in grace and in his wisdom and goodness thereby to govern his Church and people upon Earth for his own worship honor and their good peace comfort society and safety the which whosoever doth neglect omit and despise doth manifest himself to be none of Gods chosen people none of the chosen of Christ Whosoever professeth himself to be a subject to an earthly King or Governor and despiseth to submit in performance to his wholesom Laws and Ordinances dissembleth and is in truth no Subject to the King or Governor So it is with him that professeth himself to be a Christian if he refuseth and despiseth to submit in performance to the most wholesom Laws of Jesus Christ for the Government of his Church upon Earth before men he is no Christian but an Hypocrite Q. We finde it clear in the holy Scripture that God anointed called and sent before himself his Son Jesus Christ to three Offices for the government of his Church upon Earth of a King a Priest and a Prophet and he did execute the same Offices by himself in manifestation being upon Earth in his Church and hath ever and will execute the same by his instruments upon Earth for the government Isai 9. 6 is ever upon his shoulders He is a Priest for ever And we find in his visible Church he called and sent Moses his Minister and Instrument Exod. 24. 1 9 before men and appointed him to call and send Aaron and his sons and others before men and he called and sent Samuel and he appointed Samuel to call and send Saul and David Elijah to call Elisha in his room and so as it pleased the Lord it appeared in the rest of the Instrumenâ—s of his Offices And having called and sent his Apostles himself as the Apostle saith He gave this to some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Eph 4. 11 Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ And saith As the Father sent me so send I you As the Father sent me to call Joh. 20 21 you and send you so send I you to call and send others and this was not for a time in these his Offices of continuance but for ever upon Earth so long as his Church is upon Earth So the Apostles called and sent Timothy and Titus and others and advised them to call and 1 Tim 3. 2 c. Tit. 1 5 c. send others not rashly but advisedly And so hath been the continued calling and sending of Pastors and Teachers in the Churches of Christ upon Earth ever sithence Now what is to be thought of those which contemn and despise this Ordinance of God and his Christ which despise his Ordinance of calling and sending his instruments called and sent by such his Ministers and instruments as were so called and sent for the government of his Church upon Earth which despise such Pastors and Ministers so called and sent their Ministry of the Word and Sacraments their long teaching and feeding of Gods people with his Law for government and his Gospel for everlasting comfort by the performance of Jesus Christ for them And which call and send themselves or are called and sent by others which were not called or sent by such as were called and sent according to Christs Ordinance to feed and teach Gods people by his Law and Gospel as they profess A. I take it the sentence of these is plainly held forth and denounced by Christ himself and his Apostles and of Moses long before that and the Prophets The Apostle saith He that despiseth Moses Law dyeth without mercy under two or three witnesses and Heb. 10 28 29 of how much sorer punishment shall he be worthy which trampleth under foot the Son of God and counteth the blood of the Testament an unholy thing and doth despite to the Spirit of Grace And to those that call themselves or are called by others not called according to Christs Ordinance Christ saith He that climbeth up to the sheepfold another way is a thief and a robber Joh. 10. 1 And Moses telleth us that Korah Dathan and Abiram with great congregations which they had gathered against him and Aaron the called and sent of Christ for his Ministers and Instruments to execute his Offices as he pleased in his Church but especially against Aaron which was called and sent by Moses according to the Lords appointment and ordinance saying that they and all the congregation were holy that the Lord Christ by his Spirit was amongst them all and therefore they took too much upon them to be special and onely Ministers and Instruments of Christ in those his Offices That they and the rest had holiness and calling by the Spirit of Christ to execute especially the Office of Aaron as well and fully as he upon whom â—oon after this judgment fell The Earth opened and swallowed up Korah Dathan and Abiram with all their families and all Numb 16 32 the men that were with Korah and all their goods No man saith the Apostle taketh this honor upon him but he Heb. 5. 4 that is called as Aaron was And again How shall they preach except they be sent Certain the Apostle meaneth sent according to Roâ— 10 15 the Ordinance of Christ And the Prophet speaking of them that held forth themselves to speak great things by the Revelation of the Spirit and of the people that did adhere unto such adviseth to go to the Law and the Testimony Isai 8. 16 19. 2â— for tryal of such If â—saith he they speak not according to this Word it is because they have no light in them If they speak without such calling as is according to this word of th Law and Testimonies approved and if they speak not as is approved in the Law and Testimony it is because there is no light in them they are false Prophets Obj. I hear some say Bishops and Presbyters which were called called many lewd persons ungifted to be Teachers and Ministers A. Jesus Christ called â—udas to be an Apostle a Teacher and Minister which was as evil as any man therefore it is possible that those which are called may call lewd and unâ—ifred persons this doth not take away the Ordinance of Christs calling neiâ—her did Q. Doth that Law of Christ first manifested and exbounded by Moses as Christ appointed to Gods chosen people the visible Church of Israel continue in force to all the visible Churches of Christ in the World for the Government of Christs Universal Church in every particular Nation A. In Moses exposition of that Law by Christs appointment to that Church there were many Sacrifices Ceremonies and Figures constituted which had relation unto Christ to come in the flesh and to perform the work of his coming before men and thereupon many Judgments to that Nation peculiar which as they had
Rom. 3. 10 11 12. there is none that understand there is none that seek God All are become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And Christ said to the man There is none good but one and that is God And Esay Mat. 19. 17. Isa 64. 6. saith of himself and other like him We are all as an unclean thing all our Righteousnesse is as filthy raggs And Paul of himself in his best estate I am carnal sold under sin in me that is in my flesh the corrupt man dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 18. And if any saith he is somwhat when he is nothing he deceiveth himself in his own imagination And Paul said he found no means Gal. 6. 3. Rom. 7. 18. to perform that which is good The good he would do he did not and when he would do good evil was present with him Quest But it will be asked if no man be good wise just holy nor have goodness wisdome justice holiness nor can do that which is good c. before God Wherefore do the spirit of God in the Scriptures tearm and call some men good just holy wise c. A good man saith Salomon getteth favour of the Lord therefore Prov. 12. 2. Math. 12. 35. Iob 1. 1. Acts 10. 22. Math. 2. 1. some good man there is A goâ—d man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things saith Christ God called Iob a just man Cornelius was called a just man and Zacharias and Elizabeth were said to be just before God and to walk in all the Commandements of God without reproof They were callâ—d Wise men that came from the East to seek worship and offer gifts unto Christ Paul called those of the church Saints that is Holy men And Luke saith God spake by his Rom. 1. 5. holy Prophets Paul saith God revealed that to the holy Apostles Act. 3. 21. Eph. 3. 5. and Prophets which he did not before to the sons of men Why are men thus said in the Scriptures to be good just wise holy if none are nor ever were so sithence the fall and loss in Adam Answ These were so good holy just wise in the estimation of men and therefore so reorded of the Penmen of the holy Scriptures and no doubt but they were special branches of the Vine Christ such men as the world was not worthy of yea further they were good holy wise just and without blame before God in Christ as they were elected in Christ ingrafted in Christ abiding in Christ as Paul said he and all the elect in Christ were before Eph. i. 4. the world God saith he hath elected us in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame before him in love And after the same manner he saith We are quickned in Christ raised up in Christ we live in Christ saith Luke In him we live move and have our being Eph. 2. 6. Acts 17. 8. Col. 3. 3. 2 Cor. 2. 4. Act. 2. 12 13. Our life is hid with Christ in God saith Paul These are the misteries of Christ the misteries of the gospel the misteries of Faith so called hid to those which are lost as the Apostle saith The misteries of Christ are not manifested tto all When the holy Ghost was come plentifully upon the Apostles according to Christs promise that they spake to much people there gathered the misteries of Christ of the gospel of Faith it is said some marvelled some doubted some mocked some said they were drunk and spake they knew not what but some believed as they did at Pauls Sermon at Antioch As many as were ordained As 13. 48. to eternal life believed And it may be there are of all these somes here some that marvel some that doubt some that mock and deride some that think and will say these misteries now delivered are strange things things spoken by me as I know not what yet there may be some here ordained to eternal life that believe Indeed this is a mistery spoken that Christ should command men to do that which in the least he knoweth they cannot do themselves who will lay a burthen upon the back of his beast that knoweth he cannot bear it It is a mistery that every man should think himself to be have and do that before God at least somwhat which he neither is have nor doth in truth It is a mistery that every man corrupted thinketh himself to be have and do some good thing at least before God whenas there is no man that is hath or doth any thing in the least good holy just in Gods fight It is 〈◊〉 that every man corrupted should be dead in himself and that he that is quickned and liveth shall be quickned and live only in Christ that he that is holy good just wise c. should onely be holy good just wise c. in Christ not in himself And that for these things being in truth so Christ setteth out to every man that cometh after him to deny himself which no corrupt man in truth can do as hath been proved Object I say the Prophet did deny himself when he said We Isa 64. 6. are all as an unclean thing all our Righteousness is as filthy raggs Paul did deny himself when he said When the commandement came Rom. 7. sin revived and I died and when he said I am carnal sold under sin and when he said there dwelt no good thing in him and that he found no means to do the thing that was good and that the good which he would do that he did not and the evil that he would not do that he did Answ This denyal of a mans self is that which Christ intended in his commandement indeed but it was not Esay nor Paul of themselves that did thus deny themselves but this fruit was wrought up in them from the Vine Christ by the spirit of Christ which they as branches of the Vine did bear and hold forth as Christ pleased to make them his instruments thereof This was Christs work and performance in them for an evidence witness and manifestation to them that they were branches abiding in Jesus Christ the Vine and came after Jesus Christ in truth not their own work and performance howsoever of grace it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ to account it theirs for a corrupt and evil Tree can bring forth no such good fruit Quest If Christ in these words command and call men to deny themselves which is too hard for them to do in truth before God but onely outwardly before men which is but dissimulation before God what benefit is this to men that Christ teacheth and commandeth them to deny themselves to come after him which they cannot do in truth they shall come after Christ never the more for in whatsoever Christ requireth he requireth truth in the inward parts as David saith and he saith My son give me thy heart A
so promised which never paid any thing If man look for the love salvation and goodness of God for his own performances to God he will be deceived If poor corrupt man think to have the love of God for his love to God to be saved for his faith to be helped and assisted at Gods hand for his Prayer or to be forgiven for his Repentance he is deceived For the Apostle saith To him that worketh the wages Rom. 4. 4. is not accounted of favour or grace but of debt now God is a debter to no man he sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth that is leaveth him in his own hardness To take the Promise of God to be a debt to corrupt man for Rom. 9. 18. his work and performance to God is a great dishonour to God yea it is to make God a mercenary God that will do some good for man if he be paid for it if man do good for him and to him when as all the love and goodnesse of God to man is gratis of free grace I will love them freely saith God We are justified freely Hos 14. 4. Rom. 3. 24 Rev. 21. 6. Take of the water of life freely saith the Apostle Indeed God saith he loveth them and sheweth mercy on them that love him and keep his commandements and will justifie and save them that believe and will give to them that ask and forgive them that repent but he doth not say nor promise to love or shew mercy to them for their love or because they love him nor to justifie and save for their faith because they believe nor to give them because they ask or to forgive because they repent the History tels us not that All that God looketh for of man is in Christ which performeth all and he is satisfied for which he loveth giveth and forgigeth his Elect in Christ Isa 5. 3. 11. Indeed God sheddeth his love into the hearts of the Elect by the Holy Ghost sent unto them whereby their hearts bear the love of God and the manifestations of his love as the branch of the Vine beareth the grapes and fruits of the Vine conveighed by the spirits of the vine to manifestation and witnes as Christ himself sheweth in the Parable of the vine Ioh. 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. And the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of the elect by the Holy Ghost sent to them doth not onely manifest the love of God seated there in that soul passively but also by the same holy Ghost the love of God is acted so God and man by the Instrument of the same soul as it pleaseth the Lord Christ and all the fruits of the love of God evidenced witnessed and assured to the same soul by the spirit of Christ as the Apostle speaketh We have received the spirit of adoption and the same spirit beareth Rom. 8. 15 16. witnes with our spirits or souls that we are the sons of God The holy spirit manifesteth witnesseth and assureth the souls of the Elect of the love of God mercy justification and forgiveness of sinnes c. And this is that which is called their faith by which they are said to live to be justified and saved and to have all comfort whilst they are in the body And as the Apostle saith The promise of the new Covenant of Gal. 3. 16. grace called the new commandement and condition was made to the seed speaking of one which is Christ onely able to do the will of God in the same commandement and covenant being the undertaker to do the will of God of free grace and freely saying Lo I come to do thy will O God for poor corrupt man which thou hast elected in me not able to do any thing thereof in himself although in the history of Scriptures the promise be often found helf forth to man because Christ of grace imputeth and freely giveth the good and benefit of the promise purchased by himself to his Elect but afterwards reserving the Praise Honour and Glory thereof to himself So the whole covenant of grace was made of God with his Christ the undertaker to do the will of God for poor corrupt man elected in Christ as well the performing of the conditions and commandement therein as receiving of the promise although in the history of the Scriptures the commandement and performances of the condition of the covenant be held forth to pertain to unable corrupt man which onely pertaineth unto Christ the gracious and able undertaker for what is doth or hath poor corrupt man herein but in Christ Christs command to the Reprobate is as he is God the commander in justice to the Elect as undertaker of the work before God in grace Indeed our God commandeth in the history of the Scriptures both Reprobate and Elect and his command is holy just and of authority the Elect of themselves are still corrupt in themselves although holy in Christ in whom they are elected and not able through their corruption to do the just command Christ that of authority commandeth hath undertaken to do the will of God as he saith Lo I come to do thy will O God And no Heb. 10. 9. doubt but it was for the Elect that Christ did undertake to do the will of God as the payment of the debt in his justice for their transgression unto mercy and forgivenesse their holinesse and righteousness before God This will of God for payment to mercy and forgiveness for righteousnesse holinesse and goodnesse to them which Christ undertook to do for the Elect which themselves were not nor are able to do in the least no doubt he did doth and ever will do graciously making them his instruments as he pleaseth and imputing all to them upon which account it is said Christ is the Priest and the Sacrifice the Law or Covenant-giver and the Law or Covenant-keeper the Judge and the Advocate the commander and the doer of the commandement as the renowned Father in the church of Christ said Do Lord that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And although the afflictions punishments and misery of Reprobates be just to them for their sins against the holy commandement and although the afflictions troubles and punishments of the Elect be many in this world as David said he was punished every day yet the afflictions of the Elect in Christ are not nor can be for their sins before God which Christs full payment for them to God hath satisfied as the Prophet saith and which Christ hath Isa 53. â—1 covered as David saith Blessed is that man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sin is covered and which Christ hath taken quite away as the Apostle saith Christ appeared we know that he 1 Ioh. 3. 5. might take away our sins Can it be thought that the just God will exact payment for that which he hath had full payment already for which
he had in his acceptance by Christs undertaking so soon as Christ had undertaken If now there are many that hold so th the history of the Scriptures to affirm and prove the temporal afflictions of the Elect to be ordered unto them for their sins against God and men for their sins before God and before men But the mystery of our God and Christ of faith and godliness doth hold forth that afflictions are not ordered of Christ to the Elect for their sins either against God or men as the payment of the debt thereof or as in revenge of wrath which are never under wrath but under love but are alwaies ordered to the elect of God in the love wisdome and goodnesse of one God Christ either to take them away in love from sin and the misery of sin as the Prophet saith The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth Isa 57. 1. that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come or are Zach. 2. 5 Hos 2. 5. ordered to them to keep and preserve them from sin as by a wall of fire and a hedge of thornes as the Prophets speak upon which if their corrupt nature presse drive and force them they are by this means of Christ constrained to return to Christ as the Prophet Hosea at large sheweth in the second chapter of his Prophesie v. 5 6 7 c. A loving father will not chastise his child for the offence done if he knoweth that he will offend no more but will passe by the fault and if he doth chastise him it is that he might not offend afterward to keep him from offending And Psa 119. 71. upon this David said It is good for me that I have been in trouble for thereby I have learned to keep thy Statutes Davids troubles were Gods goodness to him although he was punished every day Daily have I been punished saith he The goodness of his troubles Psa 73. 14 and afflictions drive him back to Christ as the Apostle saith The love of Christ hath constrained us 2 Cor. 3. 14. But still there are some that it may be in earnest object if the elect do know they can do nothing of the holy commandement and if they know that Christ hath undertaken to do all and will do all for them commanded to be done before God Then they may live without care fear or regard of godlinesse to walk uprightly before God so that they live warily before men and give content and satisfaction to men This objection is not made from the spirit of Christ but from the spirit of Antichrist not from the sense of an elect believer but from the sense of reprobates such as God hath delivered up into a reprobate mind as the Apostle speaketh and are reprobate Rom. 1. 28 2 Tim. 3. 8 concerning the faith as he faith For although the elect believers denie themselves and see nothing in themselves but 〈◊〉 crying alwayes Lord be mercifull to me a sinner and know that themselves can do nothing of the holy commandement and know that Christ of free grace doth all for them of the same by his holy Spirit sent to them as he pleaseth yet they know also that because God careth 1 Pet. 5. 17. Psa 91. 12 Psa 25. 1â— for them he will keep them in all their wayes that he will teach them the way that they shall choose that he will mortifie the deeds of the flesh by his spirit sent unto them That the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost sent to Rom. 8. 13 them will act in their souls and hearts the love to God and man Yea they know that Christ hath promised to put such a fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from him and hath made Jer. 22. 40 41. such a covenant that he will never turn away from them but will delight in them to do them good So their knowledge of Christs grace to them doth not make them worse but better in themselves Christ saith naturall Heathens or Publicans love them that they know love them and shall not the love of God to the elect Mat. 5. 46 47. Rom. 14. 14. unto whom it is manifested constrain them although they be still carnall as Paul said he was to love God and man Ob. 2. But the deceiving spirit doth further object If our believing praying praising thanksgiving to God do not cause move and incite God to love us and do us good then wherefore should or do the elect pray and praise God all is in vain they do Answ Indeed all that they do to cause move and incite God to love them and do them good is in vain for it is Christ only that doth and can do that the doing of the elect cannot do it which is sinfull and corrupt Yet because Christ the undertaker for the elect which hath authority to command commandeth in the government of his Church to love pray praise give forgive and the rest The elect do the same not in vain but of duty because Christ their undertaker hath commanded although they do not nor can do the same according to the holy command A Scholler which is commanded of his favourable Schoolmaster to write his copie given him and which he knoweth can write never a letter right yet ought to write the same because he is commanded but it were folly in the Scholler to look to be praised of his Master for his bad writing And if any man shall ask why â—hrist commandeth the elect which he knoweth can do nothing of the command the answer may be First for his good pleasure and will and their humiliation Secondly â—â—â—ist would have his people exercised and not idle although weak Thirdly because although the goodnesse of their doing the holy command is nothing or extendeth not unto God is no goodnesse before God yet before men in mens estimation it is goodnesse as David saith My goodnesse extendeth not to thee O Lord but to the Saints which are upon the earth It is good and profitable Psal 16. 2 3. Tit. 3. 8. as the Apostle saith to men Fourthly for example to and another and edification of one another Fifthly for their knowledge of their transgressions of omission and commission as Paul said I had not known sin but by the law If Christ had not a commandement to bid â—nd forbid the elect had not known Rom. 7. 7. their sins and transgressions The Scholler which writeth never a letter well of his copie knoweth by his copie if he regard it and perule it well his fault in every word and letter although he cannot mend it So by the holy and righteous command of Christ the Elect may see and know their errour if they mind it and look upon it well although they cannot amend their errour themselves Sixtly Christ commandeth them to
do although he know they can do nothing of the holy command before God because he would have them know and consider of his grace and goodness to them in undertaking and performing those things of the holy commandement for them first and last unto their salvation and everlasting happiness which themselves were not able to do in the least and to take up the song of David the sweet singer of Israel continually before men praising the Lord for his goodness and to declare the wonders that he hath done for the children of men so that their labour is not in vain in the Lord. Seventhly Because when it pleaseth the L. Jesus Christ to send his holy spirit to them 1 Cor 5. 1. 5. 8. to act in them these things of his holy commandement and to make them his branches to bear and bring forth such fruits in singlenesse of heart in sincerity and godlinesse as fruits of the spirit in truth then these are true evidences testimonies and witnesses of the spirit received as the Tree is known by the fruits in the rule of Christ And the spirit received doth witnesse that they are the children of God We have received the spirit saith the Apostle and the same spirit doth witness that we are the children of Rom. 8 15. 16. God Object Further the deceiving spirit objecteth to teach that mans love to God his prayer praise his giving forgiving repentance and the rest like commanded do not cause move and incite God to love give and forgive his servants and do them good is the flaking and quenching of all devotion and religious service to God Answ This Doctrine indeed may by the power of Christ quench the devotion and supposed service to God of Hypocrites that there by dishonour Christ for what greater dishonour to Christ can be done then to uphold or think that poore corrupt man by his love believing praying praising giving forgiving repenting and the rest can procure God to love justifie give and forgive which is onely the work that Christ hath undertaken for poor unable man saying Lo I come to do thy will O God which only Heb. 10. 7. procureth the love justification forgiveness and all goodness of God to man freely without any work or labour of mans I will love them freely saith God We are iustified freely by grace Hos 14. 4. Take of the water of life freely And of this work of causing moving inciting and procuring God to love man to justifie forgive Rom. 3. 24 Rev. 21. 6. 2 Thes 2. 3. 4. and do good to man the honour and praise belongeth onely to our Christ that sitteth upon the throne and it is the Antichrist the man of sin which the Apostle speaketh of that taketh this honour or any part of it to himself and robbeth Christ of this honour onely due to him But in those which are true believers their doctrine doth not quench but kindle devotion and religious worship and service to God and his Christ For can there be greater incitement to devotion and Religion then for a man to be taught of God and to be assured by the spirit of Christ in him that Christ hath undertaken to do all for him to his justification and salvation before God that Christ with the will and good pleasure of God hath done doth and will do all for him to God paid his debt made his peace and made his reconciliation with God for his sins obtained the imputation of his righteousness to him in and by his fulfilling of the holy Law of God for him making him to be holy and without blame before God in love causing moving and inciting God to love him give to him forgive him and do him all good when as himself in himself is still a sinner corrupt and abominable and hath no good thing in him as Paul said he had not Rom. 7. 18. dwelling in himself and was not nor is able to do the least with God to procure the least love and goodness of God to himself Surely if this teaching will not kindle devotion in man he is no true Believer yea he is worse then the Heathens and Publicanes that Christ spake of which he said would love them that loved them that would do good to them that did good to them The Heatheâ—s and Publicanes saith Christ will do the same Mat. 5. 46 47. This did kindle exceeding devotion in David as we read it made him sing it made him praise worship fall down and kneel before the Lord his Maker and Redeemer and to call others O come saith he let us worship fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker Psa 93. 6. These Positions following are the grounds of the Treatises and Meditations following The first Position is THat God fore-saw and fore-knew all things to be in the world before the world A Sparrow falls not to the ground Gal. 3. 8. Act. 2. 23 1. Pet. 1. 2 Mat. 10. 29 30. Ps 148. 6. without his providence That God willed and decreed all things before the world unchangable to be in eternity That Gods eternal will and decree was his present and unchangeable act of all he willed and decreed with and before himself Ps 13. 5. 6. before the world before whom all things are present and not future although in manifestation and appearance to the creature they be in future and appointed fulness of time That God fore-saw and fore-knew all mankind to become the children of wrath by the transgression of the first man notwithstanding Eph. 2. 3. Rom. 5. 18 he had power given him and free-will also to keep the covenant and do the commandement .. That it was Gods eternal act according to his eternal will and decree of love mercy and free grace to elect in Christ some of Eph. 1. 4. Rom. 8. 29 30. Act. 13. 48. Eph. 1. 5. the children of wrath out of the generall company of the children of wrath to be holy and without blame before him in love to be predestinated and ordained to eternal life and to be adopted the children of God through Christ according to the good pleasure of his will That those which according to the good pleasure of his will God so knew before and he so elected in Christ were holy and 1 Cor. 1. 2 3. Act. 13. 48. Rom. 8. 29 30. 1 Cor. 1. 8. Rom. 8. 33 without blame before God after they were elected out of the children of wrath no more to be the children of wrath but of God and were predestinated and ordained to eternal life were adopted the children of God through Christ called justified and glorified before God and were so before the foundations of the world was laid in Gods sight although these be not in appearance and manifestation to the creature till in future and fulness of time appointed That Christ undertook and performed all in acceptance willed Positi 2. Heb. 10. 9. Rev. 13. 8. and
decreed of God before God for the justification and salvation of the elect before the world That man himself doth not nor can do the work of the holy Law and commandement of God that is good before God and Positi 3. acceptable to God as it is mans work That Christ doth in man all that is done good and righteous before God by his holy Spirit sent to man of grace making his Elect fitted instrements thereof as he pleaseth There are Antipositions made to these namely to the form as followeth First although all times things and acts were present with God before the world yet they were not alike present God seeth things as they are difference of time and circumstance adhering he seeth election before time justification in time and remission of sin after it is commited He seeth not these ab aeterno Answ I take it if all times things and acts were present with God before the world there is neither past nor future time no difference of time and circumstance before God although to man there seemeth difference of time and circumstance as past present and future God seeth and knoweth al things as present to him election justification remission of sin whensoever committed although those and other things are not in mans sight estimation until they are manifested and then as they are manifested Gods will and his acts before himself are together unchangeable The gifts Rom. 11. â—9 and calling of God are without repentance And the gifts which God giveth to the creatures were not unknown and undecreed of God to the creature untill such time as they did appeare manifested to the creature neither is the creature uncalled of God before him until his calling be manifested to man the Apostle Paul maketh it clear to be before God before the world Those saith he which God knew before those also he predestinated to Rom. 8. 19 30. be made like to the image of his Son And whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified The Apostle doth not say that those which God knew before the world he would afterward predestinate he would afterward call afterward justifie afterward glorifie But he saith those which he knew before the world he predestinated called justified and glorified them before himself unchangable although these do not appear and are manifested to the creature till fulnesse of time The second Antiposition is That man not having the Spirit may and can do Morall works yea good Morall works before God and that man having the Spirit can do Morall good works much more yea and spirituall also by the instrumentall assistance of the Spirit Answ I take it the Scribes and Pharisees did Morall good works before men as fair in mans sight as any other then or sithence but I do not find them said to be as good and righteous be orâ— God And I take it if the Spirit be only an instrumentall assistance to them which have the Spirit so Christ is at the will and disposition of man as the instrument is at the disposition of the workman and to be procured by mans art and power to be his instrumentall assistant a great dishonor to Christ Paul called himself Rom. 1. 1. a servant and instrument of Jesus Christ but he never called Christ his instrument or servant The third Antiposition is That man having the Spirit hath inherent sanctification and holinesse in himself and may bring forth and do the works of holinesse as the Agent thereof righteous in the sight of God And this Position they say the words of Christ uphold which say Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Phraisees ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 5. 20. This exceeding righteousnesse to be had to enter into the Kingdome say they is the inherent holinesse and righteousnesse which they have which have the Spirit by the sanctification of the Spirit Answ But I take it the exceeding righteousnesse to be had of those which enter into the Kingdome of heaven spoken of by Christ is the righteousnesse of Christ by imputation to his Elect Believers not the inherent supposed righteousnesse in themselves which they have by the sanctification of the Spirit whereby they say they are inabled to do the works of holinesse and righteousnesse as the Agent thereof before God For the Apostle saith alledging David for a witnesse That man is the blessed man that is to enter into the Kingdom of heaven unto whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works And that further to uphold inherent righteousnesse and holinesse in man by the sanctification of the Spirit do further alledge the Apostle which saith to the believing Corinthians neither unrighteous men nor fornicators idolaters adulterers wantons buggerers thieves covetous drunkards railers nor extortioners shall enter Cor. 6. 9. 10 11. into the Kingdome of heaven and such were some of you but ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God He saith they were now washed sanctified and justified by the Spirit Answ But I take it this doth not prove although these believing Corinthians were washed now sanctified and justified now in their own knowledge and light in the name of Jesus and in the Spirit of our God when God gave the light to them that they were not washed sanctified and justified before this in the sight of God by Jesus Christ the Lamb slain from the beginning Nor doth it prove that they had now inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in themselves to do the works of holinesse and righteousnesse before God at that time I take it Believers have still inherent corruption and sin in themselves which corruption is in every part and parcell of soul and body as the Apostle of Christ saith A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 1 Cor. 5. 6 If they had inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in themselves in every part of soul and body the same would expell them from corruption and so there should be no corruption and sin in Believers for two contraries are not in one subject together at the same time if it be light it is not dark if it be cold there is not heat inherent When a stronger then the strong man cometh saith Christ he taketh away the strong mans armor dispossesseth him and divideth the spoils Luke 11. 21 22. But of the operation of the Spirit in Believers and of the mortification and sanctification of the Spirit it is said more afterward We find it recorded in Scripture that Moses Lot Reuben and the rest of the Patriarches Iob Moses Aaron David Peter c. after they had the Spirit had corruption which brought forth sin mentioned and no doubt but other sin not mentioned in them And I take it Doctrine of inherent holinesse and righteousness in man by the sanctification
it is no more of grace Grace and Christ are quite shut out But these are like the Angel or Minister of the Church of Laodicea that John speaks of which said he was rich increased with goods and had need of nothing whence the Spirit of God told him that he was wretched miserable poor blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. and he knew it not Or like the Pharisees that boasted that they had that goodnesse from God whereby they were righteous holy devout Joh. 9. men wise and did see all needfull no blind men when as Christ told them that they were hypocrites unjust blind guides leading the Mat. 23. blind such as to whom all wee did belong If these men which boast themselves to have such Inherent holiness and righteousness in themselves by the sanctification of the Spirit had the same and were such whereby they are able to the work of holiness and righteousness of the holy command of God pleasing and acceptable to God as Agents thereof they were at least Saints in themselves And this the Inherent holiness and righteousness in them which did inable them to the deed and the work of holinesse and righteousnesse pleasing and acceptable to God and to prevail with God to do them good deserve to be adored and extolled as a God able to give power for there is no power but of God none can give power but God even as the great Rom. 13. 1. God the Creator deserved to be adored for giving Adam power to doe the work of holinesse and righteousnesse in his innocency But I know there are many amongst us stained with this deceiveable doctrine of Inherent holiness and righteousness in man c. which have a zeale of God although not according to knowledge as the Apostle Paul said there were of the Israelites Rom. 10. 2. which being ignorant of the righteousness of God in Christ and going about to establish their own righteousness as these do submitted not to the righteousness of God as these do not which ordinarily object and say shall we not do that we are commanded shall we not do the good duties commanded of God shall we not do our indeavours what we can although we cannot do perfectly are we not commanded to call others to doe the same is not God pleased that we should do so and pleased with our doing so or is God pleased that we should be idle carelesse and do nothing of his command â—od saith the Apostle doth accept the will for the deed if there be first a willing mind Answ These expressions indeed do shew a zeal of God but the question is first whether it be according to knowledge or not secondly whether they hold forth ignorance of the righteousness of God in Christ or no and no submission to the righteousness of God in Christ or no and thirdly whether they shew a going about to establish their own righteousness or no that is to hold forth their own power wills indeavours and works to please God pacifie God move and prevail with God for their good and to be accepted of God for the same as it is their own which nothing but perfect righteousness can do which corrupt man cannot bring forth and do for that which is of the flesh is fleshy Herein they clearly shew that they are ignorant of the righteousness of God in Christ and submit not to the righteousness of God in Christ which is the only perfect righteousnesse and which is all righteousness that do or can please pacifie move and prevail with God to mans good and to make man or any thing of man accepted with God Indeed God is pleased with man and pacified towards man in Christ not in himself nor in his own corrupt will indeavours or deeds they that are in the flesh cannot please Rom. 8. 8. God saith the Apostle Of the Sanctification of the Spirit c. BEcause the Apostle saith As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive and again as by one mans disobedience many 1 Cor. 15. 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. 19. were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous c. Some say that Believers in Christ are so regenerate and renewed in their corrupted nature of soul and body by Christ through the inherent sanctification of the Spirit that themselves by the power of their sanctified nature and faculties thereof are able to do and do the works of goodness holiness and righteousness in the estimation of God as Adam had power to do in his innocency And this inablement to them by such sanctification of the Spirit I take it they call the assistance of the Spirit whereby they say they do such works at best in part But I take it such erre not knowing the Scriptures the truth of Jesus for although the Scriptures hold forth the Elect Believers to be elected regenerated and renewed to be righteous holy and without blame before mod yet the Scriptures hold them forth to be all this in Christ not in themselves Paul saith he was elected in Christ to be holy and without blame before God in Christ Eph. 1. 4. Eph. 2. 5. 6 Act. 17. 28 he was quickned in Christ he was raised up in Christ lived moved and had his being in Christ not in himself he was not elected to be holy and without blaâ—â—e and spot before God in himselfe to be quickned and raised up in his own corrupted man nature and faculties of soul or body Believers are not the new man the new creatures in themselves in their own still corrupt nature but they are the new man the new creature in Christ which is the onely new man and new creature in himself as the Apostle speaketh he maketh of â—wain one new man in himself and again put on the new man which after God as created in righteousnesse and holinesse Eph. 2. 15. and againe if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Eph. 4. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 17 If Believers were so made alive in themselves by Christ to the power and action of holiness and righteousness as Adam was made alive and had power of action of holiness and righteousness by God in his creation and state of innocency through the inherent sanctification of the Spirit then corruption sin and death should be gone from believers in this life for contraries cannot be together at the same time in the same subject the one expelleth the other which is not as is manifest in all all are corrupted still all sin still all are dead still ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle And again if Colos 3 3. Rom 8. 10 Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit iâ— life for righteousnesse sake and again corruption doth not inherit 1 Cor. 15. 50. incorruption but where this corruptible hath put on incorruption and this mortall hath put on
immortality then shall be brought to passe the 1 Cor. 15. 14. saying that is written death is swollowed up into victory death remaineth in themselves by their sin and their life in Christ by Christs righteousnesse If Believers had inherent power of righteous action to bring forth of themselves and from their inherent power actions of righteousness as Adam had the power to do them then the Prophet I say would not have said of himself and the best men We are all as an unclean thing all our righteousnesse is as filthy rags Isa 64. 6. and David would not have said There is none that doth good no not one and Paul would not have said in Psa 14. 〈◊〉 ◠Rom. 7. 18. me that is my flesh dwelleth no good thing and again I find no means to perform that which is good Were not that Antichristian pride in any man now to say of himselfe I have power by my inherent holinesse to do that which is good and righteous in the sight and estimation of God the proudest Pharisee said to deny our selves is to deny our holinesse and goodnesse in our selves Quest Is there no operation of the Spirit of Christ in Believers upon the corrupted man soul and body is there no mortification of sin and corruption and no sanctification of the man by the Spirit or to the man in soule or body Answ Yes that must needs be so There are foure excellent creatures manifest in this world which all in the Scriptures are held forth to resemble Christ and the holy Spirit in their operations upon the bodies neere and object to them which foure creatures are the Sun Fire Water and sweet odours The Sun of this world is held forth in the Scripture to resemble the Son of righteousnesse Jesus Christ in his operations and actions to Believers Unto you that feare my Malach. 4. 2. name the Sonne of righteousnesse shall arise and health shall be under his wings He saith the Prophecy alluding to the rising of the Sun of the world upon the earth and the body therein in mens appearance and apprehension to the comfort and refreshing of them for being as the Sun of the world to Jesus Christ ariseth and manifesteth himselfe to Believers when and as he pleaseth in their apprehensions to the comfort and refreshing of the whole man And as the Sun of the world arising doth heat the colds object bodies so that the heat thereof heateth the cold bodies neere them by reflection yea and melteth some hard bodies by the heat thereof and yet the naturall coldnesse of those bodies and the hardnesse remaine still in them naturally as appear in the stay of the heat to those bodies So the Sonne of righteousnesse arising in Believers doe heat the neere corrupted man in soule and in body with his holy heat which heat also sometimes reflecteth to others neer yea and melteth the hard corrupt heart and yet the coldnesse and hardnesse of corruption naturally remaine still and returneth in sense and appearance in the stay of the heat of the Son of righteousnesse Jesus Christ by his Spirit And farther as the Sun of the world arising doth in season and time quicken some bodies dead in themselves such as have life in their root which in their time appeare also to have life in themselves So the Sonne of righteousnesse Jesus Christ arising in Believers though the corrupted man the body be dead because of sin as the Apostle speaketh though they be dead in themselves as Colos 3. 3. yet because their life is hid with and in Christ their root because they are rooted in Christ as Colos 2. In the appointed due time Colos 3. 3 of God their hidden life in Christ will be manifest in themselves which shall be to the soule when the corruptible hath put on incorruption and to the body when the mortall hath put on immortality and death be swallowed up in victory as the Apostle speaketh And so the Prophet David said God is a Sun and a shield alluding to Jesus Christ which is the only shield Psa 84. 11 and defence of Believers And so is Jesus Christ and his Spirit in Believers in the Scripture resembled to the fire of this world in respect of the operation thereof upon the bodies neere The Lord wil be as a wall of fire about Jerusalem saith the Prophet A wall of fire will defend and keep safe any City from hurt of adversary and enemies So Jesus Christ is a wall of fire to save his Elect Believers from the divell hell sinne the law and death that they shall not hurt them The gates of hell shall not prevaile against them Mat. 16. 18 saith Christ that they may say with Paul O death where is thy sting O grave or hell where is thy victory The sting 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the Law But thanks be unto God that hath given us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ which hath beene a wall of fire unto us from these our adversarie And further Jesus Christ and his holy Spirit in Believers is in the Scriptures resembled to fire in the operations thereof because as fire melteth purifieth things so Jesus Christ by his Spirit and the word of his Spirit melteth the hearts of the Believers as Iosias heart melted at the hearing of Gods word 2 Kings 22. 19. and also purifieth their corrupt hearts as Peter saith God gave the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles which purified their hearts by faith or believing And for this it is said Christ will Act. 15. 9 baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire and Gods word is as fire Ierem. 23. 29. Yet it is to be observed that although gold or other metall be melted by the fire the hardnesse thereof returneth and remaineth naturally in and to the same as is seen in the stay of the heat of the fire So though Christ by his Spirit and spiritual word melteth the corrupt hard heart of believers yet the corrupt hardnesse remaineth still naturally and returneth in the stay of the operation of the Spirit And as although the fire purifieth the gold yet the gold must be after melted and purified by the sire as the Prophet saith seven times that is oftentimes before it be pure gold Psa 12. 6. and is not pure gold so long as any drosse remains in it in any part thereof but still drossie gold So although Jesus Christ by his Spirit often melteth and purifieth the corrupt heart of believers yet so long as corruption remaineth which remaining remaineth in every part of soul and body so that no part is pure and holy before God in man himself whatsoever it be in mans estimation but still corrupt in the whole and so shall be till corruptible hath put on incorruption and mortall hath put on immortality And Jesus Christ and his Spirit in Believers are in the Scriptures resembled to water for
the operations thereof as washing cleansing slaking quenching and refreshing So Christ resembled himself to the water of the Well unto the woman If thou hadst asked of me I would have given Ioh. 4. 10. thee of the water of life meaning himselfe and his holy Spirit And againe Take of the water of life freely Rev. 22. 17 For as water washeth and cleanseth foul bodies and refresheth weary bodies and softneth dry and hard bodies as Clay and the like and quencheth and slaketh excessive heat in earthy bodies so Jesus Christ by his Spirit hath all these operations upon Believers in the corrupted man The Apostle writeth of the believing Corinthians which had been great sinners that now they were washed sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus Christ by the Spirit of our God in manifestation to themselves Christ telleth some of his Disciples that had heard him preach the Word Now you are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you Job said the Lord had softned his heart God Joh. 23. 16 saith he will take the stony heart away from his people and give them a heart of flesh a soft heart David said that his Shepheard the living Lord would lead him into green pastures and waters of comfort refreshing waters The Spirit mortifieth the deeds of the flesh saith the Apostle Eph. 6. 16. The faith of Jesus Christ quencheth the fiery darts of the wicked saith the Apostle And yet as although water washeth and cleanseth foule bodies softneth hard refresheth faint and weary quencheth and slaketh heat If this foulnesse hardnesse faintnesse and heat be naturall to those bodies the same will return and remaine to them in the stay of the operation of the water So although Jesus Christ by his spirit washeth and cleanseth the foulnesse softneth the hardnesse refresheth the faintnesse mortifieth quencheth and slaketh the heat of corruption in the corrupt man yet because corruption is inherent in believers and naturall all will remain and return till that which is corruptible hath put on incorruption and mortall hath put on immorrality And to goe through the resemblances of Christ by his Spirit to believers as is in the Scripture So Christ and his Spirit are resembled to sweet odours The Apostle calleth Christ the sweet odour to God Eph. 5. 2. And the Spouse in the Canticles resembleth Christ to myrrhe spices and Cant. 2. 3. 14. Cant. 5. 5. 13. sweet flowers saying his fruit is sweet his voice is sweet and his lips and mouth most sweet and as earthly sweet odours sweeten things neer them to the sweeting of other things neer them so Jesus Christ by his Spirit sweetneth the corrupt soul and body where it dwelleth in believers even to the sweetning of others Yet as notwithstanding the sweeting of odours to earthlythings which are naturally ill-savoured their ill-savour will return and remain in the stay of the sweet odours to them So in the stay of their sweeting of Jesus Christ and his Spirit to the corrupt man naturally corrupted unsavoury corruption returneth and remaineth till the corruptible hath put on incorruption and the mortall hath put on immortality and this was that which made the Apostle Paul cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death And the same made the Martyr of Jesus Christ Mr. Careles to sing that mournfull song Indeed sometimes I do repent to God for mercy call But yet alas incontinent to sin again I fall Thus we may see much operation of the Spirit of Christ in Believers upon the corrupted man soul and body that there is much mortification of sin and corruption and sanctification to the corrupt man in soul and body by the Spirit Although sanctification and holinesse be not inherent in the corrupt man as corruption and sin is inherent in every part of soul and body for so two contraries being in one subject together at the same time the one would utterly expell the other and there would be nothing but holinesse no sin and corruption in Believers which is apparent to be and the Apostle saith there is yet there is sanctification unto Believers by the Spirit as the Apostle saith Christ Jesus 1 Ioh. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 30. is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification and redemption The Apostle doth not say that Jesus Christ maketh or worketh in us in our souls or bodies inherent righteousness sanctification and redemption but Christ Jesus is made unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption He saith Christ is made unto us not into us by the imputation of his holiness and righteousness unto us And yet God is not pleased that man should be carelesse and idle for Christ the Vine hath undertaken for those given him of the Father to make them his branches to beare Ioh. â—5 5. his fruit wrought up in them by his Spirit and to make them his instruments of the Spirit in them in the doing of every good work commanded of God called the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. as he pleaseth to order direct and govern fit inable and strengthen them thereto to manifest evidence and witnesse to them that they are branches abiding in Christ the Vine have all of Christ that Christ is all to them as the Apostle saith We have received the Spirit and the same Spirit doth witnesse unto our souls that we are the children of Rom. 8. 15 16. God The works of the holy command called the fruits of the Spirit are not wrought up in man the branch fitted to bear them c. that man should rob Christ of his honor which only pleaseth God with that done in himself and of himself but they are wrought up to be born of man for a witnesse and assurance to him of his adoption and grace both through Christ I Find six sorts of men of different wayes and opinions or judgements touching their estates with God 1. The first saying in their hearts that there is neither God nor Divell Heaven nor Hell Of these David Psa 14. 1. spake The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Such are evident Atheists 2. The second that there is a God and Heaven but no divell nor hell so they question not their estates with God Of these both I suppose these of Calvin might be principally spoken of heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur velut infernum fabula vana foret Alas men live as though no death did follow and as if hell were an old wives tale so they think all well with them if they can shift punishments of men 3. The third sort do acknowledge a God and Divell Heaven and Hell and that the first man Adam lost both God and Heaven by his transgression and also much of his indowments in himself by Creation But that there was so much of his indowments in himself by Creation left unto him and his posterity of
mankind as thereby every man that will may recover Gods favour and love may pacifie and please God by doing his holy commands taught and preached unto him and remaining in him by nature and so attain God heaven and salvation lost by the first man This was that of Palagius exploded for heresie 4. The fourth sort say that there is a God and Diven and hell and all mankind lost in Adams transgression and notwithstanding the losse and death in Adam there is o Adams indowment left to all men power and free-will to heare the Gospell of Jesus Christ crucified for the redemption of all men being preached unto them and hearing they may believe if they will for faith cometh by hearing yea by hearing Rom 10. 17 power is given them to believe and live c. some say although dead before for the dead shall hear the Ioh. 5. 25. voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live saith Christ The performance of Jesus Christ and Redemption is for all men but life and salvation cannot be to any of mankind that will not and do not hear the Gospell of Jesus Christ crucified preached unto them and believe And this Jesus Christ was indeed foreknowne say they of God the Father before the world to be given to perform for all men unto life and to redeeme all men but was not given till his manifestation in the flesh which did then undertake with God and performed for all men if all men would hear and believe And so their salvation hath beginning and first ground from mans own will and his own work he may thank himself first if he be saved and after thanks are due to Jesus Christ Robbery and idolatry They deny Gods choice of men in Christ of mercy love and fâ—ee grace and ordination of them chosen to eternall life before the world and his manifestation of the same by his Spirit when he pleaseth in 〈◊〉 A despâ—sing of Gods everlasting love goodnesse and free grace in Christ and of his power thereto in his pleasure of choosing dead men to life and specially Gods choosing of them They deny God which saith thy salvation is only Hos 13. 9. of me thy damnation of thy self And Peter the Apostle of Christ that saith there is no salvation in any other Act. 5. 12 thing but in Jesus Christ all this meant freely of grace love and mercy without meanes of man It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in Rom. 9. 16 God that sheweth mercy willing hearing and believeing by the command to naturall men are meanes of man as they take it in his own naturall power If they be wrought up by the spirit in man they are meanes only in the estimation of man unto salvation But the Apostle of Christ tell us they are onely manifestations evidences witnesses and assurances of our salvation wrought up by the Spirit in the Rom. 8. 16 branches of the Vine Jesus Christ and not means Christ hath no meanes but himselfe to save man for man to please God or prevaile with God is to save himselfe by merit for if man can please God he can prevaile with God to save him God will not damne him that pleaseth him so he saveth himself by pleasing of God 5. The fifth sort say there is a God and Divell Heaven and Hell that Adam and all men were lost and dead upon the first transgression that God foreknew all so and of mercy love and free-grace did choose some of mankind in his Christ which he gave before the world to undertake and redeeme them chosen by his death and performances To whom he sendeth his quicking and sanctisying Spirit by his Ordinance of Prayer Preaching and hearing c. whereby they believe and repent and are then first justified before God and by the sanctification of the same Spirit and first grace they have life and inherent holinesse and righteousnesse in themselves as Adam had by Creation whereby they are themselves accepted with God and are inabled to do the works of holinesse and rightnousnesse the works of the holy command themselves before God as agents thereof and thereby please God pacifie God and prevaile with God to do them good and they say it is therefore that they teach and exhort men to pray believe repent and do duties commanded that so they may serve God please pacifie and prevaile with God to doe them good to save them is for man to merit life and salvation God cannot damne him that pleaseth him These go about to establish their owne righteousnesse which they suppose they have by the sanctification of the Spirit for sanctification and other fruits and works of the Spirit wrought up in man the branch to beare and hold forth are not so that man the branch should or can please the Father the husbandman thereby but to manifest evidence and witnesse that man that the Branch abideth in Christ the Vine and that Christ the Vine pleaseth his Father the husbandman not that that which they do in bearing and holding forth the fruit is their righteousnesse to please God but that the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to them whose righteousnesse only pleaseth God Note Some of these and some of the former sort say that a man that believeth may fall away from the faith and commit such sinne as he may be damned And they say a man in Christ is a new creature in himselfe the old man with his corruptions and sinne is gone the heart qualities and affections will and understanding all are made righteous and sinne is gone from the man himselfe which is in Christ if corruption and sin remain thou art not in Christ And many of this fifth sort affirm that man in Christ is regenerate onely in part a new creature in part a new man in part c. Thus holding forth the new creature and new man is to be a manifest half or part of a man This sense is carnall and monstrous indeed not consistent with that of the Apostle Old things are past all things are made new 6. The sixth for say that there is a God and Divell Heaven and Hell that Adam and all men were lost upon the first transgression that God foreknew all so and of mercy love and free-grace did choose some of mankind in his Christ which he gave before the world to undertake to do the will of God for and redeeme them chosen by his death and performances which chosen he did then also of free-grace predestinate adopt his children ordaine to eternall lâ—fe irrevocable call justifie and glorifie before himselfe although not in manifestation to the creature till fulnesse of time and that he sendeth his holy spirit to them as he pleaseth to work up the fruits of his spirit in them that they as branches may beare them and hold them forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. to the glory of the Father the husband man before men
of their Repentance for the quitting of their sinne and for their righteousnesse thereby before the Mediator the Man Jesus Christ and before all men And upon this great grace considered It was that the same Father in the Church of Christ saith Our righteousnesse is more in Repentance and Forgivenesse of Sinne then in righteousnesse of deeds and performances Although our worke of the Law and Command bee no righteousnesse before God yet our Worke of the command and our Repentance of the fayling our mercy and forgivenesse is righteousnesse before Men This is Christs Law to Men for the order and Government of his Church upon Earth And this is worke enough for Gods people for righteousnesse before Men to the good and profit of men although they presume not to build up unto Heaven unto God in Heaven which is onely Christs Worke as David said my Goodnesse and Wel-doing Psal 16. 2 3 extendeth not to thee O Lord but to the Saints that are upon the Earth Quest How are repenting Believers upon their repentancy unto satisfaction before Men acquitted from their sinne and transgression of the Law and the penalty thereof before Men when as Sorrow Confession Amendment and Proportionable satisfaction for the Transgression is as much as the Law requireth in the penalty Answ As Repentance before men hath place in the Law of Christ So saith Forgivenesse and Mercy before Men place in the Law of Christ If thy Brother Trespasse against thee and if hee repent forgive him and though hee sinne against thee seaven times in a Day and seaven times in a Day Mat. 17. 3 4. turne againe to thee saying It repenteth mee Thou shalt forgive him And so saith the Law of Christ Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his Sinne shall have Mercy And to whom belongeth Prov. 28. 13. this Forgivenesse and Mercy certainely to the penitent Believers as Christ saith If hee repent forgive him hee that confesseth and forsaketh his Sinne shall have Mercy yea and CHRIST saith further Forgive and it shall bee forgiven you Luke 6. 37. If you doe forgive Men their Trespasses your Heavenly Father will also forgive you And if you forgive not Men no more Mat. 6. 14 15. will your Heavenly Father forgive you And againe Judgement Jam 3. 13. mercilesse shall bee to him that sheweth no Mercy and Mercy rejoyceth against Judgement And if hee that sorroweth godly for his Sinne before Men confesseth ingenuously amendeth righteously and bee willing to satisfie before Men for the Trespasse before Men hath Mercy and Forgivenesse before Men of his Transgression before Men Is not this a sufficient acquittance unto the repenting Believer of his sinne and the penalty thereof before men And againe the Law of Christ bindeth as much to Mercy and Forgivenesse to the penitent before Men As it doth to the penalty of Transgressors thereof and to Repentance before Men. Againe the true penitent Offender is acquitted from the Transgression before Men and the penalty thereof by his true Repentance although hee by hard-hearted and mercilesse Men bee holden to the extreame penalty of the Law for his Transgression contrary to Christs Law of Mercy and Forgivenesse For that hee suffereth hee suffereth willingly and rejoyceth in his Tribulation as the Apostle speaketh now hee that suffereth willingly and rejoyceth in his sufferiâ—g by the comforts of the holy Spirit in him hath not the paine of him that Suffereth unwillingly and forced to suffer for the comforts and joy that hee hath of the Spirit of Christ doth slake quench and take away the Sting of the paine That hee may say O Death where is thy Sting as the Apostle saith of such through which comforts and joy of the Holy Ghost many that have suffered Death in the Lord have dyed rejoycing in the Lord and in appearance to Men without paine Whereby they have manifested themselves acquitted of their transgression and the penalty of the Law in the paine And the Repentance of Believers wrought up in them by Christ doth not onely acquit them of the Sinne and the penalty of the Law before Men But it also testifieth to their owne Soules and to other Men also that they are living Branches in the Vine Christ Jesus For saith Christ The Branch cannot beare Fruit of it selfe except it abide in Joh. 15. 4 the Vine No more can yee except yee abide in Mee No Man can repent except hee be a living Branch abiding in Christ and Christ in him Hypocrites may counterfet Repentance and not repent truly And hee that liveth in Christ and Christ in him by his Spirit hath the witnesse of his Adoption that hee is one of Gods children through Christ and so quitted of all Sinne not onely before Men but also by the performance of Jesus Christ of all Sinne before God So the Apostle saith Wee Joh. 8. 15. 16. have received the Spirit of Adoption And the same Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that wee are children of God So that although Repentance acquitteth not of sinne before God as it doth before Men yet it by the Spirit of Christ whereby it is wrought up in Believers witnesseth acquitance before God to the Soules of the penitent yea and holdeth forth great hope and manifestation to others that the same penitent Man is the child of God and is quitted of his sinne before God And even so it is of Obedience Mercy and Forgivenesse wrought up by the Spirit of Christ they also witnesse evidence and testifie the same Quest The Apostle saith of Believers The Body is dead Rom. 8. 10 because of Sinne And Paul saith of himselfe I am carnall sold under Sinne I finde no meanes to performe that which is Rom. 7. 14. Verse 18 Psal 14. Isa 64. 6 good And David saith There is none that doth good no not one And the Prophet I say said of himselfe and other like himselfe All our righteousnes is filthinesse I will bee their God and they shall bee my people I will never forsake them and I will put such a feare into their hearts that they shall never depart from me Jer. 32. 40. Can therefore Believers doe the Commandements of the Law of Christ in singlenesse of Heart before Men and before Christ the Governour of his Church which knoweth all as Râ—penting Forgiving Loving Obeying Praying Praysing Thanksgiving and the rest how it is faithfully done Answ By the same power they did and doe believe in singlenesse of Heart They can and may Repent Forgive Love Obey Pray Praise and give Thankes and the rest in singlenesse of Heart But indeed corrupt and carnall dead Men in Sinne cannot doe these or any of these or the like in singlenesse of Heart whose Heart is corrupt carnall and dead in Sinne sold under Sinne as Paul was as hee saith in his best Estate Indeed Man can Believe Repent Obey Love Pray Praise and give Thankes Carnally and Fainedly by the power of corrupt nature As the
Scribes and the Pharises did and as Christ saith the Heathens and Publicanes doe the same but not in singlenesse of heart without dissimulation Therefore note the command of Christ to Reprobates is as he is God and commander his command to the Elect Believers is as hee is Undertaker to performe all righteousnesse impossible to them by his Spirit in them promised and sent to them to performe all The Mediatour betweene God and Man the Man Christ Jesus our Saviour Undertaker and God that worketh in us Phil. 2. 〈◊〉 the Will and the Deede of his owne good pleasure as the Apostle speaketh doth all in us which the same Apostle saith worketh all in all It is hee that worketh in Believers Believing Loving Repenting Forgiving Mercy Obeying Praying Praising and Thanksgiving and the 1 Cor. 12. 6. rest In singlenesse of Heart and sincerity farre otherwise how and wherefore should hee bee said to worke in Believers the Will and the Deede and to worke all in all if it were not that hee worketh these and such like things of his owne good pleasure in them which their owne corrupt power they have cannot worke and doe in singlenesse of Heart unfainedly and without dissimulation The Deed is Christs Deede of these things according to his owne good pleasure in Believers Therefore Christ himselfe tells his Disciples That hee is the Vine and they are the Branches and that they without him can doe nothing The Grapes and Fruit that are borne of the Branches are not usually nor properly called the Grapes of the Branches the Fruit of the Branches but the Grapes Joh. 15. 5. of the Vine and the Fruit of the Vine which Grape and Fruit of the Vine are by the Spirits and power of the Vine wrought up in the Branches which are onely the instruments of the Vine fitted to beare them as Christ saith Every Luke 22 18. Branch that beareth not Fruit in Mee speaking to his Disciples of professing Believers Believers onely are the Branches and the Instruments of Christ whith hee hath fitted to beare the Fruits of True Joh. 15. 2. and Good Believing Obeying Repenting Praying Praising Thanksgiving and Loving c. Which Fruit which Worke and Deed is Christs by his holy Spirit wrought up in their Hearts And of grace by Christ being made and fitted the Branches and Instruments to beare the same Fruits of grace also hee imputeth to them and accounteth to them the sinne and therefore calleth them his Elect ones Believers Obeyers Repenters Prayers Thanksgivers and Lovers c. And calleth the Fruits theirs which are but the Branches as if they were the Vine whose the Fruits are in Truth The Apostle saith speaking of himselfe and all Believers Wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh Rom. 8. 26. request for us Corrupt Man knew not to pray as hee ought nor to Believe Repent Obey Praise or Love as hee ought but the Spirit sent to him of Christ doth all for him And this was the cause and reason why CHRIST did ever sithence his Church was upon Earth give his Spirit to the Elect of God for whom hee had undertaken of Grace and Love to doe such things of the Holy and Good Law for the Government of his Church as is commanded therein to bee done before men which hee knew themselves not able to doe as hee pleased And therefore the true Faith Peace Obedience Repentance Praise and Love are called Spirituall gifts Spirituall things Spirituall Sacrifices and 1 Cor. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 12. 1 Cor. 9. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 5. why so certainly because they are the Deeds of the Spirit the fruit of the Spirit as so the Apostle calls them Gal. 5. 22. And upon this same ground That renowned Father in Christs Church said Fac Domini quod jubes jube quod vis O Lord doe thou that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt And let no man marvell that Christ should bee the Law-giver and the Law Keeper for his Elect. The commander and the doer of the Commandement for them whereas the Scriptures hold forth his Grace to bee the Judge and the Advocate The Priest and Sacrifice Hebrewes 2. 17. 5 6. 7. 3. Eph. 5. 2. 9. 26. And thus much of the Error of those which hold forth no Law remaining to the 1 Joh. 2. 42. Elect. And I take it the Errour of those which hold forth that Christ is not the End of the Morall Law and all Law for Righteousnesse before God to Believers but onely of the penalty and condemnation of the breaches thereof is much dishonourable to Jesus Christ and unrighteous to his undertakings and performances and to the Apostle of Christ called to set forth the truth of his Performances and Merit and most of all to the Great Just and good God the Covenant-maker of Workes upon Life and Dâ—ath with Mankinde in generall and on remembrance of Mercy The Covenant-maker of Grace and promise to his Christ for all his Elect. For where all Mankinde having transgressed against the Covenant of Workes before God were in the state of eternall Death the God of Love Mercy and Free-grace having elected some of them in his Christ with a covenant and Promise of Grace that upon his Christs fulfilling of the Law of Workes And the paying of the whole Transgression of the Law by his Death Passion and Bloudshedding for them his Elect to satisfaction Those his Elect should have eternall Life the condition and promise of the covenant of Workes as if themselves had performed the same to the full and should bee also freed from the penalty of Eternall Death into which all Mankinde was fallen And Christ hath done and fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law and paid the full Debt of the Transgression thereof to God by his Passion Death and Bloud-shedding for the Elect even to the full so much as the Law and covenant of Workes required in Justice either for righteousnesse before God or for payment of the Trangression to full satisfaction of God for those Elections for ever for past and to come Now then why should the Law and covenant of Workes remaine still binding the Elect Believers to righteousnesse of Workes before God which they cannot in the least doe and for that in respect of their utter unablenesse CHRIT undertooke and performed all for them And if CHRIST God being so pleased have fulfilled the whole Law both for performing the righteousnesse thereof before GOD and payment of the transgression thereof Why should not Christ bee the end of all Law Morall and the rest for righteousnesse before God to Believers as they say hee is the end of and for the penalty and condemnation for the transgression thereof to them Seeing the full is performed of the righteousnesse required as the full of the Debt of transgression is paid Will these lay such cruelty upon God and charge God with such oppression and wrong as to
9. 18 leaveth him in his owne hardnesse And all those doe shew that Iacob Esau Paul and the rest were in being before God in Gods Sight before the World although not in the sight of Men in being Whom God manifesteth in time to bee in Christ Loved Elected Aadopted Redeemed Called Justified and Glorified Those were all before the Foundations of the World before God and in Gods Sight Loved Elected Adopted Ordained to Eeternall Life Called Redeemed Justified and Glorified through Christ The Lambe staine from the beginning Rev. 13. 8. of the World unchangably Certainly those which God pleased to Love and Elect to bee adopted his children out of the company of the children of wrath before the World were of the company of the children of wrath in Gods Sight before the World God elected them then that hee pleased out of that company as Eph. 1. 4. Therefore that company of the children of wrath was then in Gods Sight The Scripture doth no where say that God would after Elect in the time of the World but saith hee did then Elect in Christ Paul and the rest before the World to be holy and without blame before him in Love to bee adopted Eph. 1. 4. through Christ And all this before the Foundations of the World although not yet to the Creature manifested Hence appeare the blinde Errours and false arguments of those which hold forth that there is no justification before God of or to any Man before Faith which is onely Gods gracious Evidence and manifestation to Man of his Election in Christ and justification and through Christ and his glorious performances imputed to his Elect and certainly acted in Gods Sight and account before the Foundations of the World as the Apostle defineth Faith Faith saith hee is the ground of things hoped for And the evidence or Heb 11. 1. manifestation of things that are not seene Againe Job saith God provideth for the Ravens and Christ Job 38. 41. saith Two Sparrowes are not sold for a Farthing and not one of them fall to the ground without the Father that is the Fathers providence yea the haires of your Head are numbred and Luke saith They are not forgotten of God Luke 12. 6 7. All these and many more Scriptures shew not onely all distinguished times by Men but also all deeds and things from the greatest to the least done and being in time diverse and different before Men in Gods Sight and to God were all present ab eterno and known certainly And that the Decrees of God unchangeable of all were his acts together of all before the World I know the holding forth and medling with Gods Foreknowledge Eternall Will and Decree his Predestination Ordination Election and the like have been and still is of many reputed and said to bee dangerous and uselesse to men And therefore some have said those of God and such like are that Face or Fore parts of God unto which God held his hand towards Moses that hee should not see the same Exod. 33. 2â— but said that Moses should see onely his back parts or hinder parts But I take it If God had held the same dangerous or uselesse to men to bee preached and held forth Hee would not have inserted them in the holy Scriptures inspired from above by the holy Ghost and commanded them the Foundation 2 Pet. 1. 21. of the Gospell to bee preached to all Nations as hee did Mark 16. 15. For are not Gods Foreknowledge Love Election in Christ Predestination Ordination to Eternall Life Adoption through Christ justification by Grace his good Pleasure Eternall Will Decree and Acts with and before himselfe unchangeable the Foundation of the Gospell of Jesus Christ. How should any Man bee built up in Jesus Christ that knoweth not the Foundation whereon hee is built And these are those back-parts or hinder parts of God which are revealed of God to Man in holy Scriptures that God said to Moses hee should see And the Secrets of God are the Face and foreparts of God not revealed of God which Moses might not see nor any man pry into God said by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Isa 53. 11. And Christ said this is eternall Life that they might know thee to be the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast Joh. 17. 3. sent And God said my people are gone into captivity or perish for want of knowledge Isa 5. 13. The Knowledge of God and his Christ is the evidence of justification and Eternall Life to Men. And the want of the same knowledge is the evidence of reprobation and destruction in the holy Scriptures account Who then may safely stop the Fountaine of these lively Waters The Philistians were blamed for stopping Jacobs VVell much more are these Gen. 26. 15. 18. stoppers blameable they know not God and his Christ that knew him not in all his Revelations Quest How was Paul Elected in Christ and Adopted through Christ before the World when as Paul had then no being Answ Paul was then in being before God in Gods Sight unto whom all things even being in the World and in eternity were present then although Paul was not then in being in the sight of Men. A Catechistical Dialogue Resolving Many subtil Questions raised and made by the Adversary for the deceiving of Gods Elect to the Propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Quest WHat is God Answ God is a most pure Spirit Invisible Almighty Eternal Incomprehensible without Beginning in Himself yet the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending of all things and names except sin Q. How is God further manifested in the holy Scripture A. To be one in substance three in person Father Son and Holy Ghost or Spirit Q. How is the one God Father Son and Holy Spirit A. He is Father as Beginner Son as Worker Holy Ghost or Spirit as Finisher and Perfecter of all Q. Are the Knowledg of God his will his Purposes Decrees Predestination Election Ordination and Acts eternal with himself in his own respect A. Yes they are eternal with himself in his own respect for all that is in God and of God is inseparable from God God ever knew that he knoweth willed that he willeth purposed that he purposeth decreed that he decreeth predestinated that he predestinateth ordained that he ordaineth acted and did that he acteth and doth with Psa 135 6 and before himself howsoever and whensoever the same things be manifested to the Creature otherwise God could not call himself I am and again I am Alpha and Omega And again it could not be said in the Testament That God calleth things that are not meaning in manifestation as if they were in manifestation And that it Rom. 4 17 is said of the Son Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and for ever Q. Did God in his own Purpose and Decree make Man before the Heb. 13 8
Apostle Obj. The Apostle saith to the Elect Believers You are not in the flesh but in the spirit therefore you may and do please God although Rom. 8. 9 they which are in the flesh cannot please God A. Those which the Apostle saith there to be in the Spirit of Christ are the same which are said to be the chosen of God in Christ Eph. 1. 4 2 Thess 2. 13 before the world to be holy and without blame before God in Christ not in themselves their corrupt soul and body and in their own performances So indeed they please God in Christ and in his performances imputed to them of grace not in their own performances which are sinful always Enoch was said to please God it was in Christ not in himself but by the imputation of Christs righteous performances Heb 1. 11 Q. Do not the chosen people of God displease God anger God and stir up Gods wrath against them for their sin and transgression A. No for then it could not be that after they are chosen of God in Christ they are holy and without blame before God for ever in love God cannot be displeased angry and in wrath with those that are ever holy and without blame before him in love that he ever loves Love saith the Apostle covereth the multitude of sins Q. How cometh that to pass when as all sin is lothsom to God and death unto men The wages of sin is death saith the Apostle Rom. 6 23 A. It cometh to pass by Christs gracious undertaking with God for them in the Covenant of grace made between God and his Christ in their behalf wherein Christ did undertake to perform the Justice of the whole Will and Covenant of God made with man and broken by man before God for those chosen of God in him for the recovery of all lost to them And Christ therefore said Lo I come Heb. 10. 9 to do thy Will O God and did in present perform all undertaken in Gods sight before the world to Gods satisfaction and therefore is Isai 53 11. Heb. 13 8 said The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world And he hath performed all upon the Cross in and for manifestation to the creature He took all the infirmities of the chosen of God upon him He bare the sins of many saith the Prophet And again God layd the iniquity of us all upon him and he appeared to take away sin Isa 53. 4 6 1 Joh. 3 5 and the blood of Jesus Christ purgeth all sin saith the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that Rom 8. 33 justifieth saith the other Apostle and hereupon it is said God seeth none iniquity in Jacob nor seeth transgression in Israel being Numb 23. 25 Gods chosen God looketh upon his chosen ones only in Christ not in themselves So the sin and transgression of Gods chosen doth not displease and anger God or stir up Gods wrath against them nor can do injustice because Christ hath undertaken Gods satisfaction of all for them and hath payd and satisfied God for all their sin in Gods sight and hath endured and undergone the anger and wrath of God for all And a debt being payd fully cannot in justice be required again to be payd Q. Was not the Covenant of Grace made of God with man as the Covenant of Works was made of God with man A. No for the Covenant of Works was made with man when man had full power and free will to perform all therein but the Covenant of grace needed not nor had place till man had lost all the integrity of power and free-will and having neither power nor free will good nor to goodness he was in far worse case to perform the righteous condition on mans part then when he had power and yet failed It was Christ the gracious undertaker with God that had power and was onely able to perform the condition to the satisfaction of Justice he received the promise for Gods chosen and performed the condition for Gods chosen in himself and in them by his Spirit senâ— unto them for their comfort witness and evidence Obj. The Apostle saith The Promise was made to Ab aham and to his seed therefore the promise was made to man Gal. 3. 16 A. The meaning is It was repeated opened and manifested to Abraham as it was to Adam and the rest but the Promise was made to Christ which as he said was before Abraham was And the same Apostle saith It was made to the seed speaking of one that Ibid. is Christ Abraham was a corrupt man as other of the Elect are carnal sâ—ld under sin as Paul in his best estate said he was therefore not able to perform the righteous condition Rom. 7. 14 Obj. If Christ hath so undertaken with God and performed to God that God is not displeased and angry with the sin of Gods chosen why then doth God and is God said to correct chastise afflict and punish them for their sin if he were not displeased with them for their sin A. God doth not correct chastise afflict or punish sin in the Elect as an angry revenger of the fact not as one that is displeased and in wrath for the Apostle saith He loveth every one of them that he correcteth It is in love therefore not in wrath not for sin done Heb. 12 6 7 but either to keep them from sinning or to take them away from sin which in it self is base and naught even in the sight of the creature Obj. If the chosen of God in Christ do sin and yet never displease and anger God by their sinning if God be not displeased by their sin they may sin without fear A. No that cannot be so for ChrisT hath undertaken in the Covenant of Grace That he will be their God and that they shall be his people That he will never turn away from them to do them Jer. 32. 38 40 good and that he will put such a fear into their hearts that they shall never depart from him Christ hath promised to put his fear into their hearts that they shall not sin without fear but have his fear in their hearts in sinning and of sinning and whil'st they have his fear in their hearts they never depart from Christ into Gods displeasure Q. It seemeth then that the Elect of God themselves can do nothing that pleaseth God nor do any thing that displeaseth God Is this so A. It is certain God is onely pleased in Christs doings and performances for man and in man not in mans doings and performances which are always corrupt and leavened with sin and Christs undergoing the wrath of God for their sin hath already satisfied God and stopped Gods displeasure and wrath to their sins Indeed in his Justice without Christ God is said in the Scriptures to be angry and displeased with sin but if God be
cause of the sending and giving of the Holy Spirit to Gods chosen people to act the same in them and thereby to evidence and witness to them that they are Gods chosen in Christ and his adopted children through Christ and that Christs performances in himself and in them are all imputed to them and made theirs by his grace of imputation therefore Austin said Do Lord that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt Q. Doth not mans performance of this Law as it is outward in righteousness before men please God and justisie the performers thereof before God A. No for then they that shew unto men that they do perform the duties of this Law as that they beleeve love pray give thanks repent shew mercy and forgive c. should all please God and be justified before God then the Scribes and Pharisees and other like hypocrites should have pleased God and been justified before God and Judas himself should be justified before God for although Judas did wickedly yet it is written that Judas repented himself before men to give satisfaction to men for his repentance therefore it is written he Mat. 27. 3 repented but this outward performance did not justifie any of these before God nor please God Q. Doth not the performance of this Law as it is inward and spiritual made by the Spirit of Christ in man called therefore spiritual gifts spiritual faith spiritual love spiritual repentance c. 1 Cor. 14. 1 12. justifie Gods chosen people before God A. No that cannot be for although the performance of the Spirit it self be righteous in the sight of God yet this performance being made with the instrument of corrupt man his corrupt heart soul or members the same cannot be pure as coming through corrupt man in the sight of God as pure water coming from a pure fountain through a defiled conduit or channel cannot be pure although serviceable someway in the end To this the Apostle saith By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified He doth not say by mans own works of the Law or by the outward works of the Law but by the works of the Law whatsoever they be outward or inward for indeed this Law was not given to justifie men before God by the performance thereof but for the government of Christs Church upon Earth and by the spiritual performance thereof to evidence and witness to Gods chosen people that they are the children of God for if they find in themselves the faithful performance thereof in singleness of heart they may thereby know that they have received the Spirit of Adoption and the same Spirit doth witness with their souls that they are the children of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 16 Q. We see that Christ in this his Law commandeth his people to perform the Law as it is spiritual to do the inward and spiritual work of his Law he requireth truth in the inward parts obedience and service in singleness of heart love without dissimulation prayer according to the will of God repentance from the bottom of the heart which man himself being carnal sold under sin and transgression as Paul was in his best estate although chosen of God cannot perform Why doth Christ command the chosen of God to do the same that he knoweth they cannot do and for the performance of which in them he promiseth sendeth and giveth his holy Spirit to them as he pleaseth A. Christs giving this his Command is like his sending of John Baptist John Baptist was sent to prepare the way of Christ not to do the work of Christ So the Commandment is given to prepare the way of the Spirit not to do the work of the Spirit John Baptist was sent for the bringing down of every mountain hill Luk. 3 4 5 for humbling of the proud carnal man of Gods people and this Command was given of Christ to them to humble the flesh which is contrary to the Spirit and in itself resisteth always that so the Gal. 5. 17 corrupt heart and members may be prepared and fitted instruments of the Spirit to the spiritual work And to this purpose is the word of the Apostle Give or yield your members weapons or instruments Rom. 6. 13 19. of righteousness unto God unto Gods holy Spirit that the Spirit may do the spiritual work in you Q. Hath the Command of Christ power to humble fit and prepare the carnal man of Gods chosen to the way and instrumental service of the Spirit in the spiritual work A. Yea that it hath for his Word is mighty in operation as the Heb. 4 12 Psa 148. 5 Apostle saith He commanded and all things were created said David The power of Christs Command is not shortened where it intendeth Q. Then the preaching and hearing of the whole Law of Christ is useful to Gods chosen people A. Yea that it is if it be preached and heard lawfully for the Apostle saith The Law is good if we use it lawfully The preaching 1 Tim. 1. 8 and hearing of the Law as it is outward and spiritual iâ— good if the preaching and hearing thereof be to the preparing of the way to the Spirit to do the spiritual work of the Command of Christ the Undertaker that Christ may have all the honor praise and glory of the work But for man to preach and hold forth the Law and Command of Christ that man himself can and must do the spiritual work which Christ only can do to please God to be in acceptance with God to obtain Gods goodness as to beleeve and by his beleeving to be justified by his obedience and endeavoring to do duties to please God and to be accepted with God by and for his repentance to have mercy and forgiveness and recovery of life and all lost by sin this is Robbery and Idolatry It is Robbery because they take away that which is only Christs to themselves to do the spiritual work to please God to make acceptance with God to obtain Gods goodness by their performance and mercy and forgiveness by their repentance And it is Idolatry because they they praise set up and esteem highly of their own work their beleeving or faith their prayers their doing of duties and the like who although they thank God for it as the Pharisee did yet they listen after their own praise and reputation for the same despising others He that climbeth up to the sheepfold another way then by me Iohn 10. 2 is a Thief and a Robber saith Christ He that sacrificeth to his own nets is an Idolater Hab. 1. 16 Q. Was this Law of Christ written in tables of stone and given in grace to his Church of Israel the chosen people of God for the Government of that his Church given before that to his Church he had upon Earth the chosen people of God as to his Church in Adams family in Noahs family Abrahams Lots and the
relation to Christs coming and performances and to that Nation peculiar are ended and the Law touching them And that is one respect that the Apostle hath where he saith Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to all Beleevers But the moral and equity of all that Law of Christ as it is fitting to Christs Church of Gods chosen people in all Nations is remaining for the Government of his Church upon Earth for worship to God for peace society comfort and safety to the same so held forth by Christ and his Apostles with some alterations in way of the Government in respect of those which were then in relation of Christ to come and now of Christ come and the gracious manifestation thereof by the more glorious Gospel of Salvation to the Elect Beleevers by the performances of Jesus Christ fully finished in the sight of men and Angels Certainly none of Christs Church in any Nation decline the moral and equity of this Christs Law so gloriously established by Christ himself by Instrumental Headship Governors Government Sacraments Ministers Ministry and Maintenance and for that the Ministry of the moral and equity of this Law of Christ is now more honorable in respect of the Ministration of the gloriously shining Gospel therewith which as the Apostle saith exceedeth the ministration of the Law in glory but such as are hypocrites 2 Cor. 3. 8 9. professing themselves to be of his Church Subjects and the chosen people of God and are not in truth and appearance and there are too many of these now Obj. Some of them object affirming That every man that will having Corahs audatious spirit may be a Minister of the Law and the Gospel of Jesus Christ although he be not called and sent by such as were called and sent according to Christs Ordinance and although the Apostle saith No man taketh this honor upon him but such as are called of God as Aaron was And again saith They Heb. 5. 4. Jude 11. shall perish in the gain-saying of Corah As Corah pâ—rished which gain sayed this Ordinance of Christ so shall they perish And some of these gain sayers object and say There need no called Ministers at all in the Church of Christ as Corah Dathan and Abiram said for that all the Congregation is holy and they confirm this with the Scripture of Luke where he citeth the Prophecy Acts 1. 17. 〈◊〉 â—oel in the Prophets mind not in words altogether And it Joel 〈◊〉 28. shall be in the last days saith God 〈◊〉 will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy and your yong men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams and on my servants and on my hand-maidens I will pour out of my Spirit in those days and they shall prophecy c. Therefore say they after Christs coming in the flesh after his ascension and after his promise of the coming of his comforting Spirit in abundance unto and upon his Church and people to prophecy in these last days there is no need of Called Ministers for all the congregation is holy all can and shall prophecy A. I wish these did well consider of the Scripture of the Apostles writing of the last days which saith Wo be to them for they have followâ—d the way of Cain and are cast away by the deceit of Balaam's the false Prophets wages and perish in the gain saying of Corah Jude 11. I warrant you there are no false Prophets but look for wages Cain Balaam and Corah looked upon their gain and honour although without the ordinance of Christ The gainsaying of Corah is still in the last days destruction to such gainsayers of the Ordinance of Christ The Apostles do not contradict the Apostles speaking all by the same spirit The Prophet and Apostle indeed saith God will pour out of his Spirit upon all of his Church all shall prophecy that is all shall consent unto the prophecy by the work of the Spirit in them which are chosen of God in Christ as Christ pleaseth But the meaning of the Apostle is not that all men and women shall prophecy minister teach and feed the people in the Church and Congregation in publique The Apostle saith Every woman that prayeth or prophecyeth bare-headed 1 Cor. 11. 5 dishonoreth her head The Apostle saith a woman prayeth and prophecyeth but yet the same Apostle ordereth that if a woman will learn any thing that she ask her husband at home for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the Church Let your women keep silence in the Church for it is not permitted to them to speak as the Law saith The Apostle still confirms the Law and Ordinances of Christ 1 Cor. 14. 34 35 in the last days and sheweth that the promise of the Spirit in the last days in greater evidence and manifestation then is as much in consenting as in speaking by the spirit that both are prophecying But the speaking prophecying ministring teaching and feeding of Gods people in the Church in publique is the Office of such as are called and sent by such as were called and sent according to Christs Ordinance in his Law and Testimonies given for the Government of his Church upon Earth so long as his Church shall remain upon Earth 3 Object And some of these gainsayers of Christs Ordinance say That now Christ giveth not nor requireth any certainty of maintenance for any Ministers of his Law or Gospel as of Tythes Offerings or otherwise but onely that which is arbitrary voluntary at will and elimozinary For say they Tythes and Offerings which were appointed by Christs Ordinance for certainty of maintenance of the Ministry of the Levitical Priesthood is ended the Levitical Priesthood being ended And say they Christ being personally upon Earth indeed called and sent his Apostles to preach the Gospel in every place and in and to every bouse where they were received but did settle no certainty of maintenance upon them or unto them onely bad them take that which was arbitrarily set before them abiding there And although the professing Believers after Christs Ascension did many of them bring their goods and many sell their possessions and brought the price thereof and layd the same down at the Apostles feet for disposition thereof to themselzes and others as they thought fit and need was yet it was in their own power so to do or not to do so until they had promised and devoted the same to be so done as Peter said to Ananias the dissembling Believer and to Sapphira his wife Was it not in thine own power before thou Acts 5. 4. didst promise and devote this to be so done c. And the Apostles went into many Cities Countries and Nations preaching the Gospel without any certainty of maintenance And Paul being called and sent to preach did it laboring more then all yea and wrought with his hands that he
to be no more under the Covenant of Works but only under the Promise and Covenant of Grace And hereupon it is said by the Apostle of Christ touching the Elect Ye are no more under the Law but Rom 6. 14 Gal. 5. 1. Rom. 10. 4 3. 24 under Grace The Son of God hath made you free Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to those which believe We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus And this was not only the end of the Promise or Covenant of grace to justifie freely the Elect and to free them from the Covenant of Works before God and set them only under the Promise and Covenant of Grace Jesus Christ but also that the same Christ should Psa 121. 8 Joh. 17. 11 1 Thes 5. 23 1 Cor. 1 8 rule them preserve them and keep them by the power of his Spirit and present them blameless at his coming to Judgment For this cause is Christ said to have three offices of a King a Priest and a Prophet A King to rule govern and order his Elect as the Scripture saith The Government is upon his shoulders A Priest to pray and Isai 9. 6 Rom. 8 26 make request for them as it is said The Spirit maketh request for us A Prophet to teach them powerfully and effectually not as the Scribes and Pharisees as is said which taught but had no power upon their hearers further to their good as it is said They shall be all taught of God even to the forming of Jesus Christ in them as â—oâ— 6 45 Gal. 4. 19 the Apostle speaketh And Christ doth not execute his Offices only in the universal Church of his Elect but also in the particular and every member thereof So that every of his Elect when how and where he pleaseth hath a better Governor in him then himself a better Orator a better Teacher and Directer then himself So that although as the Idolatrous Canaanite remained still in the Land when the Israelite had Ioshua 17. rule the flesh remaineth still in the Elect whil'st Christ hath the rule at his pleasure and although the flesh bringeth forth many transgressions yet Christ by his Spirit having the rule doth though not without resistance curb the flesh and bring it in subjection at his Gal. 5. 17 pleasure and maketh the corrupt members instruments of his service and therefore the Apostle saith Sin shall have no more dominion over you for you are no more under the Law but under grace meaning the Spirit of Christ that ruleth swayeth and doth all things Rom. 6. 14 in the Elect unto good where his Grace and Spirit is present fiting and making by his powerful and sanctifying Spirit all and any of 1 Cor. 15 his regenerate Electones to yield their members both of soul and body instruments of righteousness unto God that is instruments of the works of his righteous Spirit in them which he of his grace imputeth Rom 6 13 to them and calleth them their works although they be his only in truth as is manifested in the holy Scripture Christ told his Disciples that he sent forth to preach the Gospel That it was not they that did speak but the Spirit of the Father that did speak in them although it was spoken by the instruments of their mouth Mat. 10. 20 tongue and lips And Paul when he said that he had labored in the Ministry of the Gospel more then all the rest recalleth himself saying 1 Cor. 15. 10 Yet it was not I that labored so but the grace of God with me His instrument my self being only by the grace of God Jesus Christ fitted and made an instrument of that labor and work and of his grace only accounted my labor and work which is his work Thus we may see the end of the promise or Covenant of grace made of God to man in Christ to be that of the unsearchable love of God to the Elect through his grace in Jesus Christ his Elect in Christ before the foundation of the World was layd being of those which were faln into the misery and danger of everlasting death by their own transgression of the mutual Covenant of Works agreed upon and made betwixt God and mankind in the first Parents all of them then being and to be in the posterity of mankind to the end of the world after their Election are freed from the Covenant of Works the Law and commandment thereof before God and the penalty of the transgression of the Law and commandment thereof through the performance made of Jesus Christ their undertaker and to be preserved kept and ordered by the performance to be made in Psa 121. 5 Ioh. 17 11 15 1 Thes 5. 23 them by the Spirit of Christ until they be presented blameless at his coming to Judgment And as the Covenant of Works was manifested in Paradise in the time of mans innocency when man had full power and freedom of will to have performed all required and the same broken by man there being in his full power unto the tainture and corruption of all mankind then in Adams loyns So was the Promise called the Covenant of grace touching the Elect of God first manifested in Paradise unto man soon after the general Transgression Fall and corruption when God said The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head which seed was Jesus Christ born of the blessed Virgin Mary Mat. 2. 25 And as afterwards the Covenant of works in grace was manifested to many by the providence of God repeated and revealed in holy Scriptures to set forth the equity of Gods Justice in the death and misery of the reprobate still under the Law and curse of the first transgression of the Covenant of Works and the succeeding transgression thereof first especially commented opened and interpreted by Moses then by the Prophets and after by the Evangelists and the Apostles of Jesus Christ the penmen of the Holy Ghost and also that by the thunderings threatenings and terror of the penalties of the transgressions of the said Law the current and violence of the corruption of reprobate and carnal men might be hindered abated and bridled through fear to the more safety of Gods beloved ones which are amongst the reprobate as sheep among wolves as Christ himself said of his chosen ones I send you forth as sheep among wolves Mat. 10. 16 So the Promise or Covenant of Grace was after opened and manifested to many by the providence of God and specified and repeated in holy Scriptures by Gods penmen of the same to set forth the love compassion mercy and grace of God toward his Elect and the praise and glory of his grace for the same always to be published by those whose blinde eyes are opened to behold the misery bands and dâ—ath from which they are delivered and freed by the love of God in the
that were to abolish Christ and grace and to nullifie Christ and his grace so the Apostle of Christ holdeth forth If it be of works it is no more of grace else were work no more works meaning if it be in any part of works and mans performances to have peace Rom. 11 6. with God then grace is quite shut out And if it be of grace that man hath his peace with God in any part then saith she it is no more of works then are works quite shut out else were grace no more grace The meaning of the Apostle is that mans works and performances and grace and Christs performances cannot go and stand together in mans justification in pleasing pacifying or making mans peace with God To this purpose the Apostle of Christ saith also I say unto Gal. 5. 2. you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing And again ye are abolished from Christ whosoever are justified by the Law v. 4. ye are fallen from grace that is if any man think or account himself holy good just and righteous or more holy more righteous or better then he was or better more holy more righteously then other men by his performances and doing duties of the Law as in his praying fasting giving of Alms building of Churches Hospitalls or giving of every man his due as he thinketh by doing pennance for his faults by making restitutions though as Zacheus did c. which all are commandments of the Law the Apostle saith plainly Christ shall profit him nothing he is abolished from Christ Obj. If a man may not think and account himself to be more holy Gal. 5. 2 4 more righteous and better then himself was before in Gods sight or more holy more righteous and better then other men which are without doing the works of the holy Commandment By his doing the works of the holy and righteous Commandment as praying fasting building Churches Hospitals paying dues making restitution and the rest This Doctrine will quench all devotion goodness just dealing and duties to God and man for wherefore should a man do these and the like if he may not think himself the better more holy more righteous in Gods sight by doing nor be more holy more righteous and better by doing then other men that do nothing Answ This Doctrine doth not quench or abate true devotion or any thing of goodness to God in truth but maketh way to the shining of the true light to man whereby he may be better indeed in respect with God through Christ according to true spiritual manifestaon For manifestation of the true light herein first is to be considered that whatsoever devotions or prayers man hath or doth perform of himself in his own wisdom and power or whatsoever works he doth or deviseth to do according to the rule of the Law and holy Commandment of works either towards God or man for his own betterness for his own estimation of more holiness and righteousness in himself before God he deceiveth himself to man there may be estimation by such devotions and performances but not to God for God knoweth that man in his meer natural estate for his estimation with mâ—n may be so acted by the spirit of Antichrist that he may shew and do all these things and all other outward things of the holy Law and Commandement outwardly as fully as may be seen of man to be done which for proof thereof we may clearly see in the Pharisees Herod and Judas especially of the Pharisees whom no man now living in devotions and outward performances of the holy Law can be seen to go beyond and they were never the better thereby but the worse thereby as appears by the woe that Christ pronounced against them for their hypocrisie in such their devotions and Mar. 23. 14. performance of the Law to be seen of men to get estimation among men Again God knoweth that man himself hath no power at all nor will unto good that he lost these in the first transgression And that man himself can do and perform nothing that is good before God for Paul a principle example one that had then received of Christ as much as any man had or have acknowledged that he in himself found no Rom 7. 18. Ps 14 3. Rom. 3. 10 11 12. means to perform that which is good And David a man after Gods own heart and Paul saith There is no man that doth good no not one Then how can any man think that he is the better the more righteous in the sight of God in Gods estimation by his own devotions prayers all his own outward performances of the holy Law of God done in the greatest wisdom of man no they are no better in the estimation of God then the devotions of the Jews and their performances which the Prophet Isaiah mentioneth were such as God was weary of were abomination to him and he hated Man cannot make himself better to Isa 1 12. 13. God it is Christ that maketh him better it is Christs performance that maketh man better to God more holy more righteous in the eyes of God then he was before Yet so it is That Christ by whom God hath given all to his elect ones of his great grace maketh them as he pleaseth his instruments in the way of their Pilgrimage of the performances of the holy Law and Commandement as devotions prayer preaching hearing meditation love just dealing c. through his holy spirit in them where by they shine as many lights amongst men to the praise of the glory of his grace yea though they be mightily wrought upon by the spirit of Christ in them to mortification of sin in their earthly Members to sanctification and the purifying of their hearts by Faith yet they think not themselves better by any thing in them of their own for they acknowledg that in themselves dwelleth no good thing as Paul did they acknowledg the flesh and corruption still remaining in them as in others and they give the praise and glory of all good to Jesus Christ And herein is the chief discernment of those which are the instruments of the spirit of Antichrist which are wrought up many times to as great performances as the instruments of the spirit of Christ are and those which are Antichrists boast of these as their own to their own praise among men But those which are Christs put off all praise of whatsoever from themselves giving all to the praise and glory of Act. 3. 12. 16. Act. 14 15 Rev. 22 9. God as Peter did healing the lame man as Paul and Barnabas did when they would have sacrificed to them oh say they we are men subject to like passions as ye be and as the Angel did where John would have worshipped him saying I am thy fellow Servant worship God They that uphold this objection want two things first the spirit of 1 Cor. 2. Christ whereby
they discern not the spiritual man discerneth all things theâ—e are taught of God Secondly they erre not knowing Mat. 22. 29 Mat. 12. 24 the Scriptures as Christ said for which the Apostle Paul laboureth much in his Epistlâ—s as to the Romans in the first to the Corinthians to the Galathians Philippians c. to the Hebrews in the Epistle of John as knowing that then the spirit of Antichrist was busie and afterwards would be busie to puff men up with a conceit of themselves which corrupt man is prone unto that they are something and can do something of the Commandement before God yea some conceive they can do all as the ruler said to Christ all these have I kept Luke 18. 21. from my youth Yea some say they can do all by the help of God by the grace of Christ and by the power that God hath given them As the Pharisee I thank God I am not as other men extortioners unjust adulterers or as this Publican I fast often I pray I give tithe Luke 18. 11. of all I possess mark the Pharisee thanketh God for all these he did boast of surely he acknowledged he had power or grace or help from God in these performances and yet was less justified then he that confest he had done nothing or failed and sinned in all these And some thinking to modefie the injury to Christ say that though they do not the work of the Commandement alone yet they cooperate with Christ having a share in the work of the Commandement done which they ground much upon a saying of a Father in the Church which is God hath made thee without thy self but he hath not redeemed thee without thy self which saying is true thus man was not with God in the making of man but man was with God in his redeeming of man it was Emanuel that redeemed man For God did assume flesh Christ was made of a woman that the promise might be fulfilled The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head But this doth not prove that man doth cooperate with Christ in his Redemption and performances to his peace with God to the remission of his sin justification and salvation O Israel saith God thy damationn Hos 13. 9. is of thy flesh thy salvation only of me The work of mans Redemption reconciliation to God and of Gods reconciliation to man of forgivness of sins his justification sanctification and glorification is all Christs wholly in himself no part there of is mans And whosoever denieth this denieth Christ to become in the flesh for to deny him in part of his work and performance is to deny him in all his work and performances To deny part of Christ is to deny whole Christ For Christ will have no partner 1 Cor. 1. 13 Collos 3. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 6 in his work Christ is all and in all and he walketh all in all saith the Apostle Quest How can all good performances to God and man approved in the holy Testament as faith love thankfulness joy humbleness reverence peace meekness all goodness as righteousness mercy gentleness patience temperance c. be wrought and made in man by the spirit that is the Holy Ghost in him when as these performances many of them are made to God alone How can the spirit pray to the spirit give thanks to the spirit beleeve in the spirit be humble to the spirit and the rest This holdeth forth absurdity that the same should perform to the same That a man should pray and request himself be humble to himself is absurd to affirm So to say the spirit maketh request to himself is thankful to himself is absurd Answ This is absurd indeed to them that consider of the spirit in the unity of the God-head But the spirit is to be considered as the third person of the God-head proceeding from the Father and the Sonne sent to Gods Elect by the Father and his Son Jesus Christ God and man from which Father the same spirit descending by a mighty voice from Heaven said This is my beloved Sonne being then a Mark 1. 1â— Messenger or Representative of the Father This spirit I say is also the Messenger or Representative of the Sonne Jesus Christ sent to the Elect for the comfort and behoof by the Father and the Sonne yet specially in the behalf and for the performing the gracious Offices of the Sonne So it plainly appeareth by the words of Christ I will pray saith Christ to the Father and he shall give you another comforter Iohn 14. 16 17. v. 26. even the spirit of Truth that he may abide with you for ever be in you and dwell with you The comforter the Holy Ghost which the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things c. And again It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Iohâ— 16. 7 8 Comforter will not come unto you But if I depart I will send him unto you and he shall reprove the world of sin of righteousness and of judgment Now this spirit sent of the Father and the Sonne to the Elect to be a Representative of Jesus Christ after his going out of the earth from them for to do and perform for them that which they are not able to do and perform in their state of nothing to good as the Apostle saith of all If any man saith he is somewhat when as he is nothing Gal. 6. 3. he deceiveth himself Therefore as Jesus Christ had undertaken to do all for the Elect to the Father fore-past and to come and did all undertaken then to be done of him during his being upon earth as amongst the rest To pray to the Father for them to give thanks for them to believe for them to rejoyce for them to be humble and obedient to the Father for them So this was the gracious care of Jesus Christ to provide after his departure a Representative of himself for their comfort even his holy spirit to do all things for them and in them to the pleasure of the Father in his name and behalf making and fitting them in their several Members of soul and body to be instruments of such his performances As David said his tongue was made Psal 45. 1. the pen of a ready Writer we know the Pen is but the instrument of the writer no more was the tongue of David but the instrument of the Oracle that spake the spirit was the speaker And so when he said before his heart was inditing of a good matter he doth not say the inditer but inditing he mean th that his heart was the instrument of the spirit which was the inditer of the good matter his heart it self not the inditer of the good matter no more then his tongue was the writer thereof which was but only the instrument of the writer The of a good matter may ascribe and account the
writing writer thereof to the pen. And may say my pen writ this thing but the common reason of man knoweth that the writer himself did sharp and fit the pen yea and lead and guide the pen every way otherwise the pen could have done nothing in writing the pen would have laid still Even so Jesus Christ which by his spirit his representative is the inditer of all the writer of all the doer and performer of every good matter in man of his love and grace to man his creature and instrument may and doth ascribe impute and account all to be mans and his members instrumen's fitted by him lead guided and inabled by the spirit to bear and hold forth the same which otherwise could do nothing of the good thing but would lie still thereunto as Paul was when he said I find no means to perform that which is good yea saith he there when I would do good evil is present with me and the Rom 7. 18 good which I would do that I do not but the evil which I would not do that I do wherein the Apostle sheweth that when Jesus Christ by his spirit had framed and fitted his will to good that was not enough for him to do it But Jesus Christ by his spirit must go on with the instrument of his will which he had fitted to the instrument of the deed and performance in fitting his other Members also for instruments of the deed to be performed by his holy spirit otherwise though there was will ready yet the deed would be wanting Therefore the same Apostle saith It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed of his own good pleasure In which words the Phil. 2. 13. Apostle sheweth that it is our God that worketh the will to good and the good deed also therefore the will is Gods and the deed is Gods not mans except by asscription and imputation and man is not nor can be the instrument of the good unless first fitted by the spirit of Christ to be the instrument of the good deed no more then the 1 Cor. 15. 10. pen can be the instrument of writing well without sharping and fitting it And these words also hold forth that when Christ hath wrought up the will his working of the deed may be wanting yet at his pleasure yea but the Apostle saith evil was then present with him he was ready to do evil when the spirit had fitted his will unto good and the evil which he would not do that be did even as a captive and bond-man to act sin of himself and nothing but sin can a man do of himself or doth which notwithstanding is abated and stayed by the spirit of Christ as it pleaseth so that at all times the flesh cannot do what it would as the Apostle saith The spirit is contrary and against the flesh that it cannot do what it would no more then the Gal. 5 17 will framed by the spirit can bring to pass what it would through the hinderance of the flesh for saith the Apostle they are contrary one to another that ye cannot do what ye would So that to conclude all good performances in man are Jesus Christs performances by his representative the Holy Ghost brought forth and done of him by or with the instrument of the members of man together or severally framed and fitted for the work Even as the body and his members are the instruments of the Soul and therefore is called the Organ of the Soul and can do nothing at all without the Soul So the Soul and body both are the Instruments of Christs Spirit without which they neither of them can do any thing that is good before God and are in the doing only the instruments of the Spirit of Christ and yet by grace in the word of grace those doings and works of the Spirit are called and accounted mans and so accepted through Christ of God the Father And all the sin and evil done is mans own act even of the flesh and corruption of such as are Believers In me that is in my flesh saith the Apostle dwelleth no good thing yet this sin done of the Elect in Rom. 7. 18 the flesh though yet unbelievers is taken away by Christ presently as it is done yea was virtually taken away by the Fathers Dâ—cree and acceptance in Christ before it was done in appearance and layd upon Christ In which relation I conceive the Apostles words are most clear saying He that is born of God sinneth not neither can sin because his sin is taken away by Christ before from the beginning and 1 Ioh. 3. 9 by the Fathers pleasure and in his acceptance layd upon Christ and this the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah sheweth plainly God saith he hath layd upon Him the iniquities of us all meaning the Elect And Isai 53. 6 1 Pet. 2 24 1 Ioh. 1. 7 the Apostle saith He bare our sins in his body upon the tree And again The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin And this is the great grace of God manifested to Believers that they are cleansed from all their sins though subject in the flesh to frequent sins dayly and yet are so governed and kept by Christ their King that they do Rom. 6. 1 not sin the more because they know this exceeding grace that their sin is taken away and cleansed in present This ministreth no occasion Gal. 5. 13 to the flesh which the Apostle adviseth to take heed of but this grace known to Believers doth stay and hinder the act of sin in the reasonable Soul of Believers though the same reasonable Soul be corrupted and fleshly For the common reason of men will advise to do less hurt to that man that hath saved his life or done him most good Sin is a great grief and hurt to God as the Believer knoweth for sinful man is warned Grieve not the good Spirit of God whereby ye are Eph. 4. 30 Ioh. 19. 34 sealed to the day of Redemption and again They shall look upon him whom they have pierced Believers know that the nature of sin is to grieve and pierce their God that hath saved their life and hath only done them good of love and free grace without any desire of their own Therefore this known grace of Believers must needs be a great stay and stop to them of doing that which they know is sin against God Gods great grief hurt and piercing Q. Are there not some Hypocrites of such as profess themselves to be stedfast Believers in Jesus Christ A. Yea there are four sorts of men that profess themselves constant Believers in Jesus Christ that are Hypocrites The first are such which notwithstanding they will say they believe in Christ to be saved by him yet they hold themselves under the moral Law the Law of Commandments the Law of Works before God as man was before he fell and is after not being in
Christ That notwithstanding all that Christ hath undertaken and done for them the moral Law is still a rule which they of necessity must follow and do the commands thereof before God unto life as being left in such bonds by Christ otherwise they believe they cannot be saved by Christs performances For say they Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it which Scripture they do and must Mat. 5. 17 needs take thus to uphold their dissembling believing in Christ That Christ did not by his coming take away the power command dominion and bond of the Law from his Eleâ—t Believers but did fulfil the Law for them But alass what benefit should the Elect have by Christs fulfilling of the Law for them if Christ should have left them under the power command and bond of the Law still If a friend payeth the whole sum of mony due by a bond to whom his poor friend is bound and leaveth the bond still in â—oâ—ce and the debt still to be demanded of the poor man what benefit hath the poor man of that his friend payd So if Christ hath fulfilled the Law for his Elect and left his Elect still in bond to the Law and under the command and power of the Law before God what benefit have the Elect by Christ fulfilling the Law for them Solut. But they understand not the words of Christ rightly for indeed Christ came not to destroy the Law that is not to take away any power command bond or penalty of the Law touching the reprobate which he came not to fulfil the Law for yea nor to take away the Law in all respects touching his Elect For it is the justice of Gods righteous Law that he continually pleadeth to and with the Father for his Elect that he hath fulfilled all for and done all for for their peace with God Therefore the Apostle saith If any man sin we have an Advocate that is a Pleader of Law and Justice with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for 1 Joh. 2. 1 our sins It is the Law and Justice of God that Christ pleadeth for his Elect which he payd the uttermost farthing of their bond and debt to God for by his righteousness suffering and performances whereby he obtaineth discharge from them of the binding Law and is the propitiation for their sins And saith the Apostle touching the Elect He hath put out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against Col. 2. 14 us meaning of all Laws before God which were contrary to us he even took it out of the way and fastened it upon his Cross But that of the Apostle touching the Elect where he saith Sin shall have no more dominion over you for ye are no more under the Rom. 6. 14 Law but under Grace doth still make more for their dissembling in believing For the Apostle saith Sin hath no dominion or power over the Elect because the Law hath no dominion or power over the Elect they are no more under the Law but under Grace Therefore we must needs conceive the Elect are in truth discharged disburthened and freed from the dominion and power of the Law before God that is the commands and bonds thereof before they are or can be discharged unburthened and freed from the dominion and power of sin before God which is the curse and death And this Christ shewed in the order of his work to both For first Christ fulfilled all righteousness of the Law in his life before men that so the power and dominion of the Law in the commands and bond thereof might be answered and satisfied before men for this command and bond was but that the Law might be kept and fulfilled of man And then when he had fulfilled the command and bond of the Law he payd his death and blood for the transgression of the Law both made in Adam actually vertually and successively of all the Elect of God then in Adams loyns whereby Christ leaveth not his Elect neither under the command nor bond of the Law which is the dominion and power thereof not under the penalty curse and death for sin and transgression of the Law which is the dominion and power of sin Christ hath discharged his Elect both of the power and dominion of the Law and of sin and curse And yet this sort of dissembling Believers not here satisfied as men not humbled truly but deceived by the spirit of Antichrist which ever exalteth man will say They are not blocks and stones unto good unto the holy commandment They can endevor and must They have power in themselves if not to do all and follow all the rule of the Commandment before God yet by the leave of God by Gods grace and by the help of Christ they may So that they presume they have power enough of their own to do and follow the rule of the Commandment before God if God will give them leave and give them grace to do and follow it at least if Christ doth help them in the work if themselves be not strong enough Herein holding foâ—th as if God were sometime a Hinderer of his workman or not always a furtherer of his work and workman and as if Christ were as a journy-man at a pinch to help on a work charged or undertaken and themselves the principal workmen But God hath revealed to his Elected Believers that they know that themselves lost all power will and inclination to the doing any thing at all of the holy and just Commandment of God in Gods sight in the first sin and fall of Adam meaning in the estimation of God and they know there remaineth to themselves no power will or inclination to good as in themselves and of themselves before God as Paul an Elected Believer acknowledged of himself I find no means saith he to perform that which is good before God We cannot Rom. 7. 18 2 Cor. 3. 5 think any thing that is good as of our selves Neither did God in the Promise or Covenant of Grace made to Adam in Paradise promise to restore or give again to Adam and his Eâ—â—ct of mankind in general the power which he had lost of doing the commandment before him but all the promise of power was made to the seed of the woman which seed was Christ The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head saith God he meant only that his Christ Gal. 3. 10 should have power to break the Serpents head to do the work of God and loose the works of the Devil And they know that in themselves dwels no good thing as Paul confessed of himself 1 Ioh. 3 8 but that they are miserable wretched poor blind and naked in themselves Rev. 3. 17 And they know that God knowing the loss weakness and want of power in his Elect unto all good before him did therefore according to his fore-purpose and love give and send his Christ
and none but believers are ordained to eternal life All must be damned that believe not Answ This Text is to be understood of as many of those present which heard the word of the Apostle preached at that time not of all men and women young and old when where and whatsoever whereof many never heard the Gospel preached and are departed Nehem. 1. 7 this life not utterly without hope to us of their eternal life though without manifestation thereof in believing the Lord knoweth who are his Paul was elected in Christ before the world and made sure of Ephes 1. 4 1 〈◊〉 13. eternal lâ—fe when Paul persecuted the Church and did it in unbelief he had not saith The fourth sort of professing believers in Christ which are Hypocrites are such as the Apostle speaketh of that turn the grace of God Iud 4 into lasciviousnes or wantonnes which rather use the liberty that they conceive in their corrupt understandings the grace of God Christ bringeth to believers for to be an occasion to the flesh to give unto Gal 5. 13. them the raines of licenciousness and sinning that the abounding of grace above sin spoken by the Apostle giveth all liberty to do any sin Rom. 5. 10 the flesh inclineth unto And for that the Prophet saith all their iniquities being believers are laid upon Christ And for that the Apostle saith he hath born them already upon the tree in his body and washed Isa 53. 6. them away with his blood There is no conscience or question say they to be made of sinning or not sinning grace hath made no stop or exception of sinning This believing is ungodly and like to the womans eâ—ting of the forbidden fruit wherein the old Serpent the devil made her believe there was no sin so the Devil maketh these believe there is no sin in this their believing that is most abominable sin in the sight of God For the faith and believing which is the fruit of the spirit is quite contrary believing for although the true saith which is the fruit of the spirit of Christ apprehendeth the love and grace of God in their election in the promise in the laying of all their sins and iniquities upon Christ and in Christs bearing them in his body upon the tree and in his washing them away by his blood Yet they which have this true faith do not believe that Christ leaveth them there to themselves to live after the flesh licenciously with loose reigns of sinning But they beleeve the free grace of God that hath done these great things for them through Jesus Christs performances will go along with them and teach them that is fit them inable direct and guide them as the instruments of his spirit to denie ungodlines and worldly lusts and to Tit. 2 11. live soberly godly and righteously in this present world That the spirit of Jesus Christ will fit them to be his instruments of Rom. 8. 13 mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the spirit and lead them that they shall walk after the spirit and favour the things of the spirit yea that the more they have of the spirit in them the more the fruit of the spirit will appear in them in all manner of goodness and less of the flesh unto sin and wickedness The more of Christ they have the more will Christ and his righteousness shine in them The manifestation of 1 Cor. 12. 7. the spirit saith the Apostle is given to every to profit or do good withall where good is not the spirit is not where sin is abounding the spirit is wanting 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man saith the Apostle can call Jesus Christ the Lord but by the Mar. 7. 1. Holy Ghost meaning except he be an Hypocrite Therefore those which call Jesus Christ their Lord and Saviour for their liberty of sinning Gal. 5. 23. are palpable Hypocrites For sin is not the fruit of the spirit but goodness and righteousness It is grace indeed from Christ to wretched sinful man to have wrought out his deliverance from Hell and from sin against his good God But it were no grace from Christ to have wrought forth for Leuâ—â— 19. 17. Rom. 8. 13 Pâ—â— 37. 24 v. 35. man a liberty to sin against his good God But herein appeareth the grace of Christ to his elected believers that he suffereth them not to sin as the flesh lusteth that he mortifieth sin in them by his spirit That though they fall they shall not be cast of for the Lord putteth Ierem. 32. 40â— under his hand That the righteous shall never be forsaken I will put such a feare into their hearts saith the Lord with whom I have made my Covenant that they shall never depart from me Christs Government of his Church upon Earth The truths and lights in this Treatise discover the errors of the Independents Anabaptists and Brownists and of their pharasaical Legalists the great opposites and may reconcile them all through the power and working of the grace of Jesus Christ touching Christs Government of his Church here upon Earth IF those amongst us which are called Independents and the rest which harp of that string who to uphold their Independency and immunity amongst men Therefore hold forth Christ their only head King Ruler Governor Lord Law giver Magistrate Pastor and Teacher c. and not man And that Christ only hath the office and power to rule govern give Laws feed teach c. and no man And that the Laws given by man to the republique and Kingdom whereof Christ is the head King Governor and Law-giver only are not of bounden duty and Conscience to be obeyed But onely those given by Christ himself and under his rule and Government only If those I say which hold forth Christ thus unto men do also further hold him forth to have all power to good all good wisdom righteousness holiness and true goodness in himself alone And that by his own soul and absolute power he doth all good things whether good rule Government Order Law-giving yea love joy peace patience meekness righteousness temperance yea all goodness whatsoever as he pleaseth in his universal national political parochial particular Church and in any member of any of them through his holy and incomprehensible spirit in them sent unto them for their comfort keeping preserving and fitting to the Kingdom of glory and the praise and glory of his grace for ever And that every good thing among the Sons of men done in truth Gods sight good so done and is the deed of Christ himself by his powerful spirit and not of the will of man but of the will of God only And if those do acknowledge that in man as himself dwelleth no good thing And that in and of himself he hath no means to perform that which is good before God as Paul the Apostle of Christ did Rom. 7. 18 confess and acknowledg of himself
And that they have no power to good before God or can think or do any good themselves of themselves but that they know they are wretched miserable poor blind and naked And so by consequence Rev. 3. 17. that man or men of their own power and wisdom cannot rule well govern well order well give Laws well in Gods sight with any goodness in their ruling ordering Law-giving teaching no nor can love well rejoyce well nor pray well as they ought to pray as the Apostle saith we cannot pray as we ought that is with any goodness Rom. 8 26. in our prayers And if those will acknowledge this undoubted truth That although man cannot do these or any good things of himself of the holy Law and Commandment before God yet because it pleaseth Christ all such works of righteousness and goodness should be done among his Elect and other to the glory of the Father in Heaven in the way of mans pilgrimage as Christ speaketh Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which Mat. 5. 16. is in Heaven And that Christ therefore hath sent his holy spirit to his universal national political parochial or particular Church all being but one Catholique Church though severed into particulars and to every member of the same to bear and hold forth such fruit of his spirit of all manner of goodness as should be most fit and most behoofful to all or any of them for the glory of the Father and their comfort whether it be the goodness of ruling governing ordering commanding teaching obeying serving loving c. And of his great grace to man to make and fit corrupted man in his Members of soul and body as he pleaseth to be his instruments of such his good and righteous works best befitting publique and private universal national political parochial and every particular Church and every member thereof in their Relations to the glory of God and the good and comfort of his elect people And that those good and righteous works which Christ doth by his spirit in his Elect He of his grace to his Elect in his word of Rom. 4. 6. grace imputeth and accounteth to them and calleth them their works as if they had been done of themselves Although they were but instruments only of his spirit whereby or wherewith Christ himself by his spirit did them As if a writer of a good matter should sharp fit lead and guide his pen wherewithall he writeth and should afterwards praise his pen and say my pen writ this good matter Certainly man is no more the doer of the good of the holy Commandment then the pen of the writer is the writer of the good matter It is Christ only of his grace that accounteth it unto man to be mans and of grace to call it mans So through his great grace as he accounteth his own works and doings to be the works and doings of his Elect and calleth them their works whereof they are only instruments fitted of him and by him not of nor by themselves even so those which are but his fitted instruments he in his word of grace calleth the doers of the work which himself only doth And giveth them the titles of the doers of his work which are his own only titles due and proper to himself the doer in truth only So the Lord made and called Saul David and Solomon Kings over Israel Now my 1 Sam. 12 13. 1 Sam. 16. 1. 1 King 3. 37. Act. 7. 35. Lord and God saith Solomon thou hast made me King over Israel instead of my Father David So God made and call'd Moses a Prince a Judge and a deliverer of his people Israel out of Egipt Moses whom they forsook saying who made thee a Prince and a Judg The same God sent for a Prince and a deliverer So God made and called Judah his Law-giver and likewise Moses his Law giver to his people saying Judah is my Law-giver The Law came by Moses God called Saul David Solomon by the names of Kings Rulers Psal 6â— 7 Joh. 1. 17. and Governors And he called Moses by the name of Prince Judge and Deliverer And he called Judah and Moses by the name of Law-givers which names titles and works of the Offices of such titles although were only his and proper to him alone As the Prophet Isaiah saith The Lord is our Judg the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us As if he should have plainly said There is Isa 33. 22. no Judg Law-giver or King that can save or do man any good but the Lord as being such And the Apostle saith There is one only Law-giver that is able to save and destroy who art thou that judgest Jam. 4. 12. Ephes 1. 21. 26. Mat. 27. 18 another man meaning there is none but that one Christ to whom the Father hath given and committed all judgment and power yea made all unto good and unto all that can do any good either to save righteously or destroy righteously or judg righteously but only Christ Jesus the righteous Yet the Lord Jesus Christ can and may do these good things and works for the good and comfort of his Church and for his own glory as he pleaseth by any means and Instruments as he pleaseth even as he smote the waters of Egipt with Moses rod and the waters were turned into blood And with the same smote the Rock and the waters gushed out and overthrew the Exod. 7. 20 walls of Jericho by the sound of Trumpets of Rams Horns And sed seven thousand and again five thousand men besides women Children Iosua 6. 20 Mat. 14. 19 Mat. 15. 34 Iohn 2. with a few Loaves Fishes And turned the water into wine So Christ can do his good works of all sorts both publique and private yea in publique and private for his universal national and particular Church and people to their best behoof and comfort by the Instrument of man or men both in ruling governing ordering Law-giving commanding and in obeying serving and submitting which good works of obeying submitting and serving Christ also himself did upon earth being present I am among you saith he as one that serveth he took upon him the form of a Servant and made himself Luke 22. 27. Phil. 2. 7. of no reputation he submitted and humbled himself unto death To shew that his goodness is as well yea as much in obeying submiting and serving as in ruling governing and he maketh men his instruments of those goodnesses and good works as behoofful for the good and comfort of his Church and people and the societies of men in the way of their pilgrimage for private and publique as governing Law-giving teaching and commanding is good and behoofful for his glory and the good of his Church and requblique And are now those instruments of Christ which he of his grace honoureth
angry and displeased still where Christ hath satisfied and appeased who shall satisfie and appease If God be angry still when Christ hath finished his satisfaction who shall satisfie afterward Obj. The Apostle saith That the Ethnicks which have no evidence but of the children of wrath do know the law or righteousness Rom. 1. 31 of God how that they which commit such things as are contrary are worthy of death and their thoughts or consciences are accusing or excusing one another and this they have by the corrupt light of Rom. 2. 14 15 Nature left them Therefore the Ethnicks know when their conscience accuseth them that they displease God in their performances and when their conscience excuse them that they please God in their performances A. It is certain the Ethnicks and all natural men know the Law of God yea that which is to be known of God as the Apostle saith enough to charge their consciences with good and evil with life and death in their performances And although their accusing conscience do manifest to them that they displease God and are worthy of death for committing such things yet their excusing conscience cannot assure them that they please God by any of their performances For the Apostle saith Although I know nothing by my self 1 Cor 4. 4. yet I am not there by justified I have no assurance that thereby I please God although my conscience excuse me Q. Was not the Law written in Tables of stone by Christ and given after by Moses to the Church of Israel the chosen people of God then in visibility the same Law that was given of God to man when man had power to perform the same before his Fall Ans It was the same partly in matter and wholly in form of holiness and righteousness but not the same in condition and circumstance For first The Law given to Adam was by God as the Creator when man had power in himself to have performed the full righteousness of the same before God and man but Moses Law so called was given by God the Undertaker and Redeemer of Gods chosen to them when they had no power to perform the righteousness of this Law before God nor of that Law Secondly That Law was That man should do it and live evermore and should dye eternally if he did it not but this Law is That man Gen. 3. 3. Luk. 10. 18 shall have temporal reward long life upon earth and the like if he doth it and shall have temporal death and punishment if he doth it not or doth the contrary to it so held forth in the whole discourse of this Law written Thirdly In that Law Justice had only place If thou dost this thou shalt live If thou dost not this thou shalt dye but in this Law of Moses faith in Christ self-denyal prayer and repentance have place and upon faith in Christ self-denyal prayer and repentance mercy and forgiveness have place but neither faith in Christ self-denyal prayer repentance mercy nor forgiveness have place in that Law only of Justice made and given of God to man in power and if prayer repentance mercy and forgiveness had had place in that Law no doubt but the good God would of Justice have had patience for Adams repentance for Adam in time might have repented had mercy and forgiveness and lived eternally and his posterity and so there should have been no need of a Christ a Saviour and Redeemer of man Fourthly The Preface to the Decalogue where it is said God spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage c. do shew plainly the giver of this Law was our God and Christ the Undertaker Redeemer Saviour and Deliverer of Gods chosen people in grace and that the same was given in grace for the Government of his Church and people for worship to God before men for righteousness society and safety among themselves Fifthly That Law was given to Adam requiring performance of the righteousness thereof before God and before men but this Law was given requiring performance of the righteousness thereof only before men for if this Christs Law were for performing of righteousness before God as Adams Law was with condition of everlasting death for breaking of the same then sin would have the dominion then all the chosen of God should be under the Law of death and not under the grace of life because no man can keep this Law in righteousness before God in the least Q. Have Gods Elect power to perform the righteousness of this Law of Christ before men A. This Law of Christ is outward in appearance to men and man seeth but according to the outward appearance and this Law is inward 1 Sam. 16. 7 Rom. 7. 14 and spiritual as the Apostle saith the Law is spiritual Now as this Law is outward in appearance to man man hath power to perform the righteousness thereof before men for although the power of man be so corrupted that he can perform no righteousness before God yet he may perform the righteousness of the Law in appearance before men So Christ said the Pharisees did perform the outward righteousness of this Law before men and Herod did many things in the righteousness of this Law as he was taught of Iohn Baptist and Paul called his performance of the righteousness of this Law his own righteousness Phi. 3. 8 9 which he desired he might not be found in but counted the same loss and dung in comparison of the righteousness which is of Christ David said I will run the way of thy Commandments and Ps 119. 32 Zachary and Elizabeth are said to have walked in the Commandments of the Lord without reproof of men So we see that men may Luke 1. 6. perform the righteousness of this Law of Christ before men in appearance to men yea hypocrites as the Pharisees and Herod much rather the chosen people of God which have the work of the Spirit thereto in their souls and hearts If man had had no power to perform the righteousness of this Law before men it had not been love nor justice in Christ to have charged Gods chosen people to perform this Law upon pain There is no just and charitable man that will lay a burden upon his beast that he knoweth he cannot bear Q. But can the Elect of God perform this Law of Christ as it is spiritual A. No that cannot be for Paul said The Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin and transgression meaning of the Law as it is spiritual Q. How is this Law of Christ given to Gods chosen performed of them which cannot perform the same themselves as it is spiritual A. Christ their Undertaker and Giver of this Law as it is spiritual doth perform the same in them by his Spirit promised and sent unto them and this is the special