among all Nations to whom it comes and is most strictly enjoined and commanded by it And so the Apostle might most elegantly say Boasting is excluded By what Law of Works viz. The Law as it Commands Works Nay by the Law as it Commands Faith or the Receiving Christ as a Saviour and his Righteousness by meer Gift and of Grace in which Righteousness hath so great Honour and full Satisfaction paid to it that it cannot but accept and charge upon All that hear of it the Acceptation of it But because thus Faith will stand as a Work though as I may call it a Post-Work or a Work after Sin I rather understand the Apostle using here the Word Law of Faith in a Lax and Allusive Sense as any Doctrin or Divine Manifestation may be called a Law 2. The Law hereupon cannot but enlarge its Promises according to this Divine Constitution For if God have declared that He will give Eternal Life to all that Believe in Christ and savingly Turn from Iniquity by Repentanâ—â— and doth accept the Righteousness of Christ imputed to Believers instead of unsinning Obedience the Law must needs join Issue with these Declarations of God and with what Infinite Truth and Grace have said and Confirm with its own Sanctions all these Promises as earnestly to be desired and laid hold of yet still this belongs to the Law as Law and enterferes not with Gospel as Free Grace For as all the Commands of the Law are grounded upon the Sovereignty and Righteousness of God So are its Promises grounded upon the Power Truth Goodness and Unchangeableness of God If then the Gospel declares a Righteousness of God a Righteousness of God by Faith in Jesus Christ accepted of God beyond any Righteousness by Works of the Law The very Law it self opens and enlarges all its Promises to that Righteous Person by the Righteousness of Christ and as this Righteousness on which such a Person is Justified is exceeding unto Him and upon Him as the Apostle speaks that is every way over flows him and so beyond all other Righteousnesses So does the Law extend its Promises to the utmost in Relation to it and therefore God is said as in Triumph to declare herein and at that very time his Righteousness that he might be Just and the Justifier of him that Believes in Jesus Rom. 3. And the Apostle John saith If we Confess our Sins that is acknowledge our Absolute Necessity of such a Righteousness by Christ and receive it He is Faithful and Just Even according to the Eternal Law of Righteousness to forgive us our Sins and to Cleanse us from All Unrighteousness So they who receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness shall Reign in Life by Jesus Christ Not only Live as the Law saith to the Man who doth its Works but Reign in Life the Promises of the Law being stretched out and accumulated upon such a Person so Justified by the Transcendent Righteousness of Christ 3. The Law opens wide its Threatnings in the Cause of and on Injury done to the Gospel and the Grace of God Revealed in it for Seeing It is Essential to the Law of Righteousness to Condemn Sinners It is also Essential to it to Condemn and Adjudge to its Punishments according to the Degrees of Sin and Guilt For saith the Apostle He that Transgressed Moses Law died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses and every Transgression Received a just Recompence of Reward that is according to the degree of Guilt and Demerit Of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought Worthy who hath trod under Foot the Son God and Counted the Blood of the Covenant a Common Thing and done despite to the Spirit of Grace This is plainly according to the Law of Righteousness according to which also Christ said It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha Thus we may see how far the Law must needs attend the Gospel with all its Authority I will now shew how the Gospel takes in the Law and makes use of it for its own great Ends and Purposes Upon Account of which the Apostle says Do we make void the Law nay we Establish it The Law stands fair in the Gospel and in its Full Perfection of breadth and length that it may shew the Glory of the Righteousness and Obedience of Jesus Christ and also It stands with all its Penalty Severity Curse and Condemnation that it may shew the Deep of the Sufferings of our Great Mediator and Interpret to us the Agony wherein he Sweat drops of Blood and the Meaning of that loud Cry My God my God Why hast thou Forsaken me For said Christ Thus in every Iota of the Revealed Will of God It be came Him to fulfil All Righteousness 2. That it may shew to all the Glory from which they are Fallen and from which they daily fall lower and lower the Deformity of their own State the Dread and Horror of that Ruin and Condemnation of Hell and Death that is so justly come upon Sinners fallen short of that Glory of God For this Holy Righteous and good Law of such Purity and Cleanness a Fiery Law a Royal Law a Law of Liberty Shewes all the Hatefulness of Sin and Justice of Punishment and Condemnation And All This is in order to Humiliation Sight and Sense of Sin Conversion from it and especially to shew the great Necessity of Christ's Redemption Grace the Free Gift of Righteousness and Justification by him For thus by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin Thus the Law worketh Wrath That is it both stirs up the due Apprehension of it and if not prevented by Pardon and Justification It calls up Vengeance against the Offender wherefore the Law is our School master to bring us to Christ by the Severity and Rigor of its Justice And as such it is in the hand of the Gospel 3. That the Gospel may by the Law shew that perfect Pattern and Exemplar of Holiness and Purity of Thoughts Words and Actions to which we are to aspire that Cleansing of our selves from the Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit to perfect Holiness in the Fear of God that exceeding Broad Commandment that sets an End or bound shewing all other Perfection too short and too narrow compared with it self and so the Law may be as a Rule of Holy Life and Action to which we should follow on according to the Mark even of Perfection it self If it could be to attain the very State of that Perfection that shall be in the Resurrection of the Dead And herein there are Four great Gospel Ends Aimed at by the Gospel thus taking the Law under it self 1. That we may feel a continual Necessity of making Recourse to the Blood of Christ the Fountain set open for Sin and for Uncleanness because by this holy Law there is a discovery of daily Defilements Failings Falls Imperfections and Infirmities concerning which there can be no Attonement between
and Regeneration by the Spirit of Life and Grace from Christ and of this the Apostle Discourses after the Mentions of the Law of Nature and the Gentiles Conformity to it in some parts the Grace of the Gospel turns the Uncircumcision into Circumcision of the Spirit as he goes on 2. Let us consider the great difference between the Law and the Gospel in that which Scripture in the New Testament so universally stiles the Law viz. the whole Frame of the Mosaic Law and as this was purely by it self and as it did not look to Christ it is Represented as that rigorous and severe Dispensation that is the Killing Letter the Ministration of Death of Condemnation the Law that worketh Wrath by which is the Knowledge of Sin by which no Flesh can be Justified in his Sight a Law of Works done by our own Power in Number Weight and Measure or else it brings under the Curse A Law therefore that can by no means give life and so Righteousness cannot be by it unto Justification of Life and all the Ceremonies are but so many Labels Hand-writings and Seals against us and contrary to us Binding us to keep the whole Law so opposite to Christ that where they are observed since Reversed by the Gospel he can profit us nothing opposite to Grace so that he that Adheres to them for Righteousness falls from Grace and is under the works of the Law and under the Curse as the Apostle says whoever Sins having the Law perishes by it and with having it It is a Covenant that is found fault with because God finds fault with them who are under it for Breaking it And yet all this time the Law is Holy Just and Good and therefore there was a Glory in regard of its so intimate and essential Goodness that reflected a Glory on Moses his Face when God gave the Two Tables as it were in Remembrance of the first Glory on Adam but it soon vanished into a Ministry of Death and Condemnation shewing how soon Adam fell from the glory of God And yet even this whole Mosaic Frame was designed with all its Ceremonies to lead to Christ according to all the Service of the Law to the Gospel when it is in the hand of the Gospel as hath been before explained in which regard also Moses his Face shone receiving the Raies of the Divine glory in the Face of Christ but because the Efficacy of the Gospel-grace was only to the Elect the Law became Superior and the Ceremonies thickned as a Veil upon that glory Emblemed by the Veil on Moses his Face which hid the glory of Christ which Veil so sadly lies on the Minds of the Jews blinding them to this day But this very Law being in the hand of the Gospel to the Elect was a Law converting the Soul making Wise the Way of Life and all its Ceremonies led to Christ and his glory shone through them although because it was not a Dispensation high and Spiritual enough for that glory oâ— grace They saw That glory was to be done away in Christ not to Remain and therefore even as God did often under-value all the legal State in compare with the Gospel-grace So did his Saints also in the time of the Old-Testament and under the Gospel it is done away But the substantial Goodness of of it was then and ever shall be in the hand of the Gospel as hath been more fully set out in the last Head of Discourse 3. Let us now lastly duly weigh how far even the Dispensation of the Gospel becomes Law to them who by not being in Christ are under the Law although they have the Light of the Gospel vouchsafed to them in the outward Administration For to whomsoever the Gospel is hid or veiled and a Savor of Death they are left to the Dominion of the Law over them However the Gospel be never so clearly offered to them The Law then having nothing to do with the Promises of Grace it urges upon us whatever is to be done by our selves it presses the Acceptance of Christ and of his Righteousness a Conformity to his Holiness and to his holy Precepts as the only way to Recover our selves but it having no Power of Promise according to the Gospel in its own proper Ordination or Dispensation it calls upon us in our own Strength and Improvements of our selves to obtain both Righteousness and the Spirit and so entitles us after the manner of Works only to Pardon of Sin Righteousness and Sanctification by Christ which is turning the Gospel into a Law to all who are not the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ Hereupon it proceeds to aggravate Guilt and Condemnation and to make it more Tolerable for any than for those who having had the Gospel have not yet reached Justification and Righteousness and Sanctification and Holiness by and from the Gospel according to it But now the Gospel proceeds quite otherwise with all those who are the Evangelized truly the Children of Promise For it gives all to them freely and as a Ministration of Righteousness of Life and of the Spirit even that very Righteousness and Spirit It does not set the Elect of God to Correct their Faces the Face of their Hearts and Lives by it as by a Glass or Mirror shewing them what they are but it presents Jesus Christ the Image of God who is also the Lord that Spirit changing the Saints into the same Image though indeed it be but a Beginning Glory onwards still to Perfection of Glory So that there are Raies of Glory from Christ upon the Soul and Spirit of every one united to him far greater than the Raies of Glory on Moses his Face shining from God in his Law by his Image Christ but not as Mediator but as the Eternal Word in our Nature and as in the First Creation not our Trustee and Surety in the New-Covenant and New-Creation So That Glory was none being so much exceeded by Christ as Mediator which is also a remaining Glory always going on to the Perfection of Glory Whatever therefore of Righteousness arises any way to or in Man not thus derived from Christ Scripture calls it Flesh as being Man's Righteousness not Gods and Righteousness of Flesh that is of Humane Erection not Gods Righteousness and so the Holiness rising from Mens Faculties and Power is Born of Flesh and so is Flesh and is not Spirit not after the Spirit Therefore it cannot See Enjoy or enter into the Kingdom of God And this must needs be plainly our Lords Sense and thus he does not speak of Flesh Corrupt Flesh as it speaks Lust and foul Corruption for that cannot pretend to have any thing to do in the matter of Righteousness and Holiness but by Flesh is to be understood Creature-Righteousness and Holiness as in our present Fallen State and in regard of this No Flesh that is Man with all his Powers even of Soul in this sinful lapsed
Nature whatever is not of God in Christ is this Flesh I say no such Flesh shall boast or Glory in his presence as having obtained the glory of God nor be justified in his Sight Now by all this it plainly Appears the Gospel is so distinct in each particular from the Law that it can no more return back into a Law according to Scripture Discourse when it speaks strictly of Law as Law then the Law become Gospel Yet I shall further argue it more particularly that the Gospel cannot be a Law in the proper Scripture Sense of a Law although it be to be acknowledged the Law can never cease to be because it is Eternal Righteousness and it hath and ought to have Power upon all the Reserve of the Light and Law of Nature and upon all the Improvements of it by Common Grace from the helps of Revealed Truth in the Word of God Yea even the very Saints and Servants of Christ are hereby kept within Bounds at any Time or in any Acts wherein the Grace of Christ is not present to them more abundantly they are hereby acted to their Duty and the Supream Wisdom and Grace of the Gospel subordinates it to its own Purposes both in the Elect and in the Non-Elect as hath been shewn And this Answers all Cavils about the Doctrin of Free grace as if the Teaching of it were Antinomianism and let men loose either to Carnal Licentiousness Ease and Security Till the grace of God should come and Work But even while the Eye of the Soul is supreamly upon Free grace the free gift of Righteousness and of the Spirit yet the Law binds every Soul to its Ultimum Posse the All it can do and the Gospel subordinates the Law to engage Men so to do and though this be no Condition or Qualification on which Free grace is determined yet it is oftentimes the way and method of Supream grace to come upon such motion and action of the Soul not for the sake of that but for its own sake therefore to excite thereunto And it is one of the Wise methods of Gods Government of the World to make it Habitable for his Elects sake to Influence the Hearts and Actions of men either by that light of Nature or by his Gospel All which I have prefixed as necessary to remove all Scruple and doubt of what is to come after in the proof of this that the Gospel is not a Law For by what is said it Appears the Gospel and the Law are joined one to and with another in sweetest Consent so that all in Christ are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or under the Law to Christ and neither entrench upon nor enterfere one with the other But if they are divided or set one in Opposition to the other either Antinomianism truly so called Or a Covenant of Works is brought in even as the Jews separating that Law from Christ turned it to their own great Ruin into a Covenant of Works and the Apostle intimates every where the great danger of turning the grace of God into Licentiousness or proclaiming a liberty to Sin that Grace may Abound if we do not join the Law under the Gospel But thus Joining and Setting them in a Consent and Union in the great End the glory of Grace from the Foundation of the World we Honour and Establish both and plainly Understand That the Gospel is only a Covenant of Grace a Ministration of Righteousness Life and Spirit and yet hath so many admirable Rules of Holiness such powerful Commands and Exhortations to it as also to Faith in Christ and Repentance so many dreadful Threatnings and Denunciations and so severe a Judicature at the last not in it self but by the Ministry of the Law In that the Law is so prepared as to serve it fully and adequately thereunto and it self only as hath been said is a Ministration of Righteousness and Life Obj. If any should say By what means can the Gospel thus Preach the Law and hold out all the Perfections and Severities of it both as to it self as a Declaration of Free Grace only or as to the Law as an Eternal Law of Righteousness and not be turned into a Law Answ The Gospel being the manifestation of Life and Salvation it must needs come with a great glory of Light and Truth on every thing wherein the whole nature of Life and Death Happiness and Misery the Humane Nature can be concerned in stands so that tho it is not a Law it is yet a Doctrin of the greatest Amplitude Compass and Extent in all things that pertain to Life and Godliness or on the other side to Sin and Death So that as the Apostle says it hath Brought Life and Immortality to light so it hath brought all the other things any way related thereto to Light So then it is out of all doubt when ever the Gospel comes a great Light comes like the Morning spread on the Mountains It is therefore called the Day spring from on high opposed to Night and Darkness and the Vally of the Shadow of Death and so that there is a support of and in all our greater illuminations of Natural Conscience by that eternal Word Enlightning every man that comes into the World and on this very account were those more Heroick efforts of Natural Light and Moral Philosophy by Seneca Plutarch Plotinus Simplicius about the very time of the spread of the Gospel-Light by the Apostles I come therefore to decide that noble Question as I stile it whether the Gospel can bear or comport with the true Notion or sense of a Law To answer this Question There must be first a due Understanding and Notion of a Law In the general Law may be applied to any Doctrin or determinate Frame Constitution or Settlement that cannot be changed or varied And thus the Gospel may be called a Law But this is but a very general and loose Notion of a Law There is a more strict sense of it and it imports three things 1. A rule of Action given by a just Authority that must be observed 2. It supposes a Power resident in the Person under that Command and therefore it expects Obedience without any further Assistance or Gift of Power to enable in the Obedience 3. Rewards or Punishments are suspended upon the Obedience or Disobedience and a just Judgment must accordingly be given But such a Law as this the Gospel a Covenat of Grace cannot be as may be argued upon these great Accounts Arg. 1. There can be no Law given no rule of holy Action â—ut it must needs merge and fall into the Eternal Law of Righteousness and be the same with it being so perfect and as hath been shewn 〈◊〉 Brâ—â—â— so that upon a supposal of a new proposal of Grace the acceptance and obedience of Faith is as much commanded by the Eternal Law as any of the most Natural Moral Duties of Fear of God or Righteousness and the same
may be said of Repentance Arg. 2. The supposal of the Gospel's being a new Law necessarily supposes a new Power given as large as that Law So that whoever teaches the Gospel a Law must also assert All to whom the Gospel comes must have a Power vouchsafed enabling them to Faith and Repentance which seeing Mr. Williams disowns as given to All the Argument is very heavy upon him But as I have stated Faith and Repentance within the first Law The first Power given obliges without any Power vouchsafed a new even as to all other Duties of Obedience as hath been said For the further Illustration of the Point that a new Law requires new Power Let it be supposed Adam had no power of Faith or Repentance ever given him he could not forfeit from his Posterity what he never had If there be then a Law of Faith and Repentance given there must be a Power of Faith and Repentance answering that Law and so there must be such universal power of Grace given as may answer that Law in all to whom it extends as a Law But now let us look upon Faith and Repentance to be a Law included within the universal Law of Righteousness as I do and as must needs be done viz. Upon two Suppositions 1. That Man is fallen into Sin 2. That God is pleased to offer a Mediator and a Pardon and so to accept the Righteousness of another and Repentance after Sin It will then follow the Faith and Repentance commanded are but the exertions of that Power of the Image of God first given for the same Power that tends to Conservation in the first Righteousness works to Restitution to that Righteousness when lost upon any possibility of Recovery Herein therefore is the Grace of the Mediator to all Mankind that he hath shored up the lapsed Faculties of Humane Nature Universally that there are some Reserves of that Law and light of the First Creation some of the Characters and first impressions for very great Ends both as to the Government of the World as also to fasten the grace of the Gospel unto to whom it comes and seeing the Patience and Long-suffering and Bounty of God to mankind is a Witness of some merciful Intention Finding therefore such motions of the Law of Nature within and of merciful Providence without here is so much of the general goodness of God leading Men to Repentance as will leave even the Gentiles without Excuse at that day Now then God requiring of Fallen Man no other thing than what he gave him power for at first and what he hath by the Mediator sustained him in some Reserves of According to the Thoughts therefore Accusing or Excusing in the day of Christ and according to God judging the Secrets of all Hearts by the Gospel preserving these Remainings of the Law of Nature shall all be determined upon at that day And thus every thing stands clear and fair according to the discourses of Scripture according to sound Reason whereas all else must be full of Trouble and Rencounter against the Grace of the Gospel as against that so evident Experience of God's giving the very Light of the Gospel by his own Free Will and Grace and those Laws of Humane Justice and Equity of which we have so inward a sense and surely in every thing it appears that the First Law of Righteousness continues and stands fast Thus its Authority falls freely on the Gospel either as there is any witness of it among the Heathen or as it is published and made known to any by the immediate Preaching and Reading of it and as the Gospel for all its great Uses and Ends takes it into it self But yet still it is it self a Ministration only of Life of Righteousness and of the Spirit and the Transcript of the everlasting gracious purposes of God from Eternity Arg. 3. If the Gospel be a New Law it must have a Promulgation as universal as it is a Law and seeing it is the only Name under Heaven given to the Children of Men whereby they can be Saved if it were a Law it would certainly be by the goodness and equity of God Proclaimed and made known to all Man-kind even to every Person for Faith Repentance and Obedience but as it is a counterpart of that supream purpose of Grace in God towards his Elect and not a Law It is enough that it be made known to so many as are Called according to Purpose to all others God is at Freedom For even the general Patience and Bounty of God are sufficient manifestations of some Mercy that should excite Men to seek after God and to turn from Sin and leaving them inexcusable if they do not that Natural Law requiring it when there are such hopes to seek after God as far as they can according to those Hopes and Manifestations even as in all Natural Duties and the Case is but the same in perishing without Gospel as in perishing without Law for thus the Apostle Argues while he is discoursing with Pagans Rom. 2. 3 4. according to Natural Light But this Promulgation is not sufficient for a New Law of so great good to all Man kind Arg. 4. The Gospel if it were a New Law it must needs be a Law of Works and indeed else it were no Law for tho it be sounded in Grace and though it be a Law accepting Sincerity in the place of perfect Obedience yet it must if it be a Law as some mistakingly speak and would have it resolve it self into the last Issue into something done by our selves by our own power even tho we are assisted by the grace of the Spirit in it yet there must be a power in us to accept or refuse that Assistance and if so beside the Apostle's constant Remonstrance to any such Works or â—aw of Works in the Gospel Covenant 1. It is evident by the Experiment made in Adam how hazardous the smallest dependance on our own Created Will is So the Promise could not be Sure to the Seed as the Apostle Discourses Rom. 4. 2. 2. The Reward would be of Debt and not of Grace because to him that Worketh tho in the least of Work as the Apostle expresly says it is so Rom. 4. 4. 3. There would arise cause of Boasting to him that should so Work because by that part how littlesoever it should be of Work he improves and exerts his Power so as Thousands do not which gives cause of Boasting now there is nothing the Apostle more excludes than Boasting as most contrary to the design of God in the Gospel Arg. 5. Iâ— the Gospel be a Law it is necessarily supposed to be founded in the Grace of the Redeemer and in every thing weighed out by him that it should need no further Grace for the pardon of Sins against it it being a Law purchased by the Blood of the Redeemer Now if no Sin against the Law of the Gospel as that Law is apprehended a
Father as Jesus Christ in all his Mediatory Discourses most fully declared and his Apostles after him and as all along the Kingdom of God is in Christ's Kingdom So It is at last delivered up to God All in All Which I lay in the Foundation to shew the absolute Excellency Perfection and Immutability of the Divine Law of Creation standing in Participation of and Conformity to the Divine Nature in Holiness for the Participation also of its Blessedness both which are the Glory of God 2. It is much to be Considered and deeply Pondered What Scripture so often says of Man being made in the Image of God This Image of God Jesus Christ is most positively affirmed to be 2 Cor. 4. Colos 1. He is the Image of the Invisible God The Eternal Word fore-seen in Humane Nature is the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1. and as in Humane Nature He is the First-born of every Creature Colos 1. The Glory of God spoken of so much in the former Particular is in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. and Christ is the Head of every Man 1 Cor. 11. even as God is the Head of Christ and Man viz. that great Supream Man is primarily the Image and Glory of God v. 7. For Christ being the Head of Man as between God and Man It is He must be the Image and Glory of God else God without Christ intervening would be the Head of every Man which the Apostle says expresly Christ is and God the Head of Christ as whose Image and Glory the Man Christ is Therefore is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manly Man Rev. 12. 5. or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11. 7. foreseen in human Nature and not every Man immediately and so the Apostles Argument in that place Reaches from Christ to every Man All these great Expressions of Christ shew more nearly who that Image of God is in which Adam was made For all these cannot be supposed to come in upon Sin and on that Occasion or Necessity only They have place before it And this I say not only to ascribe Excellency to our Mediator but to shew how fit He is to be so who is thus the Original Image of God by whom as the Eternal Word He made and Created All I speak it also with a peculiar Respect to the Point to be discoursed Concerning that Admirable Agreement and Conspiration between the Law and the Gospel and so to resolve whether the Gospel can be called a Law On all which these Things well apprehended will reflect great Light 3. When Man was thus made in the Participation of the Divine Nature and in the Image of God which Image Christ is in order to the Eternal Enjoyment of God in Blessedness and in his Glory As it became an Immutable unchangeable Law upon Man which can no more be put off than his very Being So it must needs be secondarily a Law upon Him to be like Christ who is the Image of God Now therefore here It comes to be solemnly enquired whether Adam had any Notices of Jesus Christ the Image of God wherein He was made and there are Two great Reasons that He had Notices 1. Because it being so expresly said God made Adam in that Image which is Christ It is not probable He could be ignorant of it in so perfect a State of holy Understanding as wherein He was made 2. Because the Apostle says Adam was the Type of Him to Come as the great and supream Adam though the Second in order of Time of Appearance yet the First in Dignity and Designation Again therefore here I argue Adam in so Perfect a State could not probably be ignorant of so great a Truth as of the Second-First-Adam of whom He was a Type And this I desire the further Observation of as much tending to shew how close the Gospel and this Eternal Law may conspire 3. Though the Perfection of Man's Being was as hath been said a Law Adequate to his Being as in Conformity to the Divine Being and to the Image of God Jesus Christ Yet because Man was but a living Soul and not a quickning Spirit as the Second Adam that is he was but a Vessel that had its measure and not a Fountain or Spring still supplying it self Therefore what ever further Revelation of the Will and Pleasure of God to which He should be Obedient God would please to vouchsafe Adam for the securing his Perseverance and the Consirming Him in a Continuation of that happy State wherein his Creator had placed Him such Revelation became as much of the Essence of the Law of his Creation as his Conformity in any Branch of it whatever to the Divine Being in the Image of God viz. Christ both because of the Authority and Goodness of the Revealer to which that Eternal Law must needs oblige him as also because it tended to secure and confirm him in that Blessed Estate For whatever did so must needs bind Him even as the Preservation of that Conformity to God and his Image in any other Essential Branch did and herein if possible more Because it Secured and Confirmed all the rest It pleased therefore that Infinite Wisdom and Goodness as well as Supream Authority of God to appoint in the Paradise wherein he placed Adam as the Representation of his Holy and Happy State Two Sacramental Trees One the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Other the Tree of Life By the One He was under a Test of his Obedience in refraining from it By Eating of the Other he was to receive a visible Pledge and Seal of the Confirmation of his Blessed State The refraining therefore from the one was to be but for a time till which time of Abstinence observed and expired he had no right to Eat of the Other For so is signified In that the Tree of Life was plainly prepared to be Eaten so there must be a Time for the Eating of it And in the Care God took Adam should not Eat of it after he had Sinned It appears God intended Adam should not Eat of it and Dye For it was a Sacrament of living for ever as God said least he put forth his Hand and Eat of the Tree of Life and Live forever which however spoken in derision yet imports the Sacramental Sense of the Tree of Life According to all which Sense It is said of the true and substantial Tree of life Blessed are They that do his Commandments that they may have Right to the Tree of life Rev. 21. 14. Alluding to the First Tree of life of which Adam if he for the time appointed had kept the Command of God in not Eating of the Tree Forbidden he would in due Season have had Right to Eat of the Tree of life Now we may conceive two great Reasons of God's forbidding the Fruit of this Tree 1. The Observation of this Command had fixed Adam in
Universal Obedience and Perfected him in a Conformity to God in Love Humility Dependence Self-resignation Love and Care of his Posterity Righteousness Justice and not invading what was not his Sobriety Temperance Universal Holiness and Goodness being some way drawn up into it on which account it might justly be stiled the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. 2. The Tree of life being a Sacramental Type plainly and undoubtedly looking to Christ by the so often use of it and Application to the Eternal Wisdom Prov. 3. and in the Revelation It argues strongly The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was a Sacrament of Adam 's Subsistence for the Preservation of his Integrity and Happiness in the Eternal Word to come in Humane Nature or the Second Adam Represented to him by the Tree of life For seeing these two Trees were coupled one to the other such as the One such was the Other If one looked to Christ so did the other Now the greatest Temptation to the Forbidden Fruit was to be as God knowing Good and Evil that is having the full Dominion over Good and Evil in himself and so securing that holy and happy State by himself and in himself and not in Christ his Head the Image of the invisible God the First Born of every Creature the Second Adam to Come the Head of every Man as the Apostle stiles him referring to the first Constitution And I have not the least doubt Jesus Christ in so many great Expressions that have no Reference to the Sin of man was proposed as the Surety of Creation and the mediator of it and not only as to men but to Angels But as I remember Zanchy on John 8. Expounds the Devil was a murderer from the Beginning and abode not in the Truth that is not in Christ the Mediator who is the Truth Before All Angelical and Humane Being By whom All were made and consist So that Confirmation of both the Angelic and humane Nature was in Him and even as the Devil Fell by not abiding in Christ so he Tempted Man deceived Them on the same Point of not abiding in the Truth that is in Christ but coveting to have All in Himself by the Delusion of the Lyar the Father of Lyes Now this I have thus far insisted upon to open so great a Truth in such a way as may most shew the Conspiring of the Law and the Gospel in the same grand Point of the Salvation of the Elect as shall be further shewn how great Influence this stating of the Original Constitution hath upon it But we must yet further consider the Relation this Command of not Eating the Forbidden Fruit or the Eating it had to the Posterity of Adam or to All in Him For it is most plain from Scripture Adam by having kept the Command of God in not Eating the Forbidden Fruit had convey'd Holiness and Happiness even Life and Glory from God and Christ the Image of God to all descending from him This may be undeniably argued from two Things 1. He could not have coveyed Sin and Death if he had not been first appointed by God to convey Holiness and Life For he was ordained by God to be a Common Head Else though the Parent of the World he could not have been so He could not be Ordained of God First a conveyer of Evil That came in by his own Sin God indeed in highest Justice as he continues the descent of Mankind from him continues the Sanction of Conveyance of what he was and had which was Righteousness and Life as he was by God Established to convey when by his Sin he had lost that both Righteousness and life as God does not cut off that Power of Propagating the World given him in that First Blessing of Fruitfulness and Multiplication So he does not reverse the Sanction of his conveying what he should make himself a Root and Original of by the special Ordination of God upon his Obedience or Disobedience in that one single Act of Eating or not Eating having then by that Act of Disobedience plunged himself in Sin and Death he conveys it with that derivation of humane Nature from him to the very End of the World Christ alone coming into the World under a peculiar law of both Generation and Holiness of Nature 2. He could not have been a Type of the Him to Come if he had not been appointed by God a Conveyor of Righteousness and Life For Christ is so alone After the Transgression Adam was a Type of Christ only in Conveyance as a Common head not as of Sin and Death For so he is an Opposite to him who conveys Righteousness and Life So therefore must Adam needs be as from God that he might be a Type the nobler part of his being a Type he lost by Sin and is now become only an opposite Type He conveys but contrary to Christ not Righteousness and Life but Sin and Death and so he Begat Seth not in the Image of God who is Christ but in his own Image Gen. 5. 3. But thus in every Thing as the Apostle says the Scripture Foreseeing God would do All he does in Eternal Grace and Love by Jesus Christ Preached before the Gospel to Adam in that Tree the Symbol of removing him from the Thoughts of being a God to himself in the Dominion over Good and Evil Called the Knowledge of it according to the great Importancy of the word Knowing in Scripture but that he should Trust in him shadowed to him by the Tree of Life Again he Preached the Gospel to him by making him a Type of one to Come as a Second Adam by way of Appearance but he was before him For he was before All things as the Eternal Word to be made Man and by him They all consist So the first Man was to be an Adam or Universal Original of Righteousness and Life subordinate to Christ dependent upon him and to be Confirmed by him by such an Experiment given of the Obedience of Trust and not taking upon himself For so the Apostle Pourtrays Lust 1 John 2. by its First Parent Lust The Lust of the Eye The forbidden Fruit was fair to the Eye The Lust of the Flesh It was good to Tast The taking upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Pride of Life we shall be as Gods c. Adam therefore taking upon himself and not Trusting in Christ to be sustained for ever lost himself and his Posterity excepting Redeemed by Christ as first offered a Head of Confirmation Now of Recovery And though this making Adam a Common head as it hath proved is a Scandal to proud Reason Yet it was first an Ordination of Grace and Wisdom and as I may say a Compendious Contrivance for Happiness and Blessedness to Mankind by one Man the Common Parent and Head having by Faith in Christ Represented by the Tree of Life trusted in him and not taken upon himself and saying with the Prodigal
of God in Christ by Eternal Election what Qualification or Condition can there be of Cutting out of the Wild Olive or Vine unless to be in the Wild ones or in Darkness are made a Condition Sanctification or making Perfect in every good Work to do his Will and Working in us what is well-pleasing in his sight is as much secured as Glorification is and Justification may as well be called a Condition of Sanctification For God Sanctifies none but whom he Justifies as Calling a Condition of Justification or Sanctification of Glorification Seeing then cutting off only some Particularities as proper to the present State All These are of God in Christ and are found together in the state of Grace here and perfected each distinct in Glorification and Glorification distinct from them All and by it self in that Illustrious state of Saints superadded to all that Perfection of Grace even in Glory I may conclude none of Them is either Qualification or Condition but of and by it self in Free grace And this is Caution Limitation Prevention of Deception sufficient That no one part can be without the other Scripture therefore speaking of these Things so freely so manifoldly It shews All is alike Free-gift Free-grace All is in Connexion and inseparable Concatenation and indefailable Certainty to the Elect and Grace opens sometimes one way sometimes another as to Appearance or Manifestation But whoever is to be advised or directed to the most wise and hopeful Method in Case of Doubt It is to lie at the Foot of God through Christ for All grace from first to last and not to stay for or rest in any of our Preparations or Qualifications but to press up as near and as close to Christ as we can And happy is he whom he Calleth so to do for from whom else can we hope for any for so much as the First Turn of our Souls to God Himself and into the whole way Everlasting as from in and throuâ—h him alone And 〈◊〉 have dispatched the Third Head I proposed and come to the â—ourth and Last I am yet to speak to And that is That the Procedure of the Judgment of Christ at that Great Day However it be Represented in regard of the Exactness Righteousness and Equity of it as if it was and shall be by the Examination of every Mans Works and an Application of those Works to Law and that the Law as vindicating the Gospel Yet from undoubted and undeniable Grounds of Scripture it must needs be that the Good and the Bad are judged by their very Appearance in and out of Christ and so found written or not found written in the Book of Life And that so every Man's Case is determined and yet that the Works of the Servants of Christ Cloath Apparel and adorn them or as the Scripture says Follow them and the Works of Evil Men or their Sin finds them out Comes as Water into their Bowels and as Oil to their Bones is as the Garment that covers them and as the Girdle wherewith they are girded continually Notwithstanding this All these three Things are most admirable in the grand Oeconomy of that Day which the Father only and not so much as the Created Humane Nature of Christ could adjust or set in Order or in that sense knows or hath Cognizance of 1. The Spirits of Good and evil Men re-invested with Bodies must necessarily be understood to return into them with those Resentments they had in the Enjoyment of Christ or in Separation from him the Happiness of the one and Misery of the other For it is not possible to be supposed that such their Re-investiture should stupifie and benum and efface what they were so newly in the full Sense of That to me is the great Argument against Pre-existence that there are no Traces of the Sentiments in that former supposed Existence without which no Improvement can be apprehended to be made of the State before this and the Experiences therein but we are as much Strangers to them as if it were on all sides confessed we never were before This would be much stranger here when the whole Man Spirit Soul and Body are immediately to enter into the full Possession of the Happiness or Misery before enjoyed or sadly felt and therefore can by no means be supposed to lose what they had both in regard of the Justice of God upon that state of Spirits as in Prison and what is to be further executed upon them and much more in regard of his Grace to Spirits that had been as the Apostle says with Christ and that are so immediately to appear in Bodies of Glory 2. The very Company and especially the great Head and Prince under whom and with whom the Saints appear does most illustriously shew their Pardon and perfect Absolution and Justification from all their Sin and the perfected compleated Holiness and inherent Righteousness received from the imputed Righteousness and Spirit communicated by his Spirit of Christ So that they appear in Robes made white in the Blood of the Lamb and with Palms of Victory in their Hands They are Just Men made every way Perfect their Sins are blotted out when the times of Refreshing come from the presence of the Lord Herein they are above Judgment in themselves even as Christ their Head their appearing with Him is their immediate Justification both according to the Eternal law and Everlasting Gospel and with him they Judge Angels and the World But those who have no Interest in Christ not being with him even that is their Condemnation That he knows them not that they are made to depart and to go away from him Thus he that is Justified is for ever Justified and he that is Filthy and unrighteous is so for ever All which is in one view determined by being with or not with Jehovah our Righteousness the Sun of Righteousness arising with Glory in his Rays or Righteousness upon us or Healing in his Wings And this is according to what hath been said and according to all that hath been discoursed of our being found in Christ and receiving all from him and so apprehending that State of Perfection for which we are apprehended of Christ Jesus 3. The very View and Appearance in Bodies of Glory and Light and Purity called Armies of Heaven on White Horses in Linnen white and clean Bodies made like to his glorious Body by that Power of his subduing all things to it self the being made like to Christ by seeing him as he is does without any other Law but the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus set free from the Law of Sin and Death sufficiently declare Saints to be so without laying them to any other Law And all the Wicked are known by their Bodies of Shame and Contempt like Men condemned and known to be so by their Prison Cloths their Chains and Fetters Sheep are presently known and Goats appear Goats by that very Law of Appearance And
thus I have laid down the great Doctrin of the New-Testament in these Points as I have Reason from such an abundant Scripture Evidence to be assur'd Let me for a Conclusion recommend to all the Ministers of the Gospel the due Consideration of the whole matter For it is of most exceeding Concernment to our Ministry This is our Enablement our Sufficiency as Ministers of the New-Testament to Preach not the Letter but the Spirit to Preach it as a Ministration of Righteousness and not of Condemnation as a Ministration not of the Letter but of the Spirit For the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life Thus we shall Minister it in its Abiding Continuing Glory as it shall continue in the Kingdom of Christ set out in all its Freeness and in all its Efficacy We cannot else Triumph in manifesting the Savor of the Knowledge of Christ nor will our Ministry be of Sufficiency to be a Savor of Death unto Death to the lost as it ought to be according to the Divine Ordination laid down by the Apostle 2 Cor. c. 2 3. For if the Full and true Grace of the Gospel be not set out as a Ministration of Righteousness of Life and of the Spirit It does not offer to Men the great Gospel Experiment whether it is unto them a Savor of Life unto Life or of Death unto Death They have not that high Savor of the knowledge of Christ that is the Instrument of Grace as by a most Divine and heavenly Suffumigation or Perfume of Life to excite and bring to Life such a stream of Life to give Life from the Spirit nor on the other side till This be Administred can it according to this Gospel Canon or Rule be said That the Ministry of it is a savor of Death unto Death for to whomsoever this high savor of Life is not Administred there is not that conclusion to be made it is of Death unto Death herein being the strength of the Crisis or distinction If the highest savor of the Gospel give not Life the only flavor of Life be not effectual to Life be but like a dead Savor effect nothing produce nothing of Life it must needs be argued such are unto Death And even the Gospel Preached concludes them unto Death when it does not prevail if the most irradiant Light of Christ the Image of God shining to Men does not Enlighten Such a hiding demonstrates such Lost and their Case Desperate Rationalizing Moralizing upon the Gospel yea Scripture Legalizing upon it without a continual interweaving this high Spirituality and rich Grace of it cannot thus Conclude Seal and Bind up If the Fountain and Sources of Light and Life be not kept clear and open tho Men do indeed die and perish for want of Life and Light yet they are not Sealed and bound up for Death as the true Preaching of the Grace of the Gospel by this Ordination of God declared here by the Apostle does The close Experiment for want of this Ministration of the New Testament is not made For the Apostle says Who is sufficient so to Preach the Gospel as that it should be if not a Savor of Life unto Life the principal purpose design and scope of it then of Death unto Death This sufficiency saith he is of God who hath therein Sufficientized to Minister the New Testament not as of a Letter that Kills but as of the Spirit that giveth Life so that tho it be not indeed to all a Ministration of the Spirit giving Life to all yet it is not our Male Admistration for we are by such a faithful discharge of our selves a Savor of Death unto Death without which so faithful a Discharge we could not be so for such a Preaching only as was said puts such a Crisis upon Persons makes such a Tremendous Gospel Experiment which the only Wise God hath yet Ordained should be made by the Free Gospel Preaching And that this Experiment may be made saith the Apastle we take great care not to allay the high flavor of the Gospel by any mixture of the Doctrin of Works with that of Grace as they who minding thir own Advantages make a Trade of Debasing what is most Excellent by vending worse in Temperament with Nobler Liquors But with greatest Sincerity as in the sight of God we bring forth only pure Gospel Supream Grace and herein we use all Freedom Clearness Frankness Openness and Boldness in manifesting this No darkned unintelligible Doublings between Grace and Works as Moses who veiled so the Gospel-part of his Ministry that it became a Ministration of Death And because Paul knew how distasteful this purity of Preaching is to the Condemned World that would yet be Righteous and to the proud and stately Powers of Reason and Free Will He says we arm our selves with a Divine Courage and constancy in pursuing this Ministry and will not on any account whatsoever use Art or Guile but with all integrity represent Truth in its own Light and leave to God the Discrimination of the Lost to whom this Preaching is as the Jealousie-Water to discover them when their very Mind the highest Rational Part being Blinded by the God of this World find not the Rays of the Glory of the Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God and all our Perfection is Likeness to Him shining to them Wherein the Apostle manifestly alludes to what he had said of the Superior Glory of the Gospel to that of the Law tho that gave such a Gloâ—y to Moses his Face And he alludes also to the Veil on Moses his Face upon that Glory and to the Veil on the Hearts of the Jews to this day Implying That not to receive this Pure Gospel Light is like Jewish Unbelief who Stumbled at that Stumbling-Block of Exalting Works and their own Righteousness above Christ and Grace It is true indeed this Preaching up of our Works Endeavours relying upon our own Action is very plausible and seems to carry greater force as being more a kin to our first Constitution under the First Adam And of this the Apostle also gives a Secret as we say Gird when in this so great Point he interposes not without great Design We Preach not our selves As if Preaching intermingled with Works and Humane Powers of Holiness were setting up and exalting our selves into a Dominion over mens Consciences but saith He we Preach Christ the only Lord and our selves Servants iâ— so high a Ministry And in this Epistle Chap. 11. They who even with design against the Grace of the Gospel Teach the Law are as the Apostle says in the appearance of Angels of Light and Ministers of Righteousness Zealous enforcers of Holiness and good Life if yet they stop up these Springs and are Enemies of this Grace they are False Apostles and Ministers of Satan Evil Workers as the Apostle calls them in a taunt of their high pretence to Works and others for want of true distinguishing Thoughts desirous and most propended to be Teachers of the Law and yet dare not desert the Grand Gospel-Principles Know not what they Speak nor whereof they affirm that is do not accurately Think nor Speak nor Reconcile themselves to themselves For the Law is good if a Man use it Lawfully that is according to the Gospel direction of it But pure perfect Law is only pointed set against those upon whom the Gospel hath not Effect who are given up by it as Incurable and unto Death This I speak not I appeal to Him who Searcheth Hearts with Reflection on any Person or sort of Persons and least upon Mr. Williams of whom I desire much other Esteem But to move and perswade him and all Preachers of the Gospel to reconcile all their Notions Disputes Preaching the Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God commited to their Trust which the Apostle hath defined to be then sufficiently Preached when it is Primarily and till the Gospel hath remanded the Lost under the aggravated Condemnation of the Law for refusing the Grace of the Gospel 'till then I say the New Testament is to be Preached as a Ministration of the Spirit and not of the Letter for the Letter Killeth but the Spirit giveth Life a Ministration of Life not of Death not of Condemnation but of Righteousness which Ministration shall in a short time be with Open Face and all Veils removed the Lord drawing near and all Turning to Him beholding Christ the Image of God and the Glory of God in the Face of Christ we shall be Changed into the same Image from the Glory of a lower degree now to the Glory that shall be in perfection by the mighty Effusions of that Spirit who is Jehovah that shall so soon be Now this high and richest Gospel Treasure we have saith the Apostle at the present but in Vessels of Earth Men of like Corruptions and guilt low and base Appearances of outward Condition and State and of the vile and dying Bodies for Sin that the excellency of Divine Grace and Power may be Exalted alone throughout and throughout For at the present we have as the Apostle saith all this Glory but in hope we see yet but as in a Glass tho with an Open Face this Glory But when the Angelical Ministry Rev. 14. 6. shall in the Kingdom of Christ be Missioned and sent out this Ministration shall so Exceed in Glory that all other Glory of Humane Righteousness shall utterly Disappear and when it comes it shall for ever Remain And this shall he when the Israel of God shall be Called and Turn'd to the Lord and that shall be when 〈◊〉 Times are at an End as Christ says Luke 21. 24. And when the Eclipse on the 〈◊〉 Churches going off they shall have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full Orbed Light as that Word Rom. 1â— 25. Opposed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Eclipse in that Chapter properly signifies and All this shall I doubt not begin at 1697. FINIS