workd to their everlasting Peace and eternall Life and to the honour and glory of his grace in the mercy and love of the Father and the undertaking and performing of his fullnesse only But hee commandeth not to goe and teach all Nations to rob the Father of Mercy Love and Free grace of his eternall power Almightinesse Liberty Will and Pleasure and of his Honour Praise and Glory of all the same and of his honour and glory of his Purposes Decrees and Acts eternall with himselfe evidently manifested in his Testament to be his Purpose Decrees and Acts of his power Almighty Liberty Will and Pleasure As they do which teach all they can teach That 1. Although God did fore-know that mankinde would transgresse and become the children of wrath yet hee did not give his Sonne Christ before the World to redeeme them by his Death all or any of those of Mankinde which hee fore knew would transgresse and become the children of wrath notwithstanding Rev. 13. 8 that the Scriptures saith Hee was the Lambe slaine from the begining before God and that Iob saith I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19. 25 that is is now in being and hath already performed my Redemption before God and that David said The Lord was his Psal 19. 14 strength and his redeemer long before Christ was slaine and died before men upon the Crosse And the Prophet saith long before his Death before men upon the Crosse God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all meaning the chosen of God and yet all this was Isa 53. 6. done of the Father in Mercy Love and grace and all undertaken saying Loe I come to doe thy Will O God and so performed of Heb. 10. 9 the Sonne Christ in Mercy Love and Free-grace before the World to the satisfaction of God for the transgression of those Isa 53. he pleased for Election Is not this teaching all Nations the robbing and the teaching all Nations to rob the Father of Men and his Sonne Christ of the honour of his almighty Power Liberty in Gods Pleasure graces and gracious Decrees and Acts plainly expressed and manifested in the testiment of our God Secondly in that they teach all Nations that God neither could nor did choose in Christ any of these hee fore knew and fore-see to become the children of wrath before the World to be his children to be holy and without blame before him in love None of them to be ordained to eternall Life before the world None of them to be predestinate to be made like to the Image of his Sonne to be called his Children and Saints to be justified and glorified before himselfe in his own sight and acceptance before the world although these not so yet but in appointed and fulnesse of time to be manifested to the created Notwithstanding our God saith in the Scripture by the Apostle of his Testament Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which hath blessed us with all spirituall blessing in Heavenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love and thâ—t those which he knew before he also predestinate to be Gods children through Christ to be made like to the image of his Sonne to be ordained to eternall Life that he might be the first borne among many Brethren And whom hee predestinated them also he called his children Eph. 1. 3. 4 and Saints by calling And whom hee called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified and although hee saith nothing shall be laid to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth them And although hee saith God loved Jacob and hated Esau before they were borne or had done good or evill that the purpose of God might remaine according to Election not by Workes but by him that calleth and in many other places the like Is not this Robbery and the teaching of all Nations to rob the Father and his Sonne Christ of the honour of their allmighty Power Liberty Will Mercies Free grace Purposes Dâ—â—crâ—es and Acts eternall within and all unchangeable as the Apostle saith the gifts and calling of God are without repentance which is Rom. 11. 29 so of his eternall spirituall Gifts and callings not of temporall as the calling of Judas was and the gifts that Iob spake of where hee said The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Job 3. 21 Name of the Lord. Thirdly in that they teach all they can teach that it is in their own will power and deed to please God to pacifie the wrath of God the Father of mercies for their sinnes and offences to obtaine forgivenesse of their sinnes by Repentance Prayers Devotions and to obtaine good things deliverance from the evill that they have deserved at the Hand of God the Father by their performances and humiliations by their willingnesse and endeavouring to heare the Gospell preached to get Faith And by and for their Faith and believing to be justified before God and to have Life before God in themselves yea to be Saints in themselves and righteous in themselves by these their performances before God That they are not as other men are Extortioners unjust Drunkards Adulterers or as the Publican that looketh upon See Luke 18. 10 11. nothing but Mercy and Forgivenesse of his sinnes and the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ imputed unto him for his peace with God for his justification eternall Life and Salvation Notwithstanding the Testament of our God written by his Pen-men commanded to be taught is contrary The Prophet of God David saith my weldoing extendeth or Psal 16. 2 is nothing to thee O Lord nothing to please thee to obtaine any thing of thee to justifie one before thee And hee saith Blessed is the Man whose iniquity is forgiven and Psal 32. 1 whose sin is covered And the Prophet Esay saith we are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse as filthy ragges nothing in our selves or of our Isa 64. 6 selves to please God to obtaine any good of God justifie us before God And the Apostle of Jesus Christ Paul saith It is not in him Rom. 9. 16 that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth Mercy And againe blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes And Christ himselfe saith when yee have done what yee can say we are unprofitable servants Christ saith He Luke 17. 10 that climeth up any other way to the Father to the Sheepfold then by him is a Theife and a Robber These would please the Father Joh. 10. 1 obtaine of the Father to bee justified of the Father and get to Heaven by their own Prayers Devotions Humiliations by their own Faith and performances and teach others to doe so Is not this to teach Thee
Psal 16. 3 or weldoing extendeth not to thee O Lord or is nothing unto thee but to the Saints that are upon the Earth Ps 16 2 3. To this agreeth that of the Apostle Christ Jesus is made unto us Wisdome and Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30 and Sanctification and Redemption And some object nothing of mans own his own faith and prayers in his own prayse please God nor is acceptable to God Then wherefore should or do men pray to God or give thanks to God all in vaine Ans 1. That that hath authority hath commanded that is enough Christ though all be not worth Gods looking on which is done 2. The Heathens and Publicans the Scribes Pharises yea the Devils did the same upon slavish feare and other respects If thou do not thou shewest thy self worse then those 3. For morality and example to men Though my goodnesse extendeth Psal 16. 23. not to thee O Lord saith David yet it doth extend to the Saints upon Earth 4. Because Christ the Vine maketh the Elect of God is known to beare such grapes The instruments of his Spirit to hold forth such fruits as are pleasing and acceptable to God though man cannot of himself please God with such of his own The Apostle saith The promise was made not to the seede as of man but to the seed as of one which is Christ Gal. 3. 16. agreeing to that word of promise The seede of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3. And Christ did believe the promise From hence I take it followeth that the Covenant of grace and promise was made onely to Christ in whom all the Elect of God were as all mankinde was in Adam by naturall Creation And the promise was to the Elect as they are in Christ one with Christ Members of Christ Therefore the Elect in Christ are not to challenge the promise of grace made to themselves but from Christ made to Christ and only made to them as they are in Christ in that I live saith the Apostle I live by the faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. It is Christs faith that Paul lived by It is a common publique confession Our best occasions are great abominations and I take it this is intended of our Believing Praying Obeying Thanksgiving Repenting and the like If these be great abominations to God they cannot pacifie nor please God neither sanctifie us to God Yet Believing Praying Obeying Thanksgiving Repenting being of the spirit of Christ The fruits of the spirit are acceptable of God God is well pleased in his Rom 8. 27 Son Christ and in him only pleased Christ maketh request for his saints according to the will of God Some say Faith is a condition of mans part to be performed of man in Gods Covenant of grace for the obteining and injoying the promise and grace And before man hath performed the condition of Faith and believing he hath neither interest in the promise nor grace nor can have for the promise of grace is upon mans performance of Faith as they say But I take it if this were so then Faith is or was neither a grace of God to man nor of grace nor the gift of God to man of grace but of nature which is contrary to the Scripture It is not of our selves saith the Apostle it is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Faith is given by the spirit 1 Cor. 12. 9. Faith is the fruit of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. I say if of gift then of grace if of grace and the spirit to manâ— then grace and that spirit is to the man before Faith the gift the Heb. 12. 1 Fruit the Tree is alwayes before the Fruit. Iesus is the Author and Finisher of our Faith we have Jesus must keepe us to worke the Faith before the Faith Wrought in us Sol. The gift of Faith which is of grace given is the hinderance and manifestation of the grace of Christ and Faith is the first light of salvation by the spirit is manifested Some say as when Lazarus was quickned to his naturall Life againe by Jesus and raised out of his grave hee walked So when a man is quickened and raised up spiritually by Christ he is made able to walk in the wayes and commandements of God to do the works of godlinesse righteousnesse and holinesse But I take it the similitude holdeth only thus Lazarus was dead naturally before men and was quickned and raised up miraculously by Christ before men So the Elect before they were loved and elected in Christ out of the company of the children of wrath before God were dead in trespasses and sins before God and after they were elected in Christ of God to be holy and without blame before him in love They were quickned together and raised up together in Christ Jesus before God as Ephes 2. 1. 5 6. And they walked in Christ in all godlinesse righteousnes and holinesse before God But herein the similitude holdeth not that as Lazarus was quickned and raised up by Christ to naturall Life and naturall action and seated in himselfe by the power of nature left to man though weakned by the transgression So Christ quickneth and raiseth up his Elect to spirituall Life and the power and action of spirituall Life inherent and seated in themselves in the naturall man either in soule or body as Life of godlinesse righteousnesse and holinesse were inherent and seated in Adam before his innocency or as naturall Life Powers and Actions though corrupt and weake are still inherent and seated naturally in man and other creatures For though the Elect of God be quickned and raised up to Life yet this is onely in Christ as Eph. 2. 5. 6. God hath quickned us together in Christ Hee hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus So the Apostle yet it is not Gal. 2. 20 I that us now live but Christ liveth in me and in that that I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Sonne of God and so againe saith the Apostle yee are dead and your Life is hid with Christ Col. 3. 3. The Elect are still dead in themselves onely alive in Christ hidden in Christ till corruptible hath put on incorruptible and mortall hath put on immortality then is brought forth the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory In Christ wee live wee move and have our being meaning of spirituall Life Acts 14. 28. our spirituall Life Power Motion Action or being is inherent and seated onely in Christ not in our selves and is ours onely by gift imputation and of grace by our union with Christ The Scriptures saith that God did elect Paul in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4 Foundations of the World to be holy and without blame before him in love Therefore Christ was with God before the World and Paul was with God before the World And so
it is no more of grace Grace and Christ are quite shut out But these are like the Angel or Minister of the Church of Laodicea that John speaks of which said he was rich increased with goods and had need of nothing whence the Spirit of God told him that he was wretched miserable poor blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. and he knew it not Or like the Pharisees that boasted that they had that goodnesse from God whereby they were righteous holy devout Joh. 9. men wise and did see all needfull no blind men when as Christ told them that they were hypocrites unjust blind guides leading the Mat. 23. blind such as to whom all wee did belong If these men which boast themselves to have such Inherent holiness and righteousness in themselves by the sanctification of the Spirit had the same and were such whereby they are able to the work of holiness and righteousness of the holy command of God pleasing and acceptable to God as Agents thereof they were at least Saints in themselves And this the Inherent holiness and righteousness in them which did inable them to the deed and the work of holinesse and righteousnesse pleasing and acceptable to God and to prevail with God to do them good deserve to be adored and extolled as a God able to give power for there is no power but of God none can give power but God even as the great Rom. 13. 1. God the Creator deserved to be adored for giving Adam power to doe the work of holinesse and righteousnesse in his innocency But I know there are many amongst us stained with this deceiveable doctrine of Inherent holiness and righteousness in man c. which have a zeale of God although not according to knowledge as the Apostle Paul said there were of the Israelites Rom. 10. 2. which being ignorant of the righteousness of God in Christ and going about to establish their own righteousness as these do submitted not to the righteousness of God as these do not which ordinarily object and say shall we not do that we are commanded shall we not do the good duties commanded of God shall we not do our indeavours what we can although we cannot do perfectly are we not commanded to call others to doe the same is not God pleased that we should do so and pleased with our doing so or is God pleased that we should be idle carelesse and do nothing of his command â—od saith the Apostle doth accept the will for the deed if there be first a willing mind Answ These expressions indeed do shew a zeal of God but the question is first whether it be according to knowledge or not secondly whether they hold forth ignorance of the righteousness of God in Christ or no and no submission to the righteousness of God in Christ or no and thirdly whether they shew a going about to establish their own righteousness or no that is to hold forth their own power wills indeavours and works to please God pacifie God move and prevail with God for their good and to be accepted of God for the same as it is their own which nothing but perfect righteousness can do which corrupt man cannot bring forth and do for that which is of the flesh is fleshy Herein they clearly shew that they are ignorant of the righteousness of God in Christ and submit not to the righteousness of God in Christ which is the only perfect righteousnesse and which is all righteousness that do or can please pacifie move and prevail with God to mans good and to make man or any thing of man accepted with God Indeed God is pleased with man and pacified towards man in Christ not in himself nor in his own corrupt will indeavours or deeds they that are in the flesh cannot please Rom. 8. 8. God saith the Apostle Of the Sanctification of the Spirit c. BEcause the Apostle saith As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive and again as by one mans disobedience many 1 Cor. 15. 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. 19. were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous c. Some say that Believers in Christ are so regenerate and renewed in their corrupted nature of soul and body by Christ through the inherent sanctification of the Spirit that themselves by the power of their sanctified nature and faculties thereof are able to do and do the works of goodness holiness and righteousness in the estimation of God as Adam had power to do in his innocency And this inablement to them by such sanctification of the Spirit I take it they call the assistance of the Spirit whereby they say they do such works at best in part But I take it such erre not knowing the Scriptures the truth of Jesus for although the Scriptures hold forth the Elect Believers to be elected regenerated and renewed to be righteous holy and without blame before mod yet the Scriptures hold them forth to be all this in Christ not in themselves Paul saith he was elected in Christ to be holy and without blame before God in Christ Eph. 1. 4. Eph. 2. 5. 6 Act. 17. 28 he was quickned in Christ he was raised up in Christ lived moved and had his being in Christ not in himself he was not elected to be holy and without blaâ—â—e and spot before God in himselfe to be quickned and raised up in his own corrupted man nature and faculties of soul or body Believers are not the new man the new creatures in themselves in their own still corrupt nature but they are the new man the new creature in Christ which is the onely new man and new creature in himself as the Apostle speaketh he maketh of â—wain one new man in himself and again put on the new man which after God as created in righteousnesse and holinesse Eph. 2. 15. and againe if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Eph. 4. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 17 If Believers were so made alive in themselves by Christ to the power and action of holiness and righteousness as Adam was made alive and had power of action of holiness and righteousness by God in his creation and state of innocency through the inherent sanctification of the Spirit then corruption sin and death should be gone from believers in this life for contraries cannot be together at the same time in the same subject the one expelleth the other which is not as is manifest in all all are corrupted still all sin still all are dead still ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle And again if Colos 3 3. Rom 8. 10 Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit iâ— life for righteousnesse sake and again corruption doth not inherit 1 Cor. 15. 50. incorruption but where this corruptible hath put on incorruption and this mortall hath put on
immortality then shall be brought to passe the 1 Cor. 15. 14. saying that is written death is swollowed up into victory death remaineth in themselves by their sin and their life in Christ by Christs righteousnesse If Believers had inherent power of righteous action to bring forth of themselves and from their inherent power actions of righteousness as Adam had the power to do them then the Prophet I say would not have said of himself and the best men We are all as an unclean thing all our righteousnesse is as filthy rags Isa 64. 6. and David would not have said There is none that doth good no not one and Paul would not have said in Psa 14. 〈◊〉 ◠Rom. 7. 18. me that is my flesh dwelleth no good thing and again I find no means to perform that which is good Were not that Antichristian pride in any man now to say of himselfe I have power by my inherent holinesse to do that which is good and righteous in the sight and estimation of God the proudest Pharisee said to deny our selves is to deny our holinesse and goodnesse in our selves Quest Is there no operation of the Spirit of Christ in Believers upon the corrupted man soul and body is there no mortification of sin and corruption and no sanctification of the man by the Spirit or to the man in soule or body Answ Yes that must needs be so There are foure excellent creatures manifest in this world which all in the Scriptures are held forth to resemble Christ and the holy Spirit in their operations upon the bodies neere and object to them which foure creatures are the Sun Fire Water and sweet odours The Sun of this world is held forth in the Scripture to resemble the Son of righteousnesse Jesus Christ in his operations and actions to Believers Unto you that feare my Malach. 4. 2. name the Sonne of righteousnesse shall arise and health shall be under his wings He saith the Prophecy alluding to the rising of the Sun of the world upon the earth and the body therein in mens appearance and apprehension to the comfort and refreshing of them for being as the Sun of the world to Jesus Christ ariseth and manifesteth himselfe to Believers when and as he pleaseth in their apprehensions to the comfort and refreshing of the whole man And as the Sun of the world arising doth heat the colds object bodies so that the heat thereof heateth the cold bodies neere them by reflection yea and melteth some hard bodies by the heat thereof and yet the naturall coldnesse of those bodies and the hardnesse remaine still in them naturally as appear in the stay of the heat to those bodies So the Sonne of righteousnesse arising in Believers doe heat the neere corrupted man in soule and in body with his holy heat which heat also sometimes reflecteth to others neer yea and melteth the hard corrupt heart and yet the coldnesse and hardnesse of corruption naturally remaine still and returneth in sense and appearance in the stay of the heat of the Son of righteousnesse Jesus Christ by his Spirit And farther as the Sun of the world arising doth in season and time quicken some bodies dead in themselves such as have life in their root which in their time appeare also to have life in themselves So the Sonne of righteousnesse Jesus Christ arising in Believers though the corrupted man the body be dead because of sin as the Apostle speaketh though they be dead in themselves as Colos 3. 3. yet because their life is hid with and in Christ their root because they are rooted in Christ as Colos 2. In the appointed due time Colos 3. 3 of God their hidden life in Christ will be manifest in themselves which shall be to the soule when the corruptible hath put on incorruption and to the body when the mortall hath put on immortality and death be swallowed up in victory as the Apostle speaketh And so the Prophet David said God is a Sun and a shield alluding to Jesus Christ which is the only shield Psa 84. 11 and defence of Believers And so is Jesus Christ and his Spirit in Believers in the Scripture resembled to the fire of this world in respect of the operation thereof upon the bodies neere The Lord wil be as a wall of fire about Jerusalem saith the Prophet A wall of fire will defend and keep safe any City from hurt of adversary and enemies So Jesus Christ is a wall of fire to save his Elect Believers from the divell hell sinne the law and death that they shall not hurt them The gates of hell shall not prevaile against them Mat. 16. 18 saith Christ that they may say with Paul O death where is thy sting O grave or hell where is thy victory The sting 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the Law But thanks be unto God that hath given us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ which hath beene a wall of fire unto us from these our adversarie And further Jesus Christ and his holy Spirit in Believers is in the Scriptures resembled to fire in the operations thereof because as fire melteth purifieth things so Jesus Christ by his Spirit and the word of his Spirit melteth the hearts of the Believers as Iosias heart melted at the hearing of Gods word 2 Kings 22. 19. and also purifieth their corrupt hearts as Peter saith God gave the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles which purified their hearts by faith or believing And for this it is said Christ will Act. 15. 9 baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire and Gods word is as fire Ierem. 23. 29. Yet it is to be observed that although gold or other metall be melted by the fire the hardnesse thereof returneth and remaineth naturally in and to the same as is seen in the stay of the heat of the fire So though Christ by his Spirit and spiritual word melteth the corrupt hard heart of believers yet the corrupt hardnesse remaineth still naturally and returneth in the stay of the operation of the Spirit And as although the fire purifieth the gold yet the gold must be after melted and purified by the sire as the Prophet saith seven times that is oftentimes before it be pure gold Psa 12. 6. and is not pure gold so long as any drosse remains in it in any part thereof but still drossie gold So although Jesus Christ by his Spirit often melteth and purifieth the corrupt heart of believers yet so long as corruption remaineth which remaining remaineth in every part of soul and body so that no part is pure and holy before God in man himself whatsoever it be in mans estimation but still corrupt in the whole and so shall be till corruptible hath put on incorruption and mortall hath put on immortality And Jesus Christ and his Spirit in Believers are in the Scriptures resembled to water for
or not to will and desire they may choose if they will and desire they may heare if they will they may believe and receive the Plaister of Christs Bloud and Death and if they will they may apply the same to their wounds and be healed For it hath all sufficient vertues and in tendered to them And they teach that the Justification and Salvation of men whatsoever the Father or the Sonne hath done in Mercy Love and Grace consist and rest in themselves their own will and worke for the Procuring Setling Having and Injoying of the same Whereby I have thought that they thinke better of themselves then they are and that they are some what when as the Apostle saith they are nothing and deceive themselves in their own imagination Gal. 〈◊〉 3. For how can a man being still the child of Gods wrath in the curse death and losse of Adams sinne and his own without his deliverance yet made which losse was the losse of all good before God given of God unto man in his Creation have so great a good as Free-will unto so great a good Work and Deed before God as to heare and believe unto eternall Life lost unto justification and salvation and to have so great a good still before God as power to do the same being yet in the Death Losse and Want of all good before God This is as I thought to rob our God to inrich our selves For the Apostle saith It is God that worketh Phil. 2. 13. in us the will and the deed of his own good pleasure It is not mans own will and his own deed And I thinke it much contrary to the Scriptures of the Gospell that Life and Justâ—fication should come to man by his own will or worke any way but onely by grace and mercy as the Apostle saith we are justified by Grace It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth Rom. 3. 24. mercy If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else grace were no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more of grace Rom. 9. 16. or else work were no more worke But saith the Apostle election Rom. 11. 6. hath obtained it and the rest have been hardned atlthough Israel hath not obtained that sought it viz. by his own will and worke They would strip God of his Election in Christ before the world being the first Act of his grace to man Quest What may be thought of these in your Christian Judgement and of their teaching I desire to understand Answ I take it the condition of these is farre more out of hope then of Infants and Idâ—ots for these desperately discover Mat. 5. 19. their own nakednesse and shame These break the Commandement and teach men to do so There are as you said Theeves and Robbers 1 Tim. 3. 7. and teach others the same They are fallen into and holden in the snare of the Devill The Devill spake many truths alwayes leaving something Mat. 4 3. 6 out that he may deceive in the end they are like a cunning Fowler that layes scraps of wheat to catch the Birds So these tell men a part of Gods Love Mercy and Free-grace that they may catch them in the snare and pride of their own will and words of robbery and Idolatry Nicodemus a Ruler of the Jewes a Master in Israel yet understood not that which Christ said Except a man be born againe he Joh. 3. 3 cannot see the Kingdome of God unto whom Christ said Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things These may be Rulers Masters and Teachers and yet be ignorant of these things And I conceive these are ignorant of Gods eternall Almighty Power Wisdome Fore-knowledge Foresight Will Purpose Decree and Acts with and before himself and of the rest of God and his Christ which if they were not they would not deny that God might and did choose in Christ whom hee pleased of the children of wrath to be his children so called and justified through Christ before himself even before the World of Mercy and Free-grace without any will or work of their own Eph. 〈◊〉 3 4 5 6 unchangeable Indeed they alledge and cite many places of Scriptures supposed to their purpose of Christs commanding to will to do to heare to believe to aske to seeke to knock to labour to speak to run to come to take to receive to give and the like And the condition that is annexed of reward and penalty unto these commanded to be eternall And therefore they conclude it is in every mans will and power to will and doe these things commanded unto eternall Life otherwise it were oppression and not Love and Justice of Christ our God and Law-giver to command his Subjects to doe that which it not in themselves to doe which they cannot do upon such penalty eternall But alas they do not consider that this Law of Christ to his Church as it includeth the Law of God given to mankinde in generall in Justice absolute is written in the hearts of Heathens as also of such as have the name of Christians which Law of God is therefore knowne though weakly and corruptly to the Heathens and all Mankinde as the Apostle saith of the Heathens Rom. 1. 31 They know the Law of God their consciences accuse and excuse one another And the Heathens have made many Lawes from this Rom. 2. 15. Law of God written in their hearts of Justice and righteousnesse before men in mens estimation good which with the will and power of men have beene obeyed For as Adam and all mankinde had Soul and Body and the faculties thereof temporall Life at Gods will for a time all weakened and corrupted by sinne and the curse left to them so they had Free-will Reason and power in naturall humane and temporall things left all weake and corrupted to choose and refuse to will and to nill to doe things good and righteous before men in the estimation of men although they had lost and had no power left them to will choose desire or doe any thing at all good righteous acceptable and availeable before God unto eternall Life lost to justification before God to their peace with God or to any good in Gods sight good And that the Lord Jesus upon whose shoulders the Government Isa 9. 6. of his Church lay was pleased in great grace as a most gracious Law-giver to manifest in written Tables to his people the chosen of God in him which hee had redeemed and performed all for unto Life Justification Salvation and Glorification before God all to appeare in appointed and fulnesse of time this his gracious Law of greater grace then the first given unto mankinde in generall that it might be established and remaine for ever to his people already redeemed before God for the government of his Church upon earth in worship to God
Peace Righteousnesse Society Safety and Comfort among themselves which without a Law could not have government Peace Righteousness and Safety before men especially in regard of many Hypocrites in closing themselves among the Elect of God as Wolves among Sheep And that those his redeemed People should do and performe in the will and power that they had left them these his Commandements in righteousnesse before men for worship to God Peace Safety Society and comfort among themselves upon temporall reward and penalty And that the will worke and doing of the same his Commandement being the fruits of his Spirit wrought up in their hearts where and as hee pleased might witness unto them that they are Christs redeemed ones that they have his Spirit and are the children of God as the Apostle saith the spirit received doth witness with our soules and spirits Rom. 8. 16. that we are the children of God So these confounding the Law and Commandement of God given to man in absolute Justice having absolute Free-will and power upon the condition of absolute eternall life and death for keeping and breaking the same still remaining written in the hearts of all Mankinde their Free-will and power being wholly corrupted and weakened through the transgression and the Law and Commandement of Christ given in grace to his Church the chosen of God in him whereby Mercy and Truth met together Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other upon temporall reward Psal 85. 10. and penalty for keeping and breaking the same before men for the condition of the reward and penalty could not be eternall of keeping breaking the Commandement of Christ given in grace For that the eternall reward of righteousnesse to man before God consisteth onely in the Work and Merit of Christ for man in Christ himself performed before God imputed unto man Gods chosen without any will or worke of mans And the eternall penalty of all the sinne and transgression of Gods chosen and Christs redeemed is paid and satisfied by Christs Death and Bloud from the beginning before God in the fulnesse of him before them Although those that are Gods chosen and those that are not Gods may have will and power to keep the Commandement before men yet they neither have such will or power as to keepe it before God to eternall reward Quest Christ commandeth those hee called and sent to go and teach all Nations what is that teaching of Christ that hee intendeth Mat. 28. 89. Ans First I take it In that Christ commandeth to go and teach Mar. 16. 6. all Nations hee intendeth not to all of all Nations not to cast Pearles among Swine which turning againe will rend them that teach them but to teach such of all Nations as will submit to their Mat. 7. 6. teaching Secondly that they should teach all them of all Nations that did submit to the Gospell of Jesus Christ Which is the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ That is that God so loved the world which hee intended to make that hee fore-knowing that mankinde would transgresse his command and become the children of wrath did purpose and in his Mercy and Love did choose some as he pleased of the world of those children of wrath in Christ his onely Son eternall with himselfe before the world to be his children holy and without blame before him in love as the Apostle saith and the Father of love and mercy having Eph. 1. 4. pleased to give his Sonne the Christ to performe all things both in doing and suffering to the full satisfaction of his Justice for their delivering from thence full setling of those his chosen ones his love and favour for ever who did in present understand to doe the will of the Father saying Lo I come to doe thy will O Heb. 10. 7 8 9 God did also in present performe the same undertaken before God and before men in fulness of time to Gods satisfaction evermore that nothing hereafter is to be shall or can be laid to the charge of Gods chosen before God as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 33 shall 〈◊〉 any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth the◠That Gods chosen People are no more under the law of eternall condemnation but under grace evermore And that those of Gods chosen people unto whom it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ to give his holy Spirit so farre as by his Spirit to worke in their hearts the fruit of his spirit of believing and faith the same which the spirit doth witness and evidence to their hearts and soules that they are the chosen of God in Christ and justified of God through Christ before the world in Gods sight Rom. 6. 14 that they are no more under the Law but grace that they are the children of God c. This Gospel is the draw-net of Christ that Mat. 13. 47 gathereth of all kindes some This was that which the Gentiles Acts 13. 42 hearing desired Paul to preach the same word to them the next Sabbath Day Quest Is the teaching of Christ commanded to those he sent no teaching but of his Gospel to all Nations Answ Yes it is the teaching of his Law for the government of those before men which hee hath gathered by his Gospell for worship to God for Peace Society Safety Comfort and Righteousness among men themselves which could not be without a Law and government and this government of his Church lieth upon Christs Shoulders as the Prophet saith God which was pleased to suffer the children of wrath for the Esa 9. 6. time hee pleased to shew his wrath and make his power knowne was pleased to write his Law in their minds given to mankinde Rom. 1. in generall for government among themselves before men and whereby their consciences accuse and excuse one another and Rom. 2. whereby they know sinne and what deserveth death and there as the Apostle saith other wise there could have been no society among them But Christ giveth his Law for government to his Church not onely to know sinne by the teaching thereof and to shunne sinne as all naturall men have will and power to doe although weakly in their corruption but also that they may yeild themselves to be Rom. 6. 13 instruments of the worke of his spirit in the shunning of sinne inwardly in their hearts and of knowing what Christ hath done for them in himselfe before God in performing of the full righteousnesse of his Lawes and Commande to their peace with God and that the worke of the spirit in those of his Commandements being the fruits of his Spirit whereof they are made instruments may evidence witnesse and assure to them Rom. 8. 16 that they are the children of God chosen of God in Christ justified through Christ and redeemed by Christs payment to God and his performance of all to God for them in Gods sight and acceptance before the
the Rev. 24 Almighty and holy God as Creator of man Lawgiver and Commander of all of infinite holines and righteousnes requireth purity and perfection in the performance of the duty of both the great Commandements which therefore he was pleased his Christ should undertake for his Elect and Christ was pleased to undertake and hath performed to the full satisfaction of God for all righteousnes before God for them required of him in mans performance Heb. 10. 7 8 9 10. of the whole Law of God even of both the great Commandements thereof of duty towards God and duty towards man so farre and so much as concerned God himselfe therein and to the discharge to his Elect of the whole penalty thereto pretaining But for that duty of the Law which concerne man himself to man so far and so much as it only concerneth man for duty of both Commandements of the whole Law before men in the sight and estimation of men good and righteous to be performed according to the corrupt knowledge reason and power left to man Christ by his undertakings and performance for believers is not the end of the Law so far and so much but this part and purpose of the Law remaineth still for righteousnes before men in the sight and estion of men and the onely temporall proportionable reward and penalties thereof to believers for the reward and penalty of Christs Law given in grace to his Church redeemed cannot bee eternall to them And that must needs be so For otherwise in the Church of Christ upon Earth visible to men which is the whole company of men professing themselves to be believers whereof no doubt but there are abundance of Hypocrites I say otherwise without Law for the righteousnes before men There would be nor could be Religion or Worship nor Safety Society or Comfort amongst men one with another considering the many Wolves among the Sheepe the many unknowne Hypocrites among the true Believers Isa 9. 6. Eph. 5. 23 Againe all bearing the name of Christians acknowledge Christs government of his Church upon Earth Christ to be the governour and head of his Church as the Prophet saith The Government is upon his shoulders And the Apostle saith Christ is the head of his Church Now no government can be without a Law no governour governeth without a Law no doubt but Christ hath a Law whereby he governeth his Church for worship to God safety society and comfort thereof before men And no doubt but this is that Law given in grace God being satisfied by Christ for righteousnesse before himselfe touching his Elect Believers which the Apostle saith was ordeined by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour and which God had delivered up unto his Christ which had satisfied Gal â—3 19 him the Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus That hee thereby might govern his Church upon Earth in righteousnesse 1 Tim. 2. 5 before men By this remainder of the Law for righteousnes before men hath Christ ever fithence his Church was upon Earth governed his Church Instruments upon Earth such as hee pleased to fit for it and assigne to his kingly priesty and propheticall Offices But Christs most glorious gracious government of his Church upon Earth First remarked for a patterne to all his Churches in the holy Scriptures by his instruments is in his Church of Israel which we may see held forth in the Bookes called Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy c. There we may see Christ 〈◊〉 himself to his Church in the government thereof by his 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 by his spirit had fitted and was pleased and most gloriously and graciously first settled when his Church Exod. 19. 3 〈◊〉 grown into a great visibility upon Earth For effecting of which First he called Moses his principall prepared instrument unto him in Mount Sinai appointing him to tell and deliver unto the people the Law in his hand as hee was the Mediator which did so saying to them God spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and out of the House of bondage c. And who can do that this God and Christ the Mediator in whose hand now the remainder of the Law was Gal. 3. 19. as the Apostle speaketh The undertaker for the Elect people of God and the performance of all what God did ever deliver the Elect of God out of any misery or bring them out of spirituall or bodily bondage but Jesus Christ which was before Abraham Joh. 8. 58 was yea before the Foundations of the World before God although not in manifestation of the Law to the creatures before the fullnesse of time Christ had delivered them the Elect people of God out of the spirituall bondage which they were in before God the bondage of Sinne the Devill Death Hell And out of the bodily bondage that they were in Egypt And therefore Moses said to them that this Christ of God the Lord the God which had delivered them out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of all bondage both spirituall and bodily was their Lord their God that spake these words to them which they were to heare to obey and do before men conscionably in their hearts in the corrupt weake and fraile power of reason and understanding they had as before in this Law of Christ Mercy Repentance and Forgivenes have place in the other And to this accordeth that of the Apostle Servants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the flesh with feare Eph. 6. 5 6 7 8 and trembling in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with Eye-service as men pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will serving the Lord and not men And know yee that whatsoever good thing a man doth the same hee shall receive of the Lord whether he be Bond or Free All dissembling and hypocrisie in service before men by the Law of Christ in the government of his Church is cast out as worthy of penalty and the service from the heart of good will hath Rom 13. 2 3. the reward of Christ proportionable to the service And to this agreeth that of the same Apostle to the Church of Christ at Rome Let every Soule be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God that is Christ and the powers that be are ordained of God that is Christ as Jesus himselfe said All power is given unto mee in Heaven and in Earth And who should ordaine the powers on Earth but hee to whom the power was given of all in the earth And further saith the Apostle hee therefore that resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God that is of Christ and reapeth to himselfe judgement meaning before the power for saith he Princes are not to be feared for good workes but for evill Wilt thou then
be without feare of the power doe well then So thou shalt have praise of the same that is not judgement of penalty but reward For he is the Minister or Instrument of Christ for thy wealth but if thou dost evill feare the penalty For hee beareth not the Sword for naught For hee is the Minister of God that is Christ that ordained him to take vengeance on him that doth evill Wherefore yee must bee subject not because of wrath onely but also for conscience sake For for this cause yee pay tribute for they are Gods that is Christs Ministers applying themselves for the same thing So that wee may see this Law given in grace in the hand of the Mediator the man Christ Jesus the bringer of his people out of all bondage manifested to his Church of Believers the Israelites with Thunder and Lightning Smoake and Fire and the sound of the Trumpet to incite the people to heare obey and doe the same in singlenesse of Heart And which was by Christ himselfe written in Tables of stone to shew the continuance thereof to men And was delived to Moses by Christ himselfe as his principall chosen and fitted Minister and instrument that hee as Christ the Mediator did indite and guide him might as the pen of Christ draw the branches of the whole body of the Law into such particulars and so many as were behovable and usefull for cleernesse and easinesse of understanding and doing thereof to weake and corrupted man And that Moses should call Aaron and his Sons and the seaventy of the chosen Believers of Israel to joyn and bee assistants to him in the Ministry thereof in the severall branches thereof for worship to God for Safety Society and Comfort of the people among themselves That is the Law Gal. 6. 2. Rom 3. 27 called the Law of Christ The Law of Faith The new Commandement love of one another Joh. 13. 34. This Law manifested then to this people by Christ to bee Ministred in his Church of Israel by such instruments as hee 1 Joh. 3. 8. 2 Joh 5. then particularly named was after held on in the Ministration thereof by and in the time of Joshua the believing Judges Kings Priests Prophets Yea and by and in the time of the Apostles of Christ still to be ministred heard and obeyed before men in singlenesse of heart and conscious eyes as before Christ himselfe of the whole Church of Christ upon Earth upon proportionable temporall praise and reward to bee certainly had of the conscionable observers And upon proportionall temporall penalty to bee certainly inflicted unlesse there be true Repentance upon the failing therein before men by the successive ordained powers instruments and Ministers of Christ for prayse and vengeance according And this Law to believers the Apostle Paul most cleerly holdeth forth for continuance thereof in his Epistle to the Church of Christ at Rome from the beginning of the twelfth Chapter to the end of his Epistle both for the duties therein and Ministry thereof but most cleerly in thirteenth Chapter It was onely the Church of Christ upon Earth that Paul had respect unto and a care of and not of those which were without the Church Neither did Christ intend and give his Law in grace but onely to those and in respect to those which the Father had chosen in him and given to him to redeem not to the least children of wrath Quest Hath repentance of the Elect place and power in the Law given in grace by the hand of the Mediator the man Christ Jesus to quit the transgressors thereof before men from the temporall penalty of that Law Ans Repentance which is true and Faithfull Repentance hath place in this Law and also power to quit the Believers which are transgression thereof before men as their transgression was transgression before men This is plaine and evident by the expressions of Moses in many branches of this Law indited by Christ himselfe where Restitutions Satisfactions and the like are admitted to quit the offender against the Law and respect thereof before men And the Prophets especially in the Prophet Ezechiel his 18. Chapter And John Baptist Mat. 3. 2. and Christ himselfe Mark 1. 15. and the Apostles all shew that Repentance hath place in this Law of Christ and power to quit offending believers from the transgression and the penalty of their transgression before men But this true and faithfull Repentance must alwayes have these foure a juncts godly sorrow for the Fault confessing amendment of Life and restitution with satisfaction to men before men Therefore the Apostle saith godly sorrow causeth-Repentance unto salvation or safety and the Apostle saith confesse 2 Cor. 10. Mat. 3. 8 your faults one to another And John Baptist preaching Repentance saith amend your lives And the Law of Christ was Luke 3. at large for restitution to the acquitting of the Theefe or like offenders Exod. 22. 3. 5 6. 12. And Zacheus when hee believed in Christ presently tendered restitution to all hee had taken any thing from wrongfully And who can thinke there can be true repentance without sorrow Luke 19. 8. and griefe for the offence whether it bee be in word or deed fore men who will thinke that hee repente th that goeth on still in his sinne and amendeth not at all and if Repentance would quit Theeves Deceivers and Robbers c. without Satisfaction and Restitution proud greedy Enemies and corrupt man would thinke Robbing Theeving Deceiveing yea Treason Murther Slandering and the like a good Trade But the good and gracious Law of Christ is cleer that although hee graciously admitteth of Repentance of sinnes in Believers to quit them of their sinnes before men yet it must be not onely with godly Sorrow Confession and amendement of Life but also with proportionable restitution and satisfaction to men to the uttermost of their abilities And to this purpose Augustine a renowned Father â—in Christs Church said non dimititur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum That is sinnes not forgiven unlesse restitution be made And againe without satisfaction there is no salvation which is true thus If Christ hath not satisfied God for thy sinne Thou canst not have salvation before God And if thou doest not satisfie men their Trespasse Debt and Due to thy power Thou canst have no salvation or safety before men Thy repentance otherwise is not good but thou art liable to the proportion able penalty still And as it was a great Love and Grace of God to his Elect to admit of and to be pleased with his Christs performance and satisfaction for their acquittance of sinne and for their righteousnesse before God which they could no way have made or done and where Repentance had no place The Law being doe this and Live doe it not and Die Eternally So was it a great Love and grace yea great Mercy of Christ to his Elect Believers to make a way for and to admit