the foresaid opinions with all the evil consequences thereof Flee youthfull lusts and follow after righteousnesse faith charity peace with those that call on the Lord out of a pure heart the neglect whereof occasioned the falling away of those afore-mentioned as by the coherence of these verses doth manifestly appear 2. Nor doth it any better suite with the Text it self wherein Timothy is required with meeknesse to instruct those that oppose themselves the end whereof as also of Gods forbearance being every where in the Scriptures declared to be none other than mens repentance and therefore to whomsoever the same is vouchsafed the possibility of their repentance thereby must needs be supposed because it doth not stand with the wisdome of God to propound an end from such means whereby it cannot possibly be effected And it s frequently to be observed in Christ that he directeth his instruction only to those that have ears to hear Mat. 11.15 13 43. Reve. 2.7 11 17 29 verses chapter 3 6 13 22 verses Thereby doubtlesse to informe us that if men were absolutely uncapable of hearing and receiving the same it should not at all be preached unto them Besides It cannot be supposed that God should command his servants to cast holy things unto Swine to be trampled under their feet or to spil the immortall and incorruptible Seed of his Word as water upon the ground the consequence of the contrary opinion seeing that it is delivered by him for a generall rule to be observed by them That when men by their preaching unto them were fully enlightened in the knowledge of his Grace and of eternall Salvation brought unto them by Jesus Christ and should then wilfully and stubbornly reiect the same put it from them and judge themselves unworthy thereof thereby declaring that no hopes of their repentance were to be expected from thence that then they should depart from them and cease to preach any further unto them Acts 13.45 46 47. And therefore it may not be imagined that either the persons intended in the text whom Timothy was required to instruct or any other to whom the Gospel was sent to be preached were altogether uncapable of improving the same to the end thereof Which considered the meaning of the Apostle in this place must be understood only as if he should have commanded Timothy to instruct with meeknesse those that oppose themselves because that paradventure at one time or other they might hearken therunto lay it to heart and improve the same to their repentance c. God being said as was shewed before not only to give unto us such things wherewith we are immediatly possessed by his meer devotion but all such things likewise which are obtained by our laborious industry and improvement of the means vouchsafed unto us for those ends He giveth unto us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6.17 Day by Day he giveth unto us our daily bread 5. The fifth text alleadged is Rom. 11.5 6. The words are these Even so at this present time also there is a remnant according to the Election of Grace and if by Grace then is it no more of workes otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of workes then it is no more of Grace otherwise worke is no more worke From whence it is conceived that by the Covenant of Grace all workes on mens part either in reference to their Election or Salvation are wholly excluded and that there is not any thing required to be done by them thereunto Answ To which I answer first That it was shewed before in answer to Rom. 8.28 29 30. That Election is not in the first but in the second Adam not of the disobedient but of the repentant godly rich in Faith c. which with comparing the 4 verse with the 5 before alleadged will receive further confirmation For when in the 4 vers the Apostle having declared That those whom God reserved to himself in the daies of Elias were such only who in obedience unto him refused to bow the knee to the Image of Baal In the 5 verse he addeth That even so at this present time also there is a remnant according to the Election of Grace which is as if he should have said Whereas a great number of the Israelites are rejected and cast off from the favour of God you are not to conceive them to be so rejected for any other cause then for their wilfull and stubborn disobedience against his word revealed unto them chap. 1.17 chap. 10.18 21. chap. 11.20 For as in the daies of Elias he reserved to himself all those that hearkened unto him and refused to bow to the Image of Baal Even so likewise at this time he reserveth to himself for his sonnes and daughters all those that submit themselves to his righteousnesse chap. 10.3 Harden not their hearts Hebr. 3.8 17 18 19. Nor judge themselves unworthy of eternall life Acts 13.46 47. Nor yet doth he so reject any of them for their unbelief but that he will readily accept of them again if that they doe not continue therein Rom. 11.23 2. I answer That when the Apostle saith That Election to Salvation is not of workes but of Grace he doth not thereby exclude all works in reference therunto but the workes of perfection according to the law of innocency and creation only from which estate man-kinde being fallen Eccl. 7.29 their Justification and Salvation thereby must needs be altogether impossible That Grace doth not exclude all Workes doth evidently appear from hence viz. That integrity and uprightnes of heart which properly consisteth in a ready and chearfull conformity to all the Commandments of God made known unto us so far forth as opportunity and ability doth afford is required of every man to his Salvation Gen. 17.1 2 7. 1 Chron. 28.9 Mat. 6.48 Mat. 19.16 17 21. In which respect Christ implieth the young man Mat. 19.21 23. that refused to sell all that he had and give to the poor and to take up his Crosse and follow him when it was required of him to be imperfect and incapable of entring into eternall life And S. John denieth that man to have the love of God dwelling in him that seeth his brother stand in need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion towards him 1 John 3.17 And from hence it is that S. James declareth That that faith which obtaineth justification is made perfect thorough workes Iames 2.21 22 23 * Abrahams integrity engaged him to offer up his Son upon the Altar when it was required of him and by offering of him up he is said to fulfill the Scripture which said that he believed God Jam. 2.23 Which plainly argueth that all knowne duties or works within a mans power to be performed are so essentiall to integrity and faith that they cannot possibly be distinguished whence Abraham that one while is said to be justified by faith Rom. 4.9 is otherwhiles by S. James chap. 2.21 declared
therein God should be a respecter of persons and that the reason why God doth not accept of one man working righteousnesse and reject another is because that he is no respecter of persons Secondly the same Apostle in 1 Peter 1.17 exhorting Believers to take heed and feare least that they disobey and displease God groundeth his exhortation upon the impartiality of Gods proceeding towards all men without respect of persons in which argument there would be no force to disswade them from disobedience if that God without respect of persons could dispence with one man in his disobedience more than with another Again Paul in the Rom. 2.4 to the 11. Admonisheth all sorts of men Not to despise the riches of the goodnesse of God leading them to repentance but through patience to continue in wel-doing and not to obey unrighteousnesse for this reason That there is no respect of persons with God And upon the same reason Jehoshaphat chargeth the Judges whom he had appointed to judge the people To administer righteous judgement 2 Chron. 19.7 And likewise Paul upon the same ground instructeth servants to serve their masters not with eye-service but in singlenesse of heart as to the Lord Eph. 6.9 Col. 3.25 Clearly evincing that God being no respecter of person hee cannot accept of one man and reject another in the same estate and condition an evill which he reproveth Jam. 2.2 3 4 5 6. Condemne one man for his offence and acquit another under the same guilt but to all men in one and the same capacity equally and alike administreth his mercies and favours reproofs and punishments Which equality of proceedings towards all men is by God himselfe in Ezek. 18.21 22 23 24 25. plainly avowed in the words following If that the wicked will turne from his sinnes that he hath committed and keep all my Statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live he shall not die all his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not bee mentioned unto him in his righteousnesse that hee hath done he shall live Have I any pleasure at all saith the Lord that the wicked should die and not that hee should returne from his waies and live But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse that he hath trespassed and in his sins that he hath sinned he shall die Yet you say the way of the Lord is not equal Seeing then that God is no respecter of persons but dispenseth his favour and displeasure in an equall proportion and even measure unto every man not prefering one before another it must needs thereupon follow that in the estate of nature wherein all men are concluded to be alike every man hath a like esteeme with him and receiveth alike from him And although that sometimes hee affordeth more meanes of Instruction unto some people in the estate of nature than he doth unto others as formerly hee did to the Jewes more than to the Gentiles Yet if it be considered that where he giveth much hee asketh the more againe Luke 12.48 And that such meanes doth not necessarily enforce those persons to whom it is granted to the love and obedience of the giver thereof nor that the want of those extraordinary meanes doth necessarily hinder any men from walking acceptably unto God but that as the Scriptures declare the Gentiles who faithfully served God according to the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2.15 16 26. c. found as good an acceptation with God as the Jewes that served him according to the Letter of the Law delivered unto them Nothing can be inferred from hence to prove that God in the estate of nature loveth one man more than another so as to necessitate his salvation rather than another Object The Scriptures declare Titus 3.3 c. 2 Tim. 1.9 That God calleth and saveth some men not according to their workes but according to his Grace which was given them before the world but hee doth not so call and save all therefore he doth respect the persons of some men above others For Answer to this Objection I shall only endeavour briefly to clear the Scripture alleadged for the countenance thereof the first of which is Tit. 3.3 c. wherein is declared First what the Cretians were before the Grace of God in Christ was made knowne unto them to wit foolish disobedient serving divers lusts c. vers 3. Secondly what they became after this Grace of God was revealed unto them viz. they were regenerated and renewed by the holy Ghost Thirdly the benefit that did redound unto them thereby viz. they were justified and made heires according to the hope of eternall life The summe whereof I take to be this That the love and kindnesse of God in Christ towards men appearing unto them in the Ministery of the Apostles vers 4. They were thereby taught and perswaded not necessarily enforced by a power which they could not resist to deny all ungodlinesse and worldy lusts wherein before they lived and to live righteously soberly and godly in this present evil World And hereupon forasmuch as the same Apostle sheweth that godlinesse hath the promise of the World to come they obteined the hope and assurance of eternal life According to Titus 2.11 12 13. Which I take to be the natural exposition of this text And whereas it is said that they were renewed by the Holy Ghost it must not be conceived that they were irresistably so renewed thereby Because it is evident that the Spirit as it is vouchsafed for these ends doth not so operate in any men According to the Scriptures the Spirit is communicated unto men only these two wayes First Ministerially in the preaching of the Gospel to instruct men in the knowledge of the same and from thence to leade them to the unfeigned obedience thereof In which respect Jesus Christ who spake not of himselfe but according as the Spirit of God that was upon him wherewith hee was Anointed to preach the Gospel Luke 4.18 taught him what hee should say and what hee should speake John 12.49 saith The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit John 6.63 So likewise the Ministery of the Apostles wherein they delivered nothing but what they had heard or seen 1 Joh. 1.1 nor spake otherwise than according as the Spirit gave them utterance Acts 2.4 Is called the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 and in like manner in 1 Pet. 3.17 18. the spirit is said to preach repentance to the World in the dayes of Noah And thus the naturall man is instructed in the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.13 14. Secondly Actually to those that have received and subjected themselves to the obedience of the Gospel the Spirits instruction Repent and be Baptized and ye shall
2.3 Secondly Because it is also to be observed That when he useth the concurrence of man for the accomplishing of any worke he alwaies distinguisheth the work of man from that which belongeth to himself to perform therein and whatsoever he requireth of them in such cases that he will have to be performed by them and will not himself do it for them As first when he gave the people in the wildernes water out of the rock Numb 20.8 he precisely distinguisheth unto Moses the work that he required of him thereunto Take the rod saith he and gather the Assembly together thou and Aaron thy brother and speak ye unto the rock before their eies and it shall give forth his water Secondly Likewise when he promised to deliver the City of Jericho unto his people for the over-throw of the walls thereof he plainly and evidenty declared what he required of them to that end Josh 6.3 4 5. Ye shall compasse the City saith he all ye men of warre and goe about the City once thus shalt thou doe six daies And seven Priests shall bear before the Ark seven Trumpets of Rams-horns and the seventh day ye shall compasse the City seven times and the Priests shall blow with the Trumpets And it shall come to passe that when they make a long blast with the Rams-horns and when ye hear the sound of the Trumpets all the people shall shout with a great shout and the wall of the City shall fall Thirdly And also when he made it his work to destroy the Canaanites and the other Nations for their great and abominable wickednesse and to give the possession of their Land to the children of Israel he clearly manifested unto them what he would have performed on their part for the accomplishment thereof They were to observe his Word and to obey his voice As we reade Exod. 23.20 21 22. and in particular to goe armed before the Lord unto battel Num. 32.20 And he himself would cause the hearts of their enemies to fail them for fear and make them turn their backs upon them untill they were destroyed Exod. 23.27 And this he doth Because that he will not give his glory unto another Isa 42.8 which would necessarily follow upon his requiring of men and assigning unto them the performance of those things which immediately concerneth himself or by his not distinguishing the work of man from his own in such actions wherein his concurrence is required In regard that no man can possibly ascribe unto him the honour of that work which is not evidently discovered to be wrought by him Whereas therefore we finde that men are absolutely commanded to repent c. and are no where required to stand still or wait upon God untill such time as he shall necessitate them thereunto nor yet can finde any distinction made therein as that man should doe this or that and that God will doe the rest repentance as it is considered whether in the disposition of the minde or in the actions and exercise thereof must be concluded the peculiar work of men by the use and improvement of the means vouchsafed unto them by God for that purpose the which will further appear from these grounds 1. Because that the penitent shall rise up in judgement against the impenitent and condemn them as appeareth by the words of Christ in Mat. 12.41 The men of Nineveh saith he shall rise up in judgement against this generation and condemn them because they repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold a greater then Jonas is here which could not be if that repentance were the peculiar work of God and not of men by the improvement of the means For where there is no difference in men but that which is enforced in them by God the one can be no accusation against the other in respect of any such difference for as he that did repent would not have repented if he had not been enforced so he that did not repent would have repented if that he had been enforced And therefore the men of Nineveh if they were enforced to repent can be no greater an accusation against the Iews for their impenitency in the day of judgement then Benjamins brethren can be against him in respect of the cup that was put into his sack against his will or procurement 2. Because the Scriptures doe plainly declare That God doth not require of men beyond what he giveth unto them means to attain unto as we may perceive in the Parable of the talents in Luk. 19.15 where none are called to give an account before Christ at his coming but those to whom before hand he had delivered his money to be improved nor nothing required of any of them but proportionably to that which was delivered to them to whom he giveth much he asketh the more again according to his saying in Luk. 12.48 And so on the contrary From whence it doth follow That seeing repentance is required of all men and that all men shall be accountable to God concerning the same That therefore all men have the means of repentance vouchsafed unto them that repentance by the improvement therof peculiarly appertaineth unto them and is no otherwise to be obtained 3. Because that the impenitent are charged with rebellion against God in respect of their impenitency which plainly argueth repentance not only to be the peculiar work of man but also within his power to be performed rebellion being none other then a wilfull and stubborn refusall of that known duty which a man is enabled to perform And so much the words of the text do evidently declare Ezek. 12.2 Son of man saith the Lord to the Prophet thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house That have eies to see and see not they have ears to hear and hear not Their rebellion being demonstrated from this ground That they have eies and see not c. i.e. they know and understand how to perform their duty but they will not do it according to that in Chap. 33.31 32. He that knoweth to do well and doth not to him it is sin Jam. 4 17. Whereas that which a man understandeth not nor is any waies able to perform is imputed to his infirmity only which God will never lay to his charge Heb. 5.2 For we have an high-Priest that can have compassion on the ignorant and of those that are out of the way I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly 1 Tim. 1.13 CHAP. VII That the opinion of enforcing Faith and Repentance in men cannot stand with the nature of the last Judgement by Christ THis Doctrine namely of Gods necessitating repentance c. in men is inconsistent with the last sentence of Christ which as the Scriptures declare shal be according to every mans works And therfore forasmuch as al such things wherunto men are enforced by a power which they cannot resist are imputable only unto that power whereby they are so enforced It must follow that
if that some men should by God be necessitated to repentance c. they could be no more justified according to the sentence of Christ in relation thereunto then any other men could be condemned with reference to such evill actions whereunto they were enforced by a power which they could no waies possibly resist To make this evident by the Scriptures in Mat. 16.27 it 's declared by Christ himself That when he commeth in the Glory of his Father with his Angels he will reward every man according to his workes In like manner Revel 22.12 he saith Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his worke shall be agreeable unto which is the Testimony of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his boby according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad According to which rule the Scriptures aforehand describing unto us the manner of the last Judgement as if it were already past we finde the sentence of Christ denounced towards all persons Mat. 25.34 with Rev. 20.12 13. Secondly That all such actions c. whereunto persons are enforced against the choice and assent of their own wils are not imputed unto them as their own actions will plainly appear first by Deut. 22.25 26. If a man saith the Text finde a betrothed Damsell in the field and force her then the man only that forced her shall die But unto the Damsell thou shalt doe nothing there is in the Damsell no sin worthy of death for as when a man riseth against his neighbour and slayeth him even so is this matter Likewise by the words of the Apostle in Rom. 7.2 If I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me from which in the 24 and 25. verses he concludeth That God would acquit him And thereupon in the 1. verse of the 8. chapter declareth unto all That there is no condemnation belonging unto men for such actions The reason hereof is Because that God looketh only at the heart of a man 1 Sam. 16.7 and alwaies judgeth of him according to what he observeth therein whether it be good or bad what is willed and determined therein he reckoneth it as if it were done though through want of opportunity or ability it never be effected from whence it is that the Apostle declareth unto us for a generall rule in the 2 Cor. 8.12 That if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not which we finde verified unto us by a clear instance in the 1 King 8.18.19 of Gods kinde acceptation of Davids affection to build him an House though that it was never built by him Whereas it was in thy heart saith the Lord to build me an house thou didst well that it was in thine heart nevertheles thou shalt not build me the House c. And we may also observe that Solomon who by Gods appointment did build it received not a greater reward for his action therein then David did for his affection thereunto And so on the other side Christ informeth us That the things that defile a man are only those that proceed from his heart Out of the heart saith he Mat. 15.19 20. proceedeth evil thoughts he speaketh not of those that are suggested or that at unawares arise therein and are forthwith quenched and suppressed for these defile no man but of those that are conceived and harboured therein which when opportunity serveth break forth into murthers adulteries fornications thefts false witnes blasphemies these defile the man upon which ground it is That the Scriptures declareth David to be a man according to Gods own heart save only in the matter of Vriah 1 Kings 15.5 Wherein deliberately and with purpose of heart as must needs be conceived he chose the thing which he knew to be evill which in other cases wherein his actions much swerved from the rules of perfect justice he did not and therefore is neither blamed nor accused for them Object God doth not justifie men for Faith but by Faith nor reward them for their workes but according to their workes the reward of good workes being Grace belonging to Adopted Children not to servants for the worke done Answ The distinction betwixt Justification by Faith and for Faith is altogether vaine seeing that he that is justified by Faith or by reason thereof which is all one is so justified for Faith Because that without Faith he cannot please God Hebr. 11.5 6. nor obtain acceptation with him Thy Faith saith Christ to the woman hath saved thee Luke 7.5 The like may be said concerning the distinction betwixt reward for workes and according to workes in regard that he that is rewarded according to his workes is so rewarded for his workes as he that is rewarded according as he hath fed relieved and feasted the poor that were not able to feast him again as Christ hath promised in Luke 14.13 14. or as he that is rewarded according as he hath given a cup of cold water in the name of Christ having no better in his power to give he is so rewarded for that he hath so done by reason that otherwise he should have received no such reward And yet it is not to be denied but that Justification through Faith and reward of good workes originally proceedeth from the meer Grace and speciall favour of God in Jesus Christ considering that by the Law we can lay claim unto no such thing but must acknowledge our selves according to that Covenant guilty of everlasting death or the dissolution of our natures for ever in the Grave and therefore whatsoever we either doe or shall receive from God more or lesse than this as our present being in this life the enjoyment of the Creatures a time of repentance with the means thereof as redemption from the curse of the Law Resurrection to another life Adoption and Salvation through Faith or conformity to the will of God known and understood by us must be attributed to the alone Grace of God in Jesus Christ through whom he hath obtained these things for us and Covenanted and granted to bestow there upon us According to which distinction betwixt the Covenants is that distinction which runneth through the Rodie of the New-Testament betwixt righteousnes and righteousnes workes and workes reward and reward to be understood according to the first covenant There is none that doth good none righteous but all have sinned and are fallen short of the Glory of God accursed dead and excluded from all happinesse for ever But in relation to the second Covenant made with us in Christ as we were considered in this estate we are through his death and resurrection redeemed from death made alive from the dead under a Law of liberty sutable to our frailty and
to be justified by workes For where workes such as are within a mans power are wanting integrity is wanting and where integrity is wanting faith is dead verse 17 26. Unprofitable Gal. 5.6 And not to be distinguished from that of the Devil Jam. 2.19 And seeing then that all such workes which are within mens power to performe are required of them to their Salvation It must needs be granted when the Apostle saith That it is not of workes that his meaning therin is none other then that it is not of workes of perfection according to the law of our creation which are impossible for any man to performe so as to be justified thereby Gal. 2.16 And that the difference betwixt Workes and Grace or the Law and the Gospel standeth only in this viz. That the first requireth unto life that which is impossible unto men in their fallen estate the later no more then what is possible unto them therein and so consequently that life and Salvation which could not be obtained by any through the covenant of workes may be obtained by all through the covenant of Grace which will more evidently appear if it be considered First That the only and speciall reason why the first Covenant was repealed and the second vouchsafed is declared to be this viz. That the first could not give life unto men that is to say in their fallen estate for in the estate of innocency it must needs be acknowledged it could If there had been a Law that could have given life saith the text Gal. 3.21 verily righteousnesse had been by the Law but in regard it could not therefore as the words of the Apostle in Hebr. 8.6 7. doe plainly intimate the Lord found fault therewith abolished it and gave unto men a more excellent Covenant instead thereof that is to say a covenant wherby salvation might be obtained by them in their fallen estate for seeing that the goodnesse of God and his desire of mens Salvation was such as caused him to abolish the first Covenant because it could not give life unto them no reasonable man can conceive that his said goodnesse and love towards them would suffer him to give unto them a second Covenant as faulty and unable to give life unto them as that abolished and if not Then forasmuch as by the later workes are required to be performed by men to their Salvation as well as by the former the excellency of the later above the former must needs be acknowledged to consist only in this viz. That the workes required thereby and the conditions upon which life is promised therin are performable by men in their fallen estate whereas those required thereunto by the other were not In which respect it is that in the 6 verse the Apostle declareth that the later is established upon better promises then the former Secondly That those that endeavoured to reduce men from the Doctrine of the Gospel to the observation of the Law are by the Apostles Acts 15.10 charged with tempting God by putting a yoak upon the necks of the Disciples which they were not able to bear And to the Galathians which were perverted by those false teachers Paul in Gal. 3.1 3. thus writeth O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth Are ye so foolish that having begun in the Spirit are ye made perfect by the Law which plainly argueth that the Doctrine of the Gospel which they preached was no such yoak because that then they themselves in preaching the Gospel turning men from Moses to Christ should have bin liable to the same reproof which they laid upon others And as foolish should the Galathians have been in hearkening to them preaching the Gospel as they were in hearkening to the false Apostles preaching the Law For of two yoaks alike intollerable wisdome directeth a man to choose the one as soon as the other and not to prefer the one before the other and therefore unlesse that we will suppose the Apostles to be guilty of tempting God in the same nature wherein they accuse and censure others and thereby to make themselves inexcusable both before God and men Rom. 2.1 we must needs conclude that the yoak or precepts of the Gospel which they endeavoured to impose upon men were not intollerable or grievous 1 John 5.3 Like unto those of the Law but easie and light Mat. 11.30 and so consequently that righteousnesse life and salvation impossible by the former is possible and may be attained by the later 3. That Paul in the 2 Cor. 3.7 9. speaking of the Law calleth it the Ministration of death and of condemnation And contrariwise speaking of the Gospel or New Testament he calleth it the ministration of righteousnesse and in verse the 6 saith That the first killeth but the later giveth life Now forasmuch as the Law in it's own nature is neither the ministration of death nor condemnation being holy just and good promising life and would assuredly bring us to the possession thereof could we but observe what it requireth or attain unto that originall innocency and purity in which we were created therefore it is so called only in respect that in the necessary consequence therof by reason of our inability to fulfill the same it becommeth such unto us And therefore if that the conditions of the new Covenant were no more performable then those of the Law the Gospel could not be called the ministration of righteousnesse and life any more then the Law because it is the savour of death unto death unto all those that disobey it as well as the Law John 3.19 Hebr. 10.28 29. and conferreth neither righteousnes nor life unto any that observe it not any more then the Law therefore whereas it is called the ministration of righteousnesse and life in opposition to the Law it must needs be understood in this respect That righteousnesse life and Salvation impossible by the Law may be obtained by it 4. The same Apostle likewise discoursing of the two Covenants in the ninth and tenth chapters of the Romans and having in the 32 verse of the 9. chapter after a large discourse concerning the same concluded righteousnesse not to be attainable by the Law in the 8 verse of the 10. chapter he declareth That the righteousnesse that is by the Gospel is nigh unto us even in our mouthes and in our hearts then which nothing can be more near unto us And in Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. whereunto he hath allusion to prevent all objections concerning this thing Moses thus speaketh The commandment that I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it farre off It is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say who shall goe over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and doe
it But the word is nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou maiest doe it then which what words can possibly be used more emphatically to set forth to our understandings that righteousnesse which was impossible by the Law is not only possible but easie to be obtained by the Gospel it is not hidden from us nor far off but near unto us in our mouthes and in our hearts that we may doe it Far from their opinion that affirme That God must bow the Heavens and come down into our Souls and infuse into them supernaturall light and faith before that we can either understand or doe any thing requisite to our Salvation 5. But to put this point out of all dispute Whereas the Scriptures do informe us that according to the Law of workes There is none righteous none that doth good no not one Rom. 3.10 12. and yet notwithstanding doe also informe us That Abel Heb. 11.4 Noah Gen. 7.1 Abimelech Gen. 20.4 Lot 2 Pet. 2 8. Zechariah Luke 1.6 were all of them righteous men That Jacob Mat. 1.19 Simeon Luke 2.25 Cornelius were just men Acts 10.1 22. That Job chap. 1.18 Asa 1 Chron. 15.17 and others were upright and perfect men Phil. 3.15 That Ahimaas the son of Zadock 2 Sam. 18.27 and Barnabas the son of consolation were both of them good men Acts 11.24 It must therefore necessarily follow That what was impossible by the Law or covenant of workes is possible by the Gospel or covenant of Grace and that righteousnesse justice goodness and eternall Salvation which could not be obtained by the former hath and may be obtained by the later And yet notwithstanding although that the Covenant of Grace or the Gospel doth require to Salvation the performance of all such good workes which are within our power to performe yet ought it and that eminently to be esteemed by us a Covenant of Grace and that for these respects First In regard of the time state and condition wherein all man-kinde were when this Covenant was vouchsafed unto them That is to say When all man-kinde by reason of Adams transgression were brought under the guilt of condemnation and everlasting oblivion having no eie to pity them Ezek. 16.5 6. nor ability to deliver themselves from peace but must of necessity have perished therein for ever 1 Cor. 15.16 17 18. That then God the Father of all pity and compassion commended his love unto them Rom. 15.8 and forth of his infinite goodnesse was graciously pleased by the death of his only begotten Son to pay the price of their redemption to ransome them from that estate 2 Cor. 5.14 1 Cor. 15.21 22. and to say unto them return from corruption ye perishing sons of men and live and in relation thereunto to grant this Covenant of life and Salvation unto them 2. That because in this Covenant God requireth of us lesse than his due and no more then what in our fallen estate we are sufficiently enabled to performe and render unto him we owed unto him perfect innocency being in creation made perfect by him Eccl. 7.29 he asketh of us but integrity consistent with nocency and imperfection so considered as plainly appeareth by that which is spoken concerning David 1 Kings 9.4 Asa 1 Kings 15.14 Simeon Luke 2.25 Cornelius Acts 10.22 and divers others declared to be perfect just and upright men notwithstanding all their frailties sensurable by the covenant of works and are by God approved and accepted in reference to his covenant of Grace 3. In regard that although we have our lives of Grace and that he asketh of us so little in comparison of what we are indebted unto him he is so bountiful as to grant us a reward of all our workes Hebr. 11.6 ye such an exceeding great reward that our light afflictions which are but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 That he should grant us any reward at all for any service done unto him if we consider that it was nothing but his owne which we gave unto him that we received it of him and that we our selves likewise are his and that by a double debt it must needs according to the humble confession of David be acknowledged great bounty in him 1 Chro. 29.13 14 15 16. but that he should so far regard our bounden affection as to reward us for our very meanest workes even for a cup of cold water given in his name and to grant us so great a reward for so small a worke as a Prophets reward doubtles one of the greatest for but receiving a Prophet in the name of a Prophet Mat. 10.41 must needs be acknowledged transcendent Grace love that passeth all knowledge The 6. Text is Jerem. 31.31 32 33 34. the words whereof are as followeth Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which covenant they brake although that I was a husband unto them But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I wil put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c. From whence it is ordinarily objected That God hath covenanted necessarily and unavoidably to instruct some men in the knowledge of himself and by putting his Lawes into their hearts to worke in them repentance faith c. The which objection as it supposeth some men to be more accepted and beloved of God in the estate of unbelief then others hath been often before disproved yet in regard that it hath so seeming a countenance of truth put upon it by this Scripture with some others speaking in the same language I shall further answer thereunto desiring First That it may be considered that seeing there are but two Covenants known at any time to be given by God unto men the one of works the other of Grace all man-kinde must be concluded either to be under the first or under the later of them 1. But under the first they are not because that God finding fault therewith hath repealed it caused it to wax old and to vanish away Heb. 8 7-13 2. Secondly Hath redeemed all men from the curse and penalty thereof death Gal. 3.13 3. Thirdly Hath prohibited all men from seeking righteousnesse thereby Acts 15.10 Romans 10.3 And therefore all men must be concluded to be under the second And not for these reasons only But also 4. Fourthly Because that the duties of the second Covenant viz. Repentance c. is required of all Act. 17.30 And 5. Fifthly That Salvation the end thereof is thereupon promised unto all whence those that perish are charged with neglecting Salvation Heb. 2.3 6. And lastly Because