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
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
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
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
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
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
Peace Righteousnesse Society Safety and Comfort among themselves which without a Law could not have government Peace Righteousness and Safety before men especially in regard of many Hypocrites in closing themselves among the Elect of God as Wolves among Sheep And that those his redeemed People should do and performe in the will and power that they had left them these his Commandements in righteousnesse before men for worship to God Peace Safety Society and comfort among themselves upon temporall reward and penalty And that the will worke and doing of the same his Commandement being the fruits of his Spirit wrought up in their hearts where and as hee pleased might witness unto them that they are Christs redeemed ones that they have his Spirit and are the children of God as the Apostle saith the spirit received doth witness with our soules and spirits Rom. 8. 16. that we are the children of God So these confounding the Law and Commandement of God given to man in absolute Justice having absolute Free-will and power upon the condition of absolute eternall life and death for keeping and breaking the same still remaining written in the hearts of all Mankinde their Free-will and power being wholly corrupted and weakened through the transgression and the Law and Commandement of Christ given in grace to his Church the chosen of God in him whereby Mercy and Truth met together Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other upon temporall reward Psal 85. 10. and penalty for keeping and breaking the same before men for the condition of the reward and penalty could not be eternall of keeping breaking the Commandement of Christ given in grace For that the eternall reward of righteousnesse to man before God consisteth onely in the Work and Merit of Christ for man in Christ himself performed before God imputed unto man Gods chosen without any will or worke of mans And the eternall penalty of all the sinne and transgression of Gods chosen and Christs redeemed is paid and satisfied by Christs Death and Bloud from the beginning before God in the fulnesse of him before them Although those that are Gods chosen and those that are not Gods may have will and power to keep the Commandement before men yet they neither have such will or power as to keepe it before God to eternall reward Quest Christ commandeth those hee called and sent to go and teach all Nations what is that teaching of Christ that hee intendeth Mat. 28. 89. Ans First I take it In that Christ commandeth to go and teach Mar. 16. 6. all Nations hee intendeth not to all of all Nations not to cast Pearles among Swine which turning againe will rend them that teach them but to teach such of all Nations as will submit to their Mat. 7. 6. teaching Secondly that they should teach all them of all Nations that did submit to the Gospell of Jesus Christ Which is the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ That is that God so loved the world which hee intended to make that hee fore-knowing that mankinde would transgresse his command and become the children of wrath did purpose and in his Mercy and Love did choose some as he pleased of the world of those children of wrath in Christ his onely Son eternall with himselfe before the world to be his children holy and without blame before him in love as the Apostle saith and the Father of love and mercy having Eph. 1. 4. pleased to give his Sonne the Christ to performe all things both in doing and suffering to the full satisfaction of his Justice for their delivering from thence full setling of those his chosen ones his love and favour for ever who did in present understand to doe the will of the Father saying Lo I come to doe thy will O Heb. 10. 7 8 9 God did also in present performe the same undertaken before God and before men in fulness of time to Gods satisfaction evermore that nothing hereafter is to be shall or can be laid to the charge of Gods chosen before God as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 33 shall 〈◊〉 any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth the◠That Gods chosen People are no more under the law of eternall condemnation but under grace evermore And that those of Gods chosen people unto whom it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ to give his holy Spirit so farre as by his Spirit to worke in their hearts the fruit of his spirit of believing and faith the same which the spirit doth witness and evidence to their hearts and soules that they are the chosen of God in Christ and justified of God through Christ before the world in Gods sight Rom. 6. 14 that they are no more under the Law but grace that they are the children of God c. This Gospel is the draw-net of Christ that Mat. 13. 47 gathereth of all kindes some This was that which the Gentiles Acts 13. 42 hearing desired Paul to preach the same word to them the next Sabbath Day Quest Is the teaching of Christ commanded to those he sent no teaching but of his Gospel to all Nations Answ Yes it is the teaching of his Law for the government of those before men which hee hath gathered by his Gospell for worship to God for Peace Society Safety Comfort and Righteousness among men themselves which could not be without a Law and government and this government of his Church lieth upon Christs Shoulders as the Prophet saith God which was pleased to suffer the children of wrath for the Esa 9. 6. time hee pleased to shew his wrath and make his power knowne was pleased to write his Law in their minds given to mankinde Rom. 1. in generall for government among themselves before men and whereby their consciences accuse and excuse one another and Rom. 2. whereby they know sinne and what deserveth death and there as the Apostle saith other wise there could have been no society among them But Christ giveth his Law for government to his Church not onely to know sinne by the teaching thereof and to shunne sinne as all naturall men have will and power to doe although weakly in their corruption but also that they may yeild themselves to be Rom. 6. 13 instruments of the worke of his spirit in the shunning of sinne inwardly in their hearts and of knowing what Christ hath done for them in himselfe before God in performing of the full righteousnesse of his Lawes and Commande to their peace with God and that the worke of the spirit in those of his Commandements being the fruits of his Spirit whereof they are made instruments may evidence witnesse and assure to them Rom. 8. 16 that they are the children of God chosen of God in Christ justified through Christ and redeemed by Christs payment to God and his performance of all to God for them in Gods sight and acceptance before the
of the deeds of the Flesh in the Elect by power of the spirit in them And though the Law of Moses was added because of transgession servient to civilize and moralize by the reprobate and the Elect by the common corrupt Light Reason Knowledge and Understanding there is remaining to them both in their corrupt nature whereby they also do many things though fayling and corruptly and that according to that Law good in the estimation of men yet there is great difference betwixt these corrupted workes and doings of the Law of Moses wrought by the onely Power Light and Reason of Nature so remaining in man and the works and fruits of the spirit of Christ in the Elect of God which have received the spirit of adoption whereof by grace they are made the instruments of the spirit the branches of the Vine to beare forth the fruit of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Love Joy Peace Gentlenesse Long-suffering Goodnesse 〈◊〉 Temperance and such like commanded in the Spirituall Law of God For the corrupt Power Light Reason of Nature bringeth forth love fained more or lesse Love to Friends to those that Love Mat. 5. 10 Rom. 12. 2 them But the spirit of Christ bringeth love without dissimulation love to enemies The corrupt light of nature brings forth faith that Joh. 14. 1 is such as drinke love from God but not in Christ But the spirit of Christ bringeth forth faith unfained faith in God and in love of 1 Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 Christ For mans power of believing can go no further then Adams in innocency know God but no other Eph. 14. 1. Therefore Christ said you believe in God believe also in Mee Certainely man hath corrupted power left him in his corrupt nature That hee can weakly and corruptly know the righteous Law Rom. 1. 19 and Commandement of God for that the Apostle saith what so ever is to be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them yea the Apostle saith they know the Law of God how that they which commit such things are worthy of death And man hath not onely power left by nature to know the just Law though weakly but also to believe God in the same That hee that doth it shall live and he that doth it not shall die yea also hee hath reason though corrupt to discerne to judge to pray to obey to repent to endeavour the same though all these weakely and corruptly Which of these powers of nature and duties of the Law did not Caine Ismael Esau Pharo Saul Ahab Baalam Balach and Judas doe exercise and use the Scribes and Parisees Heathens and Publicans did and doe the same yea the Divels themselves confesse God and his Christ They believe and tremble they pray Christ for many things this power of theirs conrupted Iam. 2. 19 Mat. 8. 31 nature remaineth to them all the power of mans nature corrupted remaineth to him And naturall man doth not of his power left these things onely outwardly but also inwardly and according to his corrupt heart termed conscience and therefore counteth it righteousnesse yea in some through morall helpes of Examples Education Teaching and Industry is exceeding Righteousnesse in the Estimation of men as Paul accounted those of himselfe advantageous righteousnesse righteousnesse that would doe him much good with God but Christ manifesting himselfe Phil. 3. 7 8 9 unto him hee then thought counted and judged them all to be losse and dunge for Christs sake for the excellent Knowledge of Christ for to injoy Christ And desired to be found in Christ not having his own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ even the righteousnesse which is of God through Faith because that which is Christs imputed and accounted to man of grace is onely in estimation with God and nothing of mans own though never so seemly according to the Law and Commandement as his Faith and obedience repentance and all righteousnesse thereof Object Christ commandeth Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Christ calleth their workes good workes that he exhorteth Mat. 5. 16. them to doe yea shining good workes before men such as whereby the Father in Heaven is or may be glorified as may bring glory before men to God surely Gods glory is in estimation with God as good and so these are good workes that cause and bring Gods glory even in Gods respect Answ Christ as God hath authority to exhort and command men what hee pleaseth in his corrupted state to do the righteous workes of the Law and Commandement God lost not of his Power by mans sinne though man lost of his own power that God had indowed him withall in his Creation by his sinning And man corrupted is still under the command and Law of God as hee is naturall and hath corrupt knowledge of the same and the righteousnesse thereof and corrupt power left him to indeavout or doe the worke of the Law and Command yet his knowledge and power being wholy corrupted leavened in every part by sinne for the Apostle saith A little leven leveneth the whole Iump all mans indeavours and woe therefore must needs be 1 Cor. 4. corrupted and leavened and so not good and righteous in the sight and estimation of good though never so seemly good in the sight and estimation of men God doth not approve of the same as good to his honour and glory being leavened with corruption and sinne which is loathsome and pollution to his Purenes Yet these workes may be good and to Gods glory in the corrupt sight estimation of men And that which Christ exhorteth unto is the good and righteous worke to Gods glory in the estimation of men Man doth not the worke that glorifieth God in Gods owne estimation nor can doe that Yet those which are Christs Elected of God doe the righteous and good workes of the Commandement in Christ and the same done of Christ is of grace is imputed and accounted to them whereby God hath great glory yea and is held forth in them and by them as hee pleaseth to make them the instruments of his Spirit then to elect to Gods glory Usefull Meditations and Resolutions THe Apostle saith Christ is all in all Col. 3. 11. I take it the meaning is all goodnesse righteousnesse holinesse to God all that pleaseth and is in acceptance to God for man And Christ is in all that are good righteous holy pleasing and acceptable to 2 Cor. 13. 5 God through him do yee not know that except Christ Jesus be in you yee are reprobates saith the Apostle And it is only in Christ in them that they are good righteous holy pleasing and accepted with God it is Christ and that which is Christs which is only in respect and esteem with God and nothing of our own as David saith my goodnes
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
angry and displeased still where Christ hath satisfied and appeased who shall satisfie and appease If God be angry still when Christ hath finished his satisfaction who shall satisfie afterward Obj. The Apostle saith That the Ethnicks which have no evidence but of the children of wrath do know the law or righteousness Rom. 1. 31 of God how that they which commit such things as are contrary are worthy of death and their thoughts or consciences are accusing or excusing one another and this they have by the corrupt light of Rom. 2. 14 15 Nature left them Therefore the Ethnicks know when their conscience accuseth them that they displease God in their performances and when their conscience excuse them that they please God in their performances A. It is certain the Ethnicks and all natural men know the Law of God yea that which is to be known of God as the Apostle saith enough to charge their consciences with good and evil with life and death in their performances And although their accusing conscience do manifest to them that they displease God and are worthy of death for committing such things yet their excusing conscience cannot assure them that they please God by any of their performances For the Apostle saith Although I know nothing by my self 1 Cor 4. 4. yet I am not there by justified I have no assurance that thereby I please God although my conscience excuse me Q. Was not the Law written in Tables of stone by Christ and given after by Moses to the Church of Israel the chosen people of God then in visibility the same Law that was given of God to man when man had power to perform the same before his Fall Ans It was the same partly in matter and wholly in form of holiness and righteousness but not the same in condition and circumstance For first The Law given to Adam was by God as the Creator when man had power in himself to have performed the full righteousness of the same before God and man but Moses Law so called was given by God the Undertaker and Redeemer of Gods chosen to them when they had no power to perform the righteousness of this Law before God nor of that Law Secondly That Law was That man should do it and live evermore and should dye eternally if he did it not but this Law is That man Gen. 3. 3. Luk. 10. 18 shall have temporal reward long life upon earth and the like if he doth it and shall have temporal death and punishment if he doth it not or doth the contrary to it so held forth in the whole discourse of this Law written Thirdly In that Law Justice had only place If thou dost this thou shalt live If thou dost not this thou shalt dye but in this Law of Moses faith in Christ self-denyal prayer and repentance have place and upon faith in Christ self-denyal prayer and repentance mercy and forgiveness have place but neither faith in Christ self-denyal prayer repentance mercy nor forgiveness have place in that Law only of Justice made and given of God to man in power and if prayer repentance mercy and forgiveness had had place in that Law no doubt but the good God would of Justice have had patience for Adams repentance for Adam in time might have repented had mercy and forgiveness and lived eternally and his posterity and so there should have been no need of a Christ a Saviour and Redeemer of man Fourthly The Preface to the Decalogue where it is said God spake these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage c. do shew plainly the giver of this Law was our God and Christ the Undertaker Redeemer Saviour and Deliverer of Gods chosen people in grace and that the same was given in grace for the Government of his Church and people for worship to God before men for righteousness society and safety among themselves Fifthly That Law was given to Adam requiring performance of the righteousness thereof before God and before men but this Law was given requiring performance of the righteousness thereof only before men for if this Christs Law were for performing of righteousness before God as Adams Law was with condition of everlasting death for breaking of the same then sin would have the dominion then all the chosen of God should be under the Law of death and not under the grace of life because no man can keep this Law in righteousness before God in the least Q. Have Gods Elect power to perform the righteousness of this Law of Christ before men A. This Law of Christ is outward in appearance to men and man seeth but according to the outward appearance and this Law is inward 1 Sam. 16. 7 Rom. 7. 14 and spiritual as the Apostle saith the Law is spiritual Now as this Law is outward in appearance to man man hath power to perform the righteousness thereof before men for although the power of man be so corrupted that he can perform no righteousness before God yet he may perform the righteousness of the Law in appearance before men So Christ said the Pharisees did perform the outward righteousness of this Law before men and Herod did many things in the righteousness of this Law as he was taught of Iohn Baptist and Paul called his performance of the righteousness of this Law his own righteousness Phi. 3. 8 9 which he desired he might not be found in but counted the same loss and dung in comparison of the righteousness which is of Christ David said I will run the way of thy Commandments and Ps 119. 32 Zachary and Elizabeth are said to have walked in the Commandments of the Lord without reproof of men So we see that men may Luke 1. 6. perform the righteousness of this Law of Christ before men in appearance to men yea hypocrites as the Pharisees and Herod much rather the chosen people of God which have the work of the Spirit thereto in their souls and hearts If man had had no power to perform the righteousness of this Law before men it had not been love nor justice in Christ to have charged Gods chosen people to perform this Law upon pain There is no just and charitable man that will lay a burden upon his beast that he knoweth he cannot bear Q. But can the Elect of God perform this Law of Christ as it is spiritual A. No that cannot be for Paul said The Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin and transgression meaning of the Law as it is spiritual Q. How is this Law of Christ given to Gods chosen performed of them which cannot perform the same themselves as it is spiritual A. Christ their Undertaker and Giver of this Law as it is spiritual doth perform the same in them by his Spirit promised and sent unto them and this is the special
cause of the sending and giving of the Holy Spirit to Gods chosen people to act the same in them and thereby to evidence and witness to them that they are Gods chosen in Christ and his adopted children through Christ and that Christs performances in himself and in them are all imputed to them and made theirs by his grace of imputation therefore Austin said Do Lord that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt Q. Doth not mans performance of this Law as it is outward in righteousness before men please God and justisie the performers thereof before God A. No for then they that shew unto men that they do perform the duties of this Law as that they beleeve love pray give thanks repent shew mercy and forgive c. should all please God and be justified before God then the Scribes and Pharisees and other like hypocrites should have pleased God and been justified before God and Judas himself should be justified before God for although Judas did wickedly yet it is written that Judas repented himself before men to give satisfaction to men for his repentance therefore it is written he Mat. 27. 3 repented but this outward performance did not justifie any of these before God nor please God Q. Doth not the performance of this Law as it is inward and spiritual made by the Spirit of Christ in man called therefore spiritual gifts spiritual faith spiritual love spiritual repentance c. 1 Cor. 14. 1 12. justifie Gods chosen people before God A. No that cannot be for although the performance of the Spirit it self be righteous in the sight of God yet this performance being made with the instrument of corrupt man his corrupt heart soul or members the same cannot be pure as coming through corrupt man in the sight of God as pure water coming from a pure fountain through a defiled conduit or channel cannot be pure although serviceable someway in the end To this the Apostle saith By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified He doth not say by mans own works of the Law or by the outward works of the Law but by the works of the Law whatsoever they be outward or inward for indeed this Law was not given to justifie men before God by the performance thereof but for the government of Christs Church upon Earth and by the spiritual performance thereof to evidence and witness to Gods chosen people that they are the children of God for if they find in themselves the faithful performance thereof in singleness of heart they may thereby know that they have received the Spirit of Adoption and the same Spirit doth witness with their souls that they are the children of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 16 Q. We see that Christ in this his Law commandeth his people to perform the Law as it is spiritual to do the inward and spiritual work of his Law he requireth truth in the inward parts obedience and service in singleness of heart love without dissimulation prayer according to the will of God repentance from the bottom of the heart which man himself being carnal sold under sin and transgression as Paul was in his best estate although chosen of God cannot perform Why doth Christ command the chosen of God to do the same that he knoweth they cannot do and for the performance of which in them he promiseth sendeth and giveth his holy Spirit to them as he pleaseth A. Christs giving this his Command is like his sending of John Baptist John Baptist was sent to prepare the way of Christ not to do the work of Christ So the Commandment is given to prepare the way of the Spirit not to do the work of the Spirit John Baptist was sent for the bringing down of every mountain hill Luk. 3 4 5 for humbling of the proud carnal man of Gods people and this Command was given of Christ to them to humble the flesh which is contrary to the Spirit and in itself resisteth always that so the Gal. 5. 17 corrupt heart and members may be prepared and fitted instruments of the Spirit to the spiritual work And to this purpose is the word of the Apostle Give or yield your members weapons or instruments Rom. 6. 13 19. of righteousness unto God unto Gods holy Spirit that the Spirit may do the spiritual work in you Q. Hath the Command of Christ power to humble fit and prepare the carnal man of Gods chosen to the way and instrumental service of the Spirit in the spiritual work A. Yea that it hath for his Word is mighty in operation as the Heb. 4 12 Psa 148. 5 Apostle saith He commanded and all things were created said David The power of Christs Command is not shortened where it intendeth Q. Then the preaching and hearing of the whole Law of Christ is useful to Gods chosen people A. Yea that it is if it be preached and heard lawfully for the Apostle saith The Law is good if we use it lawfully The preaching 1 Tim. 1. 8 and hearing of the Law as it is outward and spiritual iâ— good if the preaching and hearing thereof be to the preparing of the way to the Spirit to do the spiritual work of the Command of Christ the Undertaker that Christ may have all the honor praise and glory of the work But for man to preach and hold forth the Law and Command of Christ that man himself can and must do the spiritual work which Christ only can do to please God to be in acceptance with God to obtain Gods goodness as to beleeve and by his beleeving to be justified by his obedience and endeavoring to do duties to please God and to be accepted with God by and for his repentance to have mercy and forgiveness and recovery of life and all lost by sin this is Robbery and Idolatry It is Robbery because they take away that which is only Christs to themselves to do the spiritual work to please God to make acceptance with God to obtain Gods goodness by their performance and mercy and forgiveness by their repentance And it is Idolatry because they they praise set up and esteem highly of their own work their beleeving or faith their prayers their doing of duties and the like who although they thank God for it as the Pharisee did yet they listen after their own praise and reputation for the same despising others He that climbeth up to the sheepfold another way then by me Iohn 10. 2 is a Thief and a Robber saith Christ He that sacrificeth to his own nets is an Idolater Hab. 1. 16 Q. Was this Law of Christ written in tables of stone and given in grace to his Church of Israel the chosen people of God for the Government of that his Church given before that to his Church he had upon Earth the chosen people of God as to his Church in Adams family in Noahs family Abrahams Lots and the
people of Israel to be blessed of God Gods chosen people yet for wages and gain he would have done them any mischief he might The perishing and destruction of Corah was his slighting and gainsaying of the Ordinance of Christ in the Ministry and Ministers thereof called and sent by his Ordinance for the gain of honor and the rest to himself His woe was not against Cain Balaam and Corah but against those and such in the last days that walk in their ways who in pride and covetousness of the riches and honors of this world trample under foot the Son of God his Laws and Ordinances for the government of his Church upon Earth his worship and honor among men c. and for righteousness peace society and safety among men themselves Q. Is not this Law of Christ given to his Church of Gods chosen people Iustification before God and eternal Life to the keepers and doers of that Law and Commandment for or by the keeping and doing thereof before men and condemnation before God and eternal death to the neglecters and breakers thereof before men for neglecting and breaking the same A. No that cannot be so for the holy Scriptures shew plainly the contrary in many places First Paul saith of himself and all Gods chosen people He hath chosen us in Christ before the World to be holy and without blame before him in love which must needs be understood thus God foreseeing and foreknowing before the world all men to become the children of wrath by transgression he of love and free grace was pleased to chuse some of them then before himself to be his adopted children through Christ to be holy and without blame before him in love and being chosen are justified and have eternal life in Christ So the same Paul which saith God hath chosen us in Christ before the world c. saith We were all the children of wrath as well as others before God before that of Gods love and free grace we were chosen in Christ out of the general company of the children of wrath to be the children of God but now being chosen in Christ to be the children of God we are not nor can be the children of wrath again for Christ loseth none chosen in him none taketh them out of his hand that the Father hath given him Now to affirm and hold forth that Justification and eternal Life cometh to man for or by his keeping and doing of the Law and Commandment of Christ given to Gods people and in Tables of stone written long after Gods Election of them before the world manifested in the Scripture and that condemnation and eternal death cometh to them for the breaking and neglecting thereof before men is to disable dishonor and nullifie the gracious act of Gods Election in Christ of those he pleased before the world to be his loved children and to leave the rest in the condemnation of their own transgression Secondly The Apostle saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that justifieth them being chosen of God Rom. 8. 33 they are justified of God none after they are chosen of God shall or can lay any thing to their charge therefore their Justification before God or condemnation eternal life or eternal death doth not depend upon their keeping or breaking the Law of Christ given for the government of his Church upon Earth although indeed it may manifest the same Thirdly The Apostle saith If Iustification before God and eternal life be of the Works of the Law they are not of Grace But the Apostle affirmeth That Gods chosen are justified freely by grace and not by the Works of the Law Fourthly The Apostle citing other Scriptures saith Before Iacob and Esau were born and had done good or evil that the purpose of God might remain according to Election not by works but Rom. 9. 11 13 by him that calleth God loved Iacob and hated Esau It was because God of love and free grace had Elected Iacob in Christ before the world that God continued his love to Iacob and because Esau was left in the wrath of his transgression in Adam that God continued his wrath and hatred to Esau Fifthly If mans Justification before God should depend upon his keeping and doing of the Law and Commandment of Christ there were no man could be justified and saved for the Apostle saith In many things we offend all and his repentance that is finite and temporal could not satisfie the trespass done before and against the infinite God which it must do in justice if Christs Law were with condition of everlasting life and everlasting death for keeping and breaking of the Commandment Q. Is there no good nor benefit to Gods chosen people by keeping and doing the Law and Commandment of Christ carefully and in singleness of heart nor no damage nor danger to them by breaking and neglecting the same before men A. Yes Gods chosen people have two special benefits by the keeping and doing of the Law and commandment of Christ before men in singleness of heart and carefully First They have the temporal reward in the condition promised and held forth in the holy Scriptures In keeping of them there is Psa 19. 11 58. 11 great reward saith David And again Doubtless there is a reward for the righteous And they have much more then is manifested prepared of Christ for their reward of grace The things which eye hath not seen neither ear hath heard 1 Cor. 2. 9 neither came into mans heart hath Christ our God prepared for them that love him saith the Apostle Secondly They have the evidence of the Spirit of Christs work in their hearts for the carefulness and singleness of heart is the work and fruit of the Spirit which they as branches of the Vine Christ do onely bear and bring forth of grace as instruments wherewith the Spirit doth the work and imputeth it to them of grace as Paul said It was not I but the grace of God with me And the Spirit by 1 Cor. 15. 10 Rom. 8. 16 such evidence received doth witness to their Souls that they are Gods children And the damage and danger to Gods chosen people is great by breaking and neglecting this Law and command of Christ For first they lose the said reward of keeping and doing the same when they break it and neglect it they forsake their own mercies Secondly They are liable to the temporal penalties and are sure thereof without repentance of their offences before men And hereupon it is that Christ our God shaketh his rod of Judgments so often in the Scriptures against the chosen people of God which he knoweth in themselves are frail weak and subject to temptations to keep them from transgression and the danger thereof Q. What is the good and benefit of the Gospel and the preaching thereof unto Gods chosen people Is it beyond and more then the Law and
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
that were to abolish Christ and grace and to nullifie Christ and his grace so the Apostle of Christ holdeth forth If it be of works it is no more of grace else were work no more works meaning if it be in any part of works and mans performances to have peace Rom. 11 6. with God then grace is quite shut out And if it be of grace that man hath his peace with God in any part then saith she it is no more of works then are works quite shut out else were grace no more grace The meaning of the Apostle is that mans works and performances and grace and Christs performances cannot go and stand together in mans justification in pleasing pacifying or making mans peace with God To this purpose the Apostle of Christ saith also I say unto Gal. 5. 2. you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing And again ye are abolished from Christ whosoever are justified by the Law v. 4. ye are fallen from grace that is if any man think or account himself holy good just and righteous or more holy more righteous or better then he was or better more holy more righteously then other men by his performances and doing duties of the Law as in his praying fasting giving of Alms building of Churches Hospitalls or giving of every man his due as he thinketh by doing pennance for his faults by making restitutions though as Zacheus did c. which all are commandments of the Law the Apostle saith plainly Christ shall profit him nothing he is abolished from Christ Obj. If a man may not think and account himself to be more holy Gal. 5. 2 4 more righteous and better then himself was before in Gods sight or more holy more righteous and better then other men which are without doing the works of the holy Commandment By his doing the works of the holy and righteous Commandment as praying fasting building Churches Hospitals paying dues making restitution and the rest This Doctrine will quench all devotion goodness just dealing and duties to God and man for wherefore should a man do these and the like if he may not think himself the better more holy more righteous in Gods sight by doing nor be more holy more righteous and better by doing then other men that do nothing Answ This Doctrine doth not quench or abate true devotion or any thing of goodness to God in truth but maketh way to the shining of the true light to man whereby he may be better indeed in respect with God through Christ according to true spiritual manifestaon For manifestation of the true light herein first is to be considered that whatsoever devotions or prayers man hath or doth perform of himself in his own wisdom and power or whatsoever works he doth or deviseth to do according to the rule of the Law and holy Commandment of works either towards God or man for his own betterness for his own estimation of more holiness and righteousness in himself before God he deceiveth himself to man there may be estimation by such devotions and performances but not to God for God knoweth that man in his meer natural estate for his estimation with mâ—n may be so acted by the spirit of Antichrist that he may shew and do all these things and all other outward things of the holy Law and Commandement outwardly as fully as may be seen of man to be done which for proof thereof we may clearly see in the Pharisees Herod and Judas especially of the Pharisees whom no man now living in devotions and outward performances of the holy Law can be seen to go beyond and they were never the better thereby but the worse thereby as appears by the woe that Christ pronounced against them for their hypocrisie in such their devotions and Mar. 23. 14. performance of the Law to be seen of men to get estimation among men Again God knoweth that man himself hath no power at all nor will unto good that he lost these in the first transgression And that man himself can do and perform nothing that is good before God for Paul a principle example one that had then received of Christ as much as any man had or have acknowledged that he in himself found no Rom 7. 18. Ps 14 3. Rom. 3. 10 11 12. means to perform that which is good And David a man after Gods own heart and Paul saith There is no man that doth good no not one Then how can any man think that he is the better the more righteous in the sight of God in Gods estimation by his own devotions prayers all his own outward performances of the holy Law of God done in the greatest wisdom of man no they are no better in the estimation of God then the devotions of the Jews and their performances which the Prophet Isaiah mentioneth were such as God was weary of were abomination to him and he hated Man cannot make himself better to Isa 1 12. 13. God it is Christ that maketh him better it is Christs performance that maketh man better to God more holy more righteous in the eyes of God then he was before Yet so it is That Christ by whom God hath given all to his elect ones of his great grace maketh them as he pleaseth his instruments in the way of their Pilgrimage of the performances of the holy Law and Commandement as devotions prayer preaching hearing meditation love just dealing c. through his holy spirit in them where by they shine as many lights amongst men to the praise of the glory of his grace yea though they be mightily wrought upon by the spirit of Christ in them to mortification of sin in their earthly Members to sanctification and the purifying of their hearts by Faith yet they think not themselves better by any thing in them of their own for they acknowledg that in themselves dwelleth no good thing as Paul did they acknowledg the flesh and corruption still remaining in them as in others and they give the praise and glory of all good to Jesus Christ And herein is the chief discernment of those which are the instruments of the spirit of Antichrist which are wrought up many times to as great performances as the instruments of the spirit of Christ are and those which are Antichrists boast of these as their own to their own praise among men But those which are Christs put off all praise of whatsoever from themselves giving all to the praise and glory of Act. 3. 12. 16. Act. 14 15 Rev. 22 9. God as Peter did healing the lame man as Paul and Barnabas did when they would have sacrificed to them oh say they we are men subject to like passions as ye be and as the Angel did where John would have worshipped him saying I am thy fellow Servant worship God They that uphold this objection want two things first the spirit of 1 Cor. 2. Christ whereby
with his own Names and Titles of his Offices as King Lord Prince Ruler Governor Law giver and the rest to be honoured with the same Titles as the Instruments of Christ our God And are not the Ruling Governing ordering Law-giving commanding teaching of Christ by his spirit in those his Instruments of his ruling governing commanding judging and the rest wrought done and brought forth by his spirit in them as the fruits of his spirit by or with them his Instruments and of his grace imputed accounted and called by Christ himself there ruling governing judging Law-giving ordering commanding and teaching though they be Christs to be accounted and called of men their ruling governing and therest though they be but instruments thereof when as Christ our God himself so accounteth and calleth them there providing always that they do acknowledg as Peter did It Act 3. 12. 16. Rev. 22. 9. is not through our own power or godliness that we have done this but the name and power of Jesus hath done it And as the Angel did to John I am thy fellow-Servant worship God that is that men do not take Christs honour to themselves not give Christs honour to men Then do not those manifest themselves not to have the spirit of Christ whose fruit is all manner of goodness as well the goodness of obeying submitting and serving as the goodness of ruling governing ordering Lawgiving commanding and teaching c. and so to be none of Christs for the Apostle saith he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his Yea rather do those not bewray themselves to have the spirit of Antichrist that deny and withstand to obey humble submit and do service to such Christs ruling governing ordering Law-giving commanding teaching and judging as is wrought done and performed of Christ by or with his instruments of men or that deny to account and call such Christs instruments Kings Lords Governors Law-givers and the rest as Christ himself so calleth of his grace or that deny to call that Christs Government of his Church which is done of him by and with his fitted instruments of men for 1 Cor. 15. 25. Heb. 5. 6. chap. 6. 20. 7. 3. Christ is a King Priest and Prophet still he shall raign till all his enemies be subdued under his feet he is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck yea certainly Christ is not a titular King but doth execute his Offices of King Priest and Prophet still amongst men for the good comfort and society of those which are his in his power wisdom and grace by and with his instruments of men in the ruling governing ordering Law-giving judging commanding teaching c. and in obeying submitting and serving And to make this clear and plain unto men the Apostle of Christ himself being the instrument of Christs spirit advertiseth much to Christians and Christian-churches of ruling preaching or prophecying teaching waiting on the office men have exhorting doing service giving honor And of submitting to powers paying tribute resisting See Rom. 12. Rom 13. 1 Tim. 2 of powers praying for Kings and all that are in authority that under them we may lead a godly and peaceable life and many more touching ruling governing and obeying And wherefore should the Apostle of Christ hold forth these things belonging to the Church and republique of Christ but to shew that these good things being Christs performances in his Church and republique which hath only power to do that which is good by his spirit in his Elect with them his instruments for man himself of himself can do none of these good things as hath been shewed That those are and in those is Christs Government of his Church as by and with his fitted instruments Neither touching Gods Elect people is the Government of his Church taken for inward spiritual Government Christs Government only and Republique Government taken for outward and bodily Government mans Government left to mans corrupt wisdom reason and power for then Christ should not do all good to and for his Elect people then the Government of the Republique of Gods people must needs be evil wholy for man of himself cannot do and bring forth with all his wisdom reason and power any thing that is good either spiritual or bodily inward or outward before God I Rom. 7. 18 find no means to perform that which is good saith Paul But he that is the Keeper of Israel keepeth spiritually and bodily inwardly and outwardly doth govern his people Israel his chosen ones spiritually and bodily doth all good to them by his Spirit in them with such fited means as he knoweth best and pleaseth for their good for the Apostle saith to Gods people The Lord careth for you 1 Pet. 5. 7. And why should men question where Christs Government of his Church is or what the Government of Christs Church is when they see Christ hath always had hath now and undoubtedly will always have his Instruments of his goodness the fruits of his Spirit both in ruling governing and the rest of that kind and also of obeying submitting and serving for the comfort and society of his Church and people in the way of their pilgrimage and for his own glory As he had Abraham his Instrument and his most publique Instrument then of his Church to govern and teach by him the Church in his house Gen. 18. and those that belonged to him And Moses and Aaron and Joshua his Instruments to govern teach and take such other offices of his as he pleased to make them his fitted Instruments in his Church the people of Israel And after Joshua the Judges David the King Solomon and others to judg and govern being his Instruments And afterward his Apostles Bishops or Overseers Presbyters Christian Emperors Kings and by whatsoever names or titles they were called many other his Instruments of his goodness of ordering governing and teaching his Church And whilest goodness appeared or appeareth in the ruling governing ordering Lawgiving judging teaching and Isai 8 20. Act. 20. 32 guiding of the Church according to Christs Law given in Grace and the Testimonies is not this Christs governing of his Church For it is sure there is no true goodness nor righteousness but that which is Christs but that which is the fruit of Christs Spirit which is always accompanied with the rest of the fruits of Christs Spirit Love joy peace long-suffering gentleness meekness righteousness faith temperance Gal. 5. 22. and all manner of goodness as the Apostle speaketh Certainly that was the Government that was layd upon Christs shoulders Isai 9. 6. and is still his Government ordering teaching and guiding which hath true goodness righteousness meekness love and peace known to be Christs by holding forth the fruits of the Spirit and agreeing to Christs Isai 8. 20. Acts 14. 3. Act. 20. 32 Law given in Grace and the Testimonies whomsoever he pleaseth to make his Instruments of
the same and those in whom Christ is by his Spirit are made and fitted by his Spirit to be his Instruments of the goodness of obeying submitting and serving willingly and joyfully as unto Christ his Government Order Law guiding and teaching having goodness it is Christs although by or with the instrument of man Therefore the Apostle saith Be obedient as unto Christ as the servants Eph. 4 6 7 of Christ and again Serving the Lord and not men Certainly man of himself cannot rule well neither can man of himself obey well nor do any good thing This David a King and Prophet a man after Gods own heart sheweth There is none saith he that doth good no not onâ— Psal 14. 3 And the Apostle of Christ also saith I find no means to perform that which is good It is certainly true that which the Spirit writeth to the Rom. 7. 18 Angel or Minister of the Church of Laodicea of all men Thou art wretched miserable poor blind and naked meaning in respect of good Rev. 3. 17 and righteousness before God Good ruling and governing is Christs ruling and governing and good obeying is Christs obeying they are the good works of Christ wrought by his Spirit in man and brought forth of his Spirit by or with the fitted Instrument of man and no doubt but they that have the Spirit of Christ their conscience will tell them that unto good ruling governing teaching ordering and commanding it pleaseth Christ well that there be good obeying and submitting by or through whatsoever means and Instruments Christ holds forth the same as he pleaseth If Independents and those with them acknowledg that Christ hath power to good only and doth all good in man only by his holy Spirit sent to man of ruling and obeying and whatsoever else and that man himself of himself can do no good and that the good ruling governing Lawgiving judging ordering and teaching done of Christ by and with his Instruments fitted of him by his Spirit given them for the good comfort and society of his people in the way of their pilgrimage is the Rule and Government of Christ himself though with the Instrument of man and of his pleasure and grace accounted mans by him as he doth all manner of his righteous and good works love joy peace c. done of him by his Spirit in them which he pleaseth of his grace to make his Instruments of the same and of his grace as appeareth in the word of grace nameth and calleth them theirs Then there will be no question of Christs Government of his Church nor of the obedience submission and service due to his Government without which the question is not nor will be satisfied with answer and in truth it is the same of righteousness only that giveth light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death to guide their feet in the way of peace The Legalists strive much about this undecided question of Christs Government of his Church against the Independents Anabaptists and Brownists much of the same way but being misled by the Spirit of Antichrist they prevail little for all their Arguments are but mans as Antiquities Customs humane Reasons conveniences and inconveniences the letter of the Scripture of Laws and Ordinances but they draw not so deep as out of Jacobs Well the fountain of Grace They say Though Christ hath power over all and hath Almighty power yet man hath power of his own unto good as unto evil and that man hath power of his own to get to himself habitual vertues by studying laboring practising and endeavoring the same And they say and hold forth That although Christ be King of Kings and Lord of Lords that is supream King supream Prince and Lord c. yet there are Kings Princes and Lords upon Earth and that Kings Princes and Lords upon Earth are Kings Princes and Lords of themselves and their Titles are their own of their own right property and interest and that they by their own power rule govern command and order their people under them and of their own right and that by their own power and right they do and may command the whole Church and people under them and all ought to obey and do service to them and submit to their power and command as their Kings Princes and Lords absolute and that through this their power ruling governing Lawgiving judging and the rest the people have their peace safety society and communion and that they have right to honor for the same But these and such attributions to man favour too much of the spirit that dis-throneth Christ and exalteth man into the Throne of Christ There is no man that is a King Priest or Prophet of himself Christ only is so of himself by the eternal Unction man is nothing of good himself Therefore the Apostle saith If any man think himself to be somewhat when as he is nothing he deceiveth himself in his own imagination Gal. 6. 3. And there is no man whatsoever he be that hath any power to Mans power rotten and corrupted See Iam. 4 13. 14 15 Rom. 13. 1 get or procure to himself an habit of holy vertue or vertues or any goodness before God by his own labor industry study practice or endevor or that hath any power of his own to any good All power saith the Apostle is of God it is Gods power not mans own neither can any man do any thing that is good of himself although he hath the Spirit of Christ for so David who had the Spirit of Christ acknowledged of himself and all others There is none that doth Psal 14. 3 good saith he no not one And Paul which had received the Spirit of Christ acknowledged the same of himself saying I find no means Rom. 3. 10 11 12 Rom. 7. 18 Isai 64 6 to perform that which is good It is Christ only by his Spirit that hath power and that doth the good work by or with his fitted instrument of man of his grace and accounteth the work done by his Spirit of his grace the work of man his instruments only thereof made and fitted by his Spirit whereby and wherewith Christ doth the work And so as the good works of Kings and Rulers and Governors are not theirs but Christs or theirs only by account and of grace as they are the instruments of Christ So their Titles of Kings Rulers Governors Lawgivers Judges Teachers and the rest are not mans Titles by any merit interest or property they have to them or in any of them but only of grace and account as Paul called an Apostle acknowledged he had no property or interest to that Title of Apostle but by account and grace By the grace of God saith he I am that I am I am an Apostle but by the grace of God it is that I 1 Cor. 15 10 am so not of my self my property or interest thereto Man is