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
of Christs performances for them in himself The Elect of God in Christ are justified by the imputation of Christs Righteousness to them of free grace and this is the blessedness Rom 4 6. of Faith the Prophets and Apostles held forth to them Ob. But the deceiving spirit and the deceived will object that these predecations and and openings of Faith are a great derogation and undervaluing of faith which in the history of the Scriptures is so highly extolled to have done and do great things for man and that man hath done great things by faith a man faith the Apostle is justified by faith Christ saith to the woman Thy faith hath saved thee by faith Peter walked upon the Sea untill Râ—â— 3. 2. 8 Lâ—ke 7. 50 Maâ— 14. 29 3â— Hâ—b 10. 38. Hâ—b 11 4. 5. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20. 2â— 22. 23 29. he doubted by faith faith the Apostle the just shall live Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Jsaac Jacob Joseph Moses did great things by faith by faith the walls of Jericho were overthrowne and fell down An. All these and the rest spoken of the faith of Gods Elect in the Scriptures do not intend to shew that by the power of Faith these great things are or were done but to shew that these great things done of and by the power of our great God and his goodnesse were made known to them manifested evidenced and witnessed to them when they believed them so done of him Joshua and the Priests did believe the Walls of Jericho fell downe by the power of God the walls fell not downe by their believing although they were not down to them before they believed the same The woman believed that she was saved by the mercy and performance of Jesus Christ she was not saved by the power of her believing yet she knew not her self saved untill she believed it So a man that believeth that he is justified by Christ and the righteousnesse of his performance imputed to him is not justified to himself before his believing he knoweth not that he is justified untill he believeâ—h it His believing is the first Gospell Messenger that bringeth to him the glad tidings of his Justification by Christ and his righteousnesse yet not justified by his believing and this is the reason why Faith is so much extolled in the history of Scriptures If a man were in the prison of a dark dungeon and there should come a messenger to him and assure him of his inlargement and to be setled in a Kingdome would he not ever make much of and extol this messenger that brought him this first good tidings Faith is the first Messenger of Christ that he sendeth to poor corrupt man sitting in darknesse and the shadow of death of his inlargement of his Justification Adoption and Salvation in the heavenly Kingdom this Faith therefore must needs be highly extolled of all men and all the Penmen of Christ Yet it may not be Idolized set up above our God Christ nor equalized to or before Christ to justifie a man before God which 〈◊〉 Fhâ—s 2. is only in the power of Christ and the gracious work of Christ This is Antichrist the man of sin that doth this it is therefore the deceiving Spirit and those which are deceived that hold forth that it is faith that first justifieth a man and maketh a man righteous before God and that doth him that good Ob. But the deceiving Spirit and the deceived do further object By the grace of Christ by the help of Christ Christ strengthning me I am able to do the â—ommandement of the Law of God that commandeth me to believe to love to repent c. so Paul said Phil. 1. 13. say they I am able to do all things through the help of Christ that strengthneth me Ans Paul said the truth that he being a Branch of the Vine Christ was able by the help of Christ the Vine to bear and hold forth the fruit of the Spirit of Christ being strengthned by Christ as faith love repentance and the rest but not to be the worker and doer of the fruits of the Spirit faith love and repentance which belongeth to Christ and his Spirit only as the Apostle Heb. 12. 1. saith Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith and the rest that we bear and hold forth by his help and strengthning Paul said he was able to do all things by the help and strengthning of Christ belonging to the branch and instrument of Christ to bear and hold forth love faith repentance and the rest of the works of the will and commandement of God wrought up in him by Christ the undertaker and his Spirit to be born and held forth of him other branches these are the all things intended of Paul Man cannot do nor be a doer of the will and Commandement of God as to believe love repent and the rest by the help and strengthning of Christ for if he could and should do or be a doer of the work he should have wages and might challenge a debt of God a share in the work To him saith the Apostle that Rom. 4. 4. worketh the wages is not accounted off vor or grace but of debt Now the Apostle saith all the goodnesse of God to man is of grace not of debt for his work doing of the wil and Commandement of God we saith he are justified freely by his grace by the grace of God I am that I am saith Paul by Christs grace ye Rom. 3. 24 1 Cor. 15. 10. Epb. 2. 5. 8 are saved saith Paul And Paul said I find no means to perform that which is good that is no help no strengthning by Christ to perform the will and commandement of God which Christ hath undertaken to do and which only is able to do the same J am carnall sold under sin the good which I would do that J do not and Rom. 7. 18. the evill which J would not do that J do when J would do good evill is present with me saith Paul And further these saying that they are able to do the will and Commandement of God by the help of Christ c. do much exalt themselves and dishonor Christ and his undertaking of doing the whole will of God for poor corrupt and unable man for they make themselves the principal doers of the will and Commandement of God and Christ but their helper their auxiliary a helper is not the principall in any thing Thus they would make Christ a helper of their faith and believing of their justifying and saving but themselves the principall This is the man of sin the Antichrist exalting himself above our gracious undertaker and God Christ Babes keep your selves from Idolls The mystery of the Gospell of Faith and Christ is hid to none but those which are lost and to those which are lost it is hid A TREATISE OF Self-Deniall Luke 9. 23. And he said unto them all
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
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
his precious Blood to have shed it for a Ransome and Redemption of those which his Father had not Elected in him and given him to Ransome and Redeeme and which he knew his Father hated to be Elected and Redeemed And which he knew would not receive but reject the benefit of his Bloud Who is it that knew the Scriptures that will not acknowledge that mankinde â—n generall upon the generall fall of Adam were judged and condemned of God to be the Children of Gods wrath and everlasting death And that God of love free grace and mercy was pleased to Elect some of those in Christ which were the Children of wrath as well as the other out of whole Eph. 2. 3. company of the Children of wrath to be adopted the Children of God through Jesus Christ that is by his performing the righteousnesse of the Law of workes for them and by giving of himselfe unto death for them and shedding of his precious bloud for them for a full satisfaction to God in his justice for the Ransome Redemption Justification eternall life and glorification And this for them onely and not for the least ones in their hardnesse and refused ones of God Surely to say hold forth that Christ gave himself for a Ransom of these to shed his blood to redeeme these is to lay upon God and his Christ inconstancy indiscretion prodigality and folly to the great dishonour of God and his Christ and to say that Christ did Ransome and Redeeme them with his death and bloud is unrighteousnesse and salsehood We finde and read in the Scripture that Christ redeemed the Elected of God in Christ as Paul saith of himselfe and all other Elected of Christ God hath Elected us in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4. world and Christ hath redeemed us from the curse But we finde no Gal. 3. 13. where in the Scripture to be said expresly that Christ redeemed reprobate ones which were not Elected in Christ The greatest power of their assertion is in the word all or all men which word they stretch forth to Elect and Reprobate good and bad as we say But it is cleare that where this word all in such manner and matter importeth onely all the Elect. So Paul to the Romans As by the offence of one the fault came on Rom. 5. 18. all men to Condemnation So by the justifying of one the benefit abounded to all men to justification of life meaning all the Elect beleevers I thinke these men will not say that justification of life is to all men Elect and Reprobate in generall by Christs justifying them So Paul to the Corinthians saith As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive meaning as all mankinde being then in 1 Cor. 15. 22. Adam when he transgressed and dyed then dyed so all being Elected in Christ shall be made alive I hope these will not say that all men Elect and Reprobate in generall shall be made alive in Christ then none must be damned and if these will have these to be confined in the Scriptures to that why may not they admit of those also to be likewise confined to the Elect they being in the like expresse of the same matter But they say by Preaching that Christ hath given himselfe for all men in generall Elect and Reprobate that he hath shed his blood for the peace of all men with God they procure great honour and the hardest harted men will be moved to relent when they heare that Christ hath had such pitty and mercy on them as to give himselfe to death for their life to shed his most pretious blood to make their peace with God This will move the worst of men to imbrace Christ to thirst after Christ and to beleeve and close with Jesus Christ Yet I wish these to consider that the Apostle of Christ saith We may not doe evill that good may come thereof whose damnation is just We may not preach falsehood that Christ may have honour Rom. 3. 8. thereby This was the great sinne of Saul that brought upon him his woefull destruction He spared the best and fattest Beasts of Amilech contrary to the command of God to offer up in Sacrifice to the honour of God but Samuel told him he had done wickedly to obey was better then Sacrifice 1 Sam. 15. 19. It is to be well observed which the Apostle saith That in that excellent Sermon which Paul preached at Antioch As many as Act. 13. 48. were ordeined to eternall life believed No doubt but there were many which heard that Sermon did not believe for the Apostle saith that onely so many as were ordeined to Eternall life believed And what was the reason that the rest of the hearers did not believe Certainly by the part of the Apostles words it was because they were not ordeined to eternall life they were not elected in Christ before the world to be holy and without blame Eph 1. 4. 5. before God in love nor predestinate to be adopted the Children of God through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will as the Apostle saith but were the reprobate and the left of God in their owne hardnesse God being bound to none but to have Rom. 9. 18. mercy on whom he will and whom he will to harden That is to leave them in their owne hardnesse as the Apostle saith for God leaving them they grow into more hardnesse Man hath no power in himself to close with Christ or to believe as he ought nor more then to pray as he ought but the Apostle saith of himselfe and other the Elect We know not what Rom. 8. 26. we pray for as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities that is doth it for us and maketh request for us c. It is God our Christ Phil. 2. 13. that worketh in us the will and the deed of his owne good pleasure The praying believing and the rest of that sort are the works of our God Christ Jesus by his spirit in us they are none of mans works Christ Jesus is the Priest and the Sacrifice which said Lo I come to doe thy will O God See 1 Chron. 29. 14. The Apostle saith they were ordeined to eternall life before Eph. 10. 9. they believed They had their ordination to life that is their election in Christ and the life also which is Christ for Christ is our life saith the Apostle Christ is the way the truth and the life before they believed a dead man can doe nothing and Joh. 14. 6. Christ saith without me you can doe nothing Faith followeth after election ordination and life Faith is Joh. 15. 5. onely the manifestation of election ordination and Christ to those which God hath elected in his Christ when and as he pleaseth to worke the same in them to his glory and their comfort Heb. 11. 1. Reprobate men which have not
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
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
Gospels sake as the Apostle of Christ saith which in that maner did both Christ saith this Apostle hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life And yet he saith That he 1 Cor. 9. 13 20 21 22 23 medled with the Law as one under the Law and became all things to all men that he might win some and that he did for the Gospels sake that he might be partaker thereof with them Touching the manner of preaching the Law The Minister of the Spirit considereth two sorts of men the one unbelievers yet all in the same like condition of Reprobates though some of them many be of the Elect ones and heirs of the promise not yet known to themselves nor regarded To these being under the Law even in their own apprehensions 1. He preacheth the Law as belonging and most proper unto them yet useful to all for Government before men 2. The goodness holiness and justness of the same Law 3. The commands duties and performances thereof justly required of God yet also withall their own weakness and want of power to perform before God by their own fault lost in the first transgression 4. He sheweth them also their continued transgression 5. He sheweth their death by their first transgression and their increase of pain by their succeeding transgression But he no way preacheth that life grace or peace with God cometh or shall or may come to them by their doing or performing the duties of the commandment now which though ordained first unto life in mans innocency and power yet sithence it was broken by man is found to be unto all men unto death as the Apostle saith for so to preach were to dissemble But because some of unbelievers yet may be of the elect ones as Paul was I did it in unbelief saith Paul when he persecuted therefore the Minister of the spirit may and doth hold forth amongst these 1 Tim. 1. 13. Joh. 1. 17. unbelievers That life grace and peace cometh only to believers in Christ by Jesus Christ his performing as the Apostle saith the Law came by Moses but grace truth and peace by Jesus Christ And the knowing and manifestation of this cometh to believers by the grace of believing given to them being the fruit of Christs spirit in them that believe whose hearts and soules Christ hath made the instruments of his grace of faith and believing Unto the true believers in Jesus Christ which the Apostle saith are not under the Law but under grace which believe their election in Christ before the foundation of the world was laid which believe that God hath laid their sins upon Christ and that Christ hath born them in his body upon the tree And that Christ hath redeemed them and bought them by paying the inestimable price of his blood And that they are freely justified by his grace fulfilling of the Law and his performances for them And that he is still a King a Priest and a Prophet to rule keep preserve and do all things for them and in them making their members his instruments of the righteous works of his spirit in them until he shall present them blameless at his coming to judgment which desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified as the Apostle of Christ 1 Co. 2. 2. saith he did To such believers the pure Gospel of Jesus belongeth to be preached and the Law in grace for government before men for such are not under the Law but under grace That the means of the Rom. 6. 10 manifestation and witness of the spirit which is Christ speaking of the word of grace by the mouth of his Ministers for it is not the Ministers that speak but the spirit that speaketh in them as Christ said to his Disciples that he sent to preach the Gospel may be as sincere Mat. 10. 20. Ephes 4. 15. Tit. 1. 13. Iam. 2 5. milk unto infants that they may grow thereby and that so they may grow up in all things into him which is the head that is Christ That they may be sound in faith That they may be rich in faith That they being led by the spirit may so walk in Christ as they have received the Lord Jesus rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith as they have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving as the Apostle speaketh for even as the Child when it is first born though then it is a true and perfect man yet it is but little weak and hath need of nourishment for growth strength and increasment So the fruit and bringing forth of the spirit in man is at first but little small and weak and have need of the means of the spirit the sincere milk of the word of grace for the growth strength and increasment of beauty to the fulness thereof yet let these be rather held manifestations of the spirit then means And thereupon the Apostle saith Christ gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the work of the Ministry meaning the Ministry of the Gospel of Grace as the same Apostle saith Christ hath made us able Ministers of the new Testamen not of the letter but of the spirit not of the letter that is the Law the Commandments duties and performances thereof before God for that were to go about to be witch believers to inâ—anglâ— them and to bring them into the yoak of bondage again as the Apostle saith the false Apostles did the Galathians which had received the faith and to make them believe that Christs performances and grace were not enough for their peace with God without their own doing something of the Law Commandment duties and performances thereof for their peace with God and that were to exalt man above that which he is and to make men believe that themselves are something which they are not and to have a power and strength which they have not as the Apostle adviseth and giveth a caveat of If any man think himself that he is somewhat when he is nothing he deceiveth himself in Gal. 6. 3 his own imagination He that will be my Disciple saith Christ must deny himself Luk 9. 23 meaning that man certainly that cometh after me and is my Disciple doth deny that he hath any power any strength any verâ—ue any wisdom any goodness any performance in himself for his peace with God yea that were to undervalue Christ and to derogate from Christ and his grace which hath said My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through 2 Cor. 12. 9 weakness very gladly therefore saith the Apostle will I rejoyce rather in mine infirmities that is that I my self have no power that the power of Christ may dwell in me and only have the praise v. 10. and glory Yea further
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
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
THE VINDICATION OF CHRIST AND HIS ORDINANCES FROM The corrupt and false Glosses made thereon by the subtil Deceivers of these TIMES By Christopher Pooly Minister of the Word at great Missingham in Norfolk For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and Wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. Mat. 24. 24. The Prophets prophecy falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means c. Jer. 5. 31. LONDON Printed for Henry Cripps and Lodowick Lloyd and are to be sold at their shop in Popes head Alley 1652. The Summary Heads Oâ— the ensuing DISCOURSE THe truth of Faith and Believing manifested Pag. 1. A Treatise of Self-Denyal 8 The Love and Free Grace of God in Christ the cause of all good unto man 26 Positions about the grounds of the Treatises and Meditations 37 Arguments made to uphold Inherent Holiness and Righteousness in Man by the Sanctification of the Spirit are answered 42 Of the Sanctification of the Spirit 51 Six sorts of men of different ways opinions or judgments touching their estates with God 49 The Errors of Universal Redemption discovered 65 A Catechistical Dialogue useful for the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 74 Another Meditation of the Law 94 Snares of Popery discovered 103 104 Of the Law remaining and the Law ended in Christ to the Elect. 110 111 All Times Deeds and Things present in Gods sight from Eternity 126 Another Catechistical Dialogue resolving many subtil Questions raised and made by the Adversary c. 137 Rest to the Souls of Believers 165 Christs Government of his Church upon Earth 192 193 The right meaning and understanding of these words in Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing giveth light to the Truths in these Treatises 202 203. The truth of Faith AND Believing manifested BEcause the Apostle saith therfore we conclude that man is justified by faith without the works of the Rom. 3. 28 Rom. 5. 1. Law and the like otherwhere Some take it and hold forth that a man is justified and made righteous by his faith by believing That he was not before his faith righteous before God it is his faith that doth him that good to make him righteous with God before faith he is an unjust man a wicked and ungodly man and one of the children of wrath before God without mercy and forgivenesse of sin before faith and repentance performed of him There is no justification of man before God before Faith This taking and holding forth of this Scripture although it seem to these to be according to the history yet it is quite contrary to the mystery of faith and of Christ as the Apostle calleth it 1 Tim. 3. 9 For it crosseth all the most clear and comfortable Scriptures of Gods free grace and love in Christ to corrupt weak and sinfull Hos 14. 4. Isa 31. 3. Rom. 9. 11 13. man before the world As also the Scriptures of Gods everlasting love to those he pleased before the world and in continuance And the Scriptures of Gods election of those which he pleased and loved out of the company of the children of wrath before the foundations of the world in Gods sight to be holy and without blame before him for ever in love And the Scriptures of Gods Eph. 1. 4. See Eph. 1 4. 5. 6. Act. 13. 48. Rom. 8. 30. predestination to adoption through Christ and ordination to eternall blisse before the world of those which he elected in Christ before the world And further of his calling justifying and glorifying of those which he predestinated before himself before the world as the Scripture speaks And the Scripture of the Prophet Isa 53. 6. Esay that saith God hath laid the iniquities of us all upon Christ meaning of the Elect not that he will saith the Prophet but hath done it before the world when he loved elected and adopted his Elect c. And it crosseth the Scripture which saith that Christ justifieth Rom. 4. 5. the ungodly which must needs be understood of such as were ungodly the children of wrath by the first general sin who being elected before the world out of the same company to be holy and without blame before God in love ordained to eternal life and adopted Gods children are then justified before God although in themselves and before men they be still ungodly corrupt sinfull and carnall as Paul said he was in his best estate I am carnall Rom. 7. 14 sold under sin Paul could not be loved of God elected in Christ and adopted to be Gods child ordained to eternall life before the world and be the child of wrath and unjustified before God still although he did sin in the flesh before men And it crosseth the Scripture of the same place where it is said A man is justified by Faith without the works of the Law To Believe is a work of the Commandement of the Law as to love fear obey to be humble meek sober and temperate are works of the Commandements of the Law and Faith and Believing done then is the work of the Law as loving fearing obeying humiliation meeknesse sobernesse and temperance and the rest of that sort commanded to man in the law of works as Paul instances are all works of the law so that if a man be justified and made righteous before by his faith and believing commanded he is justified by the works of the law which the Apostle saith no man no flesh wall be justified by And here he saith A man is justified by faith without the works of the law The doers are justified Rom. 2. 13. Certainly no man is justified by any work of his own not because if he did the work commanded righteously the just God would not justifie him therefore but because no man doth or can do the work of the law commanded righteously therefore no man is justified saith the Apostle by the works of the Law But they say faith and repentance are works of the Evangelicall law and the commandements thereof are the commandements of the Evangelicall law to be performed of man Solut. if these take the Evangelicall law to command faith and repâ—ntance to believe and â—â—pent in the â—orm of the law and covenant of works to be performed of man before God then they are the works of the law by which no man can be justified before God But if they take this Evangelicall law as the term holds it forth indeed to be the law and commandement of the covenant of grace whereof Christ the gracious undertaker for the elect of God did undertake to do the whole will of God for them when he said Lo I come to do thy will O God And that Christ hath done doth and ever will do the same of the law commandement Heb. 10. 9. and covenant of grace for the elect of God which are not nor were ever able
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
of the same being stung with sin the sting whereof is death they are sure to die Must thou needs make an Idol of thy prayers and duties or else thou wilt not nor must not pray Thou shalt find it true If thou dost not deny thy self to be good to have goodness as here Christ commandeth thou makest an idol of thy self and if thou dost hold thy prayer to have any vertue or power to please God to move God to do thee good thou makest an idol of thy prayer giving that honour to it which is onely Christs to whom all power is given Quest But some will ask if prayer move not and prevail not with God by the strength it hath to the forgiveness of sin and to the healing diseases in men why doth the Apostle say If any man be sick among you let him send for the Elders of the church and let them pray for him c. and the prayer of Faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and of he have committed sin it shall be forgiven him and further The prayer of a Righteous man availeth much if it be fervent Answ The Gospel is a mistery Faith is a mistery and Christ is a mistery as the Apostle saith which mystery is hid to those which are lost be they never so wise and learned otherwise And in these words is this mystery as in many other of holy Scripture The Apostle doth not say that the Elders or the prayers of the Elders shall save the sick and raise them up or procure forgiveness of sins or avail much with God but he saith the prayer of Faith shall save the sick the Lord shall raise him up the sin committed shall be forgiven him it is the prayer of Faith that availeth there is the mystery Now we are to observe that both Prayer and Faith are fruits of the Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit are wrought up into the branches from Christ the Vine as the fruits of the vine are wrought up to the branches that bear them by the spirits of the vine The Representation is Christ where he saith I am the Vine ye are the branches Ioh. 15. 5. The fruits of the vine wrought up by the spirits of the vine to the branches which bear them are not to do any thing to or for the branches but to shew and manifest that those branches that bear them are abiding alive in the vine that they are living branches of the vine and those branches have those fruits and all conveighed to them from the vine by the spirits thereof that they are all of the vine So then Faith and Prayer being fruits of the Vine Christ conveighed by the spirit of Christ to the Elders of the church the branches of Christ do not nor can do any thing to them or for them that bear them but onely manifest evidence and witness to them that they are in Christ that they have all good for them from Christ his undertaking and performance that they are all from Christ as his instruments it is none of the Elders power vertue or godliness whereby the sick is healed saved sin is forgiven as Peter said It is not of our power or godliness that this lame Act. 3. 12. man is healed Neither must these say so except they will make themselves Gods for there is none that can forgive sinnes but Mar. 2. 7. God onely none heal and save but Christ onely there is no salvation in any other saith Luke Act. 4 12. It is meant then that prayer doth onely manifest and witness the saving healing and forgiveness of sin from Christ and his performances not that Prayer Faith or any godliness of man doth it The Brazen Serpent did shew and witnesse their healing from Christ represented by it but it did not heal them by any vertue or strength in it The Image or stamp of Caesars coyn made it go for payment it was not the metal or matter it self that made it payment So it is the spirit of Christ in Prayer that makes it Prayer and not mans prayer it self Vse 5. In that Christ holdeth forth this command to men that follow him to deny themselves as also other commands which he knoweth no man can do before God and man himself knoweth it as Adam knew himself naked and made himself aprons of Gen. 3. 7. Fig-leaves to cover because he would not see his own nakednesse but could not remedy it And for that as hath been said Christ holdeth forth his commands that poor naked man which would cover his nakedness with Fig-leaves of his own holiness and righteousness might see it more clearly Vse Humiliation Hence all Believers are ledto humiliation when they hear the Law and commandement preached to look well upon their wants weakness blindness misery and poverty held forth therein to hang down their heads smite their breasts crying Lord be merciful to me a sinner as the publican did in the Temple where the Law was preached yea the holding forth of the Luk. 18. 1â— Law the justice and judgements of God in the Law will make a stout heart to tremble Felix was a great and stout man yet when he heard Paul dispute of justice and judgement to come he Act. 24. 26. trembled Vse 6. For that the holding forth of the Law and commandement sheweth to Believers what Christ hath done for them in himself in performing of the righteousness thereof and in their deliverance from the curse and penalty thereof to the full satisfaction of God And that the performances of Jesus Christ in them by his Spirit sent unto them in the fruits thereof borne and held forth of them as branches of the Vine Jesus Christ do manifest evidence and witness the same to their souls fully done of Christ in himself for their justification and salvation Vse Comfort Thanks and Love From hence ariseth the first unspeakable comfort to Believers to see the righteousness of so good just and holy a Law and commandement performed for them whereunto they were bound upon inevitable pain and which they themselves were not able to do in the least and themselves to have all the good and benefit thereof and to see the curses dangers miseries and penalties they are delivered and freed from all closed in the commandement and before them opened and the same witnessed and sealed unto them by the spirit in the fruits there of wrought up in them Suppose a man hath taken a great house to build and is bound straitly for the performance thereof and is assuredly to have a thousand pound if he build it to be paid when it is finished But this man is by his failings grown so much indebted that he is not able to do any thing of the building his Creditors come so fast upon him If a friend shall build this house for him and pay all his debts also would not this be a great comfort to him Yea sure he
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
Tim. 3. 8. will or can make better But unto those which are chosen of God in Christ ordained to Eph. 1. 4. Acts 13. 48. eternall Life and to believe the Gospell of Jesus Christ It is the meanes of Christ to make them not to trust in themselves or in any gifts or performances of their own thereby to gaine or have any favour of God or their salvation at Gods hand nor to despise others which have not such gifts and performances in themselves Mat. 7. 1. as they have not to judge and condemn them as Christ warneth Judge not that ye be not Judged And it is a great help of Christ to those which are weak in Faith incumbered yet with unbeliefe as the man in the Gospel which said unto Christ I believe Lord Lord helpe my unbeliefe For they hereby seeing the Mercy Goodnesse Wisdome Power of the Father of Grace in his choosing of men in Christ and Ordaining them to eternall Life That it was his Will that his Christ which hath power to give gifts unto men as he pleaseth and the same in measure and weight as hee pleaseth may also see that the Lord Jesus Christ which came to doe the Will of his Father doth bestow Faith and Believing the gift grace and fruit of his Spirit here in this life in manifestation to themselves to witnesse that they are Gods children upon whom of those chosen ones hee pleaseth that in what measure hee pleaseth not to all alike to their great comfort in their weaknesse in Faith and believing And I my self know it is the Commandement of Christ in grace to his Church and People to believe as also to do before men the rest of the duties of his Commandements and to be carefull to use the meanes of Hearing and Praying for Faith and the rest And I my selfe have been carefull of the same commanded of Christ for the government of his Church upon earth for worship to God peace and comfort amongst men themselves which all ought to do that beare the name of Christians and professe themselves to be Subjects unto Christ their King and Law-giver to his Church and may and will doe so although they be but naturall Men and Hypocrites for formality and reputation and the rest in the outward performance thereof before men But the government of his Church upon Earth was not all for which Christ gave his Commandement to his visible Church but also to shew unto those thereof which hee was pleased to inlighten by his holy Spirit what Christ hath done and performed for them before God in the righteousnesse thereof for their peace with God which they themselves were not able to do in the least before God That Christ himselfe hath been Meek Humble and Lowly of Spirit believed the Promise loved and done the Pennance for their whole sinne and transgressions paid the whole debt and satisfied God And to shew them that the worke of the same his Comandement inwardly in their Hearts and Soules manifested before Men wrought by his Spirit sent unto them as hee pleaseth is Rom. 8. 16 their witnesse that Christ is in them and they in Christ that Christ hath done all things for them willed of the Father and undertaken of the Son before God and that they are Gods children chosen in Christ out of the children of wrath ordained to eternall Acts. 13. 48 Life before the World of the Mercy and Free-grace of the Father and through the gracious performance and redemption of his Son Jesus Christ And this was that which did move mee before to say and doth now that my believing in Christ his performances for me wrought up by his Spirit in mee doth witnesse to mee that I of Gods Mercy Love and Free-grace am chosen of God in Christ to be one of his children ordained to eternall Life through the performances of Jesus Christ for me and in this Faith by his grace I hope to live and die But there are many in these dayes in the visible church of christ that professe themselves to be Christians and Teachers which say that they of Mercy Love and Free-grace were not chosen of God in Christ before the World out of the children of wrath to be holy and without blame before God in love to be Gods children that they were not ordained to eternall Life and to believe before the World that they were not loved of God before they were borne or had done good or evill that they when they were borne were still the children of wrath and were so after they were borne untill they believed and should have gone to Hell if they had died before they believed And they teach all men that this is their condition which I thinke is a woefull condition to all that are borne considering that none have the power of their own Life nor any certainty of Life untill they believe And they teach all that God yet so loved the whole World of men being the children of wrath that he gave and sent his onely begotten Sonne to die that whosoever believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life shall be loved justified and saved And they teach that his Sonne Jesus Christ died upon the Crosse in manifestation before men and then the Plaister of his Blood and Death was made and not before to heale all the wounded children of wrath in the World that would by Faith apply the same Plaister of his Blood and Death unto their wounds And they deny that Christ died before God from the beginning and that this Plaister of his Blood and Death was made before God from the beginning for the healing of any of mankinde dead and gone before it was made upon the Crosse in manifestation to Men and then and after this applied by the Faith of men which I must needs say hath seemed harsh and uncharitable to me that all beeing as they say the children of wrath untill the Plaister of Christs Blood and Death made upon the Crosse before men and applied by their Faith afterwards so made up to themselves And so consequently that all dead and gone before Christs Death died in Gods wrath and must needs be gone to the Devill and Hell there being manifested in the Scriptures no other redemption from the wrath of God but Christs Blood and Deâ—th And they teach further that the mercifull Father so loved the World of the children of wrath that he did not only give his only Son to die shed his blood and redeem all pay the ransome for all the whole World of the children of wrath which he hath performed for all sufficiently But also of Love and Free-grace hath sent Preachers of the same to all that desire and will Heare believe and receive the same Gospell of Jesus Christs precious Bloud Death and Redemption And they teach that God hath left unto all men being the children of wrath Free-will and power in their corrupt nature to desire and will
every and Robbery in the highest And is not this Idolatry to set themselves and their performances up in the place of Christ to please God themselves to obtaine of God to be justified through their owne Faith and Performances before God to account goodnesse holinesse and righteousnesse in themselves and in their own wills workes and performances Is this to deny themselves Is not this to set up the Idoll in their Hearts Haba 1. 16 Deut. 29. 19 Ezek. 14. 7 Is not this to Sacrifice to their own Nets Is not this to blesse a Mans selfe and yet to walke in the imagination of his own heart Is not this to kisse the Calves to kisse the workes of his own hands to make Idols according to their own undertaking Babes keepe your selves from Idols Oh that Gods People might not be hindered to know that Hosee 13. 2 their own weldoing of the command of Christ is nothing unto God as David did That they might deny themselves That they might ever honour praise and be thankfull for the Love Mercy and Free-grace of God the Father to them And the undertaking of Jesus Christ his Sonne and his performance for them to the full satisfaction of the Justice of God for their eternall and temporall good and that all things shall worke together for the best to them that love God And that the performances of the Commandements of Jesus Christ being the Fruits of his Spirit in them whereof as hee pleaseth of grace hee maketh them his Branches to beare and instruments of his Word thereof might witnesse evidence and assure to them all these of God and Christ unto them that they are Gods children as the Apostle saith the spirit witnesseth Object I conceive that you teach that although God did foreknow in his Eternity that mankinde would transgresse fall and become the children of wrath and had power of his grace and mercy to save all fallen in Justice through the redemption and performance of Jesus Christ his Sonne Yet it was his Will and good pleasure to choose onely some of them in Christ of his Love grace and mercy towards them to be his holy ones and blamelesse ones in Christ to be his children adopted through Christ to bee ordained to eternall Life to bee Predestinated Called Justified and Glorified in Gods Sight before the World unchangeably How is it and what is the true meaning that our God saith in his Testament That hee would not the Death of him Ezek. 18. 32 that Dieth that he will that all men shall be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and in many like places of Scripture and 1 Tim. 2. 4. that our God holdeth forth in the Scripture of his Testament that it lieth and consisteth in the will and the deed of man to have the Salvation of God and all good at Gods hand hee willeth not the death of any man and would have all men be saved if they seeke it labour for it and come unto Christ and doe his Commandement And therefore so Christ saith If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his Crosse and follow Luke 9. 23. Rev. 22. 17 me Let whosoever will take of the water of life Freely If any man will doe his will hee shall know the truth Will a man rob his God Jos 7. 17 c. Who so will do the will of my Father which is in Heaven the same Mat. 12. 50. is my Brother Sister and Mother Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome Mat. 7. 21 of Heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven This do and thou shalt live Luke 10. 28 Aske and you shall have seeke and yee shall finde labour for that which indureth to eternall Life Strive to enter in at the strait Mat. 7. 7. Joh. 6. 27 Luke 13. 24 1 Cor. 9. 24 Gas 6. 9 Gate runne that yee may obteine in due time yee shall reape if yee faint not and many like Scriptures God chooseth none nor refuseth any that will Againe you teach that God did choose in Christ some onely unto Life Eternall some onely to be his children to be justified and glorified before the World before they were borne and that Eph. 14. 5 6 unchangeably And that the Death Redemption and Performance of Christ was onely for those chosen of God in him for Rom 9. 11 satisfaction of the Justice of God which was the undertaking of Christ to doe the Will of God Esa 53. Notwithstanding our God saith in his Testament that he would all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth That Christ died for all Men That Christ died for the ungodly being 1 Tim. 2. 4 yet sinners That Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all Men That Rom. 5. 6. 8 1 Tim 2. 6 God was in Christ and reconcile unto the World to himselfe not imputing their sinnes to them and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation That he is a Reconcileation not for our sinnes onely 2 Cor. 5. 19 but for the sinnes of the whole World And notwithstanding our God 1 Joh. 2. 2 saith in his Testament Hee that walketh in my Statutes and keepeth my Commandements and deale truly he is just and shall surely live And if he hath a Sonne that is a Theife a Murtherer an Oppressor Ez. 18. 5 c. and Adulterer an Idolater c. he shall not live he shall die the death his bloud shall be upon him The righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon himselfe But if the wicked shall returne from all his sinnes and keepe my Statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall live and not die all his transgressions that hee hath done shall not be mentioned unto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done hee shall live When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and continueth in iniquity hee shall die for the same Againe when a wicked man turneth from his wickednesse that hee hath committed and doth that which is lawfull and right because hee considereth and turneth hee shall surely live and not die I will justifie every man according to his wayes saith our God therefore returne O house of Israel so iniquity shall not be your destruction I desire not that the wicked should die saith the Lord and the Apostle saith God willeth all to repent Acts 17. 30 Take heed saith the Apostle that no man fall away from the Heb. 12. 15. 17 grace of God as prophane Esau that sold his birthright for a Messe of pottage A man cannot fall away from grace but hee must have grace be under grace therefore a man that hath grace and righteousnesse unto Life may fall away and be in the state of wickednesse and death and may repent and
Psal 16. 3 or weldoing extendeth not to thee O Lord or is nothing unto thee but to the Saints that are upon the Earth Ps 16 2 3. To this agreeth that of the Apostle Christ Jesus is made unto us Wisdome and Righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30 and Sanctification and Redemption And some object nothing of mans own his own faith and prayers in his own prayse please God nor is acceptable to God Then wherefore should or do men pray to God or give thanks to God all in vaine Ans 1. That that hath authority hath commanded that is enough Christ though all be not worth Gods looking on which is done 2. The Heathens and Publicans the Scribes Pharises yea the Devils did the same upon slavish feare and other respects If thou do not thou shewest thy self worse then those 3. For morality and example to men Though my goodnesse extendeth Psal 16. 23. not to thee O Lord saith David yet it doth extend to the Saints upon Earth 4. Because Christ the Vine maketh the Elect of God is known to beare such grapes The instruments of his Spirit to hold forth such fruits as are pleasing and acceptable to God though man cannot of himself please God with such of his own The Apostle saith The promise was made not to the seede as of man but to the seed as of one which is Christ Gal. 3. 16. agreeing to that word of promise The seede of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3. And Christ did believe the promise From hence I take it followeth that the Covenant of grace and promise was made onely to Christ in whom all the Elect of God were as all mankinde was in Adam by naturall Creation And the promise was to the Elect as they are in Christ one with Christ Members of Christ Therefore the Elect in Christ are not to challenge the promise of grace made to themselves but from Christ made to Christ and only made to them as they are in Christ in that I live saith the Apostle I live by the faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. It is Christs faith that Paul lived by It is a common publique confession Our best occasions are great abominations and I take it this is intended of our Believing Praying Obeying Thanksgiving Repenting and the like If these be great abominations to God they cannot pacifie nor please God neither sanctifie us to God Yet Believing Praying Obeying Thanksgiving Repenting being of the spirit of Christ The fruits of the spirit are acceptable of God God is well pleased in his Rom 8. 27 Son Christ and in him only pleased Christ maketh request for his saints according to the will of God Some say Faith is a condition of mans part to be performed of man in Gods Covenant of grace for the obteining and injoying the promise and grace And before man hath performed the condition of Faith and believing he hath neither interest in the promise nor grace nor can have for the promise of grace is upon mans performance of Faith as they say But I take it if this were so then Faith is or was neither a grace of God to man nor of grace nor the gift of God to man of grace but of nature which is contrary to the Scripture It is not of our selves saith the Apostle it is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Faith is given by the spirit 1 Cor. 12. 9. Faith is the fruit of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. I say if of gift then of grace if of grace and the spirit to manâ— then grace and that spirit is to the man before Faith the gift the Heb. 12. 1 Fruit the Tree is alwayes before the Fruit. Iesus is the Author and Finisher of our Faith we have Jesus must keepe us to worke the Faith before the Faith Wrought in us Sol. The gift of Faith which is of grace given is the hinderance and manifestation of the grace of Christ and Faith is the first light of salvation by the spirit is manifested Some say as when Lazarus was quickned to his naturall Life againe by Jesus and raised out of his grave hee walked So when a man is quickened and raised up spiritually by Christ he is made able to walk in the wayes and commandements of God to do the works of godlinesse righteousnesse and holinesse But I take it the similitude holdeth only thus Lazarus was dead naturally before men and was quickned and raised up miraculously by Christ before men So the Elect before they were loved and elected in Christ out of the company of the children of wrath before God were dead in trespasses and sins before God and after they were elected in Christ of God to be holy and without blame before him in love They were quickned together and raised up together in Christ Jesus before God as Ephes 2. 1. 5 6. And they walked in Christ in all godlinesse righteousnes and holinesse before God But herein the similitude holdeth not that as Lazarus was quickned and raised up by Christ to naturall Life and naturall action and seated in himselfe by the power of nature left to man though weakned by the transgression So Christ quickneth and raiseth up his Elect to spirituall Life and the power and action of spirituall Life inherent and seated in themselves in the naturall man either in soule or body as Life of godlinesse righteousnesse and holinesse were inherent and seated in Adam before his innocency or as naturall Life Powers and Actions though corrupt and weake are still inherent and seated naturally in man and other creatures For though the Elect of God be quickned and raised up to Life yet this is onely in Christ as Eph. 2. 5. 6. God hath quickned us together in Christ Hee hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus So the Apostle yet it is not Gal. 2. 20 I that us now live but Christ liveth in me and in that that I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Sonne of God and so againe saith the Apostle yee are dead and your Life is hid with Christ Col. 3. 3. The Elect are still dead in themselves onely alive in Christ hidden in Christ till corruptible hath put on incorruptible and mortall hath put on immortality then is brought forth the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory In Christ wee live wee move and have our being meaning of spirituall Life Acts 14. 28. our spirituall Life Power Motion Action or being is inherent and seated onely in Christ not in our selves and is ours onely by gift imputation and of grace by our union with Christ The Scriptures saith that God did elect Paul in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4 Foundations of the World to be holy and without blame before him in love Therefore Christ was with God before the World and Paul was with God before the World And so
rest noted in the Scriptures to be Gods chosen people A. Yes it was given of Christ to his Church upon Earth in all generations although not so gloriously as when it was written of him to them in tables of stone but it was written in their hearts by Christ or otherwise as he pleased for the Government of his Church was ever upon his shoulders and he as a King governed not without a Law And this his Law and Government among Isal 9. 6. them appeareth plainly in that they brought offerings to the Lord as Abel the best of his flock and for that it is said Noah and Lot preached righteousness repentance mercy and forgiveness upon repentance in that it is said Abraham taught his family Q. Had not the Gentiles which were not Gods chosen people this Law of Christ written in their hearts which he writ in tables of stone to his Church of Israel for the Apostle saith Although they had not the Law written in tables of stone yet they did by nature the things contained therein before men although not all things so shewing the effect of the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2. 14 15. A. The Law and righteousness of the Law of Works made of God to man in power is corruptly remaining in the hearts of the Gentiles being not Gods chosen which is partly in this Law of Christ given to his Church of Gods chosen in grace but as it is the Law of Christ in grace it is not written in the hearts of the Gentiles Therefore David said Neither have the Heathen knowledg of his Ps â—47 â—0 Laws His Law or Commandment of Faith in Christ of Self-denyal of Repentance unto mercy and forgiveness and of mercy and forgiveness one to another upon Repentance was not written in their hearts Q. Do all the chosen people of God having corrupt reason understanding and will left them of doing the Law of Christ as it is outward in appearance to men perform the same in righteousness before men in the power that they have left A. No For first we see recorded in holy Scripture One to have gone beyond another therein Secondly We see recorded in holy Scripture The best in appearance of Gods chosen ones to have transgressed and committed the contrary to that holy Law before men much more we must think omitted the performance thereof in righteousness before men Sometimes we read of Noahs drunkenness of Lots drunkenness and incest of Abrahams teaching his wife Sarah to dissemble to call her self his sister not his wife of Jacobs dissembling with his blinde father Isaac saying that he was Esau the Patriarchs transgression Aarons and Moses and Davids transgression Solomons closing with Idolaters Ezechia's Josia's Manasses transgression yea Peters lying swearing and forswearing all contrary to the Law of Christ in appearance before men and what can we think of our own and the rest the incumbrances ignorance blindness and frailties of the flesh The tempters and temptations to the chosen of God are such and so many that the performance of this holy Law of Christ as it is outward in appearance before men hath been and is in all not without transgression as the Apostle saith in many things we offend all James 3. 2 Q. What is the danger of this transgression of Gods chosen people A. Temporal proportionable punishment before men an eye for an eye tooth for tooth breach for breach measure for measure These David call'd troubles and punishments these the Apostles call'd afflictions corrections and chastisements Q. Is there no way provided of Christ for Gods chosen people having so transgressed this his Law to escape the proportionable punishment A. Yes in great grace he hath provided and granted Repentance to be their refuge for mercy and forgiveness before him their Head King and Magistrate or Governor and before one another And therefore he saith At what time soever a sinner repent from the bottom of his heart he will put all his wickedness out of his remembrance Ezek. 18 And again If thy brother sin against thee seven times yea seventy times seven times and saith It repenteth me forgive him Mat. 18 21 22 Q. Is there no difference of the outward performance of this Law of Christ in Gods chosen people and in Hypocrites in appearance to men A. Yes there is much difference in appearance to men For first the chosen of God have the work of the Spirit in their souls and hearts when it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ sanctifying and sweetening the outward performance with humbleness meekness and otherwise in appearance to men Secondly They do it simply in submission and obedience to the command accounting the same good and fit to be â—one before men without the command pressed Thirdly They do not think that the doing of the work of this Command of Christ before men reacheth unto God to please God to move and pacifie God as David said My well-doing extendeth not to thee O Lord but to the Saints upon the earth for their good and profit that they seeing the same may glorifie their Father in Heaven Psal 16. 3 before men Fourthly They do it not for their own profit glory and reputation among men as a merit of their worl in their own esteem but they wait and rest upon the promise of the reward in his Law made to the conscionable performers thereof in the gracious judgment of Jesus Christ before men giving Christ the Commander and Law-giver King and Governor of his Church the honor of all their performance But the performance of hypocrites first have not the face of the sanctifying and sweetening Spirit in humbleness and meekness self-denyal and otherwise for although the Pharisee went up into the Temple to pray yet his performance had the face of pride and self-conceit not of true humbleness and self-denyal Secondly They do it but not simply in submission to the Command as good and worthy to be done without the former Command but they do it being commanded for company formality and avoyding of penalty and other danger Thirdly Hypocrites do the work of the Command often zealously herein thinking in their hearts that their performances thereof reach unto God to please God to pacifie and move God thereby to do them and others good which is onely the work of Christ to Gods chosen ones wherein they would convey the honor of Christ to their performances Fourthly Hypocrites are strict and precise in this as it is outward none going beyond theâ—â— therein not for the honor of Christ the Lawgiver but for their own honor and reputation among men for their own ends for their own gain profit and advantages seeking the same often unjustly to the damage of one for the benefit of another to their own praise and glory among men Q. May not Gods chosen people neglect and omit the outward performance of this Law of Christ before men A. No for Christ hath given it to them
preaching of the Law of Christ for the Government of his Church upon Earth unto them A. Yea the Gospel and the preaching thereof by those that are sent is for their everlasting comfort and good That setteth forth unto them the everlasting love mercy and free grace of God in his chusing them in Christ before the world unchangeably their ordination to eternal life their predestination to be the children of God for ever their calling thereto in the Image of his Son â—esus Christ their justification and glorification then before God to be manifested in fulness of time to the creature And clearly sheweth the way and work of all these by Christs undertaking with God to his satisfaction of justice in doing of his Will as the Lamb slain before him from the beginning and taking flesh upon him came into the world and performed the full righteousness of the Law of God in doing and suffering before men whereby they have deliverance from all sin and death by sin before God and are made coheirs annexed with Christ Jesus of all his riches triumph and glory in heavenly places And that Christ hath promised and sent his holy Spirit to them to do the spiritual work of the Law in them as he pleaseth for witness and comfortable assurance to them that they are Gods chosen children and therefore is called the Spirit of Adoption because he witnesseth the same Rest to the Souls of Believers GOd hath revealed himself unto man to be one eternal invisible incompr 〈…〉 ible essence in whom is all foreknowledg and will as he pleaseth all love almighty power wisdom justice goodness and mercy and in three persons in this one essence Father Son and Holy Spirit according to which eternal qualities of his eternal Deity he hath in his foreknowledg and foresight purposed predestinated and decreed all things according to his will and according to his Will Purpose and Decree made Heaven Hell Earth and all Gen. 1. Isai 30. 33 things therein And with his purpose to make man he also purposed to make a Covenant of works with man which works if he did he should have the promise and assurance of life for ever But if he did fail in the work and break the Covenant he should dye presently And God foreknowing that man would break the Covenant of his great and meer love of his free grace compassion and mercy to mankind did provide purpose and decree to give to mankind in Christ a Covenant of Grace or promise of grace which was to give his own only Son to be made of a woman by taking mans flesh upon him to be born and brought forth of a woman to take upon him the form of a servant to be of no reputation among men yet as a general person and undertaker for all intended of the Father in acceptance to full satisfaction to do and perform the full righteousness of the Covenant of Works Law and commandment therein and to pay the whole and uttermost debt of and for the transgression made or to be made by those of mankind which he purposed to make choyce of for the glory of his grace to be performed by his Son Christ Jesus and to be preserved by the power of his Spirit until Psa 37. 18 19 1 Thes 5. 17 Eph. 1. 4 they were presented blameless at his coming to Judgment And according to the purpose of the Father he did Elect some of mankinde before the foundations of the world were layd to be his vessels of honor life everlasting and immortal inheritance in and with his Son Jesus Christ which had undertaken in acceptance and to full satisfaction of God leaving the rest to the merit and punishment of their own transgression And having made Heaven and Hell he made also the Earth and all creatures therein in their kind And placing man his creature in Paradise there made and manifested his purposed and decreed Covenant of Works with man with condition of life and death when man was endued with full power and free will to stand or fall And mand did fall and break the Covenant of Works which in duty as the creature he ought to have kept and performed to the Creator having of him power and free-will given to him to hve performed and done same And although God did foreknow that man would fall and break the Covenant yet God did not decree that man should fall and destroy himself by falling neither having given unto him power and free-will to stand or fall had he resisted the Will of God if he had stood but by falling and so destorying himself he resisted the Will of God that would not the death of a sinner For there was Ezek 18 32 one and the same end in the intention of God of both the Covenants purposed towards man which was the life of man yea in his Covenant of Works he intended the life of man This do and thou shalt live saith God to man although he set before him life and Gen. 42. 18 Rom. 7. 10 death in that Covenant of Works And after mans fall and loss of all he was endued with all of God being yet in Paradise God manifested to his Elâ—ct of mankind his purposed Covenant of Grace in his Son Jesus Christ to be performed of him without any condition of any performance by man but in Christ now being without power of believing as appears in the words of the Promise or Covenant of Grace The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents heaâ— The seed of the woman was freely promised to do and perform all that was to be done and performed for mans salvation to the end to break the serpents head and to destroy the works of the Devil as the Apostle speaketh and all this grace to be manifested in time to those in particular which should 1 Joâ— 3. 8 in manifestation receive the Spirit of adoption and bear the fruits of the Spirit the believing in the Son of God Jesus Christ so that in the righteousness of his Son Christs doing the work of the Covenant in himself as an undertaker for and a representative of all his Elect in acceptance to the full satisfaction of God all the Elect might have this righteousness accounted imputed and so made theirs of God as if themselves had done the full work of the Law and Covenant of Works And by his paying of the full debt and price for their transgression they might be assured of the forgiveness of their sins past Isai 53. 6 1 Pet. 2 24 1 Joh. 1. 7 and to come as if there had been no transgression at all in them of the Law and Covenant of Works And that they thus being justified fully by the obedience and performance of Christ before God and freed by the full payment of the price and debt with Christs precious blood Gods Elect might know themselves to have an absolute discharge from the Law and Covenant of Works before God and
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
man or his doing to the same Mans believing is no efficient or cause thereof but God only Salvation is of the Lord saith the Prophet Our God is the Salvation of Israel There is no Salvation Jonah 2 9 Jer. 3. 23 Act 4. 12 1 Tim 4. 10 Eph. 2. 5. 6 in any other saith the Apostle speaking of Christ and his performances Christ is the Saviour of all men that is which are or shall be saved By grace ye are saved We know that all things work together for the best to them which love God even to them which are called of his purpose For those which he knew before he also predestinated to 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 God predestinated called justified and glorified before himself those he pleased before the World What need more testimonies of Scripture for mans salvation only to be by God his love grace decree purpose and his Christs undertakings and performances to be perfected certainly to those which God did love to be elected and predestinated to be called justified and glorified by his Christ and his performances for them undertaken and all faithfully and effectually performed by him before men in his obedience suffering cross death and resurrection But yet further the Apostle saith He dyed for our sins and rose again for our justification where the Apostle holdeth forth plainly Rom. 4. 25 that Christ justified those which he dyed for that he payd his blood for And the same Apostle saith that being justified by his blood we Rom. 5. 9 are saved from wrath Then it must needs follow if Christ redeemed all universally in paying his blood and justified all universally that he payd his blood for and saveth all from wrath that he justified by his blood None shall be damned which must needs be the Conclusion of Universal Redemption which is denyed in the whole Scripture And whereas they pretend mans believing to be the efficient cause that only maketh Christs Redemption effectual to man it is certain by the Scriptures that man hath of himself or in himself as of himself no power to believe in Christ or his Redemption as he ought to believe no more then he hath to pray as he ought to pray Now the Apostle saith no man knoweth or hath power to pray as he ought We know not to pray as we ought but the Spirit maketh Rom. 8. 26 request for us c. Yea the Apostle saith that in him dwelleth no good thing then no power to believe in Christ or his Redemption Rom. 7. 18 Yea further he saith that he found no means to perform that which is good Therefore not to believe in Christ or his Redemption And further he saith We cannot think any thing of our selves that is good if not to think to believe in Christ much less to 2 Cor. 3. 5 believe in Christ to believe his Redemption And David saith There is none that doth good no not one if no good then not to believe Psa 14. 3 in Christ for that is a great good thing It is the Spirit sent by Christ to man that hath the power to do the good work of praying and believing for man The Spirit it self that is alone maketh request for us saith the Apostle not man himself Indeed the Spirit fitteth the Soul or heart of man to be his Instrument in the work of believing as the pen is the instrument of the writer in his writing but the believing is no more mans Believing then the Writing is the Pens Writing The Spirit openeth the blinde eyes of mans soul as the Prophet Psa 146. 8 Isai 29. 18 35 5 42. 7 saith and holdeth forth Jesus Christ and his Redemption by his precious blood payd his justification and salvation by the same and other his performances and by the power of the enlightening acting and guiding of the Spirit the blinde eyes of the Soul opened are the instruments of the Spirit fitted to behold see and apprehend Jesus Christ his Redemption made by the price of his blood payd his Justification and Salvation wrought out So that the believing of Gods Elect is none of their own work but the work of the Spirit every way it is onely the manifestation and evidence of Christ c. made by the opening the blind eyes of the reason and understanding to let in Christ and to be instruments for apprehending and applying the same to the soul And so the Apostle describeth or defineth faith Faith saith he is the evidence of things that are not seen Faith is Heb. 11. 1. the fruit of the spirit saith the Apostle not of man or the flesh but of the spirit yet not before redemption and justification effected Gal. 5 22 and perfected but only brought forth and manifested after redemption justification and salvation made sure which notwithstanding are first made manifest and known to the elected believer when by grace he is made a believer These premises plainly conclude that saith is not the cause efficient or maker of the Redemption of Christ effectual to man the believer nor the antecedent to justification and assurance to salvation but only the subsequent consequent or fruit following the manifestation and evidence of the same to the elect Believer where it pleaseth God to bestow this grace upon his Elect. And charity will not suffer us to doubt but that many which die before faith is manifest in them are of Gods Elect For no doubt but that the just God giveth his Christ all those he paid for with his precious blood And that neither the Devil Hell unbelief nor any sin can take them out of Christs hands nor hinder him of those he Ioh. 17. 12. v. 28. paid for Obj. The Apostle saith We conclude that a man is justified by Faith Therefore faith is the cause of justification Answ Faith is there meant of the manifestation of justification as Rom. 8. 28 if the Apostle had said we conclude that the justification of a man which first manifested and made known to him by believing or in Heb. 11. 1. believing then a man hath the first evidence thereof faith is the evidence of things that are not seen Obj. Christ saith he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. he that believeth not shall be damned therefore none shall be saved but those which believe none that are prevented by death which did not believe shall be saved Answ It is to be understood of those which slight despise and contemn the faith and believing in Jesus Christ the manifestation and knowing of Redemption justification and â—â—ivation only by Christ Obj. The Apostle saith as many as were ordained to eternal life or salvation believed therefore all that are ordained to eternal life Acts 18 48. do believe
not of any property King or Lord over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 3 It is Christ alone that is of property due right merit and interest King Priest and Prophet Lord Ruler Governor Lawgiver Judg Teacher and men only by account and grace so called and honored of Christ and they all to cast their crowns down to the ground before him and to give and ascribe all honor glory power might and Rev. 4. 10 majesty unto him which is all in all And thus the discovery of the Errors of Independents Anabaptists and Brownists touching Christs Government of his Church is made by the Spirit of grace and truth And also of the Error of the Legalists touching the same and their Reconciliation to the Truth by the grace and power of him that is able to open the eyes of the blind and bring him home that wandereth and goeth astray And certainly if Independents Legalists and all Dependants will acknowledg the undoubtable truth That Christ did ever give doth and will ever give his holy Spirit of Adoption to all of his Elect people to all of his Church catholique as the Apostle saith undoubtedly of all those We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And again He dwelleth in you and shal be in Rom. 8. 15 John 14. 1 Rom. 8. 9 2 Cor. 13. 5 you meaning by his Spirit And further If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his And yet further Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates And also if they will acknowledg That man hath no power nor wisdom to do any good thing of himself That all power unto good Psa 62. 11 Mat. 6. 13 belongeth unto good onely That his is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever as Christ himself taught And if they will acknowledg That Christ by his Spirit given to his Church disposed as he pleaseth doth worketh and bringeth forth all good things for publique and private for the whole Church and particular as well of ruling governing lawgiving ordering commanding judging teaching and guiding as also of obeying submitting and serving for his own honor and glory and for the good comfort and society of his people by or with such his instruments of men fitted by his Spirit as he pleaseth Then they must needs conclude That this is Christs Government of his Church which is made done and wrought by his Spirit by or with such fitted instruments of men as are held forth in the word of Grace and Testimonies and guided by his Spirit as he pleaseth having evidence of the fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering righteousness gentleness goodness faith meekness and temperance always accompanying the same Gal. 5. 22 And as Christ governeth his Church upon Earth by divers his fitted instruments of his Spirit called by him with his own names and titles Kings Princes Lords Rulers Governors Lawgivers Judges Bishops or Overseers Presbyters or Elders Pastors Teachers Deacons Ministers Helpers or whatsoever other names mentioned in the Word of Grace in such place and office of his as he pleaseth to make them fit for by his Spirit of Grace to be his instruments in his compleat Government of his Church and Republique thereof So Christ being the Head of his Church and being the Head of the whole body of his Church in all things upon Earth thus governed by him as the Apostle saith He hath undoubtedly his instruments of Eph. 4. 26 his Headship of his Church severed into many National Churches to which his Government belongeth And certainly to that instrument of Christ upon Earth which he hath fitted and placed for the first and principal of his Government in his ordination and subordination Christ is well pleased to account to him his honor and title of Head of that National Political and Parochial Church So Samuel the Prophet of God accounted the same to Saul being made King When 1 Sam. 11 17 thou wast little in thine own sight saith Samuel wast thou not made Head over the Tribes of Israel for the Lord anointed thee to be King over Israel And David the King praised the Lord saying Thou hast preserved me to be Head over Nations a Sam. 22 44 Now to Christ the Head saith the Apostle the whole body is coupled and knit together in every joynt for the increase of the body Eph. 4. 16 unto the edifying of itself in love So the whole body of the Church is coupled and knit to Christs instrumental Head for the good and benefit thereof in all things of goodness to be directed by the Head for the edifying of the whole in love Every body hath his head otherwise it were a monster The Body of Christ upon Earth cannot be without an Head of Christs upon Earth in which have rested all disquietness and questions of the Church from the beginning As in Moses Joshuah the Judges David Solomon and the rest of the good Kings in the Apostles of Christ and other the Heads of the Church ever sithence and from the beginning Non bona tam sequitur quà m bona prima fuit When the Son of man shall come shall he finde Faith upon the Luk. 18. 8 Earth JOHN 15. 5. Without me you can do nothing The right meaning and understanding of these words of Christ giveth light to the Truths in these Treatises which must needs be included in one of these six Expressions following First That Christ is the Helper of man in the good work Or secondly That Christ is a co-operator with man in the work Or thirdly That Christ is the Instrument of man in the work Or fourthly That man is the Helper of Christ in the work Or fifthly That man is the co-operator with Christ in the work Or sixthly That man is the Instrument only of Christ in the work Solut. If Christ be the Helper of man in the work then is man the beginner and master of the work the principal worker or workman of the work and man is exalted above Christ If Christ be a co-operator with man then Christ is only a partner with man in the work and so Christ hath only his share with man of the work Christ is disthroned If Christ be the Instrument of man in the work then Christ is not the doer of the work but man is the doer the work is wholly mans for the Instrument is only fitted guided and acted by the workman and so is Christ only fitted guided and acted by man if Christ be his Instrument man is exalted above Christ If man be the Helper of Christ in the good work then Christ is not able and strong enough or not sufficient to do and perform the good deed but hath need of mans Help so man is exalted which 2 Cor. 12 11 Gal. 6. 3 is nothing as the Apostle saith If man be a co-operator with Christ in the good work then man may of right claim a share in the work and of the work that is righteous and so man hath something to boast of contrary to the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. 16 and man is exalted If man be only by grace a fitted Instrument of Christ in his good and righteous work as he pleaseth then Christ is the only doer and workman of the work and the work is wholy Christs the honor wholy belongeth to him and man is so made graciously his Instrument also of the praise and glory of his grace especially for Christs accounting and imputing his own work and the righteousness thereof to man as Paul saith David said Blessed is the man to whom-the Lord imputeth righteousness without works of his own Ro. 4. 6 7 To this agreeth that of the Apostle Give or yield your members instruments of righteousness unto God And again Yet it was not Rom. 6 13 1 Cor. 15. 10 Mat. 10. 20 I that labored but the grace of God with me meaning in his instrument So Christ told his Disciples It is not you that speak but the Spirit of the Father in you you are but the instruments So David said My tongue is the pen of a ready writer that is the Psal 45 1 instrument of the Spirit of God as the pen is of the writer The pen writeth not without the writer no more can man do the good thing without Christ the doer as Christ saith in the Text Without me you can do nothing no not being the branches of the Vine the Elect of God The branch cannot bear and hold forth the fruit without the Vine and spirits thereof This way Christ indeed is exalted as God exalted him and any the other ways not so but dis-throned FINIS