principle shall be onely an humble love and gratitude and the action shall be a true useful and ingenious action wherein some real service shall be done for God I shall give an instance in the Apostle Paul in that place last mentioned 1 Cor. 9.17 18. a place where you have the Apostle doing two things one of necessity that had a wo upon it if he did it not so that whether he did it willingly or unwillingly he must do it and that was the preaching the Gospel the other purely voluntary and so free lest him that he might have done the contrary to what he did and not have sinned at all and that was as to his maintenance for preaching he might have expected from them that they should maintain him but he would not he would maintain himself and this he took such comfort in that he calls this his glorying as I take it and he would rather dye then that any man should make this his glorying void Now the principle of this his action was not Legal as if he thought by this to lay some obligation upon God or his Lord Christ Jesus for he knew that he was so far obliged to the Lord for his mercies that he could never lay an obligation upon God The principle therefore was onely this of gratitude and nobleness he had such a good Master that he could never do enough for and therefore when he had sent him to preach the Gospel which he must unavoidably do the Apostle spyed out an opportunity of doing his duty herein more effectually and that was if he would preach the Gospel upon free-cost though he was allowed by his Master to have demanded a reward and now spying out this how he might do an eminent service which yet was a free-will offering he catches at it and will rather dye then let go this opportunity Ver. 5. It were better for me to dye then that any man should make my glorying void upon which take this paraphrase of a learned Commentator I have preached the Gospel on free-cost and would rather choose to famish by doing so then be deprived of this way of advancing the Gospel and I would not for all the world lose this comfors and joy that I have preached to you without receiving any thing from you Here you see at the same time the Apostle can act from a principle of necessity and also of voluntariness or nobleness he preaches the Gospel from the consideration of a necessity and he takes nothing for his preaching out of a principle of nobleness and yet this second service is a real service and advantage to the Gospel not such a foolish thing as for men to whip themselves or to offer to the shrine of some Saint or to say such a tale of Pater nosters c. That therefore is another Christian Principle in acting for God viz. Gratitude and Nobleness I shall onely mention one more and it is this When one hath been used to serve God The last and highest principle of action is from the excellency of the work it self the wayes of God are so good in themselves that a man will find a great sweetness and satisfaction in them that they are the onely ways that perfect a mans nature they are the only ways that are rational he shall more and more see every sin to be a gross absurdity according to that Scriptuture Heb. 5.14 Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their sences exercised to discern good and evil And believe it this is an high attainment to have a sense of what is good and excellent and of what is evil and base and to love the first and hate the latter for it self this is certainly the very love and hatred that God himself hath Now though I have allowed that there are these three Gospel-principles of Love and Gratitude Nobleness and Generosity loving and hating things for their own desert which men may arrive at yet I dare not speak a light word of the three first principles mentioned especially of that first viz. of serving God as our Creator which I think wil be an everlasting principle of service after we have received the fullest reward And for those principles of acting in hope of the reward and to avoid Hell I say first as before that they are good and warrantable nay Evangelical principles of action and therefore cannot simply considered be reckoned for legal principles yet perhaps I might say this in agreement with those that make them characters of a legal spirit that if they could be discovered in any person to be the onely principle of action as in Ahab and Pharoah the avoiding the Judgements that they were sensible of to hang over them were visibly the onely motives of their religious acts that person might be adjudged legal But of this more when I come to speak of a Spirit of Bondage which is the next Scripture-Character that I shall give of a Legal Spirit Onely in the mean time I reckon that I have evinced that taking it in the general without that distinctness in which we are to proceed so it is not a sufficient argument nor any argument at all of a Legal Spirit to act towards God for fear of punishment or in hope of the reward I come now to a third Character of a Legal Spirit The third Character of a Legal Spirit and it is this To be under a Spirit of Bondage is an argument of a Legal Spirit That this is an Argument or Character of a Legal Spirit first let us see some Scripture-proof and then I shall come to shew what a Spirit of Bondage is Now for Scripture-proof I think there is no Character of a Legal Spirit plainer in the Scripture then this I reckon indeed that the first viz. That it is external and fleshly in the serâ—ice of God was a plain Scripture-Character but I think this is rather plainer in Gal. 4.22 23. For it is written that Abraham had two sons the one by a bond-maid the other by a free-woman but he who was of the bond-woman was born after the FLESH but he of the free-woman was by promise which things are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants The one from Mount Sinai which gendreth to bondage which is Hagar This is the Law-Covenant Ergo Legalists are under a spirit of Bondage and they that are predominantly or properly said to be under a spirit of Bondage are Legalists the Proposition is convertible by reason that a spirit of Bondage is a property of a Legal spirit Again for a little more Scripture-proof 1. 'T is proved from its contrary the spirit which is contrary to a spirit of Bondage is a spirit of Adoption or Son-ship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now this Spirit of Adoption is a peculiar priviledge of the Gospel therefore the spirit of Bondage must belong to the Law Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the
off their enemie Contempt which otherwise threatens to be upon them and make a prey and spoile of that which is honourable and might be usefull in them In the place cited the Holy Ghost prescribes unto Timothie this method for the healing of that weakness in men by reason whereof they were like to be injurious unto him and indeed unto themselves more in respect of his youth But be thou an ensample or the pattern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those that are faithfull in word in conversation in charitie in spirit in saith in purity meaning that by hearkening to this counsel he should impose a pleasing necessity upon men to make him his youth notwithstanding at least equall in honor reverence and respects with such persons who by maturity of years aâ—e invested with a natural right and title unto such Priviledges How the Author of the Discourse before thee hath quiâ—â—ed himself in the five particulars last specified by the Apostle Conversation Charity Spirit Faith Puritie in order to the vindication or balancing of his years I must referr both thee and my self unto those who have hâ—d longer time and more and larger opportunities to understand him in these then I have had although it be meet for us both 〈◊〉 judg that he hath seen Christianly provident even by these to way-lay that prejudice disparagement which his under-growth in age exposeth him unto But as farr as by word speech or writing a young man may secure his years from the imputation of inconsiderableness and purchase himself an equitable title to divide the heritage of Reverence and honor with men of a farr longer standing in the world he that hath befriended the world with the Treatise ensuing hath to the best of my understanding very substantially performed both Not to insist upon the stile which is grave and yet pleasant enough and at a due distance from affectation the argument or theme undertaken in the Book The Justification of a sinner is both of as important and necessary and of as sublime and difficult a contemplation at least in many of the veines or branches of it as any other subject within the circumference of Divinity or Christian Religion Yea whereas in the best and most serviceable of the years of my earthly Pilgrimage I have been by the providence of God occasionally engaged to wade somewhat farr in the deep waters of those two mysterious Articles of the Common Faith of Christians Justification and Predestination and so necessitated to inquire into and consider with the best of my understanding the respective natures of them both if I were now desired to give my sense concerning the difference between them in point of difficulty or whether of the two requires more of the reason and understanding of a man to come at any well-grounded satisfaction in all matters of moment relating to it I must award the precedeney herein unto Justification For though the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation be resented by many as points of a most abstruse and sublime consideration yet I really judge upon the credit of my unpartial diligence in making the comparison that the secret veins running along in and spreading themselves over the body of the Doctrine of Justification are both more in number and also of a more spiritual and hidden nature harder to be clearly opened than those that occurre in the other Doctrines Not having had time to peruse the Treatise since the printing of it nor any other knowledg of the contents of it but only what I gained by some broken communications about them with the Author when his leisure and mine could agree which was not very often whilest he was preparing it for the Press I am not able to give thee a steady account how farr he hath traversed his Subject or about how many of the arcana or difficult Queries relating to it he hath engaged his pen in the present Discourse I suppose it never came near his thoughts to interess so small a Tract in all the inquireable points about Justification nor do I know any man amongst those many that have served the Christian World in that argument that have raised the pitch of their Undertaking so high But I well remember he hath laboured very commendably and to the good contentment I doubt not of the consciences of those that shall conseientiously reade and minde what he hath written in sundry particulars very necessary to be understood by those that are desirous to know the whole counsel of God in that Great and most important Article of their most holy Profession I mean Justification He hath with a strong hand removed that stumbling Stone of Justification from eternity which the Spirit of Antinomianisme hath laid in the way of Christian profession and at which not a few learned and unlearned have stumbled This Error being so broad-fac'd and palpable had need have the countenance of some that are counted Pillars in the Christian Church to support it And were it 〈◊〉 so gross and easie of detection I might take the beldness with modesty enough to challenge and accuse it of a most malesique and dangerous influence upon the very life of Christianity For besides other threatning tendencies of â—t of this kinde both the face and heart of it are set to deprive the world of the spirit life and soul of all that the great Apostle Paul hath written in his Epistles in asserting the Doctrine of Justification by Faith against the Jews and all others opposing it which is a good part not to say the best or gredtest part of all the heavenly Legatie which he hath left in writing unto the world for that Love's sake which he bare in his life-time to the salvation of it For if the great contest between him and his Oppanents the Jews was not about Justification it self or about the means whereby it is to be obtained in the sight of God but onely about the manifestation or declarative of it and this before men which they must of necessity affirm that hold men really and actually justified by God from eternity then doubtless the Jews who pleaded for Justification by Works had the better end of the staff inasmuch as these have a greater declarative force at least in reference unto men of the state of Justification or of the acceptance of a person with God than Faith hath This not reason and experience onely but the Scripture it self supposeth from place to place still making waies and works of Righteousness and fruitfulness in well-doing the most unquestionable Characters and proofs of persons justified and in favour with God Places of this import and very pregnantly such might soon be drawn together in great numbers but I judg this needless by reason of the frequent and familiar occurrencie of such places Whereas Faith is here represented as in and of it self inevident and as standing in need of the light of Works to make it visible or manifest unto men Jam. 2.18 1
business presently in one word and tell you that it is Doing So far as you seek to get life by doing you are legal they will tell you ye muâ—â— not act for life but from life a mighty distinction with them though quite false And for prooâ—â— they 'l bring you such a Scripture as this Mark 10.17 where the young man came to our Saviour and said What shall I Do that I may inherit Eternaâ— life Which is a question that I suppose might be asked by a good man though he was not good that asked it unless it be asked with such a design as if one thought that the doing good actions might merit heaven by this Divinity of theirs which they have of late spread far and near they have made their followers which I fear are very many think strangely of good works as if they had no influence aâ— all not so much as secondary to the obtaining oâ— our salvaâ—ion and so onely as matters of love and thankfulness from us but not as absolutely necessary unto the pleasing of God and continuing in his favour according to that of our Saviour Joh. 15.9 10. As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue in my love How may we do that ver 10. tells us If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love Yet I would do the Antanomians this right to say that I think they have very many of them aimed honestly that they have lighted upon many Gospel-strains and have done very well in observing that there is a vast difference betwixt serving God with a Legal and with an Evangelical Spirit though they have not been so happy in telling us wherein the difference lies and for the difference which they make the Legal way to lie in Doing the Evangelical way in Believing I confess it hath a great countenance from Scripture as to the sound of words but as they explain their sense I reckon there is a great disagreement from the Scripture As to their sence of the word Believing I shal have some occasion to examin it anon but as to the word Doing in their sense I say at present That though the Scripture seems to express the whole business of Legality in that word Rom. 4 4. Working or Doing yet certainly in a far other sense from their explication of it For the Scripture in that place understands Working or Doing in a strict Law-sense so as to expect a Reward for it of Debt whereas they will tel you if you look upon Works as having any influence upon Justification let the works be what they wil you are so far Legal Now having proved as I suppose their exposition of Working or Doing to be but a false gloss I shall do my endeavour and no more can be expected to deliver the truth in this matter I suppose therefore according to that Text Rom. 4 4. where Legal Works or working are accurately described that Legality lies in Doing any work with this supposition or conceit in my mind that now I have justly obliged God not only by a Justice of performing promise but a Justice of strict distribution according to the natural desert of an action My meaning is best expressed in that commonly known word of Merit he that doth an action to God supposing that he hath now merited a reward from God by distributive Justice The reason why I make prefumtion of Merit the form of Legality is for that reward of Debt is the Characteristical note of a Legal Reward therefore the expectation or presumtion of such a reward ought to be in a Legal Spirit he is Legal in his action and none other It will bepresently said Then there will not be found so many Legal professors as you assert there are for that few amongst us if any at all acknowledge Merits I answer though they do not acknowledge it with their mouths yet this I suppose is the secret Language of their hearts and where it is not let them be free from the imputation of Legality for me I see no rule to condemn them of it though I wil add this I think many men may disown it in words nay and think they are not guilty of it that yet are extreamly guilty such a a secret unsearchable Disease of heart is this of Legality I have perfectly done with the explication or discovery of the Disease in its own nature I shall come anon to give some symptomes of it that are signs and effects of it in the mean time let us see what improvement what observations we can make upon that Anatomical Discovery which was made of the Galatians e'ne now And here 1 Obser first of all I shall observe the strange and unhappy disappointments that the Legal self-Justitiaries meet with the miserable cheat that they put upon themselves They think to mix Law and Gospel they dare not stand to the Law alone they would fain have a little help from the Gospel to eke out their defects in a Legal Righteousness and alas the Gospel turns them off with scorn to the Law onely to be tried and judged by it which wil certainly condemn and devour them 2dly 2 Obser I observe the strange absurdities and self-contradictions which these self-Justitiaries both Jews and Gentils run into in their prosecution of a Legal Righteousness There are no less then four contradictions which the Galatians ran into in this business 1. They would be justified by the Law and yet acknowledged themselves sinners which is a contradiction for it is obvious that the Law must condemn sinners 2. They would be justified by the Law and yet not be bound to do the whole Law whereâ—s the Law hath no other way imaginable to justifie any persons but when they have the works of the Law when they have done the whole Law He that doth them shall live in them 3. They would be justified by the Law and yet have benefit by Christ and his death whereas Christ â—ras not the Minister of Circumcision Christ came into the world and dyed because the Law was broken and could not justifie 4. See the greatest of contradictions imaginable They would be justifisied by the Law and yet profess the Gospel and the way of Grace therefore the Apostle convinceth them with this Argument If ye seek Justification by the Law ye are fallen from Grace Rom. 11.6 If by Grace then it is no more of works yet all these absurdities and contradictions the Galatians swallowed that they might go on with their way of Works which they were so greedy after and addicted to besides all those evident arguments both general and of more particular concernment to them which they went against though they had received the Spirit by the Gospel though miracles were done amongst them in confirmation of the Gospel neither of which attended the Law though they had done and suffered so many things
spiritual Saints under the Old-Testament they might truly conclude that their Religion was of an higher strain then either that of the one or of the other * If any will make any abate ment of this observation in the height of it as that the advancement of the least Salnt in the kingdom of Heaven above Iohn the Baptist should be meant of Gospelpriviledges let them do as they see cause and so this observation might wel serve for a Character to them Yet because the Saints of God do not always understand nor are able to make a judgement of their condition and for that I aim onely at such Characters as may be useful to persons for trial of themselves I shal at present let this pass without pressing it any further onely I could wish these multitudes of grovelling creeping complaining Saints were wel chid and awakened for they make Ministers that they cannot preach free Divinity lest they should perhaps grieve them And I verily believe that it hath spoiled many a good Sermon that would have been far more lively both for the conviction of wicked men and the quickening of other good Christians that could have born it and done wel with it meerly the stuffing it with cautions and qualifying many brave expressions lest some of these weak tender Christians should be offended which tenderness in most is rather a delicacy of spirit then the quick sence of a wounded Spirit which indeed must be tenderly dealt with Good men many of them have gotten such effeminate Antinomian Consciences that they cannot bear sound Doctrine many Gospel strains are legal in their apprehension But I must forbear this â—â—nguage lest I have little thanks for not making this a Character I shal onely say before I pass off that methinks when we serve the great God upon terms of Mercy and Grace when he offers us pardon of our sins and the salvation of our souls freely we should be mighty chearful and quick and diligent when we consider our high calling to be the children of God heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ it should mightily quicken and enoble our Spirits Seemeth it a light thing saith David to be a Kings Son-in-Law seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 18.23 And certainly it argues a great want of faith hope not to be very much quickned with these considerations but pass on And as I have now avoided making this a Character which I might have made one so I shal endeavour to un-make another that hath been made one by some or at least to unmake it in part They would make this another Character of a legal Spirit A salfe Character of a Legal Spirit That it is selfish and mercenary in the service of God onely works for wages and for the reward but doth nothing out of pure love nobleness and ingenuity I have heard it delivered in a great Assembly as a great observation That self-love hath no more Religion in it than an Horse That is as I understand it so far as a man acts towards God for any good that should accrue to himself so far his Religion is unacceptable Now for the word ONELY I confess I know not what to say to that how that should be a good Spirit that worships and serves God ONELY for the reward But I suppose they that speak undervaluingly of this Principle do mean or at least should mean by the tendency of their Discourses that it is a legal Principle to serve God in hope of the reward or for the reward and that so far as we serve God from this Principle we are legal or at least we miscarry in so doing And indeed to shew that I do not slander a party I have heard several Discourses wherein this hath been hotly argued that it is not a right or at least not a Gospel-Principle to serve God for fear of Hed which is to me all one as to serve him in hope of a reward for to avoid Hell is a negative reward as the enjoying Heaven is a positive Now for my part I think whatever we may account of self-love when it is the onely principle yet that it is a very good principle in other honest company and withall I think that there is no Saint upon earth that doth act towards God meerly upon the principle of self-self-love which I shall shew by and by But I will say more yet and that is this That I think self-love or acting for the reward and to labour in hope as the Husbandman doth who not onely laboureth in hope but for his hope or for that which he expecteth else he would not have taken that labour I say to act for the reward or in hope of the reward and so likewise that we may avoid Hell needs not so far the association of other Principles to countenance and credit it as if it were not it self a right Gospel-Principle for I think to be encouraged by the reward which the Gospel promiseth on purpose that so we might be encouraged argues a true Gospel-spirit answering the Gospel-motive and so that outward motive from the Word or Promise becomes an inward Principle It were endless to quote the Scriptures that encourage us in holiness by the consideration of glory to come Be thou faithful to the death and I will give thee the Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 One more That which ye have already hold fast till I come and he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron even as I received of my Father and I will give him the Morning-Star Rev. 2 25 26 27 28 So it is likewise a Gospel-principle to serve God that we may avoid Hell We have both together to get Heaven and avoid Hell made Gospel-motives Heb. 12.28 29 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire And it is the advice of our Saviour Luk. 12.5 To fear God who can cast body and soul into Hell and for that reason I say unto you my friends fear him they are our Saviours Words Luke 12 4 5. Now with whatever fair shews and pretences men may impose these Doctrines upon themselves or others that they must not serve God for fear of Hell nor hope of Heaven I look upon Satan to be the Forger of these devices for if he can get us once out of the fear of Hell and out of the hopes of Heaven hee 'l make no doubt to bring us into what temptations soever he shall intice us with And I would fain know what the other principles are when these are removed upon which we should be constrained or engaged to serve God There is indeed one more lest very considerable but these men that dislike the hope of reward and fear of punishment
will not like this neither and it is because it is the duty of the Creature to serve its Creator whether he promiseth any reward or no. Now this will not look neither like a Gospel-principle being the very Law of Creation Well then what principles will they suggest for Gospel-principles Why such as these Love and Ingenuity and Gratitude and apprehending an excellency in the wayes of God Now I confess these are good principles and these are right Gospel-principles the fruit of the Spirit is love And we love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.19 which is gratitude Shall we continue in sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace and that so Grace may abound God forbid This were highly disingenuons Rom. 6.1.15 And in keeping thy Commandments there is great reward Psal 19.11 There is a sight of the excellency of the precept But pray observe that where nobleness and ingenuity is the onely Principle of Actions there is no necessity for any thing to be done at all for actions of nobleness and ingenuity and gratitude come under no Law but are left free to the Agent to do or not to do only that hereby as he doth them or not the Agent will discover whether he be of an unworthy Spirit or no. And thus these men have brought things to a fair pass that God is to be served under the Gospel onely upon courtesie so that any that will may slip their neck out of Christs yoke and their back from under his burthen or else they must acknowledge that men ought to serve God because there is a MUST upon it 't is our duty as Creatures if we will not there is an Hell to punish but to encourage you in it if you will there is an Heaven to reward And what if a Legal Spirit go to work with these principles ONELY as indeed I think he hath no other and that he may have all these in a degree viz. the sense of his Obligation as a Creature the fear of Hell and some general hope of Heaven I say What if he may have all these principles are they evertheless good or unsuitable to the Gospel because he useth them If he used them to good ends or used them aright they would do him good as well as they do others good the reason why these do him no good is for that in the use of the same principles in the general which a good man may use A Legallist hath always these three gross defects that undo him Three ruining defects in the service of a Legallist First though the hope of Heaven in general as a place of happiness may somewhat quicken him in what he doth yet he hath no true notion or apprehension of Heaven that the happiness of it consists chiefly in likeness to God in holiness which if it were his notion of Heaven he could not find in his heart to desire it much less to endeavour after it The second gross defect is this All the endeavours that he makes to please God in one thing or in another as I have instanced in several wayes never reach to a thorough heart-work whereas that is the chief thing that God looks after because he is a Spirit the Father of Spirits And the lastthing is this That yet for all this slightiness hypocrifie of a Legal Spirit the very rule that he proceeds by in his expectations of his Reward is That God is bound to give it him as having well deserved it at his hands Now what though a Legallist may make use of the same principles that an Evangelical Spirit doth unsuccessfully yet what should hinder but the Evangelical Worshipper may use the same principles rightly and with acceptation from God May not a good thing be abused or not rightly used And doth this destroy the nature of it Let us now a little examine the word Mercenary because indeed it sounds harshly as if it were a low principle for a Christran to act towards God by and then we will see briefly what other Principles there are in conjunction with it in every true Saint of God The word Mercenary founds so ill meerly from the common usage of it not so much from the Etymology or native signification the Natural signification of it is when any one acts for wages or for a reward the use of it is when a man that is engaged to do courtifies or at least stands not in any need to receive courtesies will yet do no good turns for any without a good reward in his hand or well assured to him nay perhaps will do any mischief if he may be well rewarded so that Mercenariness is a Vice alwaies contrary to Nobleness that is more free to do than receive courtesies and often contrary to justice but now this Mercenariness especially as contrary to nobleness is a Vice onely or chiefly amongst equals and those that stand not in need of one another as for those that are far inferiour it is pride with them to be unwilling to receive courresies or rewards for wherefore are any advanced in place but that they may do good to those that are below them 'T is no dishonour at all for a poor man that wants bread to hire our his labour for a reward nor for a child that is bound to do what his facher commands to be encouraged by any reward that his father proposeth to any action Now let us apply these things to the bufiness before us and we shall see how ill or how well Mercenariness becomes us in our service of God First of all we are not here to consider the Saints as doing evill things for a reward that is the worst Mercenariness of all no but they serve God for a reward Now wherein can the sordidness of this Spirit lye is it that we need not to receive courtesies at the hands of God or that we cannot endure to receive a courtesie which we know we are not able to requite Such a struin of nobleness there is sometimes found amongst men out if we should aim at such a strain of nobleness with God How will such men ever offer to receive heaven especially when they did not work for it which makes it far more obliging Truely in my minde it is very high pride for a poor creature that is poor and blind and naked and in want of all things that when God offers to supply his poverty to cure his blindness to cover his nakedness he shall not be exceedingly over-joyed at it and seeing that these supplies are of this nature that they cannot be compleatly obtained till we come to heaven nor yet certainly obtained except we persevere whilest we are here to labour after them it seems a strange wantonness to me that men should not labor and own it that they do labour for them as the command is No fault in labouring for the reward except it be for the reward of a debt Labour for
lose heaven or be cast into hell methinks it is a piece of self-hatred or at least too high a breach upon that innate principle of self-love which God hath planted in the soul And certainly that instance of love in our Saviour his dying for us which yet was the highest instance in the world of regular love was not of such a kind as this for he did not dye for us to remain accursed but under-went the curse that so he might procure the blessing for his people yea and for himself Hebr. 12.2 Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and despised the shame But in the third place not to undertake to censure Saint Paul especially in such an action where if there was an error it was onely in excess of love to men's souls and high nobleness and generosity I may safely adde this that I prosess I cannot see how his action or that of Moses are imitable by us for I know not by what rule we are obliged or so much as permitted to do any such action though some would perswade us that we are obliged to be content to be damned that God may be glorified thus far I shall go with them That it is every ones duty to be so humble as to think that if God cast us into hell he doth us no wrong But I cannot go so far in compliaure with their fantasticall expressions of love and submission to God and designs for his glory as to say that if God may be glorified in my destruction I am content c. Alas What good can my destruction do to God Or what glory can God have in destroying me if I walk sincerely with him and therefore these are but foolish suppositions and idle offers which perhaps some good people may make much-like those in another case of enjoying communion with God they will say If God were in Hell his Presence would make Hell to be Heaven and they had rather be in Hell with God than in Heaven without him People had better shew their love to God and their humility in those actions and duties which he calls them unto then in such suppositions and fantastical expressions and imaginations as these That is the third observation I see not how this action of Moses or St. Paul are imitable by us 4. Neither were they in constant practice by themselves or at least they were not the onely principles which they acted by for Moses I have proved already that he had respect to the recompence of reward and that encouraged him in doing and suffering for God And as for St. Paul we find him pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and exhorting others so to do Phil. 3.14 15. And though I doubt not but St. Paul did preach the Gospel willingly yet he tells us that he did not preach meerly as a free-will-offering to God but there was a necessity upon him he MUST do it Though I preach the Gospel saith he yet I have nothing to glory of as if I had done a thing that I was not bound to do for necessity is Iaid upon me a dispensation is committed to me yea wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.11 And so we find in the same chap. ver 24. this advice So run that ye may obtain which argues that the obtaining the prize not onely may be but ought to be in our eyes and ver 27. he tells us of himself that he kept under his body and brought it into subjection lest himself should be a cast-away So that you see besides these high Principles of nobleness ingenuity gratitude which are all good and excellent yet there are other principles that are good and commendable yea Evangelical * When I say they are Evangelical Principles I mean they are either so properly or by way of reduction to confonary with â—vangelical Principles properly so called they are at least allowed if not brought to light onely by the Gospel such as these that it is our duty and that else there is a wo pronounced against us that we may obtain the prize that we may not be cast-aways I shall just give a brief account of the order of principles in a Christians acting for God as I apprehend them to lie and then shew why this of mercenariness cannot be made a Character of a Legal Spirie and then come to give some more true Scripture-Characters The order of principles in every Saints heart in his acting for God The 3. first Now I suppose that the order of Principles in every Saints heart is this 1. He considers himself a Creature and so bound to obey his Creator and since God hath alwayes proposed some reward to the keeping and threatning to the breach of his Law therefore these three principles may go hand in hand together and these are the first Principles that any is to begin with in serving God Now I think there is no exceeding in any one of these Principles a man cannot be too sensible of his obligation as a Creature to serve his Creator a man cannot be too sensible of the greatness of the reward nor of the danger of Hell yet I think every Christian hath somewhat more to move him in his service to God then barely these three Principles as for instance some such as I have named love to God gratitude yea many times nobleness of heart We love God saith the Apostle speaking in the name of all the Saints because he loved us first c. and these further Principles seem to follow in this order from the first that when I am thoroughly convinced that it is my duty to live to God when I consider what danger I avoid in it what good I obtain by it I am engaged to love that God Then Love who takes such care of his Creatures that he would not have them perish nay that he would not have them do their duty for nought here is now another Principle a Principle of Love beyond the three first Principles Again I consider the greatness of the reward the richness of the grace in providing it by the gift of Christ the Fathers giving him and his giving himself the sending the Spirit into our hearts to perswade us and win upon us to accept of this grace all the care that the Lord takes about us and hereby I am yet more and more engaged to love and gratitude Aster that nobleness One may easily be here set all in a flame of love not counting his life dear for such a God for such a Saviour if there be the least spark of Nobleness in one's natural spirit it will enflame the whole soul to do some excellent service for God not as the Legallist doth supposing that hereby he shall oblige God and that perhaps onely in some fantastical service as rich sacrifices or multitudes of superstitious observations but the
spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father which I shall make bold to Paraphrase thus Ye have not now under the Gospel received the spirit of Bondage again as ye did under the Law for some of these Romans to whom he writes were Jews but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby both you and I for the person is changed and all Gospel-Saints cry Abba Father The Law SO FAR as it did reign over the spirits of good people in the days of the Old-Testament brought them under a spirit of Bondage SO FAR and therefore the veâ— same Saints that now were under a Spirit of Adoption by the Gospel yet had been under â— spirit of Bondage in the times of the Law in a great measure unless we will make the person YEE to signifie specifically not numericall that is of Saints like them of the same Nation in times past and not of those very Saints iâ— person to whom he writes but which way sâ—â—ver understood it asserts that the Saints of Goâ— in the times of the Old Testament were in 〈◊〉 great measureunder a spirit of bondage through the darkness of the Dispensation which argues that for those that were under the Law wholly they were certainly under a severe Bondage from the Law and so that this may very well be made a Character of a Legal spirit I am not ignorant that there is another interpretation given of this Scripture by some yet very agreeable with this that I here give viz. That in every work of conversion there is a legal conviction which they call a Spirit of Bondage which goes before faith and that after a man hath truely believed he never receives or returns to a spirit of Bondage again But I think this is not the genuine interpretation onely it may be allowed for true in a great measure and I might borrow strength from it for my present purpose for that this spirit of Bondage in this interpretation is the effect or the work of the Law only but of this the Reader may see more in the 41. page of the foregoing discourse I come now to shew what a spirit of Bondage is now this discovers it self in the very name Bondage or Slavery as also by its opposition to a spirit of Adoption or Son-ship they that are under it serve not God as children serve a father but as slaves serve a cruel master again it is notified to us by the inseparable companion of this spirit and that is fear Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the 2 Tim. 1.7 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of fear God hath not given to us saith the Apostle that is under the Gospel a spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde A Gospel spirit is a spirit of love a Legal spirit is a spirit of fear I shall give onely one Scripture more for this that is 1 John 4.17 18 19. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgement because as he is saith the Apostle so are we in this world There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment he that seareth is not made perfect in love We love him because he first loved us Here I collect and argue We that is We Saints converted by the Gospel have all of us a principle of Love which is quite contrary to that of fear We shall have boldness in the day of Judgement and this we have some fore-tasts of in this world for that spirit which is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Bondage to fear is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Love and Son-ship or Adoption which hath an holy boldness in it Hebr. 4.16 and teacheth us to call God Father But on the contrary the Legal spirit hath no such boldness in the presence of God but is alwaies silled with a tormenting fear and horrour at the thoughts of God even as the Devils are in a great degree who believe and tremble and as Cain was who when he could have no rest in his spirit went forth from the presence of the Lord which he could not endure and fell to building a city in probability to drown the noise of his Conscience which else would still have rung in his ears and allarm'd him with this dreadful sentence My punishment is greater than I can beâ—â— or my sin is greater than can be forgiven Perfect love casteth out fear then such as is the proportion aâ—â— degree of Love to God to such proportion and degree 〈◊〉 the tormenting fear of God abated Yet here I must needs acquaint the Reader that there is another exposition of this Text which I think is very allowable if not more genuine than the former that is that perfect love to God casteth out all anxious and solicitous fear of suffering and persecution for God's Cause I shall transcribe somwhat of Dr. Hammond upon the place ver 17. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of Judgement because as he is so are we in this world which he first thus translates In this the love with us is perfected that we have boldness and then paraphraseth thus In this the perfection of that love which is to be found in a Christian consists that in a time of danger when we are brought before Judges and may probably lose our lives for confessing of Christ then we retain courage and cheerfulness and confess him willingly that we behave our selves in this world as Christ did when he was here that is lay down our lives in testification of the truth ver 18. there is no fear in love that is saith he such love as this which was in Christ hath no fear in it Christ ventured and under-went the utmost even death it self for us I need transcribe no more But yet I think I may argue strongly even from this Exposition that which I aim at viz. that a Gospel-spirit is free from slavish fear of God at least in a great measure for still the love spoken of in this text it is love to God this love to God is a great Gospel-principle as appears in the text Now can any bear a great love to any person and yet have a slavish fear a tormenting fear of that person at the same time For my part I think love and fear with respect to the same person are very near as opposite as love and hatred and a tormenting slavish fear of any person cannot long be without a great degree of hatred Is it not a famous question in the Politiques concerning the security of a Prince An praestat timeri quam diligi Whether it be more safe for a Prince to be loved or feared of his Subjects
Brtvis differentia inter legem Evangelium est â—mor amâ—â— Aquina August Which things if they were not in consistent the question would need no decision Again take the Exposition last given that perfect love to God casteth out all fear of men it fills us with courage and resolution so that we are afraid of no sufferings whatsoever Yet is it possible that a man should from the extraordinary inflammedness of his love to God be full of boldness and courage in the day of Judgement that is the day of hottest trials and persecutions fear nothing because it is for God whom he loves dearly and that for this very reason that he loved him first upon terms of gratitude and yet that this man should have his Spirit contracted and oppressed at the same time with a tormenting fear of the God for whom he suffers I have argued before that his love to God would not suffer such a tormenting fear of God I argue now that the expansion and enlargedness of heart and soul in his courage and boldness for God is inconsistent with that contraction of spirit which a slavish fear of God at the same time must needs cause A man that hath his spirit broken by the tormenting fear of God can have no courage before men at all Every man that meeteth me will kill me saith Cain when a slavish terror of God had seized upon him The sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrites Isa 33.14 Why what is the matter it follows Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings When men have a sense of the Wrath of God towards them which is the cause of this slavish fear it sills them with fearfulness and terror in all things else they begin to be afraid of their own shadow Therefore this boldness in the day of man's judgement here spoken of must suppose first some boldness in the presence of God and so the sense of the text runs clear There is no fear in Love where a man loves God heartily and especially out of a love of Gratitude because God loved him first that soul hath boldness and courage in all his sufferings The Righteous is bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 But the wicked fleeth when none pursueth If God be for us saith the good man who can be against us Who shall separate us saith the Apostle from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword c. In all these things and can there be greater in the day of man's Judgement we are more then Conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.35 36. Here is a couragious fearless Love but whence is it spirited but from the sense of the Love of God No soul pressed with a slavish fear of God could have uttered these triumphant expressions * And I think that according to this second Exposition of this place in Iohn's Epistle is that Scripture to be interpreted 2 Tim. 1.7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear timidity or cowardice but of power of love and of a sound mind which is thus paraphrased by a Commentator Surely that God that gave us this Commission and Gifts for the Ministry hath not given thee or me so poor a cowardly spirit as that we should be afraid of the dangers and threats of men against the preaching of the Gospel but couragious hearts to encounter any difficulty a love of God which will actuate this Valour and cast out all fear of danger and withall a tranquility of mind and a full contentedness in whatsoever estate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit of sobriety then it follows fully and clearly in countenance of this Exposition ver 8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the â—estimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God Now whereas I have used these two Scriptures in the Epistle to Tim. and that of Iohn in another sense above then what I conceive is the most genuine yet still in a sense consistent with that which is genuine the reason was not for want of Scriptures to prove what I intended but for that these Scriptures are used by others in the first sence and might well be used so allusively and for that I had no such way to restare them to their true interpretation as first by allowing them the accommodation of that other sense and then shewing that this latter is the more proper But here I must make a twofold distinction of fear viz. in the kinds and in the degrees of it The first distinction of fear 1. In the kinds there is a lawful and acceptable yea necessary fear of God and there is an unlawful or at least unacceptable fear of God The first is that awe we are to have of the Divine Majesty as we are creatures and with which we are commanded to work out our own salvation even with fear and trembling Phil. 2.22 This signifies no mor but the creature keeping its due distance knowing its place and condition of a creature having a due sence of the weighty concernment and importance of that salvation which we are to work out considering the danger we escape and the prize we press forward unto these considerations make us greatly in earnest 't is no trifling business we are about and therefore we do it and are to do it with fear and trembling and greatest circumspection So the Apostle Paul saith he was conversant amongst the Corinthians in fear and great trembling 1 Cor. 2.3 which say Commentators may signifie not onely his fear from persecution but those which did arise from the consideration of the greatness of his Work of saving souls This fear now is lawful and commendable and so far from being contrary to love as it may very well proceed from love love to our selves when we are working out our salvation and love to others when we are helping onward their salvation But then there is a slavish fear of God in the spirits of men which doth not further but extreamly hinder the working out of their salvation This fear we find in the sloathful servant that never set upon improving his Masters Talent but laid it up in a Napkin and when his Master called him to an account for his Talent he tells his Master plainly what was the reason he never so much as endeavoured to improve it For IFEARED thee saith he because thou art an austere man thou takest up that thou laidest not down and reapest that thou didst not sow Lu. 19.21 22. Thus every Legallist hath at the bottom of his heart if not in his mouth as this man in the parable hath strange prejudices and mis-representations of God which beget slavish tormenting fear within him at the thoughts of God and therefore may well be called as it is most appositely
we see that faith is not perfect without some kinde of works That is the first reason Faith it self would be an imperfect thing without works and so could not justifie The second reason why works are taken into the condition of Justification is Reason 2. For that it were neither comely no nor possible for divine approbation which I have often affirmed to be contained in Justification to pass upon any man without them I put these two into one 1. It were not comely What a strange thing would it be in the apprehensions of men if the great and holy God should own a company of persons in the world for his for certainly whom he justifies he will own for his that should only be though they really were believers but never do any service for him Neither plead for his honour when he is blasphemed nor own his servants when they are in reproach and distressed Not to mention their negative holiness which lyes in avoiding the corruptions of the world without which negative holiness if God should own them he would be thought the Patron of all Vice c. but I dare not express the uncomly consequences that would follow Now besides the impossibility that ariseth from this uncomliness there is also an impossibility that ariseth from the nature of the thing and that was the second thing I intended in this reason I say therefore it is impossible that God should approve of any person as just or take him into his favor and delights all which the Lord doth in the great business of Justification that is not a good and a righteous man God cannot justifie the ungodly whilest he remains ungodly he cannot love him nor delight in him nor approve of him because then he should approve of and delight in that which were contrary to his own nature viz. in a sinfull wicked person being himself an holy God 3. Reason 3. Good works do not justifie only negatively as without which faith would not be perfect and without which the object could not be beloved but good works do help justifie as that which after the intervention of mercy and pardon do render the object lovely to the holy God and do naturally conciliate the divine love and approbation 'T is true all our obedience while it is any way defective cannot constrain approbation and love from God nay our defects must needs bring a guilt upon our best actions if we are considered as under the law of our creation But now after that the good and mercifull God hath found out a comely way how he may shew favour to sinners it is certain that all their good actions though they are not immediate acts of Faith but of Love or Patience Justice or Temperance must needs be exceeding pleasing to him Gal. 5.22 23. The fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meckness Temperance against such there is no law that is against such graces and actions or persons adorned with them there is no law This is but a meiosis for indeed such graces and gracious persons though but imperfectly furnished with them are yet for these things sake through his gracious acceptance of them highly pleasing to God For this see Heb. 13.16 Acts 10.4 And this is that wâ—â—â—â— Mr John Goodwin acknowledgeth who yâ—â— denyes that works procure Justification as Justification signifies remission of sins in the Fanner of Justification displayed pag. 48. 49. When Abraham is said to have been justified by works when he had offered c. the meaning is that upon this great testimony given by Abraham of the truth and effectualness of his faith God highly APPROVED of him and DEALâ— BY HIM AS BY A PERSON RIGHTEOUS AND JUST and CALLED HIM HIS FRIEND with much more to the same purpose by this you see how good works do highly please God so as to justifie us with an high approbation at least and I should think too even unto remission of sins so that if such a man that doth these works thus highly pleasing to God have sins upon him lately committed they should be forgiven him according to these Scriptures Dan. 4.27 Break off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Iam 5.15 If he have committed sâ—â—s they shall be forgiven him if it may be a lengthning of thy tranquillity or an healing of thine error as the margin hath it So Acts 3.19 Repent yee therefore and be converted that your iniquities may be blotted out Isai 1.16 17 18. Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seck iudgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the widow Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as whiâ—e asnow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool So lizek 18 21 22. Here you see that part of Justification which consists in the remission of sins is promised to good works as the Gospel reward of them and indeed I do not see how these two parts of Justification can be separated viz. Approbation and Pardon so as Faith should obtain the one and Good Works the other though indeed they may well be conceived as distinct parts of Justification I crave the pardon of that reverend person mentioned in that I take this liberty to express my self I shall conclude this Question with those words of Mr Baxter in his Aphorismes Thesis 73. pag. 289. 290. Faith ONLY doth not justifie in opposition to the works of the Gospel but those works do also justifie as the secoadary less-principal parts of the condition of the New Covenant I come now to the last Question which is this How comes faith thus eminently to intitule us to justification I have asserted Quest 6. that though works do justifie yet faith doth it so eminently as that gets the chiefest name of righteousness and works are never called our righteousness much less are they the righteousness of faith though it must be allowed as a good consequence that if we are said to be justified by works in a sense works are our righteousness because all Justification is by a righteousness But to let pass that that works are a partial secondary less principal righteousness The Question remains How comes faith to be so eminently our righteousness as to bear away the name so that our righteousness by which we are now said to be justified should be called the righteousness of faith in opposition to works that is legal works Now to this I answer in the general that the great reason of this must be the divine ordination and appointment It could not be meerly from the nature of the thing nothing in its own nature can justifie a rational creature but perfect righteousness unerring obedience Now the highest faith in the world can never deserve to be accounted