for sin Who needeth not daily as those High Priests to offer up Sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the Peoples for this he did once Heb. 7.17 when he offered up himself For the Law maketh men High-Priests which have infirmity but the Word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for ever more Heb. 9.7.11 But into the second went the High-Priest alone once every year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the Errors of the People But Christ being come an High-Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained eternal Redemption for us Christ hath suffered once for our sins 1 Pet. 3.18 the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened in the Spirit 1. Because of the All-sufficiency of this one Sacrifice in perfecting Reason 1 for ever them that are sanctified so that there needs no Remembrance of Sins any more Christ being the Author and Finisher and the Captain of our Salvation made perfect through his Sufferings 2. Because if Christ had offered more than once he should have broke Reason 2 off his first appearance before God in Heaven and gone out again out of that Sanctuary and then have re-entred or come in again for the same purpose which he shall never do till the Resurrection when he shall come about another business of Judgment belonging to his Mediatorship and to bring those into the Sanctuary for whom he hath once and for ever made way by the offering of his blood in Heaven once shed upon Earth thereby opening the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers 3. Because that which being once done is of Eternal Vertue cannot Reason 3 needs not be iterated 4. Because Christ entred into the Sanctuary by his blood and the blood Reason 4 of Life can be shed but once for It is appointed for all men but once to dye and after death the judgment so Christ once entred Heb. 9.27 28. and shall never enter more till he go out at the last day and enter again after his Judgment to give possession of the Kingdom of Heaven saying come ye blessed Children of my Father receive the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for you from the beginning of the world In that Christ dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God And Christ being raised from the dead death hath no more Dominion over him Reason 5 5. Because Christ bore our Sins and Punishments once upon Earth therefore not in Heaven for there he offered himself without spot and blameless ie without Sin or Punishment for that is no place for Sins and Sorrows or Infirmities to enter into for flesh and blood and no unclean thing can enter into that Holy place But all sins and all uncleannesses are done away by virtue of this One offering of Christ once and for ever SECTION VI. In Heaven Heb. 9.24 c. Christ offered himself in Heaven It was therefore necessary that the Patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these but the Heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifices than these For Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High-Priest entreth into the Holy Place every year with Blood of others c. But once hath he appeared in the end of the World to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 8.1 c. We have such an High-Priest as is set at the Right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the True Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man For every High-Priest is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of Necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer For if he were on Earth he should not be a Priest for he hath nothing to offer nor was he to enter into the Holy of Holies seeing that there are Priests that offer Gifts according to the Law who serve unto the Example and Shadow of Heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God See thou do all things according to the Pattern shewed to thee in the Mount Heb. 9.7 c. Into the second went the High-Priest alone once every year not without Blood which he offered for himself and for the Errors of the People The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing Which was a Figure for the time then present in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the Service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Which stood only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and Carnal Ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation But Christ being come an High-Priest of Good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made wich hands that is to say not of this Building Neither by the Blood of Bulls Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us For if the Blood of Bulls and of Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the Unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God without spot purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the Living God Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Burnt-offering thou wouldest not but a Body hast thou prepared me Heb. 10.5 c. In Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure Then said I Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God he taketh away the first that he may establish the second By the which Will we are sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all And every Priest standeth daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same Sacrifices which can never take away sins but this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sate down at the Right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool The High-Priest in the Law stood and offered the Blood he brought with him and stood trembling and sprinkling till he went out But Christ after he had stood offering his own Blood sate down boldly having ended his oblation of Himself and began his Intercession and Advocation for others and his Protection and Rule over all things for
with Penances and Reliques and Indulgences and Outward performances never regarding the Inward killing of Lusts nor expecting a Living Law written in the heart This is to forsake our Husband Christ and cleave to the bondage of the Law which is dead to us by Christ's Cross and might be dead in us by his Spirit if we would believe And the ground of all this Error is from a Novel Interpretation of that Paragraph of the latter part of the seventh of the Romans contrary to all Antiquity Sense or Reason SECTION IV. The Reasons for this Victory over the Law are these Because Grace is stronger than the Law Grace stronger than Law Mercy rejoyces and prevails over Justice The absolving power of the Gospel is stronger than the condemning power of the Law The Mercies of God are above all his Works Prerogative is above Law Custome overcomes Law Mercy much more The Sword of Justice is strong and sharp but Mercy keeps off the blow and holds the hand of Justice from striking If the Law calls aloud for Justice Christ's blood calls louder and pleads for pardon If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father and the blood of Christ is the Propitiation for all sins God will have mercy because he will have mercy and what is that to the Law It is the will of God to pardon and pass by Iniquities Transgressions and Sins and to remember them no more When the strong man enters into the house he keeps it and all that is therein but when a stronger than he comes upon him he binds him hand and foot and casts him out So is the Gospel to the Law 2. Because the Spirit of Grace is stronger than the Spirit of the Law Spirit of Grace stronger than Spirit of Law The Spirit of Sin is strong in it self Lust hath a violent impulse and vehement motion The Spirit of Sin is stronger by the Law and rages and takes on much more for being opposed Like a Lion scorns to be kept in but breaks down all barrs and bounds to run abroad at randome But the Spirit of the Law is stronger for though it cannot curb sin from sinning yet it keeps it under the Curse that it cannot escape it But when the Spirit of Grace in Christ comes it preacheth deliverance to the Captives and recovery of sight to the blind and opens the prison doors to them that were fast bound in misery and iron and publishes the acceptable Year of the Lord. The Word of God is mighty in operation throegh the Spirit for the beating down of the strong holds of Sin and Satan As Light is stronger than Darkness to destroy sin so the Blessing of Grace is stronger than the Curse of the Law to take it quite away Though the Spirit of the Law be the Spirit of God's Justice yet the Spirit of the Gospel is the Spirit of God's Mercy which God will have to be more effectual than the other and Blesses whom the Law curses yea and they shall be Blessed 3. God delights more in Mercy than Vengeance Because God delights more in shewing Mercy than in executing Vengeance in sparing than in punishing As I live saith the Lord I delight not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and live Judgment is his strange work Bowels of mercy tender pity and Compassion are his delightful properties 4. Because Man is made to be the object of God's Love not Wrath Man Object of God's Love his Blessing not a Curse Life not Death Heaven was prepared for Men and Angels till they sinned and then Hell was prepared for them and since that for all Hypocrites like unto them We cannot imagine in any reason that God made his poor Creatures for everlasting Destruction We may observe it in our selves though we be evil yet we are not so unnatural as to beget children to starve them or beat out their brains or leave them to the wide World or send them to the Hangman to be tormented to death And if we that are evil know well enough notwithstanding to give good things to our children not a Scorpion for a Fish nor a Stone for an Egg how much more then shall our Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him and how infinitely more pitiful and compassionate is he than we can imagine or express Christs Pleading undeniable to God 5. Because the Pleading of Christ for Mercy purchased by his own Blood is undeniable to God above all the Pleading of the Law or the Devil that lays the Law against the Brethren whose malicious accuser he is God will not cannot deny his own Son and whatsoever we shall ask the Father in his Name he will deny us nothing SECTION V. Victory procured meritoriously by Christs death 1. This Victory is meritoriously procured for us by Christ's Death O Death I will be thy death O Grave I will be thy destruction And his Resurrection was the pledg to assure us thereof 2. This Victory is really effected and performed in us by the Spirit of Christ raising our Souls from the death of sin to the life of righteousness and our Bodies from the Grave to the life of glory If the Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you Rom. 8.11 he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you As if he should have said If the Spirit of Christ dwell in you regenerating your Souls to a New Creature which is the first Resurrection from the first death then the very same Spirit shall also immortalize your Bodies which is the second resurrection from the second death that upon them the second death shall have no Power Thus abundantly hath God provided for us by Jesus Christ both in respect of our Souls and of our Bodies Our Souls raised from the death of sin and the curse of the Law Our Bodies raised from the Grave The Natural Body is raised a Spiritual Body the Corruptible puts on Incorruption Dishonour turn'd into Glory Weakness into Power a Change to be as the Angels in Heaven Rom. 8.23 2 Cor. 5.2 We Groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies In this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven Victory obtained by the Spirit of Faith 2. But no obtaining this Victory over death purchased for us till by the Spirit of Faith we obtain a Victory over Sin which is also procured for us by Christ who hath received the Promise of the Spirit for all that believe This is that Crown of Life that Christ the first born of God and first begotten from the dead shall set upon the heads of all those that have fought the good fight of faith and have been more than Conquerours For as death proceeds only from Sin for sin is mortal so life
through weakness but lived by the power of God And after he had died for our sins rose again for our justification 3. That Christ as a Law-giver propounded the purest Rules of Holiness and the highest Rewards of happiness introduced the most Spiritual worship that ever was manifested unto Mankind that he put an everlasting period to Moses's Rites and confounded the Wisdom of the World by the foolishness and weakness of God which is wiser and stronger than the Wisdom and strength of the World That he brake the Devil's power and malice silenced the lying Oracles and lay'd flat the strong holds of Sin and Satan to the ground And set up his Kingdom against all Principalities and powers and Spiritual wickednesses in high places and the gates of Hell shall never be able to to prevail against it 4. That Christ's Apostles saw and heard all that he did spake and suffered and the Glory of his Resurrection and Ascension and testified to the World all these things which they had seen and heard without all hope of Reward in this Life against all discouragements of persecutions and deaths And that the Spirit of God was so powerful in these illiterate and obscure Men as to indue them with Wisedom and Understanding from on High and with courage and resolution to preach the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and the enduring of the Cross by mortification and self-denyal and renunciation of the World in order thereunto Things hard to be believed done or suffered by Flesh and Blood but mightily assured of performed and endured by themselves and their Disciples out-witting the Learning of Athens and Rome out-pleading the Orators and over-coming the powerful oppositions of both and of all others translated by their Gospel from the power of Darkness of Satan into the glorious Kingdom of the dear Son of God Thus the Ground of our Assurance sufficeth as to credence for matter of Fact SECT II. 2. The second Ground of all the Assurance Matter of Right that is possible and convenient to be had in this Life concerning our Salvation is in matter of Right to the Promises of that Salvation so procured for us is 1. Our consenting to the Promises delivered unto us 2. Our accepting and free embracing them as to our selves drawing the right of those Promises unto us 3. Our obedience or observation of them accordingly preserving those Rights unto us All which is our Faith whereby we are justified to all the Rights procured purchased and published by our Saviour Jesus Christ Thus living and dying and rising again and sending of his Spirit and ascending into Heaven and offering himself to God as a Priest and Sacrifice and sitting at the Right Hand of his Father to rule over all for us Men and for our Salvation That where he is thither he might bring us who is thus gone before us to prepare a place for us This is great Assurance and there can be no evidence nor conveyance or settlement greater or more secure than this The Word of God standing sure and our reliance thereupon We know we are the Sons of God What saith Christ Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my word Joh. 5.13 and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto Life And I will raise him up at the last day He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life Joh. 12.44 that is right unto it and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but is condemned already and the wrath of God abideth on him We know that we have passed from Death unto Life because we love the Brethren He that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death 1 Joh. 3.14 Eph. 2.5 c. Even when we were dead in sins hath he quickened us together with Christ by Grace ye are all saved and hath raised us up together and made us to sit together in Heavenly places in Jesus Christ That in ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of our selves it is the Gift of God The method of this our Assurance is 1. Hearing the Son 2. Believing in him and the Father that sent him 3. Justification 1. From Damnation and Death to Salvation and Life 2. From Sin to Grace 3. From Death in Sin to Life in Righteousness 4. From Death for Sin to Life for Grace 5. From Darkness to Light 6. From Bondage to Liberty SECT III. Matter of Witness 3. The third Ground for all the Assurance that is possible and convenient to be had in this Life concerning our Salvation is in matter of Witness or Earnest thereof which is the Spirit of God When Christ departed from his Disciples by leaving the World he bid them not be troubled at his corporal absence for he would send his Holy Spirit the Comforter to abide with them and so would be spiritually present with them all all that should succeed them in the Faith unto the end of the World Therefore accordingly when they were troubled exceedingly after his death and doubted that he was not the Messiah because he was dead and buried And after his Resurrection they were not fully satisfied but strange thoughts arose in their hearts He shew'd them his hands and his feet Luc. 24.38 c. that they might know that it was he himself and bid them handle him and feel him and look well upon him for a Spirit cannot be seen nor hath Flesh and Bones as he had And while they yet were not fully assured doubting for joy and wonder for their farther satisfaction he took meat and did eat before them And moreover for the greater Assurance he by his Spirit opened their Understandings that they might understand the Scriptures and gave them a Commission to preach the Gospel Joh. 20.22 And farther yet He breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost whosoevers sins ye remit they are remitted and whosoevers sins ye retain they are retained And last of all for the greatest assurance of all he said Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you Luc. 24.49 c. Vid. Act. 1.4 c. But tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem untill ye be endued with power from on High And he lift up his hands and blessed them and in their sight and of above five hundred Brethren together he was carried up to Heaven And then they were satisfied and worshipped and returned to Jerusalem as Christ had commanded them with great joy and waited there for the performance of the Promise Act. 2.1 c. Act. 1. which was performed upon the day of Pentecost by the Mission of the Holy Ghost upon them so as never was before When therefore all the Assurances and Confirmations that could be given to Christ's Disciples were given for their
but the less it suppresseth it or provideth any Remedy at all against it Rigour The Meer Law as it is the first Covenant of Works contains in it nothing but Rigour and Justice but no Grace nor Mercy at all A Rule it is to declare what is Right and what is Wrong but no means of it self efficacious to the doing of Right or the not doing of Wrong And therefore there is an extraordinary Weakness therein as to the Justification of a Sinner Heb. 7.18 Rom. 8.3 What therefore the Law could not do for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof through the flesh Christ taking the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And that the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus might make us free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 7 5 6 For when we were in the flesh the Motions of Sin by the Law did work in our Members to bring forth fruit unto Death But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter So sin taking occasion by the Commandment works in us all manner of Concupiscence For without the Law sin is dead And so we were alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came Sin revived and we died And the Commandment which was ordained to Life proved in effect to be unto Death But sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived us and by that Commandment slew us All this while the Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good And that which is so holy and just and good is not directly nor truly the Cause of our Death nor can it be so God forbid by its own Natural operation for out of good nothing but good can proceed but Sin that it might appear sin naturally worketh death by the occasion of that which is good For Sin taketh occasion by the Commandment to become exceeding sinful The CONTENTS Sin deceives Grace un-deceives My defect Fruition High understanding Ignorance True knowledge Means to discern Truth Rules Principles Authority Infallibility Will. My Lust Vnderstanding Physical and Moral Agents Will. Casual Cause of Sin Law TITLE IV. Of the Deceit of the Law THis seems to be a mystery Sin deceives that we should be deceived into sin by the Law of God It will not therefore be a Digression nor altogether unprofitable if it were to shew how a Law and a good Law and the Spiritual Law of God in the Old Testament should be said by St. Paul to be though but an occasion to deceive us into sin and death Strange that that which was so good should be made so much as the occasion of Evil and of the greatest of Evils to death it self and the greatest of deaths to a death in sin How then did Sin take this occasion by the Commandement of God first to deceive us and then to kill us if we can tell And how great then is the Power of Grace O the depth of the Riches of God's mercy that only can make us alive unto God Grace undeceives and be a death unto Sin and to the death of Sin and kill that which would kill us when nothing else can do it That when Sin did so abound by the occasion of Good Grace might so much the more abound by the occasion of Evil For which we must thank God who hath given us this great victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. When therefore Sin urges the strength of the Law against us and advances the Sword of Justice to strike us to death and that by the accusation of the Devil who hath the power of Death then Grace lays her hand upon the Sword of Justice and stops the mouth of Sin and the clamour of the Law and of the Devil that lays the Law against us and saves us from the stroke of Death and giveth us Victory over all those through Jesus Christ our Lord. So we may be deceived after a sort by the Law but we can no waies be deceived by Grace But yet we have not answered this point How the Law or rather Sin by the Law comes to deceive us This I say then Sin deceives me by misinforming my Understanding and by misguiding my Will The Law orders me to life but Sin deceives me in and by the Law unto death It will be sit therefore to consider here these four Points 1. My defect I am deceived that 's for certain 2. The direct efficient Cause of my deception is Lust 3. The casual or accidental Cause of Sin the Law 4. The Innocency of the Law My Defect My Defect I am plainly deceived He is said to be deceived that akes one thing for another this is all one with an errour or mistake in the Understanding and this in the Will declining to follow right Reason an Erratum He is properly decieved who fails of some end which he intended and aimed at Decipitur de quo aliquid capitur he is deceived from whom something is taken away which he should or would enjoy This is Fraud God praeordained every thing to its proper end All Unreasonable Creatures attain their ends but if they should not they cannot be said to be deceived because they understood them not that they might aim at them Reasonable Creatures fail of their Ends because they are deceived in their Judgments and Endeavours God in the Scriptures opens and offers Eternal life and gives me Understanding to apprehend it and a Will to accept it a Law to direct and his Grace to assist my Humane frailties But I am deceived 1. In my Apprehension by infinite Errors mistaking Falshood for Truth Vice for Vertue Pleasure or Profit for true happiness Temporal life and glory for Eternal 2. In my Prosecution by infinite Errata misdoing evil for good Fruition 3. In my Fruition which I fail of in the end and I deceive my self by way of fraud My Understanding I speak not of her privative Ignorance but of her Errors her oblique and depraved knowledge the more I have the more I am deceived High Understanding An elevate transcendent Understanding frames most irregular conclusions A fine Wit hath more refined Errors Learning it self is but a kind of progress in Error Ignorance When I was quite Ignorant I had no error in me but now I have got a little knowledge I have learned some Rules to erre by Learning is a remedy to Nescience but no bar to Error and Truth carrying the same countenance I have no perfect skill to discern them and especially because little Ore amongst a great deal of Dross and a pound of Error to a dram of Truth We are all deceived in one thing or other Truth is hard to come by and there
born of the flesh is flesh but afterwards they are made Spirit For that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3. And except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven which is the first Resurrection And again Christians must first die as all Flesh must do and afterwards must live as all Spirits must do And as the Soul is alwaies Spirit but not fully sanctified nor fully glorified till after the Bodie 's Resurrection so the Flesh is alwaies Flesh but yet made spiritual by Regeneration but not fully Spiritual till the full Regeneration of Glory after death which is the second Resurrection For thiis Mortal must put on Immortality and this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Earth must put on Heaven and this Flesh must put on Spirit and this Terrestrial must be made Coelestial for as we have born the Image of the Earthly so we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly There are Natural Bodies and there are Spiritual Bodies but first that which is Natural and then that which is Spiritual So without Death Temporal we cannot be prepared for Life Eternal For except we fall we cannot rise and except we rise from the Earth we cannot ascend into Heaven and except we ascend into Heaven we cannot enter into the Inheritance of Glory SECTION I. Christ's Ascension Christ therefore after his death and burial ascended in his own Person far above all Heavens that he might as a King Priest and Prophet fully execute the Will of his Father and our Father which is in Heaven Now he that ascended Eph. 4.9 what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth And he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things or more truly that he might fulfil all things that is by a Plenary Administration and discharging all the Gifts and Legacies devised by God For when he ascended up on high Eph. 4.8 he led Captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And for the preparation of his Church Militant that they may be Triumphant He from thence gave some to be Apostles Spirit 's Mission Eph 4.11 12. and some to be Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now to do these things is to execute and fulfil the Will of God Wherefore it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the sins of the People For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the Promise i. e. the Promised Possession of Eternal Inheritance This Doctrine was taught by Christ himself Joh. 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you And after his death he said Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day Luk. 24.46 And that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Thus Christ died for the Testification Coroll Confirmation and Execution of the New Testament and consequently for the Remission of sins Mortification Justification Sanctification Resurrection and Glorification of all the Scripti haeredes whose Names are written in the Book of Life The CONTENTS Spiritual Lively In force for ever Literal Deadly Abrogated for ever Consequences Cautions Instructions Exhortations TITLE VII Of the Testaments compared THis last and greatest and best Disposition of God's Grace to all the World called the New Testament that we may yet the better understand let us compare it with the former and lower way of God's Disposition to the Jews only called the Old Testament as it was established by the Law given upon Mount Sinai in these two points The New Testament is Spiritual lively and in force for ever The Old Testament is Literal deadly and abrogated for ever SECTION I. Spiritual I. The New Testament is Spiritual lively and in force for ever 1. Spiritual 1. Because it is perfect agreeing to the Spirit of God which the other was not being imperfect and Carnal 2. Because it conveyeth Spiritual gifts and graces plentifully which the other did not 3. Because it was written by the Spirit in the Tables of the heart whereas the other was only in Tables of Stone Lively 2. Lively 1. Because it creates the life of Grace and Glory In force for ever 3. In force for ever Because it is God's last Will and ratified by the Death of Christ and therefore unalterable SECTION II. Literal II. The Old Testament is Literal deadly and abrogated for ever 1. Literal Because Carnal rigorous weak rude and beggarly as Rudiments and the lowest principles of Morality and Ritual worship 2. Deadly Deadly Because working nothing but wrath and death making sin appear to be exceeding sinful and affording no Remedy against it 3 Abrogated for ever Abrogated for ever Because ordained only for a time as being shadowy and typical of Substances to come The Law made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 but the coming in of a better Hope did The Gospel is the only true Service with which God is well pleased For God is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth God will now be served in the newness of the Spirit Ro. 7.6 not in the oldness of the Letter Say not in thine heart Ro. 7.6 Who shall ascend into Heaven to bring Christ down from thence or who shall descend into the Deep to bring Christ again from the dead For the word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart Ro. 10.6 The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and Life Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The Law of the Spirit of Life hath made
and purity of an Evangelical spirit We dwell too much upon outward and carnal things which are lawful as of Water in Baptism Bread and Wine in the Communion Fasts and Feasts Rites and Ceremonies Penances Judgments Prosperities and stretch them too far or lay too hard a stress upon them The two Sacraments ordained by Christ and the other decent Orders of the Church for edification and the Dispensations of outward Punishments and Blessings are reverently to be observed and practised but not in the outside and Gaiety only to move humiliation and fear but in the intrinsecal and essential virtue to create spiritual Communion Love Joy and hope of Glory To use Rites is comely and for Edification but to multiply them to distraction is Jewish and Paganish and of it self a dead way without any spirit or life at all Covet therefore after the best of Gifts and behold I shew unto you a more excellent way to make it our meat and drink to do the will of God to fulfil all Righteousness outward but not to rest there but to taste the good Word of God and the Powers of the VVorld to come and to have our Spirits throughly exercised to discern the Truth in all Shadows I will not slight but reverence every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake and for Conscience sake I will read and hear and see the description of Christ in a Book or Sermon or Picture but I will come nearer to Christ and close in my Soul with his Spirit I will be ravished with his Love that died for me and rose again and admire and draw a Curtain and be silent when I cannot describe nor imagine the infiniteness of his Shames and Glories Call me to Joy and Gladness after I have tried all other waies and to a constant walking with God and full Assurance of Heaven 1. Because Christ hath entred into his Temple and opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers 2. Because Christ hath offered and presented himself to God for all his Saints 3. Because Christ sits and rules in Heaven and by his Spirit in all Saints and over all his and their Enemies 4. Because Christ as a Prophet teacheth us and leads us into all Truth 5. Because Christ makes Intercession for us 6. Because Christ will come again in great glory to raise from the Dead to Judge and to call to the full possession of Glory And this practice is truly and solidly comfortable unmixt with Carnal VVorship or VVorldly Policy Nothing but honesty and love in all this no scandal of the Cross because of the ample recompence of Reward No true and proper Priest Prophet or King but Christ All Priests and Prophets and Kings in Christ who is all in all God blessed for evermore The Second Use therefore is to conform to his Exaltation and Glory The CONTENTS Victory over Sin Imputation of Righteousness Jural Righteousness Reasons of Victory over Sin Light conquers Darkness Sin no Native Propension in Nature to its proper state Genuine Nature of the Spirit Superior Faculties predominate Active Co-operation Christ's Victory over Law Outward Covenant of Works Inward state of Mind Alive to Sin Dead to Law Carnal Liberty to Sin Legal Perfection Our Victory over Law Grace stronger than Law Spirit of Grace stronger than Spirit of Law God delights more in Mercy than Vengeance Man object of God's Love Christ's Pleading undeniable to God Christ's Victory over Death Victory procured meritoriously by Christ's Death Victory obtained by the Spirit of Faith Our Victory over Death Sin conquered Law conquered Devil conquered Christ entred into the Holy of Holies TITLE VIII Of Christ's Exaltation CHRIST's Resurrection manifested his Death to be effectual against Sin 1 Cor. 15.57 Law and Death else our Faith had been in vain and we yet in our sins For he was delivered to death for our sins and rose again for our Justification Ro. 4. If Death had held him then neither Sin nor Law nor Death nor Satan that hath the power of Death had been conquered and then Sin and Law and Death and Hell must have held us for ever This therefore is the greatest of all Christ's Miracles for the World to believe him to be a perfect Saviour which without it could never have been believed This takes away all scandal of the Cross for we worship not one was as the Jews call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Crucified or Staked-God But when the Lord was Risen then Faith revived The Disciples thought this had been he which should have restored the Kingdom to Israel but he was dead and buried and therefore all their hopes of that ever coming to pass were dead and buried with him But now he is Risen from the Dead both theirs and ours is risen up again with him who though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God Christ's Resurrection assures us of Life after death of which the World was never assured before 'T is he that hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 Who after he had overcome the sharpness of Death did open the Kingdom of heaven to all Believers The Reasons of Philosophy to prove the Soul's Immortality and the Bodie 's Resurrection though demonstrative enough yet are so thin and subtil that they glide and slip away quickly from Vulgar Apprehensions But Christ his Soul being in Paradise during the Body's abode in the Grave and his Resurrection Appearances and Conversations and Visible Ascension into heaven do put the matter out of question and more strongly affect Vulgar minds By and after Christ's Resurrection he was made Lord and Christ King and Saviour Christ's Oeconomical Kingdom is calculated from the Epocha of his Resurrection and Ascension and sitting at the Right hand of his Father in heaven Let all the house of Israel know assuredly Act 2.36 that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree him hath God exalted on his Right hand Act. 5.31 to be a Prince and a Saviour He humbled himself to the Death Phil. 2.9 even to the death of the Cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name that at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow c. All Power is given to me both in Heaven and Earth Matth. ult 1 Cor. 15.27 God hath put all things in subjection under Christ's feet the Vicegerent of God a Mediatorious King till he hath put down all Rule and all Authority and Power and hath delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father that God may be all and in all A great Comfort that one of our Flesh and tempted as we and therefore knows the better how to pity us and succour us when we are tempted A great Comfort that our Flesh is in Heaven already as
and the Gentile abolishing in his flesh the Enmity even the Law of Commandements contained in Ordinances for to make to himself of twain one New Man so making peace And that he might reconcile both unto God in one Body by the Cross having slain the enmity thereby Blotting out the Hand-writing of Ordinances which was against us Col. 2.14 which was contrary to us and taking it out of the way nailed it to his Cross Inward State of Mind 2. As an Inward state of the Mind wrought by the Law and Truth of God in the Heart and Conscience Begetting in the Mind 1. A Conviction of Duty 2. A Conviction of Sin 3. A Conviction of Wrath. But no strength to enable to Duty nor free us from Sin or Wrath. A State of unwilling Passiveness and Subjection to a Law as to an Enemy for fear that will not suffer us to have our Will nor to escape Judgment A miserable State in which is no rest The Law commanding one way Lust haling us another way quite contrary Curse threatning to find us out every way The Law contrary to us and we contrary to the Law The Law is Spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin for that which I would I do not Rom. 7.14 but what I hate that do I And besides to make my Estate the more miserable I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity under the Law of Sin O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death From this inward state of Bondage we are not actually delivered by the outward Victory of Christ on the Cross as if it should purchase an Indulgence for us to sin without Control but this Victory is procured for us thereby that by the vertue of that general Conquest outwardly over all Sin Law and Death we might obtain through our Faith the inward Cross of the Spirit of God in our hearts for the particular Victory of Sin and Law and Death in our Regeneration They that are under the Law are as a VVife under a harsh Husband There are two waies for a Wife to be free 1. By breaking loose from the Bands of Wedlock in which case she is an Adulteress 2. By staying till her Husband be dead in which case she is free to marry in the Lord and is no Adulteress So there are two ways to be free from the Law 1. By illegal breaking loose from it and marrying to carnal Liberty miscalled Christian Liberty 2. Legal marrying to Christ when the Law is dead by crucifying and mortifying of Lusts The Law of the Spirit of Christ hath made me free from the Law of Sin Rom. 8.2 and Death From hence I collect Three Estates of men 1. Such as are alive to sin and dead to the Law Alive to sin I was alive without the Law once that is the Conscience was asleep Rom. 7.9 and I sinned freely without check of Law or Conscience thereby as if I had no Law nor Conscience at all 2. Such as are alive to Law and to Sin both that is Alive to Law the Conscience was convicted of sin by the Law and yet hath still a power and love to sin both struggling in the bowels of the Soul which is a shattered and broken Estate when the Soul hath a Love to sin which she knows to be a sin and condemned by the Law and her own Conscience This is to be slain by the Law For I was alive without the Law once Ro. 7.9 10 11. but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed and the Commandement which was ordained to Life I found to be unto Death For Sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me In this condition there is no peace All Distraction and VVar betwixt the Law of God the Law of the Mind the Law of sin and the Law of Members 3. Such as are dead to the Law and sin Dead to Law and alive unto God and Righteousness The Law of the Spirit of Life hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death That is the Law is subdued Rom. 8.2 and Sin is conquered and the Soul free from the Curse of the one and the Dominion of the other and at liberty to be the servant of God and of Righteousness They that are in the first estate are Sin 's Free-men They that are in the second estate are Bond-men to God and Righteousness and Slaves serving for fear of Death and so abstaining from outward Acts not inward Lusts Children of Hagar the Bond-woman They that are in the third state are Free-men of God and Righteousness as Sons serving God for Love Children of Sarah the Free-woman So it appears that there are great Mistakes concerning freedom from the Law Carnal Liberty to sin 1. By fancying a Carnal liberty to sin such are free-men to sin and wickedness which is a most deplorable Thraldom These men call themselves Saints holy in all profaneness and for God too by opinionative zeal of Enthusiasm and Seraphicism Metaphysically abstracted from all mixtures below and highly united and conversant with God in the Spirit Epicurizing in the mean while and making a God of the Flesh God seeing no sin in them his Children needing no Preachings Prayer nor Good-works but rapt up in the extasie of Faith and Love and absolute Assurance leaving poor Reprobates in the fetters of Law and torments of Sin and Damnation while they enjoy all Liberty and Pleasures in familiarity with God who affords them the Liberty of the Creature which they enjoy to the full as having the only true Right unto them and Sin not in all they do This may be called Antinomian Liberty under the pretence of Free-Grace and a Gospel-Spirit because Christ hath done all to their hands and therefore nor Sin nor Law nor Death can reach them sinning out their sin and so much the rather because where Sin aboundeth Grace doth much more abound Legal Perfection Ro. 7.5 19 20. 2. By satisfying themselves with a Legal Perfection only The Good they would do they do not but what they hate that they do and the Evil they would not do that they do And 't is no more they that do it but Sin that dwells in them and they cannot help it and they are excused because the Law of Sin in their Members is against the Law of their Minds and leads them captive whether they will or no unto the Law of Sin which is in their Members And so all is well enough because it can be no better And God is Merciful And in this opinion they continue a sinful and miserable life betwixt Hope and Fear Hearing and Praying and Communicating all the while and trusting to the Work done and in the End hope all is well and will be well And thus they look no farther still feeding themselves especially the Papists
quarrelling and sit still and consider these points we should in time understand them sufficiently by our own experience better than they do that dispute of them daily We are prone to nothing but evil Object Flesh is prone to evil by exceeding the bounds of reason Solut. but Reason it self tends another way With my mind I serve the Law of God Rom. 7.25 Rom. 7.22 23. but with my flesh the Law of sin I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin that is in my members Adam's faculties were corrupted so are ours Object Both true in a safe sense and if these safe senses were admitted Solut. all would agree but there is though not acknowledged Pride Interest and uncharitableness in the way that obstructs this universal good that would be both in Church and State But who can help it it must be born only wise Men and honest Men will be no slaves SECT III. We are made mortal in Adam Not actually by dying in his body and with his body Corol. 2. All mortal in Adam for we sprang from his body before dead but causatively by descent from his made mortal body As he sinned for himself so we sin for our selves Reason And as he died for himself so we die for our selves But his sin was not ours and his death was not ours but only the cause of our sin and the cause of our death Mortalis gignit mortalem Immortalis gignit immortalem Servus gignit servos Nobilis gignit Nobiles Fortes creantur fortibus Morbosi creantur à morbosis Infamis non gignit infamem Sed Peccator non gignit peccatorem Doctus non gignit Doctum Innocens non gignit innocentem In true and safe senses some Natural some Jural A Mortal begets a Mortal An Immortal begets an Immortal Cum grano salis Deus de Deo Servants beget servants Free-Men beget Free-Men Nobles beget Nobles Strength begets strength Weakness begets weakness Infamous doth not beget infamous But a sinner begets not a sinner A Learned Man begets not a Learned Man A virtuous Man begets not a virtuous Man SECT IV. Corol. 3. Righteous in Christ We are made righteous in Christ i. e. Accounted Reason 1 Christ's righteousness was not individually ours nor is our righteousness individually his nor can any person's qualities be communicated to another Reason 2 Nature made us in Adam Grace makes us in Christ Bodies were in Adam not Souls Souls are in Christ not Bodies One Man's will is not really in anothers Sin is in Soul not Body Death is in Body not Soul Righteousness is in Soul not Body We are born of the Bodies not of the Souls of our Parents SECT V. Corol. 4. Immortal in Christ Reason We are immortal in Christ by Christ's Body Christ's immortality was not individually ours as our immortality is not individually his But we are made immortal by his immortality 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adam we all die so in Christ all are made alive Souls were not in Adam's Soul Souls are not in Christ's Soul Bodies are not in Christ's Body Our persons were not in Adam's person Our persons are not in Christ's person Our bodies seminally in Adam's body i. e. not to act in Adam but fast asleep in him as their cause Our Souls not at all in Adam's Soul but created apart and infused by God So the acts of Adam's body were not the acts of our bodies So the acts of Adam's Soul were not the acts of our Souls So the acts of Christ's body were not the acts of our bodies So the acts of Christ's Soul were not the acts of our Souls SECT VI. Every Individual body naturally acts for it self Every Individual Soul naturally acts for it self Corol. 5. Reason Every Individuum acts for its self Ez. 18. And is rewarded or punished for it self The Soul that sinneth it shall die Fathers eat sowre grapes Children's teeth not set an edge Every mortal individual is mortal for it self Every immortal individual is immortal for it self Every individual is good for it self Every individual is bad for it self So in a right sense 1. We are made Sinners by Adam's sin 2. We are made Righteous by Christ's Righteousness 3. We are made Mortal by Adam's mortality 4. We are made Immortal by Christ's Immortality If any Man can express these things better let him a God's Name I shall be glad to learn One Touch more and then I have done Adam's body the root and seed of our bodies Adam's Soul not the root nor seed of our Souls Adam's body acted for it self Adam's Soul acted for it self Our bodies act for themselves Our Souls act for themselves Ergo Adam's virtues were not ours Adam's vices were not ours Adam's rewards were not ours Adam's punishments were not ours Rules Unusquisque habet judicium pro semetipso Unusquisque habet voluntatem pro semetipso Unusquisque habet passiones pro semetipso Unusquisque habet actiones pro semetipso Every one hath a judgment for himself Every one hath a will for himself Every one hath passions for himself Every one hath actions for himself Individuals communicate not their actions or passions but are distinct as their persons Sin is not Nature Nature is not Sin Righteousness is not Nature Nature is not Righteousness The Close Natural actions of Body and Soul reach not beyond the person that acts them Moral actions extend not beyond the person that acts them Jural actions do extend beyond the persons that act them for punishment or reward by act of Law or Grace c. SECT VI. Once more and use it not I beg leave to review the triple distinction that I made of a Sinner Sinner Legal 1. A Sinner Legally is a transgressor and offender against the rules of the Law in not doing that right whereto the Law binds him and he that doth not right according to the Law he is unrighteous and a person unrighteous is a sinner Such sinners were the sinners of the Gentiles who lived in idolatry such a sinner was the Woman who washed the feet of Christ with her tears Joh. 7.37 and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed them and anoynted them with oyntment for she was an adulteress Such a sinner was the Woman taken in Adultery in the very act and was therefore brought by the Scribes and Pharisees unto Christ to be stoned to death John 8.3 4. And this kind of sinner who is a transgressor of the Law is opposed to the person who is legally righteous by doing that right which the Law requireth SECT VII Sinner Moral 2. A sinner Morally quoad mores is a Trespasser offending against the rules of Good manners of Humanity Equity Charity Mercy and Courtesy not dealing handsomly or kindly not doing that right whereto the rule of
see that such as are in necessity have right Help all them to right that suffer wrong and punish the wrong doer Do right to the poor use no force nor fraud against him to deprive him of his right but by a right Sentence give him his right The Italian renders it Faitte drito the French Faites justice it is the act of justice to give every one his right 1. Thus to justifie is to acquite or discharge one that is guilty by Favour and Grace 2. To justifie is to declare a Man free from guilt of which he was wrongfully charged and pronounced guilty by wrong Sentence of Law 3. To justifie is to create a right to a Man that had none before 4. To justifie is to restore a right to a Man that had lost it 5. To justifie is to make a Man a proprietary or an owner of something that had nothing or at least not that which he is now justified unto 6. To justifie is to assert and prove any thing to be true or any Person to be honest in word or deed SECT I. Accounting Thus to account any right to any Person is to justifie that Person or to impute righteousness unto him Rom. 4.6 Gal. 2.16 So to be accounted righteous or for righteousness to be accounted to us or for Faith to be accounted for Righteousness or to be justified by Faith are all one and the same thing And truly all Rights consist in imputing accounting or reckoning which is their force or essence As that the Usefruit or propriety of any thing is imputed or reckoned to appertain and belong to such a Person this is his right by some title or other And all accounting or reckoning is either 1. Of sayings or Propositions as in Logick 2. Of numbers as in Logistick 3. Of Rights or Dues as in Justice or Mercy So to be justified is to be imputed reckoned accounted declared pronounced or created righteous i. e. to have a present right to a future inheritance by the means of Faith and Title of Grace and Mercy in Jesus Christ Thus our justification makes no moral alteration in us that is makes us not just or righteous in doing moral righteousness much less does moral righteousness justifie but justification produceth in us a civil capacity to possess something investing us in an Estate and gives us a new right to have and hold something as our own The poor oppressed are justified not by making them morally righteous but by giving them right that is either declaring their right by a right Sentence or by hindring of that force and fraud which would deprive them of their right Thus Justification is opposed to Condemnation Rom. 8 33 34 It is God that justifies who shall condemn To justifie is to invest a Man with a right to condemn is to devest or deprive a Man of right If through the offence of one many be dead Rom. 5.15 16 c. much more the Grace of God and the Gift by Grace which is by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many The judgment is of one to condemnation but the free-gift is of many offences unto justification Therefore as by the offence of one Man judgment came upon all to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free-gift came upon all Men unto justification of life For as by one Man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous He that is dead is freed from sin the Original is justified from sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is contrary to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SECT II. The Synonyma or Parallel names are these Synonyma Eph. 1.11 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. To obtain an inheritance 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To gather together in one all things in Christ which is properly our Incorporation or imbodying into Christ our Head 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be reconciled unto God for Being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.10 2 Cor. 5.19 20. When we were his enemies we were reconciled to God God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation that he might reconcile both unto God in one Body by the Cross Eph. 2.16 Col. 1.12 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be sufficiented or made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.13 To be translated into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God from darkness to light i. e. to be justified 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be accepted to the Beloved i. e. to be justified Eph. 1.6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be engraffed being a wild Olive Rom. 11.24 and to partake of the fatness thereof c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be enfranchised If the Son shall make you free John 8.36 Eph. 2.19 then are ye free indeed i. e. justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 1 Pet. 5.1 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Access or coming unto God 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adoption As many as received him John 1.12 Rom. 8. to them gave he power i. e. right to be called the Sons of God We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alliance to God Eph. 2.13 Ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the Blood of Christ 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pardoning and forgiving Col. 2.13 And you being dead in your sin and the uncircumcisien of your flesh hath he quickened together with him having forgiven you all trespasses 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ransoming or redeeming Rev. 5.9 Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood By all these and the like expressions is declared a permanent state and stable condition wherein a person standeth as to Freedom and is the Base or standard of all Rights accounted to him SECT III. Bondage There are two Spiritual States the one of bondage the other of freedom 1. Spiritual Bondage which is a Restraint Pressure Closeness or Fastness of the Spirit whereby a man is tyed from good to evil is a drudge to sin and a slave to lust a captive to the Devil This is a State of wrath low base terrene and miserable a condition below the nature and quality of a man having no Right nor capacity of Right to any Spiritual Benefit a very death SECT IV. Freedom 2. Spiritual Freedome which is a gallantry fluency clearness or loosness of the Spirit an enlargement from
come for he hath given them a right to be forgiven here and therefore they cannot be punished hereafter The Gospel is the word of promise for the forgiveness of sins not only for the act but for the right thereof To them that are justified there can be no condemnation Ro. 8.1 Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus i. e. To them that are incorporated into Christ and justified but all their trespasses are forgiven them You that were dead in your sins Col. 2.13 hath he quickened together with Christ He that is pardoned is fully acquitted from the guilt of his sin and from the punishment due for the same Be it known unto you therefore Acts 13.38 39. Men and Brethren that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses God's Pardon is not specially restrained to this or that sin at such a time but generally for all sins at all times The King's Pardon is with exceptions of persons and crimes and times and places but God's pardon is without all exceptions of persons times places or crimes excepting only that of the Holy Ghost And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your Flesh hath he quickened together with him having forgiven you all your trespasses SECT III. 2. A right of Liberty from the slavery of sin Liberty and the Bondage of the Law We are loose from all evil and free to all good adopted naturalized endenized made the Lord's Free-men Free 1. To the Fruition of God 2. To the Guidance of his Spirit 3. To act the will of God 4. To the Rule thereof God's Law 5. To a state of bearing God's Image 6. To the possession of God If the Son have made you free then are you free indeed Joh. 8.38 Rom. 8.2 Gal. 5.1 free from the law of sin and death Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free SECT IV. 3. A right of Provision for Soul and Body Provision as the Son hath the right of aliment from his Father for the Children make not provision for the Fathers but the Fathers for the Children Christ therefore forbids all immoderate carefulness for our Heavenly Father careth for us Mat. 6.31 O we of little Faith we have good reason to be content for God will never leave us nor forsake us Can a Mother forget her Child that she should neglect the fruit of her womb yet she may but 't is contrary to Nature if she doth yet will not God forget us when our Father and Mother forsake us the Lord taketh us up God will never leave us nor forsake us The Lions shall lack and suffer hunger but no good thing shall they want that fear the Lord. He that hath given us Christ how shall he not with him also freely give us all things 1 Pet. 5.7 Cast therefore all your care upon God for he careth for you SECT V. Protection 4. A right of Protection to defend us from all our enemies and from all injuries against the subtilty and malice of Satan As the Subject hath in the King a right of Protection to defend him liegely against the injury done by any of his fellow-subjects or any other Subject to any other King whatsoever so have the justified a right of Protection in God to defend them from all evil When God justified Abraham he gave him the right of Protection Fear not Abraham Gen. 15.1 saith God I am thy shield i. e. thy Protector The same right Holy David claimed in God Psal 3.3 Ps 18.2 Ps 33.20 But thou O Lord art a shield for me I will not be afraid for ten thousands of People that have set themselves against me round about The Lord is my rock and my fortress my deliverer my strength and my buckler Our Soul waiteth for the Lord he is our help and our shield Sons have right of Protection from their Fathers and to whom else should they flie for succour in their distress Satan sought to sift thee said Christ to Peter as the wheat is sifted but I have pray'd for thee that thy Faith fail thee not The Gates of Hell shall not be able to prevail against us Resist the Devil and he will flee from thee We shall bruise Satan under every one of our feet And as from Satan so God protects us from the World Fear not little flock I have overcome the World Abimelech was witheld from Sarah Laban from Jacob Balaam from cursing Israel Saul from destroying David and God protects us from our selves restrains us from lusts Sin shall not have the dominion over us nor rule in our mortal Bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof SECT VI. Audience 5. A right of Audience To hear and grant all our petitions prayers and suits The prayers of the wicked are not heard but return into their own bosom but the justified have the right of Audience that their prayers should be heard God heareth not sinners but if any Man be a doer of his will Joh. 9.31 him he heareth They are heard for themselves and for others Abraham undertakes for Sodom the City of sin descending from fourty to ten The prayer of a righteous Man if it be fervent availeth much And this is the confidence that we have in him Jam. 5.9 that if we ask any thing according to his will 1 Joh. 5.14 Mat. 21.22 he heareth us Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive Vid. 1 Joh. 5.14 SECT VII 6. A right of Alliance to be the Friends and Allyes of God Alliance God is an enemy to the ungodly because they are enemies to him because they are friends to Satan who is God's enemy But to the justified God is a friend for by his justifying he gives them a right of being his friends for he not only grants them his peace but his alliance to be his friends Christ calls the Apostles Friends and adds the reason because he acquainted them with his actions Henceforth I call you not Servants Joh. 15.13 for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but friends for all things that I heard of my Father I have made known unto you Abraham being justified Jam. 2.23 had this right of Alliance and was called the Friend of God For God imparted himself unto him and so communed with him as a Man doth with his Friend Moses communed with God face to face David a Man after God's own heart Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do Such know the mind of God as Friends understand each others minds and they open the secrets of their bosoms one to another The Justified are related unto God besides friendship in his Nature of which they are made partakers and in a manner
Salvation descends not on the Son is not entailed The original Right that Adam had was entailed but his sin cut off that entail and his Bloud was corrupt and tainted to all his Posterity and we are heirs to his guilt but not to his right as the Son of the tainted Father is heir to his Father's bond and burdens but not to his rights and priviledges We are all born in sin and by such our birth are all deprived of our right to Glory All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God SECT III. Purchase 2. Purchase or Buying so Jacob had a right to the Estate of Isaac and his Title was by Purchase for he bought Esau's Right for a Mess of Pottage Esau and Jacob had successively a right to the same Estate but not by the same Title Esau's was by Birth Jacob's by Purchase Among us the Title many have to their right for their Estates is by Purchase of such a Manor Land Lease or House Our Title to the right of Glory is not by Purchase for 1. Such a Purchase is unlawful Is the sale of Honour of it self unlawful and shall not the sale of Glory be much more Is it simony to buy a Living that can last but for a time and is it not much more to buy the Living that is everlasting 2. Such Purchase is impossible no summe sufficient can be raised to make that Purchase the whole World will not afford it What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul if the whole World cannot countervail for the loss of it much less can it satisfie for the Salvation of it SECT IV. Desert 3. Deserts of Virtue Service or Works When Saul made David a Colonel he had a good right to that Office and his Title was his Deserts by his good Service done to the King and State by the virtues of his wisdom and valour he behaved himself more wisely and valiantly than all the Servants of Saul he had slain Goliah and diverse Philistins In the opinion of the Jews the Centurion had a right to have his Servant healed and his Title as they pleaded it was his good deserts and works For say they he loveth our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue Our Title to our right of Salvation is not by deserts service or works The World talkes much of Merits and Deserts and many flatter themselves with an opinion of them though daily they see themselves cast in that Plea For Deserts breed a Title to nothing but Honour a naked and empty Right that consists in having a Name or taking Place to matters of power and profit ineffectual SECT V. 4. Favour and Grace And the motive to that Grace only God or Man Favour So the King ex mero motu of his own free will grants a Boone so God grants the right of Salvation according to the good pleasure of his own will which is our Title thereunto Our Title is no base and low Plea but eminent and high not only of Grace but eminent Grace the highest and best Title creating Jus pingue the Best of Rights As our sin was exceeding sinful so our grace is exceeding gracious Hence St. John terms it Grace of Grace of his fulness all we have received Grace for Grace i. e. Grace not requested but freely granted Divines call it Preventing Grace Grace that fore-stalls all our desires we sue not for it pray not for it For a clear knowledg of this we are to understand that Grace is of two degrees 1. Upon the motion petition or suit of the party that obtains the Grace 2. Upon the proper motion of the Donor without all petition or suit of the Receiver This later is Free-Grace most gracious Grace God gave Abraham a Son that was Grace for Abraham was barren and out of hope for Children yet that was not Free-Grace but Grace upon request For Abraham made his prayer to God for a Son lest the Steward of his house should be his Heir God gave Abraham the Land of Canaan to him and his Seed that also was Grace for Abraham had no other title to it none by birth purchase or desert And that was Free-Grace without any prayer or suit of Abraham Christ healed the Centurion's Servant of the Palsie that was Grace yet not Free-Grace for he did it at the suit of the Centurion who came and worshipped and besought Christ to heal him Christ raised the Widows Son of Naim from death that also was Grace and Free-Grace for he did it without any petition or suit unto him upon pure compassion he had on the poor Widow his Mother SECT VI. From all that hath been said I may modestly gather that the Rights we have by Justification are exceeding many and great and the Title to those Rights is no way by Law not by Birth not by Purchase not by Desert but by the meer favour kindness and mercy of God SECT VII Reason 1 Because our Justification is contrary to our Condemnation our title to death whereby we are condemned is by works Condemnation for it is by sins For the wages of sin is death And by the offence of one many are dead Our title then to life whereto we are justified must needs be by Grace and so life must needs be a gift For if death be a wages and a payment due for sin then life must needs be not a wages nor a payment but a meer Gift and Favour For if things contrary have contrary forms then contrary Rights must have contrary Titles If our Right to die come by Law our Right to live must needs come by Grace So St. Paul reasons at large Rom. 5.15.16 c. SECT VIII Reason 2 Because all the Rights that come by justifying are Gifts Thy right of Liberty and Impunity Gifts of Resurrection and Glorification c. are all of Gift for they are not entailed upon us and therefore not by Birth nor sold unto us and therefore not by Purchase not let out therefore not by Works and Service but are all pure Gifts St. Paul opposes these rights to our penalties in Adam for sin Ro. 5.15 c. and in four Verses together for four several times he terms them Gifts Now all Gifts are acquired by Grace and the Donatary hath no other title than the Grace and Favour of the Donor SECT IX Reason 3 Because the Original Right of Justification is Impunity or Pardon For when God creates these Rights unto us Impunity we are in the state of sin for in that state we are born into the World And our first Right is impunity or pardon i. e. to be accounted righteous Hence our Justification is so frequently termed Imputation of Righteousness and Absolution from sin which two Attributes make but one and the same thing For they differ only in the term saving that Imputation of Righteousness is the better term because it is the term positive or term of access to
proper rule Restraint from proper state Restraint from proper right Constraint to base actions p. 83 Title 11. Of the Subject of slavery The Sinner habitual p. 87 Title 12. Of the Reasons of slavery Restraint from proper end Restraint from proper guide Restraint from proper act Restraint from proper rule Restraint from proper state Restraint from proper right Captivity Constraint to base actions p. 88 Title 13. Of the Lord of slavery Sin Satan p. 91 Title 14. Of the Innocency of the Law Grace cannot deceive p. 92 Title 15. Of the Mystery of the Law Mystical Precepts Mystical Providences p. 96 Title 16. Of the History of the Law Writing in Tables Law lost Law found Law lost again Law restored Septuagints Translation Law burnt Maccabes Sects of Jews Christ's coming Law on Mount Sinai the same with that of Adam in Paradise The renewal of the Covenant of Works The equivocal word Law p. 99 The Fourth Book Of the Gospel or New Testament Title 1. Of the Reformation Law changed Priesthood changed Sacrifices Gospel a Covenant of Faith God may change the law Law advanced to Spirit Types Secret of Christ understood by degrees Divine Dispensations Creation Fall Promise Faithful Vnfaithful Gentiles feared God Law written Rites why commanded Civil law Rule Outward service trusted in Prophets sent Christ sent Jews Idolaters before Christ's time Jews destroyed Gentiles called Old Religion antiquated Aaron's Priesthood Christ's Priesthood Typical Redemption from typical sins Real redemption from real sins Salvation of all men No more Changes p. 105 Title 2. Of the Nature of the Gospel Few Disciples in Christ's time Resipicence True Wisdom p. 115 Title 3. Of the Gospel a Testament What the Old Testament contains What the New Testament contains Gospel a Testament rather than a Covenant p. 117 Title 4. Of a Testament the best Deed. Evidences Promises Earnest Oath Security Donation Testament a single Will A last Will. In force alone Confirmed by death Testament the Noblest deed Solemn Nuncupative Declarative Witnesses Plainness Heir Finishing by Hand and Seal In giving all In dying Testament most solemn Most liberal Marriage A near Vnion Acquisition of goods Love of God Love of Saints Communion Adoption Heir the most beloved Definition of the Gospel Definition of a Testament Testatour Appellative name of Believers Consent Testament of Father to Children Testamentum ad pias Causas No Praeterition No inofficious Testament p. 120 Title 5. Of the Grace of the New Testament Definition of Grace Nature Free-grace Right Nature Law Throne of Grace Wrath. Works Free grace Rich grace Assurance Jews loth to leave the law p. 128 Title 6. Of the Confirmation of the New Testament Writing Testimony Confirmation Execution Christ the Executor Executorship conditional Flesh and Blood Christ's Ascension Spirit 's Mission p. 132 Title 7. Of the Testament compared Spiritual Lively In force for ever Literal Deadly Abrogated for ever Consequences Cautions Instructions Exhortations p. 136 Title 8. Of Liberty Nature of Liberty Form Loosness from all Incumbrances Largeness p. 142 Title 9. Of the Seat of Liberty Soul p. 143 Title 10. Of the Terms of Liberty Recess from Evil. Access to Good p. 145 Title 11. Of the Cases of Liberty Loosness to proper end Loosness to proper guide Loosness to proper act Loosness to proper rule Loosness to proper state Loosness to proper right p. 146 Title 12. Of the Subject of Liberty God Christ Faithful Term of recess Bondage Term of access Sonship p. 149 Title 13. Of the Allegory of the two Covenants Ismael Isaac But two eminent Covenants State of Christian liberty p. 153 Title 14. Of the Minority and Majority of the Church Fulness of time Jews a childish people Time of Minority Redemption Adoption Plenage Gentiles exempted from Minority Popery Administration of both Testaments Idolatry Remedy against Idolatry p. 159 The Fifth Book Of a Mediatour Title 1. Of the Name and Thing Transition Mediatour Reconciliation Moses p. 167 Title 2. Of the Person of Christ Two Natures Vnion Incarnation p. 170 Title 3. Of the Mediatorship of Christ Christ sole Mediator God is one All Nations sinners Jews and Gentiles made one Christ a Soveraign Mediator Testament includes a Covenant Wherein Christ's Mediatorship consists Mediator and Testator how concurring p. 177 Title 4. Of Christ's Priesthood Christ's offering One God to mediate to One Man to mediate for One God and Man to mediate One Ransom to mediate by Christ a Man Christ the greatest and truest High Priest Christ offered Self p. 180 Title 5. Of the Dignity of Melchisedec A Priest A singular Priest A perpetual Priest Greater than Abraham Abraham paid Tithes to Melchisedec Melchisedec not of Aaron's Tribe Abraham blessed of Melchisedec Sacerdotal Blessing Levi paid Tithes to Melchisedec Actions of Fathers transmitted to Children Levi blessed of Melchisedec Melchisedec immortal p. 184 Title 6. Of the Order of Melchisedec Christ of that order Christ's pedigree Joseph's pedigree Maries pedigree Christ no Priest by birth Christ made a Priest by oath Christ a Royal Priest Christ Priest and Sacrifice Christ ministers in Heaven Tabernacle imperfect Sanctuary a worldly manufacture Ordinances arbitrary Way to Holiest not made Christ first enters the Holy place Faithful enter at the last day Services imperfect Christ's blood dedicates the Holy of Holies One offering Christ offers Self in heaven Christ reigns in heaven Melchisedec a type of Christ Of the offering of Christ Through the spirit Without spot Once In Heaven p. 189 Title 7. Of Christ's Humiliation Extent of Christ's obedience To all Law Above all Law Against all Law Extremity of Christ's obedience Rarity Shame Curse Reasons of Christ's obedience To confirm Testament To expiate sin and misery p. 202 Title 8. Of Christ's Exaltation Victory over sin Imputation of righteousness Jural righteousness Reasons of victory over sin Light conquers darkness Sin no native Propension in Nature to its proper state Genuine nature of the Spirit Superiour faculties predominate Active cooperation Christ's victory over Law Outward Covenant of Works Inward state of Mind Alive to sin Dead to Law Carnal liberty to sin Legal perfection Our victory over Law Grace stronger than Law Spirit of Grace stronger than spirit of Law God delights more in mercy than vengeance Man object of Gods love Christ's pleading undeniable to God Christ's victory over death Victory procured meritoriously by Christ's death Victory obtained by the spirit of Faith Our victory over death Sin conquered Law conquered Devil conquered Christ entred into the Holy of Holies p. 210 Title 9. Of mistakes of the effects of Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation Nothing for us to do Trust to outward Mortifications Superstition Natural complexion for Divine grace Rhetoricating Consequences of Christ's death and resurrection Material Cross Spiritual Cross Material resurrection Spiritual resurrection Material ascension Spiritual Ascension No oblation pleased God but Christ's Every one that comes to God must offer Christian Religion most spiritual and glorious No Mediatour but Christ End of
good hath no will at all As because Light is the proper object of seeing that Eye that cannot see the light hath no sight at all But as a blind man whose eyes are covered with a Film hath the faculty of seeing for he hath a Soul and organs of sight for he hath eyes but not the sense of seeing for he doth not see so the sinner hath the faculty of Will for he hath a Soul and the organ of Will for he hath a heart but not the Act of will he doth not will for his heart is hard and strong as the Scripture termeth it harder than the Neather Mill-stone The Regenerate have the first Act of the will to good but they fail in the second they cannot perform it Rom. 7.18 To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not The sinner hath neither the first Act nor the second not a will to do good much less to perform it for to will evil is not exactly evil but an act contrary thereto for which we have no name IV. Because Restrained from his own proper Rule Restraint from proper Rule i. e. the Law of God The Law of God is no Rule to the sinner for he will not be ruled by it nor can he enjoy the benefit of it he opposeth the power of it and will not have it The Carnal mind is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 for he is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can he he hath disabled himself from keeping it by making the Law impossible to him and himself impossible to the Law But the Sinner is over-ruled by the Will of the Flesh which orders him at pleasure and carries him captive to the Law of sin and sin being contrary to the Law of God must needs be a Law of Slavery for God's Law is a perfect Law of Liberty God's Law is a Royal Law but Sin 's is a Tyrannical Law and every Tyranny is Slavery V. Because Restrained from his proper State to be a Person Restraint from proper State Sin puts man from the Person of man When God formed him after his own Image Sin transformed him after the Image of a Beast and the Scripture brands him with the name of a beast profane a dog Cast not that which is holy unto dogs Mat. 7.6 Mat. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves Herod called a Fox Go tell that Fox c. I have fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men i. e. with railing Jews Chrys Theoph. Antichrist termed a Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns Satan the Author of sin called a Serpent or Dragon The Sinner in lower terms sunk to the dead legally dead in sin Let the dead i. e. Sinners bury their dead As Sin is a dead work that goes for no work so Sinner a dead person that goes for no person Restraint from proper Right VI. Because restrained from his proper Right i. e. the propriety of himself Is not Owner Master of himself Sin rules over him as a Lord over a slave Captivity Three waies a man loseth the Right over himself and becomes a slave by Birth by Captivity and by Sale Psal 51. 1. By Birth in sin I was conceived in sin and in iniquity did my Mother bring me forth For as the Rights of the Father so his Losses are conveyed to his Children by birth 2. By Captivity Captivity makes a slave of whom a man is overcome Ro. 7.23 of him he is brought in bondage carried captive to the law of Sin 3. By Sale he sells himself to sin Ahab sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord. I am sold under sin A sale made by Adam and all his Posterity Constraint to base Actions VII Because constrained to vile and base Actions As to be born in sin is true Bastardy so to commit sin is an act so base as it is all Baseness For as true Nobility consists only in Vertue so true Baseness consists in Vice Gen. 3.14 A Serpent is a base Creature goes basely creeping on his belly fares basely feeding on dust God's Curse An emblem of a Sinner A base service to serve a Beast to feed Swine and not be suffered to eat with them so is a Sinner A menstruous cloth is a base rag such is our righteousness stained with sin How filthy then is our sinfulness The vomit of a Dog is filthy such is Sin as when the Dog returneth to his vomit and the Swine that is washed to her wallowing in the mire The particular acts of Ambition Avarice and Filthiness such as that they must not be named Eph. 5.3 The CONTENTS Sin Satan TITLE XIII Of the Lord of Slavery THE Lord of slavery is Sin Servant of sin Of which sin The Lord of slavery Sin not of that he commits for that is actual sin which is the Sinner's work but the sinner is the servant of sin Original 1. Because sin Original is the lord and makes him a slave to work sin Actual Original sin is indeed in the godly not as a lord Sin shall not have dominion over them for they are not under the Law but under Grace But that sin is in them as a slave over whom they domineer They mortifie and crucifie it and make it a dying sin They that are Christs do crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts But Original sin is in the sinner as a Lord an Inmate that domineers doth mortifie and crucifie the sinner till he be destroyed 2. Because Original sin restrains him from all his several properties from his proper end Eternal happiness from his proper guide a right Spirit from his proper act of choosing good and refusing evil from his proper rule the Law of God from his proper state a person after God's image from his proper right the propriety and possession of himself and constrains him to actual sins which are vile and base acts If the sinner be thus restrained to be a slave then Original sin that restrains him is his Lord because whatsoever restrains is Lord and Master over him that is restrained 3. Because Original sin reigns over the sinner She is a Tyrant usurping soveraignty and hath her Laws whereby to command him those laws are but several lusts i. e. her arbitrary will and pleasure Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof In the godly it reigns not for they obey it not but in the sinner it reigns for he obeys it his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether it be to Sin or Righteousness If then thou obey Righteousness thou art a free servant but if Sin a bond-slave and the more willingly thou obeyest the more slave thou art II. But the Sinner's chief Lord is Satan The Prince of the Air Eph. 2.2 Satan the
A Commandment carnal and temporal Heb. 7.16 Christ's Priesthood II. In Christ's Priesthood all things were strong and perfect As 1. A Priest strong An immortal God free from sin without succession Gen. 24.19 20. without Father without Mother having the power of the eternal Spirit and of an endless life 2. A Tabernacle strong made without hands eternal in the heavens for all the Elements shall melt with fervent heat but the Holy of Holies the Heaven of Heavens higher than the highest are Eternal 3. Sacrifices strong that did purifie the Conscience and take away sin and were never iterated 4. Aaron stood in the midst of his Sacrifices of Lambs and Bulls and Calves c. before an Altar of Stone or Wood but Christ is the Sacrifice himself and the Priest and Altar Heb. 9.12 20. Not with the blood of Bulls c. but by his own Blood he entred into the Holy place Through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself to God without spot Heb. 9.14 purging our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God One for all 1. No other hands could offer Christ's Blood but his own they were too profane No Priest in the Masse can or ought to offer up Christ he is only worthy to offer up himself 2. No Marble or Golden Altar pure or rich enough to offer Christ upon He offers up himself upon the Altar of his eternal Spirit Through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself to God 3. No Temple stately enough to offer Christ in The whole World is God's Temple The lower World is the outward Court and the higher is the Holy of Holies Christ is the Minister there Heb. 8.2 that sacrifices in that true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man and offers himself the True Sacrifice the Lamb slain from the beginning of the VVorld He offered up himself once by his own Blood he entred through the Veil that is to say his Flesh into the true Holy place Heb. 7.27 the Throne and Mercy-Seat of God there to appear in the presence of God for us for ever 4. A Covenant strong and everlasting made upon better Promises I. Typical Redemption from Typical Sins Aaron's Order tends to a Legal Typical Redemption from Legal and Typical Sins as To touch a dead Body to eat Flesh unclean to touch a Leper c. Touch not taste not handle not c. These were no Real sins because these Touchings and Tasting c. did not defile the Soul Not that which goeth into the mouth doth defile the man but that which goeth out of the mouth c. Whether we eat or drink we are not the better or if we eat not we are not the worse The Kingdom of God consisteth not in Meats and Drinks Call nothing Common or Unclean To the Pure all things are pure in their own nature These uncleannesses were in the Flesh only not there really but because of the Prohibition Now the Blood of Bulls and of Goats was sufficient to wash away such sins But as for Real sins in their own nature sinful that defile the Soul such as Murther Adultery Theft Rebellion c. There were no Sacrifices for these at all they were not pardoned the punishment was Death Temporal without Mercy or Restitution or VVhipping c. Now a VVeak Priest was sufficient to offer for such Typical Sins And a weak Tabernacle of Skins or a Temple of Stones was good enough for such Sacrifices as never pleased God in themselves and for such sins as never offended God in themselves but only as forbidden for a time to preserve the greater reverence in an irreverent People and to keep them from Idolatry which they were so prone unto Real Redemption from Real Sins II. Melchisedec's order it works a Real and Eternal Redemption from Real and Eternal Sins and Punishments Sins of thought word and deed that pollute the Conscience as Carelessness VVilfulness Presumption Rebellion Infidelity Malice c. Punishments of a blind mind a hard heart a seared Conscience For these there is provided 1. A Priest of Infinite Dignity 2. A Sacrifice of Infinite Value 3. A Tabernacle of Infinite Holiness 4. A Law of Infinite Perfection 5. An Oath of the Most high God to consecrate an Eternal King Priest and Prophet and to settle Eternity upon that Salvation which was for all men Salvation for all Men. 1. For all men I say whosoever will offer and give themselves up to this Great High Priest and Bishop of our Souls that gave himself up for all 2. For all that will partake of this Sacrifice and Altar by eating the Flesh of Christ and by drinking his Blood For they that offer the Sacrifices are partakers of the Sacrifices 3. For all that wait for the coming forth of this great High Priest out of his Tabernacle the Holy of Holies at the last day For without the People waited for the High Priest while he prayed for them within So we look for Christ's coming out again to bring us into that Holy place which he is gone before into to prepare a place for us Now this offering up of our Selves in and through Christ unto Christ is really by mortifying and crucifying our Corruptions and Lusts This is to be crucified with Christ to die with him to be baptized with him to be buried and rise again with him And this is the great Reformation that Christ made Old things are done away and all things are become New I. Old things are 1. Imperfect Light of Nature Carnal Righteousness 2. Sin 3. Punishment 4. Sacrifices 5. Old Testament 6. Vain Philosophy 7. Temporal Promises 8. Old Man Old Creation Old Birth Flesh 9. Carnal VVorship VVorks c. II. New things are 1. Perfect Light of Grace Spiritual Righteousness 2. Justification 3. Reward 4. Christ's Sacrifice 5. New Testament 6. Christian VVisdom 7. Eternal Salvation 8. New Man New Creature New Birth Spirit 9. Spiritual VVorship Grace SECTION II. From henceforth no New Changes to be made No more Changes 1. In Doctrines as to return to Judaism or Heathenism again 2. In Worships as to return to Sacrifices or set up a systeme of Ceremonies in defiance after God hath pulled down his own Rites From henceforth new Laws call for new Manners Greater obedience due from Christians than from Jews or Heathens and greater thankfulness to God for his wonderful wisdom and mercy in bringing us into this state of Grace and Salvation and for the assistance of his Spirit in all these dispensations of Grace unto glory But stay before we leave speaking of this wonderful Reformation let us consider this great and eternal Change a little better What is all gone say you and nothing at all left no not a hoof of all the Sacrifices and Services that were before No Priest no Law no Sacrifice no Temple no Altar Yes CHRIST is the Priest Sacrifice Temple Altar and his Gospel is the
the good of his Church So he is able to save them to the utmost that come to God by him seeing that he ever liveth to make Intercession for them REASONS 1. Because the Sacrifice offered was without all sin and infirmity and Reason 1 therefore fit for Heaven into which no unclean nor weak thing can ever enter Christ's Body therefore being quickned by the Spirit and made immortal was prepared and fit to be offered by the same Spirit in the fittest Place of Heaven unto the fittest Person the God of Heaven for the obtaining of the fittest Blessings of Heaven or the Kingdom of Heaven So the Person that offers is Heavenly The Sacrifice offered is Heavenly The Spirit by which he offers is Heavenly The God to whom he offers is Heavenly The Place where he offered is Heavenly The Blessings he offered for are Heavenly All harmonious and homogeneal the substance and truth of Types and Shadows 2. Because an Earthly Sanctuary may be purged by the blood of Bulls Reason 2 or Goats c. But an Heavenly Sanctuary cannot be purged by any thing but by the blood of Christ Earthly and carnal Blood is sufficient to consecrate an earthly and carnal Sanctuary and to expiate earthly and carnal Sins and Pollutions but heavenly and spiritual Blood only can consecrate an heavenly and spiritual Sanctuary and expiate spiritual and Soul-sins The Blood of Goats and Calves c. did cleanse from outward Filthiness but could not purifie the Conscience nor cause the Remembrance thereof to cease so as there should be no more Conscience nor Punishment of sin It was therefore necessary Heb. 9.23 24. that the bare Patterns and Representations of things which are in the Heavens should be purified with these Sacrifices but the Heavenly things themselves must be purified with better Sacrifices than these For Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the Presence of God for us Obj. Needs then the Heaven of Heavens to be purged Sol. No for it is most Holy But it needs to be dedicated or consecrated by Christ's blood not for himself to enter in for his habitation it was from everlasting but for us Men that we might have right by him to enter in after him when he shall call for us Therefore he as High-Priest thus solemnly entred by this New and Living way through the Veil that is to say his Flesh to offer the Blood thereof shed on the Cross in the outward-Temple so to consecrate or dedicate that Place for us Thus he is gone before to prepare a place for us that where he is there we might also be He first opened Heaven-door If he had not opened it it had never been opened And now it is opened by him it shall never be shut by him nor by any other against any that seek rightly to enter in for who dare shut when he hath opened or open where he hath shut Who hath the Keys of David that shutteth when no man openeth and openeth when no man shutteth This is the Gate of the Temple into which none but Christ did ever enter nor ever shall but all the Righteous shall enter in at the last day both Souls and Bodies Psal 114.20 This is the Gate of the Lord into which the Righteous shall enter And none but such as have right by Faith can enter for though this place of Rest everlasting be provided for all as the Promises were to all yet all shall not enter because all men have not Faith for without Faith it is impossible to please God And so they cannot enter in because of their Unbelief This is he that comes with full Right and Power of Command saying Open me the Gates of Righteousness Psal 114.19 c. and I will enter into them This is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes This is the Day which the Lord hath made Psal 24.7 c. we will rejoyce and be glad in it Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye Everlasting Doors and the King of Glory shall come in Who is this King of Glory The LORD strong and mighty in Battel the Lord of Hosts he is the King of Glory Thus Christ is the True Sacrifice the True Light the True Bread the True Way the True Life the True Altar the True Priest and Heaven is the True Temple And all is Truth which Christ came to bear witness of in the Gospel Reason 3 3. Because Christ did never enter into the Earthly Sanctuary for he had no Right as being of Judah not of Levi though otherwise he had all Right nor did he take upon him to Sacrifice or to Rule being born under the Law Who made him a Priest or a Judge till he ascended up into his proper Temple and Throne of Heaven he pertaineth to another Tribe Heb. 7.13 of which no man gave attendance at the Altar for it is evident our Lord sprang of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning Priesthood Christ therefore being a Priest must offer and must have somewhat to offer and some Place to offer in but he had nothing to offer here on Earth for there were other Priests that had nor was he a Priest here nor had he any Altar to offer upon or Temple to offer in as the other Priests had He could therefore offer up nothing but his own Body and Blood and that only in the Most holy Place of Heaven and not elsewhere We have such an High Priest as is set on the Right hand of the Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary Heb. 8.1 c. and of the True Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man For every High-Priest is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of Necessity that this Man have somewhat to offer For if he were on Earth he should not be a Priest seeing there are Priests that offer Gifts according to the Law who serve unto the Example and Shadow of Heavenly things as Moses was admonished to make all according to the Pattern delivered to him in the Mount 4. Because a Worldly Service required a Worldly Sanctuary but a Reason 4 Heavenly Service required a Heavenly Sanctuary The Candlestick the Table the Golden Censer Heb. 9.1 the Ark of the Covenant over-laid round about with Gold the Golden pot of Manna Aaron 's Rod that budded the Tables of the Covenant the Cherubims of Glory shadowing the Mercy-Seat besides Washings and Sacrifices of all kinds of which it is too large to speak All these were fitted for that Time and Place But God hath prepared a New and Spiritual Service an Altar Priest and Sacrifice and Temple all Heavenly and in Heaven 5. Because the Way to the Holiest of all was made manifest after the Reason 5 first Tabernacle on Earth was fallen Heb. 9.8 The Thing
perfect temper again Propension in Nature to its proper state 3. Because there is a great propension in Nature to return to its proper estate by casting of what is heterogeneal thereunto So Medicaments are subservient to Nature by removing obstructions but Nature it self and the inward Archeus being released and set at liberty works the Cure The whole Creation groaneth and longeth to be delivered Ro. 8.21 Bodies bent out of their natural place and violently forced from their proper position of their parts have a spring of their own and an inward strong tendency to return to their posture again This is Motus Restitutionis as if the Air be driven into a narrow compass it hath a spring or Conatus to come back to its proper state So a stone thrown upwards hastens to fall to its Center Sin is a violent and preternatural Estate Returning to God and Righteousness is Motus Restitutionis Liberationis a motion of Restitution and Liberation The Elater and spring in the Soul being quickned and enlivened by God's Grace hath a natural Conatus to return to its proper Estate I delight in the Law of God after the inward man but I see another Law in my Members Ro. 7.21 warring against the Law of my Mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of Sin which is in my Members This is called Spirit the Mind of the Spirit Inward Man Law of Mind an Innate propension of the Soul awakened to return to its genuine condition as it is intellectual and free to its ancient Nature When the Spirit of God promised to Believers acts from the Spirit or Soul of the Faithful there is 1. An Assent to yield unto God 2. An Acceptation to receive his Promises 3. A Concurrence to work with him Here is no external force or violence offered to the Soul to free it from a state which it would alwaies continue under but a sweet and gentle Call to return to its proper state which the Soul it self longs for Where the Spirit of the Lord is 2 Cor. 3.17 there is Liberty The Freedom of the Spirit is the Soul 's acting from an inward principle and spring of its own Intellectual Nature Longing to be restored and endeavouring with God's Grace to return So that there is not a mere outward Impulse of the Spirit of God but an inward Concurrence of the Spirit of Man The Soul is not like a Boat tugged or driven by Oars or Winds but it goes on Secundo flumine according to the genuine Current of its own intellectual Nature with the help of the gentle gale of the Divine Spirit Genuine nature of the Spirit 4. Because it is the genuine Nature of the Spirit to do that which is agreeable to the Spirit and pleasing to God of whose Nature the Spirit doth partake Vertue and Honesty are homogeneous Vice and Wickedness are heterogeneous There is in the Spirit Cognatio quaedam cum Deo A certain kindred with God 5. Because it is natural to the superior Faculties to be predominate Superior Faculties predominate They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Lordly nature and made to rule and the inferior Faculties are of a Servile disposition and made to obey It is then but Jus Postliminii for Equity Light and Reason to be re-inthroned in my Soul there to command and suppress the Exorbitant affections that rise up against it This is the design of God in the Gospel to restore us to the rectitude and perfection of our own Beings Wherefore he calls us off from the perishing vanities of this World so infinitely below us not to debase or pollute our Spirits by them not to gratifie our lower Faculties the Brute that is in us but the sublimer Angel above The outward objects are but Baits to the outward relishes and sensations of the Body The outward World is like an enchanted Palace seemingly ravishing but a mere Spectrum or shadow that which pleases is the Vital energies of our own Spirits to Vertue and Goodness 6. Because we are not merely Passive Active Cooperation but an active Co-operation is required in us The Spirit of God in Nature that Spiritus intus alens produceth Vegetables and Minerals beyond Art and Industry yet it doth not work absolutely unconditionally omnipotently and irresistibly but requireth certain preparations and dispositions of Plowing Sowing c So the Spirit of God requireth some preparations and dispositions in our Spirits forasmuch as it may be stirred up or excited in us or resisted and quenched by us Unless the Husbandman stirrs up and plows the ground the Spirit of God in Nature will not give any increase So we are bidden to plow up the Fallow-ground of our hearts that is to do our earnest endeavours to work out our own salvation to fight the good fight of Faith to run the Race and to enter in at the strait-Gate Be not therefore merely Passive but move and co-operate with God Fac quod in te est do what is in thy power to do and God that gave thee that power if thou use it will give thee more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do but breath a desire and long to come to God and God will meet thy desires and draw thee after him with the Cords of his Grace and Love It is a never-failing Rule He that hath shall have more full measure pressing down and running over shall God give into his bosom But he that hath not from him shall be taken away that which he seemeth to have For all Motions unto Sin and from God are unnatural retrograde excentrick unkindly forced cross unprofitable dishonourable SECTION III. Of Christ's Victory over Law Hitherto I have spoken of the Inward Victory over Sin by the Resurrection and Spirit of Christ Now in the second place of the Victory attainable by the same Power over the Law by Christ his Victory over the Law Where Sin is there is alwaies a Law and where there is no Law there is no Transgression The Law is considered two waies Outward Covenant of Works 1. As an outward Covenant of Works by which Death is to all that break it in Morals or Ceremonials And all men are naturally under the Law and are convinced thereby of Sin and Death and are therefore in bondage and fear of death all their life long without mercy This outward Letter or Covenant of Works is conquered by Christ's Death on the outward Cross Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a Curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith That we might be free from the Obligation to the Commandements which were not good Exod. 20.25 Christ having broke down the middle-wall of Partition Eph. 2.14 15. that was between the Jew
proceeds only from Righteousness Wisd 1.15 for Righteousness is immortal Sin is mortal and mortalizeth the Body Righteousness is immortal and immortalizeth the Body Where sin rules death rules where sin is conquered death is conquered SECTION VI. The Reasons for Victory over Death are these 1. Because Sin is conquered which is the Sting and Curse of Death Sin conquered that else would hold us in everlasting Death For as long as sin is in death unpardoned by dying in sin there can be no recovery from Eternal death for sin As long as the Debt is not paid there can be no recovery out of Prison 2. Because the Law is conquered which stirred up sin Law conquered and accused sin unto death Christ hath fulfilled the Law and abolished the Types and Curses thereof 3. The Devil is conquered that lays the Law against us Devil conquered he came upon us as a strong man to bind us in death but Christ came upon him and bound him that had the Power of Death and cast him and Death both out of doors and brought life and immortality to light O Death I will be thy death O Grave I will be thy destruction Death is swallowed up in victory and Christ hath destroyed the works of the Devil and we shall bruise Satan under every one of our feet 4. Because Christ hath entred into the Holy of Holies in Heaven Christ entred into the Holy of Holies and is gone before to prepare a place for us therefore where he is there we shall also be Having hitherto shewed what are the great things which we have purchased for us by Christ and how we are to endeavour after them by the aids of his Spirit promised to be given to us for that purpose namely the Inward and Real Victory over sin and the Curse for sin that so we may obtain a victory over Death and Hell It will be very obvious to observe the Errours of those that pretend to high spirituality of Doctrine and walking with God and yet alledg an utter impossibility of ever conquering of sin in their hearts and therefore never go about the work of mortification or self-denial as there is no reason they should if it were true that all were done to their hands or if not that thing enjoyned were utterly beyond their Power The CONTENTS Nothing for us to do Trust to Outward Mortifications Superstition Natural Complexion for Divine Grace Rhetoricating Consequences of Christ's Death and Resurrection Material Cross Spiritual Cross Material Resurrection Spiritual Resurrection Material Ascension Spiritual Ascension No Oblation pleased God but Christ's Every one that comes to God must offer Christian Religion most Spiritual and Glorious No Mediator but Christ End of Christ's Mediation to bring us to God Cross to be gloried in Cross outward and inward Effect of Cross Crucifixion Procured by outward Cross Philosophy Christianity Christ the Sacrifice and Priest Christians true Sacrifices and Priests Decrees Christ's doing and suffering our doing and suffering Corollaries Christ a Priest Christ quickned by his Eternal Spirit Christ a Prophet Christ a King TITLE IX Of Mistakes of the Effects of Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation Nothing for us to do FIrst therefore some confidently believe That all things are already done for us and nothing remains to be done for our selves as if because Christ hath taken up his Cross for us we should not take up our Cross for our selves because he hath suffered we should not suffer with him and fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ the Head as the Members of his Body which is the Church as if there were no Power of his Death nor vertue of his Resurrection nor Fellowship in his Sufferings nor any conformity with Christ wrought inwardly in our Souls by his holy Spirit turning all Righteousness into a bare accounting and being imputed Righteous by the Righteousness which is another's and no inherent Holiness or Sanctification of the Spirit which is our own without which no man shall see the Face of God This is an Idaea of Holiness and the Happiness will be accordingly .. A Shadow and no Substance This is to deny the Real Evil of Sin and the Real Holiness of the Spirit turning really from Darkness unto Light and from the power of Satan unto God Or else this is to make God to be bribed and corrupted by the Sacrifice and Oblation of Christ to indulge men in their own Sins by clothing them and hiding them with his Son's Righteousness though he knows well enough they are inwardly unrighteous and yet by vertue of that Imputed Righteousness they shall be excused from all Sin and the real Punishment of Eternal Death So there shall be an Impunity from God for Sin than which there cannot be a greater Evil nor more against the Mind of God who naturally hates Sin nor more against the mind of the Godly who more abhor the sin than they dread the vengeance So the Kingdom of Sin and Satan should be still unbattered and we partly under Satan and partly under Christ partly sinful that is inwardly and partly righteous that is outwardly by Imputation and being reckoned so to be not so indeed And so serve God and Mammon have fellowship with Christ and with Sin and Devils Overthrow all Reason and Religion of Justice or Mercy in God or Goodness or Vertue in us All the ground these men have for what they affirm is their strong belief that it is so without any Sense or Reason that it should be so or how it can be so that the undefiled Rewards of God should be enjoyed by impure and unregenerate men But the Pretense is that they speak only of Justification without any Condition of Sanctification as being no part of God's Covenant but Faith only But still let the shew of Humility and Modesty be what it will in them and the advancement of the free Grace of God by them it must needs exceedingly deceive men into hypocrisie and carnality which is very pleasing to Flesh and Blood For he that believes himself to be thus absolutely and compleatly justified by the Imputation of a mere External Righteousness through his Faith must needs believe that there lacketh no other Righteousness of his own for all such Holiness is perfectly supplied by the Holiness of another who is Christ And though it be yet pretended that Sanctification will naturally follow imputed Justification by way of Thankfulness yet this very Gratitude will easily be believed as all other Graces are by them supposed to be by the same Imputation reckoned and accounted so to be but not so indeed lest Grace should not be free and Works should prove Meritorious imagining that God makes a Covenant without any Condition or any other party to Covenant with him which is impossible Trust to outward Mortifications 2. Others there are of a contrary Spirit that trust to no Imputations of Righteousness external nor Holiness internal of
5. Some mens Religion is nothing but a Faculty of Rhetoricating in Preaching and Praying by Inspiration as they call it of the Spirit whereas in truth it is a mere Natural Faculty often helped by Art and Learning in persons grosly hypocritical and debauched There is a mere Natural Enthusiasm of Poetry and Oratory Est Deus in nobis agitante calescimus ipso Sedibus Aetheriis Spiritus ille venit And when such Eloquent and fiery men are imployed in Religious Exercises they are fluent to admiration and become extremely popular to lead Multitudes like Pitchers by the Ears into Fanatick Distempers against Church and State in Peace or Warr especially if they be bred in the Schools of Learning or set in Publick Imployments It is farr from my meaning to undervalue or declare against the sincere and ardent affections of Devout Souls naturally and freely breathing out their earnest Ejaculations to God in private But to caution the Simple well-meaning People from mistaking the Natural and Enthusiastick fervour of mens Spirits and the ebulliency of their Fancies and Expressions for a supernatural Inspiration especially if they meddle with Religion or Polity for which they have no warrant from God or Man Let the World know what wise men judge That the Evidence and Demonstration of God's Spirit consisteth not in words and talk as if God were to be heard for their much speaking or glorified by their loud noises and long harangues For that is chiefly to be discerned in Life and Action though the words be few And therefore when some Corinthians were puffed up by reason of a rich Fancy they had expressed by the sweetness of Attick Eloquence in which they were bred so that the Unlearned had their Persons in great Veneration above St. Paul who had not that strain nor could use the entising words of man's wisdom in the business of the Gospel he tells these deceived Souls having the Word of God in respect of persons and their boasting Teachers the Gnosticks That he would come amongst them for he had the Spirit of Discerning and know not the speech of them that were puffed up but the power For the Kingdom of God saith he consisteth not in Word but in Power and Life Wherefore laying aside all these deceitful Fancies let us really set our selves to mortifie all our Lusts and Affections That being Born Crucified Dead Buried and Risen with Christ here we may live Eternally with him in Glory hereafter Amen SECTION I. From all these Premises we derive these Corollaries or Conclusions Of the Consequences of Christ's Death and Resurrection Material Cross 1. There is a Material Cross of Wood. There are Whips Nails a Crown of Thorns Agony and Death at Jerusalem outward visible matter of Fact a History 2. There is a Spirttual Cross The spirit virtue of Death Spiritual Cross Fellowship of Sufferings Death of Sin in the Heart inward invisible matter of Right a Mystery 3. Material Resurrection There is a Material Resurrection from Death and Grave at Jerusalem outward matter of Fact History 4. There is a Spiritual Resurrection virtue Spiritual Resurrection power of Resurrection from Death in Sin to the Life of Righteousness in the heart inward matter of Right Mystery The Historical Faith is only of matter of Fact for Knowledge only as the Devils and Turks c. believe The Justifying Faith is for matter of Right for Merit Virtue Power Comfort of Christ's Death and Resurrection by the Spirit of Christ So are all the Promises of God accepted by us and sealed confirmed to us So we promise and covenant to and with God So we partake of all the Benefits of his Death and Resurrection 5. Material Ascension There is a Material Ascension of Christ into the holy place of Heaven offering up his Blood to consecrate that place for us sitting at the Right Hand of God and making intercession There he rules over all things from thence he sends down his holy Spirit Matter of Fact History 6. There is a Spiritual Ascension Entring into the Hearts Spiritual Ascension Ruling in our Souls by his Spirit Crying Abba Father Matter of Right Mystery So in Christ's Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension there is a History and a Mystery a Letter and a Spirit 1. Christ is born in our Flesh Christ is born in our Spirit We are born in the Flesh we are born again in the Spirit Christ is formed in the Womb of his Mother We are formed in the Womb of Christ We are born in Christ and with Christ and Christ is born in us and with us 2. Christ died in the Flesh we are dead in the Flesh we are dead to the Flesh We are dead in the World we are dead to the World We are dead with Christ and buried with Christ 3. Christ rose in the Flesh Christ riseth in the Spirit We shall rise in the Flesh we shall rise in the Spirit Thus there is a Birth in Sin there is a Birth to and from Sin and there is a Birth for Sin Thus there is a Birth in Sin there is a Birth from Sin and there is a Birth to Sin Thus there is a Life in Sin there is a Life from Sin and there is a Life for Sin So Christ's Death conquers our Sins for us And Christ's Spirit conquers our Sins in us So Christ's Resurrection raiseth us from Sin unto Righteousness Christ's Resurrection justifies his Death to be true and Christ's Resurrection justifies the pardon of our Sins and his Spirit doth actually assure the pardon to our Souls So Christ is in us and with us and we are in Christ and with Christ So Christ lives in us and with us and we live in Christ and with Christ So Christ is crucified in us and with us so we are crucified in Christ and with Christ So Christ dies in us and with us and we die in Christ and with Christ So Christ rises in us and with us so we rise in Christ and with Christ So Christ is glorified in us and with us and we are glorified in Christ and with Christ This is to eat Christ's Flesh and drink his Blood spiritually This is to put off the Old Man and to put on the New Man This is our Regeneration and a New Creature This is our Communion with Christ and Christ's Communion with us This is to dwell in Christ and Christ in us This is to be one with Christ and Christ with us I am my Well-beloved's and my Well-beloved is mine This is to believe all and do all in the Spirit in the Lord and for the Lord. All is our Faith all is his Spirit The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and Life If ye fast or weep for Christ's Death if ye feast or rejoyce for Christ's Resurrection do all in the Spirit Pray Praise Hear Read Sing Meditate Communicate Live in the Spirit Obj. The Language is hard and high Sol. It is
of sinful Love must be digged up by the roots before we can come to plant the habit of Divine Love Justice Mercy or Humility in our hearts There must be mortification of lusts self-love love of the World pride of life we must go out of our selves renounce the World before in the place of these evil Habits we can get a habit of pure love to God to our selves to our neighbours to our enemies And all this for God's sake for goodness sake if there were no other reward for the glory of God for the good of our selves for the good of the Church for the good of Mankind Contractio Causae 1. All Religion is Love Spiritual 1. Sorrow for Sin and hatred of it 2. Satisfaction to God offended 3. Reformation of life 4. Love of Justice Mercy Humility 5. Love of God 6. Love of Soul 7. Love of Heaven To be spiritually minded is life and peace If ye walk after the Spirit ye shall live The things that are not seen are Eternal We live by Faith We mind heavenly things We set our affections on Heaven 2. All Irreligion is Love Carnal 1. Delight in Sin and love of it 2. Dissatisfaction to and contempt of God offended 3. Continuance and increase in Evil. 4. Love of Injustice Cruelty and Pride 5. Hatred of God 6. Love of Body 7. Love of World To be carnally minded is Death If ye walk after the Flesh ye shall dye The things that are seen are but temporal We live by Sense We mind earthly things We set our affections on Earth Now after all this If to live spiritually be impossible why then doth God command it An impossible command is no command Why do we Preach it God should mock us to bid us do that which he hath not given us power to do We should be found lyars like Aegyptian Task-Masters to exact the number Bricks and not allow materials But if to live Spiritually be possible Why then do we not live so and how shall we answer it to God and Men and to our own consciences our consciences will condemn us and good men will condemn us and God who is greater than our consciences and all the World will condemn us much more The great objection against pure Religion is That the flesh is weak Object original sin is strong temptations are many and vehement The Devil is subtil the World hates and persecutes strongly We profess against all these Answ and if we would strive as much against them we might overcome all these If there were faith and hope of a Resurrection to Glory it would work a victory over Sin World and Devil and with God's help nothing should be impossible unto us This was typified by Pharaoh the Red Sea the Wilderness the Anakims Giants the Towns walled up to Heaven yet all these were overcome These things are written for our instruction that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope We can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth us We shall be more than conquerors and bruise Satan under our feet If God be with us who shall be against us Only be valiant and of a good courage and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. But once more before I take off my Pen let me contemplate Christ our Mediator in all his Offices 1. A Priest sacrificing himself on the Altar of his Cross Christ a Priest So is a Christian crucified with Christ dying daily filling up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ We bear in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus because we are his Members of his Flesh and of his Bones We have put on Christ and Christ is in us and we in him St. Chrysostome is not ashamed to call Christ's sufferings his sufferings Christ himself saith Saul Saul why persecutest thou me In as much as ye do it to any of these Little ones ye do it unto me We are baptized with the baptism of Christ and drink of his Cup. His Cross is ours and ours is Christ's we are to look upon all the sufferings of Christ's members as the sufferings of the head for the body is one and all parts suffer together our members are the members of Christ our bodies the Temples of the Holy Ghost we are in Christ and Christ in us he suffered in his Person we suffer in our persons we take up his Cross We men as Priests with him sacrifice our selves with him in him and by him who sacrificed himself for us as God and Man Christ quickened by his Eternal Spirit 2. Christ quickened his Body by his Eternal Spirit and so entred into the holy place to offer up himself by the same Spirit unto God once for all men so Christians have their Bodies quickned by the Spirit of Christ and so enter with him and by him into the holy place to offer up themselves unto God and are accepted by him for Christ his sake So we are in Christ crucifying and killing our selves that is our sins in the bodies of our sinful flesh so we are in Christ offering up our quickned bodies without sin in the Holy place where no unclean thing can ever enter following him who hath made way for us that where he is there we might also be for he being lifted up draws all men after him and where the carcass is there will the Eagles be gathered together Thus are we Priests to sacrifice and offer with Christ both in Heaven and Earth Christ a Prophet 3. Christ a Prophet leading us into all truth and opening unto us the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven that we might be Prophets to teach in his Name that men and Angels might know the wonderful dispensations of the Kingdom of Heaven This is the light that lighteth every one that cometh into the World so all the Lord's people are Prophets speaking the wonderful things of God Christ a King 4. Christ a King ruling in our hearts and subduing all our enemies and covering us with everlasting glory so do we rule by his Spirit over all our lusts which else would rule in our mortal bodies and so do we subdue our enemies and bruise Satan under every one of our feet and through him that strengtheneth us are more than conquerors triumphing over the World the Flesh and the Devil and reigning with Christ in his everlasting Kingdom All this is by virtue of our union with Christ espousing his sufferings and glories to us As Man and Wife are one flesh so Christ and his Church are one Spirit bone living dying rising ascending and sitting together in heavenly places as Priests Prophets and Kings for ever such honour have all his Saints Thus hath our Mediator bought us to himself and with himself unto God to be like unto him in his humiliation and exaltation which is the glorious estate of God's Children ordained to them in his last Will and Testament confirmed executed and performed
Law his right of assembly to him and his heirs for ever Deut. 23.2 who stand excommunicated For A Bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. As an Alien Forreigner or Stranger is disabled and debarred from the rights and priviledges of inheritances freedoms votes and other common benefits of the Laws Municipal which the Natives do enjoy So the Romans Greeks and other Nations inhabiting Judaea were by the Jews accounted and called sinners We are Jews by Nature and not sinners of the Gentiles Gal. 2.15 Because they were Strangers and Aliens who had no right equal with the Native Jews and Proselytes that were made free of their Nation As a villain or Bastard-born who is no actual transgressor against any Law yet by the Law of Nations is made a quasi Transgressor being wholly depersonated and degraded from the common Condition of a Man and depressed into the state of a Beast dead in Law having no Will nor Action nor Possession of any thing but is at the will and in the possession of his Lord subjected to all wrongs and excluded from all Rights having no Estate Office nor Suffrage must be no Witness can have no power to make a Testament Such was the state of Servitude a state of death not life Thus by the Law of God the Gibeonites were accursed Now therefore ye are cursed Jos 9.23 and ye shall none of you be freed from being bond-men and hewers of wood and drawers of water SECT VI. 3. The Distressed who justly according to the secret will of God Distressed for reasons best known to himself are afflicted with some notable and lasting misery such as the Blind and the Lame the Deformed the Lepers the Monster the Deaf and Dumb Innocents Fools and Frantick persons the proper objects of pity and compassion that neither sinned they nor their Parents but that the power of God might be seen and his Name glorified These are generally censured for sinners upon whom God hath layd such extraordinary calamities And so are such as suffer loss of Children Friends Honour Estate by storms and tempests by wars famines or any other fatal changes or chances in this world Such a one was Job yet a perfect and upright Man one that feared God and eschew'd evil yet Job's Friends erroneously condemned him for an hypocrite because so fearfully handled in his Person Children and Estate not considering That though sin be the cause of affliction yet it is neither the perpetual nor total nor sole cause thereof but that there are other good causes and considerations that flow from the secret and good will of God though they be hid from our eyes Thus those upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell were counted greater sinners than others because they suffered such things Thus those Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices were counted greater sinners than others because they suffered such grievous things Thus Lazarus a beggar and lying at the Rich Man's gate and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the Rich Man's Table Luc. 16.20 and was deny'd and the dogs came and licked his sores yet was he carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom Thus the Man Blind from his birth and sate and begg'd was judged either for his own sins or for the sins of his Parents to be made so miserable but it was that the work of God might be manifest SECT VII 4. The Tainted or stained in Blood Tainted who justly according to the will of God are made heirs to their Fathers misery either natural by hereditary diseases or ill conditions or legal by Confiscation of Goods Infamy Bastardy Slavery or other attainder or corruption of blood but especially for crimes of Treason or other high mis-demeanors against the Common-Wealth for which the Children of those Parents are debarred from being heirs to their Estate or Dignity Thus the seven Sons of Saul were hang'd in the Hill before the Lord for their Fathers cruelty against the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.9 Thus the Sons of Gehezi were made heirs to their Father's Leprosy which clave unto him and to his Seed for ever 2 Kings 5.27 Thus Eli's Sons were turned from the Altar for their Father's neglect besides their own enormities Thus for Achan's Sacriledg his Sons and his Daughters his Oxen and his Asses and his Sheep and all his Tent Jos 7.24 and all that he had were stoned with stones and afterward burnt with fire Thus the Children of Corah Dathan and Abiram and all theirs went down alive into the pit for the Rebellion of their Parents Thus the Children of the Ninevites should have been destroy'd whereof six score thousand could not discern their right hand from their left had not their Parents repented at the preaching of Jonah The CONTENTS Rom. 5.12 explained Recapitulation Accounting Adam's will not ours Levi's paying of tithes All mortal in Adam Righteous in Christ Immortal in Christ Every Individuum acts for it self Sinner legal Sinner moral Sinner jural Psal 51.6 explained Ephes 2.3 explained Soul a spirit Good most common Good lovely v. lib. 7. Tit. 3.2 Vol. Argumenta Laciniana TITLE II. Of Original Sin Rom. 5.12 Explained IN this rank are all the Sons of Adam who for his disobedience are made heirs of his mortality By one Man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all Men for that or in whom all have sinned not actively by transgressing in his transgression but passively by being prejudicated in his judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In his doom all Men were condemned to the state of transgressors These words In whom all sinned signify the same thing with those Vers 15. Through the offence of one many be dead and with these Vers 16. The judgment was upon one to condemnation and with these Vers 19. By one Man's disobedience many were made sinners And with these 1 Cor. 15.22 In Adam all die All which sayings amount to no more but this That by the sin of Adam he and all his Children were made mortal As by the sin of the Gibeonites they and their Children were made bound-slaves and by the sin of Gehezi he and all his Children were made lepers By one Adam sinning sin entred upon all Mankind and for that one Man's sin death came upon him and all Mankind by diminution of strength which caused grief diseases and death For though Adam was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. was made a living Soul not a quickning Spirit yet if he had continued to obey God he had ever remained alive in paradise and whether any higher condition was appointed to him is uncertain to us and was not certain to him Some think after a most long life God would have delivered him from the Body without any grief or pain which the Jews do not call death but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Osculum Pacis the Kiss of peace others think he
Equity and Charity obligeth him but is churlish uncharitable unmerciful and unkind And he that doth not right according to the rules of Equity and Good manners he is unrighteous and a person unrighteous is a sinner Gen. 9.22 Such a sinner was Cham who seeing his Father's nakedness told his two Brethren without This fact was a sin for it was punished with a heavy curse of perpetual slavery to him and his heirs yet this was no legal sin for there was no Statute Law in being which forbad that fact but it was a moral sin against the rule of Good manners for the Son to tell of his Father's infirmity 1 Sam. 10.27 Such sinners were they who despised Saul and brought him no presents This fact was a sin for the Trespassers are thereupon called the Children of Belial yet this was no Legal sin against any Law of Moses but a Moral sin against Equity and Good manners and Common custom for Subjects to despise their King and bring him no presents 1 Sam. 25.10 Such a sinner was Nabal who churlishly answer'd David and deny'd him relief and his Servants for which he is censured such a Son of Belial that a Man cannot speak to him yet this was no Legal sin against any Law but a Moral sin against Equity and Good manners that a Man of a great Estate should be so unthankful as to deny a little provision to such persons as had not only done him no hurt but much good in securing him and all that he had Such a sinner was the wicked Servant who when his Lord had forgiven him ten thousand Talents Math. 18.28 would neither forgive nor forbear his fellow-servant who owed him but an hundred pence but arrested him and imprisoned him for it This fact was a sin for the Lord was wroth and revoking his former pardon delivered him to the Tormenters till he should pay all that was due unto him yet this was no Legal sin against any Law for the Law allows every Creditor to sue for his debt but was a Moral sin against Equity and Good manners for him to whom his Master had forgiven a debt of a thousand Talents to exact from his fellow-servant a debt of an hundred pence And such sinners were the Priest and the Levite who seeing a Man lye in the way stripped wounded and half dead passed by on the other side This fact of theirs was no Legal sin against any Law but a Moral sin against the rules of Equity Humanity Mercy and Courtesie And this Moral sinner who is a trespasser against the rules of Equity and Good manners is opposed to the person who is Morally righteous by doing that right which Equity Humanity and Charity require Such sinners will the Damned be found at the day of Judgment when they shall be convicted and sentenced for not giving food to the hungry nor drink to the thirsty nor clothes to the naked c. which are not Legal sins but Moral against Equity Charity and Mercy SECT VIII 3. A Sinner Jurally quoad Jura is one who is a Quasi-Trespasser i. e. a miserable or piteous person who hath no right or not that right which he had or might or should have had but is debarred or deprived of that right which by Law Equity or favour is commonly allow'd to others and is doom'd or condemned to suffer those pains and losses which are commonly inflicted upon transgressors commonly used in like cases He that hath no right may be called unrighteous and he that is unrighteous is a sinner Yet a Quasi sinner is not a sinner actually as the two former were as if he had done any act of a sinner or had sin inherent in him but he is a sinner passively being put into the state of a sinner to whom sin is imputed and being made obnoxious to be offended and afflicted as if he were really an offender and a sinner For it is not any act of his own that makes him a transgressor or puts him into the state of a sinner but either the act of the Law which justly imputes unto him the sin whereof some other is guilty or the act of some adversary who unjustly imputes unto him that sin whereof neither he nor any other is guilty but calumniates and criminates him falsly vide Gen. 4 11. Gen. 19.15 Exod. 34.7 Num. 14.18 Such a sinner is a Bastard who being no transgressor against the Law is by the Law made a Quasi-Trespasser and deprived of his Birth-right and debarred from that inheritance which by the common course of custom belongs unto him For the poor Bastard is condemned for a sinner before he is born before he hath done any good or evil before he hath stirr'd in his Mother's womb because his conception being unlawful and sinful doth by an act of the Law render his Parents sinners Legally and himself a Quasi-transgressor or a sinner Jurally And by the Law of God the Bastard lost not only his Birth-right but also his right of Assembly to him and his heirs for ten Generations during which time they stood as persons excommunicate Deut. 23.2 debarred from entrance into the Congregation of the Lord. Such a sinner is an Alien Forreigner or Stranger inhabiting a Countrey where he is disabled and debarred from the priviledges of inheritances Assemblies and Societies and other common Benefits of the Law which the People of the Land enjoy and consequently he lives in a state or condition which is usually inflicted on sinners for some sin So the Romans Greeks and other Nations living in Judaea the Jews accounted and called sinners because they were Aliens and Strangers who had no right to the Lands and inheritances in the Kingdom of Israel nor to the Assemblies Congregations and Ceremonies of Moses which were by the Law appropriated and entailed to the Nation of the Jews for in this Jural sense the word Sinner is taken frequently in the Gospel especially where it stands adjoined with Publicans See Math. 9 10. Math. 11.19 Mar. 2.15 16. Luc. 5.30 Luc. 15.1 And by the Law of God the Ammonites and Moabites were cast into the condition and state of sinners for ever Deut. 23.6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy daies for ever i. e. They shall be for ever unto thee Quasi-trespassers Such a sinner is a Bond-Man a Slave though he be a villain or slave born who is no actual transgressor against any Law yet by the Law of Nations is made a Quasi-trespasser being wholly decapitated and depersonated from the common condition of a humane person to be an odious cursed and detestable Creature living as it were in the state of a Beast wholly disabled from having any right at all no right of Assembly to consult no right of Testimony to bear witness no right of a Testament to make a Will no right of inheritance to enjoy any Estate And by the Law of God the Gibeonites were cursed into
there have been that have made it a Substance and there have not been wanting those that made it nothing at all It is my Choler saith the Revenger It is my Melancholy saith the Desperate one It is my Blood saith the Wanton It is my Appetite saith the Glutton It is it is not what every one pleaseth Well be these darknesses in the Understanding and these perversnesses and slaveries of the Will and these pollutions of the whole Man what they may be yet for all them nor for all the Devils in her that are about them we shall not sin nor die unless we will our destruction is from our selves 1 Cor. 6.12 And if such we were all yet now we are washed now we are sanctified now we are justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ And the Leper who is cleansed complaineth no more of his scab but returneth to give thanks and strives to keep himself sweet and clean None but dogs will return to their vomit and none but swine when they are washed will wallow in the mire The Blind Man who is cured will not return into the ditch and impute it to his former blindness but rejoyceth in the light and walketh therein And we cannot without soul ingratitude deny but what we lost in Adam we have recover'd in Christ with manifold improvements for not as is the offence Rom. 5.15 19. so is also the free-gift For as by the offence of one many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous Made so not only by imputation for that would please us well have sins removed and be Sinners still but made so that is supply'd with all helps and strengths necessary to perfect that Holiness which is required of them that are justified by Faith in Christ Jesus For is not the Gospel above the Law Grace above Works God above the Devil the Second Adam stronger than the first the Spirit above the Flesh Mighty for the casting down of the strong holds of Sin and Satan and for the translating us from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God To conclude If in Adam we were all lost and crowded into Hell in Christ we are all saved and advanced into Heaven And if we are weak yet in God is our strength And therefore why will ye die O ye house of Israel Take we heed of sowing pillows under our own elbows and if they be not soft and easy enough to sleep on beware of bringing in a good meaning and honest intention to stuff them up least on these we sleep so securely as Sampson did on the lap of Dalilah till our strength go from us indeed and be fit for nothing but to grind in his prison and to do him service who put out our eyes able to die and perish but not able to live and be saved strong to do evil but feeble and lost to all good And as we pretend Original Sin to be our driver into all other evils and calamities so we pretend the want and insufficiency of Grace to save us and as we know not what that monster of Sin is so we understand not the Beauty of God's Grace Grace as Sin is in every Man's mouth the sound of it hath gone through the Earth Ebrius ad phialam mendicus ad januam The drunkard speaketh of it in his cups and vows 't is better than Wine and by the Grace of God he will be drunk no more The Beggar maketh it his Topick and hopeth that God's Grace will melt the hearts of the Rich to relieve his wants and he will promise to fall to work for his living but the one adds drunkenness to his thirst and the other hath no power to unfold his idle hands for all this Even they that are Giants for Learning leading Men of the first rank and file that say they know it and have it have kept it to themselves or but slightly discovered it to the People in that simplicity and nakedness that upon the first sight they may say This is it Sometimes they represent it to be an infused Habit sometimes a Motion or operation sometimes they know not how to distinguish it from Faith and Charity it is one and the same and yet it is manifold it exciteth and stirreth us up it worketh in us and it worketh with us it goeth before us and it follows us Thus they handle Grace as the Philosophers do the Soul they tell us what wonders it worketh but not its Essence they tell us what it doth but not what it is In all that I have written I profess not to slight or jeer at that original Weakness or attainder of Sin and Death which all of us have cause to bemoan but my scope is to attest the Justice and Mercy of God who hath been made too much the author of Sin and Death And to satisfie the ignorant that Sin is not entailed upon us by fate or Blood nor Grace neither whether we will or no. They have been too long made to believe that Sin and Grace have been real infusions and Physical operations from the evil and the Good Spirit working sensible alterations in the Flesh and Spirit without any concurrence or operation of the Will of either Upon this inevitable necessity of sinning and damnation on the one hand and of Grace and Salvation on the other hand they are moved to lie still under the one which they cannot help and wait for the other if ever it be decreed to come which they cannot call nor invite unto them The People are astonished when they are told of their blindness and lameness and deadness to all good and of the necessity of a real descension of the Spirit into the Heart which being stark blind and stone dead is not able to know what is done unto it in the Reviving thereof no not so much as to consent to receive what shall be given it If Sin were inevitably decreed and accordingly infused by the Devil into all Souls beginning at Adam it should be non-sense to define Sin to be a transgression of the Law and a covenant with Satan And if Grace were inevitably decreed and accordingly poured by God into all Souls beginning at Adam it should be non-sense to define Grace to be an obedience to the Gospel and a covenant with God There was never yet any Covenant made without consent of Wills between both parties The Devil and the Sinner are agreed and God and the Godly are agreed also And this Agreement must be free on both sides for a forc'd will is no will nor can the will be forc'd either by God or Man Nullum pertinaciae remedium posuit Deus aut homo There is no remedy against the obstinacy of will either from God or Man God hath made in Man a Free-will to work freely neither can it work otherwise neither will God destroy the work of his own hands nor is there any reason
Election Grace Gift Good-will Will Testament Covenant and Promise all which are Jural Words signifying the causes of our Justification 2. As by such words which do confirm or assure a Right as Seal Earnest for the holy Spirit is the Seal and Earnest of that inheritance whereto we are Justified as Liberty Freedom Communion Fellowship Propriety Gift Grace Inheritance Possession Glory all which and many more are the results and effects of our Justification 3. As by such words as are opposite to Justifying as injuring condemning outlawing reprobating As to be injured is against law to lose some right which by law was due and to be condemned is according to law to lose some right which by law was to be lost and to be outlawed is to lose all benefit of Law which the person in-lawed had so a Person justified is one who beyond and above all Law is made to have some right which before he had not or which by Law he could never have or one who by or according to Law is made to have and hold some right which by Law was due to him being inlawed And as condemnation and outlawing is the imputation of a present Sin to a future punishment So justification and inlawing is the imputation of a present right to a future blessing and imputation is a Genus to them both Seeing then injuring and condemning and outlawing are jural words therefore justifying acquitting and inlawing are jural words also 4. As by such words which are of affinity and nearness and subordinate to justifying and comprehended under it As Naturalizing Legitimating Manumizing Redeeming Pardoning Adopting and such like which are the several kinds of justifying which is the Genus to them all For Naturalizing is a justifying of an Alien born in a far Country by imputing to him the right of a Native or home-born As Legitimating is the Justifying of a Bastard by imputing the right of a lawful birth to him that was unlawfully born As Manumizing or Enfranchizing is the Justifying of a Villain or Bondman by imputing the right of freedom to him that was born a Slave As Emancipating is the Justifying of a Minor by giving right of Livery to him that was under Guardians As Ransoming or Redeeming is the Justifying of a Captive by imputing the right of Enlargement to him who before was a Prisoner As Pardoning is the Justifying of a Malefactor by imputing the right of indempnity to him who before was condemned As Adopting is the Justifying of a Son and Heir of another Family by imputing the right of a Son and Heir to him that hath no Son nor Heir of his own Family All these are justifying especially when an Alien a Bastard a Bondslave a Captive and more especially when a Rebel or Malefactor is made the Son and Heir of a Kingdom without any suit mediation or motive this is exceeding gracious because it passeth from one extream to another meerly upon the Donors kindness and pure love And such is our Justification as by this Treatise hath and will hereafter be demonstrated 5. As by words of Attribute whereby the justified ones are called in Scripture as Sons and Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ Thou art no more a Servant but a Son and an Heir of God through Christ Gal. 4.7 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joynt-heirs with Christ As Fellow-Citizens and Domesticks of God Ro. 8.16 17. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints Eph. 2.19 and of the houshold of God as the Lords Free-men For he that is called in the Lord being a Servant is the Lords Free-man This last word Free-man comprehends under it all the former For Freedom is the original and fundamental Right without which a Man is dead in Law and hath no Will nor capacity to sue for or possess any Right And these two words Free-man and Justified are adequate and reciprocal to denote the same Person A Free-man is a Person justified to have some right being absolutely opposed to a Bond-man who is a Person condemned to have no right at all and so to an Alien or Stranger and to a Bastard or Prisoner c. Hence the word Justified is put for Freed By Christ all that believe are justified i. e. freed from all those things Acts 13.39 from which we could not be justified or freed by the Law of Moses And sometimes is translated by the word Freed He that is dead is freed i. e. justified from sin Rom. 6.7 Justifying is not only a Jural word but a Curial word or Court word not of a Court contentious in which Jus dicitur in Suits by declaring the Law and pronouncing the Sentence according to Law as in England is done in the Courts of the Kings Bench and Common Pleas where the Judges represent the King for his Justice But rather of a Court of Grace and Favour ubi jus fit datur in Suits voluntary and where the Sentence is the Decree of the Supreme Judge in equity and love in which that right which was not in Being before is made to be according to the kindness and good will of the Prince wherein the iniquities and rigours of the Law are rectified according to conscience by the Praetor or Chancellor to the King and Pardons for offences are granted by the King and Patents for Honours Profits and Priviledges are bestow'd above and contrary to the Letter of the Law As in England in the Courts of Request and Chancery where the Persons president are not called Judges but by other Names as Masters of Requests and Chancellor and do represent the King for his Mercy and Grace Lastly Justifying is a Testamentary word of the same nature with Institution or ordaining of an Heir or the devising of a Legacy For whosoever in a Testament is instituted as an Heir or ordained a Legatary that Person is justified or made to have a right to that inheritance or Legacy The co-incidence of these two words is the more proper partly because Justification is a most gracious act proceeding from the free Grace of God spontaneously granted to those that never sought it nor none for them As commonly Institutions and Devices are made in Wills and Testaments especially ad pias causas which are and others should be acts of Mercy and meer Grace but chiefly because Justification is a Testamentary act of God arising from his last Will and Testament wherein all Believers are instituted and ordained his Heirs to the Inheritance of Eternal Blessedness By this Testamentary act of God in justifying Sinners it appears that as a Man is legally Righteous according to Law and morally Righteous above the Law and jurally Righteous as a proprietary and owner So God is much more eminently and transcendently righteous all these waies but not so properly legally because he is the maker of
are in the Corporation but not of it As the Bastard is in the Family not of it he is disabled from inheriting because he is a Person unlawful and unright He is not right himself and therefore he can have no right he is not born as he should be therefore not born to what he should be As the Slave is in the Family but not of the Family he is uncapable of possessing any thing because he himself is possessed he can be no Master of any goods because he is his Master's goods All his acts are nothing because he is dead in Law As the Alien is in the City but not of the City he hath no right there he is not Homo legalis because he is not born there as he should be As an unbeliever is in the Church but not of the Church he hath no right he is not Homo fidelis because he is not born again as he should be Contrarily some Persons have right they are in the Corporation and of it they have title to claim the benefit and power to sue for it As a Son hath right in the Family to succeed his Father if he dies intestate As a Wife hath right of Dower for her joynture or her Thirds As a native Subject in a Kingdom is free to enjoy and dispose and hath a suffrage in Elections and other Priviledges to which he is born As a Believer is in the Church and of the Church he hath right to Christ and to the ordinances of Christ the Word and Sacraments because he is Homo fidelis and born again as he should be Now when he that had no right is made to have a right he is said to be justified to it or he that is absolved and released from some burden is justified from it All Legitimation is a justifying for therein a Child is released from the burden of Bastardy All Absolution is justifying for the party is released from the burden of some Bond. All Purifying and cleansing under the Law was justifying for therein the party was released from the burden of uncleanness And so Men were justified in the Law of Moses in some things but not in all Acts 13.39 But Faith justifies from all things from which the Law of Moses could not justifie All Pardoning is justifying for therein a Sinner is released from the burden of punishment The Romish Writers quarrel with our Divines when they place Justification partly in the Remission of sins for indeed that is a part or branch of it for all pardoning or remitting of sin is justifying but all justifying is not pardoning He whose right is declared is justified the Judg justifies the party whose right was controverted and doubtful The Matter of right the Judg creates not but only declares what was concealed He whose right is restored is justified All restitution is justifying for thereby the party hath his right again and repossesseth that which was his own before All In-lawing is justifying for thereby the party out-lawed is restored to his former right So as Legitimation is to a Bastard as Manumission is to a Slave as Naturalization and Enfranchisement is to an Alien so is Justification to a Sinner The Reasons are these 1. From the Names that are given to Persons justified before justification We are Bastards not born right but born in sin And God was our Natural Father not our Legitimate not our Spiritual Father For except a Man be born again he can never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Joh. 3.3 Bastards are not born as they should be We are Aliens and Forreigners we should be born in Paradise where our first Parents dwelt in Innocency and Immortality but we are born in the World a place of banishment to them and us where God is our Ruler only Eph. 2.12 not our King Without Christ we are Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers to the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the World That is having no right in Christ nor hope of Inheritance in Glory but dead Men as Slaves are in Law i. e. morally dead in trespasses and sins and therefore jurally dead as to the capacity to any right For the dead loose all other rights save only that of Burial we are not born where we should be 2. From the Names that are given to the acts of justification As Joh. 17.20 1. Uniting or making us one with God and Christ That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Ro. 12.17 2. Grafting Christ is the true Olive stock the Jews the natural branches the Gentiles wild branches till ingrafted into Christ 3. Marrying while we were in the Flesh we were married to the Law but when justified by the Spirit we are dead unto the Law and married unto Christ Ro. 7.4 4. Adopting Redeemed from being under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons Gal. 4.4 5. The Spirit of the Son sent forth into our hearts crying Rom. 8. Abba Father We have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father As many as have received him i. e. have believed on him to them gave he power i. e. a right Joh. 1.12 as in the Margin to be called the Sons of God which is their justification by Faith For we are all the Sons of God by Faith in Christ Jesus 5. From the Names given to our state in Christ after justification as 1. Our being in Christ As the Wife is in the Husband the Child in the Parents Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus Our Fellowship with Christ the first born and heir So we are born again die with him rise with him Co-heirs with him shall co-rule with him Reign together with him in Heavenly places God hath called us to the Fellowship of his Son 1 Cor. 1.9 And we have fellowship with the Father and the Son 3. Our Corporation with Christ Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Heaven Our Bodies are the Members of Christ Phil. 3.10 1 Cor. 6.15 Eph. 5.3 we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones not naturally but jurally The matter of our Justification being our right of Incorporation into God and Christ in general from thence may follow these three principal rights in particular 1. A right to things present 2. A right to things in future 3. The degrees of our Right to both these things in present and in future SECT II. 1. A right to things in present As 1. A right of Impunity or Pardon of sins Impunity That all his sins whatsoever he hath committed or shall commit hereafter are forgiven God may correct his Children in this Life otherwise they should not be his true Children but Bastards but he will not punish them in the Life to
to the slaughter like a Lamb dumb before the shearer Acts 8.32 so opened he not his mouth When he was reviled he reviled not again Who will not believe a Holy Person will such a one forge a Will or falsifie a deed or betray his trust or take his death upon an untruth Therefore was he sent that he might bear witness of the truth 4. By his death Christ took his death upon it Mat. 26.63 Joh. 19.7 that his Message was from God For for his saying that he was the Son of God and came to bear witness of the truth he was condemned to death Yet he persisted to the last to call God Father commended his Spirit into his hands and so gave up the Ghost Luc. 23.46 ratifying this truth with his Bloud That saying caused his death and his death caused the faith of that saying Now the greatest proof that can be made is to take ones death upon it Besides the death of Christ was seconded with many Miracles of the Eclipse of the Sun the shaking of the Earth c. which bred the faith of this truth in many and in some of his Executioners Mat. 27.54 and in the Centurion saying Truly this Man was the Son of God 5. By Resurrection This was so strong a proof that it confirmed all the rest not but that the rest were sufficient but this took away the scandal of the Cross being accused to die as a malefactor and for saying Destroy this Temple and in three daies I will raise it up again And when he fore-told his Passion he comforted his Disciples with his Resurrection and if Christ's Resurrection had not follow'd then his Doctrine and Miracles had been discredited But his Resurrection declared him to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1.4 His Resurrection proved him to be the Judg of the World because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the World in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.31 whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead This giving assurance is making Faith for so is the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Italian Translation and the English in the Margin offered Faith The Resurrection was of such force to make faith that the Apostles made it the form of their Ordination and Matthias was ordained to be a witness with the rest of the Apostles of the Resurrection Acts 1.22 They made it the summe of all their preaching proving that Jesus was the Christ because God had raised him from the dead Vid. Acts 2 and 3. and 5. and 13. This is the very life of Faith for if Christ be not raised then our faith is vain and we are yet in our sins and the Apostles would have been found lyars and contrivers of cunningly devised Fables 1 Cor. 15.17 For which they would never have suffered as they did to the death Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Shall we not believe one risen from the dead Dives in Hell supposed Luc. 16.20 that if one should rise from the dead his unbelieving Brethren would believe and repent Can the unbelieving Jew believe other things which he hath not seen as that Abraham was his Father by whom he had all his right to the Land of Canaan and not believe that Jesus is the Christ whom he hath seen by whom he hath right to the Kingdom of Heaven Can he believe that Moses was the Man of God by whom God gave his Law and not that Jesus is the Son of God by whom God gave his Grace For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ Besides the former proofs of his own Christ hath the testimonies of Moses and the Prophets who spake of him since the World began and the very indication of John the Baptist the greatest of them all John 1.45 The Jews boast of Moses and his Writings Joh. 5.46 but Christ saies Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me and therefore he in whom ye trust condemneth you Reason 1. The Reason why Christ thus proves this Last Will of his Father to make faith of it to the World is because he is the Executor or Mediator of it to whom of right it belongeth to prove that Will whereof he is instituted the Heir and by so being the Will receives his very essence and form and without it is null and void Christ therefore came down from Heaven Joh. 6.38 not to do his own will but the will of him that sent him And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth in him may have everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last day Hebr. 7.22 2. Because Christ is the Surety of God's Testament Every Surety is not an Executor but every Executor is a Surety that stands bound for the Testator to pay all his Debts and Gifts as a Surety is bound to the Creditor for the principal Debtor 3. It is called Faith in Christ because Faith in Christ is the Title or Appellation whereby we are nominated to the Legacies in God's Testament The Executor cannot duly perform the Will of the Testator to pay his Debts and Legacies except the Creditors and Debtors and Legatees be nominated and that they also may know when and how and of whom to claim their just due Now in God's Testament Men are truly and certainly nominated not by their proper names but by appellative and common names as of Faithful Joh. 3.16 and Believers in Christ and Receivers of Christ Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life Verily verily I say unto you Joh. 5.24 He that Heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto Life Acts 16.31 Joh. 6.47 Ro. 3.26 Rom. 10.9 1 Joh. 5.13 Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved thou and thy house He that believeth in me hath everlasting life To declare his Righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus If thou shalt confess with thy mouth and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved I have written unto you that believe in the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal Life Acts 26.18 He that believeth shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned To receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith which is in Christ Jesus He that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 because he
perspicere possint Cor Sapientiae Plaut Vitam ut vixissent olim in Adolescentia This is the reflex Act of the Understanding to think over again our old thoughts words and actions and bring them to the test saying What have I done then shall we see that Colloquintida that Mors in olla the death that is in the Pot the plague of our own hearts the secret Idol of abomination which we set up in our own Spirits and the sin that sticks so close unto us Then shall we be able to say Ro. 6.21 What fruit have we in those things whereof one day we shall be ashamed the end of those things is death What shall we do in the end thereof It will be bitterness in the later end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Wisdom 17. 11. Wickedness condemned by her own witness is very timorous and being pressed with conscience alwaies forecasteth grievous things for fear is nothing else but the betraying of the succour which Reason offereth And though a Man be otherwise never so undaunted as to look Death in the face having the heart of a Lion yet his own guilt shall tame his courage and make him a meer coward Lev. 26.36 I will send a faintness into their hearts and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them and they shall flee as fleeing from a Sword and they shall fall when none pursueth Occulto quatiente animo tortore flagellum The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and failing of eyes Deut. 28.65 and sorrow of mind and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shall fear day and night and shalt have no assurance of thy life This is the Poet's Vultur Immortale jecur tendens foecundaque poenis Viscera nec fibris requies datur ulla renatis This is the fire of Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A drop of water to cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame Plaut Urit animum meum Poena autem vehemens multò saevior ullis Juv. Quos Caeditius gravis invenit Rhadamanthus Nocte diéque suum gestare in pectore Testem And as this Torment is great so Comfort is as rare as can be imagined Even the Peace of God which passeth all understanding This will satisfie a Man against all the World Senti de Augustino quid vis sola mea ne Conscientia non accuset Think then of me what you will so long as my own conscience doth not accuse me My witness is in Heaven and in my own breast I have comfort enough Cic. Nullâ re tà m laetari soleo quà m officiorum meorum conscientiâ The remembrance of a life well lead will bring a Man Peace to the end in the end and unto all eternity this goes along with him when all worldly comforts take unto themselves wings flie away from us and forsake us Lectulus respersus floribus est bona Conscientia A good Conscience is a Bed of Roses And upon this Bed this Pillow will I rest my head wearied with cares and griefs and there will I sleep secure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the reward of all my labours in the way of Holiness that I have peace within Heaven and Hell are seated in the Heart of a Man saith the Levantine Proverb Conscientia ante peccatum fraenum post flagrum Conscientia ante bonum calcar post consolatio Conscience before sin is a bridle afterward a whip Conscience before Good is a spur afterward is a comfort SECT VI. These Offices of Conscience are performed Before the Action 1. Before the Action The Conscience represents what will follow if such or such things be done And t is happy when we shall take such deliberation to prevent many sins and judgments that may follow SECT VII Instances As Peter Though all Men forsake thee yet will not I and yet he broke his word As Hazael when the Prophet wept and told him what horrid things he should do in ripping up women with child and burning Cities c. he abominated the thoughts of doing such cruel acts 2 Kings 8.13 saying Is thy Servant a dead dog that I should do such things Yet for want of solid perseverance he did those things indeed As Joseph who when tempted more than ordinarily by his Mistress kept his resolution bravely Gen. 39.9 saying How shall I do this great wickedness and so sin against God The Conscience fore-sees and fore-tells the sad consequences What will ye do in the end thereof it will be bitterness in the later end These things are sweet in the Mouth but bitter in the Belly There is Death in the Pot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Bitter-sweet A pleasant bait with a deadly hook Extrema gaudii luctus occupat Nocet empta dolore voluptas You will rue for all this if you take not heed Young Man take thy full swing let loose the reins to a full carier but remember that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment a day of reckoning will come Do not put the day of death far from the do not make a League with Hell nor a Covenant with destruction saying The bitterness of death is past and the over-flowing scourge shall pass over me for it will come it will not tarry Thus there is a voice behind you yea within you saying This is the way walk in it Turn from the waies of wickedness pass by them and come not near unto them for fear iniquity procure your ruine A Harlot's mouth is sweet as the hony and drops as the hony-comb but her waies go down unto Hell and her paths take hold of destruction she is a deep pit and he that feareth not the Lord shall fall into it As a bird hastens to the snare and a fool to the correction of the stocks and an Ox to the slaughter not remembring that it is for his Life so shall it be with thee These and the like warnings of the Conscience are rare preventions of sins if hearkned unto or else they procure greater torments afterwards As Peter said to Ananias and Sapphira Why have ye lyed to the Holy Ghost As Abraham unto Dives Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and contrarily Lazarus evil things but now thou art tormented and he is comforted We fools counted his life madness but now is he numbred among the Righteous They shall look on him whom they have pierced and be in bitterness as one that is in bitterness for his first born They shall call to the Mountains to fall upon them and to the Hills to cover them from the wrath of him that sitteth upon the Throne This is the regret that shall be that weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth that worm of conscience that never dieth O! that Men were wise therefore that they would consider these
my poor wife and Children for I know my doom and accordingly am hastening as I am driven into Hell And I can expect no help from thee And this he expressed with a sedate mind as one that was earnestly going a journey The example of Francis Spira is fearful although there were not wanting some signs of hopes in him Alas the Church of Rome is a sad Mother leading her Children in a Maze affording them no assurance in Life or Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the most part her Teachers deny the certainty of Salvation unless it be to some choice and eminent Saints and that not without a special Revelation As for others they have but poor hopes Yet Ambrosius Catharinus and Martin Eisengenius incline to the orthodox judgment Catharinus and Sotus oppose one another and Vega both The sense of the Council of Trent is versatile like the Oracles of Apollo Some were for a revealed Assurance some for no Assurance at all Some confessed ingeniously their ignorance in the point SECT I. 1. Doctrines of Masses c. The subtilty of maintaining this Doctrine of the uncertainty of Faith is contrived to uphold the Doctrine of Masses Dirges Indulgences Purgatory visiting of Saints Shrines c. such filthy gains as they daily make by such delusions which otherwise would altogether come tumbling down headlong to the ruin of the Politick Church One of them saith I have many a time and often visited the sick M. Eisenc and them that have died and no Man can say of me but that after they had declared their repentance and Faith I exhorted them with all diligence to have an undanted and certain confidence He farther saith That all the chiefest Divines of the World taught the same Doctrine ever since the Apostles daies So say Fisher of Rochester Gropper the Divines of Colen Ruard Dean of Lovain Castalius Vega c. So forcible is the Truth that falls from the mouths and pens of those that unreasonably oppose it SECT II. Doctrine of no Salvation without the Pale of the Church 2. The subtilty of maintaining the Doctrine of the certainty of Faith and absolute Assurance of eternal Justification is invented to uphold as the Doctrine of the Romish Church no hope of salvation without the Pale of that Church so to maintain the Doctrine of other Selected Churches of no hope of salvation without the narrow precincts of their several Conventicles So that as the Great Vicar holds the Keyes of Heaven and Hell at his girdle and hath all his Children at his beck even so the Petty-Vicars pin their Election or Reprobation on their sleeves And make their Subjects admire or fear their favours or frowns and dare not stir or budge from them upon pain of eternal damnation This Great and Lordly one over God's free People and Inheritance makes them 1. Slaves in their Judgments to believe all that their Grand Superintendents magisterially dictate unto them though it be never so absurd painful and costly 2. Slaves in their Persons to ride go or row dig or torl in the Gallies or Mines like Beasts or any other slavish and foolish actions even to Planting and watering of a dry stick to try their obedience To marry into what Families they please to enrich the Church or State 3. Slaves in their Estates to give all they have at or before their death from their Parents Children or Kinsmen Friends to Strangers of their own Sect. SECT III. Doctrine of lying still in Sin 3. The subtilty of this Doctrine of maintaining the Certainty of Faith and absolute Assurance of Eternal Justification is invented by Satan as his greatest stratagem to make him who is his vassal and lives in sin to believe that he is the Child of God and in the state of Grace that he may commit sin and not be the servant of sin but have his share in Christ An Assurance without a Warrant from the Spirit subscribed with the hands of Flesh and Bloud Perfection we would learn and pretend to attain it without ever learning to attain it by working it out with fear and trembling and making our Calling and Election sure Freedom we like but not to be restrained by the Laws of Christ which makes perfect Freedom Assurance we build upon but never build up our Assurance SECT IV. Imputed Righteousness We dare to talk of the imputed Righteousness of Christ while we have no real Righteousness of our own Boast of God's Spirit and Grace while we grieve the one and turn the other into wantonness This we call appearing clothed in our Elder Brother's Robes or as Jacob did we may steal away his Blessing Thus the Adulterer may say I am chast with Christ's chastity the Drunkard I am sober with Christ's temperance the Covetous I am poor with Christ's poverty the Revenger I forgive with Christ's charity The irregenerate and voluptuous dead in trespasses and sins I am born again mortified crucified dead and buried in Christ and with Christ Sen. Calvisius Sabinus fancied that he did every good work which his Servants did If they were Poets Orators Artificers c. he was all this So we say what Christ did we do what he suffered we suffer though we never so much as do or suffer any thing like him Therefore as Seneca said of that Grand Opimator I never saw a Man whose happiness did less become him So may it well be said of these who like Men clothed in Lions Skins or Owls with the Feathers of other Birds Their borrow'd Graces and Vizards do full ill become them their gay apparel sits ill upon them We talk of applying the promises to our selves which they may do that as enemies to the Cross of Christ never perform any one of them The applying of the promises of Christ is not a speculative but a practical thing an act much rather of the Will than of the Understanding If we keep God's word the promises will apply themselves when the Will of Man is subject to the Will of God The Blessing of God will fall like dew from Heaven of it self If we walk according to God's Rule God's Grace Mercy and Peace shall be upon us and upon the Israel of God If we put on the Lord Jesus Christ by imitation of his Righteousness obedience and Love in this his likeness he will own us and approve of us SECT V. 1. We may not think uncharitably Collections Uncharitableness that every one that is not of our Sect though he be an honest Man and feareth God is a Reprobate by the same uncharitable Rule they may think the same of us who differ just as much from us as we do from them and are as confident of their being in the right as we are of our being in the right 2. We may not think that our judgment of our own Estate or our Enemies judgment of our Estate shall be the rule by which God will proceed to judg both
born but been like the untimely fruit of a Woman that never saw the Sun How shall God provoke us to Reason with him upon this point Whether his waies be not equal and our waies inequal We have reason from God though his Reason be infinitely above ours We may not reply against God but we may modestly plead for God We may not dispute with God but we may think honourably of him And though we cannot understand the Reasons of his workings yet we can understand That as his waies are often secret so they are alwaies just and that the Judg of the World must needs do right Well I have done upon this Point I may have leave to think still though I have promised to speak no more Yet I have not promised to forbear speaking reverently of God that he is infinitely gracious just and holy above all that I or all the World are ever able to imagine or express And let fierce Men say what they please I and all the World may safely trust to the Mercy of God which will never fail them if they do not abuse it and through the tender compassions of the Most High they shall be sure never to miscarry Let such miserable Comforters go whither they will O my Soul I charge thee never to enter into their secrets in this Thing and into their counsels let not mine Honour be united The CONTENTS Transition God covenanted with Christ conditionally Christ hath all Power Christ's new way of Conquest Covenant of Grace Christ shares with Christians Covenant of Grace with all men Parties of a Covenant must be certainly known Appellative Names in Covenants Publick stipulation Obligation free Conditions of Covenants must be certainly known All Covenants are conditional Absolute Decree Collections Power Sacred TITLE II. Of Christ's Feudal Kingdom Transition GOD the Father in the Scriptures is declared to be the absolute Lord of the kingdom of the whole World by right of Creation Christ the Son of God in the Scriptures is declared to be the conditional Lord of the kingdom of his Church and by right of Redemption SECT I. God covenanted with Christ conditionally God covenanted with Christ as Mediator of the New Testament that he should be the Heir of all things 1. The Condition on Christs part was his Humiliation by suffering of shame sorrow a Curse and death For so it was written of him in the Volume of the book that he should fulfil the will of God and Lo saith he I am content to do it So when the bitter Cup was given him to drink after a dispute he concludes nevertheless not my will but thy will be done Again his Condition was to glorifie God as Gods was to glorifie him Father glorifie thou me as I have glorified thee It behoved Christ to have suffered and so to enter into his glory For though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered He saith elsewhere wist you not that I must go about my Fathers business I come not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me It is my meat and drink to do my Fathers will Thus Christ in the daies of his flesh was in the condition of a Servant and had not where to lay his head though he was Heir of all things yet could not be seized on the Inheritance till the Condition was performed on his part 2. The Condition on Gods part was his Exaltation Being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 c. even the death of the Cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth This is the mighty power which he wrought in Christ Eph. 1.10 c. when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places c. When he had by himself purged our sins he sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high being made so much better than the Angels as he hath by Inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they Heb. 1.3 c. For unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son And again When he bringeth in the First begotten into the World he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him But unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy kingdom Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity Ro. 14.9 c. therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows For to this end Christ both died and rose again that he might be Lord both of quick and dead The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son Math. 28. All Power is given unto me both in heaven and earth Go ye therefore c. Before his Resurrection Christ had no authority to execute no not in Israel where he was born King of the Jews he was despised and rejected there but after his Resurrection God gave him the Heathen for his Inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession Before when they sought to make him a King he refused and hid himself When requested but to divide an Inheritance he refused saying Who made me a Judge or a Divider among you Then was he subject to the Powers of the Earth now a King of Kings and Lord of Lords whose kingdom ruleth over all And although most Kings do not submit their Powers unto him Christ hath all Power yet he hath power over them and will make them submit whether they will or no when he shall have brought down all Rule and all Authority and Power and shall put all things in subjection under his feet And this they shall know and feel in that day when they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and shall call to the Hills to cover them and to the Mountains to fall upon them to hide them from the wrath of him that sitteth upon the Throne And when he shall say Where are those mine enemies that would not that I should rule over them bring them hither and slay them before me Then shall he bruise them with a rod of iron and break them in pieces like a Potters vessel Psal 2. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be ye learned ye that are Judges of the earth kiss the Son lest he be angry yea but a little but blessed are all they that put their trust in him Thus Christ by his Sufferings hath purchased Rule over all the World but more especially over his Church A Scepter of Righteousness he useth for
it may be said that when we are fallen from God we are not able to rise again of our selves We willingly grant it that we have need therefore of new strength and of new power to be given which may raise us up we deny it not Grace And thirdly that not only the power but the very act of our recovery is from God Ingratitude it self cannot deny it But then that Man can no more withstand the power of the Grace which God is ready to supply us with than an infant can his birth or the Dead their resurrection that we are turned whither we will or no is a conclusion which those premisses will not yield This flint will yield no such fire though you strike never so oft We are indeed sometimes said to sleep and sometimes to be dead in sin but it is ill building conclusions upon no better basis than a figure and because we are said to be dead in sin infer a necessity of rising when we are called Nor is our obedience to God's inward call of the same nature with the obedience of the Creature to the voice and command of the Creator For the Creature hath neither Reason nor Will as Man hath Nor doth God's power work after the same manner in the one as in the other How many Fiats of God have been frustrate in this kind How often hath he smote our stony and rocky hearts and no water flow'd out How often hath he said Fiat lux Let there be light and we remained still in darkness We are free Agents and God hath made us so when he made us Men And our actions when his power is mighty in us are not necessary but voluntary nor doth his power work according to the working of our fancy nor lye within the level of our carnal imaginations to do what they appoint but is accompanied and directed by that wisdom which he is and he doth nothing can do nothing but what is agreeable to it c. Mr. Farring p. 403. c. per tot Cant. 21. If we must die why doth he yet complain why doth he expostulate For if the Decree be come forth if we be lost already why doth he yet call after us How can a desire or Command breath in those coasts which the power of an Absolute will hath lay'd already wast Absolute Decree If he hath decreed we should die he cannot desire we should live but rather the contrary that his Decree be not void and of none effect Otherwise to pass sentence an irrevocable sentence of death and then bid us live is eo look for liberty and freedom in necessity for a sufficient effect in an insufficient cause to command and desire that which himself had made impossible to ask a dead Man why he doth not live and to speak to a carcass and bid it walk Indeed by some this Why will ye die is made but Sancta simulatio a kind of Holy dissimulation So that God with them setteth up Man as a Mark and then sticketh his deadly arrows in his sides and after asketh him why he will die And why may he not saith one with the same liberty damn a Soul as a Hunter killeth a Deer A bloudy instance as if an immortal Soul which Christ set at a greater rate than the World it self nay than his own most precious Bloud were in his sight of no more value than a Beast and God were a mighty Nimrod and did destroy Mens Souls for delight and pleasure And though they dare not call God the Author of sin for who is so sinful that could hear that and not anathematize it yet others and those no Children in understanding think it a conclusion that will naturally and necessarily follow upon such bloudy principles And they are more encouraged by those ill-boading words which have dropt from their Quils For say some Vocat ut induret He calleth them to no other end but that he may harden them he hardneth them that he may destroy them he exhorteth them to turn that they may not turn he asketh them why they will die that they may run on in their evil waies even upon Death it self When they break his Command they fulfil his will and it is his pleasure they should sin it is his pleasure they should die And when he calleth upon them not to sin when he asketh them why they will die he doth but dissemble For they are dead already horribili decreto by that horrible antecedaneous Decree of reprobation Thou didst distroy us before we were And if we die even so good Lord for it is thy good pleasure Fato volvimur it is our Destiny or rather Est Deus in nobis not a Stoical fate but thy right hand and thy strong irresistible arm hath destroy'd us And so the expostulation is answer'd and the Quare moriemini is nothing else but Mortui estis Why will ye die is the Text the Gloss is Ye are dead already Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—pirituale Saâ—ificium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iamblichus In materialibus ultrà corporeas qualitates latent etiam rationes species mensuraeincorporeae atque divinae per quas quae adhibentur sunt congrua diis Profectò quicquid admovetur quandocunque consentaneum simile Diis mox Dii adsunt conjunguntur exhibentque munera precesque exaudiunt Qui verò purus est omnino talia supergreditur neque ad haec proportionem habet Sed quando Deos longè secretos in suà unitate collectos cupimus venerari honoribus a materiâ penitus absolutis eos venerari debemus Intellectualia enim his dona debentur incorporea vita virtus perfecta sapientia confirmata eorumque officia Arch. Parkerus de Antiq. Eccl. Brit. Et sane illa prima de Romanis ritibus inducendis per Augustinum tunc excitata contentio quae non nisi clade sanguine innocentium Britannorum poterat extingui ad nostra recentiora tempora cum simili pernicie caedeque Christianorum pervenit Cum enim illis gloriosis Caeremoniis à purâ Primitivae Ecclesiae simplicitate recesserunt non de vitae sanctitate de Euangelii praedicatione de Spiritûs Sancti vi consolatione multùm elaborabant sed novas indies altercationes de novis Ritibus per Papas singulos additis qui neminem tà m excelso gradu dignum qui aliquid caeremoniosi non dicam monstrosi mandati inusitati non adjecisset instituebant Suggestaque Scholas fabulis rixisque suis implebant Superstitio Nam prima Ecclesiae species simplicior integro interno Dei cultu ab ipso verbo prescripto nec vestibus splendidis nec magnificis structuris decorata nec auro argento gemmisque fulgens fuit Etsi liceat his exterioribus