side and on that side shall grow all trees for meat whose leafe shall not fade neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed it shall bring forth new
fruit according to his moneth because their waters issued out from the Sanctuary and the fruit thereof shall be for meat and the leaf thereof for medicine This hath reall truth even in the Kingdome of Grace And Jâremiah saw the fruits of the Land and a golden age there Cap. 31.12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Sion and shall flow together to the goodnes of the Lord for wheat and for wine and for oyle and for the young of the flock and of the herd and their soule shall be as a watered garden and they shall not sorrow any more at all and Christ brings good newes out of that countrey Mat. 22. That the life of all there is the life of Banqueters called to the Marriage-feast of a Kings Son of which every one hath a Wedding garment And if yee ask tidings of John What saw ye and heard ye there he saith I saw a Princes daughter with a Crown on her head Rev. 21.10 He shewed me the great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God Even an enemy who saw the land a far off and was not neer the borders of it saith Numb 24.5 How goodly are thy tents O Jacob and thy tabernacles O Israel Surely Prov. 2.10 Knowledge is pleasant to the soule O all ye pleasures of the flesh blush and be ashamed all world-worshippers be confounded that ye toile your selves in the fire for such short follies Were there no other pleasure in godlinesse but to behold the Lord Jesus what a pleasant sight must he be The Templâ thât stately and Kingly house of faire carved stones cedar wood almug trees brasse silver gold scarlet purple silks in the art of the curious fabrick and structure was a wonder to the beholders What beauty must be in the Samplar O what happinesse to stand beside that dainty precious Ark weighted now with so huge a lump of Majestie as infinite glory to see that King on his Throne the Lambe the fair tree of life the branches which cannot for the narrowâess of the place have room to grow within the huge and capacious borders of the heaven of heavens For the heaven of heavens cannot containe him What pen though dipped in the river of life that flowes from under the Sanctuary can write what tongue though shapen out of all the Angels of that high Kingdome and watered with the milk and wine of that good land can sufficienly praise this heart ravishing flour of Angels this heavens wonder the spotlesse and infinitely beautifull Prince the crown the garlanâ the joy of heaven the wonder of wonders for eternity to Men and Angels What a life must it be to stand under the shadow of this precious Tree of Life and to cast up your eyes and see a multitude without quantitie of the Apples of Glory and to put up your hand and not only feel but touch smell see love it selfe and be warmed with the heat of immediate love that comes out from the precious heart and bowels of this princely and Royall Standard-bearer and Leader of the white and glorious troups and companies that are before the Throne If one said but finding the far off dew-drops that falls at so many millions of miles distance from that higher mountain of God down to this low region Psal. 63.5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and faânesse What must the glory it self be that is in this dainty delightfull one we have but the droppings of the house here Vse 3. Naturall men say this Kingdome is a soure sad and weâping Land here is repentance sorrow for sin mortiâication True but teares that wash those lovely feet that were piârced for sinners are teares of honey and wine and the joy of Christs banquetting-house and mortification flowing from a loathing and a soule-surfet of the creature and a tasting of the new wine of Christs Fathers higher palace is rather a piece of the margin and borâer of heaven then a soure and sad life Object 2. But discipline and the rod and censures of Christs house makes the Church terrible as an army with banners Christs yoke is easie hee hath not cords and bands to cut the necks of those that follow him Answ. 1. Yea but this rod is a rod of love onely used that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5.5 for the gaining of the soule Mat. 18.15 for building of soules 2 Cor. 10.8 And Christs cords are silken and soft and bands of love every threed twisted out of the love of Christ. Hos. 11.4 I drew them with the cords of men with the bands of love But consider Psal. 48. The Lords mountaine of holinesse is glorious Vers. 2. Beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion the City of the great King But is it so to all Vers. 5. No But loe the kings were assembled they passed by together they saw it and so they marvelled they were troubled and hasted away Vers. 6. Terror took hold on them and paine as a woman in travell What cause is there here that the kings should be afraid They see a beautifull Princesse the daughter of a glorious King the joy of the whole earth yet the Lords people works on them 1. a wondering 2. more trouble of mind 3. flying they haste away and cannot behold the beauty of God in a Kings daughter 4. terror takes hold on them and quaking of conscience 5. when the Powers of the world Princes States Parliaments see the convincing glory of another world in the Church they part with child for paine It is known some have such antipathy with a Rose which is a pleasant creature of God that the smell of it hath made them fall a swooning Jerusalem is the rebellious City Ezr. 4.12 therefore men are unwilling it should be built Lusts in mens minds either heresies or any other fleshly affection is against the building of the house of God Vse 4. A beleever is a rich man and an honourable say hee were a beggar on the dung-hill Christ cannot be poore and hee is a fellow-heire with Christ Rom. 8.17 We must think the father of a rich heire hath bowels of iron and sucked a Tyger when hee was young who suffereth the heire remaining an heire to starve As the naturall man is but a fragment of clay so hee hath a life like an house let for money and the rent and in-come that the house payes to the Lord of the land is but hungring clay a dead rent and some new-borne vanities of homage and service but the promise the Magna Charta and the Charter of food and raiment that is an article of the Covenant of grace is a full assurance that the Saints are the Noblemen Pensioners of the Prince of the kings of the earth And Christ hath so broad a board that hee doth pay all his Pensioners And the Saints are truly
shee must leave her water-pot and for joy goe and tell tydings in the Citie Come and see I have found the Messiah Christ maketh a short preaching to Magdalen and in his owne way sayeth but Mary and Christ himselfe is in that word her will is fettered with love Peter makes a Sermon Acts 2. and there bee such coales of Paradice in his words that three thousand hearts must be captives to Christ and cry what shall we doe to bee saved Every key is not proportioned to every lock nor every word fit to open the heart But though Christ speake to men in the Grammar of their owne heart and calling I am farre from defending the congruous vocation of Jesuits once maintained by Arminius and his disciples at the conference at Hage but now for shame forsaken by Arminians For the Jesuits take this way asking the Question How commeth it to passe that of two men equally called and drawen to Christ and as they dreame but it is but a dreame affected and instructed with habituall and prevening grace of foure degrees the one man beleeves and is converted the other beleeves not but resists the calling of God They answer Christ calleth and draweth the one man when he foresees he is better disposed and shall obey as his free will being in good blood after sleep and a good banquet and fitter to weigh reasons and compare the way of godlinesse with the other way and he calleth the other though both in regard of grace and nature equall to him that is converted when he foresees he is in that order of providence and accidentall indisposition of sadnesse sleepinesse hunger and extrinsecall dispositions of minde that he shall certainely resist and both these callings are ordered and regulated by the two absolute decrees of Election and Reprobation from eternity The Arminians answer right downe the one is converted because he wills and consents whereas he might if it pleased him dissent and refuse the calling of God and the other is not converted because he will not be converted but refuses whereas he hath as much grace as the other and may if he will draw the actuall co-operaton of grace the habituall he hath equally in as large a measure as the other and be converted and beleeve nor is there any cause of this disparity in the man converted and the man not converted in God in his decree in his free grace but in the wil of the one and the not-willing of the other Our Divines say 1. There never were two men equall in all degrees as touching the measure and ounces of habituall saving internall grace yea that the never converted man had never any such grace 2. That the culpable and morall cause why the one is not converted rather then the other is his actuall resistance and corruption of nature never cured by saving grace but the adequate Physicall and onely separating cause is 1. The decree of free election drawing the one effectually not the other 2. Habituall saving grace seconded with the Lords efficacious actuall working in the one and the Lords denying of habituall and actuall grace to the other not because the will of the creature casts the ballance but because the Lord hath mercie on the one because he will and leaves the other to his owne hardnesse because he will and that the separting cause is not from the running willing and sweating of the one and the not-running and not-willing of the other but from the free unhired independent absolute grace of Christ. But the Jesuites congruous calling we utterly reject 1. Because this is the Pelagian way sacrilegiously robbing the grace of God for the Lord fore-seeth this man placed in such circumstances and course of providence will beleeve the other will not because he will do so and the other will not do so and both the placing of the one in such an opportunity and his willing beleeving and the other mans nilling not beleeving is in order before the fore-knowledge and far more before the decree of God and his actuall grace and therefore free-will is the cause why the one is converted not the other for both had equall habituall grace and the one is not to give thanks for his conversion comparatively more then the non-converted but to thank his owne free-will 2. The object of their fancy of their new middle science is a foreseen providence of the conversion of all that are willing to be converted and voluntary perseverance in grace and the non-conversion and finall impenitency of all the wicked that are willing to refuse Christ and these two goe before the prescience before the decrees of election and reprobation so as God is necessitated to chuse these and no other and to passe by these and no other what ever hath a future being before any decree of God cannot by any decree be altered or otherwise disposed of then it is to be So the Lord in all things decreed and that come to passe contingently must have nothing but an after-consent and an after-will to approve them when they were now all future before his decree this is to spoile God of all free will free decrees liberty and soveraignty in his decrees and that mens free will may be free and Independent to lay Gods freedome of Election and Reprobation under the creatures feet 3. Jesuites dream that Christ cannot conquer the will to a free consent except he lie in wait to catch the man when he hath been at a fat banquet after cups hath slept well is merry and when he sees the man is in a good blood then he drawes and invites and so catches the man and when he seeth the reprobate in a contrary ill blood though he seriously will and intend their salvation and gave his son to die for them yet then he draws when he foresees they by the dominion of free-will shall refuse and he drawes neither after nor before but at the time when he knowes free will is under such an ill houre as it freely came under without any act of Gods providence and free decree and in the which the called and drawn man shall certainly spit on Christ and resist the calling of God But this resolves heaven and hell salvation and damnation into such good or ill humours and orders of providence as a banquet no banquet a crabbed disposition or a merrie whereas grace which by an omnipotent and insuperable power removes the stony heart can more easily remove these humours and win the consent when the man is decreed for glory and besides that all men unconverted and in their own Element of corrupt nature are ill to speak to and in a sinfull blood of resisting except Christ tread upon their iron neck and subdue it and he spreads the skirts of his love over Jerusalem at the worst Ezek. 16.6.8 Scripture is silent of such a manner of drawing and the grace of Christ and his decree lyes under no
complaining would be examined Seldome or never is it seen that a reprobate man can be in sad earnest heavie in heart touching his deadnesse of heart and fruitlesse hearing of the word of God thirty or fourty yeares and withall if there be a dram of sincerity the least graine of Christ as if the soule doe but look afarre-off with halfe an eye yet greedily after the Lord Jesus it s a sweet beginning It s true a talent weight of iron or sand is as weighty as a talent weight of gold but in a Saint an ounce weight of grace hath more weight then a pound of corruption It is no Gospel-truth that Antinomians teach That God loves no man lesse for sin or no man more for inherent holinesse It s true of the love of election and reconciliation in the work of justification but most false of the love of divine manifestation in the work of sanctification as is cleare Joh. 14.21 23. Nor are men by this taught to seek righteousnesse in themselves because they are commanded to try and examine themselves as 1 Cor. 11.28 2 Cor. 13.5 4. Such soules would upon any termes be brought to reason and debate the question with Christ that as the Law may stop their mouth before God so mercy may stop the mouth of the Law and sin and it may convincingly be cleared that though scarlet or crimson can by no art be made white yet Christ who is above art can make them white Isai. 1.18 as wooll and snow And therefore such would be brought in an high esteeme and deep judgement of Christs fairnesse beauty excellency incompatable and transcendent worth and though a soule have a too high esteeme of his sins yet say that hee dies with an high esteeme of Jesus Chriât hee is in no danger for faith is but a swelled an high and broad opinion and thought of the incomparable excellency and sweetnesse of Jesus Christ. Vse 8. This powerfull drawing teacheth humble thankefulnesse 1. The most harmelesse and innocent sinner must bee in Christs book for the debt of ten thousand Talents 2. The sense of drawing grace is mighty ingaging every act of thankfull obedience should come out of this wombe as the birth and child of the felt love of God Christ did bid such a man battell 2. He was Christs enemy when he took him 3. It cost Christ blood he died to conquer an enemie Rom. 5.10 4. He kept the taken enemy alive he might have killed him he gave him more then quarters he made a captive a King Rev. 1.6 Suppose we Christ should in his own person come locally down to hell and look upon so many thousands scorching and flaming in that unsufferable lake of fire and brimstone if he should cull out by the head and name so many thousands of them even while they were spitting on Christ blaspheming his name and scratching his face and should loose off the fetters of everlasting vengeance and draw them from amongst millions of damned Spirits lay them in his bosome carry them to heaven set them on Thrones of glory crown them as Kings to raigne with him for evermore Would they not be shamed and overcome with this love kisse and adore so free a Redeemer and thus really hath Christ dealt with sinners look on your debts written in Christs grace-book would not such a redeemed one praise his Ransomer and say O if every finger every inch of a bone every lith every drop of blood of my body every hair of my head were in an Angels perfection to praise Iesus Christ O the weight of the debt of love O the gold Mynes and the depths of Christs free love 3. Consider what expressions vessels of grace have used of free grace how far below grace Paul sets himself lo here Eph. 3.8 To me who am 1. Lesse then a Saint 2. Not that only but lesse then the least 3. Lesse then the least of Saints But 4. yet a little lower lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Gospell riches is grace and mercy but there is a great abundance of it it s a speech from quick-sented hounds who have neither footstep nor trace nor sent left them of the game they pursue Christ defies men and Angels to trace him in the wayes of grace So Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an injurious person ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but I was be-mercied as if dipt in a river in a Sea of mercy Vers. 14. And the grace of the Lord Jesus to me was abundant No that is to low a word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã his grace was more or over-abundant one Paul obtained as much grace even so whole and compleat a ransome without diminishing as would have saved a world Rom. 5.15 If through the offence of one many bee dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the word is exceedingly to abound and borrowed from fountaines and rivers which have flowed with waters since the creation but there is a higher word Vers. 12. Where sinne abounded grace farre more or exceedingly over-abounded or more then over-abounded ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And Vers. 21. Sin reigned unto death that grace might reigne unto life ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that Christs grace might play the King The saving knowledge of God under the Kingdome of the Messiah Esai 11.9 fills the earth as the Sea is covered with waters A Sea of Faith and a Earthfull of the grace of saving light and a Sunne sevenfold as the light of seven dayes Esai 30.26 hold forth to us a large measure of grace and righteousnessâ and peace like a river and the waves of the sea Esai 48.18 All these say Christ is no niggard of grace And 4. can they not weare and out-spend their harps who fall downe before the Lambe Revel 14. and Revel 5.8 Who with a loude voice praise the grace of God Vers. 12. For ever and ever Consider if it must not be a loud voice when ten thousand times ten thousand and thousand thousands all joyne in one song to extoll grace if we be not in word and deed obliged to expresse the vertues and praises of him who hath called us from darkenesse to his marveilous light Vers. 32. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men to me Article II. The next thing we consider is the person that drawes I sayes Christ I will draw all men to me There is a peculiar aptitude in Jesus Christ to drawe sinners to himselfe 1. As concerning his person he is fit for neither is the Father nor the Holy Ghost in person Lord Redeemer but Christ as in the deep of Gods wisdome the Sonne was thought fittest to make Sonnes Galat. 4.4 the heire to communicate the right of heire-ship
which are for us and the soule injoying Christ possesseth Christ and not it selfe loveth Christ not it selfe liveth in Christ not in it selfe injoyeth Christ not it selfe solaceth it selfe in Christ not in it selfe beholdeth Christ and his beauty not it selfe nor his owne beauty so that mind will love desire hope joy sight wondring delighting are all over in Christ not in it selfe And all this further confirmeth the point in hand that Christ crucified and laid hold on by faith is a desirable and a drawing lover PART III. All men I will draw all men The parties drawne to Christ is the third Article in the doctrine of Christs drawing and they are here called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã All men It is a great question betweene us and such as are for universall attonement and grace universall as many Anabaptists in England now are what is meant by All men in which these are to be observed 1. The state of the question 2. The mind of the Adversaries 3. Our minde 4. The clearing of places alledged by the Adversaries 5. The answering of that principall doubt what faith is required of all within the visible Church 6. The uses of the Doctrine Of all these shortly The state of the Question The Question toucheth 1. Gods intention and purpose to save man 2. In chusing some to salvation not others 3. Gods purpose in sending Christ to dye for some not for others The first Article is called universall grace the second conditionall or which to me is all one vniversall election to glory and so no Election The third is the question touching the universalitie of Christs death or a fancied universall attonment made by Christ for all I cannot particularly handle all the three For the first God ingageth all men as Christs debters thus far that it is mercy that they live or have any opportunity of seeking God what ever be the means naturall or super-naturall whereas for the sin of Adam God might by a like justice have destroyed the world and all mankinde vanity is penally inflicted on all the servants for treason of the Master against the King of Heaven and earth but in Christ there be two mitigations 1. One is that the servants are not destroid for the sin of the Master 2. That as the fore-fated Lord is restored so the sick servants groaning under vanity shall bee delivered from that bondage they come under for the sinne of man Rom. 8.20 21 22. Hence it is though we be out-laws by nature that now by a priviledge of grace from the Mediator the Tenents receive and lodge the Master because Christ hath taken off the Statute and Act of forfeiture 2. No man living on earth but he is beholding to Christ though many know him not for common helps of providence and experiences do teach him some more of God by nature 3. The sound of Christ God revealed in the Gospel in the Apostles ministery is declared and is gone to the ends of the earth and to the Nations Psal. 19.4 Rom. 10.18 But some say these words Have they not heard have relation to v. 14. the hearing of the Gospel or the publishing of the glad tidings of the Gospel to all and every one of mankind and must be meant of that same hearing Ans. It relates to hearing of God revealing himselfe in the meanes of salvation say the Adversaries But then the question is Whether these meanes be the preaching of the Gospel or of the same God revealed as Creator by the Sun Moon and Stars who is revealed in the Gospel and salvation by him Now the Sun and Stars and heaven declare the glory of God and sound forth his praises and salvation through Christ by this sense to all and every Nation and to every single person without exception not onely when Paul wrote this to the Romans but when David penned the 19. Psalme what difference then between the Iewes to whom God revealed his Testimonies and the Gentiles to whom God made no such revelation Psal. 147.19 20. Deut. 4.33 34 c. Deut. 5.25 26. Psal. 78.1 2 c. Psal. 81 4 5. and this sound if it be the Gospel preached to as many as see the Sun and ever when they see the Sun then at that time and to this day the Sun and Moone must be sent Apostles and Preachers by whose words and Ministery all and every man that seeth the Sun then and now and to Christs second comming are obliged to pray to God in Christ and to beleeve and Faith comes by hearing the Sun Stars night and day preach Christ for sure the same hearing of the Gospel v. 18. must be understood which is spoken v. 14.15 for if the one be an hearing of the Gospel by the Apostles which produceth faith and salvation and the other a hearing of Sun and Stars in the book of the Creation This produceth not faith and salvation by the confession of the Adversaries 2. The Apostle shall not answer his own Objection Ver. 18. If all both Jew and Gentile have not heard the Gospel its unpossible they can beleeve for faith cometh by hearing the Gospel from their mouth who are sent of God and if they hear not they must be excused because they beleeve not in Christ of whom they never heard The Apostle must answer yea but they have heard the Gospel Why they heard the Sun and the Stars preach Christ and salvation by him to the farthest ends of the earth for sure David in the literall and native sense of that 19. Psalme speaketh of such dumbe Preachers Now this is no answer at all for Sun and Stars are not sent of God to preach salvation by Christ. 2. Faith comes not by hearing the creatures preach Christ. 3. The Prophets and Apostles not the dumbe and livelesse creatures have pleasant feet on the Mountains to preach peace as it is verse 14 15 16. cited from Isai. 52.7 Nah. 1.15 But the native sense of the words v. 18. is but a meer allusion in Scripture phrase to Davids words Psal. 19. It is neither citation nor exposition of them but an using of Scripture language in comparing the Gospel to the Sun the sound of the Gospel preached to the sound of the glory of the Creator in the works of heaven and earth to show how ample the preaching of the Gospel under the New Testament is to wit that it is not preached to one Nation of the Jewes only as of old but to all nations to the Jewes and to the foolish people by whom the Lord provokes the Jewes to jealousie as is clear v. 19 20. and that voice ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã their voice is gone to the ends of the earth is the voice of the twelve Apostles of the Lambe who preached the Gospel to Nations of all kinds to Iewes and Gentiles it s not the voice of the creatures the heaven and earth but a meer allusion to that voice Psal. 19. for the words have no sense
otherwise for the Apostle avoucheth the Gospel is preached the promise of salvation published to all that call on the Lords Name v. 12. Be they Jewes or Grecians that is Gentiles and beleeve they must or else they cannot pray and needs they must heare or then they cannot beleeve and hear they cannot except God send Preachers But God hath sent Preachers with pleasant feet to both Iewes and Gentiles as the Prophets Isaiah and Nahum fâretold v. 13 14 15. and they have not all obeyed v. 16 17 18. But it may be said They have not all heard the Gospel preached this must certainly excuse the Gentiles if they beleeve not having never heard of Christ how can they beleeve as it is v. 14. It s a rationall excuse I cannot sin in not beleeving the Gospel saith the Gentile yea and Christ frees them from the sin of unbeliefe also Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them and so if they had not had a Lord Speaker from heaven they had not had sin That is they should have ben free of the Gospel-sin of unbelief but now they have no cloak for their sin Now they cannot say Lord we cannot beleeve a Gospel never spoken to us by any nor heard of by us But sure the Iewes heard these creatures and works of God that preached his glory Psal. 19.6 And if they preach Christ objectively as Amyrald and other Arminians fancie then the not hearing and not obeying the Gospel thus preached had been their sin though Christ or his Apostles had never spoken the Gospel which is contrary to Christs word Ioh. 15.22 And contrary to Paul how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard by the preaching of a sent Minister who subjectively and vocally must preach the Gospel But to return to the state of the question 4. So much of God is revealed to all even to those who never heard of Christ as serves to make all unexcusable for that knowing willingly and knowingly they glorifie not God as God Rom. 1.19 20 21. 5. All within the visible Church have meanes sufficient in their kinde in genere mediorum externorum to save them 6. As none can be saved by the light of nature nor ever any used or could use it so far forth as to improve it for their sufficient preparation to receive the tidings of the Gospel either from Men or Angels sent to preach to them or by any inspiration bringing the sense or things signified in the Gospel so saved they cannot bee by any name under heaven but by the Name of Christ that is Christ named preached and revealed in the Gospel Act. 4.10 11 12. Joh. 14.6 Heb. 11.6 Joh. 5.40 and 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and hee that hath not the Son hath not life 7. The question is whether or no God so farre forth willeth desireth intendeth that all and every one within and without the visible Church Tartarians and Indians who never by any rumor hard of Christ not excepted that hee giveth them sufficient meanes and helps of a common and universall grace which if they would use well the Lord should so reward pro-move or increase whether out of decencie or a congruous disposition of goodness or of equity or of free promise or any obligation so farre as to send the Gospel to them and bestow on them a larger measure of saving and internall grace by which they should if they so would bee converted to the Faith of Christ and saved We deny Arminians affirme 2. Whether the Lord from eternity late Arminians are for time-election hath absolutely without any provision in or pre-science or fore-knowledge of good works Faith perseverance in both or of condition reason cause merit qualification in some certaine and definite persons rather then others predestinated and chosen them to glory and life eternall And all the meanes conducing to this end and that of meere free grace because he so willeth or if the Lord passe no definite compleat peremptorie and irrevocable decree to save some certain persons while he forsees them expiring and dying in faith and holy conversation Arminians hold that the Lords decree of election of men to glory is generall conditionall incompleat changeable while he forsees they have ended their course in the Faith and then peremptorily and irrevocably he passeth a fixed decree to save such and not others we deny any such loose decrees in the Almighty and beleeve that of free grace he chuseth some absolutely without conditions in them or respect to any good foreseene to be in them rather then in others because He hath mercy on whom hee will and hardens whom he will Rom. 9.17.18 3. Upon this generall indefinite revocable and conditionall good will and intention of God to save all and every one whether or no did the Father give his Sonne and the Sonne dye for all and every one intending absolutely to impetrate and obtaine to all and every one of mankinde remission of sinnes and especially expiation of sinne originall and all sins against the covenant of works and salvation to them all both within and without the visible Church and the opening of the gates of heaven so as God hath laid aside his anger for all these sins hath made all savable reconciliable that notwithstanding of divine Justices plea against men all and every one may according to the intention of God bee saved in his bloud so they would as they may and can beleeve in Christ we deny Arminans here affirme 2. The mind of Arminians Arminians runne upon six Universalities 1. They say God beareth to all and every man of what kind soever an equall universall and Catholike good will yâa to Esau Pharaoh Judas as to Jaakob Moses and Peter to save them all so as this love is not stinted to any certaine persons precisely and absolutly loved and chosen to salvation 2. That there is a Catholicke price an universall ransome given by Christ dying on the Crosse for all and every one an Attonement made and a Redemption purchased in Christs bloud by which all and every one Pharaoh Judas Cain all the heathens Tartarians Americans Virginians that never heard of Christ are made savable and reconcilâiable and God made placable and exorable to them so aâ though they be lost in the first Adam yet have they a new venture of heaven and in Christs death the Lord hath a generall antecedent and priââry intention to save all without exception yet no more to save Moses and Peter then Judas and Pharaoh Yea that the fruit of Christs death and the effect of it may stand though all and every one of mankinde were eternally lost and not one person saved 3. As there was a Catholicke forfeiture of all so there is a second covenant of free grace made with all and every one of Adams sonnes with promises of free grace a new heart righteousnesse and
removed by satisfaction given to justice And when Christ hath compleatly performed the former redemption and by his death hath obtained this redemption yet it may fall out that not one man be saved But as we deny not this distinction of salvation purchased or the purchased redemption and the applied redemption as our Divines acknowledge Christ to be a Saviour by merit and efficacie so that the members of the distinction are different but that they are separated we deny yea the distinction in the Arminian sense we deny 1. Because Christ Redeemer is a relative person there is a full redemption in Christ but not for Christ but that he might make over that Redemption to his poor brethren there is a purchased salvation in Christ not to lye by him like a treasure of silver rousted through not using but they were so many heavens and salvations and so much grace and gracious redemptions to be made away as now purchased and all these Christ disbursed he was not a Treasurer who kept from sinners the pensions of grace and glory that the Father and King of the Church allowed on his people What Christ bought with his blood that he gave out and so much the places alledged by Mr. Moor the Arminian proveth just contrary to himself Joh. 4.42 he is the Saviour not of himself to save God and justice and the Law but the Saviour of the world of poor sinners not of the Jewes onely but of the Samaritans and Gentiles as Isai. 49.6 I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou maist be my savation to the ends of the earth This is the mysterie hidden from the beginning of the world that Christ should be preached among the Gentiles Eph. 3.8 9. Now ãâã is not a Magazine and treasure of Redemption to remain within the corners of Christs heart and his bowels but it is the mystery of the New Covenant to be made out to the world of Gentiles heires of the same promise This heritage Christ never purchased to keep to himselfe and whereas Mr. Moor will have Christ to be 1 Joh. 2. a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world by obtaining of reconciliation of God to men he is farre wide for that place clearly speaketh of reconciliation of this whole world the New Testament world if I may so speak or Christs new conquest of the world of Gentiles so is Christ the Saviour and Redeemer of the world of Gentiles in opposition to Moses the Judges who were Saviours and Redeemers of the people of Israel who were but a spot and a poore fragment of the world in comparison of Christs large world God redeemed Israel by the hand of Moses but never the world so is Christ a propitiation for the sins of the whole world in opposition to the propitiatory sacrifices of Aaron and the Leviticall Priests for to these he alludeth which were propitiations only for the sins of a bit of the world but sure as the Leviticall Sacrifices were offered only in faith for the true Israel of God otherwise they were no better then the cutting off of a dogs necke in a Sacrifice which was abomination so were they types of that Sacrifice which was to be offered for the elect world which is a whole world of Iewes and Gentiles in comparison of little Judea And by what Scripture is a propitiation for the sins of the world which is onely an acquiring of a new power to Christ to trans-act with men on what termes he thinketh best to pardon sins this or that way for faith or good works a Redemption of men Or how is it a taking away the sins of the world an everlasting Redemption a suffering all that men should have suffered a bearing of our sins on the Tree an answering as Surety for the debts of broken men Object But if Christ purchased no salvation for me how can I sin in not resting on Christ for a shadow for a salvation not purchased to me is no salvation at all but a very nothing Ans. If you were to beleeve first a salvation purchased to you by name this Objection were strong but you are at first and immediately to beleeve no such thing but only that Christ is able to save to the utmost all that come that is that beleeveth and you if yee believe 2. A salvation purchased by Christ without an efficacious intention in God to apply it to all and every one is no lesse a shadow and a very nothing then the salvation purchased to all and every one and this maketh as much against Arminians as against us Now sure salvation is purchased with an efficacious intention in God to apply it to those only who shall be saved and the smallest part of mankinde 3. This way sendeth me at first to beleeve Gods secret and efficacious good-will to save me by name before ever I beleeve the Gospel That Jesus Christ came to save all beleevers which is no Gospel-order of beleeving and raiseth in my mind jealousies against Christ that he out of his love died for mee but putteth mee on a ground of doubting if he will apply his death to me except I begin first to love him and with free-will apply Christ so Christ first extendeth raw wishes to save me but I must extend to him reall deeds of applying by faith his wishing and halfe-love to me and the most reall kindness begins at me not at Christ. But say I by what Scripture is a naked power to justifie pardon wash sprinkle sinners and such a power which may consist with the eternall perishing of all men saith Moor p. 5. with the Arminians an eternall perfect Redemption a perfect satisfaction of justice and the Law of God Are not so the sins of the world taken away and yet they remain Doth not Christ bear the sins of all the world yet it may fall out that all the world bear their own sins and not one man bee saved yea as it is the greatest part of mankind bear their own iniquities die in these same sins that were imputed to Christ suffer the curses of the Law which Christ suffered for them Yea Mr. Moor saith Gods reconciling of the world and his not imputing their sins to them is the reconciling of all Adams sons in Christs bodie before God yet Paul and David both say Blessed are they to whom the Lord imputes no sin Moor saith a whole world to whom the Lord imputeth no sin may be under the curse of the second death 2. To put reconciling of the world to God as Paul doth 2 Cor. 5. for the reconciling of Christ in his owne bodie with God as M. Moor doth is strange divinity for it is reconciling of God to man in stead of a reconciling of man to God Heb. 9.14 and cannot be meant of only reconciling of God in Christs body or of obtaining only of redemption without application 1. Because the blood of Christ is compared
with the blood of Buls and Goats which was offered for the reconciling of men to God not of God to men 2. Because that blood is said to sanctifie and purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God which cannot be said of God but clearly holdeth forth that Christ having offered himselfe without spot to God through the eternal Spirit those for whom he offereth himself cannot eternally perish as M. Moor saith p. 5. but that their consciences by this blood are purged from dead works to serve the living God And the place 1 Pet. 2.24 doth not prove that Christ bare the sinnes of many on the tree who are not actually saved by his death 1. The place saith the contrary and no such thing as that the Lord layd on Christ the iniquities of all and every one of mankinde 1 Peter restraines it to beleevers elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through the sanctification of the Spirit begotten again unto a lively hope who are kept through the power of God by faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.2 3 4 5. And there is no colour that Peter speaketh of all Adams sonnes of all the heathen because hee saith Christ bare our sinnes Which bee these The sins of these that be called to patient suffering for well doing who are to follow Christ who left us an example of patient suffering who when he was vers 23. reviled reviled not again Now what is this the Indians and Tartarians patient suffering after Christs example to whose eares the name of Christ and his suffering never came by a dream or imagination 2. The sinnes of these which Christ bare on his own bodie on the tree are these that are healed with Christs strips and these that are returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of their soules and are to live to righteousnesse being dead to sin by the death of Christ who bare their sins v. 24 25. now these are the All that Isai speaketh of c. 53. when he saith 53.6 The Lord layd on him tâe iniquities of us all That is if we beleeve Arminians of all Moab Ammon Egypt Philistims Caldeans Ethiopians and all Adams Children who never heard of Christ for the thousand part of Adams Sons never heard of Christ then are they not obliged to beleeve in him of whom they never heard nor is it their sinne that they beleeve not Rom. 10.14 Ioh. 15.22 Ergo they are not obliged to live to righteousnesse being dead to sinne through Christs death because they never heard of Christs death Far lesse are all Adams sonnes healed with Christs stripes and returned to the shepherd and Bishop of soules nor was the chastisement of all the heathens peace upon Christ. And Esaiah expoundeth who be these all ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã whose iniquities were laid upon Christ v. 8. for the transgressions of my people was he stricken and v. 12. he bare the sins of many as Matth. 20.28 and 26.28 The blood which is shed for many and he made intercession for sinners What doth he beare stripes for all the heathen and is he entred as High Priest for all Adams sons into the Holy of Holiest to plead and Advocate for such as Cicero Regulus Scipio Cato such as Pharoah Cain Judas Julian If he bare their iniquities he must beare their apostacie and finall infidelity or doth hee intercede for all and every one of mankinde 1 Ioh. 1.2 compared with 1 Ioh. 1.6 7 8 9 10. and Hebrew 9. He appeareth for us ver 24. for those that are sprinkled 13 14 15 16 17. and looke for him the second time vers 28. He maketh intercession for them that come to God through him Heb. 7.25 Who have a High Priest over the house of God Heb. 10.20 21 22. All these and many other places sheweth the contrary And the redemption that is in Iesus Christ Rom. 3.24 is not a Redemption which might have been confined within Christ to reconcile God to himselfe and which might consist with the finall totall and utter perishing of all mankind 1. We are justified through this redemption and not by the works of the law 2. V. 25. God set forth Christ this redeemer to be a propitiation through faith in his blood 3. That Christ might appeare the justifier of the ungodly vers 26. and exclude boasting by the law of faith ver 27. and bee the God of Iews and Gentiles ver 30.31 so that it was never Gods minde to imprison a reconciliation within the Father and the Sonne and leave our heaven at such a dead and cold venture as the discretion of indifferent free will so as it might fall out if men pleased that the suretie Christ should die and all his poore broken friends die eternally and suffer the second death also Arminians turne the Gospel in the sadest and bloodiest bargaine that ever was and yet the new English Arminians worse then their fathers say they preach not the Gospel of grace nor Christ who preach not their universall attonement in a grosser way then ever Arminians did for 1. Arminians durst not say Christ died vice loco omnium singulorum sed tantum in bonum eorum he died not in the person place and roome of all mankinde but onely for their good as Socinus taught them But Master Moore saith this right downe pag. 3. 2. Arminians durst not say Christ died and rose again and pleadeth as high Priest and Advocate for all but onely for beleevers Mr. Moore saith that for all he rose and acquiteth us of all our sins pag. 4. The place 2 Cor. 5.14.15 doth not prove a Reconciliation of all within God as Mr. Moore dreameth 1. The All that Christ died for if one died for all then were all dead by no reason must bee in number equivalent to all that died in the first Adam Nor is there any reason in the text to make all those that are actually made alive in Christ and live not to themselves but to Christ equall in number to all that died in Adam 1. God gave not Christ to die for heathen who were never to hear of Christ that they might live to Christ. 2. These words hence forth know we no man not Christ after the flesh nor for the outward priviledge of Jewish dignitie circumcision or a temporall kindgome which fleshlie dignity the Apostles sometime knew Christ for and expected in him but now this is taken away and Christ hath died for all that is for Iews and Gentiles without respect of any such differencie for Christ gave his life for the Gentiles as well as for the Iews 3 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for All is a word of efficacie and holds forth the Lords effectuall intention but if Mr. Moores glosse stand there is no effectuall intention in Christ to save all and every one Nor doth the place 1 Tim. 2.4.6 signifie any reconciliation not applyed to persons for his being given a ransome for all noteth clearely an
interest and propriety in these for whom he gave himselfe a ransome as Luk. 22 20. for many Matth. 20.28 Matth. 26.28 So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã doth in all Greek Authors insinuate Joh. 6.51 Joh. 10.11 Rom. 5.6 such an interest Object 1. But the reason were frivolous we are to pray for all except we know that God willeth salvation to all how can we with the certainety of faith pray for all It must bee a doubting faith and so no faith at all Answ. But seeing God will not have Nero Persecutors Apostates Rebellious unbeleevers men obstinate against the Gospel such as Paul was before his conversion to be excluded out of our prayers What certaintie of faith have Arminians to pray for all Or for the twenty or hundreth part of all mankinde This therefore is denyed Christ gave himselfe for as many as we are to pray for but we are to pray for all without exception The proposition and the assumption both are false nor doth our prayers for men depend on the certitude of Gods decree of election of men to glory which is Gods secret will not knowne to us to whom the Lambes booke of life is not opened but on the revealed will of God commanding us to pray for all that sinne not to death but conditionally and with a speciall reserve of the Lords decrees of Election and Reprobation and this in effect is to pray for the Elect only nor am I warranted by the Word of God the rule of my prayers to pray for any others Nor is there promise precept or practise in Scripture to pray for all and every one of man-kind Therefore I retort the Argument thus wee are to thinke God willeth so many to be saved and his Sonne to give himselfe a ransome for so many as wee are warranted to pray for that they may be saved but we are not warranted to pray for all and every one that they may be saved but only for the Elect. Ergo God will have them onely to be saved and his Son to give himselfe a ransome for them onely Object 2. Judgement of charity is no ground of our prayers We have no charity to beleeve all and every one shall be saved nor have wee any faith or certainety in these prayers Answ. I may have judgement of charity touching this or that man to pray for him but this judgement is a motive to my affection not a foundation to my faith My faith is bottomed on a word of precept to pray for the salvation of all conditionally but not for the salvation of any but for my owne onely absolutly Object 3. God will have as many to be saved as hee will have to come to the knowledge of the truth But he will have all to come to the knowledge of the truth Answ. The argument is strong for us the Apostle speaketh of the Gospel-truth but he will not have the Gospel preached to Samaritans Mat. 10. to Bithinians and thousands others 2. He wil not open the hearts of housands that heare the Gospel because he will Mat. 11.28 Rom. 9.17 and many he blindeth and judicially hardneth Math. 13.14 Joh. 1â 37 38. Esai 6.9 10. Acts 28.24 25 26 27. Object 4. It s uncertaine whether yee pray for Magistrats as such or for vulgar men as such and uncertaine whether yee pray for this or that ranke Answ. It is certaine we are to pray for Kings Subjects Men Women Jewes Gentiles reserving the Lords decrees to his owne Soveraigne liberty Object If we are to pray but for some because God willeth the salvation of some he should have said we are to pray for no man for the farre largest part of the world are lost Answ. This is to censure the Holy Ghosts speaking not us Upon the same ground a Physician in a Citie cannot bee called the healer of all diseased nor a Professor a teacher of Phylosophy to all in the Citie because many in the City dye of the Pest and the twentieth person remaine ignorant of Philosophie if God will have all to be saved that he predestinate to life hee is rightly said to will all men to bee saved and in that sense wee are to pray that all may bee saved 2. God by his consequent will desireth the farre greatest part of the world to be damned Ergo By the Arminian way hee should say God willeth not any man to bee saved nor any to come to the knowledge of the truth but that all may be damned and because they say there is in the Almighty an Antecedent naturall affection and desire that justice may be satifyed in Men and Angels which affection is in order of nature prior and before Gods full peremptory and deliberate will of damning all that are finally obstinate as there is a naturall antecedent will in God to call invite to repentance offer Christ to all and will the salvation of all and every one which is afore and precedent to his peremptory compleat and irrevocable decree of electing to glory all that God foreseeth shall dye in the faith of Christ. Upon the same ground it may well bee said GOD willeth the damnation of all and every one of mankind and the salvation and repentance of none at all and that Christ dyed upon no intention naturall to redeeme or save any but upon a conditionall and naturall desire that justice might be declared in the just destruction of all for sure all Gods naturall affections and desires of justice are as naturall and essentiall to him and so as universally extended toward the creature as his desires and antecedent natural affections of mercy Object 5. The sense of the word All appeares to be of Adam and all that come by propagation of him 1. The word Men is used for Adam and all his Sons Hebr. 9.27 2. Often in the fullest sense not regenerated nor wholly reprobated are called Men Job 11.11 12. Psal. 12.1 and 4.2 and 53.2 3 Beleevers are called Men Acts 1.11 1 Cor. 3.21 22. In regard of passions Acts 14.15 Of carnall walking 1 Cor. 3.3 Yet they are called something more Sonnes of God Joh. 1.12 1 Joh. 3.1 Saints 1 Cor. 1.1 Brethren faithfull Ephes. 1.1 Christians Acts 11.26 Some who have heardned their heart are called Men but something more reprobate Jer. 6.28 30. Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 Children of Belial Deut. 1.3 Of the Devil Joh. 8 4â and with an Emphasis the wicked Psal. 9.17 Answ. In these Grammattications M. Moor sheweth how weake his cause is and how dubious from the word men and all for Heb. 9.27 It s said it s appointed for all men to die and the Holy Ghost insinuateth clearly that Christ died for all men that die in the very next words v. 28. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many he saith not all men Observe the change of words 2. We deny not but all men in Scripture signifieth all descended of the first Adam by propagation Ergo
saved yet the Lambe of God taketh away the sinnes of the world So Esai 6.7 Thine iniquity is taken away and thy sinne purged this is no halfe pardon such as Esaiah had before the Lord touched his lips 1 Joh. 3.5 And yee know that he was manifested to take away our sinnes Iohn speaketh of the taking away of the sinnes of us Iohn and the Saints who were loved Vers. 1. with a wonderfull love to bee called the Sonnes of God us whom the World knoweth not vers 2. us who shall be like Christ when he appeareth Arminians are obliged to give us parallel places where the redemption of all and every man and Christs naked power and desire to be friends with all men and to make any covenant of grace or works as he pleaseth is called the taking away the sinnes of the world and yet the whole world may possibly dye in their sinnes and not a man be saved the taking away of the worlds sinnes to us is the compleat pardoning of them Remission of sinnes in his bloud Ephes. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Blotting out of transgressions Esai 4â 25 as a thicke cloud Esai 44.23 a not remembring of sinnes Isai 43.25 Ier. 31. â4 Such a taking away of sinnes as is promised in the covenant of grace to the house of Iudah to the Church under the Messiah that heareth the Gospel Ier. 31.34 Hebr. 8.8 9 10 11 12. Rom. 11.26 27. Esai 59.20 This is the taking away of the sinnes of the world a new world in whose inner parts the Lord writeth his Law and with whom the Lord maketh an everlasting covenant never to turne away from them Jer. 31.33 34 5 36 37. in whom the Lord putteth his Spirit and in whose mouth he puteth his Word and in the mouth of their seed and their seeds seede Esai 59.20 21. The Arminian taking away of sins is of all and every one of Adams seed of such as never heard of a Covenant of a Word of a Spirit of a Seed a holy Seed of a new heart Finally the taking away of the sinnes of the world is the removing of them as farre from us as the East is from the West Psal. 103.12 bestowed on these that feare the Lord vers 11. and are pitied of the Lord as the Father pitieth the Sonne and the subduing of our iniquities and the casting of our sinnes in the depths of the Sea Mich. 7.19 â0 a mercy bestowed only on the remnant of the Lords inheritance The Arminian taking away of sins is a broad pardon of sins to all the world let them shew Scripture for theirs as we doe for ours and cary it with them Object 15. Though Reconciliation bee purchased to all and every one yet it is not necessary that it bee preached to all and every one but onely it is required that God bee willing it bee preached to all now it is free to God before he be willing to make offer of the purchased reconciliation to all to require afore hand such acts of obedience and dueties which being performed hee may publish the Gospel to them or being not performed hee may bee unwilling to publish the Gospel to them Yea though reconciliation be purchased to all yet its free to God to communicate the benefits of his death upon what termes hee thinketh good And Christ died saith Master Moore to obtaine a lordship over all and a power to save beleevers and destroy such as will not have him to raigne over them as wee heard before Answ. 1. We have in this Doctrin that Argument yeelded God commanded to preach to all and every one Ergo Christ died for all and every one For 1. The consequence is true absolutely by the Arminians doctrine Christ absolutely died for all and every one without prescribing any condition to those for whom he dies he saith not my sonne dieth to purchase reconciliation to all upon condition all beleeve or perform some other dutie but beleeve they or beleeve they not the ãâã is payed and salvation purchased for all without exception but the antecedent is not true but upon condition God is not willing the Gospel bee preached to all but to such as perform such conditions 2. If they perform not the condition Christ should have said preach not the Gospel to all nations nor to every creature but onely to such as yee finde fit hearers of the Gospel and have performed such acts of obedience as I require for conditionall threatnings are set downe in the Gospel as well as conditionall promises he that beleeveth shall be saved he that beleeveth not shall bee damned But in Old or New Testament Arminians never shew us where the preaching of the word of Grace is referred to our free will Doe this O Ammonits O Indians and the glad tyding shall come to you if yee doe not this ye shall never heare the Gospel Arminians say God sendeth his Grace and Gospel both genti minus dignae indigniori negat to the unworthy Nation and denyeth both to the worthier 3. Arminians say in Script Synod Dordr pag. 6. Lex non lata aut non intellecta cum intelligi non possit non obligat a law not made or not understood when it cannot be understood doth not oblige then God cannot deny a salvation and the benefit of a preached Gospel to Indians though both were purchased in Christ if they never heard as hundreths of Nations could by no rumor heare or dreame of Christ and the Gospel of Christ. 4. How can God with the same naturall and half-will equally will that all bee saved when hee absolutly without merit or condition willeth the meanes of salvation to some and denyeth the meanes of salvation to the farre largest part of mankinde for want of a condition unpossible because it neither was nor could be known to them 5. By the Arminian way sinne originall is no sin it bringeth wrath and condemnation on no man God beginneth upon a new score and the reckoning of the covenant of Grace to count with all men and God is so reconciled to all mortall men and transacteth with them in such a way of free grace that hee will punish no man for any new breach except committed actually by such as are come to age as have the use of reason and are obliged to beleeve in Christ. pag. 285 286 287. Dordr scrip Synod Yet hath God decreed never to reveale any such gracious transactions to millions of men that better deserve to heare these secrets of grace then thousands to whom they are proclaimed in their ears ere they can discerne the right hand by the left This Arminians say was Gods dispensation Matth. 11. with Capernaum and Tyrus and Sidon But it will bee found that Arminians deny the prescience and foreknowledge of God 6. Most abominable and comfortlesse must the doctrine of the death of our Lord Iesus be if Christ died onely to bee a Lord and such a Lord as hee might have power without
impeachment of revenging justice to save men upon a new transaction either of grace or works and to destroy his enemies that would not accept of that new transaction yet so as when Christ hath dyed and taken away the sinnes of all and is made Lord and King of dead and quick all mankinde may freely reject all covenants Christ maketh or can make and be eternally lost and perish For 1. Christs Princedome and Dominion that hee hath acquired by death is not a free-will-power or possibility by which he may upon such and such conditions kill or save though all may eternally perish But Christ is made Lord of quick and dead by dying Rom. 14.9 that he might be judge of all but so that we should live and dye to our selves but that whether we live or dye we should be Christs though we change conditions yet not Masters in both we should be the Lords v. 7.8 as Christ lived againe after death that hee might bee the husband of his owne wife the Church that hee dyed of love for 2. Upon what termes Christ was by death made a Lord and acquired a Princedome upon these termes he was made a Prince over his Church for Lord and Prince and King are all one But the Lord maketh David that is Jesus the Sonne of David Prince over his people not with power to save or destroy his redeemed slocke and so as all the slock may eternally perish Ezech. 34.22 Therefore will I save my slocke and they shall no more be a prey Vers. 23. And I will set one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them and my servant David hee shall feed them and he shall be their Shepherd Vers. 24. And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them I the Lord have spoken it Vers. 25. And I will make with them a covenant of peace Now was Christ by the bloud of the eternall covenant brought back from the death and made a Shepherd of soules to the end he might have power to destroy all the slock Ezechiel saith to feed them the Apostle to make the Saints perfect in every good worke working in them actually and efficaciously that which is wel-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.20 21. It s true Christ obtaineth by his death a mediatory power to crush as a Potters clay vessell with a rod of yron all his rebellious enemies But 1. this is not a power to crush any enemies but such as have heard of the Gospel and will not have Christ to raigne over them in his Gospel-government but not to crush all his enemies that never heard of the Gospel and so are not Evangelically guilty in sinning against the Lord Jesus as Mediator for they cannot be guilty of any such sinne Rom. 10.14 Joh. 15.22 Hee had and hath power as God equall with the Father to judge and punish all such as have sinned without the Law 2. It s not merit or acquired by way of merit of Christs death that a Crown is given to Jesus Christ for this end to destroy such enemies as are not capable of sinning against his Mediatorie Crowne especially when as God he had power to destroy them as his enemies though hee had never been Mediator Yea Act. 5.31 It s said him whom yee slew and hanged on a tree hath God exalted with his right hand to bee a Prince and Saviour not to destroy all his subjects upon foreseene condition of rebellion to which they were through corruption of nature inclinable but that he might by his Spirit subdue corruption of nature and give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes 3. By what title Christ is made a King and Lord by the same he is made head of the body the Church For Ephes. 1.20.21 22 23. By raising him from the dead God conferred a headship upon him Now he was not made head of the body that he might destroy all the members or most of them as Arminians must say but his headship is for this end that the whole body by his spirit fitly joyned together might grow up in love Ephes. 4.16 and that the members might receive life and Spirit from him 4. By the same title he is made Lord by which hee is made King Governour and Leader of the people for power of Dominion and Lordship is nothing but Royall power now he was made King not on such termes as hee might destroy all his subjects for all mankind are his subjects to Arminians But he is made King Psal. 72.11 That all Nations may serve him that hee should deliver the poore needy and helplesse and redeeme their soules from violence and esteeme their death precious and he raigneth and prospereth as a King that in his dayes Judah may be saved and Israel dwell safely Jer. 23.7.8 and God raiseth the horne of David Luk. 1. And so setteth Christ on the throne to performe his mercy promised to our Fathers and remember his holy covenant Ver. 69.7 That wee might serve him in holynesse and righteousnesse Now by the Arminian way he is set upon the throne of David to execute vengeance on all his Subjects and that he may utterly destroy all if all rebell and not to save one of Judah and Israel for he may be a King without any subject suppose all his Subjects were cast in hell yea hee groweth out of the root of Jesse a Royall branch of King Davids house not that these Warres may bee perpetuated betweene God and all the children of men but that the Wolfe should dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard lye down with the Kid and the Calfe and the young Lyon together and a little Childe should lead them and the earth should be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Isai 11.1 2. 6.7 8 9. And Christ is given for a guide and leader of the people Sure for the good of the slock and that he may carry the lambes in his bosome Esai 40.11 That they should not hunger nor thirst that neither the heat nor the Sunne should smite them because he that hath mercy on them doth lead them and by the springs of water doth he guide them Esai 49.10 Salvation is ingraven on the Crowne of Christ by office Christ must be a destroyer and a Lord crusher of his people as a Jesus and a Saviour by this conceit 5. And what more contrary to the intrinsecall end of Christs death then that he should obtaine no other end by dying but a placability a possible salvation a softning onely of Gods minde whereby justice should onely stand by and a doore bee opened by which God might be willing if hee pleased to conferre salvation by this or that Law a covenant of grace or of works or a mixt way or by exacting faith in an Angell or an holy man and this possible salvation this virtuall or halfe reconciliation doth consist with the eternall damnation of all the world whereas the genuine
that differenceth the loved of God from all others Psal. 87.2 Psal. 1.6.8 otherwise all the world should in regard of this generall and antecedent and conditionall love of God bee so the beloved of God as Christ in the song of Solomon esteemeth the Spouse his love his welbeloved It s a love better then life Psal. 6â 3 and the dowrie Christ bestoweth on his spouse Hos. 2.19 now the Scripture no where speaketh of that conditionall love which the Lord beareth to Heathens Reprobates and to all Men and Angels 5. Such as the Lord so loved as hee hath redeemed them from perishing he hath redeemed them from sinne and Gentilisme to wit from this present evill world Gal. 1.4 yea the blood of the Lambe unspoted and undefiled hath bought them from their vaine conversation received by tradition from their fathers 1 Pet. 1.18 yea from fornication that they should bee members of Christ temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.20 yea Christ bare their sinnes in his owne body on the tree that they should live to righteousnesse Now all and every one of mankinde Heathen and Turks are not thus bought with a price and delivâââd from idolatry blasphemy killing of childâââ to thâir god from the world of Gentilisme 1. Thây livâ in these sinnes as serving God in them the Gospel nevââ forbade thâm any such siânâs in regard thây never heard the Gospel 2 They cannot sinne on a nâw score or a new reckning these being to them no sinnes against the Gospel but against the law written in their heart 3. There is a pâice then given for all the reprobate vice reproborum it is ãâ¦ã as they had payed the price to redeeme them from sinne and unbeliefe yea from finall impenitencie against the Gospel If this bee a sinne as it is the sinne of sinnes Christ must beare it on the tree 1 Pet. 1.24 The lambe of God must take it away Ioh. 1.29 Except it were possible finall unbeliefe were pardonable without shedding of blood Heb. 10. Now here the ransome payed but the captive is never delivered for the reprobate die in their sinnes Ioh. 8.21 There bee some say there is a ransome given for these Gospel-sinnes of the reprobate conditionally so they beleeve Anâw That is they are freed from finall impenitencie so they bee freed from finall impenitencie is this a wife bargain 2. Where is there is all the Word a warrant that Christ layd downe his life for his sheep conditionally so he foresaw they would be his sheep so they would beleeve and repent Now this hee could not doe for Christ out of deliberation and his Fathers eternall counsell absolutely gratis freely diâd for these he died not for those that he foresaw would never fulfill the condition nunquam positâ conditione nunquam ponitur conditionatum 6. Christ bought by his blood of the eternall Covenant all the Jewels of the Covenant all things that belong to life and goâlinesse and all spirituall blessings 2 Pet. 1.3 Ephes. 1.3 A new heart and a new Spirit Ezech. 36.26 Jer. 31.33 34 35 36. Ezek. 11 19 20. He bought all that God giveth to us then he must have purchased faith Phil. 1.29 Joh. 6.29 and if he was made a Prince to give repentance and remission then to give faith for it is a grace above nature and out of this fountain we have grace for grace Ioh. 1.14 Now this is not given to all men 7. All these graces are particular 1. Election to glory is particular Few are chosen Mat. 22.14 Joh. 10.26.29 Ephes. 1.4 Rom. 9.11 The promise is particular to the sons of the promise Rom. 9.8 9. made to Christ and his seed only Gal. 3.16 17 18. Gal. 4.22 23 c. the calling particular Isai. 55.1 2. Matth. 11.27 28. Acts 2.39 the Covenant particular and takes in only the House of Judah the elect and such as cannot fall away Ier. 31.34 35 c. and 32.39 40. Isai. 54.10 and 59.19 20. The surety of the Covenant Christ Heb. 7.22 promised to be King over the House of David over his people only the intention of God particular to a foreknown people only Rom. 11.1 The circumference and extent of Grace then cannot be so wide as to take in all nor can Redemption be universall because conditionall For 1. Arminians make Election conditionall but they deny it in words to be universall further glorification is conditionall justification conditionall upon condition of Faith but because the condition never is all men have not faâth therefore glorification and justification is particular and redemption on the same ground must be particular none are actually redeemed but the beleevers so as glorification actuall the decree of glorifying is another thing and absolute and Election to glory are commensurable the one not larger then the other Rom. 8.29 30. how can Redemption which is a mid-linke between both be of a wider Sphear to take in all for 1 Thes. 5.9 Gods counsell set us on Christ as Redeemer and gives us to Christ. 8. These two Christ redeemeth all and Christ intendeth to redeem all are most different Now Gods intention to redeem all if they beleeve suspendeth either redemption or the intention of God to redeem If the former be said redemption of all is no Redemption except all beleeve but all doe not beleeve If the latter God must wave and hang by his intention in millions of soules and cannot fixe his foot to be peremptory in his intentions except they beleeve and he seeth they shall never beleeve for he knoweth what is in man and beholdeth the thoughts a far off Yea as I said elsewhere if we speak properly in reference to God the very promises of the Gospel are not conditionall because both the condition and the thing that falls under the condition depend on his owne absolute will and free gift if a father promise to his child an inheritance upon condition the child pay him ten thousand crowns and the Father only do give and can give the child these ten thousand crownes we cannot say this is a bargain between the father and the son that leans upon conditions especially if we suppose as the case is between God and the creature that this father can and doth indeclinably determine the will of his son to consent and to give back againe to his father this sum of money and to consent to the bargain there is here no condition relating to the father but he does all freely Beleeving is a condition and life eternall is conditionatum a thing that falleth under promise but both dâpend upon the absolute free and irresistible will of the Lord as there is no condition here properly so called either laid upon the will or limiting the externall action of God 9. Hence the promises of the Gospel are indefinite not universall and in the Lords purpose and intention made with the Elect onely not with the Reprobate at all for when God saith if Iudas Cain Pharaoh
Rom. 4.6 7. as hath faith joyned with it Rom. 3.26 Rom. 5.1 as cleanseth us from all our sinnes 1 Iohn 1.8 5. The Reconciled shall much more be saved Rom. 5.10 they are friends not enemies enemies and reconciled are opposed in the text and then they cannot bee strangers nor farre off but built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles who of enemies are reconciled Ephes. 2. Col. 1.19.20 And so shall farre more bee saved by the life of Christ but all and every one of mankinde shall not much more bee saved by the life of Christ 6. There is an all men under condemnation and an all men justified Let any of common sense judge if yee ought not in equity to compare the Heires Sonnes Seed of the first and second Adam together and then let the two All 's runne on equall wheeles and see what Arminians gaine by this for if yee compare all in the loynes of the first Adam on the one side with all in the loynes of the second and yet never in the second Adam but as great strangers to Christ as those that are out of Christ enemies sonnes of the bondwoman strangers to Christ without God and Christ in the world on the other side the sides are unequall and beside the holy Ghosts minde except yee shew us a second birth a communion supernaturall of justification of free grace of sonne-ship of redemption of mercy between Jesus Christ and all and every one of mankinde Heathens Iews Gentiles This I feare must send all the Arminians in Europe to their Booke to seeke what cannot bee found And it s as easie to answer 1 Cor. 15. for as many in number as die in Adam are not by that Text made alive in the second Adam for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all noteth not equality of number But as the heires of the first Adam have death in heritage by him so the heires of the second Adam have life by him and all in each noteth all of each quality not of each number for the all quickned by Christ 1. Are the fallen asleep in Christ that are not perished verse 18. 2. The all whose faith is not in vaine and are not in their sins v. 17. 3. The all that have not hope in this life only but in the life to come verse 19. 4. Such as are the first fruits of the same kind of dead with Christ for Christ and all his are as one corn-field of wheat gathered into one barne v. 23. 5. They are quickned with the same Spirit that Christ was quickned withall but in their own order life cometh to the head first and if Pauls mind be that Christ as Head and Redeemer raiseth all the Elect and Reprobate by this Text then sure the Reprobate must be a part of the field whereof Christ is the first sheafe else the Text shall not run but for Pauls purpose it was enough to prove the resurrection of beleevers principally The place 1 Iohn 2.1 the world and the whole world is the world that hath an Advocate established in heaven for if we sin we have an advocate who is a propitiation not for us Iewes only to whom I write but for the sins of the whole world both of Iewes and Gentiles for the propitiation and the Advocation are of the same circumference and sphear else the Argument should be null but the Advoâation of our High Priest in the holy of holiest at the right hand of God is for the people of God only Hebr. 9.24 for us as the High Priest carried only the iniquity of the people of Israel and their names engraven on his breast for those for whom he hath purchased an eternall Redemption with the sprinkling of blood to purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God v. 12 13 14. For those to whom he left peace in his Testament and the promise of eternall inheritance v. 15 16 17. And for those that look for Christs second appearing to salvation and for those for whose faith he prayes Luke 22.31 32 33. and for whom he prayeth the Father that he may send the holy Spirit Joh. 14.16 17. and 16.7 For all these Christ doth as our High Priest Hebr. 9.10 intercede 2. It is clear the persons cannot be so changed if we sinne we have a propitiation if we confesse the blood of Iesus shall cleanse us from all sinnes And by the sinnes of the whole world he understands all that did or should beleeve of Iew or Gentile Rom. 11.15 2 Cor. 5.19 Joh. 1.29 and â 16 the whole world loved pardoned reconciled to whom sins are not impuâed and so blessed and justified Psal. 32.1 2 3 4. and whâââas the Apostle ascendeth and not for our sins only c. it is not to extend propitiation further then advocation confession knowing that we know him that is petitio principii for John doth not conclude a comfort of Christs advocation which is undeniably peculiar and proper only to those that have fellowship with the Father and Son and have beleeved in the Word of life are purged from all their sins from a generall propitiation common to those that are eternally damned and which may have its full and intire fruit though all the world were eternally damned It were a poor comfort to weak ones who sin daily and are liars if they should say they have no sin that there is no better salve in heaven for their sin then such a one as they may no lesse perish eternally having it then Pharaoh Cain Iudas it were better for them to want it as have it 2 Pet. 2.1 Some false Teachers deny the Lord that bought them which is not so to be taken as if Christ had redeemed those from their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 and from the present evill world Gal 1.4 for then he should have redeemed them from Apostacy and the power of damnable heresies which he did not but in their profession they were bought and so the Apostle more sharply convinceth them for they were teachers in profession but really wolves that devoured the flocke but professed themselves to be Shepherds sent to seek the lost 2. They were Hereticall Teachers and brought in damnable Heresies and therefore Christians and professed Christ to be their Lord for if they had been without and open enemies they could not bring in Heresies 3. They did it covertly and privily teaching and doing one thing and professing another they professed the Lord to be their Redeemer who bought them but that they were Hypocrites is clear verse 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they shall bring in heresies in the by at a side privily 2. By reason of them the way of truth shall bee blasphemed enemies shall speak ill of the Gospel because these men professe the Redeemer who bought them but yet they are covetous men v. 3. 3. They buy and sell you ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with decked up and well kammed fair words O our
and numerous off-spring of children and when they are gathered together they are a faire beloved world In the Hebrew many and great are often one and the same As one Rubie is worth ten hundreth one Saphir worth thousands of common stones so one Saint is more then ten thousand wicked men then all together they must be an All a world a whole world of ransomed ones hidden ones Psal. 83.4 of the Lords Jewels Mal. 3.17 and of Christs precious ones Isai. 43.4 they are the floure and the choise of mankinde 2. Christ is willing to take away all heart-exceptions of unbeliefe from men As. 1. Can God bee borne of a woman to save men not Angels Beleeve it saith the Lords Spirit with a sort of oath Heb. 2.16 Verily hee tooke on him the seede of Abraham not the nature of Angels Halt not at Christs man-kindnesse and not Angel-love to the excellenter childe by nature the Angel when he fell and it s to remove our doubts that God is brought in promising and swearing the covenant Christ is a sworne covenanter Heb. 6.12 When God made promise to Abraham because hee could sweare by no greater he sware by himselfe Ezech. 33. The people slandred the Lord he delighted so to have the people pine away in their iniquities that hee would punish them for no fault but the childrens teeth should be set on edge for the sinnes of the father and the grapes that they eate not themselves The Lord answers that calumnie Ezech. 18. And here as I live I delight not so so as you slanderously and blasphemously say in the death of a sinner by my life I desire you may repent and live nor have I pleasure to punish innocent men for no sinne at all And the second Exception is But Christs heart is not ingaged with a heart-burning purpose or desire to save man the purpose of saving came upon him but yesterday yea but saith Christ it was not a yesterdayes businesse but was contrived from eternity Proverb 8. before the Lord made Sea or Land vers 30. I was by him as one brought up as a sonne nourished with him I was daily when there was neither night nor day his delights rejoycing in the habitable earth and my delighâs were with the sonnes of men Two words expresse Christ old and eternall love to men his delights was with the sonnes of men as Christ was his Fathers delight from eternitie so was Christ feasting himselfe on the thoughts of love delight and free grace to men sure not to Pharoah Judas and all the race of the wicked and with such a love as if free will please should never injoy one sonne of Adam 2. I was saith Christ playing and sporting in the habitable earth the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to play in a dance it is 2 Sam. 6.21 spoken of Davids dancing before the Ark and 1 Sam. 18.7 The women in Israel playing answered one another in their songs It holds forth this that it resolves the question that Augustine loosed to a curious head asking what the Lord was doing before the world was he was delighting in his sonne Christ and the thoughts of the Lord Iesus in that long and endlesse age were solacing him and they were skipping and passing time in loving and longing for the fellowship of lost men and since God was God O boundlesse duration the Lord Iesus in a manner was loving and longing for the dawning of the day of Creation and his second coming againe to judgement the marriage day of union with sinners Christ was as it were from eternity with childe of infinite love to man and in time in the fulnesse of time it blossomed forth and the birth came out in a high expression of love the man-childe the love of Christ was borne and saw the light Gal. 4.4 Tit. 3.4 when Christ was ripe of love to bring forth free salvation glory glory to the Wombe and the Birth And a third Exception is But sinners dis-obliged Christ and provoked him as his enemies can it be that in time seeing how undeserving we were he could heartily and seriously die for man offer himselfe to all God may have mercy on the work of his hand but he cannot have mercy on sinners Answ. 1. It s true the Gospel is contrary to nature and not one Article more thwarteth and crosseth carnall wisedome then that of imputed righteousnesse That crosseth Morall Phylosophy so much as we can more easily beleeve the rising of the dead or any the greatest miracle the drying up of the red Sea then beleeve the Gospel for we beleeve the Gospel for miracles as motives not as causes of Faith not Miracles for the Gospel and if at the first we beleeve the Gospel for Miracles then we naturally rather beleeve Miracles and the dividing of the Red Sea and the raising of the dead then we can beleeve that Christ came to die for sinners 2. Consider with what a strong good will Christ died Luke 9.51 And it came to passe when his time was come that he should be received up he stedfastly set his face to goe to Jerusalem He hardned his face he emboldned himself to goe to Jerusalem to suffer he mended his pace and went more swiftly with a strong fire of love to expend his blood Luke 12.50 I have a baptisme to be baptized with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã how am I fettered or besieged as the word is used Luke 19.43 till it be perfected 3. What could move Christ to lie and fancie were his weeping and tears counterfeit were his dying bleeding sweating pain sorrow shame but all shewes for the market and to take the people Isai. 53.44 Surely really he bare our sorrowes 4. His offer must be reall Joh. 7.37 for with vehemency he speaks ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He stood and shouted in the Temple if any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Here is a dear fountain to all thirsty soules and most free Christ thirsteth and longeth to have thirsty sinners come gratis and drink But I doubt he beares not me in particular at good will are the promises made for me Did he love me before the world was Did Christ dying intend salvation for me This doubt draweth us to the fift particular that so I may hasten to the uses which is what sort of Faith it is that God requireth of all within the visible Church for the want whereof Reprobates are condemned Assertion 1. Saving Faith required of all within the visible Church is not as Antinomians conceive the apprehension of Gods everlasting love of Election to glory of all and every one that are charged to beleeve Saltmarsh in an ignorant and confused Treatise tells us To beleeve now is the only worke of the Gospel that is that ye be perswaded of such a thing that Christ was crucified for sins and for your sins so as salvation is not a businesse of
our working and doing it was done by Christ with the Father all our work is no work of salvation but in salvation we receive all not doing any thing that we may receive more but doing because we receive so much and because we are saved and yet we are to work as much as if we were to be saved by what we doe because we should doe as much by what is done already for us and to our hands as if we were to receive it for what we did our selves So here is short worke saith the man Beleeve and be saved there are yet these grounds why salvation is so soon done 1. Because it was done before by Christ but not beleeved on before by thee till now 2. Because it is the Gospel-way of dispensation to assure anâ passe over salvation in Christ to any that will beleeve it 3. There needs no more on our sides to worke or warrant salvation to us but to be perswaded that Iesus Christ died for us because Christ hath suffered and God is satisfied now suffering and satisfaction is that great worke of salvation And the man taking on him to determine controversies of Arminians touching the extent of free Grace whether Christ died for all in which questions I dare make Apology for his innocency that he is not guilty of wading too deep in them he would father on the Reformed Churches of Protestant Divines that we make this a rationall way of justice That God will meerly and arbitrarily damne men because he will so as God hath put every one under a state of Redemption and power of salvation and they are damned not from their own will but from Gods The opinion by Arminians is fathered upon that Apostolick light of the Church of Christ Eminent and divine Calvine and Saltmarsh will but second them that he may appear a star in the Firmament with others of some great magnitude But saith he the other way is Christ died only for his but is offered to all that his who are amongst this all might beleeve and though he died not for all yet none are excepted that is as he saith all and every one to whom Christ is preached elect or reprobate are to be perswaded that Christ died for them in particular and yet none are accepted but they that beleeve and none beleeve but they to whom it is given And having shown some dreames of his owne touching these controversies hee concludeth with a Truth I beleeve easily Thus have I opened though weakly the mystery Weakly but wilfully and daringly But Faith is formally no such perswasion as to be perswaded Every man is loved with an everlasting love chosen and redeemed in Christ for it changeth the whole Gospel in a lie Christ obligeth no man to beleeve an untruth Now all are charged to beleeve in the Son of God and Elect and Reprobate as there be of both sorts within the net of the Kingdome are not loved with an everlasting love nor did Christ die for them all 2. It s meer presumption not Faith that all Hypocrites fleshly men slaves to their lusts idolaters covetous men remaining such never broken with any Law-work should immediately beleeve Christ is their Saviour died for them and the Father loved them to salvation before the world was True it is before a sinner beleeve he is an unpardoned an ungodly and guilty sinner but that he is unbroken yea or unconverted before he beleeve I speak of order of Nature it s as unpossible as that a thristle can bring forth figs for then he should beleeve having no new heart in him which is the only principle of Faith 3. It s a more ingenuous opinion that Christ died for all and every one though it have no truth in it selfe then to hold that he died for the Elect only and yet oblige men as Antinomians doe against their conscience to beleeve he died for all and every one that are ingaged in the practise of beleeving 4. He that beleeveth not maketh God a liar then that which is to be beleeved must be an Evangelike truth 5. Faith layeth bands on all within the visible Church to be knit together in love unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to thâ acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2.1 2. to be perswaded that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Rom. 8.37 38 39. To full assurance Heb. 10. without wavering or declining or bowing like a tottering wall Now sure all and every one within the visible Church to whom the command of beleeving comes Reprobate or Elect are not holden to have a full assurance that they are chosen in Christ to salvation and redeemed in his blood Assertion 2. The object of saving Faith required of all within the visible Church is 1. Christs faithfulnesse to save beleevers Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering and the Apostle backs it with an Argument that saving faith must lean upon for he is faithfull that hath promised And Paul 1 Cor. 1.9 presseth the same God is faithfull by whom yee were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. We doe not read in the Old or New Testament that the decree purpose or intention of God to save and redeem persons in particular is the object of that saving Faith required in the Gospel For the second object of this Faith is the truth and goodnesse of that Mother promise of the Gospel Ioh. 3.16 and 5.25 that Gospel-record 1 Iohn 5.10 11 12. He that beleeveth hath life eternall and Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 To seek and to save the lost Luke 19 1â that he came to save me in particular is apprehended by sense not by faith for the Election of me by name to glory and the Lords intention to die for me is neither promise nor precept nor threatning if it be a History that I must beleeve its good shew me Histories of particular men now to be beleeved except of the Antichrist the second comming of Jesus Christ to judge the world Election to glory is not held forth as a promise If yee doe this yee shall be elected to glory nor is the contrary holden forth as a threatning If ye beleeve not ye shall be reprobated nor does the Lord command me to be chosen in Christ to salvation before the foundation of the world nor doth he command all men within the visible Church to beleeve they are chosen to salvation or that any one Elect person should beleeve a thing as revealed which is not revealed when he is pleased to give to any Elect person the white stone and the new name and to give him Faith by which he chuseth Christ for his portion he is then and never till then to beleeve or rather by spirituall sense to apprehend that he
is chosen to salvation from eternity so Election is neither precept nor promise but a truth of Gods gracious good will and pleasure hid in Gods mind till he be pleased to reveal it by the fruits thereof There can bee no such imaginable double dealing in the world as Arminians lay upon God For they make the Lord to say thus as imagine a King should speak to twenty thousand captives I have a good will purpose hearty intention and earnest desire to make you all and every one free Princes and pray wish obtest and beseech you subscribe such a Writ of grace for that end but I only can lead your hand at the Pen and give you eyes to see and a willing heart to consent to your own happinesse and if you refuse to signe the Bill of grace you shall be tormented for ever and ever in a river of fire and brimstone Again I have a like good will to my own justice and purpose so to carry on the designe as that sixteen thousand of you shall not have the benefit of my hand or of one finger to lead your hand at the pen nor any efficacious motion to act upon your will to obtain your consent to subscribe the Writ yea by the contrary though I of exceeding great free love will intend decree and purpose you bee all Princes of glory yet I purpose that these sixtâeâ thousand whose salvation and happinesse I extreamly desire shall for their former rebellion which I with the like desire of spirit could and I only might have removed never be moâod to consent to this Bill of grace Now were not this the outside of a good will aâd should not this Prince bee said rather to will and desire the destruction of these sixteen thousand and not their honour and happinesse Asser. 3. This is the mystery of the Gospel in which I must professe ignorance and that the Lords thoughts are not as our thoughts nor his wayes as ourwayes he hath by the preaching of the gospel ingaged thousand thousands within the visible Church to the duty of their fidutiall adherence and heart resting on Christ as they would be saved and yet hath the Lord never purposâd to work their hearts and he only can do it to this heart-resting on Christ by faith nor hath he purchased either remission of sinnes or pardon for them If any object how can Christ in equitie judge and condemne them for not beleeving pardon and salvation in his blood when as neither pardon nor salvation are purchased in this blood to them nor purposeth he to give them faith Yet we may plead for the Lord we conceive of the decree of God as of a deep policie and a stratagem and snare laid for us whereas the Lord lies not in wait for our ruine nor carries he on a secret designe in the gospel to destroy men If Christ should say in the Gospel-precepts promises or threatnings I decree purpose and intend to redeeme all and every man but I purpose to carry on the designs so as the far greatest part of mankinde inevitably shall be lost it should be a stratagem but the gospel as the gospel revealeth not any decree or intention of God touching the salvation or damnation of men intended from eternitie Indeed the gospel as obeyed or disâbeyed reveals Gods intentions and decrees the gospel revealeth nothing but the Lords complacencie approbation and good-liking of the sweet connexion between faith and salvation the just concatenation between unbeliefe disobedience and eternall damnation so the gospel reveals duties but not the persons saved or damned the Lords working with the gospel or the efficacie of the gospel which is a far other thing reveals the persons Now the difficulty is how the Lord can command the reprobate to beleeve life and salvation in Christ when there is no life and salvation either intended to them or purchased for them To which I answer 1. God gave a law to all the angels created in the truth If ye abide in the truth ye shall be eternally happy ye cannot say that the devils in that instant were to beleeve that God intended and decâeed them for eternall happines and to give them âfficacious grace by which they should abide in the truth as their fellow-Angels did Gods command and promise did reveal no such intention of God So the Lord said to Adam and to all his seed If ye keep the law perfectly ye shall have life eternall according to that Do this and live yet was not Adam then far lesse these that are now under the Law to beleeve that God ordained them from eternitie to eternall life legally purchased or that any flesh should be justified by the works of the Law Arminians tell us that there be numbers judicially blinded and hardned within the visible Church who cannot beleeve and whom the Lord hath destined for destruction yet the word is preached to them they hear and read the promises of the gospel and the precepts Whither are they to beleeve that God intended from eternitie to them salvation and grace to beleeve I think not For they teach that Christ neither prayeth for nor intendeth to die for the unbeleeving and obstinate world as such nor decreed their salvation and except men may fancie sences on the words of Gods Spirit where learned they to expound the word World when it makes for them for all and every one of mankinde and when it makes against them for the least part of mankinde and that eâther within the visible Church only or yet without the visible Church for in both Satans world of disobedient ones is the far greatest part sâeing the whole world lyes in sinne as John saith Let it be also remembred when Arminians say the Lamb of God taketh away the sinnes of the world that is of all and every mortall man they mean Christ takes not away nor sheddeth he his blood for the sinnes of the rebellious world so the worlds rebellion contuââacie and infidelitie against Christ must be pardoned without shedding of blood and if Christ did bear all the sinnes of the world on the crosse conditionally and none of them absolutely âhen our act of beleeving must be the onely neerest cause of satisfaction for sinnes but why then if Christ satisfied on the crosse for the finall impenitencie and unbeliâfe of the rebellious world conditionally so they beleeve and be not rebellious but Arminians should say right downe Christ died for the rebellious and contumatious world and he prayes for the contumacious world as such but conditionally for he prays and dieth for the not rebellious world of all mortall men not absolutelie but conditionally so they beleeve in Christ if they beleeve not neither the prayers of Christ nor his death are more effectuall for them then for Devils To all these wee may adde that the Lord in commanding reprobates to rest on Christ for salvation though no salvation be purchased for them
deals sincerely candidly with them for first he commands them to beleeve no intention in God to save them by the death of his Son nor saith he any such thing to them but only commandeth them to rely on Christ as an alsufficient Saviour Secondly God commands all the reprobate even by their way to beleeve that Christ in his death intended their salvation justification conversion and yet whereas God taketh wayes effectuall and such as he foreseeth shall be effectuall for the efficacious working of justification and conversion and actuall glorification of some few yet he taketh wayes which he knoweth shall be utterly ineffectuall for the salvation justification and conversion of all these reprobates and yet commandeth thâm to beleeve that he decree and intendeth their salvation and conversion with no lesse ardency and vehemency of serious affection then he doth intend the salvation and conversion of all that shall bee glorified Sure this we would call double dealing in men and the Scripture saith he is a God of truth Deut. 32. and the Lord who cannot lie Object If a rich Inne-keeper should dig a Fountain in his Field for all passengers thirsty and diseased which were able to cure them and quench their thirst and invite them all to come and drink and be cured upon condition they come and beleeve the vertue of the water to be such and yeâ should intend and decree absolutely and irresistibly the tenth man invited should never be cured this Innekeeper should not deal sincerely with them So you make God to deal with sinners in the Gospel He doth all in inviting sâck sinners to come and drinâ life and salvation at Christ the Fountain of life which expresseth with men who speak as they think their sincere intention but he intendeth no such thing Answ. Make the comparison runne as it should doe and it maketh more against Arminians say that this Inne-keeper had dominion over the heart and will as the Lord hath Prov. 21.1 Psal. 119.36 37. Hebr. 13.20 21. Matth. 6.13 and that he could and doth without straining of the heart work in all the passengers a sense of their disease grace actually to come and drink and yet hee taketh a dealing with the soules of some few and causeth them come to the waters and drink and healeth them and he useth such meanes and so acts upon the will of the farre most part that they shall never come never be sensible of their disease and yet he invites them to come to the waters and drink its clear this Inne-keeper never intended the health of all and every one of the passengers but only of these few that come and drink nor doth invitations with men upon condition which the party invited is obliged to perform but doth never perform and which the inviter only of grace can work in the invited but doth not work them as being not obliged thereunto speak any such intention Again let it be considered that here 1 God lies in wait for no mans destruction 2 God is not obliged to reveal his eternall purpose and intentions touching mens salvation and damnation but in the way and manner seemes best to him 3 God never saith in all the Gospel that from eternity he hath passed a resolve to save all mankinde if they will and to yeeld them the bridle on their own necks that they may bee indifferent and absolute Lords of Heaven and Hell 4 Nor should the Gospel be framed in such wisdomâ if the Lord had set down particularly the names of all the Elect and Reprobate in the world and have proponed salvation upon condition of obedience and faith to some few it should evidently have raysed a hard opinion in the mindes of thousands touching Christ. Asser. 4. The third object of Faith is the sufficiency and power of Christ to save 1 The Scripture maketh the object of comming which is beleeving Ioh. 5.40 Ioh. 6.35 Matth. 11.27 to be Christs ability and power Hebr. 7.25 to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them What the Scripture presseth us to beleeve savingly that we must be inclined to misbeleeve and for the misbeleeving thereof the reprobates are condemned and not because they beleeve not the Lords intention to save all or his decrees of election and reprobation But the Scripture presseth faith in the power of mercy Rom. 4.21 Abraham staggered not but was strong in the faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Now Abraham is commended for that he savingly and for his justification beleeved the power of God in the Gospell promise that God was able of his mercy to give him the sonne of promise in his old age otherwise to beleeve simply the power of God to give a child to a mother who is passed the naturall date of bearing children is but the faith of miracles which of it selfe is not sâving and may bee in workers of iniquity Matth. 7.21 22. so this power then is the power of saving conjoyned with the mercy and good will of Christ. 2 The Scripture holds forth to our faith the power of God to graffe in the Jewes again in Christ Rom. 11.23 to make a weak beleever stand Rom. 14.4 to keep the Saints from falling and to present them faultlesse bâfore the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Iude v. 24. 3 The good Land was a type of the heavenly rest Heb 4.1 and Heb. 3.19 some entred not in through unbeleefe why what unbeleefe the Story sheweth us Psal· 93.7 Num. 14.9 Num. 13.28 they doubted of the power of God and beleeved the report of the unbeleeving Spies who said The people be strong that dwell in the Land the Cities are walled and very great and moreover we saw the childâen of Anak there Joshua and Caleb chap. 14.9 said they should not be bread for them and their strength was gone then the question was whether God was able to give them that good Land So then men enter not into the heavenly rest because they beleeve not that Iesus is able to save to the uttermost those that come through him to God Heb. 7.23 4 The Scripture is as much in proving the alsufficiency power and perfection of Christ our Saviour to save as in demonstrating his tendernesse of mercy and goodwill to save as in the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Apostle laboureth much for to prove the Godhead of Christ his excellency above Angels and that the Angels were to adore him his dignity and greatnesse above Moses and all the mortall and dying Priests the vertue of his blood above all the bloods of Buls and Goats to purge the conscience from dead works to expiate sinne to sanctifie his people to open a way a new and living way to the holy of holiest by his blood that we with full assurance may draw near to God that he with one Sacrifâce
or drawing grace therefore am I compelled as a Merchant who against his will casts his goods in the Sea to save his own life because the winds and stormes âver-master his desire to take a second course contrary to my naturall dâsire and gâacious and mild inclination to mârcy to decree and ordain that all who before the acts also of my middle science free decree and just will were finally to resist my calling shall eternally perish and to will that Pharoah should not at the first or second command obey my will and let my people goe and therefore with a consequent or constrained will to suffer sinne to be to appoint death and hell and the eternall destruction of the greatest part of mankinde to be in the world for the declaration of my revenging justice because I could not hinder the entrance of sin into the world not Master free will as free if my dispensation of the first covenant made with Adam in Paradise should stand Whereupon I was compelled to take a second herbrie and a second winde like a Sea-man who is with a stronger crosse winde driven from his first wished port and to send my Sonne Iesus Christ into the world to die for sinners for that I could not better doe and out of love to save all offer him to all one way or other though I did foresee my desire and naturall kindnesse to save all should be far more thwarted and crossed by this way because force my consequent will must needs prepare a far hotter furnance in hell for the greatest part of mankinde since thousands of them must reject Christ in resisting the light of nature and the universall sufficient grace given to all which if free will should use well would have procured to them more grace and the benefit of the preached Gospel But a heavier plague of hardnes of heart and farre greater torments of fire then these I foresee must be the doome of such within the visible Church as resist my calling or having once obeyed may according to the liberty of independent free-will persevere if they will notwithstanding of the power of God by which they are kept to salvation the promises of the eternall covenant the efficacie of Christs perpetuall intercession of the in-dwelling of the holy Ghost that everlasting fountain of life c. may fully and finally fall away and turne Apostats and therefore all their hope of eternall life their assurance of glory their joy their consolation and comforts in any claim to life eternall and the state of adoption is not bottomed on my power to keep them my eternall covenant my Sons intercession I can do no more then I can but upon their own free will if they please and it s too pleasant to many they may all fall away and perish eternally and leave my Son a widdow without a wife a head without members a king without subjects And if Arminians will be so liberall or lavish of the comforts of God proper to the lords people Esa. 40.1 c. 49.13 the proper work of the holy Ghost the comforter Ioh. 14.16 c. 15.26 c. 16.7 the consolations of Christ Phil. 2.1 the everlasting the strong consolations 2. Thess. 2.16 Heb. 6.18 the heart comforts Col. 2.2 wherewith the Apostles and Saintâ are comforted 2. Cor. 1.4.6.7 coming from the God of all comfort the Lord that comforteth Zion Esai 51.3 2. Cor. 1.3 Esai 51.12 blâssing promised to the mourners Matth. 5.4 We desire Mr. Moore and other Arminians to injoy them but for us we a loââv neiâher assurance courage hope nor comforts in Christ or hâs death but on the regenerate and beleevers and this makes the doctrine of universall redemption more suspitious to us as not coming from God that they allow to all even dogs and swine the holy Ghost and the precious priviledge of the Saints Therefore thirdly we answer that the assumption is not ours but theirs let the assumpââon be But I beleeve and he proposition be corrected thus These for whom Christ laid down his life are some few choâen beleevers Bât I am chosen and a beleeveâ Ergo c. and we grant all so the assumption be made sure But I have no assurance hope nor comfort to rest on a generall good will that God beareth to all to Iudas Pharaoh Cain and to all mankinde no lesse then to me For I am of the same very mettall and by nature am heir of wrath as well as they 2. That far-off Good will that all be saved and that all obey the Lord from eternity did bear it to the fallen devils as well as to me O cold comfort and it works nothing in order to my actuâll salvation more then to the aââuâll salvation of Iudas the Traitor it ãâã on moving no wheels no câuses no effectuall means to pâocure the powerfull apâlicaâion oâ the purchased Redemption to mâ more then to all tâaâ are now spitting out blasphemie against eternall justâce and are in fiââe chains of wrath cursing this Lord and his generall good will to save them But the fountain good will of God to save the elect runneth in another channel of free grace that separates person frâm person Iacob from Esau and sets the heart of God from eternitie and the tender bowels of Christ both from eveâlastiâg and as touching the execution of this good will and in time upon this man not this man without hire monây or price 1. because Angels or Men can never answer that of Rom. 9.13.14.15 as it is written I have loved Iacob and have hated Esau and that before the one or the other had done good or evil Then the naturall Arminian objecteth what our Arminian does this day that must be unrighteousnesse to hate men absolutely and cast them off when they are not born and have neither done good nor evill Paul answereth it followeth in no sort that there is unrighteousnesse with God because verse 15. all is resolved on the will of God because it is his will for hee saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassiân and upon this hâe infeâies then the businesse of sepââating Iaakob from Esau âunnes not upon such wheeles as âunning and willing swâating and hunting by good endeavours Iaakob dâd here lesse and Eâau more but all goes on this on Gods free goodnesse and mercy all the difference between person and person is God has mercy because he will not because men will Now because Arminians say thâs is not meanâ of election and reprobation but of temporary savours bestowed on Iaakob nor on Esau he aâeadgeth the example of Pharaoh a cruell Atheâst and a Tyrant who never sought justification by the works of the Law the reason why Pharaoh obtained not the mercy that others obtained I saith the Lord verse 17. told Pharaoh to his face for this purpose I raised thee up that I might make an
example of the glory of my power and name that is the glory of justice in thee to all the world who heares of thee and then verse 18. hee returnes to the Lords free will and unhired and absolute liberty in differencing person from person Why has hâe mercy upon this man and not on this man if there had been such a conceit as a generall catholick good will in God to Pharoah to Esau the Apostle should now hâve denyed any absolute will in God to separate one person from another Arminians can instruct the spirit of the Lord and the Apostle to say he has an equall generall goodwill and desire to save all and every one Esau as well as Iaakob Ishmael as âsaac the son of promise Pharoah as Moses or any other man but then two great doubts should remain How then hated he Esau when he was not yet born and had not done good or evill All the Arminians on earth answer that 2. But the doubt is not removed How is it that God loves Iaacob blesseth and hath mercy on him and hateth Esau and yet Esau has neither done good nor ill Arminians answer in an antecedent generall good will God indeed loved Esau as well as Jaakob Pharoah as well as another man but here is the thing that makes the separation Iacob runneth and willeth Esau is a wicked man Pharoah and others like him bloody tyrants and God sheweth mercy with another posterior and consequent will on Iacobs because he runs and wils and has mercy on him because hee pays well for mercy and has not mercy on Esau because he neither âuns nor wills Now this is to contradict God therefore we must bear with it that men of corrupt mindes destitute of the truth rising up to plead for universall atonement contradict us But Paul resolves all the mercy bestowed on this man not on this man v. 18. on this saying ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he will Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and hardeneth whom he will 2 unpossible it is that conversion should be grace and matter of the praise of the glory of the Lords grace to Peter rather then to Iudas except the grace of God separate Peter from Iudas by moving effectually the one to beleeve and not moving the other All the wit of men cannot say but I may glory in my own free will that I am efficaciously redeemed and saved rather then another except grace efficaciously move me in a way of separating me from another if hee had alike good will to save me and Judas and all the world but he committed the casting of the ballance in differencing the one from the other to free-will so as the creatures free-will made the consâquent will of God different toward the one and toward the other 3. The God who is willing to show his wrath and to make his power known in ânduring with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared to glory Rom. 9 2â 23 is also willing because hee is willing to declare these two ends equally in some because he will the glory of power justice and long suffering in others the glory of grace and mercy because he will nor did I ever see a reason wherefore God should carry on the two great state designs of justice and mercy in such an order as he should incline more to declare and bring to passe the design of mercy then the design of justice for out of the freedom of high and deep soveraignty he most freely intended both these glorious ends Now as the attaining of his freely intended end of manifested mercy in some both Angels and Men makes visible in an eminent manner the glory of justice in other some so the attaining of his freely intended end of pure grace in the Elect doth highly indeare Iesus Christ that we should prize the blood of the Covenant the riches of free-grace to us whom he hath freely chosen leaving others as good as we to perish everlastingly And as Arminians cannot deny but that the Lord might so have contrived the businesse as all that are saved and to prayse the Lord that sits one the Thron in heaven might have been damned and should blaspheme eternally in hell the holy just Iudge of the world as he can make a revolution of all things in heaven and in earth to a providence contrary to that which is now so they cannot deny an eminent soveraignty deliberate and fixâd free-will in God before any of the Elect and Reprobate were placed in sâch a condition of providence in which hee foresaw all that are saved or damned should bee saved or damned and that this will was the prime fountaine cause of election and reprobation 4. Paul shewing Rom. 11. That God concludes all in unbeliefe that he might have mercy on all and shewing a reason why the Lord was pleased to cast off his ancient people for a time and to engraffe the Gentiles the wilde Olive in their place saith O the depth and another reason he cannot find but bottomlesse and unsearchable freedome of grace and free dispensation to some people and persons and not to others I confesse it had been no such depth if the Lord from eternity had equally loved all to salvation but through the running willing or not running not willing of the creature had been put upon later wiser and riper thoughts and a consequent will to save or not save as Men and Angels in the high and indifferent court of their free-will shall think good there had been no other depth then is in earthly Iudgeâ who reward well doers and punish ill doers or in a Lord of a Vâne-yard who gives wages to him that labours and no wages to him that stands idle and doth nothing this is the Law of nature of Nations and no depth it s but God rewarding men âccording to their works and God shewing mercy in such as co-operate with and improve well the benefit of Gods antecedent will and not shewing mercy on such as doe not co-operate therewith but out of the absolutenesse of indifferent free-will are wanting thereunto But the great and unsearchable depth is how God should so carry on the great designes of the declaration of the glory of pardoning mercy and punishing justice as their should be some persons and Nations the Jewes first and not the Gentiles as of old and now the Gentiles taken into Christ and the Jewes cast off and again the Jewes with the riches of the world of Elect both Jewes and Gentiles who are chosen and must obey the Gospel and be called without any respect to works but of grace Rom. 11.5.6 7. and when the children had neither done good nor evill and were not born Rom. 9.11 and these who were nearest to Christ and did woâk more for the attaining
righteousnesse and life then other strangers to Christ and Gentiles Rom. 9.30 31 32 33. Rom. 10.1.2 3 4. Rom. 11.1.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 c. rejected and there should be others as good as these by nature that the Lord should have mercy on now in both these first God is free in his grace secondly just in his judgements though he neither call nor chuse accoâding to works thirdly the damned creature most guilty and fourthly the Lord both jâstly sâvere and graciously meâcifull fifthly none have cause to complaine or quarrell with God and yet God might have carried the matter a farre other way sixthly the head cause of this various administration with Nations and persons is the deep high soveraign innocent holy independent will of the great Potter and Former of all things who has mercy on whom he will hardneth whom he wil and this is the depth without a bottom no creature Angel or Men can so behave them selves to their fellow-creatures yet be free just holy wise c. but sure one creature can deal with his fellow creature according to the rules and road-way of an antecedent consequent will so may the King deal with his people the Governour with those he governes the Father with his children the Commander with his souldiers the Lord of a Vine-yard with his hired servants all these may order their goodnesse mercy rewards punishments in a way levill with the use industry improvement of free-will or the rebeâlion unjustice wickednesse and slothfulnesse of their underlings but no Master nor Lord can call Labourers to his Vine-yard and exhort obâest beseech them all to labour and promise them hire and yet keep from the greatest part of them the power of ââârring armes or legs of free consenting to labour and suspend his so acting on the greatest part of them as they shall willingly be caââied on to wilfull disobedience and to be the passive objects of his revenging justice according to the determinate counsell of the Lord of this Vine-yard because so he willed out of his absolute soveraignty to deal with some and deale a just contrary way with the least part of the labourers because hee pââposed to declare the glory of his grace on them either there is here an unsearchable depth or Paul knew nothing and this calmes my minde and answereth all that reason can say for universall atonement and the 1. Vse I aym at is that no Doctrine so endeareth Christ to a soule as this of particular redemption and free-grace separating one from another Psal. 147 1â Prayse the Lord O Ierusalem and amongst manâ groundâ here is one vers 19. he sheweth his word unto Iacob his Statutes and his judgements to Israel ver 20. he hath not dealt so with any Nation and he speaketh not of the measure as if God had revealed the same grace in nature but in an inferiour degree to other Nations for hee saith as for his judgements they have not known them and thân being full of God for this separating mercy he addeâh prayse yee the Lord Christ esteems this the floure of grace the grace of grace and blesseth his Father for it Matth. 11.25 I blesse thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes now because Arminians say the pride of the self-wise and the humility of babes are the causes separating the one from the other and so free-will is to share with the Father in the praise of the reveiled glory of the Gospel and the discovered excellency of Christ to babes rather then to wise men a literall revelation no doubt was common to all babes and prudent the swelled Pharisees and humbled sinners Christ praiâeth the eminency the blossom of grace the bloom of free-love in that the free-wil of the humble and the proud made not the separation but the good pleasure of God ver 27. No man knowes the Son but the Father and he to whom the Son will reveale him 2. That which is common to all shall never leave an impression of wonder and thankfull admiration I and we are swelled lofty and proud things and the Spirit of God commends grace highly in that it falls upon pronowns and persons and not on others 1 Cor. 15.9 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I am the least of of the Apostlâs vers 10. By the grace of God I am that I am and his grace ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã toward me was not in vaine but I laboured more abundantly then they all ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but not I but the grace of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in me Tit. 3.3 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for we our selves also were sometime out of our wits disobedient c. ver 4. but when the kindnesse and man-love of God our Saviour appeared ver 5. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he saved us 1 Tim. 1.15 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I am the chief of sinners ver 16. but for this cause I obtained mercy ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ but I live ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã yet not I but Christ lives in me ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who has lovâd me and given himself for me ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ephes. 2.1 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and you who were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickned ver 4. for his great love wherewith he loved us ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 5. even when we were dead in sins and trespasses he hath quickened us ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã together with Christ ver 13. But now in Christ Iesus yee who somtimes were farre off are made neare by the blood of Christ the passing by my Father and mother and brother and sister neighbour and friend and taking me is a most indearing favour 3. Of all in Scotland and England all in Europe all Adams seed that ever were masters of a living soule in the womb or out of it the Lord passed by so many thousands and millions and the lot of free-grace fell upon me precisely by name and upon us and not upon thousands besides no lesse eligible then I was what thoughts will you have of the fââe lot of love that fell upon you ever since God was God when Christ shall lay such a load of love such a high weight and masse of love on you ye shall then think O how came I hither to sit in heavenly places with Christ that body that is trimmed cloathed and doubly embroydered with pure and unmixed glory is just made of the same lump of earth with the body of Judas or Cain that are now flaming and sinking to the bottom of the black and sad river of brimstone the Lord saith Ezek. 18.4 behold all souls are mine and
of his essence which is as David saith every where Ps. 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit but so he is in Heaven in Hell in the Sea 2. But he dwelleth in the Saints in regard of the works operations gifts and graces of the holy Ghost 1. Because the holy Spirit is in them in that they have in them the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 such as love joy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith now these are not the holy Ghost who is eternall and God uncreated but are created in time out of meer nothing not out of the potency of the subject but ere God produce grace so knotty and so rocky are we and so contrary to grace that he must fall upon a new and second creation Ephes. 2.10 Col. 2.10 Psal. 51.10 the same word that is used for creating heaven and earth Gen. 1. â is here used it is not like the repairing of a fallen house where the same timber and stones may doe the work or the repairing of decayed nature when a healthy body recovereth out of a feaver Grace is a rare and curious workmanship 2. We are said to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 and by grace to increase to the edifying of the body in love Ephes. 4.16 and to the measure of the stature of the fullnesse of Christ 13. and to add grace to grace 2 Pet. 1.5.6.7 and to goe on to perfection Heb. 6.1 Phil. 3.12 But the person of the holy Ghost is noâ capable of growing or addition nor like the morning light or the New Moone that can grow and advance in perfection being God blessed for ever 3. If there be an union of the person of the Holy Ghost with the soule and not an in-dwelling by graces the beleever as a beleever must live by the uncreated and eternall life of the Holy Ghost or a created life Creatum vel increatum dividunt omne ens immediatè sicut finitum infinitum Not the former neither any man nor the man Christ can in any capacity be elevated so above it selfe as to partake of the infinite life of God how the manhood of Christ partaketh of the personall subsistence of the Godhead is incomprehensible to me except that it is not by such a union as my singular nature standeth under personality created and is by assumption rather then union how ever if there be an union of the person of the Holy Ghoââ to our soules it cannot be conceived nor doth Scripture speak of it if the Saints live the life of God it must be by created Graces and this is that we conceive 4 The person of the Holy Ghost immediatly acting in the Saints without them or any active and vitall influence of the naturall faculties cannot be guilty of sinne because David and Christ are absolved of sinne in this They lâyd to my charge things that I knew not that is things I never acted crimes in which I had no action or hand but we are blamed in the word for all the omissions of holy duties and the Holy Ghost cannot be blamed for he bloweth when and where he listeth and is under no Law in his motions of free grace then he who cannot be blamed in not acting cannot bee united as one spirit person with person with him who is justly to bee blamed in not acting Asser. 4 It must evidently follow that there is in the Saints a grace created that is neither Christ nor the Holy Ghost in person for what reason any hath to phancy an union of the person of Christ or the Holy Ghost in the Saints the same reason have they to say that all the three are united to the person of the beleever in all supernaturall actions for the Father is said to draw men to the Sonne Iohn 6.44 and Christ to reveal the Father and to draw men Iohn 1.18 Iohn 12.32 and the Holy Ghost to reveal the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11. now all the three in person doe these but all the three persons are not united to beleevers in person this were a mystery greater then God manisted in the flesh and unknown to Scripture 2. If Christ be all the grace of beleevers faith in Christ and the love of Christ should be Christ. 3. Then should a beleever having a new heart and a new Spirit be Christed or Godded and God should bee incaânate in every beleever and how many Christs should there be and the new heart in one Saint and the grace given to Paul should be the new heart given to Peter whereas God hath gâven grace to every man according to his measure and there are diversity of gifts but one Spirit 2 Pet. 3.15 Phil. 1.9 Eph. 3.3.4.5 â Cor. 12.3 â 5.6 Eph. 4.16 Asser. 5. The Grace of God and our free will in a four-fold sense may be said to concurre in the same works of Grace 1. When free-will receiveth no more from Grace and the Lords drawing but only literall instruction and if by our industry an habite of the knowledge of the letter of the word be acquired its necessary only to the easier believing as Pelagius said I may believe without Preaching the Gospel by Reading but more easily by faire and powerfull preaching and by grace helping and assisting preaching but yet without grace but with greater difficulty as I may goe a journey on foot but more easily on horse-back then a horse is not simply necessary for the journey and a ship may sail more easily and expeditely with sailes yet also without sailes with the help of Oars though with more difficulty thus Christ and his Grace may be spared we may sail to heaven by natures sweating and free-wils industry though the sails of grace could more expeditely promove our journey Now we think not that Christ draweth when men speak but the bare letter of the Gospel and softly requests the dead with only sound of words and syllabls to live and Orators with golden words doe pray and perswade the blind to see and the creeples to walk but it s long erre words fetch a soule to dry bones that they may live or tye the broken eye-strings or adde vitall power and life to eyes and ankle-bones 2. Grace and free-will as Bellarmaine and the rest of the Iesuites with Arminians teach may be thought to be two joynt causes the one not depending on the other as two carrying one stone or burthen neither he helpeth him nor he him but both joyn their independent strength to one common effect Bellarmine and Grevinchovius with the like comparisons do prove that we may storm heaven by the strength of free-wâll without dependence on Christ for three untruths are here taught 1. That Grace determineth not free-will a saying destructive to providence if God determine not all second causes he is not Master of all events nor hath he a dominion of providence in all things that fall out good and evill 2. Grace doth not begin
in all things that concerne salvation nor doth the Lord work in us to will and to doe if we will not doe without any prior dependence on the ânfluence of the grace of God we as much work in our selves willing and doing as the Lord doth and the Lord in his grace shall follow and not lead our will 3. Grace doth not conferre any help on the will to âctuate it and to strengthen it in doing good in believing âepenting loving God hoping as Grevinchovius saith but will and grace doe both joyntly meet in one and the same effect in which 4 Free-will divideth the spoyl with Christ and what need we say worthy is the Lamb who has redeemed us if free-will in the application of redemption share equally with the Grace of Christ 3. The third way is that free-will is said to believe repent love God by a meer extrinsecall denominationâ because it carieth that graceâ which formally and only doth perform all these supernaturall actions so Grace doth all and free-will is a meer patient that conferreth no vitall subordinate and active influence in these acts as we say the Apothecaries glasse healeth the wound because the oyl in the glasse worketh the cure when the glasse doth actively contribute nothing to the cure or the Asse maketh rich when it carieth the gold that enricheth only this sense Antinomians hold forth and make us meer patients and blocks in the way to heaven and this sense Jesuites especially Martinez de Ripaldâ falsly chargeth upon Luther and Calvin and the Councell of Trent inspired with the same lying Spirit saith the same 4. The fourth sense is that Grace and free-will doth work so as Grace is the principall first inspiring and fountane cause 1. It being a new supernaturall disposition and habite in the soule Joh. 14.23 1 Joh. 2.27 1 Ioh. 3.9 Ioh. 4.14 Esai 44.3.4 Ezech. 36.26.27 Deut. 30.6 A good treasure or stock of grace Matth. 12.35 Luk. 6.45 And also actually it determineth sweetly enclineth and stirreth the will to these acts yet so as free-will moveth actively freely and confeâreth a radicall vitall subordinate influence is not a meer patient in all these as Antinomians dream Psal. 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shall enlarge my heart Ioh. 14.12 he that believeth in me the works that I doe he shall doe and greater then these Matth. 12.50 He that doth the will of my heavenly Father the same is my brother c. 1 Cor. 9.24 So runne that ye may obtaine Revel 2.2 I know thy works and thy labour 1 Thess. 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of Hope 1. We are not dead in supernaturall works and meer blocks Rom. 6.11 Wee are alive unto God in Iesus Christ Ephes. 2.1 He hath quickned us Revel 2.3 For my names sake thou hast laboured and had not fainted 1 Cor. 15.58 Be ye steadfast unmoveable alwayes aboundant in the work of the Lord there is activity in the Spirit to lust against the flesh Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7.15 Nor is the blessednesse of the Saints only passive in receiving though to be justâfied and receive Christs righteousnesse be the fountain blessednesse Psal. 32.1 Rom. 4.6.7 Gal. 3.13 But the Scripture speaketh of a true and solide blessednesse in action Psal. 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way Esai 56.2 Blessed is the man that doth this Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Psal. 119.2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies Psal. 106.3 Blessed are they that keep judgement Revel 22.14 Blessed are they that doe his Commandements Math. 5. Blessed are they that mourn that hunger and thirst Then there must be a part of blessednesse in sanctification as in justification though the one be the cause the other the effect Asser. 6. The Lords working in us the condition of the Covenant of Grace such as faith is by his efficacious grace doth not free us from sinne when we believe not nor involve God in the fault when he worketh not in us to believe as Crispe imagineth Here let me by the way remove the arguments of Dr Crispe by the which he imagineth that there is no condition at all in the covenant of grace Argum. 1. The Covenant should not be everlasting if it depended on a condition of faith to be performed by us for wee faile in our performances daily and the Covenant is anulled and broken so soone as the condition is broken Ans. â We speak not so that the Covenant of grace depends on a condition in us dependency includes a causality in that of which the thing has deâendency we know nothing in us either faith or any other thing that is the cause of the covenant of grace or of the fulfilling of it a cause is one thing a condition caused by grace is an other thing for the peâpââuity of the covenant there is not requiâed a condition always in act 1. If at the elevenâh or at the twelf houre you come to Chriât the nature of this covenant promiseth you welcâme 2. Particular failings and acts of unbeleif doe well consist with the habite and stock of faith that remaineth in him that iâ borne ãâã God ãâã is the act so tyed to a time But 3. There is by âenuure of âhe Covenant a Priviledge twofold here 1. If by the Law a man step a haire-breath wide off the way the doore of Paradise is bolted on him and in againe can he never enter hee must seek another entery the man has done with heaven that way the law knoweth not such a thing as repentance but the Covenant of grace being made with a sinner a slip an act of unbeliefe doth not forfeit the mercy of this covenant But Christ saith if you fall there is place to rise againe if you sin there is an Advocate there is a blood of an eternall covenant the covenant stands still to make up roome for repeated grace for a thred and continued tract of free-grace and mercy all along that your foot never go out of the traces of renewed pardon while you be in heaven though the child of God ought not to sinne yet can he not out-sin the eternity of the new covenant nor can he sin an eternall priest out of heaven 2. The Law requireth a stinted measure of obedience even to the superlative with all the soule and the whole strength any lesse is the forfeiting of salvation But the covenant of grace stinteth no weak soule Christ racketh not nor doth he as it were play the extortioner and say either the strongest faith or none at all he maketh not Abrahams foot a measure to every poor sinner many smoaking flaxes and broken reeds on earth are now up before the throne mighty Cedars high tall green planted on the banks of the river of life if Adam bee the first in Heaven what though I be the last that enter in though I
close the doore in the lowest roome so I see the throne and him that sits on it it is enough to me 2. Arg. All the tie of the covenant lyeth on God not any on man as bond or obligation for the fulfilling of the covenant or partaking of the benefits thereof Heb. 8.10 Ezech. 36.25.26 Jer. 1. the Lord promiseth to doe all and the new heart is but a consequent of the covenant where is thee in all this covenant one Word that God sayes to man Thou must do this If God had put man on these conditions then they were conditions indeed But when God takes all upon himself where are then the conditions on Mans part Give me leave suppose there should be a fault of performing in this covenant whose were the fault must not the fault or failing be in him who is tyed and bound to every thing in the covenant and saith he will do it If there bee a condition and there should be a failing in the condition he that undertaketh all things in the covenant must needs be in the fault God saith not make your selves cleane get you the Law of God in your mind get you power to walk in my Statutes and when you doe this then I will be your God and enter in Covenant with you Answ. 1. We never teach that the making to our selves a new heart is an antecedent condition required before the Lord can make the New-Covenant with us as this mân would charge Protestant Divines but that it is a condition required in the party covenanting which is conditio federatorum nonfederis and such a condition without which its unpossible they can fulfill the other condition which is to believe and so lay hold on the Covenant but it is clear Antinomians think the new heart no inherent grace in us but that Christ is grace working immediately in us as in stones and the new heart is justification without us in Christ only let Crispe shew where the making of a new heart is commanded to us as a consequent and an effect of the Covenant surely the new heart the washing of us with cleane water be it an antecedent or be it a consequent of the Covenant of Grace it is a promise that God doth freely and of meere grace undertake to perform in us Ezech. 36.26 A new heart will I give you so Ier. 32.39 40. Ier. 31.33 Eâech 11.19.20 Esa. 54.13 Ioh. 6.45 Ezech. 36.32 Not for your sakes doe I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel ver 22. I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy names sake which yee have prophaned amongst the heathen whether ye went and Crispe saith the Covenant in the old Testament had annexed to it divers conditions of legall washing and sacrifices whereas the New Covenant under the New Testament is every way of free grace He is farre wide conditions wrought in us by grace such as we assert take not one jot or title of the freedome of Grace away and though there be major gratia a larger measure of grace under the New Testament yet there is not magis gratia there is no more of the essence of free-grace in the one then in the other for all was free grace to them as to us why did the Lord enter in Covenant wâth the Iewes more then with other Nations Deut. 7.7 The Lord loved you because he loved you Was Ierusalem Ezech. 16. holier then the Ephesians Eph. 2. No their nativity was of the land of Canaan their Father an Amorite their Mother an Hittiâe Ezech. 16.5 Thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast borne ver 6. And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said to thee in thy blood live And to cause grace have a deeper impression and sinking down into the hearts bottome he repeateth it againe I said unto thee in thy blood live And will Crispe say that this iâ not a history of free grace as farre from bribe or hire of meritâ as in the world or will he say it was Gods meaning First wash you with holy water and sacrifice to me and performe all these legall conditions to me while you are Amorites and Hittites by kinde and that being done He enter in Covenant with you when yee have done your work He pay your wages and be your God 2. This Argument militateth strongly against every Gospel duty and the whole course of Sanctification God must so be the cause only cause of all our sinfull omissions sins under the Covenant of grace in that he promiseth to work in us to will and to do to give us grace to abstain froÌ sin but does not stand to his word as Antinomians teach which is an Argument unanswerable to me that its the minde of Antinomians that no justified person can sinne but that they omit good or commit ill God is in the fault not they and that the justified are meer blocks in all the course of their sanctification in all the sins they doe they are patients God should more carefully see to his own honour and not suffer them to sinne so they and the old Libertines goe on together For say that the new heart that to will and to doe to persevere stedfastly in the Grace of God were no conditions of the Covenant sure believing in the Lord Iesus is clearly a condition of the righteousnesse of faith as doing is of the righteousnesse which is of the Law Rom. 10.3 4 5 6 7 8. Gal. 4.22 23 24 25 26 27 28 say that to repent pray love God and serve him were not from God through the tye of the New-Covenant yet Gods promise his single word when he saith he will doe such and such things is as strong a tye as his Covenant and oath when he knoweth its unpossible these things that he saith he will doe can be done except he of his meer grace work them in us Now the Lord clearely promiseth that he will give repentance Act. 5.31 Sorrow for sinne the Spirit of grace and supplication Zach. 12.10 a circumcised heart to love and serve the Lord Deut. 30.6 Ezech. 36.26 perseverance in Grace Ier. 32.40 41. Esai 54.10 chap. 59.20.21 Psal. 1.3 Joh. 4.14 chap. 10.28 Phil. 1.6 Ephes. 5.26.27 1 Ioh. 2.1 Then let D. Crispe or any Libertine say when the Saints sinne in not praying in not sorrowing for sin in not willing and doing in their sinnes and falls in their Christian race to heaven let me speak in the words of Crisp whos fault is it or failing not to perform the word or promise of God God undertaketh by promise yea by his simple word to fulfill what he promiseth and saith he will work all these in us yea to will and to doe Ergo if it be not done the fault cannot
predeterminating grace did keep the Saints and stirre them to every act 3. Who is the Author and finisher of our faith Christ and who perfecteth the good work once begun but Christ and who but he bringeth many children to glory Not we when the soule is distempered under desertion the soule is so tender and excellent a piece love so curious and rare a work of Christ that let all the Angels in heaven Seraphims and Dominions and Thrones set their shoulders and strength together they cannot with Angell-tongues let them speak heaven and Christ and glory calme a soul-feaver and words of silk and oyle dropped from the clouds cannot command the love-sicknesse of a sad soule Will ye look to heaven while your sight faile and weep out two eys while Christs time come you cannot find ease for a broken spirit when Christ breaketh can Angels make whole The conscience is a hell-feaver the comforter is gone can you wiâh a nodde bring the physitian back againe can golden words charme and calme a feaver of hell can you with all the love-waters on earth quench a coale of fire that came from heaven Send up to heaven a Mandate against the decree and dispensation of God if you can if the gates of death can open to thee or if thou hast seâne the doores of the shaddow of death or can doe such great works of creation as to lay the corner-stone of the earth or hang the world on nothing which Iob could not doe chap. 37. chap. 38. But who can command soule-furies onely onely Christ. The soule is downe amongst the dead wandering from one grave to another Can you make a dead Spirit a Gospel-harp to play on of the springs of Zion the songs of the holy Ghost Christ can doe it Can you cry and finde obedience to your call O North O South winde blow upon the Garden Christ hath his owne winde at command hee is master of his owne mercies Can you prophecie to the winde to come and breathe on dead bones Christ onely can Can you breathe life soule and five senses on a coffin could you make way for breathing in the narrow and deep grave when clods of clay closeth the passage of the nostrils Christ can Isai. 26.19 Thy dead men shall live together with my body they shall arise awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Can you draw the virgins after the strong and delitioâs smell of the ointments of Christ but if he draw the virgings âunne after his love Cant. 1.3 Christ indictes warre are you a creator to make peace he cryes Hell and wrath can you speak joy and consolation are you an anti-creator to undoe what Christ does Christ commandeth fury against a people or person can men can angels can heaven countermand Position 3. The Lords suspending of his grace cometh under a twofold consideration 1. As the Lord denyeth it to his own children 2. As to wicked men also As he witholdeth grace especially actuall and predeterminating It falleth under a threefold respect 1. As it is a work of the free and good pleasure and Soveraignty of God 2. As it is a punishment of former sinnes 3. As from it resulteth our sinne even as the night hath its being from the absence of the Sunne Death from the removall of life 4. The Lords denyall of Grace is seene most eminently in two cases 1. In the parting asunder of the two decrees of election and reprobation 2. In Gods with drawing of himselfe and his assistance in the case of ââying the Saints In the former the Lord has put forth his soveraigntie in his two excellentest creatures Angels and men if wee make any cause in the free-will of Angels I speak of a separating and discriminating cause whâ some Angels did stand and never sinne some fall and become divels wee must deny freedom of Gods grace in the predestination of Angels now the Scripture calleth them Elect Angels how then came it that they fell not from fre-will No Angels are made of God and for God and to God then by the Apostles reason they could not give first to God to ingage the Almighty to a recompence they could not first set their free-will to work their owne standing in Court before God did with his grace separate them from Angels that fell Rom. 11.36 Esai 40.13 2. Make an election of Angels as the Scripture doth when some are called Elect Angels and some not then it must bee an Election of grace an election of works it cannot be because Angels must glory in the Lord that they stand when others fell Rom 4.2 as men do Proverb 16.4 Ier. 9.23.24 2 Cor. 10.17 Rom. 11. â6 for no creature Angels or Men can glory in his sight for Angels are for him and of him as their last end and first Authour Rom. 11.36 then they gave not first to God to ingage the Lord in their debt vesr. 35. for if so then glory should be to the Angels but now upon this ground that none can ingage the Lord in their debt Paul vesr. 36 saith to him be glory for ever because none can give to him first and all are for him and of him then so are Angels 3. Angels are associated in the Element and orbe of free grace to move as men with graces wings to fly over the Lake prepared for the divel and his Angels whereas others fell in otherwise Christ the Lord Treasurer of free grace cannot bee the head of Angels Col. 2.9 as of men Col. 1.8 Ephes. 1.20.21.22 23. for as art not nature can prevent a dangerous feaver by drawing blood or some other way even as the same art can recover a sick man out of a feaver whereas another sick of that same disease yet wanting the helpe of art dieth So the same free grace in nature speece and kinde not free will hindeâââ the elected Angels to fall where as by constitution of naâuâe and mutabilitie being discended of that first common poâr ãâã âase house the first spring of all the creation of God meere and simple Nothing the mother of change and of all defects naturall and morall in every the most excellent creature thây were as an humorous grosse body in which the vessells are full and in a neerest propension to the same feaver that devils fell into even to the ill of the second death if the grace of God had not prevented them 2. In men God has declared the deep Soveraignty and dominion of free grace in calling effectually one man Iaakob not Esau Peter not Iudas in having mercy in time on whom hee will and hardening whom hee will I humbly provoke all Arminians all Libertines who dash themselves the contrary way against the same stone to show a reason why one obeyeth and actively joyneth with the draught and pull of the right arme of Iesus Christ Ioh. 12.32 and his father
Ioh. 6.44 and another refuseth and actively and wilfully withdraweth from the call of God if the omnipotency of never enough praised grace bee not the cause the adequate highest and principall cause I deny not but corrupt and rebellious will is the inferiour culpable and onely culpable and morall cause why Judas denyeth obedience to the holy call of Christ. It is a sweet contemplation that Angels and Men sing the same song and Psalme of free grace in heaven to the Lamb to him that sitteth on the Throne and a question it is if a more ingaging and obliging way to free grace could be devised then that as many as are in the glorified Troops and triumphing armies in heaven clothed in white should bee also the sworne subjects and the eternall debtors of the freest grace of him who is the high Lord Redeemer and head of Angels and Men. But in the engagement it selfe of the winde of the Spirit for the tryall of the Saints there is great ground of admiration as 1. the blowing of the soft and pleasant breathings of the South-winde of free-grace lying under the only work of soveraignty when and where and in the measure the Lord pleaseth is a high and deep expression of the freedome of grace for in one and the same prayer the like by proportion may bee said of the acts of faith love patience hope we often begin to pray with sad and fleshly complaints of unbeliefe as is evident in many Psalms and Prayers of the Saints in Scripture Jeremy Lament 3. of Iob of David yet going on the breathings of thâ holy Ghost will fill the sailes and he returneth therefore this is a ground yea a demonstration to me then when I finde no motion of the holy Ghost no spirituall disposition but meere deadnesse I am not to abstaine from praying because I finde the Spirit not acting nor stirring in me as Antinomians say but 1. I am to act and doe though the principle of motion be naturall as if the first stroak on flint make not fire we are to strike againe and againe and if the fire blowing of the bellows kindle not the sticks let us be doing and the Lord will be with us A kindling and a flame may come from heaven say that the Lord were wanting to me in a dead and low ebbe he will not once roll about the sight of his eye nor let out one blast or stirring of aire and winde of the Spirit toward me yet my deadnesse is my sin and freeth not me from an obligation to pray and to seek to God the doore is fast bolted shall I not therefore knock accesse is denyed and the Lord in angâr shuteth out my prayer Lam. 3.8 May not I look and sigh and groane toward his holy Temple deadnesse is not the Lords revealed will forbidding me to pray because I am dead and indisposed 2. Deadnesse and indisposition is a sinne then must we confesse to God and tell the Lord when we are indisposed to pray that we cannot pray and let the dead and the blind but bow his knee and lay a dead Spirit and naked wretched soul a paire of blinde eyes before God for we are commanded to confesse this to God as may be gathered from Revel 3.17 1 Joh. 1.9 Prov. 28.13 Psal. 32.5 3. We are expresly commanded in the day of trouble and of our temptation to pray and seek help from God under our temptations Psal. 50.15 Matth. 6.13 1 Thess. 5.17 As the Saints have done Psal. 18.6 Psal. 34.6 Psal. 61.2 2 Cor. 12 ver 7.8.9 If then wee judge the no breathing of the holy Ghost a temptation and a cause of humiliation as it is and the Saints doe judge it then are we to pray though most indisposed why doth David complain that he was as a bottle in the smoak and pray so often that God would quicken him if under a dead disposition we were not to pray 4. If often the Saints beginning to pray doe speak words of unbeliefe and from a principle of nature and if words flowing from the deadnesse and misgivings and rovings of the flâsh interwoven in with the spirituall and heavenly ravishments of the Spirit of grace and supplication in one and the same complaint and prayer to God as Psal. 38. Psal. 102. Psal. 77. Psal. 88. Lament 3. Ier. 20. Job 8. ch 16. ch 19. and in many other passages where the Spirit and the flesh have Dialogues and Speeches by turnes and by course then may and ought the Saints to pray under deadnesse and do as much as theiâ present indisposition can permit them and the Spirit is seene to come and blow not by obligation of Covenant or promise on Gods part as Iesuites and Arminians with Pelagians have taught but in his ordinary free practises of grace as Philip was commanded to come and preach Christ to the Eunuch while he was reading the Book of the Prophet Esay not because he was reading Scripture or because such a promise is made to these who read Scripture as the Angels revealed the glad tydings of the birth of Christ while the shepheards were attending their flocks in the field not because they were so doing as if a promise of the Gospel bâlonged to men bâcause they wait one their calling and Annanias is sent to preach Christ to Saul and open his eyes while he was praying not because he was praying but of meer free-grace which moveth in this ordânary current and sphere of free love congâuously to the Lords freely intended end to save his people even as the Lord joyneth his influence and blessing to give bread and a Harvest to the sower Esay 55. yet not that he hath tyed himself by promise to give a good Harvest to every industrious husbandman yet this ordinary practise of Grace with the Commandement of God is enough to set us on work to pray to believe to acts of love to Christ in the saddest and deadest times 5. It should be no sinfull omission in us not to pray when the Spirit stirreth us not if our deadnesse should free us from all sin because we cannot run when the Bridegroome doth nât draw Christs drawing goeth along with the secret decree of Election but is not to us a signification of the Lords revealed will that we should not follow Christ when he suspendeth the influence of his drawing power 6. Now as in nature men may so dare the Almighty in his face that God in juâtice may deny his influence to naturall causes as when malice opposeth the Spirit of God in the Prophet of God that the Lord refuseth to concurre with the oyle in Iereboams whithered aâm that he cannot pull it in againe to him 2. When the Lord is put to a contest with false god's to work a miracle as in his refusing to concurre with the fire in burning the three children for in all causes naturall or morall or whatever they be God has a negative
voyce and more 3. When the axe or the saw boasteth it selfe against him that lifted it the Lord may use his liberty So to come to the second consideration when Peter proudly trusteth in himselfe I will dye with thee ere I deny thee the Lord to punish his pride must deny his assisting grace when Peter is tempred that he may know that natuâe is a sârry undertaker that the man rideth to heaven on a whithered reed who aymeth to climbe that up-hill-city one his own flesây and clay strength and God to show a black spot on a faire face in heaven will have it said there standeth David before the Throne who once committed adultâry and to cover the shame of it from men killed most treacherously an innocent godly man God here out of the ashes of our sin will have a rose of free grace that filleth the foure corners of heaven with its smell to grow green up in the higher Paradise for a summer of eternity and will have no Tenants in heaven but the free-holders of grace it is a question wâithâr there be more grace or more glory in heaven for the crown of glory is a crown of grace that vaâie sea of the redemption of grace issued from under our sânfull falls 7. Yea upon this reasonlesse and fleshly ground if we may omit prayâng and so believing loving repenting mortifying our lusts when the Spirit stirres us not to these acts and say if God will suffer me to sinne let him see to it then upon the same ground all the justified Saints I should think them Devils not Saints might sin muâther blaspheme whore oppresse commit Sodomy Incest as Lot deny Jâsus Chrâst as Peter did and say as wâ are not to pray nor obliged to a constant course in prayer when Christ draweth not and when the Spirit moveth us not as Antimonians say with Mr Crispe and others error 49. pag. 9.10 Rise Reign so neither are we to abstaine from murther denying of Christ blasphemy Sodomy when the spirit of Christ draweth us not and moveth stirreth not our soule to abstinency and a holy feare and circumspection that we commit not such abominations and Peter might say I am not obliged to a constant course of confessing Christ before men unlesse the Spirit stirre me thereunto and David or any Saint might say If the Lord will suffer me to murther the innocent let him see to it for the Lords drawing and the Spirits stâââing is as necessary in a holy eschewing of sinnes âf commission as in sins of omission and by as great and an every way equall necessity if the Lord withdraw himself and the Spirit stirre not we must fâllân such abominations when tempted by Sathan and the flâsh as in the sins of sinfull omitting of praying praysing believing when the Spirit stirres us not thereunto but the truth is this necessity can neithâr lay the blame on the holy spotlesse dispensation of God nor free us from guiltinesse because between Gods withdrawing influence and the sin there doth interveen an obliging Law that forbids sin and our free-wâll and reason acting the sin freely But we are commanded 2 Tim. 1.6 To stirre up the grace of God in us ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it s on allusion to the Priests who were to keep in the fire that came from heaven grace is resembled to fire under ashes which with blowing of bellowes is made to revive and burn again it is the Prophets complaint Esa. 64. â There is none that calleth upon thy name or stirres up himselfe to lay hold on thee the habit of grace may be warmed âlown upon and kindled that as fire makes fire so grace may put forth it self in acts of grace and the seed of God in the Saints 1 Joh. 2.9 may bring forth births like it selfe motion here produceth heat Object But the actuall predetermination of grace is not in your hand and without this acts of praying and believing are unpossible to me Answ. If this were a sufficient reason then all works of nature whatever the creature doth were unpossible for the plow-man should not goe to till sow and reape because without the blessing of the common and naturall influence of the first cause he could do none of these things 2. Because the Saints know not the counsell and minde of God in his decree of joyning of his supernaturall influence or his suspending of the same to this or this act of praying beleeving hoping loving of Christ c. Therefore upon all occasions the Saints what ever be their present deadnesse and indisposition are to pray beleeve and to stirre up themselves to lay hold on God 1. Because as in naturall and morall actions men are not to neglect plowing earing journeying eating drinking sleeping buying and selling upon this ground because they are ignorant whether in the work the Lord shall be pleased to joyne his influence as the first cause without whom all inferiour causes can doe nothing So are not the Saints to neglect to pray because they are dead and indisposed upon the ground of their doubting and not knowing whether the Lord of grace will be pleased to adde his actuall assistance of grace to worke in them to will and to doe for the Lord may be pleased to adde his supernaturall influence in a moment his winde bloweth when it listeth his grace moveth swiftly when and where he pleaseth our good disposition is neither rule condition worke nor hire to move him to work 2. It is all one as if we willfully neglected to pray and resisted the predeterminating grace of God when wee know not whether the Lord shall deny his influence or no Yet we disobey the Lord commanding and so obliging us to pray for as if wee had his influence at our elbow attending us so wee are to pray and set to work yea our voluntarie refusing to pray wee onely conjecturing evil of God and of his free grace without ground must come from sinnefull wickednesse not from impotency and weaknesse for who told you that Christ would bee wanting in his influence You knew it not from any word of God and shall you fancie a jealousy against Christs love without any warrant even as a servant commanded to lift a burthen upon a sluggishnesse should say It came thither in a Cart and two horses when hee would never move an arme to take a tryall what he could doe though the burthen were above his strength when he will not doe as much as he can his disobedience is wilfull Therefore wee may say if wee speake of a voluntary willfull and groundlesse forsaking of God in order of time we first forsâke God ere hee desert us but in order of nature God first forsaketh us that is he withdraweth his heavenly influence from us but so as before and after the act of withdrawing wee are willing that God should withdraw and be gone for we love in all the acts of sinning to havâ a world
pierced as a full vessell out of whom issueth blood and water justification and redemption from the guilt of sinne and sanctification is a drawing lover 2 Here is fulnesse of power to reconcile to himselfe all things whether they bee things in heaven or things on earth by the blood of his crosse here wee are made Chrrsts friends to doe whatsoever hee commands us Col. 1.20 Ioh. 15.15 3. Nor is there a stronger band or cord to draw men from sinne then the faith of Christs death Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ livâth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 6.14 But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to mee and I unto the world here is reciprocation of death's Paul is crucified to the world as a dead man not in the world nor one of the worlds number A mortified Saint drawne up to heaven from the earth is an odd person not under tale hee may bee spared well enough the world and the Towne he lives in may be well without him as Ioseph was the odde ladde separated foom his brethren and David none of the seven miscounted in the telling among the Ewes at the sheepfolds and forgotten as a bastard or as a dead man out of thought And againe the world is crucified to Paul for it looks like a hanged man it smells like a dead corps to a Saints sences Now thus they have not eyes more affected with the world nor eares more taken with their musick nor a heart more overcome with the lusts of the world nor a dead man set to a rich table is affected with all the dainties there or with the harping of the sweetest musician the man has escaped the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the pollutions âf the woâld to him the world has sooty fingers and dirty and picky hands it defiles washen soules but to the unmortified man the world smelleth like the garden of God Lust casteth in and well cometh to eye and heart and fancy Granadoes and fire-bals of uncleannesse sinfull pleasure has a rosie face profit has golden fingers Court and honour has a sweete breath the world is not to him an ill smelled stinking corps fit for nothing but for a hole under the earth Nay but god-Mammon looks like heaven the world a poore thing yea the world of it self is but a bagge of empty winde a fancy 1. It has no weight as touching the part of it wee count most of the earth but so many pounds of clay the dreggs the earthie bottome of the creation 2. the stage that peeces of brittle clay comes upon and weeps and laughs and lives speaks and dies 3. The flowers of it that we are most in love withall the lusts of the eye the lust of the flesh the pride of life are not of God 1 Ioh. 3.16 4 It is a house of glasse or of Ice that stands for the fourth part of the yeere for winter but is removed in the Spring and is never to be seene againe for it passeth away like a figure written on the Sea-shoar when the sea floweth 1 Cor. 7.31 5. the frenizes or passements of it pleasure profit honour are all sick of vanity and change to the Saints that are crucified and buried with Christ in whom lust is nailed to the crosse of Christ the world is a dead bagge of despised dust and though a toe or a finger of a crucified Saint will make a motion and a stiâre and breake a wedge of the Crosse because of the indwelling of a body of death yet hear his arguing O vaine clay-god dirty Earth I ow thee no love because my Lord was lifted up from the earth and has drawne me after him I care not for this bubble of a vaine life this transient shaddow seeing Christ could not brook it What is the fancie of a plaistered and fairded worldly glory to mee if Iesus his face was spitted on what is this painted globe of an empty perishing and death-condemned world to my happines seeing my Saviour was a borrowed body a stranger and slaughtered in the world and had all against him and alwayes the winde on his face Now let us consider what Antinomians say of mortification What is mortification saith a Mr Den but the apprehension of sin slain by the body of Christ What is vivification but our new life The just shall live by faith I may know saith the Antinomian I am Christs not because I do crucifie the luââs of the flesh but because I do not crucifie them but beleeve in Christ that crucified my lusts for me Much of this lawlesse and carnall mortification is to be found in Saltmarsh his unexperienced treatise of free Grace in which he labours to make Protestant Divines Anti-christian Legalists in the doctrine of mortification for his way is that we are to beleeve our Repentance true in Christ who hath repented for us our mortifying sinne true in him through whom wee are more then conquerers our new obedience true in him who hath obeyed the Law for us and is the end of the Law to every one that beleeveth our change of the whole man is true in him who is righteousnesse and true holinesse and thus without faith it is possible to please God for there is saith hee great deceitfulnesse in mortification of sin as it is commonly taken hee must point at Calvin and other Protestant Divines for as Papists and Arminians commonly speake and teach wee are justified by works of pennance and mortification for the not acting of sinne or conceivings of lust is not pure mortification for then children and civilly morall men were mortified persons c. It is not in the meere absence of the body of sinne for then dead or sick men were mortified persons Eatons Honey comb of justification chap. 8. pag. 164.165 Wee mortifie our selves onely declaratively to the sight of men whereby the holy Ghost seeth not us properly mortifying our sinnes out of the sight of God for then he should see us robbing Christ of that glory which his blood hath freely done before wee begin nay but when the wedding garment hath freely curified us in the sight of God then the Spirit enters in us to dwell which otherwise hee would not do and enableth us to walk holtly and righteously to avoid and purifie out of our owne sight sence and feeling and out of the sight of other men that sin which the wedding garment hath purified and abolished before out of the sight of God But this in name and thing is the doctrin of the old Libertines in Calvines time as âe may read Calvin opuscul instructio adversus Libertinos chap. 18. pag. 450.451 The Libertines saith Calvine seeme to
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame and the Saints are persâcuted reviled and men speak all manner of evill against them falsly for the name of Christ Matth. 5.11 12. and yet are so farre from the boyling and rising of sinfull lusts in them that as if choir lusts were dead they rejoyce under the hope of glory then are they mortified to these lusts and the like I say of fleshly pleasures of unlawfull gaine 2. Mortification is when the heart runnes not out wantonly and whoorishly upon the pleasures of the creature we are too ready to take the creature in our bosome but mortification is when the heart stands at a distance from creatures as Iob saith of himselfe Chap. 31.24 If I have made gold my hope or said to the fine gold thou art my confidence ver 25. if I rejoyced because my wealth was great 3. It s to be from under the power or bondage to the creature or the world the believer is above the creature and the world is under his feet as a drudge or servant they have no Dominion over the heart he has a wife as if he had no wife the man buys and possesseth not because when he has bought houses gardens lands they are no more in the center heart of his love then if they were the houses lands of an other man mortification is a Lord over the creature But there is nothing more contrary to the Gospel and the grace of Christ then that the Apostles rejoycing when they weâe scourged shamed for Christ had nothing of realty of scourging of shame nor of reall joy deadnesse to the world in their persons only they believed and apprehended that Christ was scourged shamed crucified for their sinnes this is but opinative not reall mortification The Scripture knoweth nothing of imputed mortification as contra-distinguished from reall personall and inherent mortification 3. When Paul saith Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are upon earth fornication uncleannesse inordânate affection evill concupiscence for which things the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience hâs sense must be believe and apprehând that fornication uncleannesse are mortified to your hand and that Christ has slaine the body of sin on the crosse and theâe is an end now this is to annihilate sanctification and to make justification all whereas justification it alone is no justification being separated from sanctification as Libertines doe and the Popish sanctification or the morall acquiring of a new habit of holinesse and the infusion of supernaturall habits is not justification at all yea nor true sanctification for they separate it from the free imputation of Christs righteousnesse to a believing sinner The Libertine takes away sanctification and makes justification all the Papist takes away justification by faith and the free grace of God and in the place thereof substitutes a supposed morall or civill sanctification which to him is all in all further if this Mortifie your members and the body of sinne be nothing but believe that Christ has mortified the body of sin already then as we are justified from eternity as some Libertines say or as all say before we believe remission of sins in Christs blood so to be mortified to our lusts must he to believe we are mortified to our lusts long before we believe Paul thinks not so of the Colossians set he saith v. 7. chap. 3. In which also yee walked some time when yee lived in them v. 8. But now also put off all these wrath malice c. Then before they were converted and did believe they weâe not mortified nor freed from uncleannesse fornication because then they walked in these except Libertines say that they were mortified and did not walk in uncleannesse before they believed but were delivered in themselves from walking in these lusts only they were not in their own sense delivered but in their own sense though not really they did walk in fornication and uncleannesse this is not sober divinity for they say before we believe wee are justified though not to or in our own sense and feeling till we believe and why are we not also sanctified and effectually called before we believe for whom he called and predestinated them also be justified Rom. 8 3â And the Scripture never shewes us of a man in time justified before hee bee sanctified and mortified in some measure 4. When Paul saith Col. 2.6 As yee have therefore received Christ so walk in him hee meanes so mortifie your lusts then he must intend this walk in Christ that is believe that Christ walked in Christ for you and put on love and brotherly-kindnesse and pray continually in all things give thanks abstaine from worldly lusts love one another keep your selves from Idols seeke the thinks that are above c. must have no other meaning but believe that Christ has put on love for you that he abstaines from fornication for you gives thanks abstains from wordly lusts for you keeps himselfe from Idols seeks the things that are above mortifies his members that are on earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection for you all which are blasphemies or they can have this sense at the best love one another that is believe that Christ hath satisfied for your hating one another and then yee love one another and keep your selves from Idods that is apprehend and believe that Christ hath died for your Idolatry Now this is a mocking of sanctification not a commanding of it Then to doe all these and abstaine from fornication must be commanded and forbidden in souââ other Gospel otherwise we performe will-worship and will-obedience to God without warrant of his word and the grace of God in the Gospel doth not teach us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts in our owne person but onely to beleeve that Iesus Christ has aâd doth deny ângodlinesse and worldly lusts and performe active and personall obedience for us and to our hand for Libertines cannot expound one Gospel charge one way and another Gospel command another way and that wee are obliged to personall active obedience in one precept and to imputed active or fidei jussory or mediatory obedience in Christ in another yea when we are in the Gospel to beleeve with a promise of âife and righteousnesse and that damnation is threatned if we believe not so are wee commanded to mortifie our lusts and seek the things that are above with promises and forbidden to walk after our lusts because for these things the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience then I may with equall strength of reason say that the sense of these passages Beleeve in Iâsus Christ who justifies the ungodly and beleeve the immediate testimonie of the holy Ghost witnessing to your hearts that ye are the sonnes of God must bee not to beleeve in your owne persons but beleeve that âesus Christ beleeveth for you on Christ that justifieth sinners and beleeve that the Spiritâ witnesseth
O how admirable was his love and that love was Christs last work in this life he dyed of no other sicknesse but love love love was Christs death-work Christs Testament Christs winding sheet Christs grave he took his Bride lapped in his love and hart to Paradise with him his last breath was love The myrrhe when it is withered has the same smell and a sweeter that it had while it was gâeen Christ that bundle of myrrhe that lyeth all the night between the Churches breasts when withered and dead smelled of love for hee opened the graves and raised the dead and took a repenting sinner to Paradise with him which are acts of great love its considerable that hee is at one time a dying a drawing and a loving Saviouâ and ask what was Christs last act on earth it s answered he dyed in the very act of loving and drawing sinners to his heart Vse We are engaged to love him and if so to keepe his commandments and to draw him after us his owne image hoâinesse in the Saintâ takes Christ and causes him fall in love with us Cant. 4.9 Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes with a chaine of thy neck It s much love that ravishes Christ yâa it so overcomes him that hee professes its above him hee must desire his Spouse to looke away Cant. 6.5 Turne away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me Cant. 7.5 The king is held in his galleries holinesse makeâ our king the Lord Iesus a captive for eternitie he will delight to see the Lambs wife his bride when shee shall bee decked up with endlesse glory Bee holy and the king shall desire your beauty ingage Christ more to love you deck your selves with chains with bracelets be attired in raiment of needle work the braver in this apparell you are yee are the lovelier to Christ the wedding garment makes you fair to the king put on the crowne of grace on your head and bee highly beloved of this Prince Ver. 33. Now this he spoke signifying what death he should dye The last article in Christs drawâng of sinners is the exposition of the Evangelist Iohn who openeth to us the sense of Christs words to wit what was meant by Christs lifting up from the earth for it is not an ordinary phrase to expresse dying on the crosse therefore saith Iohn hee meaned by his lifting up from the earth the kinde and manner of his death to wit that he should bee crucified and dye the shamefull and ignominious death of the crosse it would seeme that the exposition of Iohn may be referred to the whole verse 32. What is the sense of this If Christ be lifted up hee will draw all men up to him that is if he be crucified by that shamefull and painfull death and the merito thereof he will draw all men to him and translate them from the kingdome of darknesse to the state of saving grace which is true in it self but seemeth not to bee the sense of the words 1. Because the Evangelists use to expound what may appeare ambiguous to the hearers as Ioh. 7.8.39 But this he spoke of the Spirit âoh 20.23 Then went this saying abroad among the Brethren that that disciple Iohn should not dye yet Iesus âaid not to him hee shâll not dye So Matth. 2.16.17 18. But that Christ draweth sinners by his death was not so much controverted for to come to Christ to beleeve in Christ to bee drawen to Christ were Phrases obvious enough and known to all 2. It is most pertinent to the text that lifting up from the earth which is ambiguous and may seeme to allude to Elias his beeing carried up to heaven should bee expounded by Chriââs manner of death to wiâ by crucifying 3. Because the holy Ghost expoundeth not the connexion of the conditionall proposition If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men after me which he must doe if the sense goe thus but onely speaketh of the kinde and nature of Christs death which was known to the âewes to bee both shamefull and cursed but in his exposition hee speaks nothing of the fruit of Christs death but of the kinde and manner of death Now that the Evangelist expoundeth the sence of Christs words what he meaned by being lift up from the earth it holdeth forth to us a necessity that the Lord speak plaine language to us in scripture and that one scripture expound another In finding the meaning of scripture these considerations may give light 1. The Scripture in the plainest expressions is dark that is high and deepe in regard of the matter which is deepe high above the reach of reason and yet the language plaine obvious easie that a virgin shall be a mother the antient of dayes a young sucking infant that through one man death digged a hole in the world and sinne passed on all through a second Man life and heaven entered again are high and deepe mysteries yet is not the Gospel obscure as Papists say 2. In meer historicall narrations and prophecies foretelling the wars of the Lamb the Dragon and the Beast the Antichrist their persuing the woman in traveling in birth to bring forth a man child the matter subject is not profound nor deepe yet the expressions are dark and covered while the works of the Lord bee a key to open his word Here 's the wisdome of God that in deepe and high mysteries necessary for salvation the Lord is plaine and lower and easier stories are foretold more darkly articles of faith are not set downe in dark and enigmaticall prophesies but plainly whereas histories of things to come are more mysteriously proposed 3. The Scripture in no place is in the popish sense dark that is that we are not to take any sense for the word of life and the object of our faith but that which the Church giveth as the sense in regard the Scripture is a nose of wax with equall propension to contradictory senses except the mistris of our faith the witch of Babel expound it and then it is for such formally the word of God as she expoundeth it 4. The holy Ghost the Authour of Scripture has concreated with the words the true native sense which all the powers on earth cannot alter Then when we sweare a covenant with the Lord in plaine easie countrey language not devised of purpose to bee ambiguous or to hold forth that all sects Antinomians Socinians Arminians Prelatiâall halters Anabaptists Seekers c. may salve every one his owne way and his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã what hee thinks good to obtrude any authoritative interpretation on this covenant which it holds not forth in its owne simple words to the reader is the greatest tyranny and equivocating jugling in the world and we may easily distinguish and dispute our selves out of a good conscience or rather confesse wee had never any
for imputed sinne behoved to bleed to death 2. Only Enoch and Elias were reprieved by the prerogative of free-grace we are by birth and sinne but some ounces or pieces and fragments of death and its appointed for all men to die there is more reason we should die then the Lord of life for life was essentiall to the Prince of life but life is a stranger to us man is but man but a handfull of hot dust a clay-vessell tunned up with the breathing of warme wind that smoaks in and out at his nostrils for a inch of flietting away time And sinne addes wings to the wheels of his life and layes a Law of death on man and if Christ had not come into this clay city he had been under no law of death he dies for us then we should âarre rather have died pâopter quod unumquodque tale c. Now because your Redeemer laid his skin to death and was willing to kisse death believers are to esteeme of death as the crosse that Christ went through love the winding sheet and the coffin the better that they were the sleep-bed and night-clothes that your Saviour sleeped in 3. And Christ had the more cause to be willing to die that he was little beholden to this life it looked ever with a frowning face on Christ 1. The first morning salutation of this life when Christ was new born it boasted and threatned Christ with the cutting of his throat in the cradle and banishment out of his own land to Egypt 2. He had good hap all his life to sufferings hee had ever the winde on his faire face and the smoak blowing on his eyes as if his whole day had been a feast of teares and sorrow yea life and the sad and glowing crosse parted both together with Christ as if the world had sworn never to lend the Son of God one smile or one glimpse of a glad houre 3. Christ thought himselfe well away and out of the gate as he fore-telleth when the people mourned for his death Luk. 23. ver 28 29 30 31. before the destruction that came on the City of Ierusalem that killed many of the Lord of the wine-yards servants and at last killed the righteous heir 4. You may remember Christ message that he sent to Herod Luk. 13.32 I doe âuers to day and to morrow and the third day ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I shall be perfected Heb. 2.12 It became him from whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvâtion perfect through sufferings ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Death made Christ perfect for the Loâd put the faire crown of Redemption on Christs head with a very black hand it was a black boat-man that carried our Prince Iesus over the water to Paradise but sweet Iesus would have it his perfection his crown his glory to be swallowed up in deaths womb for us It s considerable that death perfecteth the head 1. As a Priest he had been an unperfect sacrifice if he had not dyed and being offered dead to God Christs dead corps had an infinitely sweet smell in the nostrils of a just God never sacrifice never burnt offering like this which perfected all 2. He had not been a perfect King and Conqueror had he not persued the enemy to his own land and made the enemies land the seat of warre and triumphed dead upon the crosse 3. He had not beene a perfect Redeemer had he not dyed and paid life for life no satisfaction without death no remission of sinnes without blood Heb. 10. but it was the heart-blood and blood with the life that was shed to God Now these same befall the dying Saints 1. While the Saints are here they are from home and not at their Fathers fire-side and this world their Step-Mother looks ever asquint on them Ioh. 16.33 And the crosse gets a charge from God concerning a Saint wâit on him as his keeper while he die leave him not the crosse follows the house of Christ and all the children of the house it s kindly to all the second Adams seed it is an in-come by year that followes the stock every childe may in his suffering say my father the Prince of ages even the head of the house my brother Iesus and all our kine were sufferers the sad crosse runs in a blood to us Psal. 34.19 Matth. 19.24 This is not our home I would I were ashoare and at home in my Fathers house 2. The Lord takes the righteous away from the ill to come Esai 57. When Christ was taken away vengeance came to the full on the lewes when he was in heaven Christs followers that die out-runne many Crosses as we see a man upon his life chased by his enemies gets into a strong house and with speed of foot wins his life sad dayes persue the Saints and they escape to their Castle before the affliction can reach or overtake there be some cruces posthume late-borne crosses calamities and ill dayes that come on the posterity of the godly the Lord closeth their eyes that they never see them The grave is a house the Devill and the World and affâictions cannot besiege sure when a Saint is in heaven he is beyond Doomesday death and teares he defies the malignants of this world then and the warres and bloud that his own brethren can raise against him 3. What shall we say that as Christ thought himselfe maimed and he wanted a piece or an arm or legge of a Saviour and a perfect Redeemer till he dyed and then when hee dyed he was perfected indeed our redemption had been lame and unperfect had not Christ dyed and his escape through death and the land of darknesse the grave to his Fathers old crown that hee had with him befere the world was was a perfecting of Christ 1. So dying to a Saint is the Sun rising the morning birth-day of eternity the opening of the prisoners doore the Coronation-day the marriage-night 2. He is ever a lame man he wants incomparably his best halfe so long as he wants Christ in a fruition of glory all the travelling and way-fairing men in their journey toward heaven are but sick men for sicknesse is but a lamenesse of life a want of so many degrees as make up a perfâct life because good health is but the flowre and perfection of life and the only perfect life Col. 3. ver 3.4 is the life of glory then all the Saints yet wanting the life of heaven must be crazie weak groaning men not healthy in a spirituall consideration while they be in heaven 3. When a Saint dies he but takes an essay of the garment and robe of glory though death make it seem strait and pinching and enters in the joy of his Lord Rev. 14.13 There is both Word and Writ and from a land where there can bee no lies from heaven blessed are the dead
was on Christ dying 2. How he was a curse and the causes of it To curse in both languages is to pray evill to devote to destruction either in word or deed now the curse that Christ was made 1. Was the Lords pronouncing him a curse 2. The setting of him a part as appointed for wrath and judgement 3. The dishonor done to him the nothinging or dispising of Christ was a part of his curse now in the first of these three we know Deut. 21.23 The Lord pronounceth him accursed that hangeth on a tree Paul in Gal. 3.10.13 applies it to Christ it was a Ceremoniall curse I grant Deut. 21. but had a speciall relation to Christ who was under a reall and morall cuâse for such a curse is upon the sinner for Idolatry and the highest breaches of the morall Law Deut. 27. as to sât light by Father and Mother to remove the neighbours land-mark and by fraud or rapine to take his Lands from him such a curse was laid on Christ an higher curse then to be hanged on a tree to be hanged was a note of a temporall curse but except the man dyed in sinne no mark of the eternall displeasure of God but as typicall and relative to Christ for whose sake only this cuâse was put on the death of the Crosse it was in equivalency an eternall vengeance and that wrath which all the Elect were for ever to suffer in hell the Apostle saith Gal. 3.10 11 12 13. Such a curse as is due to these that abide not in all that is written in the Law of God to doe it was upon Christ now this was a reall and morall curse because first due to the Gentiles who were not obliged to the Law of Ceremonies and was secondly due to thousands that dyed not on the tree 2. Christ was devoted and set apart in the eternall counsell of God for suffering the punishment of sinne when God first purposed if there be order of first and second in the eternall decrees of God the Lord devoted and set apart this Lamb before the foundation of the world was laid to bee a bloudy sacrifice for sinne He was separated from the flock to be killed and for our sakes he devoted vowed and sanctified himself for that work Christ was of all mankinde separated to be an atonement and an expiation for sinne he was dieted for the race to runne through death and hell hee was fitted to suffer no man so furnished to undergoe the wrath of God as hee 3. As to be accursed comes under the third notion to wit to be dishonouâed so was Christ under a curse Psal. 22.7 no man Esa. 53.3 the last of men the contempt and the refuse of men Act. 4.11 the stone rejected by you builders saith Peter ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that Nothinged stone not so much esteemed as an errand murtherer Barrabas and this death of the Crosse now especially in the Christian world is become most base as the buriall of an Asse Ier. 22. was a sign of Gods displeasure so is hanging Nâtions having not without Gods providence casten their consent together that it should be the death of the poore and basest of men so Peter as if it had been only of mens chusing Act. 5.30 The God of our Fathers raised up Iesus whom yee slew and hanged on a tree And Act. 2.23 whom by wicked hands ye have crucified and slain hanging on a ââee is more then slaying to kill a man is all yee can doe but to put him to a base death that is cursed both of God and man is farre worse it s more then the woâst and that a King lineally discended of Kings and of the blood Royall the Kingly Tribe of Iudah the man on earth that only by birth and law had Title to the Crown of Iudea should be put to so base a death is the worst that wicked men and devils could doe I may adde yet a fourth consideration Gen. 3.17 Alâ the creatuâes are put under the curse of mans sinnes Christ dyed such a death as took the creatures off the cuâse and Col. 1.20 Christ having made peace through the blood of his crosse reconciled all things to himself whither they be things in earth or things in heaven 2. Now how Christ could be a curse is harder there is a thing intrinsecally and fundamentally cursed and there is a thing extrinsecally and effectively cursed none but he that sinneth is intrinsecally and fundamentally cursed for in this regard its a personall evâll Christ was not intrinsecally abhominable hatefull and an execrable thing to God Objâct But if Christ suffered all that we was to suffer for our sinnes then as God must in âustice abhorre and hate with a hatred of abhomination the sinner and the sinner is such an one as God must let out his displeasure against him so must God hate and abhorre his person therefore Gods displeasure not only persued Christ by way of punishment that extrinsecally he was cursed but also the Lord in justice behoved to hate and abhoâre the person of the Son of God with the hatred of abhomination that he intrinsecally should be a curse as well as the sinner in whose person he stands Ans. Christ the surety behoved to suffer all and every punishment due to the Elect either in the same kinde and coyne as death or in the equivalency and in as good for there were some punishments that may be well changed the one in the other as death naturall or by violence was changed in the death of the crosse we have no ground to think if Christ had never come to die for us that the death of all mankinde must have been the death of the crosse so Gods hating and abominating the sinner must bee and was changed in Gods forsaking of Christ when he complained My God my God c. in regard this was all as penall and sad to Christ as the other to wit to be abominated and hated in our persons as cursed of God not to say that it was not congruous to the condition of him who is the Son of the eternall God by nature and by an unspeakable generation to be in his person abominated and abhorred of God as a man intrinsecally cursed as the sinner who sinneth in person is and not to adde also which may be said the kinde of punishment this not this is arbitrary to the Law-giver now the Apostle saith not Christ was cursed but Gal. 3.10 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he was made a curse for us extrinsecally a curse as 2 Cor. 5.21 God made him sinne for us that is what was penall in the curse and sinne and whatever was congruous and sutable to his holy person that the Lord Iesus came under sure as Christ took on him our nature so he changed persons and names with us legally he was made the sinner and the sinner made the Sonne there was reciprocation of imputation here Christ was you legally
every foot and a death on his soule ten thousand millions of pounds weightier and sadder then let us correct all our errours and mis-judgings touching the crosse Errour 1. We love to go to Paradise through a Paradise of roses and a land-way to heaven and a dry fair white death wee would have Christ and the crosse changed which saith who ever would follow Christ let him take up his crosse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã dayly and follow him Luke 9.23 2. We forget that heaven is fenced with a huge great wood of thornes we must croud through though our skinne be scratched even to blood and death life eternall is like a faire pleasant rich and glorious Citie in the midst of a waste wildernesse and there lies round about this City at all the corners of it a Wood of Briats and Thorns Scorpions and Serpents and Lyons abounding in it and the Wood is ten thousand miles of bounds on all hands of a journey of threescore years at some parts there no high road-way in the Wood no back entry about wise Professors seek away about the crosse God has given wings to none to flie over the wood or it s like a fair Kings Pallace in an Iland of the Sea it s a most pleasant Isle for all kinde of delights but there is no way to it by dry land Would yee have valley ground Summer medows fields and gardens of flowers and roses all your way and how is it that the Lord will not give peace to his Church nay but there is not a way to heaven on this side of the crosse or on that side of the crosse but directly straight through we must goe when the Apostles went through the Churches confirming the brethren Act. 14.22 they preached that the crosse was Gospel and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã through the midst of affliction or under flailing and threshing we must goe there is not a way about to shift the crosse but we must enter into the Kingdome of God this very way and no other 3. The blood was not dryed off Christs hands and feet and his winding sheet till he was in the flower of the higher Pallace of his Fathers Kingdome and within the walls and so his Church must not think hard of it if she goe not a dry death to heaven Error 2. We tacitely condemn the wisdome of God in our murmuring under the crosse cannot Christ lead his people to heaven a better way then through the swords speares and teeth of malignants and must new Armies of Irish murtherers land on us againe these would bee considered 1. Paul encouraging the Thessalonians saith 2 Thess. 3.3 no man should be moved by these afflictions why for your selves know we are appointed thereunto from eternity the wise Lord did brew a cup of bloody sufferings for his Church and did mould and shape every Saints crosse in length and breadth for him our afflictions are not of yesterdayes date and standing before the Lord set up the world as it now is he had all the wheels pinnes wedges works and every materiall by him in his eternall minde all your teares your blood all the ounces and pounds of gall and worm-wood yee now drink they were an eternall design and plot of Gods wise decree before the world was they were the lot God did appoint for your back they are no sourer no heavier this day then they were in the Lords purpose before time your grave O Saints is no deeper then of old the Lord digged it your wound no nearer the bone then mercy made it your death is no blacker no more thorny and devouring then Christs soft hands framed it ere God gave you flesh and skinne and heat in your blood Christs doome and the Churches doome of the black crosse was written in Heaven So Christ smiles and drinks with this word Ioh. 18.11 shall I not drink the cup that my Father hath given me 2. Rom. 8. Predestination is the first act of free-grace and ver 29. in that act a communion with Christ in his crosse is passed this we consider not will ye not think good to set your shoulders and bones under the same burthen that was on Christs back we fear the crosse lesse at our heels and behind our back then when it s in our bosome the Lord Iesus speaks of his suffering often afore-hand and its wisdome to make it lesse by antidated patience submission before we sâffer it were good would we give our thoughts and lende some words to death as Christ here doth ere it come Opinion which is the pencill that drawes the face armes and legges of death and sufferings might honey our gall if a Martyr judge a Prison a Pallace and his Iron chaines golden bracelets sure his bonds are as good as liberty if a Saint count death Christs master-usher to make way to him for heaven then death cannot be a Mill to grind the mans life to powder faith can oyl and sugar our worm-wood and if Christ come with the crosse it has no strength the believer has two skinnes on his face against the sâittings of storme and haile-stones Christ can make a Saint sing in hell as impatient unbeliefe could cause a man sigh and weep in heaven 3. We forget that the Church is the Vine-yard of the Lord of hoasts and that the owner of the Farm must hire Satan and wicked men to be his Vine-dressers and his Reapers but the crop is the Lords not theirs they are plowers but they neither know the soyl nor the husband-man Psal. 129.2 Error 3. When we see we must suffer we tacitely are offended that Christ will not give us the first vote in our own jury and that he would not seek our own advise in this kinde of crosse not this except to one man David God never referred the choise of a crosse but then grace made the choyse sure Scotland would have chosen famine or the Pestilence rather then the sword of a barbarous unnaturall enemy but it must not bee referred to the wisdome of the sick what should be his physick we often say any crosse but this especially if there be any letter of reproach on the crosse a shamefull death or distraction of mind but the Lord seeth nothing out of heaven or hell so good for you as that that and no other 2. We would have the pound weights of affliction weighted in our ballance oh this is too heavie hence Davids and Iobs over-complaining Oh my calamity is heavier then the sand of the Sea Iob 6.3 and am I a Sea or a Whale that thou setest a watch over me chap. 7.12 Should God deale with a man as with a fish or a beast 3. Wee desire to be creators of such and such circumstances of our own griefe So wee storme often at the circumstances as at the very poyson of the crosse as if God had through forgetfulnesse and a slip of wisdom left that circumstance out of his
decree as the Painter that draws the whole body exactly but forgetteth to draw one of the five fingers and in the mean while that circumstance which we wrestle most against in our thoughts was specially intended of God how often doth this fire our thoughts and burn them up with fretting Had I done this I might have eschewed this heaviest and saddest calamity Had I gone to Sea when the winde and Sailers called me but the fourth part of an houre sooner I had not been in dry land where I am now butchered to death so had I but spoken a word I might have saved all this losse and labour had not this man come in with an ill counsell and one unhappy word many hundreth thousands had not been killed in battell and Martha Ioh. 11.21 is upon this distemper for she saith to Iesus Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed She would say it was an ill hap Christ was unluckily in another place when my brother dyed but the wise decree of God had carved these circumstances so that Christs absence was especially decreed in that affliâtion ver 15. Iesus said plainly Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there to the intent that yee may believe c. Look up in the affliction to the sadest and blackest circumââance in the crosse infinite wisdome was not sleeping but from eternity with understanding and counsell the Loâd decreed and frâmed that sadest circumstance even that Shemei a subject should curse David his Prince and that he should harge him with blood againât Saul of which he was mâst free and at that time and no other time when he was flying for his life from his Son Absolom but all these sad circumstances were moulded and framed on the wheels of the decree of him who deviseth all shapes our woes according to the counsell of his will We would have our Lord to remove the gall the worm-wood and the fire-edge out of our crosse and we lust for some more honey and sugar of consolation to be mixed with it it were good if we could by grace desire three ills to be removed from our crosse 1. That of its nature it be not sinfull such as hardnesse of heart we may in our election and choyce pray that it be not both a sinfull plague of God on the soule and a judgement to us 1. We may pray that the affliction may be circumstanced and honeyed with the consolations of Christ and with faith and patience and a spirituall use of the affliction 3. We may pray it may not be a burthen above our back and such as we are not able to bear and this we may as lawfully chuse and pray as say Lord lead us not into temptation Vse 3. Was there shame and reproach on Christs crosse fie on all the glory of the world let us not think 1. too much of this peece airy windy vaine opinion of mens esteem and the applause it s but a short living hungry Hosanna when your name is carried through a spot or bit of this clay-stage for a day or two they 'll wonder at you but nine nights Christs fame spread abroad through all the countrey and now hee is shamed and a reproached man now the whole people cry out away with him away with him crucifie him the ground of mans glory is his goodlinesse or graciousnesse his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all his endowments and brave parts and all this glory Esai 40.6 is as the flower of the field his glory has a moneth and lives the poore twelfth part of a year and Herod is gone to the worms and his silks rotten and gone and Shebna is tossed like a ball in a large place and must hear this Esai 22.18 Thou shall die in a strange land and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy Lords house it s an earthly thing Phil. 3.19 Whose glory is their shame who minde earthly things Hos. 4.7 I 'le change their glory into shame and when Epharim glories in children God sews wings to that glory and it flies away Hos. 9.11 As for Ephraim their glory shall flie away as a bird The tenne Tribes boasted of their strength and multitude but the Lord saith Esai 17.4 The glory of Iacob shall be made thin 2. God in a speciall manner sets himself in person against this glory Esa. 23.9 The Lord of Hoasts has purposed to staine the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth Esai 10.12 I 'le punish the glory of the high looks of the King of Assyria Habac. 2.16 The Lord layes a right curse on Chaldees glory the cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned into thee and shamefull spâing shall be on thy glory 3. It s the sweet fruit of Christs death and abasement that we learn to lay down our credit under the Lords feet Phil. 2. Let the same minde be in you that was in Christ Iesus O that must be a high and an aspiring mind for he was the high and lofty one nâ he teaches all his to be abased ver 6. who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God ver 7. but he emptied himselfe he was full of majesty and glory but he made himselfe of no reputation an empty thing and took upon him the form of servant and was made in the likenesse of men and humbled himself ah let never man go with high sailes nor count much of worlds glory after Iesus Christ ah our reputation name is as tender to us as paiper as our skin a scratch in it or a rub is a provocation cannot be expiated as if we minded in the airy cloud of mens fame to fly up to heaven and frothy fame were as good to lay hold on Christ as fervent faith breach of our priviledges of State is more now then blasphemy against God Vse 4. Now if Christ was made a curse for us that we might be delivered from the curse we are comforted in Christs being made a curse for us in regard of 1. Extream love 2. Perfection of blessednesse For this act of love we are assured he that will be made the curse of God for us will be any thing four great steps of love were here every one of them greater then another 1. To be a man 2. To be a dying man 3. To be as a sinning man 4. To be a cursed man Consider these foure as they grow out of the root of love A Spirit sinlesse and holy is a happy thing the Sonne of God being God is a Spirit and so in another condition then man he was above bones and clay and the motion of hot ayr going in and out at the nostrils it s a sort of cumber to carry about a piece of dust of more then a hundreth and fifty bits of clay organs five senses two hands two
under the Law as a rule of rightenesse and to walk holily as being obliged from the conscience of any command either of Law or Gospel is legall bondage from which Christ has set us free as to be circumcised is a part of the Law-yoke so they teach then to be inherently holy is unlawfull to Antinomians Mr Town Pag. 6. Yet I wish that I be not mis-taken for I never deny the Law to be an eternall and inviolable rule of righteousnesse But yet affirm that its the grace of the Gospel which effectually and truly conformeth us therunto Answ. 1. I wish Mr Towne doe mistake for hee that teacheth that believers are freed from the Law as a rule teaching directing and from the Law with all its offices and authority he denyeth the Law to believers to be an eternall and inviolable rule of righteousnesse or then he must speak contradictions to wit that the believer is not under the Law as a rule of righteousnesse for so saith Towne he should not be under grace which is contrary to the Apostle Rom. 6.14 and yet he is under the Law as an eternall and inviolable rule of righteousnesse for I ask to whom is the Law an eternall and inviolable rule of justice to the believer or no If to the believer then he must be under it but Antinomians say that is Pharisaicall and Popish that is to put Christs free-man saith Twone under his old keeper the Law as if he were a malefactor if the Law be no eternall and inviolable rule of righteousnesse why doth Mr Towne say so 2. That rule to the which the grace of the Gospel doth conforme us that rule we must be under but Mr Towne saith The grace of the Gospel truly conformeth us to the eternall and inviolable rule of righteousnesse Ergo c. 3. An inviolable rule of justice cannot be violated and contravened by these to whom it is a rule without sinne else it s not an unviolable rule then if believers cannot violate the Law and murther and commit adultery but they must sinne by violating the rule then as believers are obliged not to murther not to commit adultery so must they be under the inviolable rule of righteousnesse contrary to which Antinomians teach All that Mr Towne can say against us in this argument is a calumny that we make the Law not the Gospel to give power to subdue sinne but the truth is neither Law nor Gospel giveth grace but the God of grace hath promised in the Gospel grace and a new heart and a new spirit to the Elect and grace goeth not along with the Gospel as a favour of equall extension with the preached Gospel but millions heare the Gospel who remaine voide of grace and have no right to any promise or grace the Law leaveth not off to be the rule of tighreousnesse though it cannot effectually make its disciples holy and conforme to the rule no more then the Gospel should not be the Law and rule of faith because without the influence of the Spirit of grace it can make no Disciples conforme to Iesus Christ and his image for many Elect for a long time heare the Gospel and have no grace to obey while the time of conversion come and many are more blinded and hardned that the Gospel is preached to them and it were better they had never heard nor known the way of truth Towne pag. 6.7 Rom. 7.6 The meaning is through faith is bred assured confidence lively hope pure love toward God invocation of his name without all wavering or doubting or questioning his good-will audience and acceptance which could never be attained by all the zeal and conscience towards God according to the Law of workes and the knowledge of the glory of God is given according to a covenant of meere grace without addition or mixture of works and the opposition is plaine to be not so much bâtweene the grosse hypocrite who is only brought to outward subjection and correspondency to the Law as betweene him that in good earnest and in downe uprightnesse of heart giveth over himself wholly to the Law of God Rom. 10.2 as the wife to the husband and guid of her youth to be ordered in all things inwardly and outwardly after the minde of God therein according to his legal conscience which is never pacified with works and the man who knoweth and worshippeth God alone according to the Gospel of Grace Answ. This is a close perverting of the word of truth 1. The Antinomian faith may here be smelled that by faith is bred assured confidence without all wavering feare or doubting c. Then whoever once doubt or waver are yet under the Law of works a doctrine of dispaire to broken reeds who are not undâr the âaw but married to a new husband Christ and yet cry Lord I beleeve help my unbelief Why feare yee O yee of little faith is there not doubting here and a broken faith which Christ softly bindeth up 2. The Covenant of Grace and Gospel commandeth faith and also good works as witnesses of our faith but Towne will have good works in any notion of an evangelick command to stand at defiance with a covenant of meere grace when Grace is the fountaine and cause of our walking in Christ 2 Cor. 1.10 by the grace of God wee had our conversation in tht world in simplicitie and godly sincerity 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God that is in mee It s true Holy walking by the grace of God and Christs righteousnesse in justification is a wicked mixture which we detest 3. The opposition Rom. 7. is betweene any unconverted man under the Law be he hypocrite or a civill devill or be he any other man on the one part and a beleever married to Christ and dead to the Law on the other for that which is common not to grosse hypoârites only but to all naturall men out of Christ is ascribed to the man that is under the Law by the Apostle as 1. He is under the Lawes dominion and condemnation vers 1. 2. The Law has power over him as the living husband over the wife vers 2.3 The poor man cannot look to Iesus to another lover and husband the Law as a hard husband leads him and cries obey perfectly or be eternally damned 3 He is a man in the flesh in whose members concupiscence and lust rageth as a young vigorus mother bringeth forth children lusts of the flesh to death as married to hell and the second death vers 5. 4 He serves God according to the oldnesse of the letter that is carnally hypocritically like an out-side of a rotten Pharisee and not according to the newnesse of the Spirit that is in a Spirituall maner Yet Mr. Towne extolls him as one that in good earnest and downe-rightnesse of heart yeeldeth and giveth over himselfe to the Law of God as the wife to the husband
to be instructed and ordered in all things inwardly and outwardly after the minde of God but no unconverted man can bee said so to doe except Antinomians be grosse Pelagians But I think Antinomians with Mr. Crispe think the person under the Law in all this chapter to bee the beleever personating or acting the person of a scrupulous beleever under a temptation of doubting but cleare it is Paul speaks of a man under the Law in the flesh and in opposition to him of one under grace of one married to the Law and of one married to Christ in the first part of the chapter of one in the flesh and so unrenewed vers 5. For when wee was in the flesh c. and of one that is dead to the Law married to Christ and serves the Lord spiritually and its clear that the Apostle counteth it a part of deliverance from the Law and a fruit of our marriage to God that vers 4 weâ bring forth fruits to God and walk holily 2. That the motions of sinnes bring forth wicked works as children to the second death vers 5. 3 that wee serve the Lord vers 6. in newnesse of Spirit and walk in Christ. Now Mr. Towne as setting himselfe to contradict Paul saith pag. 6. This is an addition and mixture of works and faith and cannot stand with a covenant of meere grace Towne pag. 8. How can Christ redâeme us fâom the Law being under the Law for us except beleevers be redeemed from the Law in that same very sence and extent that Christ was under it as a mediator But was not Christ under the Rule and obedience also as well as under the Raigne to death seeing he came to doe the will of his father and fulfill all righteousnesse Mat. 3.15 Answ. 1. Wee cannot every way be said to be redeemed from the Law in that same sence that Christ was under it For Christ was under the Law of Ceremonies to free the Iewes from observing that Law I hope we Gentiles are not that way freed from the Law of Ceremonies for that Law did never oblige the Gentiles except the Gentiles had adjoyned themselves in some profession to the then visible Church 2. If Christ was under the Law as the rule to free us from the Law as the rule then why did Christ command us to imitate him in doing his fathers will and submitting to that same Ruâe that hee submitted to as is clear Matth. 11.29 learne of mee that am meek Ioh. 15.10 If yee keepe my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my fathers commandments and abide in his love Ioh. 14.15 If yee love me keep my commandments Ioh. 13.15 For I have given you example that yee should doe as I have done unto you Ephes. 5.1.2 Rev. 3.21 Heb. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.21.22 Ioh. 15.23 but Antinomians say that these that be in Christ are not under the Law or commands of the word even of the letter of the Gospel as the rule of life and that Christians are not bound to conforme themselves in their life to the directions of the word contrary to Psal. 119.9 Esai 8.20 and contrary to all the gospel-exhortations given in the New Testament by Christ and his Apostles and they say that the example of Christs life even in subjecting himselfe to the law as a rule of righteousnesse is not a paterne according to which we are to act and live In a word they will have the Spirit separated from the word and from the example of Christ and all the cloud of witnesses to be no rule to us to which I oppose that one precious word of the beloved disciple 1 Ioh. 2.26 He that saith he abideth in him ought so to walke even as he hath walked But observe 1. All means that doe not efficaciously bow the will to obedience to God and convert the soule are rejected by them as not obliging the conscience such as are the Law the letter of the Gospel all the promises exhorââtions and precepts of the Gospel the example of the Lord who commandeth us 1 Pet. 1. to be holy as he is holy the example of Christ of all the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Saints because all these are some other thing then grace and may prove ineffectuall hence 1. The Gospel as contradistinguished from the Law is not the Gospel written or preached but the grace that resideth no where but in God and in Iesus Christ is the Gospel so say they The faith that justifieth us is in Iesus Christ and never had any actuall beeing out of Christ. 2. There iâ no habituall grace inherent in beleevers all such must bee a created thing Grace is an uncreated favour only in God for all that which is called habituall grace in us is in effectuall to act graciously and cannot produce supernaturall acts except the holy Ghost act and move it Hence they say that the new creature or the man or the new heart or new Spirit the circumcised the opened heart the Law in the inward parts the one heart the renewed minde the inner man the Law of the mind Christ dwelling in the heart by faith mentioned in the Gospel is not meant of Grace but of Christ and therefore we must not pray for gifts and graces but only for Christ and so a man may have all graces and poverty of Spirit and yet want Christ. 2. We are patients in justification Sanctification beleeving in Christ and we are blocks all the way to heaven minde will affection memory love desirâ joy feare and all in us act nothing in supernaturall acts there is not such a thing as grace in any of the Saints but Grace is nothing but Christ without us drawing us as blocks as dead stones in the way to heaven having no activitie but to sin even after we beleeve in Christ and Christ works in the regenerate as in deadmen 3. Omissions of duties commanded in the Gospel are no sins for none are to be exhorted to beleeve but such whom we know to be the elect of God or to have his Spirit in them effectually and a man may not bee exhorted to any dutie because he hath no power to do it then Law Gospel exhortations commands promises threatningâ are to no purpose these that want grace to obey are not lyable to obey nor guilty nor under wrath because they beleeve not in the Son of God and these that are under grace are under obligation to no commands at all and farewell all Scripture from henceforth Yea Mr. Town is frequent in this we are not under the Law as our rule Why because saith he it cannot effectually work obedience in us but so all the word of God the Gospel without the Spirit must be no rule of obedience at all because the Scripture the Gospel and all the promises without the Spirit are just alike and uneffectuall to work us to obedience But not
the law ruling and directing and this law-ruling of it selfe giveth no grace to obey buâ this is a calumnious consequence the promises of the Gospel in the letter giveth no grace to obey the Spirit bloweth when and wheâe âe listeth and giveth grace freely to the gospel preached yet we reach not that any can beleeve and obey the gospel without the grace of Christ. 3. The law so is passive of it selfe to Christ to Adam in the sâate of innocency in this sence that the law as the law commandeth obedience to both but containeth not any legall promise of giving grace to obey to either Adam or Christ As the Gospel containeth a promise of bestowing grace to beleeve in all the elect Now if this be the cause why the justified are freed from the law as a rule of Righteousnesse because there is no legall promise made to them by which they aâe inabled to keep the law then was Christ Ieâus and Adam in his innocency freed from the law as a rule of Râghteousnâsse which is most absurd for the law as the law commanded Christ to fuâfill all righteousnesse Matth. 3.15 but so did it Adam âuâ show a legall promise made to Christ by the law that he should have grace to obey the law indeed the Lord promâsed hiâ the Spirit above measure but this was no law-promise So God created Adam according to his own image with perfect concâeated strength and power to keep the law but the law as the law made no promise to Adam that hâe should be kâpt in obedience But if this be called action or activitie in the law to rule guide direct and command obedience as a rule then the law is no wise passive it s more then the Kings high-way No way cryeth to the conscience of the traveler this is the way no Kings way showeth the traveller his errour as the law in its directing ruling and teaching power breaketh in upon the conscience and declareth to the justified man the way he should walk in and convinceth him of his unrighteousnesse and dayly faults Towne pag. 10. The Law wrappeth every man in sinne for the least transgression so that while a man remaineth a sinner hee necessarily abideth under this fearfull curse Answ. Still Antinomians bewray their engine If wee say even being justified we have no sinne we lye and who can say I have cleansed my heart I am pure from sinne and There is not a just man on earth that sinneth not 1 Ioh. 1.10 Prov. 20.9 Eccles. 7.20 Then there cannot bee a man on earth but he is under the curse of God but Antinomians say and that truly that the justified persons are freed from the curse then they have no sinne nay they cannot sinne by their arguing for they will have the curse essentially and unseparably to follow sinne which is most false sinne dwelleth in all the justified so long as they are here but they are here delivered from the curse Our deliverance from misery and the bondage of the law is two fold as our misery is twofold 1. There is a guilt of sin or our obligation to eternall wrath and all the punishments of sinne according to the order of justice by the law of God The other misery is the blot of internall guilt of sin by which sin dwelleth in us by nature as a King and lord Tyrant awing us by the law of sinne In regard of the former Christ is our Saviour meritò by the merrit of his death in regard of the latter Christ is our Saviour efficacia by giving us the holy Ghost and faith to lay hold on Righteousnesse in Christ and grace to walk holily before him In regard of the former wee are freely and perfectly justified and pardoned at once from all sinnes in our person and state through the sence of this and in regard of deliverance from temporall judgements and doubtings and fears of eternall wrath eveây day while we seeke dayly bread we desââe âhat our sinnes may be forgiven nor is this prayer a temporârie pattern that perished with Christ as some perveâsly ãâã for Peter aâter the Lords ascention saith to Simoâ Magus Act. 8.22 pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may âe forgiven thââ In regard ãâ¦ã are saâctified by dâgâees nâver ãâ¦ã sin is removed in ãâ¦ã thâreof in justification only sin âwelleâh in us while we aââ here In regard of the âormer miserie faith in Christ is the only ãâã and way to gât out of our bondage and misery in âegaâd of the âââter Râpentance and the whole trace of our new obedience are the the means to escape out of this miserie nor do we make acts of sanctification compartners and joynt causes or conditions in the work of justification for this is from Christ alone solely immediately as by looking on the brazen serpent onely the stung Israelites were cured Nor doth weeping or acts of mens obedience move the Lord to wash justifie and pardon our sinnes but repentance and new obedience are means tending to our escaping out of the latter bondage as the rising of the sunne is a way to the full noone-light day though we can attaine to no Meridian nor full noone day of sanctifications while the body of sin keepeth lodging in us in this life but the Law of works is not so enwrapt and entwined together as Mr. Towne dreameth that if a man lay hands on any even the least linke he inevitably pulleth the whole chaine on himselfe as hee that is circumcised Gal. 5. made himselfe debter to the whole Law For circumcision not only in the matter of justification but also of sanctification is now unlawfull So to repent and love the brethren to obey our parents as looking thereby for remission of sinnes should be unlawfull and a falling from Christ but in the matter of Sanctification and of testifying our thankfullnesse to Christ for the work of our redemption and as the way to the possession of the kingdome they are noâ unlawfull but commanded as necessary duties by which an entrance is ministered to us into the heavenly kingdome Yea our holy walking since it is no merit but a fruit of grace and a condition required in such as are saved and have opportunitie to honour Christ that wây taketh not away the freedome of Grace for where the Scripture saith wee are sâved by Grace without works as Tit. 3 Ephes. 2. salvation is spoken of there in regard of the title right jus or claim the Saints have to heaven excluding all merits of works our obedience is not full compleat and perfect only they are counted so and accepted in Christ Phil. 4.18 Heb. 13.15 16. Col. 3.17 Mr Towne answereth with other Antinomians The just and wise God who accepteth every thing by due weight and measure as it is found to bee hee doth not nay cannot account that which is but inchoat and partiall for full and compleat obedience nor can it stand with justice
to accept any thing which is not first perfect seeing that perfection and absolutenesse is the ground of acceptance both of our persons and performances yee must make both the tree and the fruit perfectly good before God 2. What God saith he hath manifested to be detestable and accursed that he cannot accept but hee hath manifested by scripture that what ever is not absolutely perfect is detestable and accursed Gal. 3.10 Hab. 1.13 Rom. 1.18 The proposition is grounded on the immutablenesse of Gods nature who cannot deny himselfe Iam. 1.18 and his exact justice who will not suffer the losse of the least title of his righteousnesse Mat. 5.18 God is no respecter of persons his Law inviolable and can suffer no abatement Answ. God in justification accounts us righteous in Christ and positively guiltlesse as freed from obligation to eternall wrath and cloathed with Christs righteousnesse but hee accounts not us non-sinnets and free from indwelling sânne that should be an unjust account for wee are not so but God accounteth our works perfect only negatively that is such they are before God as he will not enter in judgement with us for them but graciously pardoneth the sinnes of thâse works but God doth not account these works positively worthy of life eternall even in Christ as he accounteth our persons far lesse doth he judge them meritorious hence there is a twofold accâeptation one of Good will to our persons in Christ that is that Good will of free election by which he renderââh us accepted in his beloved there is another acceptance of complacencie according to which God is said to love and reward our good works even to a cup of cold water Ioh. 14.21.23 Matth. 10.42 2. Thess. 1.7 Heb. 6.10 and that of free-grace they are called perfect as perfection is opposed to hypocriticall but not perfect simply Phil. 3.12 but the acceptance of our works in Christ is an acceptance inferior to the acceptance of our persons in justification hence God takes pleasure in thâse that feare him because they feare him not as though his love quoad affectum in it selfe had a cause in the creature or can wax or encrease or can admit of a change but because he bestoweth the fruits of his love out of free-grace and a gratious promise to our sincere walking and this is rather the fruit of his love amor quoad effectum then Gods love it selfe all this proceedeth from a grosse mistake of the nature of justification I answer 2. to that That which is inchoat sinfully defective and imcompleat that the righteous and unchangeable God cannot account perfect and compleat or that which is sinfully defective or that which is sinfull God cannot account not sinfull It is true it were an erroneous and unjust account now the proposition is true but the assumption most false the good works of the regenerate and justified are sinfull But Gods accounting of them perfect putteth no contradiction on them to account them not sinfull God accounts not Davids adultery to bee an act of chastity This is the Papists argument against the imputed righteousnesse of Christ which Antinomians being utterly ignorant of the nature of justification bring against us the other part of the distinction is That which is sinfull and defective in it selfe and inherently or really and physically that God cannot account perfect that is God cannot account it and the doer legally free from obligation to eternall wrath for the satisfaction of another the surety of sinners who has payd and suffered for it that is most false and should destroy the Protestant justification when we say God accounteth the good works of believers good and perfect so as the imperfection and sinne of them is removed we meane not by removing of the sinne of these works the totall annihilation of sinne in its essence root and branch it dwelleth in us in its compleat essence while we are here Rom. 7.17.23 Prov. 20.9 1 Ioh. 1.8.10 only the dominion by sanctification is abated and the guilt or obligation to eternall wrath is removed in justification and this Argument may well be retorted Who ever is a sinner the righteous and immutable God whose judgâment is acâording to verity and cannot suffer the losse of the least titlâ of his righteousnesse Matth. 5.18 cannot esteeme him just and perfectly righteous But all men even the regenerate are sinners No answer no distinction can be accommodated to this Argument which may not be applyed to their argument for God is no lesse just righteous immutable true no respecter of persons and his Law inviolable in his accounting of persons righteous and perfect then in accounting of works righteous and perfect Now that the fruits and the tree are both good and simply perfect and all the works of the justified perfect in Christ is a point of new divinity very contrary first to Scripture which saith Iam. 3.2 in many things we offend all 1 Ioh. 1.8 If we say wee have no sinne we deceive our selves ver 10. If we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in us Antinomians say Iohn speaking of a mixt multitude is to bee meant to speak of the unregenerate mixed with the justified Answ. 1. Iohn takes in himselfe 2. He speaketh of such as confesse their sinnes and are pardoned ver 9. 2 of such as have an Advocate in heaven if they sinne chap. 2.1 and these are the justified and regenerate and Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne hee speaks not there of a mixed multitude but sendeth a Law-defiance to all mankinde justified or not justified yea Eccles. 7.20 There is not a just man on earth that doth good and sinneth no these words are so wisely framed that they exclude not the justified in Christ who undoubtly do good but they do not so good saith Salomon but they sinne so Paul complaineth of sinne dwelling in him Rom. 7. 2 Sinne originall after justification to Antinomians must be no sinne as to Papists its no sinne after baptisme 3 If our works bee perfect in the sight of God then wee may be justified by our works for Antinomians say if Christ esteeme our works perfect he may account us righteous for them and we may bee said to be justified both by works and by grace because its free grace that the Lord accounts our works Righteous 4 Wee constantly deny that Christ by his death hath given to our good works a power of meriting heaven but if God in Christ count then simply perfect there is no reason to deny this because our works are simply perfect by Antinomians way this is more Pharisaicall then Popish justification FINIS Psââ 53 8. Town asser of ãâã pag. 76 77.78 Eaton Honey combe of justifiâatiân ca 11 pag. 338.339.340.341 c. Saltmarsh Free grace pag. 140. Luther in an Epistle to D. Guttel against the Antinomians Zach. 13.7 Opening of the words It s
as it is his decree A conditionall desire though not aâââeable to a positive lâw of God no sinne Rules touching our submission to Gods will Providence mysterious Confusions nothing against providence Prosperity of the wicked adversity of the godly not against providence All goes well so long as Christ liveth Faith looks to God in sad providences The enemie plow and sow and Christ reaps Providence hath a time for all things It s a shame that the wicked are fat on common mercies and not we on thâse same perfumed with Christ. All wheeles of provide nâe move according to the first Looking to God the onely ground of faith in a crosse-providence We must both submit to and approve of providence We are not to murmure We make noâ away our will when we submit it to God Mulâs est miles qui ãâã âratorem gemens sâquitur Gods wâll for us better then our owne Gods wisdome in creating good and framing evill Afflâctions proportâned to every mans measâre Gods will for every Saint a safe ruleâ Faith welcometh all Many afflictions must be referred to God We love will-suffering as well as will-duties In duties Gods revealed will should be our rule in suffering his high decree Patience anâ high grace The Image of God is in his works Many vârtues in Christs sâbmiâsion to his fathers will What and how much reason was in Christs why or ãâ¦ã he âuts on the Father All Gods workes are with child of reason and causes Providence goes many wayes at once Providence can do more then we can expect Visible and invisible providence âow differenced Royall Prerogative of providence and the waies thereof To stand at the wilâ of God and goe no farther ãâã sâbmission Faiâh sââth ãâã graâe in a sad providââce Providence wise and cannot be counter-wrought We dâte to much on the sweet ãâã dents of Christ and love âimselfe to lâttle God who created supernaturall love can rule it We desire Christ often for ourselves Submission to the absence of Gâd is requâred ãâã expedient that we ãâã on our own leggs some time Oblisse bonum est nâturae obire mulum Returne of Christ no merit The work of redemption most rationall and full of causes Grace a cause of it selfe Sin an occasion of actes of grace Much of God in the work of redemption Afflictions are to be weighed in all the causâs 1. Who afflicts 2. How or in what manner 3. For what cause Blind and dumb crâsses not good How actively wilâing Christ was to serve for us Excellent qualities in Christ as he ãâã a servant to God in the work of redemption Christâ williâgnesse to die Christ an Agent in his passion Christ specially intended to have a spouse in all his sufferings and labours Vse 2. It s much to be active for God but more to be passive To looke to highest providence a safe ground of sudmission Vse 2. What is a right intention in serving God Where Christ is the predominant hee is the over-swaying end in the soule Where Selfe is predominant the intention cannot be sincere Two Characters of the thing which is our intended end The love of Christ strong and takes streâgth froâ difficulties That is our eâd which obtained ãâã the deâire in thâ prosââution of meanes Wee glorifie God when we are willing that our losse may âe the gaine of the Lords gloây We are to desiâe that our paine may praisâ revengiâg justice in hell as gâace âeâgâtâneth the glory of pardoning mercy in heaven We desâre God mây be glorified by our wishes rather tâân ãâã indeavour to glorifie him We care more for thâ Lords passivâ glâây of ãâ¦ã for his active glory in our duties A glory of holynesse and of grace Saints are the glory of God and God ãâã the glory of Saints Our âymes are low when we intend not the Lords glory Foure particulars in the answer returâed to Christ. Christ praying ever heard Our failings in expectiâg an answer of our Prayers All Christs good and all ours for him came from heaven Vse Vatab. à tempora rariis ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Pagnin à viris de tempore How easie traffiquing with heaven is to the Saints God ââareth a good cause though darkned The scandall of the crosse removed A faire rose growes out of the crosse when Christ waters it The Crosse a pâsse that Christ keepes Death altered by Christ. How the Lord was glorified in Christ. Vse 1. Vse 2. Wee have grace but must not share with the Lord in his glory How the glory of God and grace doe differ Vse 3. God art of omnipotency in extracting glory out of all the bâsest and most shamefull things of the world All things most base are most corgruous for high ends when omnipotencie handleâh them Glory from men a vaint thing Many false opinions touching the Gospel The Gospel dark to many God must use Logick to our affections as well as to our mind ere we know him ââvingly The mind dark in the things of God The understanding vain The affections vaine A naturall man hath not one certaine predominant We are heterodox and hereticall in mis-interpreting the works of God as well as his word A Heterodox will Division the birth of weake minds Sinne and error broodie truth but one âen erriâg though in non-fundamentals may displease God and deface truth and hee damned eternally Elâct Aâgâls kept fast their ât thâ right Conviction how farre it goes Light is a cumbersome captive Conviction with malice most devil-like Will heresie more dangerous then minde-heresie It s right conviction when love is convinced to duties that lye under the drop of the crosse A dâspised Gospel prosperous Christ a most publike person Heaven and all things there most publike and so much the more excellent Christs âffiâe warrants us to apply him Much of the busiââsse of our salvation waâ transacted without our knowledge One Saint a mystery to another Vse 1. Vse 2. All things are for the Saints What is the the judged World Hopes gooâ prophecying in saddest times and the sweet fruits thereof Scotland though low is to hope in the Lord. Characters of the world The world uncapable of grace The world as enemy to Chrâst The world a ãâ¦ã A childe of the world The Piâgrimes sigh This world so differenced from that which is to come Why this World The world may be pointed out with the finger the world to come is above our senses Vse How Christ judged this world and how many waies Christs dying exemplarily condemneth the world Sâtâan nât 1. a âree not 2 aâ absâluâe âot 3. a juât Prince How Satan is a God Satan hath a God head over minds Satans crown stands by relations Vse Few in the way to heaven Satan twice judged Death the devills Fort-royall All the devils Forts taken from him and his Courts cryed down and his Lawes annulled by Jesus Christ. Vse Take not in a dislodged Spirit lest you have eight for one Satans power and
tenets that Antinomians hold contrary to walking in Christ. (a) Vol. 3. Serm. 4.160 161 162. The Antinomian confession of sins fleshly Vehement stirrings of lusts goe before conversion The right use of preparations to facilitate not to merit Redemption hath no foregoing preparations Conversion hath (b) Saltmarsh Free grace cap. 51. p 184 185. Vel specificativè vel reduplicativè How the promises of the Gospel are held forth to sinners as sinners How we cannot too soone come to Christ and yet wee must not come presumptuously Preparations make us nothing lesse sinners and nothing lesse unworthy of conversion if God would enter into judgement with us The Lord hath a set time for ripening the sinner for conversion Christ is moved by the same love to renew his drawing that moved him at first to draw Love-sicknesse goes before renewed drawings and divers other sweet marks The doâbt against condinaâl Gosâel-promises propounded Antinomians imagine that conditions of grace must be unconsâstent with grace Antinomians reject only the Arminians conditions The Arminian condition disproved Conditions absolutly in our will which we may performe or not perform as seeâeth good to free-will loosed from al divine predetermination were âeither in Adam before the fall nor in elect Angels Evangelike conditions wrought by the irresistâble gâace of God doe well consist with free grace Obedience commanded in the Law and in the Gospel how it is the same and how different The two extremes of Arminians and Antinomians the former dâstroying grace and making the letter of the Gospel-grace the latter destroying the letter of the written Gospel and all action in the regenerat and turning aâl commands and Evangelike exhortations into celestiall and immediate rapts of the Spirit How election is of free grace and justification and salvation of free grace How free â condition saith is The nature of liberty not in a liberty of contradiction but in other âhree things The Lords decrees and promises dâminish nothing of his liberty and freedome of grace in his working Grace properly though not originally in Saints Vse Our abusing of gracious Gospel conditions Bastard preparations The Lords Method both after and before we be delivered from temporall afflictions God delivers his Church out of externall afflictions before they be huâbâed Free grace only not merit the caâse of our conversiââ We have neither strength nor leasure to praise grace to the bottome Wherein the drawing consisteth Libertines falsly tâach that justification and regeneration is one Town Assertion of Grace pag 115 116. Repentance and Mortification are some other thing then Faith How farre the Law draweth a sinner to Christ. Both Law and Gospel in the letter equally unable to draw a sinner to Christ. The difference betweene the Law and Gospel in the matter not in that manner of âoâking that Antinomians conceive How law and love work diveâsly A power to command and a power to punâsh are two dâfferent powers Pag. 137. Hâw love and law work in us now The particular manner of drawing is unknown to us God is various in his dispensation in drawing souâe ãâã some râughly some that to their sense they can tell you day and hour they were borne over againe others are drawne but know not when where or how A confluence of mercy in conversion Two wayes of drawing sinners Morall and Physicall (a) Rise âeign c. er 9. pag. 2. (b) Er. 39. pag. 8 (c) Er. 40. pag. 8. (d) Francis Cornwell A Conference of M. Cotton at Boston with the Elders of New-England Pag. 17 18. Libertines deny all morall working of the word That there is a morall working of the worâ Inspirations without Scripture vaine Some Propheticall impulsions have beene in many of our first Reformers and others that succeeded them but these are not ordinary rules of rejecting Scriptures Christ is a rationall object Sinners arâue âre thâââee drâwne to Christ. The oratory of Christ is effectuall Christs mâver ãâã âs thrâugh love Christs love ãâã is 1. Vâolâât 2. ãâ¦ã 4. Reâll 5 Lovâly ãâã Christs love spâedy and swift aâ a Roe In drawing there is lâssâ will then in leading Christ drâwes powerfully compassionatly patiently Redemption and drawing by free love sweeter then by strict law Drawiâg stroâg and easie ãâ¦ã consentiâg to be drawâ aâd there an end The way of loves working through delight is sweet and conquering Evincing and binding lovelinesse in Christ in divers respects The vertues of Christ. Sweet relations in Christ. Christs Kingdome a drawiâg thing in divers considerations Christ himself the drawingst Lover in heaven and his vertues againe holden forth Drawing arguments in Christ from beauty gaine honour Of the beauty of God Foure things in beauty that are by proportion in God What the beauty of God is The beauty in Chrâsts person The beauty of a communion with Christ. Delectatioâ in gâdlinâsse to all the spirituall seâsâs Christ dâlâghtfâll to all the senses Christs voice sweet Christ sweet to the taste Reall gaine in Christ in divers partâââlars Richâs uncertaine No markât or bâyiâg of Christ. Reall honâur in comming to Christ in divers iâstancâs How highly God esteemeth of his Saints Vse A survay of Christ. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã How caâaâious and gâeat Christs loââ is Libertines the grand enemies of grace Vse 1. The sweetnesse of a communion with God far above the pleasures of sin Great things reported of the wayes of Christ. Christ ãâã pââssible Object 1. Godiiââsse nâ sad life The dâscipline oâ christs house not rough âut to naturall ãâã âpunc The manner of the Lords drawing the will The Lord worketh by proportion in drawing the will The Lord by holy wiles and art draweth the will The learned Gentleman M. Ed. Liegh in Critica Sacra on the old Test. thinketh not without good reason that the Greek word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to perswade comes from this The Lords grace bewitcheth and charmeth the will * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã mussiâare submissa voce loqui quod occulâum velis 2 Sâm 12 19. So Isai. 3.3 the prudent and wise man hâth such a name as to charme and bewitch as âloquent Orators doe or Exorcists and Conâurers of Spirits ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã conjungere sociare by enchanting Deut. 18.11 Isai. 47.9 Septuaginta ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Christ worketh on the wâll by internall application God cannot be the Creator of the will but hee must effectually turne it whither soever hee pleaseth The word and the Spirit Meanes are accommodated to conversion Time sitted of God for conversion God converts every man beside his intension A fit word must be in conversion ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a wheele Prov 20.26 What congruous vocation or the new calling and conversion of sinners devised by Jeâuits the Pelagians living agâin is The Arminian calling and conversion The conversion of Protestant Divines Rom. 9.17.18 Reasons against the Iesuites congruous conversion of sinners drawing one not another The middle science fancied by Iesuites and Arminians to be in
God Refuted The omnipotency of Christ in drawing sinners Did Ruiz to de provid predefinitionibus per totum The Vaga necessitâs the confused indefinite morall necessity of late devised by Jesuites is not sufficient to conversion The Lord removeth resisting power Gods promise and covenant leadeth to draw iresistibly Conditionall promisâs of conversion cannot help Arminians here The immutability of the Covenant of Grace a strong argument for invincible drâwing of a sinner The covenant between the Father and the Sonne in making good the articles of the treaty must depend on our free will if Christ draw not sinners inviâcibly Articles of the covenant between the Father and the Son diversly proposed Virg. Et penitus toto divisos orbe Britannos How strongly and with what a sweet necâssity Christ draweth us Vse 2. We are hardly drawne Crispe vol. â Serm. 4 pag. 110.111 Antinomians reject the narrow way that leadâ to life their exposition of Maâh 7.14 rejected as false and fleshly (a) Vol. 1. Ibid. pag. 89. (b) Serm. 1. pag. â2 Antinomians reject all sanctification c Ser. 1. p. 18. d Crisp. vol. 1 Ser. 1. p. 21â It was the old error of the Libertines of Antonius Poâquius Priest as Calvine saith Iâstruct ad Libertinos cap 23. in opuscu pag. 460. so Pocquius existimabam me aliquid intelligere nec quicquam intelligo deus enim intellectus meus est virtus mea salus mea Calvâne answers excellently Homo quidem fidelis se nihil ex seipso intelligere ceaset sed an propteria debet ââculos câanâdere ne quid intueatur ut vult iste insanus A man saith Calvine in Christ judgeth that he understandeth nothing of himselfe and so that he can neither pray nor beleeve without the Spirit but shall he therefore close his eyes that hee may understand nothing at all as this phrantick man imagines How we are saved in this life Henry Nicholas of low Germany taught the same doctrine a hundred yeares agoe Cha. 1. Sent. 9 For behold in this present day is the glorious comming of the Lord Jesus Christ with the many thousands of his Saints he commeth manifested which hath set himselfe now upon the seat of his Majestie for to judge in this same day which the Lord hath ordained the whole world with equity and Chap. 35. Sent. 8. Behold in this present day is this Scripture fulfilled Esai 26. Dan. 12 4. Esdras 7. 1 Thess. 4. Matth. 24. and 25. Luke 17. Acts 1. Matth. 24. Revel 14. according to the testimony of the Scripture the raising up and resurrection of the Lords dead commeth also to passe presently in this same day through the appearing of the comming of of Christ in his Majestie c. So this man denyeth any life to come or any Resurrection to which way Antinomians encline (a) Calvinus in opuse in instruc advers libertinos Cap. 23. p. 460 461 and cap. 22. p. 458 459 Pocquiuâ in libello Scriptum est non tendes ad malum cavens ne adulteres in verbo id est in litera Scripturae ficut multi non justificati saciunt Talis âgo fui sed omnia remissa sunt Nam scriptum est abstinete vos ab adulteratione ut possitis vas vestrum in sanctificatione honore possidere cum simus mortui legi per corpus Christi ut alterâis simus qui suscitatus est ex mortuis ut fructisicemus âDeo viventi non âgiturestis in came Quaere reâeâquamus veterem Adamum id est arimam nostram viventem veniamus ad âem majorem id est ad Spiritum dictum enim suit Adâ quod iâorâââtur revera mortuus est nunc vivisicati sumus cum secândo Adam qui est Christus non âernendo amâlius peccatum quia est morioum (b) Hen Nicol cap. 34. Christ hath annointed me with his Godly being he hath Godded me (c) Rise reign error 11. (d) Er. 7. (e) Er. 8. Pocquius 16. apud Calv. in opus 463. Obdormivit Christus in cruce suit apertum latus ut cesta repertretur que est semina Ecclesia dicta unio personalis totius naturae humanae fieri omnes in unâ membro cujus Christus est caput (f) Pocquius 16. pag. 461. Scriptum est omnia munda mundis qui autem fide purificatus est totus gratus Deo Calvinus ibid. Putidus este hanc sententiam eò applicat ut latroâmia scortationes homicidia pro mundis sanctâs rehus habeantur (g) Rise reign ruine the body of the Story p. 59 60 62. * Divers Antinomians deny the life to come and the Resurrection of the dead as did Hymeneus and Phyletus Free will free in being drawn to Christ. Arminian indifferency of will loosed from all predetermination of God blasphemous Gods decree giveth a shall be or a shall not be to all things possible Zeph. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ante parere decretum God the fârst efficient and last finall cause of all beings and acts of free will ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The Remonstrants at the âynod of Dort with shame denied that the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was in the Text an easie way of âlâdiâg Scripture The generaâl universaâl and indifferent concurrence and influence of God with second causes devised by Jesuites and Arminians a dreame Indifferency of free will loosed from the dâminion of providence ânthroâes fortune and contingency in Gods roome How God determines free-will and forceth it not Two sorts of determinations of wiâl It s our happinesse that free will be not the ãâã of our heaven With drawing ãâã and also a baâe ãâã The ãâ¦ã Thâ reasââ of the Apostle word and of the Prophet Habba ââ's c. â given We are to await Christs work of conversion How to deale with any that are troubled for non-conversion It s no Gospel-truth that God loves no man lesse for sin or more for inherent righteousnesse Christs graâe in ãâ¦ã in ãâ¦ã Riches or grâce Overflowings of grace Thankefulnesâ for grace required The vertues in Christ sitting him to draw sinners How the ouâiâg of Gods ãâ¦ã in the Sonne Christ man in a lovely posture of drawing sinners Behold Christs ãâã Divisions and wars ât from congregating Christ. Whiâe civility dangerous The revelation of Christs drawing lovelinesse and the fuânesse thereof The revelation of Christs drawing lovelinesse from Christ onely and two acts thereof Bright Star c. 5. p. 38. The compleatnesse of Christs loveâinesse Bright Star c 4. p 30. Tâwn Assââtion of Grace p. 76 77 7â Theolog Germ c. 8. p. 16. Perfection ãâã attaineâble in this life What perfection of ãâã is in Châist in the life comâ The Scriâturs ând ordinances are the meanes of attaining the âulâesse of Câââst ãâ¦ã in this life Familists place their perfect oneâ above all use of Ordinances The active passive annihilation of Familâsts To desist from Monkish contemplation to returne to a practicall life to Familists is
all the world of Elect and Reprobate all Adams Sons live and die in sin and are tormented with the Devill and his Angels eternally such a thing as life eternall and the Kingdome of heaven is for no use offered or purchased to the redeemed who stand before the Throne and sing praises to the Lambe He is the Lord and builder of his house the Church but he hath no Church but that which cannot be called a Church I know no Article of the Gospel that this new and wicked Religion of universall attonement doth not contradict 11. To beleeve in Christ is to beleeve that omnipotency can save Judas Pharaoh and all every mortall man so they beleeve in Christ But Christ hath purchased sufficient grace to no mortall man because in the obtaining of eternall life to all the world as Arminians say neither faith repentance or grace to beleeve and repent hath any place God might after Christs death have required nothing for our actuall salvation but abstaine from eating the fruit of such a tree and yee have life eternall in Christ. 12. How can Christs satisfaction be imputed to any man seeing it is a meer possible salvation or a power to save that may and doth stand with the damnation of millions that Christ died for 13. Christs dying had in his eye the Sanctification the giving of the Spirit the raising to life the eternall glory of not one man more then another not of Peter of Moses more then of Cain or Judas though he said Joh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe And v. 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me should be where I am that they may behold the glory that thou hast given me 9. I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given me 14. Christ hath died yet he must by the Arminian way make no Testament appoint no certaine heires but win the dead mans Legacy by free will and have it who will 15. Christ obtained by his death that the Gospel should no more be preached then the Law or faith in an Angel that men may be saved Vse All the doctrine contrary to universall attonement doth highly advance Christ for by it the Lord Jesus as Mediator and our High Priest must be essentially grace and essentially an Ambassador of Grace It is kindly to Christ to save salvation belongeth to Christ as Christ injoy him as a Saviour and yee cannot perish be joyned to him as a Husband and he cannot but love and save his Spouse submit to him as a King and ye must share with him in his Throne his Kings royall Crown was never ordained for another end but that the lustre of the precious stones in that Crown should shine on the face and soules of his Redemed ones Christ came not to destroy but to seek and to save the lost get in union with Christ by faith and the Spirit of the Lord Jesus and he will save you to speak so whether you will or no yee complain of corruption he is a King over the body of sin he is a Priest to sacrifice lusts to preach Christ a dying Redeemer of all and every one of mankind when millions redeemed doe eternally perish is to steal away Christ from the people as thieves in Ieremiahs dayes did steal the word of the Lord it is to make the Lord Jesus as weak and powerlesse a Priest as ever any son of Aaron for his blood no more can take away their sins then the blood of Bullocks or Goats could doe it it s to enthrone free will and dethrone the grace of Christ and to put shame on the Lord Iesus and his blood and though these enemies of the crosse of Christ now croud in in England under the Name of the Godly party yet it was a good Observation of that Learned and gracious servant of Christ Doctor Ames who conversed with Arminans that he could never see a proof of the grace of Christ in the conversation of such men as in doctrine were declared enemies of the grace of Christ. Now for the world All and the World and all Nations it may be demonstrate from Christs will in the Scriptures that if universall attonement and Redemption of all and every one can be proved from these Grammattications Then with the like strength I can prove 1. The conversion of all and every mortall man to saving Faith 2. The eternall salvation of all and every man 3. The eternall perishing of all and every one which must be infinitely absurd and blasphemous And if the good will of God cannot be extended to the end and the efficacious and onely saving meanes tending to this end which are salvation and saving faith with no colour of reason can it be extended to one means of redeeming all and every one rather then to another 1. There is an universall conversion and saving illumination which is called in the Text A drawing of all And I when I am lifted up on the crosse will draw all men to me Here is a drawing of all men and so an effectuall conversion but not of all and every man as Mr Den saith 1. Because v. 33. This drawing is by the power of Christ lifted up on the Crosse and by the Holy Spirit given by Christ Joh. 7.39 and 14.16 7. and 15.26 â7 and 16.7 1â 14. Now it can bee no Gospel-truth that Christ draweth by the lifting of himselfe on the Crosse and by his death all and every man to himselfe even thousands and millions of the sons of Adam that never heard one letter or the least sound of the Gospel or of his lifting up on the Crosse for sure Christs death-drawing must be by proposing the beauty and lovelinesse of Christ crucified which thousands never heard of 2. This drawing must be all one with the drawing which effectually produceth running Cant. 1.4 after Christ. And which is Ioh. 6.44 Now when Christ saith No man can come except he be drawn He clearly sheweth that the drawing of the Father is a peculiar priviledge of some and not common to all as the other two expressions beside of being taught of God and hearing and learning of the Father 3. Because all the drawn are raised up by Christ their life and head at the last day v. 44.4 The Adversary cannot show any drawing of Christ or to Christ that is common to all and every one of mankind So All Israel shall know the Lord as its Heb. 8.10 for this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel saith the Lord I will put my lawes into their minde and write them in their hearts and I will bee to them a God and they shall bee to mee a people vers 11. And they shall not teach every one his neighbour and every man his brother ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã They shall all know me from the least of them even to thâ greatest When was this covenant made under the Mesiah when
love to all and every man nor gives he faith and salvation to all and every man yea the known and beleeved love of God in sending his Son to die for us is proper to the beleever 1 Ioh. 4.16.9 10. We have known and beleeved the love God hath to us God is love and he that dwelleth in love its a noble Princely pallace to lodge in dwelleth in God and God in him This cannot be said of the love that God beareth to the Reprobate yea and to the fallen Angels for Arminians say that God loved them with such a love but that love to Devils is now dried up long agoe and so that to Pharaoh Iudas Cain now in hell but this love is gone so dream they that love in God is like summer brooks that go dry in time of drought but the truth is Gods generall love to Arminians is a faint desire and a wish that all and every one men and Angels be saved and a bestowing on them means 1. Which the Lord knowes shall plunge them deeper in hell and make their everlasting chaines heavier and more fiery better he love them not 2. Such meanes as can be demonstrated free will without God or any determination or bowing to one hand rather then to another can and may absolutely master and over-master equally to conversion or obstinacy or to finall rebellion to salvation or damnation to make themselves free Princes and Lords of the book of life and the writing pen of eternall Election and Artists causes and masters of the decrees of Election or Reprobation For 1. Let God doe what he can or omnipotency or sweetnesse of free grace all that is possible free will hath the free and absolute casting of the ballance to will receive Christ open to the King of glory and be converted or to the contrary 2. In Election and Reprobation from eternity as Arminians in their last Apology goe no higher then time coepta est in temporo electio contra quam creditum est c. God doth no more in his generall decree for chusing of Jacob or Peter then of Pharaoh Esau or Judas but chuseth all indefinitely who shall beleeve But for the Assumption that Peter Iohn Pharaoh Judas Esau beleeve or not beleeve the eternall decree of God does nothing his means Gospel his inward grace such grace as they can grant doe no more nor can doe any more to determine the will to either side to beleeving or not beleeving then he can work contradictions or make free will and free obâdience to be no free will and no obedience for its repugnant say they to the nature of free-will that it should be determined by God And ãâ¦ã such as is required of us now who are under commâââements threatnings promises were no obedience at all for if the Lord should determine the will say they and therefore Gods last decree of chusing those to life whom he foresees shall expire in faith and persevere to the end and of rejecting such as he foresees shall goe on in finall obstinacy against the Gospel is not any Scripturall decree of Election or Reprobation nor hath God any liberty in this to chuse this man not this man but all men chuse God and are foreseen finally to beleeve or not beleeve before and without any free decree of God so that the number of chosen Angels or men is in the power of the creatures free will not in the liberty of the former of all things so as we chuse God but God chuseth not us But 2. So none are within the compasse of Election or Reprobation but such as hear the Gospel and so all the Heathen are saved or damned by chance or without any will or decree of God or they must be neither capable of salvation nor damnatâon contrary to Scripture and experience for terrible judgements temporall and great externall favours befall Indians Americans and such as never heard of Christ and not without the counsell of Gods will if there be a providânce that rules the world 2. God doth nothing in the Election of Peter more then of Iudas nor can grace and mercy have place in the chusing of the one rather then the other but as free will is foreseen to play the game ill or well so goe the eternall decrees of Election and Reprobation and there can be no such thing as that grace and the free pleasure of God who hath mercy on whom he will or because he will and hardens whom he will can have any place here 4. The Scripture no where speakes of any love of God in Christ to man but such as is efficacious in saving any other love is lip-love not reall and so to alledge this one place without authoritie of the Word is petitio principii a begging of the question for the love Ezâch 16.8 Called the time of loves was such as saved all that were to bâ saved amongst the people of God and cannot be understood of such a love as God did bear to the Heathen and the Cannanits for it separates them from all the world so Deut. 7.7 Psal. 146.19.20 Isai. 51.1 2 3. Isai. 52.3 4. Psal. 132 1â Psal. 1â5 4 Zech. 3.2 1 King 1.13 2 Chron. 6.6 Isai. 4â 8 9. Deut. 14.2 Isai. 43 20. Dan. 1â 15. 1 Chron. 16.13 Ezech. 20.5 Act. 13.17 Yee shall not finde that the love of God in Christ can consist with Reprobation or Damnation in all the Scripture but by the contrary it is a love that Christ hath to his wife in giving himselfe for her sanctifying washing and presenting her without spot or wrinkle before ãâ¦ã a husband-love Ephes. 5.25 26. Ghostâiâus âiâus 3.4 5 6. a great love quickning us together with Christ saving us by grace raising us up and making us âit together with Jesus Christ in heavenly places Ephes. 2.4.5 a love causing washing of us and advancing us to bee Kings and Priests to God Revel 1.5 6. a love to Paul in particular and working life in Paul Gal. 2.20 I live no more but Christ liveth in mee and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved mee and gave himselfe for me It is the love of God our Father who hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 2 Thes. 2.16 an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 a love before the foundation of the world Ephes. 1.3 4 before we doe good or evill Rom. 9.11 Not a love that fals to nothing by a consequent act of hatred nor a love to which the hatred of reprobation may succeed every hour and out of which wee may bee decourted a love that puts the honour of sonnes on us 1 Ioh. 3.1 It is a saving and a pittying love Isai. 63.9 a love which the Lord rests in Zeph. 3.17 a love continuing to the end Ioh. 13.1 a love that makes us more then conquerors Râm 8.37 It is a separating love