establish another here is little Gospel A second difficulty is we must either say Christ has purchas'd to us Pardon for Sins against the gospel-Gospel-Law or for none at all but that one Sin of Adam's if the Moral Law be abrogat'd after the Fall we never sinn'd against any Law but the Gospel's for we were under no other Law according to him but how contrary is this to the Nature of the Gospel whose greatest Cordial is Remission of all Sins against the Law He brings a twofold Remedy or Solution to these Difficulties 1. The Gospel renders all the Duties possible it Commands hence is it call'd the Power of God and Law of the Spirit And the Reason why the Law was imperfect before the Gospel was because there was not Power to obey a perfect Law God cannot Command what is impossible This is no less oppress'd with Difficulty than the Distemper it 's brought to Cure For 1. Doth God lose his Right because we lose our Power the Devils have no Power to obey do they therefore not Sin he was a Lyar and Murderer from the beginning he continues it doth he not Sin in it If Sin be worse than Suffering and there be no Sin in Hell Hell is better than this Earth Some would help him at this strait with the Distinction of Moral and Physical Impotence God cannot justly command what is Physically impossible but he may what is Morally so but he Scoffs at it as an Impotent Brat of Amyraldus nurs'd by Mr. Baxter and Mr. Truman and I think it affords little relief For when the Impotence is insuperable yea more unconquerable than Physical Impotence wherein is there a greater Foundation to Justice because Sinners like to have it so are we not Mad and Distracted and may we impose on Fools what we will because they may like it it looks like Tickling a Man to Death But 2dly Granting that which is certainly false that the Gospel renders all it requires both Morally and Physically possible it makes not the Gospel better than the Law for in Innocence all commanded was more than barely possible But the second and grand Remedy is that thô the Law require perfect Obedience yet not under the Penalty of Death there is no Law that threatens Death to every Sin but to particular kind of gross Sins 1 Cor. 6.19 Gal. 5.19 Yea only to Impenitence This is the Gospel Law this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but still difficulties attend it and divide the Parties 1. Some say this is an aequi-just Interpretation of the Moral Law others of the Gospel Law 2. Some say this is a Law and Constitution Evangelical by it self others that it is an Administration of the Law by Soveraign Power set in a Throne of Grace but not Law 3. Some say this is proper to the Gospel Law others that the Moral Law did admit of it also and that if â—ve had had only an Inclination to eat of the Forbidden Fruit which in the Rigor of the Law was a Sin and refrain'd from compleating the Act which was the Violation of the Covenant formally she should not have dy'd It were too operose to follow all these Tracts the Multitude of them would render one Jealous that they are not the Kings High-way but some private Paths that do derogate from the True and Living Way In General this doth Enervate the Law of God the Law of Faith establishes the Law but this doth Emasculate it and turn it into a meer Counsel and Advice What else is a Law without Sanction Yea no Law so there is no Sin but Impenitence and indeed they call the rest Venial peccadillo's Secondly It is repugnant to the Moral Law to admit of Aequity because it is most aequal in it self those Laws admit of Chancery and Aequity that would in some Circumstances become rigorous and cruel but there is no such thing in the Divine Law It would be contrary to Aequity and so unjust to establish a Law requiring partial Love to God and partial Obedience Thirdly This Doctrine opens a door to Antinomianisme and History tells us it sprung from such a Mistake that Faith and Repentance were taught and commanded by the Gospel and they contain'd all necessary to Salvation so the Law was needless And Lemborgh says much the same The Gospel needs no Law to be a Schoolmaster to lead to Christ it has more terrible Threatnings of its own than the Law has to drive men to Christ with that Scripture Phrase belongs to the Ceremonial Law Fourthly This would put an Honour on the Mediatour above God that Imperfect Obedience to his Law might merit Heaven or what is of as much worth an Interest in Christ a right to his Merits but no less than Perfect Obedience to Gods Law can merit it Fifthly It would much derogate from Gods Honour who is now content to give his Favour and his Rewards on easier rates than before he would have had perfect Service now partial will serve And consequently Sixthly Boasting would not be excluded by the Law of Faith for Man might boast God was come to Easier Terms he should lose Glory by the change of the Covenants not gain But
for his Work trust him he is surely faithfull but never trust his Enemies you may gain your own personal Foes by Favours but never think to make God's Foes your Friends if you intend to act for God you may sooner lose ten Friends than gain one of them all your Favours will only make them Ridicule you if not put them in a Capacity to Injure you Not only may the things expected but the Expectation it self encourage you in the Administration of your Office for they who truly hope for such things at your hand will be constant Supplicants at the Throne of Grace for Piety Prudence Patience Candor and Courage for you That you may not only have a Power Faithfully to discharge your Trust but with Ease Pleasure and Success you may perform every Duty of the Station and at last descend from the Chair with an Honour greater than the Hope and Joy of your Friends at your Ascension to it in this Catalogue he counts it his Honour to be who is Your Humble Servant Walt. Cross THE HYPOTYPOSIS OR Schematical INDEX ROM 4.1 1. THe Supposition all Sinners are Justified one way whereof Abraham was a famous Pattern Page 1. 2. The Prerogatives of Abraham Prince of the Fathers p. 2. 3. The Grammatical Syntax asserted and proved viz. That according to the Flesh belongs to finding not to Abraham p. 5. 4. The Comprehensiveness of the word Flesh and sense of finding as to the Flesh 5. The Importance of the Rhetorical way of expressing this sense What shall we say then p. 12. ROM 4.2 I. An Introduction from the Momentuousness of the Doctrine of Justification p. 15. II. The Proposition that Abraham was not Justified by Works which contains four Material Parts 1. The Subject Abraham before spoken to the other three are in the Predicate or Attribute 1. Justification 2. Works 3. By. As to the first 1. The Forensical Sense of the word Justifie is asserted and proved p. 20. 2. The Correlative Priviledges are explained 1. Redemption p. 24. 2. Reconciliation p. 25. 3. Adoption p. 26. 3. The Sentence or Index of Justification viz. 4. Regeneration p. 28. 4. The Time of Justification p. 36. As to the second part Works 1. The Nature and Properties of Evangelically good Works are explain'd p. 37. 2. The Erroneous Limitations of Works refuted p. 39. As to the third part By in every Causal or Meritorious sense Works are affirm'd to be excluded p. 42. III. The Discourse on the first Argument because no Matter of Glorying has three principal parts 1. The Formation of it p. 45. 2. The Minor or Truth of it prov'd from 1. Man's Being p. 49. 2. Man's Nature Free-will p. 55. 3. Man's Guilt p. 77. 4. Man's Impotence p. 87. 3. The Major or Strength of the Argument that all Works affords ground of Glorying p. 99. ROM 3.27 I. The Litteral Explication of the Text. p. 107. II. The Supposition or Axiom the Justification of a Sinner must be in such a way as excludes boasting III. The Negative Proposition that Boasting is not excluded by the Law of Works contains 1. The Nature of the Evangelical Law p. 110. 2. The Pharisaical sense of the Law when Christians p. 116. 3. That all Laws requiring Works of us are excluded from Justification because they exclude not Boasting therefore there is excluded 1. The Nature of a Law in general p. 126. 2. The Natural Law p. 129. 3. The Moral Law p. 132. 4. The Mosaical p. 134. 5. The Evangelical p. 136. IV. The Affirmative Proposition that the Law of Faith excludes Boasting and therefore by it we are Justified contains 1. The Nature of an equal Interpretation or Exposition of a rigid Law p. 142. 2. That Christ was under a Law p. 149. 3. The Nature of that Law and its Righteousness p. 152. 4. That he Obeyed it in our room p. 155. 5. That the Law of Faith is this Mediatorial Law p. 157. Correct Page 1. line 21. for when justified r. who was justified Pag. 165. line 23. in some Copies for it 's right r. taught ADVERTISEMENT A Compend of the Covenant of Grace By Walt. Cross M A. Sold by H. Barnard at the Bible in the Poultrey Price 6 d. ROMANS IV. 2. For if Abraham were Justified by Works he hath whereof to glory but not before God THe Doctrine contain'd in this Verse is of great Moment and requires our most earnest Attention and most narrow search and enquiry into its Nature and all its Circumstances for it is How shall we be Justified before God how shall we behave our selves before such an awful Tribunal When he riseth up what shall I do and when he Visiteth what shall I answer says Holy Job Wherewith shall we come before the Lord and bow our selves before the most High will he be pleas'd with thousands of Rams or ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl shall I give my First-born for my Transgression the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul That God would plead with Isâ—ael made her Mountains tremble and the Foundations of her Earth to shake Mic. 6. It 's David's Deprecation Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified Psal 143. How can Man be just or Justified with God for if he will Contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand Job 9.3 But it is a most certain thing That we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5. Rom. 14.12 Psal 139. and that every one of us must give an Account of himself to God We cannot decline it Darkness cannot hide from his sight nor Distance remove from his Presence We cannot flye from his Spirit tho' we had the Wings of the Morning He is higher than the Heaven what can we do lower than Hell whether can we go from the Depth of the Sea or the uttermost End of the Earth his Hand can bring us back He has appointed a Day Act. 17. wherein he will judge the World in righteousness Eccl. 12. and he will bring every Work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or evil 1 Cor. 4. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the Counsels of the Heart Heb. All things are naked and open to the Eyes of him with whom we have to do If there be a God there is a Governour and if there be a Governour there must be a Judgment Can we be his Creatures and his Subjects and will he be so Careless as not to take an Account of us Humane Government is but an Image of his There can be no Shaddow without a Substance Doth a Summons from Man fright us Doth the very Name of an Arraignment a Court a Judge an Appearance at a Humane Barr shake off our Security and rouse our Phlegmatick Constitution and put us into a most serious thinking frame and shall not the certain Warning of this
Abomination next to the Condemning of Innocent Thirdly No Man has any inherent Righteousness of his own whether Jew or Gentile Fourthly That all Righteousness is by a Law on this Subject he shews there is a Tripple Law The Natural Law and it's Righteousness from Chap. 1.17 to Chap. 2.17 he excludes both the Law and it's Righteousness from any Ability of this kind 2. The Mosaical and Moral Law from that Verse 17. to the 21st of the third Chapter he also excludes that Law and it's Righteousness from being able to justifie Sinners From Verse 21. he begins positively to assert and explain a third Righteousness which he calls the Righteousness of God or Righteousness of Faith and a third Law a Law of Faith All which is Evangelical for in the beginning of the Epistle he had described the Gospel and his own separation to the Office of preaching it and laid down this Doctrine Chap. 1.16 17. That it was the Power of God unto Salvation to every Believer and the Reason it is so is because therein is the Righteousness of God revealed This Righteousness after having excluded the Law with it's Works he most accurately explains from Verse 21. to the Text where he begins a Discourse which is a Conclusion from the former and a Proposition to the latter part of the Context built upon this fifth Axiom That there is a Necessity of the Justification of Sinners being in such a Method that may utterly stop their Mouth from either Glorying or Boasting God has his Glory for his ultimate End in all his Actions but there is a particular Reason that the Glory be entirely his in this great Action for a Sinner is Gods Enemy there is a Controversie between them if the Peace or Reconciliation should be so made up as Man should have any thing to brag of God were so far the Yielder and conquer'd party Man were the Victor and Triumpher in this Affair whatever Glory we ascribe to Man we derogate so much from God This may be clearly illustrated by the Transactions of Peace between Armies Nations Besiegers and Besieged they contend as much for having the Glory of the Peace on their side as for having the Victory of the War on their side And we find the Scripture punctual in ascribing the Glory to God in all the particular parts and points of this great Contrivance 1. Election Eph. 1.4 2. Permission the very letting of Man fall in Sin Strangius says Sin is none of Gods Mediums but the Permission of Sin is Rom. 11.22 Gal. 3.22 3. The Calling of Man Tit. 3.5 4. The sending of the Son into the World 5. The ordaining of such weak Ordinances for means of Conversion and Edification 6. The Calling of Men when they stand at greatest disadvantage for Conversion and so all the other parts of this whole Project and likewise we find the Scripture in nothing more punctual than in describing Man's Guilt and Impotency his Wickedness and his weakness and every thing that may contribute to humble and vilifie him in the sight of God And Satan is in nothing more diligent than to propagate this Lust of Pride it was his own first Sin and the Foundation of his Kingdom and he maintains it as the principal Pillar thereof Carnal Pride is a very strong Hold in his Kingdom it is a very difficult thing to be denied to Credit Honour and Reputation among Men But Spiritual Pride is a more subtil Sin and not easily discernable far less conquerable And if Satan can maintain this one hold we are never like to be sound about this Doctrine of Justification whatever may be our Speculative Opinions in Profession if we retain a Practical Sentiment of a Self-distinguishing Work we run a very great Danger as to our Souls Therefore as ever we would obtain this incomparable Priviledge we would endeavour to walk humbly with God and to get Self-abasing Sentiments of our Selves I come now to the Minor Proposition or second Doctrine which the Text expresses by way of Dialogism What is not and what is the way of Justification that excludes Glorying I shall begin with the Negative part viz. That Glorying is not excluded by the Law of Works The Sence of it is That if a Person can be justified by Works he doth not want Matter of Glorying for God doth not require Humility of a Man beyond his due if his own Works can answer for him before the Tribunal of God he has in Justice viz. Distributive merited his Life and where there is Matter of Merit there is Matter of Glory There are a great many attempts to diminish this Proposition viz. If a Man be justified by Works he has Matter to Glory by the Law of Works 1. Some say it is only the Ceremonial Law and it's Works 2. Others say it is only the Judicial Law and External part of the Moral which made up the Jews Civil Law 3. Others say only the Moral Law is excluded so far as obeyed without Grace 4. Others say it 's the Mosaical Law in the Pharisaical sense thereof 5. Others say 'T is the Law as requiring Perfection 6. Others as Meriting But 7. It has been the most Universal Sentiment among Protestants that all Law is excluded and all Inherent Works in sinful Men as Righteousness or being conformed to that Law It is more easie to fix upon this Question Whether or not the Evangelical Law and it's Works be excluded yea or not For though all these six Ways differ in what Law is excluded yet they generally agree that the Evangelical Law with it's Evangelical Obedience are not here excluded but put in opposition to the former and comprehended under this Notion of the Law of Faith The first thing Needfull is to enquire into the Nature of this Evangelical Law which is the Influence of the Gospel upon the Law The Moral Law and the Gospel are the two Ingredients whereof our Christian Religion is Constituted and being thus Compounded have an Influence one upon another and the Law by reason of the New Modes and Relations it receives from this blessed Yoak-fellow in the Covenant of Grace is called a New Law and a New Commandment and an easie Yoak and light Burden The New Constitution of the Law that we are under is one of the blessed Fruits of Christ's Death and this makes the Preaching of the Law Gospel to us for the Gospel strictly taken Rom. 1. to the 17. v. and Rom. 3. from the 21. to the 26. v. is a Narrative of Christ his Nature Person Offices States with the blessed Fruits thereof to us and the Manner of Application to us by the Power of the Holy Sprit But in particular the Moral Law is by the Gospel a New Law that is a Renewed Law after Man's Fall Jure the Law was quite Obliterated but he who is the Light that enlightens every one that comes into the World has re-wrote some Fundamental Parts of this Law in their Consciences
undertake all these Tribulations on this Condition that in my day thou shalt raise the Dead even all who have died from the first Adam until now and all those that shall be Created and shall save them c. The Conclusion I draw from this large Narrative is That no part of Evangelical Obedience is here wanting Faith and Repentance the influence of the Spirit Jesus a Lawgiver and Principal Meriter Sincerity an acceptable Measure c. And suppose them not all of a Mind yet Charity will ever make us conclude the Believers to be of the best Mind among them And the Error here oppos'd in this Church at Rome by the Apostle is the same that now in the Church of Rome is oppos'd by the Protestants 2 Thes 2.7 This was that wherein the Mystery of Iniquity did already Work the Doctrine of Merit was already begun and no other Error can be found to have such a fair appearance when the Apostle wrote to the Thessalonians the Church at Thessalonica was free of the Error and she of all the Churches only was and may be therefore the Mystery of it was reveal'd to them Mr. Squire of Shore-ditch says on this Epistle to the Thessalonians That the placing of Faith between Mercy and Merits is like the Infant between the two Mothers if divided it must be destroyed It s like the Pale Horse Death sits on it and Hell follows it is a damnable Assertion without peradventure and a Bellarmine after his long Dispute for Merits concludes that it is most safe to trust in Mercy alone And what way Rome had her first beginning by that way she is most likely to attempt her Restauration and by opposing Merit our first Reformation began which has this for its Glory it s a Restauration of Christianity to its Primitive Purity and while we preserve this Doctrine she will never corrupt or stain our Souls however she may prevail to oppress our Bodies But it is to be lamented that so many bearing the Name of Protestants are so deeply tinctur'd with this Doctrine of Opera Tincta Works Meriting because tinctur'd with Christs Merits The Third Enquiry shall be a more close Examination of the Extensiveness and Comprehensiveness of this Law of Wâ—rks that is excluded from being the Rule or Law of our Justification Because boasting would not be excluded from us by it if justified by it and on the most sincere Scrutiny I can make I find all Laws and all Works as perform'd by us are excluded the Arguments for Proof of it I shall reduce to these five Heads 1. The Nature of a Law in general is excluded 2. The Natural Law is 3. The Moral Law is 4. The Mosaical Law is And 5. The Evangelical and our Evangelical Obedience to it is excluded 1. The Nature of a Law in General is for every Law is a Law of Works and a Law of Works is excluded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law signifies either in general Doctrine as Isa 2.3 Out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Joh. 10.34 Is it not written in your Law I said ye are Gods That is no Precept See Joh. 15.25 Gal. 4.21 Or it is taken properly and then it signifies a Doctrine of Works hence Works and Law are reciprocal without Law Rom. 3.21 is the same with 4.6 without Works We are justified not only without the Law of Works but by a Righteousness without the Law Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law given which could have given Life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law Works is no Distinctive Addition as Dr. Tuck of Cambtidge says but Explicative Rom. 2.13 The doers of the Law shall be justifi'd to do the Law and Works are the same in the Apostles style they are of so nigh kindred he adds it to tell us what he means by Righteousness of the Law viz. Works Commanded by and Conform to the Law the whole Constituent parts of the Description of a Law manifests this first its generical Nature it s a just Act of a Superiors Will. We call Statutes or Laws Acts of Parliament it s their Will what the Subject should do Psal 33.8 He commanded and it stood fast Psal 143. Teach me to do thy Will and in the Lords Prayer Thy Will be done 2. The Author of a Law is the most Supream Power Dominative Power as the Master over the Servant the Father Husband Tutor c. Juridical Power is not Judges are but Administrators Applyers of the Law to particular Cases and Persons they are Jussa Populi rogante Magistratu the Peoples Commands ratified by the Supream Magistrate It 's very diminutive English of Jussa when it 's called Votes that is only Wishes the old Saxon word is Lowe Consent because a Covenant between Prince and People is the Spring of Laws But why all this Authority The Command needs it it 's to Work hard Work is required and we need Awe to put us on hence Exod. 19. 20. God sets an Emblem of his Power and Authority before his Law 3. The Effects are 1. Obligation 2. Command and Prohibition 3. Punishment or Impunity by permission but all terminate in Works And tho' the Mediatorial Law which was the most severe Penal Law that ever was Sufferings being the great Duty yet the Fruit of it is called Work and Doing I come to do thy Will and to work the Work of his Father 4. The Subjects of the Law are by way of Eminency call'd Subjects Rom. 3.19 They that are under the Law are call'd so from its Energy and working Efficacy in them And therefore tho' only a rational Creature is a doer of a Law mov'd reasonably by Fear or Hope yet the Efficacy occasions Metaphors in mute Creatures Job 38. Hast thou commanded the Morning since thy Day and our Inclinations to Wickedness are call'd the Law of the Members and Rules of Art are call'd Laws Custom which is a Habit of working is call'd a Law 5. The Matter or Object is Work something to be done Th. A. A Law is a Rule directing our Acts what is to be done and what not And again It 's Divine Wisdom as directive of all our Acts and Motions Biel. It 's a sign of Right Reason dictating what we are obliged to do and what not 6. The Properties are Rom. 7.12 Holy Just and Good 1. Holy from the Matter it distinguishes between Holy Actions and the Vile ones 2. Just from the Manner not to give Laws where not Subjects or where they neither Protect nor can Punish The Law-giver must be able to Save or Destroy what he gives Laws to Jam. 4. therefore it 's ridiculous for Man to give Laws to a Spirit or Conscience in Matters religious and where he has Power he must distribute Burdens and Works by Proportion according to Ability to bring one part of a Nation under Penal Laws and another under Priviledges is not an equal distribution except
or Vertue in a Mans Conversation towards God or Man is natural as to the Principle for what are Principles of Action in a Man by common Gift of Knowledge or Honest Inclinations are natural Principles Before the Law given to Moses we may find footsteps of all the Ten Commandments for Abel believed in God which is the Duty of the first and Sacrificed which is the Duty of the second and in the third Generation when but very few Families on the Earth and not above three to wit Adam Seth and Enos's that were Worshippers except we Charitably Hope some were Proselites of the Cainitish Race publick worship was established for then Men began to call upon the Name of the Lord This was Obedience both to the second and third Commandment which did suppose Obedience to the fourth to wit a sanctifying some publickly known Time for Worship whose Determination God by Positive Command had fixed though from a natural Reason to wit the Seventh-day in which God had rested from the greatest and best of Works he had yet done in the World The fifth and the seventh Command is manifest in the Practice of Marriage for therein was the Period of Subjection to Parents terminated in leaving Father and Mother and an Aera of faithfulness to the Wife begun express't in cleaving to her and it is probable that last and crowning Duty of Childrens Subjection to their Parents is taxed as broken by these Sons of God who took unto themselves Wives according to their own Choice Gen. 6.7 The sixth and ninth Command were both broke by Cain who murdered his Brother and then not only denied it but denied the Knowledge of such a Fact Gen. 4.8 9. The eighth and tenth Command are thought by some especially the Quietists to have been neither Commands nor broken because there could be no Coveting of enlarging Property but rather of Men to share of the common good and Sin gave occasion to particular Commands though of such a General Nature But we find Adam guilty of both in coveting of a Diety and robbing God of his Property when but one Tree was reserved in all the World for an acknowledgment of Gods having the Primitive Right And we find Gen. 6. that the abounding Lusts of the Heart was the cause of the Deluge and all Lust is coveting The Ordinance of Circumcision was appointed to be a Monument and Conviction of the Lusts of the Heart and the Necessiâ—y of Mortification the Sweat of the Brow and toil of labour were appointed as the means of our Maintenance and the Nimrodical Hunting was a robbing men of what God had blessed their labour in So we find the Moral Law in this Law of Nature The next Enquiry is about the Evangelical Law whether any Prints of that is to be found under it yea or not and taking the natural Law most properly and as here the Apostle explains it in his Discourse for a Sign of Divine Will about our Duty as revealed in Nature or by Creation and Providence we may find footsteps of it here 1. For the Duties of it here are both Faith and Repentance rendred concludable from Divine Forbearance and Goodness Rom. 2.4 Not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent Heart c. 2. As there are Evangelical Duties so Evangelical Influence Chap. 1.18 Who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness here was a Truth preserved alive against their Wills and as Gen. 6.3 the Spirit of the Lord was said to strive with men and 1 Pet. 3.20 Those Souls that are now in Prison had once the Spirit of Christ dealing with them and also Evangelical Acceptance If the Vncircumcision keep the Righteousness of the Law shall not his Vncircumcision be counted for Circumcision for Circumcision is not that which is outward in the Flesh but in the Man whose Praise is of God Therefore the Law of Nature being excluded there is an Evangelical Law excluded which Suarez calls the Con-natural Law and Gratian says Jus naturale est quod in lege Evangelio continetur and Mr. Baxter says It is the first Edition of the Covenant of Grace which two ways was published to all the World 1. By Natural Light discovering God Merciful in his Nature 2. By External Proclamation 1. Once to Adam that there should come a Seed of the Woman who should tread down the Head of the Serpent 2. In Noah and 3. In Christ For altho' none comes to the Father but by the Son and there is no other Name given under Heaven by which men might be saved yet it doth not follow that particular and distinct Knowledge of the Messiah was absolutely Necessary for that many Infants who were saved have not and the Disciples who lived with Christ were doubtful about it yea Peter forbid him to yield to Death when he was very nigh to suffer for it The Third Law excluded is the Moral Law whereof the Decalogue qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receives all things is the Summe To take the Moral Law according to common Sentiments there is by it these three things added to the Natural Law 1. A Positive Institution with great Solemnity from Mount Sinai with several Positive Determinations that are not immediately concludable by the Light of Nature 2. The Spiritual Extension of the Moral Law is manifested through Corruption much of the Law of Nature was obscur'd as whether Fornication or Usury were Sins or Thoughts of the Mind before Formal Consent or latent Inclinations to Unlawful Things A third Edition is of Life and Authority to the Sanction men very much Question whether a Man was liable to Eternal Death for evil Inclinations Yea or No but this Law is added because of Transgression that is both to discover it as the Apostle says Rom. 7. I had not known Sin if the Law had not informed me so the Conviction of Sin was weak until the renewed Sanction of the Law has made it more terrible Sin gets many fair Colours Covetousness gets the Name of Frugality until the Spirit discover both the Sin and the Curse doubtful Duties are establish'd weak and faint Notions reviv'd corrupt Thoughts are corrected the need of a Saviour more Manifested and the Jewish State settled in a more perfect Condition than any State in the World Now we find this Law is excluded for Rom. 3.20 For by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin there is no Law discovers Sin so as the Moral The Natural Law discovers Sin but neither so powerfully nor so plainly the express Word of God discovers the Malignity of Sin the Root and Original of Sin and the dreadful Issue and Event of Sin more plainly and clearly and removes all those Fogs and Mists that created many doubts by which we were apt to think great Sins small small Sins none and no Sins so hateful in the sight of God as they are The Ceremonial Law discovers Sin but by Accident its Primitive Intention
Law it can never be Justified by the Law If it be accepted tho' imperfect upon the account of Christ the Person who performs it must first have an Interest in Christ for in him we are Created to good works It is on the account of this imperfection of Works in themselves and as to such an Office and End that the Prophet says in the Name of the Church Isaiah 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs And so the Apostle Philip. 3.8 I count all things but dung that I may win Christ Bellarmine exclaims against Chamier and other Protestant Writers for calling Gospel Holiness Dung and Rags and therefore denies it to be comprehended in this Text of the Apostle but thinks it to be understood in the 9th Verse by that Expression The Righteousness which is of God by Faith But these Arguments move me to think otherwise 1. In the 6th Verse he particularized Pharisaical Righteousness Touching the Righteousness which is in the Law blameless but here in the 8th Verse he comprehends more than what he had before said I count all things but loss Now there can be nothing greater than Legal Righteousness but an Evangelical Righteousness as to that Concern and therefore the Evangelical must be comprehended under all if any thing more be which 2. Doth appear from the Constellation of particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the English cannot emphatically enough express yea doubtless without all peradventure or exception I count all these things named and all things else but loss c. 3. The change of the Tense of the Verb I counted V. 7. when I was first Converted and my Eyes were once opened I presently counted all my former Gains in Opinion Loss V. 8. I do count all things still Loss a known Christ is above all I have yet gain'd I can only persevere in my Opinion but among all my New Priviledges and Gifts since I was a Christian I count that the best 4. There is reason enough for calling our Sanctity dung 1. In comparison of Christ do count them but dung that I may win Christ How intolerable and unchristian-like is that Pride that thinks it too mean an Abasement put upon his own Sincerity too vile a Comparison to compare an Intâ—rest in our own Righteousness as an Interest in Dung in comparison of an Interest in Christ's and this Comparative Sense is the Apostle's Dung that I may win Christ and that Sense makes me conclude he particularly eyed his Evangelical Righteousness For Professors to whom he spake and wrote could be under no Temptation of placing any Righteousness else in the room of his Thorough what a Magnifying Glass must a Man see his good Purposes when not One of Ten executed his well intended Vows most basely broken thorough small Temptations his Prayers or Preachings Alms or Ordinances to think Dung too diminishing a Metaphor and therefore conclude the Apostle could not mean Gospel-Holiness Adam's Holiness was Dung in comparison of it Angels Holiness is Dung in comparison of it its Value was from the Divinity it was the Blood of God the Sufferings of Immanuel the Righteousness of God and who can measure the distance between the Creator and Creature the Angels for all the good Service they have done in and to the Church or their own spotless Holiness ascribe all Blessing Honour Glory and Power to him Rev. 5.12 13. all their Works could not merit Pardon for the least sin of the most sinless Saint There are two more respâ—cts in which our Gospel Holiness is Dung 1. For their Infirmity and Imperfection Christians are call'd Saints from begun Holiness in them which makes them differ from the World where none at all And the difference is great to be acted by the Holy Ghost in any measure and to have the Devil wholly ruling Lord and Master of his own House but it 's more than seven times a day the Saint falls in the Dung he is but a Babe 1 Cor. 3. Carnalness and Babes in Christ are consistent A 2d. Respect is as to this Use or place of being the Matter or Merit of our Justification Disorder is Dung Order is Beauty and Comliness and the want of it or what is contrary to it is ugly vile Silver and Gold is Dung as to feeding our Bodies it 's not suitable The Fruits of the Spirit are precious but in us Dung as to this End of Justification they are Dii stercorei tho' mâ—de oâ— Gold 5. V. 9. And be found in hiâ— is more applicable to a Political or Relative Interest than a Spiritual there is an equality from the very Phrase to be in him as a Political as well as Spiritual root to be in him as a Debtor in the Surety as well as a Branch in the Vine but there is a Superiority from the general Scope of the Words which all own to be spoken in relation to Justification and the parallel Language of Scripture doth manifest it Rom. 3.20 Therefore by the Deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified How like is it to this Phrase Not having my own righteousness which is of the Law So Rom. 3 22. Even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ How like is that to the latter part of the Verse But that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness of God through Faith Justification being a relative thing this being found in him is most probably of that Nature and Kind 6 His own Legal Righteousness which is here renounced comprehends his Evangelical Righteousness For 1. Evangelical Righteousness is a Man 's own Scripture allows the Expression Faith is God's Gift yet it is ours Rom. 1.8 Your Faith is spoken of Mat. 9.2 Jesus seeing their Faith V. 22. Thy Faith has made thee whole Hosea 14.8 From me is thy fruit found Though God is the Efficient or Author yet the denomination is from the Subject Prayers are ours but the Spirit of God is the Author 2 Cor. 8.8 To prove the sincecerity of your Love that Grace is God's Gift also Good Works are ours but God begins and perfects them Phil. 1.6 Eph. 1.15 After I heard of your Faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the Saints vid. Rev. 3.10 2. As Evangelical Righteousness is ours as well as Adam's innocent Righteousness or Sinners common Gifts for God is the Author of both so it is a Legal Righteousness for a Principle and a Rule are not opposite Faith's being the Principle renders it more legal or more conformed to the Law 3. The very Order of the words Being found in Christ is put before not having mine own righteousness which in order of Nature follows a renunciation of Pharisaical Legal Righteousness The first Husband to wit the Law must be dead before we be marryed to a second to wit Christ as it is expressed Rom. 7.1 2 3. 4. The Apostle's expressing of his own Experience and his daily
Condition Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace if the Intention was Free why not the Execution Rom. 9.11 That the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth Rom. 11.6 There is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace and if by Grace then is it no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then is it no more Grace otherwise Works are no more Works This Opposition is not between Grace and External Works but between the very Nature of Grace and Works they are repugnant they can no more be the Moral Causes or Motives of any one Action than one individual thing can be White and Black in the same part So our Calling is Free 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath sav'd us and call'd us with an Holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace as Purpose gives Measure to Calling so Calling gives Measure to Justification Rom. 8.13 Whom he did predestinate them he also Call'd but it is equally free Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his Grace What is wrought in the Soul by Calling has no more Influence in our Justification than our Justification has on our being Glorified Whom he Justified them he Glorified But Justification can never merit Glory being Gods Act but is only a Prior Blessing in Order this Equality of Freedom solves an Objection which is to many in appearance a great Argument for Admission of our Evangelical Obedience unto a Subordinate Merit or ground of Right to our Justification The Objection is founded on these Scriptures Rom. 4.14 If they which are of the Law be Heirs Faith is made void and the Promise is of none Effect Gal. 2.21 If Righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in Vain Chap. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect to you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from Grace The Objection is thus formed Our Works are no farther excluded from Justification than they exclude Faith Christ and the Promise from Justification but Evangelical Obedience Gospel or gracious Works do not exclude Grace for they are the Fruits of Grace nor Faith for they flow from it nor the Death of Christ for that has purchas'd it nor the Promise for they are conveyed through it therefore Gospel Obedience is not excluded from Justification Resp 1. This Evangelical Obedience does not exclude Grace Faith Christ and the Promise from our Sanctification thus explain'd Because it owns good Works to flow orderly from them all but it does not suffer them to have an equal Freedom in our Justification because these Works though the Fruits of Grace they are as much ours as Adams Works were For God was the Author of the Ability by which they were wrought therefore when what is ours truely and properly is a Legal or Federal Condition in order to enjoying the one and not the other makes a great difference between the Freedom of the one and the other All Christians Experience witnesses the Labour Pains and Sweat that is necessary to Mortification of Lusts and Exercise of Grace and by this Opinion we must look on Justification as the Reward of our own Labour thô we must look on Sanctification as a Free Gift 1. In particular there is a Derogation from the Fulness of Christ his Satisfaction to the Law was not Compleat if our Obedience to the Law be one Penny of the Price 2. From Grace that will be all or nothing in this Affair according to Rom. 11.6 it will admit of no Composition if Works come any way in as a Plea they must either be perfect or we must be condemned for there is no Law in Scripture requires less than Perfection the Law that requires Faith requires perfect Faith and the Law that requires Patience requires perfect Patience Therefore we must fall from Grace that is be certainly Condemned if justified by the Law So Works won't admit of Grace more than Grace will admit of Works Grace will have nothing the Law will have Perfection the Composition is a Contradiction 3. It derogates from Faith that is from its Office which is alone in this Work and that as receiving not as doing we are justified by Faith as we are nourished by our Appetite Hence is it call'd Eating Drinking Hungring Thirsting it is the Food not the Appetite that nourishes us 4. It derogates from the Promise because it Promises Remission of Sin Inheritance of Life freely but this puts in an exceptive Clause of something on our part first to be done Faith will be only Applicative alone in the Office tho' not in the Subject or not at all Christ will be alone the Meriting Cause or not at all Grace alone the End and Motive or not at all and therefore these Arguments are as strong against Compounders of Grace and Works as against Opposers because the Compounding is an Opposing Divine Wisdom and Order A Man that Digs tho' the Spade be borrow'd of his Master will not think his Wages Charity at Night but on as exact Justice due as he that digg'd with his own A Man that walks twenty Miles a day after his Lame Leg restor'd will never impute the Journey to the Physician And thus Christ and Free Grace tho' inabling us to Work would lose their Honour and Glory in Justification I am now come to the last part of the Text viz. The Law we may be justified by without ground and danger of boasting which is the Law of Faith All Christians are generally agreed that this Law is the Evangelical Law the Law of Chancery or Equity but all are not agreed about the Nature and Kind of that All agree that there can be no Salvation or Justification by the Moral Law in its full Rigour requiring Perfect Personal and Perpetual Obedience requiring the Righteousness of our Persons as well as our Works since Sin There must be some Room for Equity or none for Hopes there is a Triple Application of this Equity some applies it to the Sanction of the Law some to the Duty of the Law and some to the Persons subject to the Law The first is Originisme saying the Equity lies in the Mitigation of the Punishment an Eternal Death by Desert is turned into a Temporary by Justice of Equity and a Perpetual Hell into a Transitory Purgatory The second Opinion applies it to the Duty and Works of the Law before there was required Perfect Obedience now imperfect will serve if it be Sincere Divine Government is content to take a Penny in a Pound and of this Way there are several Explications The Socinians who deny Christs Deity and Satisfaction do hold that it 's of meer Soveraign Mercy but Arminians and Papists hold the Merits of Christ as the Fruit of that Soveraign Mercy to be the immediate Foundation of this Justice of Equity They say he
and ten Years after Christ oh the 12th Chap. 3. he cites Deuteronomy 29.1 These are the Words of the Covenant and thus expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Covenant is nothing else but a Law and the Midrash on Leviticus distinguishes thus between Statutes Judgments and Laws in Chap. 26.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrine Learning and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Statutes are Midrashoth Glosses Expositions and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgments are Hadaenin Decisions of Cases in Law and Aben Ezra on psal 19.8 gives this Etymon of it the Law is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law because it shows the Right way and Converts Souls by taking away their Doubts and Fears But since they mean by Doctrine of Faith the Gospel and the Gospel being regulated by this Mediatorial Law Law of Faith and Doctrine of Faith are the same things and it is usual in Scripture to use a Law and its Works of Righteousness promiscuously Hence without the Law and without Works are the same and so the Law of Faith and the Doctrine of Faith are the same for it 's a Doctrine of what was done in Conformity to this Law Thirdly The Opposition between the two Members in this Text doth Confirm it for Law of Faith cannot be here understood a Law requiring Evangelical Faith as a specifical distinct Duty from the Works the other Law did require For first Faith it self is a Work 2 Thes 1.11 The Work of Faith with Power 1 Thes 1.3 Remembring your Work of Faith and in John To Work the Work of God is to Believe For thus there would be no Distinction betwixt the Law of Works and Law of Faith for the Moral Law required Faith in God and the Ceremonial Law required Faith in him that was Typified by their Sacrifices But to come nigher to this Opposition as it is explained by the Socinians and Arminians it must either lie in the Object or in the Precept or Duty but in none of them As to the Object God and Christ there is no Essential difference there for either it must be between the Persons and then there must be three Faiths specifically distinct Or it must be between the Office and Nature and we cannot say there is any greater Distinction there between God and Mediator than between God and Creator God and Preserver or Governor or Sanctifier all which are Incitements and Motives of our Faith or Love or as Mr. Durham calls it Objectum Considerationis or as Cloppenburgh Objectum Formale sub qua but not Ratio formalis quae vel propter quam and such distinct Formalities make no distinct Worship or Faith We see the Lords bringing the People out of Egypt is set down as an Incitement to their Observation of the Moral Law I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt it is far from making a new Law distinct from the Moral so Gods becoming our Redeemer and delivering us out of the Regions of Darkness and Prisons of Bondage is the strongest Motive that ever was and this Sinning against such a Motive which is a Sin against the Gospel is the greatest Sin and as there is no specifically distinct Object in the first Table so there is none in the second to render our Evangelical Obedience to it distinct from our Moral For the Sympathizing with our Neighbour under Adversity as it s said Bear you one anothers Burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ it is no farther remote from Loving our Brother being only Charity denominated from his Condition than not stealing of his goods from him killing of him bearing false Witness against him or those other Precepts are but it 's called the Law of Christ because that kind of Love was the Spring of all his Obedience to the Mediatorial Law the principal part of his Work was to bear our Burden but the Socinians are in a greater difficulty here than others who deny the Deity of Christ and yet do Religiously Worship him Their Work should be how to find out a new Table not how to find out a new Law to place a kind of Obedience in that is neither proper to God nor Man nor are they altogether free of this Task who thô they own the Mediator to be God yet as such talk of a specifical distinct Law of Duties to him from what we owe to God as to Repentance the Ability to perform it and the Acceptance of it being interrupted and imperfect Duty flows from the Gospel yet there is a Necessity that the Law it is regulated by be the same Law that was broken It was Mans Duty to Love God to fear him to have Faith in him and to obey him he has now by Sin omitted these Duties what is else the Essence of his Repentance but the repeating and renewing of it again that he that broke the Law now keep it If he observe not the Law he did violate it is no Repentance Repentance and Primitive Obedience differ no more than the Image of God that Man was created in and Regeneration which is a renewing of him to the same likeness of Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness as the Divine Nature is the rule of this Image both in one and the other else it were no Image so that Holy and perfect Law of God founded on what is his due from what he has been and is to the Creature called the Moral Law is the same Rule to our Actions distinct Formalities in Objects make distinct Sciences and Arts and may occasion distinct Precepts or Acts for it is an imperfect Law if it reach not to every Condition of the Subject Hence Suarez says The Law of Nature before and after the fall differ only as the Acts of the same Law in Time of Peace and War The Law says one thing to a Married Man and another to an Unmarried it has distinct Statutes to every Condition but the Law is one A Law meets with many changes and yet remains the same as a Man doth and is yet the same Man in Essence 1. In Use it may serve for directing the Obedient convincing and condemning the Guilty and be the same Law still So the Moral Law was that we were to be justified or condemn'd by in the Primitive State that use of it ceases when the Soveraign Prince Pardons then the Dignity of the Intercessor or his own Bowels of Mercy is his Measure So God now proceeds with us according to what our Mediator has done for us that is the Law of Faith not according to what we have done It is strange to say Faith in a Mediator will justifie and not Faith in God or that Faith in God belongs not to the Moral Law or that it s now having a Pardon for its Object and before a Reward brings it under another Law the Angels have many a new Duty and new Object of Faith but their Law remains the same 2. The
be They are Lusus Dei the Fruit of his meer Pleasure things of no moment so when we experience in our selves that the Foot the Tongue the Hands the Eyes move in Obedience to the Will as Nimbly as we can think it doâ—â— not represent God's Essence but his Relative Sovereignty over his Creatures so 't is but an inferiour part of an Image 3. The Will of God is a Power and causes these real goods that are its Objects but the Liberty of Man is only admissive or rejective of these Objects in the Understanding and gives occasion to their Influence upon the Faculties of the Soul and so affords no Matter for Glory in the Work of our Conversion Suppose the Sun-beams should enter a Room before dark by some Casement or Cranny and fill this room with Light yea render its Earth flourishing and verdant should we ascribe this great Change to the Sun or to the Casement Nay suppose farther that the Sun by its perpetual Heat and repeated Influence has made the Boards give way and made its own entrance should we ascribe the Glory of the Action to that which so long hindered it and is yet the Cause of the Works being so weak And this is the very Case as far as Matter can represent Spirit for the Lord opened the Heart of Lydia and he says Rev. 3. Behold I stand at the door and knock and if any Man open I will come in 4. The Will of God never acts without the highest Wisdom Ephes 1. According to the Counsel of his Will Therefore the setting up of a Liberty in Man distinct from the Conduct of the Understanding is a Chimera no Image of God who cannot deny himself in any of his Works he never did any thing that might give us false Sentiments of his Nature 5. Our Liberty is much inferiour to God's because of the Narrowness of its Sphere The Beast has only Sense Man has also spiritual things for his Object to Converse about but the Divine Will converses about those things we never saw nor heard nor has it entered into our Heart to conceive 6. Our Liberty is a Gift God's is Self-originate ours a Shadow his the Substance ours but an Emanation of his as the Image of a Face in a Glass but we have no such Help distinct from him he is the Support and Spring of both 7. His is Infallible always equal vigorous active Ours faints and wearies as in Sleep and Infancy and fails as in every Sin 2 Prop. The Liberty of the Mind of Man consists to be more particular about it in a Freedom from Physical Necessity or Coaction in a Freedom from Sense or Matter It is a general Axiom and therefore needs the less proof That Free-will is only the Property of thinking and reasoning Creatures that propose an End to their Actions and deliberate about what is fittest for gaining that End The Fire burns whatever comes nigh it but the Will doth not choose every thing proposed The Imagination of a Beast is confined to Material Ideas but the Mind of Man is not determined nor limited to such Objects A Beast can only be allured by present things but things of a hundred years distance can move a Mind this is a great Priviledge but affords no matter of Glory For 1 It lays us under the greater Obligation to our Maker who made us Men and not Beasts 2 Our Abuse of it in making our selves worse than Beasts being carnally minded and lead by Sense who have more Noble Faculties to govern us 3 The more Knowledge the more Liberty by this Rule and therefore our Blindness and Ignorance should make us bemoan our Confinement The Natural man knoweth not the things of Godâ— and thereâ—ore can have no Liberty about them But more of this under another Head 3 Prop. Liberty consists in a Freedom from Restraint an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goes to the making up of this Perfection a Willingness as well as a Judgment Augustine de Spir. Lib. Chap. 31. defines it to be A Power of doing what we will and thus it doth principally consist in the Imperate acts called free because they proceed from a free Principle To will and to can are two different things a Man may will what he cannot and then the Will hath not this Freedom The Scripture seems to take it in this sence 1 Cor. 7.37 Having no Necessity but hath power over his own Will and hath so decreed in his heart By Freedom from Necessity there is meant a Power to put his Purpose in Execution And so Rom. 7. What I would that do I not The Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak Taking Liberty thus for a freedom from Constraint or a Power of doing what we will it affords no matter of Glorying to Man he is under so many Restraints by his Nature by his Sin by Punishment all his Faculties are restrained about Objects Natural Moral and much more Spiritual he is restrained and limited As we see among sensitive Creatures some are confined to the Water as Fish some to the Earth but others have a more ample Sphere of Activity and a more vigorous Principle to carry them through Water Earth or Air. So we find Man more confined than Angels we can only underâ—tand Earthly things John 3. Christ tells Nicodemus that there was a Necessity of representing Heavenly things under some Earthly Similitude that we might be capable of understanding them 1 Peter and Paul were Saints of the first magnitude and yet when they were brought to converse with Heavenly things the one confessed he knew not what he heard and the Spirit asserts of the other that he knew not what he said It is an old Jewish saying That God descends in a humane Mantle that we may have some suitable Apprehensions of him and it is most amazing Humility in God to reckon our highest Thoughts of him an Honour or a Glory to him 2 By Sin the Scripture calls Man Darkness led captive at the will of Satan a slave to Sin and deaâ— in Sin therefore he is wonderfully confined and restrained by it A Habit in any one particular Vice how doth it ensnare and confine one to its Courses How can you believe that receive honour one of another The Pharisees who were covetous derided the Doctrine of Charity They that are accustomed to do evil can no more do good than the Aethiopian can change his Skin or the Leopard his Spots 3 All Afflictions and Sufferings put Restraints on Mans Liberty John 21.18 Thou girdest thy self and walkedst whither thou wouldst here was Liberty but another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldst not here is a Restraint or Compulsion A man may have a will to move a gouty Finger or stop a Convulsive or Paralitick Motion of his Nerves but he has no Liberty to do it as Dr. Lock says well 4 In our Intellect and elicit acts of
gratefull or ungratefull to our Taste according to the Disposition of our Palat. Our Will is our Spiritual Appetite and according to its Natural Disposition its Sympathy or Antipathy arises We are a Generation of Vipers there is Poyson in our Constitution and being evil we cannot speak good Mat. 7.18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit This Indisposition is granted both by Arminians and their Antagonists but the Dispute between them is Whether 't is a Sin or no. The Divine Nature in Holiness Righteousness and Knowledge is as much the Measure and the Rule of the Disposition of the Mind of Man as the Divine Law which is the Copy of that Holy Nature is the Rule and Measure of Mans Actions and therefore since Sin is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Want of Conformity to the Law there is a sinfulness in our very Natures though undoubtedly it wants much of the Sinfulness and Guilt that our actual Transgressions have the one is our Misery and our Grief the other is Matter of our Repentance and Amendment It seems to receive a Diminution in that 5th of Romans that they have not sinned after the similitude of Adam The Scripture elsewhere aggravating the Sins of Adult Persons says They have Transgressed like Men but the Original hath it like Adam This Moral Impotency is as unconquerable as Natural Antipathies Mark 10.25 It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle than for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God The Text represents a Penetration of Dimensions which is beyond a Miracle to be easier than for an Unregenerate Man to mortifie his Earthly Inclinations Transubstantiation is easier to be Believed than that a Man can Convert himself when he will tho' receiving all External Helps for in this young Man here was a good Natural Disposition Jesus loved him here was a good Education All these have I observed from my Youth here was an excellent Preacher Jesus Christ himself here was a Carefull Attention for he went away grieved at the Proposal of the Choice Christ offered him Treasure in Heaven for parting with Treasure on Earth but that he could not do Lastly Because the Scripture asserts that we are made Willing by Divine Power John 6.44 No Man can come to me except the Father draw him Psal 110. Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power 1 Thes 1.5 Our Gospel came not to you in Word only but also in power Secondly There is a Natural Impotency as well as a Moral 1. Because this Impotency is in our Natural Constitutions Psal 51.5 I was shapen in Iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Neither the Grammar nor Sense gathered from the Context will allow David to be bemoaning here his Parents Transgression for that could not make up a part of his Repentance and here David doth oppose it unto that Truth that God desired in the hidden and inward Parts of Man Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean If the First fruit be Holy so is the Lump if the Root be Holy so are the Branches We are by Nature the Children of Wrath read Mat. 7.18 and 12.34 Since this Averseness is born with us Universal to all I think it may be call'd Natural tho' in the Will so the Moral Impotency is Natural 2. The more Moral Impotency that a Man is under the more Guilty he is But there is an Impotency in Man to good that in some part tho' not wholly doth excuse Guilt as the Infants in Nineve It is said All dye because all have sinned but none can be so Uncharitable towards Poor Infants whose Impotency is greater than the Adult's to think that therefore they are more guilty Rom. 5. 3. The Invincibleness and Unconquerableness of this Impotency being represented under such an utter Impossibility doth manifest a Defect in all the other Powers as well as the Will as impossible as for a great Camel to go thorough the Eye of a Needle it requires as great a Power as Creation and the Resurrection of one from the Dead doth Eph. 1.19 it requires the exceeding greatness of his Power the Energy of his mighty Power If all the other Faculties were fitted for their Office especially the Understanding it might and would sway the Will since the Will follows its Conduct as is prov'd before for the Gospel proposes such Objects with such a Certainty that would surely Captivate and Conquer the Will if there were no Defect in discerning it and Paul the Apostle complains of the Defect of other Powers To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not Christ blames the Disciples for the Weakness of the Flesh when the Spirit was willing Suppose our Wills intire our Animal Spirits would not serve us to Obey the Law of Innocency and this Incapacity is from our sin so a Man is as Guilty by this Impotence as in Omissions of Duty thorough Drunkenness and I cannot think but a Man is Guilty of Blood that Kills his Neighbour in Drink or doth not deliver him sinking in the Water because his Drunkenness has made him uncapable the Impotence is voluntarily Contracted Gal. 5.17 The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Was there no Sin in the Impotence since they were willing 4. The Understanding is a distinct Power from the Will and antecedent in Manner of working and there is an Impotency ascrib'd to it 1 Cor. 2.14 The Natural Man cannot know spiritual things The Contrivance of our Salvation which is the Effect and Glory of Divine Wisdom appear'd to the Grecian Philosophers seriously Studying the Case a ridiculous Dream of a weak Brain Act. 17.19 The Epicureans and Stoick Philosophers tho' they heard him again and again and tho' his Speech was Divine yet the Conclusion was Laughter and Mockery Resurrection of the Dead was a strange and incredible Doctrine to Pagans Heaven and Hell a Day of Judgment and Destruction of this World were Chimera's and Fancies Caecil the Philosopher thus O wonderful Foolishness and incredible Boldness they Contemn present Torments and yet fear future Pains they fear not Death but fear to dye after Death their Fear is foolish and their Hope fallacious of Comfort at the revival from Death for they are not Contented with the furious Opinion of the Dissolution of the World threatning the very Stars with Fire but they tell old Fables of a Birth after Death from the Cinders and Ashes Epictetus said the Galileans were Melancholly Persons who willingly chose Death from Hopes of good things afterward Christianity appears as foolish to Politicians the spiritual Kingdom of Christ is to them a Castle in the Air When Pilat John 18. heard that Christ's Kingdom was not in this World he thought it was not worth his Attention some imaginary Business Nor had the Vulgar
that Text is more passive than active to wit an Impression of the Idea and this Idea is Christ form'd objectively within or his Glorious Image 2 Cor. 3.18 not excluding but having consequentially to it a likeness of the Soul to Christ in Holy Qualities As that Text has it Beholding his glory we are transformed into the same Image Without this the Soul is as a Carkass forsaken of the Soul as to Spirituals To be carnally minded is death as the dark and dolesome Air forsaken of the Sun or as the stinking Lanthorn when the flame is extinct both these last Arguments are mentioned John 8.43 Why do ye not understand my Speech because ye cannot hear my Word ye are of your Father the Devil 1. A Denyal of the Act Ye do not understand my Sermons or Discourses 2. A denyal of the Power Ye cannot 3. The Power of Learning is deny'd that is the power of Understanding For Hearers are Learners Rev. 2. and 3. He that hath an Ear let him hear they wanted the Faculty represented by the Organ Therefore speak I to them in Parables because seeing they see not and hearing they hear not nor understand 4. A Reason of this Impotency is from the Object My Word Verse 38. That which I have seen with my Father and have receiv'd Commission to preach v. 45. the Truth John 3.3 things concerning his Kingdom Rom. 14.17 Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost 5. A further Reason why the Truths of the Gospel are an unintelligible Object to an otherwise intelligent Creature is Ye are of your Father the Devil the powers of Darkness have begotten this Darkness and Enmity that makes up the Constitution of thy Soul 2 Cor. 4.4 The God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them Psal 89.15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound they walk in the light of thy Countenance O Lord. For there is this freedom from Satan who like a Father propagates an hereditary Distemper of Darkness and Hatred about heavenly things in the Soul of his Children and this Distemper is our Natural Temper thrô it we are by Nature Children of Wrath. 3dly As the Averseness of our Will is a Moral Impotency and the darkness of our understandings a Natural Impotency so I may add an Habitual Impotency that in Adult Persons hardens and strengthens both and this habit has a threefold Spring that feeds it or a threefold Cord that Chains and Fetters the Soul Education Custom and Company 1. Education the Soul of Man is a Chamber of Imagery and as soon as it comes into being God or the Devil or our Senses by their Objects constantly fill it and he that takes the start has the greatest advantage and easiest work Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it The sooner Parents begin the more acceptable to God and the Impressions stick the deeper There is the more room for them it becomes a Vessel of Honour or Dishonour according as Instructers fill it If we are so impotent to good that we cannot Conquer any one of those acquired Impediments of Custom Company and Education which might properly be call'd Moral Impotence and both the other Natural how much less when we are Chained to Evil by all of 'em and when they have the Power of Hell to back them and when they are but as Twigs or small Grafts from that bulky Stock of our Natural Corruption and if so impotent to good how little reason of Glorying over what good we find in us or ascribing any part of it to our selves If you will seem to set a value on a Rattle a Child will preferr it to Gold If you will act fear at the sight of a Friend the Child will cry Cartesius complains of the great Impediments in our Progress in Philosophy by Childish prejudices from Education they do much more injury to Religion few Parents can instruct their Children and far fewer doe it How few can give any reason for their being Dissenters or Conformists Protestants or Papists Christians Mahometans or Pagans but their Education their Parents or their Masters first taught them so This is a very ill Foundation for Religion 2. Custom Jer. 13.23 Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil There is a kind of Moral Impossibility in changing of Custom the Doctrines of Popery in this Nation and others were more easily reformed than Customs it 's Carnivals May-poles Holy-days Altars Rails Crossings and Kneelings with Sacred Vestures and other Rights are all kept by the power of Custom the Learning of Synods nor the Wisdom or Powers of Parliaments have not been sufficient to conquer Custom in such trivial and indifferent things A Custom in doing good impowers a Man mightily in Religion John 7.17 If any Man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine If he will but attempt to practise and make experiment he shall soon become a thriving Christian Psalm 119.100 I understand more than the Ancients because I keep thy Precepts By the start of practice he soon outstript his Teachers in Knowledge Heb. 5.12 14. they were dull in hearing because they did not use their Spiritual Senses but Custom of doing Evil grows faster than the other because it is engrafted upon our Inclination and our Inclination is the Stump from the Root of our Nature Our Conversation is from our Lusts and our Lusts from our Flesh Men proud and ambitious can never learn the Doctrine of Humility Self-denyal or the Cross Charity and Liberality are Paradoxes to the Covetous and all reveal'd Religion a Mystery to the Prophane Heaven is a Dream to the Earthly Worm and he will as soon forsake the one for the other as his Life The 3. And last is Company Evil Company corrupts good manners A Man can never maintain Converse but with Persons suitable to his Inclination or to whose Humours he forms and suits his own The Penal Laws of Cities or Nations the Discipline of Masters or Parents are not of so great Influence as what is valuable and fashionable in the Society we live in In a School or Colledge where Learning is valued among the Students it is of greater force for Learning than the severe stripes of the most rigid Master So mean a thing as a Top-knot by the alone strength of this has stood out against the powerful Arguments of Reason and serious Prayers of tender Consciences the Admonitions of Relations and Friends the Satyrs of Wits the Ridicule of the Bullies the pointing of the Boys all these joyned together have not been able to pull down this Ensign from the Tower it stood on The strength of the hold lay in the Custom and Fashion of the place we live in How awful might