grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 I have lived in all good conscience before God to this day Act. 23.1 I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience beareth me witnes in the Holy-ghost Ro. 9.1 Thus you see that we must not content our selves with a bare testimony but we must labour to see the work wrought in us let but thy conscience bring thee to thy tryall and thou shalt easily see how it is with thee and doe not say that this is legall teaching lest thou be filled with fancies and no reall worke of grace be wrought as yet in thee and doe not thinke that the spirit of God will worke when thou liest still and remainest an empty trunke or a dead stone no thou must be made a living stone and must worke actively by the movings of the spirit of God in thee draw me and we will runne after thee Cant. 1.3 I shall runne the wayes of thy Commandements when thou doest inlarge my heart Psal 119.32 but this they condemne as legall teaching because spirituall sloathfulnesse hath so possessed them that they will make no other triall but rest upon a bare idle perswasion or testimony but whether it came from God or the divell they know not Well they say they are justified as soone as they were borne and then as righteous as Christ and this they know from a bare testimony now it followes say they that God cannot correct them neither doth he correct for their sinne but onely to exercise their faith I grant that God doth not punish his children in wrath and fury with plagues and vengeance but as gentle corrections from a loving father for their good yet still sinne was the cause of it saith David there is no soundnesse in my flesh nor rest in my bones because of my sinne Psal 38.3 4 5. why doth the living man complaine man is punished for his sinne Lam. 3.39 then art thou made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come unto thee John 5.14 if David a man after Gods owne heart sinne scandalously the sword shall never depart from his house 2 Sam. 12 10. God is not partiall in his corrections though Coniah were as the signet upon my right hand yet would I plucks him thence Ier. 22.24 that soule that sinneth it shall dye Ezek. 18. all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked Eccles 9.2 the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 And every sicknesse or inward griese or sorrow or outward hurts or maladies all are but parts and parcels of this wages that we receive from the service of sinne and we receive this wages by parts and parsels daily for as Adam in the day that he sinned he began to dye he received some part of that wages of sinne death seized upon him and slew him by degrees and so we as soon as we were borne began to dye and all those afflictions and sorrowes that doe befall us doe but hallen us to our end but who is freed from these things what man is he that liveth and shall not see death Ps 89.41 our Prophets are dead and our fathers are fallen asleep wise men dye as well as fooles for all must dye and be as water spile upon the ground 2 Sam. 14.14 then God doth correct and that heavily for sinne yet his corrections are sweetned to his people the sting or bitternesse of them is takâ—n out yet we shall not be freed from corrections nor death so long as we carry a body of sinne daily about with us death is passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5.12 but will they say that death is not a correction it is the king of terrours Iob 18.14 will they say death is but to exercise their faith but suppose one of them were shot with a bullet how would he exercise his faith or can they exercise their faith to prevent a sinne when they are corrected for their sinne already committed saith David before J was afflicted J went astray Psal 119.67 and Manasseh was converted in the furnace of afflictions which was the meanes to beget his faith and not to exercise it before he had it it is manifest enough that God doth correct his people for sinne if thy children forsake my law and if they breake my statutes then J will visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquity with stripes neverthelesse J will not take away my mercy from him Psal 89.30 then let not the Antonomeans forsake Gods law lest they feele the weight of his correcting hand you have I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for your iniquities Amos 3.2 then let them take heed how they say when they sinne tush God sees not God is not like to themselves he will reprove them and set their sinnes in order before them consider thâ—â— ye that forget God lest he teare you in â—â—eces and there be none to deliver you Psal 50.21 God will correct Jacob in measure and will not leave him altogethen unpunished Jer. 10.24.20.11 for the transgression of Jacob is all this Micah 1.5 Zachariah and Elizabeth are as famous as any in all the Scripture for being both just and righteous before God and walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse yet saith the Angell to him thou shalt be dumb and not able to speake which was a sore correction because thou beleevest not my words Luke 1.6.20 and Jehosaohat was a good man yet if he helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord there shall wrath from the Lord be upon him nevertheles there are good things found in him 2 Chr. 19.23 Miriam was a good woman yet if she speake against Moses the anger of the Lord is kindled and behold Miriam became leprous white as snow Num. 12.1.9 10. for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne that he receiveth if ye endnre chastening whereof all are partakers then are ye sonnes and not bastards Heb. 12.6 7 8. Ephraim bemoaned himselfe thus Thou hast chastâ—sed me yet saith the Lord Ephraim is my deare sonne he is a pleasant child I doe earnestly remember him still my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord Jer. 31.18.20 it is a signe of a humble heart when the Land is scourged for sinne to acknowledge our sinnes to be the cause of it as David did saying to the Lord I even I onely have sinned and done evill indeed but as for these sheep what have they done 1 Chron. 21.17 see 2 Sam. 24.10 Againe when Nathan came to him he said I have sinned against the Lord 2 Sam. 12.13 Againe it is the brand of a reprobate when God ceaseth to correct him for his sinne I will no more punish your daughters when they commit whoredome nor your spouses when they commit adultery Ephraim is
said also thou shalt not kill now if thou doe not commit adultery yet if thou kill thou art a transgressour of the law Jam. 2.9.10.11 Then bear one anothers burden and so fulfill the law of Christ Gal. 6.2 here Christ claimes the law to be his There is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy Iam. 4.12 the Prophets came all saying Thus saith the Lord but when Christ came and cleered the law from those false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees which say thou shalt not kill but I say whosoever is angry vvith his brother without a cause is in danger of judgement Mat. 5. and ye have heard say thou shalt not commit adultery but I say whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already in his heart and so of the rest therefore obey it and so fulfill the law of Christ for he saith I am not come to destroy the law till Heaven and earth passe away not one tittle or jot shall in no wise passe from the law Mat. 5.17.18 now when Christ hath claimed the law to be his and cleered it from their false glosses then there comes a young man to him saying Master what good thing shall I doe to inherite eternall life then Christ answers him directly saying â—f thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements he saith unto him which Christ answered him thou shalt not commit adultery nor murther nor steale nor beare false witnesse honour thy father and mother and love thy neighbour as thy selfe Mat. 19.16 17. and although outwardly he had beene doing something for which Christ loved him yet there was that inward lust of covetousnesse stucke fast in his heart therefore Christ sends him backe to the law to be humbled for it this one thing thou lackest Marke 10.21 before thou art fit for faith or to have treasure in heaven goe to the law and see thy sinne for by the law is the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 then is the law sinne nay I had not known sinne but by the law I had not knowne lust except the law had said thou shalt not lust Rom. 7.7 and the law shewes us our failings when we are in the state of grace for it we should cast off the law from being a rule to us we should neither know when we sin nor how to recover our selves for where no law is there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 for whosoever sinneth transgresseth the law for sinne is the transgression of the law 1 Ioh. 3.4 then it is time Lord to worke when they have made voyd thy law Psal 119.126 rivers of teares runne downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy law ver 136. so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God for the carnall mind is enmity against God it is not subject the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 Then what shall we say to those sonnes of Beliall that are so weary of the law that as much as in them lyes they seeke to make it void both in the commanding duties and forbidding of vices but cursed be such tenets hath the divell so prevailed with them as to make them take counsell against the Lord and against his Anointed saying let us breake their cords and cast away their bonds from us Psal 2.2 3. How dare they say that Christ hath freed them from all duty and that they owe the Lord no obedience at all so that what they doe is out of their free love and curtesie and not from any duty or obedience to his law which is no rule for beleevers But doe they make void the law God forbid Rom. 3.31 faith should be imployed to fetch power from Christ to enable us to obey the law vve are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 but vve can doe all things through Christ strengthening us Phil. 4.13 then faith doth not free us of our duty but makes us more able to performe our duty to the law of God and therefore it is called the obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 it stands not with true faith to call them legall divines by way of scorne and dirision that call upon us and put us in mind of our duty to the Lord because say they we owe him none but let them know and be sure that their sinnes will find them out Numb 32.23 let them take heed how they say that God is like to themselves lest he reprove them and set their sinnes in order before them now consider this ye that forget God lest he teare you in peeces and there be none to deliver you Psal 50.21.22 certainly that man was never justified from his sinne that thinkes it not his duty to mortifie it and doth not grieve and mourne for want of strength to subdue it and his duty to pray against it which our Antinomeans renounce saying this is legall teaching and they will try their condition onely from a bare testimony as I said before although it be a suggestion of the divell it may serve their turne well enough while they despise the operation of the spirit of God sanctifying and changing them and setting up his owne Image in them giving them grace for grace with Christ they say if we looke upon these markes and signes to know our condition this is legall this vvill not stand with their free grace vvhich frees them of that labour vvhich should search and try them they take all from a testimony vvithout examination but this building vvill not endure the storme of persecution Then they say that they love God terribly and this frees them from their duty they say the love of Christ constraines them but they vvill not tell us to what for they flatly deny all duty to the Law of God but saith Christ when ye have done all that ye can you have but done your duty Luke 17.10 and saith Christ ye call me Lord and Master and ye say well for so I am but then ye ought to wash one anothers feet for the servant is not above the Master if ye knovv these things happy are ye if ye doe them John 13.15.16 if the yong man call him Master presently he sends him to his worke and duty of obedience Mat. 19.17 if I be your Master vvhere is my feare Mat. 1.6 It is not enough to call him Lord and Master and then to deny all duty of obedience to him this was the love of Judas who cryed Hale Master when he betrayed him so these men say that they love him dearely but they defie all duty to him for they owe him none but time will come when they that say Lord Lord shall not come to heaven but he that doth the vvill of my Father which is in heaven Mat. 7.21 But their true love frees them from all duty but what love they have I know not for this is the law of God that we keepe his Commandements
that the scripture might be fulfilled John 19.36 and of Deuteronomie as the scripture hath said John 7.38 and of Isaiah the scripture saith Rom. 10.11 and of the Psalmes that the scripture might be fulfilled and of Zechariah another scripture saith John 19.24.28.47 what shall I say Christ beginning at Moses and all the Prophets expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself then opened he their understanding that they may know the Scriptures what was written in the law of Moses in the Prophets and Psalmes concerning himselfe Luke 24.27.44 45. saith Christ search the Scriptures for they testifie of me John 3.39 now I demand what Scriptures these were if not the old Testament for the new was not yet written and so Apollos mighty in Scripture convinced the Jewes shewing by the seripture that Jesus was Christ Acts 18.24.28 and all that was written aforetime was for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 then how dare these men deny the old Testament that is so confirmed both by Christ and his Apostles in the new which is the language of their Honey-combe Some Errours that are in a little booke called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evill discovered and answered IN that Book they make any humane writings to be Scripture and make no difference betweene play-bookes and the Scripture of truth Dan. 10.21 but all Scripture is given by anspiration and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes and the Scripture is able to make thee wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. then are the writings of men such a Scripture Again the Scripture is of no private interpretation For the prophesie came not in old time by the will of men but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy-Ghost 2 Pet. 1.20.21 then is mens writings Scripture He that shall adde to this Booke God will adde to him all the plagues that are written in this Booke or if any man shall take away any thing from the words of this Booke God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life Rev. 22.18 19. then surely the two Testaments with all their severall Chapters contained in them are the Scripture and not any humane writings whatsoever But I fear any Scripture may serve them that regard none at all for they say that they are led onely by an inward Principle so that they need no other help at all but the noble Bereans did search the Scripture daily to see whither those things were so Act. 17.11 the Scriptures should be the sole Judge of all controversies and that by which we should try all our thoughts words and actions therefore saith Christ search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 To the law to the test mony if they speak not according to that it is because there is no light in them Is 8.20 for the Pen-men of it could not erre in writing of it the Apostles were filled with the Holy-ghost they spake as the Spirit gave them utterance Act. 2.4 and when they mention that which is written in the old Testament they say thus saith the Holy-ghost Heb. 3.7 and well spake the Holy-ghost Act. 28.5 He spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the world began Luk. 1.70 therfore when these men say the law is written in their hearts they need not the law in the letter of it they do erre not knowing the Scriptures Mat. 22.29 they think because they see the act of murther and theft are sins therefore they see enough but so much a carnall man may see with that remainder or reliques of the law that was in Adams heart many do by nature the things contained in the law which shew the work of the law written in their hearts Rom. 2.14.15 but yet Paul did not see the lust of heart to be a sinne but by the written law Rom. 7.7 we know but in part and we see but darkly as through a glasse 1 Cor. 13.12 we see Christ but through the lettice Cant. 2.9 and when we see our sinnes by the law if we doe not continue therein we soone forget what manner of men we were James 1.24.25 then let us obey that command and write us a coppy of the law and read therein all the dayes of our life Deut. 17.18.19 and the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and who can know it Jer. 17.9 then we had need to try our selves daily by the written law of God that we turne not aside from it and saith Paul not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but I follow after brethren I count not my selfe to have apprehended but I forget these things behind and presse toward the marke neverthelesse whereunto we have attained let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same thing Phil. 3.12 13 14 15. and as many as obey this rule peace be on them and mercy Gal. 6.16 Againe they say there is no other word of God but Christ because in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the word was made flesh John 1.1.14 but Christ is in them and so the Word is perfectly in them and they neither know nor need any other It is true Christ is the essentiall word of God being the second person in Trinity but he is not the written word of God contained in letters and sillables which are Gods owne words although many of them were spoken by men for it is said God spake all these words and said Exod. 20.1 then blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Luke 11.28 and againe Christ said you are cleane through the word that I have spoken unto you Iohn 15.3 and Christ will sanctifie his Church by the washing of water with the word Ephe. 5.26 but neither water nor word were his person it were folly to thinke so then let the word of Christ dwell in you richly Col. 3.16 he that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life John 5.24 his sheep heare his voyce and follow him they have Moses and the Prophets let them heare them for they all spake Thus saith the Lord and the word of the Lord came unto me saying but if they will not heare Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16.29.31 Some other Errours I find in a little Booke Intitled Christs counsell to the Angell of the Church of Laodicea discovered and answered they say that legall teachers say God will not save us without faith and repentance humility self deniall fasting mourning and prayer and the use of the Ordinances as hearing reading and receiving the Sacraments and observing the Sabbath and doing as we would be done by and a desire to
others Ephe. 2.2 3. did Paul see this and did not God see it at that time they were without Christ and without God in the world ver 12. and did not God see them saith Paul I was before a blasphomer and a persecuter and injurious 1. Tim. 1.13 did he see this and did not God see it doth not Christ say Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Acts 9.4.5 did not Christ then see his sinne although he was a chosen vessell ver 15. but so much before saith or calling But after conversion did not God see Lots incest and Noah drunke and Moses and Aarons unbeliefe which barred them out of the land of Canaan the Lord sent Nathan to David to convince him of his sinne 2. Sam. 12. and he confesseth saying against thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight Psal 51.4 and saith Moses thou hast set our iniquities before thee and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance Ps 90.8 saith the Lord the high places were not taken away out of Israel neverthelesse the heart of Asa was perfect all his dayes 2. Chro. 15.17 yet he was wroth with him that told him of his sinne and put him in person and oppressed some of the people at the same time chap. 16.10 and trusted in the Physician more then God ver 12. then did not God see this how should the Prophet have known it if God had not told him saith the Lord among my people are found wicked men they lay waite as he that setteth snares they set a traâ— they catch men they overpasse the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause of the fatherlesse yet they prosper Jer. 5.26.28 the sinne of Iudah is written with a pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond it is graven upon their heart Jer. 17.1 saith Paul Peter and the other Jewes desembled insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation Gal. 2.13 Did Paul see this and did not God see it when Peter denied Christ did not he see him the Lord turned and looked upon him and Peter remembred the words of the Lord and Peter went out and wept bitterly Luke 32.61.62 Yee fools when will ye be wise he that planted the care shall not he bear and he that formed the eye shall not he see Psal 94.8 9. the Lord knowes the thoughts of men then I conclude that a man may build upon the true foundation hay wood or stubble and he may suffer losse but himselfe shall be saved yet so as by fire 1. Cor. 3.11.12.15 therefore God sees all the sinnes of his justified children both before and after conversion And although it be said He beheld no iniquity in Jacob nor perversnesse in Israel Num. 23.21 yet he saw it although he would passe by their transgressions Micah 7.18 and would not suffer Balaam to curse them neither would he forsake them but correct them as he saw good and not according to their enemies rage which hath no mercy And although it be said that they cannot sinne 1 John 3.9 yet saith the same Iohn if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 John 1.8 but yet they doe not sinne that sinne unto death 1 John 5.16 neither with that whole swing as wicked men doe but the spirit striveth against the flesh that they cannot doe the things that they would Gal. 5.17 yet how can he be cleane that is borne of a woman who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane Job 14.1 how can man be justified with God or how can he be cleane that is borne of a woman Job 25.4 Who can say I have made my heart cleane Pro. 20.7 there is no man living that sinneth not 1 Kings 8.46 2 Chron. 6. â—6 Eccle. 7.20 Then are we perfectly righteous I meane in respect of degrees in this life if this were so how can there be any degrees of grace as a strong faith in some and a little faith in others Or how can there be any groth in grace if we had already attained or were already perfect in degrees but perfection in this world consists not in the absence of sinne but in the sight of sinne and fighting against sinne and groaning under the burthen of sinne and because we sinne daily we must aske forgivenesse daily and to be kept from temptation daily Matth. 6. we are not perfect in degrees of grace heere therefore the Sacrament was ordained to strengthen our faith and to increase our holinesse but they that say that they are as perfect as Christ what makes them to receive the Sacrament which is onely to strengthen their faith let the subtellest of them make answer if he can but saith Paul as ye abound in every thing in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us so abound in this grace also 2 Cor. 8.7 and saith Iohn I pray God thou maiest prosper even as thy soule prospereth 3 John 2. Yet I grant that we are perfectly justified at once but we are not perfectly sanctified in this life I meane in respect of degrees although we be perfectly sanctified in respect of parts as a child hath all the parts of a man but he must grow up unto the degrees of a man then what bold presumption is this to say we are perfectly righteous as Christ when as he neither wants parts nor degrees and besides it is in him as in the Fountaine and in us but as the Cesterne out of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace John 1.17 againe he waâ— never desiled with sinne as we are and we have no more of his righteousnesse then our weake faith is able to receive yet I grant he that hath little shall have no lacke yet there is degrees of grace here and of glory hereafter God gave not the spirit to Christ by measure John 3.34 but unto every one of us is give grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephe. 4.7.16.13 the let us take heed lest we offend Christ in boasting of our righteousnesse wheâ— we have nothing but what we have received then why should we boast as if we received it not 1 Cor. 6.7 and take heed lest you say God cannot see your sin for be sure your sinne will find you out Num. 32.23 the Lord commended Iob for a perfect man upright and one that feared God and eschewed evill Job 1.1 yet Iob sinned not onely in his passion chap. 3. but afterward when he saith the Lord breaketh me with a tempest and multiplieth my wounds without cause chap. 9.17 he saith I am righteous and God hath taken away my judgement my wound is incurable without transgression chap. 34 5 6. he saith I am cleane without transgression I am innocent neither is there iniquity in me behold he findeth out occasions against me chap. 33.9 10. he hath said I am more