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
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
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
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
corrupt man cannot give a pure heart Psal 51. 6. Prov. 23. 26. Answ Yes it is much benefit and good to men where Christ commandeth and teacheth although they cannot do it themlelves before God but onely outwardly before men and therefore the Apostle saith The Law is good if a man use it lawfully Tim. 1. 8. For although Christ holdeth forth his commandement to shew what all were bound to do before God which he hath undertaken and satisfied God for touching the Elect in him yet he also holdeth the same forth for the benefit and good of his church and people among themselves by his commanding and teaching and that many waies 1. For example and comfort to men although my well doing extendeth not to thee O Lord saith David yet it extendeth to the Saints upon earth and the Apostle adviseth to be carefull to Ps 16. 2. 3. do good works because they are good and profitable to men and therefore Christ said Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Maâ— 5. 16. The seeing of good works commanded by Christ done outwardly may move men to praise God before men And if men see others so humble as deny themselves to have any goodnesse to be nothing but sinfull it may be a means to make them smite their breasts and say Lord be mercifull to me a sinner 2. When Christ by his Ministers and Instruments holdeth forth his Word and teaching purely and truly it is a comfortable evidence Mat. 13. 4. 5. 8. to that people that there are some of Gods chosen ones some ordained to eternall life there When the sower went out to sow some of his seed fell upon good ground although some Act. 2. 41. upon bad There was some good ground there otherwise the wise sower would not have gone out to sow When the Apostle preached to those great multitudes at the glorious descending of the Holy Ghost upon them although some wondered some doubted some mocked some railed yet some there were that believed And when Paul preached at Antioch although no doubt Act. 13. 48 many there believed not yet so many there as were ordained to eternall life believed some believed 3. The Law and commandement of Christ is good and beneficiall to men for thereby they come to know sin to know their error which otherwise they could not do So Paul said he knew Rom. 7. 7. not sin but by the Law I had not known lust had been sin saith he if the Law had not said thou shalt not lust and again by the Law came the knowledge of sin It is a great good to a man that is Rom. 3. 20. out of his way to be told that he is out of his way but indeed it is a greater good to him to be told the right way The Law and command of God can tell thee that thou art out of the way but it cannot tell thee the right way But mark thou shalt hear a voice behind thee telling thee this is the way saith Isa 30. 31. the Prophet The Law may tell thee of sin and transgression but the Law cannot tell thee of Christ which is the right way the only way in truth to heaven who saith I am the way and truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me saith Christ he that climeth another way is a thief and a robber O take heed ye be be not found as these thieves and robbers It is the voice behind that telleth of Christ the way the right way the gospel the voice of the Son of God in the gospel that came behind after the law that telleth thee of Christ the right way to walk in to the Father in heaven The law now telleth of death but not of life although it was at first ordained unto life for saith Paul that which was ordained unto life is now found to be unto me unto death The letter killeth saith Paul it is the spirit that giveth life The Law that telleth a man his error is a benefit although the gospel be a Rom. 7. 10. much greater good to man that telleth him of Christ the right way to heaven 4. The holding forth of the law and commandement is beneficiall to men Christ in the Scriptures speaketh of his Law and commandements as he doth of afflictions They are say the Prophets as a wall of fire and as an hedg of Zach. 2. 3. Hos 2. 5. 6 7. thorns to keep men from transgressing sinning and going beyond their bounds The curse thunderings and threatnings of the commandement doth scare and feare corrupt man in sinning in evill and mischief And this is much for the good and safety of Gods chosen people which are among the reprobate as sheep among wolves as Christ speaketh I send you as sheep among wolves 5. The holding forth of the commandement is to the great benefit Mat. 10. 16. 17. and comfortable good of believers in Jesus Christ for it hath resemblance to the brazen Serpent that Moses set up in the wildernesse which had the form of the serpent that wounded man and it had the figure of Jesus Christ that healed man So the commandement held forth hath the form of the law that condemned man and it hath the figure of Jesus Christ and his performances that saveth man which is cleerly represented to believers in Jesus Christ therein For it sheweth what Jesus Christ hath done for them the chains they were bound in the curse they were under and their deliverance It sheweth what Jesus Christ hath done for them in himself for their justification and salvation in fulfilling of the hard law and commandement impossible for them to have done or to do before God I came saith he to fulfill the law And it representeth to believers the undertaking of Christ of all these with God the Father of mercies from the beginning for all those chosen in him to do the whole will of God for their justification and salvation in himself and also in them by his spirit sent unto them for manifestation evidence and witnesses to them of all undertaken and done for them to Gods satisfaction and their salvation by Christ as in his own words is held forth where he saith Lo I come to do thy will O God c. Heb. 10. 9. And the Law and Commandement thus held forth as the Apostle saith he usually did for the Gospells sake become a Gospell to believers a witnesse of life and not of death to Believers 1 Cor 9. 23. As in this commandement of self-deniall in the Text if it be holden forth to shew what Christ hath done for his people in himself in denying of himself for them who being in the forme of God and equall with God made himself of no reputation took upon him the â—orm of a servant ana was made like unto men and was
Phi. 6. 7 8. found in shape as a man humbled himself and became obedient to the death even to the death of the Crosse and all this done of Christ imputed to them and made theirs of grace and witnessed by the work of the Spirit in them this hard commandement to corrupt man becometh now a Gospell to the Believers Indeed this and other the commandements are commonly taken and held forth to Gods people under grace in the form of the Law of works as it was held forth to Adam in innocency when he had power and freewill to do where the command and the condition was keep this do this and live eternally break this and die eternally as if men had now power and free will to doe the command as Adam had before he lost for himself and all And some held forth the commandement thus only the curse and commination thereof to be taken away to Gods chosen people by Christ but that they are still bounp to do the command to indeavour rnd do something thereof themselves before God that the commandements remain stil as a rule for them to follow in Gods sight to please God to enjoy life to come to the Father without which themselves indeavouring and doing they cannot come to the Father in heaven But I take it they might more truly say by such indeavouring and doing the command themselves no man shall or can come to the Father in heaven For mark good people of God what Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me I am the door no man entreth to the Father but by me and he that Joh. 14 6. Joh. 10. 19. Joh. 10. 9. climbeth up another way is a thief and a robber Christ is the onely way that the Father hath graciously made for all his chosen ones to come to him by Jesus Christ is his beloved Son in whom the Father is only pleased This is the honor that the Father hath given him for his undertaking work and performance for poor lost man to Gods satisfaction and man salvation If any man therefore holdeth himself forth to please God to climbe up to the Father by his own indeavours devotions and performances he robbeth Christ of his honor of the honor only due to him and therefore saith Christ he is a thiefe and a robber If a King should for speciall love and service done to him give to his son that honor that no man should come to him into his presence but by this his Son And if any man should be so bold as to indeavour another way to come to the King both the King and his Son must needs think it a great affront and wrong and dishonor done to them But poor proud man do what thou canst of the commandement to please God to make thy way to come to the Father yet thou canst not do so much as the Pharisees Herod Judas and Demas did which although they were much in mens estimation yet they are accounted in the Scriptures to be but Thieves Robbers APPLICATION THat where the Spirit of Christ is it worketh up consideration of these things and therefore David saith O consider this Use 〈◊〉 you that forget God least he pluck you away and tear you in pieces Psa 50. 22. and there be none to deliver you Where the consideration of these things is not there is the evidence of Gods wrath that he will tear them in pieces and there shall be none to deliver them where meat is not chewed there is little nourishment and where the Word of God is not considered there is little edification The gold of the Sanctuary was all weighed the Bereans searched Act. 17. 13. whether those things preached were so or no to their commendation But where the things of God passe away as they come without consideration it is a token and evidence that the Spirit of Christ is not there that they are not the children of God but the children of Wrath. Use 2. Reproveth all mens Pharisaical pride and boasting of their own goodness honesty holiness and righteousness one saith I am good honest just a Saint another saith I am better then thou and another saith I am not as other men are whenas all are naught as an unclean thing before God in themselves The more any man boasteth and seeketh the praise of men the worse he is before God and therefore Christ saith Woe be to you when all men speak well of you Vse 3. Reproveth the high conceipt of inherent holiness and righteousness in man by the sanctification of the Spirit whereby Luct 16 15 he can do and dâ—th the works of holiness and righteousness before God as the Agent thereof as they hold And it reproveth all Popes holiness to be Saints in themselves and to be able to sanctifie other persons and things by their inherent holiness when as it is clear if any men have had or have any holiness and righteousness in themselves their souls or bodies then no doubt but David Esay Paul had the same as manifest as any other But it is shewed before that they all deny the same they deny themselves to be holy good righteous or to have had any such goodness inherent in themselves or to have themselves done any works of goodnes holines or righteousnes before God They have acknowledged themselves to be unclean carnal corrupt not any good thing dwelling in themselves their inherent holiness and Phil. 3. 8. righteousness in themselves to be nothing but filthiness loss and dung before God that they found no means to do the thing that is good before God Use 4. Reproveth the idolatrous opinion of many that think and affirm that their prayers and the prayers of esteemed righteous men have power to move God and prevail with God to do them good to forgive them their sins to keep and turn evils from them and to deliver them from evils upon them that there is much good and vertue in mens prayers and this they think they have sure ground of Scripture for for say they Object Jâ—sus taught his Disciples to pray for all these things in that which they call the Lords Prayer Christ commandeth to pray and promiseth to give to them that ask and pray and his Thes 5. 17. Apostles command the churches to whom they wrote to pray continually and say The prayer of the faithful availeth much and â—am 5. 16. to make Gods promises good unto prayer the Scripture saith Moses prayed and the Israelites overcame the Amalekites in the Battel Eliah prayed and God sent rain Iam. 5. 18 Answ All these set forth in the Scriptures are true and good But yet if thou thinkest and affirmest that thine own prayers and the prayers of other men have power and strength to move God to prevail with God to do thee or them good to forgive thy sins to keep thee from evil to turn evil
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
performance of Jesus Christ and preserved through his performance and grace in them until they be by him presented 1 Thes 5. 23 blameless at his coming Q. Doth not God require good performances of his Elect to further their Salvation A. God knoweth that his Elect as themselves are able to perform nothing that is good not to will or think any thing that is good Rom. 7. 18 Phil. 2. 13 2 Cor. 3. 5 So saith his Apostle Paul I find no means to perform that which is good It is God that worketh in us the will and the deed of his own good pleasure We cannot think any thing of our selves that is good Therefore God will not require of his beloved Elect ones that which he knoweth they cannot dâ— No man will require him which he loveth to do and perform that which he knoweth he cannot do No man will lay a burthen upon his beast which he knoweth he cannot bear God did never require of his Elect performance of his Law and Commands before himself after the had lost the power of performing but of his love and grace provided a power to perform for them a Christ and Redeemer which undertook to do hath done and doth all and those great things in them and for them by his wisdom and strength as how and when it pleaseth him making them and their members of soul and body instruments of his righteous works which of his great grace he calleth their works and performances For which reason Paul which said he found no means meaning in himself to perform any thing that is good or to will or Phil. 4. 13 think any good of himself saith also I am able to do all things through the help of Christ which strengtheneth me that is through Christs power his members were Christs able Instruments of doing all things righteous as he pleaseth of Christs grace accounted his righteous doings as Paul saith David declareth the blessedness of man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works that Rom. 4 6 is when God imputeth Christs righteous works unto man whereby he is onely satisfied and pleased with man without mans own works Q. Hath Christ undertaken to perform and doth Christ perform all things for the Elect before God that they have liberty of idleness to do nothing to live licentiously A. The Elect of God are least idle having in manifestation received the Spirit of adoption they are no less idle then the Spirit can be idle in them which in them is as the tree of Life yielding forth fruit continually The fruit of the Spirit is faith love joy peace Apoc. 22. 2 Gal. 5. 22 meekness goodness righteousness c. The Spirit which as a King ruleth in them maketh their members instruments as it pleaseth of all such righteous works and performances so that the righteousness of Christ will shine in them Q. Why doth Christ in the Evangelists and the Apostles of Christ in their Epistles and writings give so many precepts and exhortations to the people and Churches of the faithful for performances to be made by them as to believe to love to deny themselves to pray to obey to do justly and forbidding them to do the contrary yea and further upon penalty for not doing the precept and doing the contrary that they shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but shall be cast into utter darkness which is Hell A. All such Precepts and Exhortations of Christ and his Apostles are not to charge the Elect with performances of duties before God by those precepts which they are in no part able to perform sithence man lost his power of performing but to shew and set forth to the Elect and Reprobate the power that Adam and all mankinde then in Adam had to perform all those Precepts and Exhortations before is Fall in the sight of God and to shew the authority justice and righteousness of the Command in commanding those holy and good duties and the justness of God in the fearful and miserable penalty of the transgression to be certainly executed upon the reprobate such as are without Christ the Redeemer and Performer of those precepts for them having by their own fault when they had power lost their power of performing And to shew that as the transgression of the reprobate encrease and multiply so the penalty and misery encreaseth and multiplyeth dayly and that by such terrors continually proclaimed by the Ministers of God the reprobate may be abated of their envious and mischievous transgression to the greater safety of Gods Elect. And yet further these precepts were written that the Elect of God finding in themselves no more power left to perform them then the very reprobate have which is only before men may behold their blind eyes being opened by Christ the unspeakable love mercy and grace of God towards them in their Election in the promised seed to them and for them in the performances of Jesus Christ the promised seed of those holy precepts first and last for them which themselves neither had nor have any power to perform sithence the general fall and loss Further yet Christ in his Evangelists and Apostles writings doth hold forth these precepts to the Churches that the faithful hearing and seeing these Precepts and Commandments which were ordained to life but are now unto death as the Apostle saith The same Commandment which was ordained unto life was found to be unto me unto Rom. 7. 10 death might in their infirmities and transgressions by Christ and his love be gathered together as chickens under the cover of his wings as Christ himself speaketh How often would I have gathered you together even as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings Mat. 23 37 that so their eyes being opened by Christ to see the goodness and love of Christ the love of Christ might constrain them to yield their hearts and members instruments of his love to God and man before men as the Apostle saith The love of Christ hath constrained us 2 Cor. 5. 14 Q. If it be so that the Commandment sithence it was broken by man be now unto the death of man and no way unto life which was first ordained unto life and was by ordination unto life to all men before it was broken by man in power to have kept it and done it and if man now have lost all power of doing the Commandment before God for ever by the first breaking thereof whether is it in the Office of the Ministers and Preachers amongst us now to read and preach the Law and Commandment to the people for they cannot hold forthlife or comfort to them from the Commandment or if it be in their Office how to preach the Commandment and to whom A. It is the proper Office of the Ministers of Christ as the fitted instruments of Christs Spirit to preach the Gospel of salvation and life and only occasionally to preach the Law and Commandment for the
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