off their enemie Contempt which otherwise threatens to be upon them and make a prey and spoile of that which is honourable and might be usefull in them In the place cited the Holy Ghost prescribes unto Timothie this method for the healing of that weakness in men by reason whereof they were like to be injurious unto him and indeed unto themselves more in respect of his youth But be thou an ensample or the pattern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those that are faithfull in word in conversation in charitie in spirit in saith in purity meaning that by hearkening to this counsel he should impose a pleasing necessity upon men to make him his youth notwithstanding at least equall in honor reverence and respects with such persons who by maturity of years aâ—e invested with a natural right and title unto such Priviledges How the Author of the Discourse before thee hath quiâ—â—ed himself in the five particulars last specified by the Apostle Conversation Charity Spirit Faith Puritie in order to the vindication or balancing of his years I must referr both thee and my self unto those who have hâ—d longer time and more and larger opportunities to understand him in these then I have had although it be meet for us both 〈◊〉 judg that he hath seen Christianly provident even by these to way-lay that prejudice disparagement which his under-growth in age exposeth him unto But as farr as by word speech or writing a young man may secure his years from the imputation of inconsiderableness and purchase himself an equitable title to divide the heritage of Reverence and honor with men of a farr longer standing in the world he that hath befriended the world with the Treatise ensuing hath to the best of my understanding very substantially performed both Not to insist upon the stile which is grave and yet pleasant enough and at a due distance from affectation the argument or theme undertaken in the Book The Justification of a sinner is both of as important and necessary and of as sublime and difficult a contemplation at least in many of the veines or branches of it as any other subject within the circumference of Divinity or Christian Religion Yea whereas in the best and most serviceable of the years of my earthly Pilgrimage I have been by the providence of God occasionally engaged to wade somewhat farr in the deep waters of those two mysterious Articles of the Common Faith of Christians Justification and Predestination and so necessitated to inquire into and consider with the best of my understanding the respective natures of them both if I were now desired to give my sense concerning the difference between them in point of difficulty or whether of the two requires more of the reason and understanding of a man to come at any well-grounded satisfaction in all matters of moment relating to it I must award the precedeney herein unto Justification For though the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation be resented by many as points of a most abstruse and sublime consideration yet I really judge upon the credit of my unpartial diligence in making the comparison that the secret veins running along in and spreading themselves over the body of the Doctrine of Justification are both more in number and also of a more spiritual and hidden nature harder to be clearly opened than those that occurre in the other Doctrines Not having had time to peruse the Treatise since the printing of it nor any other knowledg of the contents of it but only what I gained by some broken communications about them with the Author when his leisure and mine could agree which was not very often whilest he was preparing it for the Press I am not able to give thee a steady account how farr he hath traversed his Subject or about how many of the arcana or difficult Queries relating to it he hath engaged his pen in the present Discourse I suppose it never came near his thoughts to interess so small a Tract in all the inquireable points about Justification nor do I know any man amongst those many that have served the Christian World in that argument that have raised the pitch of their Undertaking so high But I well remember he hath laboured very commendably and to the good contentment I doubt not of the consciences of those that shall conseientiously reade and minde what he hath written in sundry particulars very necessary to be understood by those that are desirous to know the whole counsel of God in that Great and most important Article of their most holy Profession I mean Justification He hath with a strong hand removed that stumbling Stone of Justification from eternity which the Spirit of Antinomianisme hath laid in the way of Christian profession and at which not a few learned and unlearned have stumbled This Error being so broad-fac'd and palpable had need have the countenance of some that are counted Pillars in the Christian Church to support it And were it 〈◊〉 so gross and easie of detection I might take the beldness with modesty enough to challenge and accuse it of a most malesique and dangerous influence upon the very life of Christianity For besides other threatning tendencies of â—t of this kinde both the face and heart of it are set to deprive the world of the spirit life and soul of all that the great Apostle Paul hath written in his Epistles in asserting the Doctrine of Justification by Faith against the Jews and all others opposing it which is a good part not to say the best or gredtest part of all the heavenly Legatie which he hath left in writing unto the world for that Love's sake which he bare in his life-time to the salvation of it For if the great contest between him and his Oppanents the Jews was not about Justification it self or about the means whereby it is to be obtained in the sight of God but onely about the manifestation or declarative of it and this before men which they must of necessity affirm that hold men really and actually justified by God from eternity then doubtless the Jews who pleaded for Justification by Works had the better end of the staff inasmuch as these have a greater declarative force at least in reference unto men of the state of Justification or of the acceptance of a person with God than Faith hath This not reason and experience onely but the Scripture it self supposeth from place to place still making waies and works of Righteousness and fruitfulness in well-doing the most unquestionable Characters and proofs of persons justified and in favour with God Places of this import and very pregnantly such might soon be drawn together in great numbers but I judg this needless by reason of the frequent and familiar occurrencie of such places Whereas Faith is here represented as in and of it self inevident and as standing in need of the light of Works to make it visible or manifest unto men Jam. 2.18 1
a thorough dogmatical faith without this of * Faith of affiance is known in the Old Testament by the name of trusting as faith of Assent is known in the New Testament by the name of believing it it also expressed by staying one's self leaning upon confidence in God See Ball of Faith pag 24 25 26. who is large and clear upon it Affiance but yet seeing one may conceive them apart though they are never separated I took the surest course in using the word Faith in this sense namely for the faith of Affiance so including both unavoidably Look well therefore to this part of your faith this makes use of all the truths and promises which you assent unto for true and brings them down to your particular case as now for instance Doest thou assent to this for a truth that God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart Psal 73.1 why then do thou believe for the Israel of God that God will preserve it and do it good notwithstanding all the sufferings that are brought upon it and do thou cleanse thy heart and believe that God will be good to thee The former viz. to believe the Promise true is a faith of Assent this a faith of Affiance so again for any particular trouble that the people of God may be under or that thou maist be under believe and doubt not but God will with this trouble make a way to escape that they and thou maist be able to bear it and that it shall work for good When thou prayest in any case of publick calamity as of Famine or of Pestilence c. thou must pray in faith and then thou hast no other way but to apply general promises which thou believest true by a faith of Assent to the particular case by a faith of Affiance so expecting the accomplishment of them When thou prayest for any sick person or for thy self upon any occasion it is the general promise must give thee incouragement to expect the mercy in the performance of it which expectation certainly must be understood to be affiance or at least some other act than meerly assent to the promise as from God In this part of Faith therefore namely Affiance 1. Endeavour to be rich and abundant 2. Be strong and intense 1. Be abundant extend your faith as far as you can unto all the cases of the Church or any particular persons whose cases you may have occasion to know St Paul had upon him the care of all the Churches 2 Cor. 11.28 but think you he could sustain it without casting this care upon God by faith See an act of faith for his beloved Romans Rom. 16 20. God shall bruise or tread Satan under your feet shortly and we finde how every Church to whom he wrote did partake of his most ardent prayers as we may see in the beginning of every Epistle which without faith would have been utterly ineffectual Nay the Apostle Paul was of so noble a spirit that he did not only interesse himself in the concernments of whole Churches but of every particular person that he could come to know of Who is offended and I burn not could he ease himself of this trouble but by faith Daniel he understood by books the number of the weeks wherein the Jews were to suffer Captivity and the time of their Deliverance and did he not adde prayers to his knowledge and faith to his prayers Dan. 9.2 3. Was it not for his prayers of faith looking towards Jerusalem Dan. 6.10 that he was cast into the Lions Den and did not the same faith that set him a praying and opened his mouth stop the mouthes of the Lions Heb. 11.33 Again for faith for particular persons I have often observed already that the Centurion believed for his Servant the Woman of Canaan for her Daughter the Palsie-man's friends for him Abraham's servant for his Master's Son Gen. 24.14 and it is said The prayer of faith shall save the sick Jam. 5.15 Therefore enlarge your faith and bowels of mercies for as many as you can 2ly Or if you cannot concern your faith so largely or universally as a Daniel or a Paul might do as some men and some Saints are of a more noble spirit and faith than other men then other Saints yet be sure look to it that whatever you do you mixe faith in the doing of it Whether you pray for your selves or others for Churches or particular persons you must pray in faith if you hear the Word you must mixe faith in the hearing of it if thou art under temptations findest great weakness infirmity thou must glory in it by faith that here is an opportunity for the power of Christ to rest upon thee When I am weak saith the Apostle then am I strong which could not be true in the same sense in which he was weak but only thus that when he was weak in himself then he found Christ most ready at at hand to help him as he explains himself in that Scripture 2 Cor. 12.9 10. If any of you lack wisedom let him ask it of God saith the Apostle James Jam. 1.5 But let him ask in faith nothing wavering as it follows in ver 6. But I shall not need to instance in particular cases wherein faith will stead us after so many reckoned together by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 11.33 34 35 there are cases personal and national in prosperity as victories adversity as imprisonments mockings scourgings death there are cases of Kings Judges Prophets private men and even of women only in the general therefore be sure whatever you do do it in faith let your whole life be a life of faith perhaps you may not have such a large sphear of action as some other more eminent Saints you may not be of such a large soul as some others but for what comes through your hands to do it must be done in faith in this we must all imitate the Apostle Paul Gal. 2.20 The life that I now live in the flesh saith he I live by the faith of the Son of God c. the life that I live the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THAT WHICH I now live in the flesh all this that I live and wherein I may be said to live is by th◠faith of the Son of God Mannage all thihe affairs perform all thy actions in faith whatsoever action thou hast to transact whether it be of a spiritual or a more secular concernment expect wisedom and strength and success from God And endeavour to be strong intense and vigorous in all the actions of thy faith as it is said Abraham was Rom. 4.20 and or a direction herein that your faith may be strong as Abraham's was take the course that he did if there be great difficulties appear in the way that thou art in yet knowing that thou art in Gods way look away from the difficulties that offer
come it will not tarry This was the very case with the wicked King last instanced out of 2 King 6.33 if the Visiontarry wait for it But now it follows ver 4. If you will not wait if your soul be lifted up in you with pride and impatience why this soul that is lifted up is not upright in him this Spirit is quite contrary to the Spirit of a just and justified man But the just shall live by Faith that is will be patient in such straits this is the great famous place which the Apostle Pau. makes use of to prove Justification by Faith in three several Epistles Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10 38. Ergo Impatience weariness of the service of God is a great argument and symptom of a Legal Spirit in the service of God the thing that we have now under demonstration Now to apply this Character So far as thou findest thy self sloathful sluggish in the service of God ready to draw back and to be weary of well-doing contentious against God with Job angry as Jeremy and Jonah were in their sits of distemper So far Legality is discovered to be the principle of serving God For the Spirit of the Gospel is humble chearful I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him saith the Church in Micah ch 7 9. If God defers to hear and answer prayers yea gives denials yet the true Saints of God think it their duty to wait patiently on the Lord and to find out the cause of these denials in themselves Christ calls the woman of Canaan Dog Truth Lord saith she yet the Dogs eat of the crumbs And this is commended for an high piece of faith Mar. 7.28 I join these Scriptures of Old and New-Testament together and use them promiscuously for proof of the same thing because it is plain there were spiritual Worshippers under the Old-Testament as wel as there are Legal-Worshippers in the new Now in a consonancy to and connexion with this latter part of this last Character viz. the irksomness heaviness and weary somness that there is often found in a Legal Spirit as to the service of God I might make this a third Character That a Legal Spirit is weak and feeble and devoid of all strength in the service of God But I shall make this rather an Observation then a Character of a Legal Spirit yet I shall insist some what upon it I say then The Legal spirit is without strength in the service of God That the Legal-Worshipper is faint-hearted weak in the service of God like Ephraim in Hos 7.11 as a silly Dove without heart and it may very well be for the joy of the Lord alone is our strength Neh. 8.10 Which joy the Legallist never partakes of having never any true sence of divine acceptance And indeed what strength can the Law give us that is now through our fall become a poor weak feeble thing it self What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh c. Rom. 8.3 The Law became weak through our sinful flesh so that it can neither justifie nor sanctifie and it gives no quickness at all in the service of God it gives quickness to the body of death indeed and to the motions of sin in our members as it is Rom. 7. â— but none at all to serve God with The A postle therefore appeals to the Galatians experience that they never received the Spirit by all the preaching of the Law which they had amongst them Gal 3 2. And this was the very reason of God's nâ—aâ—ing a new Covenant of his removing his old Dispensat on by Moses which was so full of Law and so like a Covenant of Works Heb 7.8 19. For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof for the Law made nothing perfect Thus the Law being weak the Legallist must needs be a weak imperfect thing in the service of God But now it is said They that wait on the Lord by Faith shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wirgs like Eagle they Well run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.31 He that believeth on me saith our Saviour out of his belly shall flow kavers of living water this spake he of the Spirit which they that believed on him should receive John 7.38 39. The Gospel of Christ is and in its preportion ever was so far as at any time it was understood and embraced in the times of the Old Testament the Ministration of the Spirit In Col. 1.11 the Apostle prays for his Colossians that they may be strengthened with All might according to his glorious power in the Gospel there is ALL Mâ—GHT and a gâ—orious Power to strengthen and quicken the Saints with no wonder therefore if this quicken and encourage them mightily in the service of God beyond what ever the Law can do for its dependants and admirers I might here take fair occasion to discover what infinite quickning considerations and motiveâ— the Gospel carries in it unto the spiritual service of God beyond what the Law could afford But seeing I do not so much as make this a Character I shall not take the liberty to enlarge further upon it I shall onely now acquaint the Reader why I do not make this a Character and then pass on And truly one great reason is for the sakes of some good people I may say very many that we have amongst us who if we should make this a Character of a legal spirit that it is weak sluggish heartless in the service of God that it is not lively active and vigorous they would presently apply it to themselves and cry out that they are legal for that they find themselves that they are just thus whereas yet it is true that every true Saint the meanest Saint in the World hath more life and vigor of heart in his serving God then the devoutest and strictest legallist in the World And what if I should say in comparing the two Dispensations of the Old and New-Testament that there is never a Gospel-Saint since the day that the Spirit came down upon the Apostles but hath more life and spirit or it is hâ—s fault if he have not then the highest true Saint under the Old-Testament Would not that Scripture bear me out in it which says that John the Baptist was the greatest that ever was born of a woman before him and yet that the least in the Kingdom of Heaven which is often interpreted of the Gospel-state of the Church is greater then he Matth. 11.11 And would not that other Scripture countenance it which saith The feeble shall be as David Zech. 10.8 And accordingly I might affirm that if these complaining Saints had but the true courage of Saints and the true Character of themselves and at the same time the Character of the highest legallists yea of the most
world now the whole World becomes guilty before God by the law and every mouth is silenced and stopped by it I do not say that the law as given to the Jews by Moses had this effect upon the Gentiles to whom it was not given but the Apostle tells us Rom. 2.15 how this came to pass that the law though not given to the Gentiles in the same manner as it was to the Jews did yet convince and condemn the Gentiles as well as the Jews because the effect and substance of the same law that was written upon Tables of Stone by Moses was written in the hearts of the Gentiles so that their thoughts did accuse them when they did evil as well as excuse them when they did well Now hence I draw an argument a minorâ—â— If the law written upon the hearts of the Gentiles though obscurely had yet an accusing and condemning power in it to them how might it well have upon the Jews to whom it was delivered plainly written and engraven in stones with thunder lightning earthquakes as is before expressed That which I have to add upon the third great end of the Law it's being delivered viz. to direct and bring the wounded sinner to Christ O How 〈…〉 Christ is by way of answer to this question How did the Law lead to Christ I shall give several answers unto this question and first of all The Law was our School-master unto Christ A. â—â— as the Dispensation of the Law made way for the Dispensation of the Gospel Sowre things make the sweet more pleasant Darkness makes Light more desirable Slavery and Severity makes Liberty more welcom Quineseâ—t servâ—re nescit imperare the School makes fair way for the University This consideration makes the succession of the Gospel to the Law more comely and it is insisted on very much by the Apostle in Gal. 4 for the seven first verses Ver. 3. When we were Children we were in bondage unto the Law but when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son to redeem us into liberty and to give us the spirit of sons Gal. 3 23. Before Faith came we were kept under the Law and kept under by the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed wherefore the Law was our School-Master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith but after that faith is come we are no longer under a School-Master it would now be an incongruous thing to be under a School-master any longer as it was very convenient that before we should be and thus the Law was a School-master unto Christ as John Baptist was by its severities to humble us and break our hearts and to make us 〈◊〉 people ready prepared for the Lord. And the beauty great conveniency of the succession of these two Administrations of the Law Gospel each to other appears still in the great work of Conversion upon every sinners heart where the same method is observed first to humble the soul by legal convictions then to make a discovery of Christ the Grace of the Gospel And this our practical Divines insist much upon in their Sermons and Treatises giving us this account of the Work of Grace upon the heart that first there is conviction compunction and humiliation all yet a legal work then Faith or Conversion And I do verily believe that the Spirit of God doth use this method though as all acknowledge not with the same degrees in every work of Regeneration And again they observe that as after the Gospel and Faith is come it is absurd to return to the Law of Moses in the whole Dispensation of it so they apply that Scripture Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear to this purpose That after men have received the Spirit of Adoption which in some degree every regenerate person hath received they receive not again the spirit of bondage to fear which they take to be a spirit of legal convictions preparatory to the Work of Conversion and indeed according to the Calvinist-principles it must needs be true that after they are regenerate they can never receive a spirit of Bondage again because a spirit of bondage is not Grace but onely preparatory to it and therefore men that have once been regenerate can never return to this Spirit without being emptied of all Grace But here it may be further queryed Q How did the Law direct those to Christ that lived and lived before Christ came that indeed it is not to be doubted that the Law in the dispensation of it made excellent way unto the Gospel for those that were to live in the days of the Gospel as we find in the Analogical succession of Law and Gospel in the Work of Grace but how was the Law a School-Master unto Christ to those that lived in the dayes of the Old-Testament Who dyed before Christ came How were they directed to Christ by the Law The Law might perhaps be a Ministration of death and desperation only to them How did the Law witness the righteousness of God by Faith unto them In answer I shall first of all premise these two things and then answer more directly 1. Negatively that to these it must not come to destroy the promise and the covenant that was made before nor the comfort of it It must not come to hinder but they might have as true saving comfort from the promises as the Saints before the Law had or else the Law had been against the promises which the Apostle denyes with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. It must preach Christ to them as truly though perhaps not so clearly as it doth unto us Thirdly and more directly The Law did preach Christ to the Jews under the Old-Testament these two ways 1. Virtually or consequentially 2. Formally and expresly 1. Virtually as it convinced them all of their necessity of some other besides a legal Righteousness as I have shewn at large in explaining the second end of giving the Law because of transgressions 2. Expresly as it made mention of Christ and this it did either improperly figuratively in types and shadows or properly in the prophecies and promises of Christ Or the answer may be better given after this distinction of the Law A different acceptation of the Law in the Scripture The Law in Scripture amongst the various significations of it hath these two very eminent 1. It signifies the strict and bare command and so is naturally a Covenant of Works that hath no mercy or grace in it can onely justifie the righteous and condemn the transgressor and in this sence it hath been taken by me for the most part hitherto in my Discourse I have produced several places where it is taken in this sence in the Scripture Take that for instance As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse as it is written Cursed
covenant of Works for these two reasons 1. For that the ceremonial law neither was nor could be a part of the covenant of Works which the moral law both was and is to all that are under a covenant of works 2dly and consequently I therefore kept off from any consideration of the ceremonial law in my discourses about the law its being given by Moses that so I might have my discourse run clear in the business of the covenant of works and draw a line in it from Adams estate in innocency to the very days of the Gospel which with any mixture of discourse about the ceremonial law would have been broken and disturbed VVhereas now you see the law taken strictly for a covenant of works might have justified Adam but could not justifie the children of Israel and therefore though added to the promise given to Abraham and that in the language of a covenant of works yet was never given with design that they should accept it for such unto Justification which appears from this double demonstration as I may call it a priori a posteriori A priori for that before the law was given there was a covenant of Grace which the law could not come in to disannul and a posteriori for that the very same Moses that brought their law from God out of the Mount did not more truly acquaint them with the nature of a legal righteousness then he did with the righteousness of Faith Rom. 10.6 But the righteousness of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart c. being a text quoted out of the same Moses Deut. 30.11 which make this argument vvherefore should Moses first describe to you a legal righteousness and tell you as appears by clear consequence out of him that ye cannot attain unto that righteousness and then describe unto you the righteousness of faith but for this end that ye might forgo the one cleave to the other And there are infinite places in other Scriptures of the Old-Testament which give their testimony to Christ and the Righteousness of Faith which sufficiently argue that the Old-Testament never went about to establish a way of Justification by the Law And here I think it may be of great use to search into this place of Moses which the Apostle asserts to contain the description of the righteousness which is by faith that so we may find both that it is so and what this righteousness of faith is The place is Deut. 30.11 to 15. quoted and paraphrased by the Apostle Rom. 10.6 7 8 9. An inquiry into the sense of Deut 30 11 12 in Rom. 10.6 But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend into Heaven c. clearly referring to Deut. 30.11 12 as any may see in the Margent of their Bibles Now let us go to that place in Deut. and see what Gospel there is in it and how evident it is that there is Gospel in it The words are these For this commandment which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it far off it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it but the Word is nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it This is the whole Paragraph in which the covenant of Grace or the righteousness of Faith is described according to the Apostle Paul But how is the Gospel or righteousness of Faith described here First of all I must separate that which doth not seem to look like Gospel from that which is pure Gospel in this place And here we may observe That the matter of the Gospel spoken of is the law or commandment which he had delivered to them This Commandment which I command thee this day the same which is spoken of as I think there being no visible difference as to matter in Lev. 18.5 the place asserted by the Apostle to contain a legal righteousness it was for matter the law of Moses This Commandment saith he which I command thee this day Again I think it will appear to be meant of the ten commandments because it is added That Commandment which I command thee is not far from thee but is nigh thee even in thy heart and mouth Now the ceremonial law was not written in their heart neither had all the children of Israel nor the generality of them to whom yet this is spoken been taught the law effectually by the Spirit of God so as that should be the sense of these words This Commandment is in thine heart and indeed that is the promise of the new Covenant not of this by Moses but the effect of the Moral law was in their heart for it was in the heart of Heathens If it be objected as perhaps it may by some that the matter of the Commandment which Moses commanded them that day was not likely to be the ten commandments nor that chiefly nor to be the same with that in Lev. 18. because this is in Deuteâ—â—româ— which very word signifies a second Law or a second Edition and giving of the Law and had more Gospel in it then the Law in the first giving of it had I answer 1. by concession That there were indeed two several Covenants which the Lord is said to have made by Moses with the children of Israel Deut. 29.1 These are the words of the Covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the Land of Moab be ides the Covenant which he made with them in Hoâ—eb which a as a Mountain adjoining to if not a part of Mount Sinat 2. That perhaps in this Deutetonomy or second Covenant by Moses there 〈◊〉 mâ—â—â— promises and more of Gospel then in the first Edition of the Law there was But 3dly This doth not hinder but the commandment mentioned in Deut. â—0 might be chiefly for matter of it the moral Law or ten Commandments 't is true there were promises added to encourage unto the keeping of them and there were also terrible threatnings unto the breaking of them all the twelve tribes being divided into two equal parts the one half placed upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people that were obedient to the Law the other half upon Mount Ebal to curse all that brake it Deut 27.11 12 13 But that commandment for the sake of which these promises and threatnings were added was the Law of the ten words or two tables which were twice given to Moses in Sinai and again repeated in this Covenant in the Land of Moab as we may see in Deut. 5. and the very word Deut. signifies a second Law or a second giving of the Law
and this was the Commandment which that day Moses commanded them Lastly Another thing in this Paragraph that will not seem perhaps to some to look like Gospel is this That all the comfort of this Gospel by Moses lies in Doing This Commandment saith he is not far off but in thy heart and in thy mouth that thou mayest do it and so obtain life and justification by it This seems to look right like that place in Levitious so often mentioned where Moses is said to describe a Legal Righteousness The man that doth them shall live in them And so in all the Chapter after there is blessing if they do the command and cursing if they do not this to some may not look like Gospel But yet here is the Gospel and therefore wherein doth it lie VVherein is the Gospel expressed in this place of Deut. or how will it appear I have shewed wherein it cannot lie or doth not seem to lie I will shew yet wherein it must be expressed and wherein it is visibly expressed and that is in that easiness which Moses doth so much insist upon in this Scripture of doing the Commandment The Commandment for the matter of it was perhaps the same with the Covenant of Works and Doing partly at least brought in the reward of it that is Justification But is this the Language of a Covenant of Works think you to fallen man such as the Israelites were The Commandment is easie there are no such difficulties in keeping it as you may imagine ye shall not need to climb as high as Heaven after it nor to coast all Lands and compass the Ocean for it propose no such vast undertakings to thy self for the accomplishment of it for thou needest not the Word is nigh thee in thy mouth that is near yea but nearer yet in thine heart that thou mayest do it and thou mayest do it with ease and sweetness No I have shewn at large that the Covenant of Works or the Law taken strictly as a way of Justification serves now to sinners onely to terrifie their Consciences with laying home its charge it hath no such comfortable words in it nay I shewed out of the Scripture that it is an utter impossibility that the Law should be done by a sinner so as to justifie him A man might as well climb up to Heaven or compass the vast Ocean yea to add another impossibility which the Apostle adds in his Paraphras upon this Text in Deut. a man might as well descend into the infernal Abyss and make a resurrection as be justified by the Law This therefore cannot be the Language of the Law But now take the keeping the Law in a Gospel-sence as perhaps that Rom. 8.4 is to be understood where the righteousness of the Law is said to be fulfilled in us that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and then the Gospel in this Scripture is obvious it is easie to keep the Law now even that commandment which Moses commanded them even the Moral Law that is to keep it sincerely not exactly to a tittle but in the substance of it This Word therefore which Moses means when he says The word is nigh thee as the Apostle adds in his Paraphrase must be the word of faith which he preached The Word is nigh thee that is not the Word of the Moral law taken in its utmost exactness to be fulfilled to a tittle this is not nigh thee it is as far as Heaven further then either of the Indies further then Hell it self thou sinner canst never attain unto it to do it But yet the Word of the same Commandment in a moderated sense in the gracious acceptation of God where sincere obedience is accepted for unerring observance of it This Word is nigh thee even in thy heart and in thy month that thou mayest do it and it is saith the Apostle the Word of Faith which we preach this the new creature can undertake with the assistance of God even the keeping the Commandments of God in an Evangelical manner through Faith which works by Love Here thou dost not claim thy wages upon thy doings as if they deserved it or as if they answered the letter of the Law and so thou comest not to the Law for thy Justification but though the great Rule of thine obedience be the Law yet thou goest to the Gospel for thy Justification thou comest by Faith to the Promise and Goodness and Grace of God for thy Justification And indeed there is nothing but Faith will encourage thee in such a keeping of the Law as this is The Law strictly taken will dishearten thee that will thus reason the case with thee VVhat are all thy works what is all thy obedience so long as thoughast broken such and such a Commandment hast omitted such and such a duty What is thy sincerity good for What is thy good meaning and real intention worth I must have a full task performed I must have unerring never-failing obedience or else I must curse thee with all the curses which thou findest written against sinners Now the Soul by Faith thus answereth the Law 'T is true were I to stand to thy award it must be all as thou hast said but I am upon other terms with the Lord for my Justification I am upon terms of Grace and Mercy of which there are no footsteps in thy whole way of Justification and though I was born under thy power yet I have a Saviour that hath freed me from under it by suffering the penalty for my breach of it and now I am assured That if I walk faithfully and deal honestly with God endeavouring in sincerity to walk after the Spirit to do all the Wills of God from the heart my sincere obedience will now be as well accepted as unerring obedience would once have been Thus you see Faith bears off from coming to a legal-Justification and Faith bears up the Soul against all expostulations of the Law with it and against all the accusations of Satan in the Conscienc and yet doth keep the soul intent upon the design of universal obedience to the pure and holy Law of God Faith requires thy obedience to the Law the preaching of Faith doth establish the Law and yet the Law in this moderated sense onely observed requires thee to go or rather takes for granted that thou goest to Grace Mercy and Pardon by Faith for that thou art not an exact Doer of the Law So I have shewn how this place in Deut. seems to speak Law yet must be understood to speak Gospel and what Gospel that is which it speaks Yet I may not expect to go off without opposition in this interpretation and I am sensible that these two or three things will be objected against me 3 Objections against the interpretation of Deut. 30.11 12. 1. That I make Faith too easie a business as if those that could not keep the Law are yet able to
the Law of Moses And this the Apostle aggravates so that he seems to make it a worse business in the dayes of their knowledge thus to go off to the Law then in the days of their ignorance to serve Idols Thus you have seen their Disease now for further proof yet that this was their distemper we may observe that the Apostle applies several arguments by way of remedy which were proper onely for this distemper in that one chap. Gal. 3. I shall observe mine several Arguments sive of which are contained in the first five verses of that chap. and are more particular and experimental for the conviction of the Galatians the minor of every ' yllogism being evident in their experience the major evident in its own nature or from Scripture the other four being sufficiently convincing to every man and of no particular concernment to them more then others in ver 1. Who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes fesus Christ hath been evidently set forth as if he had been crucified amongst you Makes this syllogism They who had Christ clearly preached to them so as if he had been crucified before their eyes should not for shame go off to the Law But you have had Christ thus clearly preached Ergo 2d Argument in the 2d ver Ye received the Spirit by this plain preaching of Christ which ye never did by your Law-Preachers This one would think was a mighty Argument to them This onely would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the preaching of Faith The Syllogism They that have received the Spirit by the preaching of Faith should not for shame go off But you have received Ergo 3d. Arg. in ver 3. Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the flesh 'T is a disgrace for wise men to begin in any way and alter their way at all before they make an end but it is a higher disgrace to begin in a better way and end in a worse to begin in the Spirit and to end in the Flesh As much as Spirit doth excel Flesh their Horses are Flesh and not Spirit Isa 31.3 so much doth the Gospel-way of Justification excel the Legal The Syllogism is this They that have once begun in a more excellent way then the Law is should not go off to the Law but you have begun in a more excellent way viz. the Spirit Ergo 4th Arg. from the 4. ver Have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be 〈◊〉 in vain They had not onely embraced the Gospel and begun in the Spirit to do something but they had suffered many things from the persecuting Jews for professing a pure Gospel-way and now would lose all their sufferings 5th Arg. from the 5th ver He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit and worketh miracles among you doth he it by the works 〈◊〉 the Law or by the hearing of Faith The Law-Preachers could neither administer the Spirit to their Hearers nor yet work miracles in proof of what they delivered both which the Apostle had done and their present Minister Epaphrus did do and yet they were so mad upon the Law and the way of Justification by works that they were ready to shake off the Gospel for the insupportable burthen of the Law There are ye see at least five Arguments in the compass of five verses proper to them and all five proposed in the way of interrogation to express the Apostles vehemency his trouble at their desection his strange admiration at it his longing for their recovery all which this interrogation-form implies Then the Apostle proceeds to general and universal Arguments not of such particular concernment to them such as I have in my former Discourse urged viz. the example of Abraham from the 6. to the 10. from the nature of the Law requiring strict obedience or else accursing the sinner ver 10. from an express proof out of the Old-Testament Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by Faith therefore not by the Law saith the Apostle for the Law is not of Faith 11 12. And then comes in that great Argument which I have so largely insisted upon That there was a Covenant of Grace on foot before ever the Law was given by Moses which could not be broken therefore the Law came not in for a way of Justification else it must have disannulled this Covenant from the 15 to the 1. I now recollect and argue Here you see that not onely the Jews but the Gentiles desired to be under the Law would needs be justified by the works of the Law else the Apostle had disputed largely and strenuously against no Enemy Nay the Galatians though they never had had the Law before but onely first Heathen Idolatry and then a pure Gospel and received it with joy and admiration and great intensness of affection received the Spirit through the Ministry of it suffered much for the profession of it begun wel and did run wel yet though they had begun in the Spirit no sooner came the Law-Preachers among them but they turned from St. Paul who had called them unto Christ like fools and men bewitched unto another Gospel that is unto a Law-Gospel The Law-Preachers no sooner came amongst the Galatians but they turned the very Gospel which the Apostle had preached and they received into so much Law so that there ye might have seen Christians to be the pure Disciples of Moses nay far worse then the true Seed were in Moses's time Now from hence I infer the first assertion in the coviction viz. That there have been and therefore may be such a generation of men that notwithstanding the preaching of the Gospel nay and the profession of the Gospel are legal in the business of Justification followers of the Law seek to be justified by works and also that we are very apt to run into this way without much care and caution Who would ever thought that the Galatians that had so many reasons to engage them to keep in that way of Faith should ever have turned carnal and fleshly in the business of Justification Certainly this Apostacy of theirs argues a great aptitude in humane nature to this way unless you will think that the Galatians were of another make from all the men in the world I shall add somewhat moreof proof to this proposition and the parts of it by and by only I must first enter upon the explication of the 2d thing proposed viz. Wherein this legality lyes or wherein the great inistake lies that so many should seek to be justified by a Covenant of Works and yet acknowledge themselves sinners and in the explication of this there will new proof arise to the first Proposition viz. That men are generally addicted to the way of works 2dly 2d parâ—iculâ— in the conâ—iction viz. wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Negaâ—vel Therefore it comes to be explained wherein
the Law for a righteousness Here was a great mixture you see of Gospel with their way And in the 3d. ver of Gal. 5. we see they thought it was not their duty to keep the whole Law but that I have spoken to already in ver 4. You may see yet the strangest mixture of Gospel in their way which yet the Apostle calls Legal that can be imagined for they did profess themselves all this while they so cryed up the Law were such admirers of it and Votaries to it they did profess themselves to be under Grace to be in the way of Grace Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law â—e are fallen from Grace that is from the way of Grace and Mercy to be upon perfect strict exact terms with God Ye renounce the Grace of God the benefit of Christ's death Christ can do you do good let your false Preachers call what they preach Gospel while they will and you may think you are removed to another and better Gospel then what you received from me chap. â— v. 6 7 8. But there is no other Gospel but what I preached Some indeed have perverted the Gospel of Christ and made it a mongrel thing but it 's Name now muse not be Gospel any longer but Law and Works not Grace and Gospel Here you have â—â—en that they did not only avoid the rigor of the Law in exacting perfect obedience to a tittle but did take in the Gospel-Principles into their way of Justification such as the Death of Christ and the Grace of God and yet these were legal all this while else the Apostle had disputed impertinently where he had no Adversary Now what was that which soured all their Gospel which made their Grace no Grace and their Christ no Christ and made them perfect Debtors to the Law thus unexpectedly to themselves but this that they went to make a compromise betwixt the Law and the Gospel in the matter of Justification they would join them together that were as irreconcilable as fire and water The Law is not of Faith if it be of Grace then it is no more of works otherwise work is no more work Now by reasoâ— of the incompossibility and incompatibleness of these two in their * For else as the Elements are said to be mixed in a natural body losing their proper forms so the Lâ—w and Gospel will well mix one of them viz. the Law losing as I may say its natural form of a Covenant of works may be well reconciled to the Gospel and mixed with it for the matter of it proper and precise notion and nature they that mix these two must destroy one of them they can never agree togegether in this business of Justification any otherwise then heat and cold agree in water that look unto what degree the one is there the other is expelled so much as there is of cold so much there is wanting of heat and so much as there is of heat so much there is wanting of cold so here so much as there is wanting of legality in any heart so much there is of a Gospel-Spirit é contra Now because these Jews and Galatians did more hanker after the Law then after the Gospel though they owned many Gospel-principles and durst not own the Law in the strictness of it yet their predominancy of inclination to the Law for righteousness justly gave them the denomination of Legal as the predominancy of cold in water justly gives it the name of cold water and the Evangelical or Gospel-like men and women though they have always had some Legal-mixtures in their obedience yet because Gospel-Principles are predominant they obtain the name of Spiritual and Evangelical And according to this representation which I have now given of Legal-persons that is that they are more propending and inclining to the Law then to the Gospel doth the Apostle be-speak them and speak of them he speaks to them so in Gal. 4.21 Tell me saith he you that Desire to be under the Law They were such as though they durst not quit the Gospel and come off wholly to the Law yet had a desire to be under the Law So he speaks of them Rom. 9.31 32. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained unto the Law of righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law And this though it were but anâ— as it were and a Desire yet it ranked them under a Covenant of Works and accordingly the Apostle useth such arguments against them as would have served any that had perfectly renounced the way of Faith and the Death of Christ and wholly betaken themselves to the Law of Works I have done with the second particular in the Conviction viz. the explication of the Legality which is so generally to be found and wherein the deceit lies that men who acknowledge themselves sinners and profess themselves Christians may yet set themselves under a Covenant of Works for their Justification They that wil after what I have said deny that there may be or hath been such a thing such persons to be found that did acknowledge themselves sinners and profess themselves Christians and yet sought to be justified by the works of the Law let them quarrel with the Scriptures and with the Apostle Paul if they dare out of whom I have so clearly described them and confute him if they can Again if any one questions that which I have asserted to be the manner how this comes to pass that these persons are justly denominated and reputed Legal self-Justificiaries viz. by the predominancy of their inclination to the Law more then to the Gospel let them shew a more probable way and I shall gladly quit this Now the explication and proof of this matter being the very great thing of all should not pass without some improvement or observation from it which I shall perform by and by in the mean time methinks a sober person might very well desire to be further satisfied in this great business viz. the explication of the nature of a legal-Legal-Spirit I suppose it will be acknowledged that that which gives denomination to a legal-Legal-Spirit is his greater propension to the Law then to the Gospel but yet it may be queried Wherein doth this propension exert and shew it self in what one word or more then one would you express it Now this I confess is the great difficulty hic labor hoc opus est this were worthy of the most excellent Saint and the most learned and accurate Head to discover I can do it onely after my manner that is rawly enough but would God I could provoke some able man to undertake it in the strength of God Very many of those that have medled with it have dealt rudely and yet saucily with this subject I mean the Autinomians They will express the whole
business presently in one word and tell you that it is Doing So far as you seek to get life by doing you are legal they will tell you ye muâ—â— not act for life but from life a mighty distinction with them though quite false And for prooâ—â— they 'l bring you such a Scripture as this Mark 10.17 where the young man came to our Saviour and said What shall I Do that I may inherit Eternaâ— life Which is a question that I suppose might be asked by a good man though he was not good that asked it unless it be asked with such a design as if one thought that the doing good actions might merit heaven by this Divinity of theirs which they have of late spread far and near they have made their followers which I fear are very many think strangely of good works as if they had no influence aâ— all not so much as secondary to the obtaining oâ— our salvaâ—ion and so onely as matters of love and thankfulness from us but not as absolutely necessary unto the pleasing of God and continuing in his favour according to that of our Saviour Joh. 15.9 10. As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue in my love How may we do that ver 10. tells us If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love Yet I would do the Antanomians this right to say that I think they have very many of them aimed honestly that they have lighted upon many Gospel-strains and have done very well in observing that there is a vast difference betwixt serving God with a Legal and with an Evangelical Spirit though they have not been so happy in telling us wherein the difference lies and for the difference which they make the Legal way to lie in Doing the Evangelical way in Believing I confess it hath a great countenance from Scripture as to the sound of words but as they explain their sense I reckon there is a great disagreement from the Scripture As to their sence of the word Believing I shal have some occasion to examin it anon but as to the word Doing in their sense I say at present That though the Scripture seems to express the whole business of Legality in that word Rom. 4 4. Working or Doing yet certainly in a far other sense from their explication of it For the Scripture in that place understands Working or Doing in a strict Law-sense so as to expect a Reward for it of Debt whereas they will tel you if you look upon Works as having any influence upon Justification let the works be what they wil you are so far Legal Now having proved as I suppose their exposition of Working or Doing to be but a false gloss I shall do my endeavour and no more can be expected to deliver the truth in this matter I suppose therefore according to that Text Rom. 4 4. where Legal Works or working are accurately described that Legality lies in Doing any work with this supposition or conceit in my mind that now I have justly obliged God not only by a Justice of performing promise but a Justice of strict distribution according to the natural desert of an action My meaning is best expressed in that commonly known word of Merit he that doth an action to God supposing that he hath now merited a reward from God by distributive Justice The reason why I make prefumtion of Merit the form of Legality is for that reward of Debt is the Characteristical note of a Legal Reward therefore the expectation or presumtion of such a reward ought to be in a Legal Spirit he is Legal in his action and none other It will bepresently said Then there will not be found so many Legal professors as you assert there are for that few amongst us if any at all acknowledge Merits I answer though they do not acknowledge it with their mouths yet this I suppose is the secret Language of their hearts and where it is not let them be free from the imputation of Legality for me I see no rule to condemn them of it though I wil add this I think many men may disown it in words nay and think they are not guilty of it that yet are extreamly guilty such a a secret unsearchable Disease of heart is this of Legality I have perfectly done with the explication or discovery of the Disease in its own nature I shall come anon to give some symptomes of it that are signs and effects of it in the mean time let us see what improvement what observations we can make upon that Anatomical Discovery which was made of the Galatians e'ne now And here 1 Obser first of all I shall observe the strange and unhappy disappointments that the Legal self-Justitiaries meet with the miserable cheat that they put upon themselves They think to mix Law and Gospel they dare not stand to the Law alone they would fain have a little help from the Gospel to eke out their defects in a Legal Righteousness and alas the Gospel turns them off with scorn to the Law onely to be tried and judged by it which wil certainly condemn and devour them 2dly 2 Obser I observe the strange absurdities and self-contradictions which these self-Justitiaries both Jews and Gentils run into in their prosecution of a Legal Righteousness There are no less then four contradictions which the Galatians ran into in this business 1. They would be justified by the Law and yet acknowledged themselves sinners which is a contradiction for it is obvious that the Law must condemn sinners 2. They would be justified by the Law and yet not be bound to do the whole Law whereâ—s the Law hath no other way imaginable to justifie any persons but when they have the works of the Law when they have done the whole Law He that doth them shall live in them 3. They would be justified by the Law and yet have benefit by Christ and his death whereas Christ â—ras not the Minister of Circumcision Christ came into the world and dyed because the Law was broken and could not justifie 4. See the greatest of contradictions imaginable They would be justifisied by the Law and yet profess the Gospel and the way of Grace therefore the Apostle convinceth them with this Argument If ye seek Justification by the Law ye are fallen from Grace Rom. 11.6 If by Grace then it is no more of works yet all these absurdities and contradictions the Galatians swallowed that they might go on with their way of Works which they were so greedy after and addicted to besides all those evident arguments both general and of more particular concernment to them which they went against though they had received the Spirit by the Gospel though miracles were done amongst them in confirmation of the Gospel neither of which attended the Law though they had done and suffered so many things
for the Gospel yet all of a sudden like men bewitched away they turn to the Law and in effect though not in profession they leave the Gospel From whence again I add new proof as I promised to the first thing proposed in the conviction which is my third observation Therefore certainly mankind is exceedingly addicted to this way of works 3 Obser though not in a-strict way yet in this mixt way which comes all to one at last and must be called by the same Name I say I may justly infer from this one example of the Galatians That mankind is exceedingly addicted unto this way of works For though an argument ab exemplo be not ordinarily cogent yet such an example as this wil of it self almost amount to a demonstration for it is not an example of one man but of a great company of men they were the Churches of Galatia as it is in chap. 1. ver 2. and Galaria was not a Town or a City but a large Countrey that had many Churches up and down in it and these were such as had gladly received the Gospel they had received the Apostle Paul as if he had been an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus they blessed themselves exceedingly in this that they had heard the Gospel from him they received the Spirit by it c. Now notwithstanding all this no sooner do a company of Law-Preachers come that could do no Miracles at all could not convey the Spirit in their Ministry and yet the Galatians are so bewitched and besotted with them through their own natural inclinations to a Legal Righteousness that they fall off to the Law in the sight and view of all those demonstrations and convictions to the contrary and swallow down four several contradictions to boot Ergo hence it evidently appears that men are exceeding apt to run into this way of Justification by Works unless we shall imagine that this inclination in whole Churches of Galatia was some strange kind of special distemper arising from the soyle or some such trifling cause that hinders it from being common to us with them I say I take it for proved and granted from this example which is to me much like an Induction the whole Nation of the Jews the Churches of Galatia that were Gentiles were wholly given to this way therefore this way is mighty natural to mankind and we have all a strong propension and inclination to it but here comes in one considerable objection upon the answering of which the truth of this last Assertion wil be much clearer and that is this You say Object that because the Nation of the Jews and the Gentile Galatians were so much addicted to the way of Justification of Works therefore it is an argument that all mankind is addicted to this way and that we are in danger of running into this way but you do not seem to observe the great snare and stumbling-block that lay in their way to put them upon it and that was the Ceremonial Law which they did not understand as typical of Christ and Gospel-Mysteries but looked upon it as a task of duties which if they did go thorow and do their best to keepe they should undoubtedly please God and be saved Now this Ceremonial Law was given to the Jews and not perfectly out of use when the Galatians were thus led aside by it but was preached up by the devout Jews that were turned to Christianity that if they were not circumcised and kept not the Law of Moses they could not be saved Act. 15.1 Now this the Galatians receiving as true and holding the Gospel with it they did with the Jews too much dote upon Ceremonial Observances and so their Gospel which they professed with it was sowred and spoiled by it but we are not in this danger we know that the Ceremonial Law is down and so we are free from this snare and danger therefore we need not fear lest we run into a Covenant of Works or seek Justification by works This is the objection and you see it is considerable to which I shall endeavour an answer And first of all I answer by way of concession in three particulars Ans 1. 'T is true the Jews had the Ceremonial Law imposed upon them by God and the Galatians by the seduction of false Teachers received it likewise as their duty 2. The Ceremonial Law was apt to prove a snare to all that were under it in leading them into a Covenant of Works For to be set to do a great many things which we understand no meaning almost in how naturally will it teach us to take up with the opus operatum the work done to look no further Which easily mis-leads us into an opinion of Merit especially when we think our selves prettily well to have discharged our selves of the duties of the Moral Law besides 3. Let it be granted that this did actually prove a great snare both to the Jews and Galatians which appears from this that the Apostle when he is rebuking the Galatians for their Legality he instanceth for proofs often in their observing the Ceremonial Law Gal. 4.8 9. I winder saith he that after ye were set free from bondage to Idols by the Gospel of Christ ye should desire again to enter into bondage to ceremonies which there he calls beggarly rudiments and in ver 10 11. saith he Ye observe dayes and months and times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain Nay the Apostle instanceth so frequently in the business of the Ceremonial Law that an incurious Reader might think that all thrir fault was but this that they made Conscience of keeping the Ceremonial Law though 't is certain and I have proved it already that this was not the greatest fault they had fallen into for then the Apostle would onely have gone about to convince them that the Ceremonial Law was abolished by the death of Christ or at least that they being Gentiles need not have their Consciences obliged to it which doth not scarce at all appear to have been any part of his design but his main design is to beat them off from a Covenant of works unto which the Ceremonial Law served for an Inlet And indeed this was the nature and genius of their mischievous error they thought as the Jews also did that though they were not so strict as they should be in observing the great weighty duties of the Moral Law yet if they were strict and careful in observing the Ceremonial this would make some amends for their other great defects and herein we see the Ceremonial Law proved a great snare Thus our Saviour chargeth the Jews even whilest it was their duty to keep the ceremonial Law that they placed the observances of the ceremonial Law in the room of their obedience to the moral Law Ye pay tythe of Mint and Annise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters
Abraham which worship God in the SPIRIT in a true SPIRITUAL way of Worship and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no considence in the flesh which they the legal Worshippers have they are fieshly we are after the Spirit and worship God in the Spirit They have considence in the flesh we have none Now what is this confidence in the flesh which the Concision the Dogs and evil Workers had but the true Worshippers had not This the Apostle explains at large in the 4 5 and 6. verses For saith he if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might TRUST in the FLESH I more What is that of the Flesh wherein he might glory if he would He tells us ver 5. I was circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee or blameless so iâ— follows ver 9. as touching the righteousness which is in the Law blameless that is as touching the letter of the law Moral or Ceremonial This is the matter of fleshly glorying or boasting which you see is made up either of external Rites and Priviledges or the external obedience to the moral law That which he calls flesh is an external thing Now that fleshly and legal are Synonymous or words importing the same thing and so used by the Apostle is not onely clear in this Scripture but in other Scriptures for instance Gal. 3.3 Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit that is a Gospel-way are ye now made perfect by the flesh that is will ye end in a legal that is a fleshly way Fleshly and Legal are all one Now the way of the Flesh is an external way made up of outward Rites Ceremonies Priviledges and Performances therefore a legal way is a way in which men please themselves with external Priviledges and Performances I shewed before that those that are addicted to the way of works durst not pretend to an universal conformity to the law in a strict sense of it and yet do seek to be justified by Works therefore they must have some Works to glory in and to uphold their Spirits in a confidence of Divine acceptance Now therefore what can these Works be other then external conformities to the ceremonial or moral law and these ceremonies either as given by God or else superstiously invented by themselves I shall now a little further exemplifie what I then asserted and that by some assistance from the second thing premised in shewing that in all times the evil sort of Worshippers which because they are not Evangelical must be legal have done and do exceedingly please themselves in external Priviledges and Performances in doing which I shall avoid useless repetitions We find The first external priviledge which the Iews gloried in that the Jews who were as well to be condemned for Legality before the dayes of the Gospel as under it there having been always a fleshly and spiritual Seed were exceedingly taken with their being circumcised and of the Seed of Abraham and made a peculiar people to God in the Lump and Body of the Nation which did not hinder at all but for particular persons they might be wicked enough strangers to God and heirs of wrath Thus the Jews as Jews scorned the Gentiles called them Dogs and the sinners of the Gentiles or Nations whereas to be Jews born was nothing but an external Priviledge And therefore the Apostle when he comes to convince them of this folly and vain fleshly boasting he makes no more ado but to cut them off from this stump that they stood upon by that great distinction so frequent in his Epistles of Israel according to the flesh and the true Israel or the true Seed according to the Promise that is Believers All are not Israel that are of Israel saith he and he is not a Jew that is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. Now that which amongst us may answer to such a fleshly boast as this was of the Jews for I chiefly aim at the usefulness of this Doctrine to our selves may be this viz the Name of Christians and the general Baptism that all amongst us can pretend unto Though this cannot be accounted so great a Priviledge to us now that Christendom is so large as Circumcision and being natural or proselyted Jews was to them who were a single Nation chosen for a peculiar people to God out of all the Nations of the World I come therefore to some other things They gloried also very much in their Temple The second external priviledge the â—â—ws gloried in there is an eminent place amongst many for this Jer. 7.4 Trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are THESE that is THESE BUILDINGS THESE COURTS pointing as it were with their singer at the Buildings of the Temple as much as if they had said See! we have the Temple of the Lord with us and his Worship and Service amongst us and therefore no evil can come to us whatever these Fanatick Prophets threaten us with Now see what a strange infatuation and besottednesse these men were under for they were as wicked as men could be by oppression and blood-guiltiness yea Idolatry it self as you may see in ver 10. Will ye steal murder and commit Adultrey and swear falsly and burn incense unto Baal and walk after other Gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this House which is called by my Name and say we are delivered to do all these abominations It this House which is called by my Name become a Den of Robbers in your eyes Behold even I have seen it saith the Lord. Here is a crew of Legal-Worshippers of Carnal-Worshippers that certainly could not pretend to Justification by the strict Law of God yet trusted in the Temple and Temple-Worship ver 8. Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit and what those words are you have seen in ver 4. Trust ye not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord c. No saith the Lord. ver 3. Amend your wayes and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place Here is Mercy Grace Pardon here they are put upon the way of believing ver 5 6. For if ye throughly amend your wayes and your doings and if ye throughly execute judgement between a man and his Neighbour if ye oppress not the stranger then will I cause you to dwell in this Land that I gave to your Fathers for ever and ever But else never think that the Temple or Temple Worship can save you or deliver you Ver. 12. Go to Shiloh go unto my place which was in Shiloh
spiritual Saints under the Old-Testament they might truly conclude that their Religion was of an higher strain then either that of the one or of the other * If any will make any abate ment of this observation in the height of it as that the advancement of the least Salnt in the kingdom of Heaven above Iohn the Baptist should be meant of Gospelpriviledges let them do as they see cause and so this observation might wel serve for a Character to them Yet because the Saints of God do not always understand nor are able to make a judgement of their condition and for that I aim onely at such Characters as may be useful to persons for trial of themselves I shal at present let this pass without pressing it any further onely I could wish these multitudes of grovelling creeping complaining Saints were wel chid and awakened for they make Ministers that they cannot preach free Divinity lest they should perhaps grieve them And I verily believe that it hath spoiled many a good Sermon that would have been far more lively both for the conviction of wicked men and the quickening of other good Christians that could have born it and done wel with it meerly the stuffing it with cautions and qualifying many brave expressions lest some of these weak tender Christians should be offended which tenderness in most is rather a delicacy of spirit then the quick sence of a wounded Spirit which indeed must be tenderly dealt with Good men many of them have gotten such effeminate Antinomian Consciences that they cannot bear sound Doctrine many Gospel strains are legal in their apprehension But I must forbear this â—â—nguage lest I have little thanks for not making this a Character I shal onely say before I pass off that methinks when we serve the great God upon terms of Mercy and Grace when he offers us pardon of our sins and the salvation of our souls freely we should be mighty chearful and quick and diligent when we consider our high calling to be the children of God heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ it should mightily quicken and enoble our Spirits Seemeth it a light thing saith David to be a Kings Son-in-Law seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 18.23 And certainly it argues a great want of faith hope not to be very much quickned with these considerations but pass on And as I have now avoided making this a Character which I might have made one so I shal endeavour to un-make another that hath been made one by some or at least to unmake it in part They would make this another Character of a legal Spirit A salfe Character of a Legal Spirit That it is selfish and mercenary in the service of God onely works for wages and for the reward but doth nothing out of pure love nobleness and ingenuity I have heard it delivered in a great Assembly as a great observation That self-love hath no more Religion in it than an Horse That is as I understand it so far as a man acts towards God for any good that should accrue to himself so far his Religion is unacceptable Now for the word ONELY I confess I know not what to say to that how that should be a good Spirit that worships and serves God ONELY for the reward But I suppose they that speak undervaluingly of this Principle do mean or at least should mean by the tendency of their Discourses that it is a legal Principle to serve God in hope of the reward or for the reward and that so far as we serve God from this Principle we are legal or at least we miscarry in so doing And indeed to shew that I do not slander a party I have heard several Discourses wherein this hath been hotly argued that it is not a right or at least not a Gospel-Principle to serve God for fear of Hed which is to me all one as to serve him in hope of a reward for to avoid Hell is a negative reward as the enjoying Heaven is a positive Now for my part I think whatever we may account of self-love when it is the onely principle yet that it is a very good principle in other honest company and withall I think that there is no Saint upon earth that doth act towards God meerly upon the principle of self-love which I shall shew by and by But I will say more yet and that is this That I think self-love or acting for the reward and to labour in hope as the Husbandman doth who not onely laboureth in hope but for his hope or for that which he expecteth else he would not have taken that labour I say to act for the reward or in hope of the reward and so likewise that we may avoid Hell needs not so far the association of other Principles to countenance and credit it as if it were not it self a right Gospel-Principle for I think to be encouraged by the reward which the Gospel promiseth on purpose that so we might be encouraged argues a true gospel-Gospel-spirit answering the Gospel-motive and so that outward motive from the Word or Promise becomes an inward Principle It were endless to quote the Scriptures that encourage us in holiness by the consideration of glory to come Be thou faithful to the death and I will give thee the Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 One more That which ye have already hold fast till I come and he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron even as I received of my Father and I will give him the Morning-Star Rev. 2 25 26 27 28 So it is likewise a Gospel-principle to serve God that we may avoid Hell We have both together to get Heaven and avoid Hell made Gospel-motives Heb. 12.28 29 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire And it is the advice of our Saviour Luk. 12.5 To fear God who can cast body and soul into Hell and for that reason I say unto you my friends fear him they are our Saviours Words Luke 12 4 5. Now with whatever fair shews and pretences men may impose these Doctrines upon themselves or others that they must not serve God for fear of Hell nor hope of Heaven I look upon Satan to be the Forger of these devices for if he can get us once out of the fear of Hell and out of the hopes of Heaven hee 'l make no doubt to bring us into what temptations soever he shall intice us with And I would fain know what the other principles are when these are removed upon which we should be constrained or engaged to serve God There is indeed one more lest very considerable but these men that dislike the hope of reward and fear of punishment
will not like this neither and it is because it is the duty of the Creature to serve its Creator whether he promiseth any reward or no. Now this will not look neither like a Gospel-principle being the very Law of Creation Well then what principles will they suggest for Gospel-principles Why such as these Love and Ingenuity and Gratitude and apprehending an excellency in the wayes of God Now I confess these are good principles and these are right Gospel-principles the fruit of the Spirit is love And we love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.19 which is gratitude Shall we continue in sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace and that so Grace may abound God forbid This were highly disingenuons Rom. 6.1.15 And in keeping thy Commandments there is great reward Psal 19.11 There is a sight of the excellency of the precept But pray observe that where nobleness and ingenuity is the onely Principle of Actions there is no necessity for any thing to be done at all for actions of nobleness and ingenuity and gratitude come under no Law but are left free to the Agent to do or not to do only that hereby as he doth them or not the Agent will discover whether he be of an unworthy Spirit or no. And thus these men have brought things to a fair pass that God is to be served under the Gospel onely upon courtesie so that any that will may slip their neck out of Christs yoke and their back from under his burthen or else they must acknowledge that men ought to serve God because there is a MUST upon it 't is our duty as Creatures if we will not there is an Hell to punish but to encourage you in it if you will there is an Heaven to reward And what if a Legal Spirit go to work with these principles ONELY as indeed I think he hath no other and that he may have all these in a degree viz. the sense of his Obligation as a Creature the fear of Hell and some general hope of Heaven I say What if he may have all these principles are they evertheless good or unsuitable to the Gospel because he useth them If he used them to good ends or used them aright they would do him good as well as they do others good the reason why these do him no good is for that in the use of the same principles in the general which a good man may use A Legallist hath always these three gross defects that undo him Three ruining defects in the service of a Legallist First though the hope of Heaven in general as a place of happiness may somewhat quicken him in what he doth yet he hath no true notion or apprehension of Heaven that the happiness of it consists chiefly in likeness to God in holiness which if it were his notion of Heaven he could not find in his heart to desire it much less to endeavour after it The second gross defect is this All the endeavours that he makes to please God in one thing or in another as I have instanced in several wayes never reach to a thorough heart-work whereas that is the chief thing that God looks after because he is a Spirit the Father of Spirits And the lastthing is this That yet for all this slightiness hypocrifie of a Legal Spirit the very rule that he proceeds by in his expectations of his Reward is That God is bound to give it him as having well deserved it at his hands Now what though a Legallist may make use of the same principles that an Evangelical Spirit doth unsuccessfully yet what should hinder but the Evangelical Worshipper may use the same principles rightly and with acceptation from God May not a good thing be abused or not rightly used And doth this destroy the nature of it Let us now a little examine the word Mercenary because indeed it sounds harshly as if it were a low principle for a Christran to act towards God by and then we will see briefly what other Principles there are in conjunction with it in every true Saint of God The word Mercenary founds so ill meerly from the common usage of it not so much from the Etymology or native signification the Natural signification of it is when any one acts for wages or for a reward the use of it is when a man that is engaged to do courtifies or at least stands not in any need to receive courtesies will yet do no good turns for any without a good reward in his hand or well assured to him nay perhaps will do any mischief if he may be well rewarded so that Mercenariness is a Vice alwaies contrary to Nobleness that is more free to do than receive courtesies and often contrary to justice but now this Mercenariness especially as contrary to nobleness is a Vice onely or chiefly amongst equals and those that stand not in need of one another as for those that are far inferiour it is pride with them to be unwilling to receive courresies or rewards for wherefore are any advanced in place but that they may do good to those that are below them 'T is no dishonour at all for a poor man that wants bread to hire our his labour for a reward nor for a child that is bound to do what his facher commands to be encouraged by any reward that his father proposeth to any action Now let us apply these things to the bufiness before us and we shall see how ill or how well Mercenariness becomes us in our service of God First of all we are not here to consider the Saints as doing evill things for a reward that is the worst Mercenariness of all no but they serve God for a reward Now wherein can the sordidness of this Spirit lye is it that we need not to receive courtesies at the hands of God or that we cannot endure to receive a courtesie which we know we are not able to requite Such a struin of nobleness there is sometimes found amongst men out if we should aim at such a strain of nobleness with God How will such men ever offer to receive heaven especially when they did not work for it which makes it far more obliging Truely in my minde it is very high pride for a poor creature that is poor and blind and naked and in want of all things that when God offers to supply his poverty to cure his blindness to cover his nakedness he shall not be exceedingly over-joyed at it and seeing that these supplies are of this nature that they cannot be compleatly obtained till we come to heaven nor yet certainly obtained except we persevere whilest we are here to labour after them it seems a strange wantonness to me that men should not labor and own it that they do labour for them as the command is No fault in labouring for the reward except it be for the reward of a debt Labour for
spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father which I shall make bold to Paraphrase thus Ye have not now under the Gospel received the spirit of Bondage again as ye did under the Law for some of these Romans to whom he writes were Jews but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby both you and I for the person is changed and all Gospel-Saints cry Abba Father The Law SO FAR as it did reign over the spirits of good people in the days of the Old-Testament brought them under a spirit of Bondage SO FAR and therefore the veâ— same Saints that now were under a Spirit of Adoption by the Gospel yet had been under â— spirit of Bondage in the times of the Law in a great measure unless we will make the person YEE to signifie specifically not numericall that is of Saints like them of the same Nation in times past and not of those very Saints iâ— person to whom he writes but which way sâ—â—ver understood it asserts that the Saints of Goâ— in the times of the Old Testament were in 〈◊〉 great measureunder a spirit of bondage through the darkness of the Dispensation which argues that for those that were under the Law wholly they were certainly under a severe Bondage from the Law and so that this may very well be made a Character of a Legal spirit I am not ignorant that there is another interpretation given of this Scripture by some yet very agreeable with this that I here give viz. That in every work of conversion there is a legal conviction which they call a Spirit of Bondage which goes before faith and that after a man hath truely believed he never receives or returns to a spirit of Bondage again But I think this is not the genuine interpretation onely it may be allowed for true in a great measure and I might borrow strength from it for my present purpose for that this spirit of Bondage in this interpretation is the effect or the work of the Law only but of this the Reader may see more in the 41. page of the foregoing discourse I come now to shew what a spirit of Bondage is now this discovers it self in the very name Bondage or Slavery as also by its opposition to a spirit of Adoption or Son-ship they that are under it serve not God as children serve a father but as slaves serve a cruel master again it is notified to us by the inseparable companion of this spirit and that is fear Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the 2 Tim. 1.7 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of fear God hath not given to us saith the Apostle that is under the Gospel a spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde A Gospel spirit is a spirit of love a Legal spirit is a spirit of fear I shall give onely one Scripture more for this that is 1 John 4.17 18 19. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgement because as he is saith the Apostle so are we in this world There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment he that seareth is not made perfect in love We love him because he first loved us Here I collect and argue We that is We Saints converted by the Gospel have all of us a principle of Love which is quite contrary to that of fear We shall have boldness in the day of Judgement and this we have some fore-tasts of in this world for that spirit which is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Bondage to fear is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Love and Son-ship or Adoption which hath an holy boldness in it Hebr. 4.16 and teacheth us to call God Father But on the contrary the Legal spirit hath no such boldness in the presence of God but is alwaies silled with a tormenting fear and horrour at the thoughts of God even as the Devils are in a great degree who believe and tremble and as Cain was who when he could have no rest in his spirit went forth from the presence of the Lord which he could not endure and fell to building a city in probability to drown the noise of his Conscience which else would still have rung in his ears and allarm'd him with this dreadful sentence My punishment is greater than I can beâ—â— or my sin is greater than can be forgiven Perfect love casteth out fear then such as is the proportion aâ—â— degree of Love to God to such proportion and degree 〈◊〉 the tormenting fear of God abated Yet here I must needs acquaint the Reader that there is another exposition of this Text which I think is very allowable if not more genuine than the former that is that perfect love to God casteth out all anxious and solicitous fear of suffering and persecution for God's Cause I shall transcribe somwhat of Dr. Hammond upon the place ver 17. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of Judgement because as he is so are we in this world which he first thus translates In this the love with us is perfected that we have boldness and then paraphraseth thus In this the perfection of that love which is to be found in a Christian consists that in a time of danger when we are brought before Judges and may probably lose our lives for confessing of Christ then we retain courage and cheerfulness and confess him willingly that we behave our selves in this world as Christ did when he was here that is lay down our lives in testification of the truth ver 18. there is no fear in love that is saith he such love as this which was in Christ hath no fear in it Christ ventured and under-went the utmost even death it self for us I need transcribe no more But yet I think I may argue strongly even from this Exposition that which I aim at viz. that a Gospel-spirit is free from slavish fear of God at least in a great measure for still the love spoken of in this text it is love to God this love to God is a great Gospel-principle as appears in the text Now can any bear a great love to any person and yet have a slavish fear a tormenting fear of that person at the same time For my part I think love and fear with respect to the same person are very near as opposite as love and hatred and a tormenting slavish fear of any person cannot long be without a great degree of hatred Is it not a famous question in the Politiques concerning the security of a Prince An praestat timeri quam diligi Whether it be more safe for a Prince to be loved or feared of his Subjects
by the Apostleâ— a spirit of bondage of a servant of a slave a spirit of bondage to â—ear And for this I shall have recourse to Mr. Smith of Cambridge in his Discourse of Superstition who hath indeed a rich vein of his own and excellent quotations out of other Authors and hath in that Discourse many things applicable to my present purpose In it he makes Superstition according to the etymology of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consist in an over-timerous dreadful apprehension of the Deity for w th he quotes Helf ychius whotakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all one expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be one that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that a superstitious person is one that is very prompt to worship the gods but withall is very fearful of them and Mr. Smith tels us that Superstition is indeed nothing else but a false opinion of the Deity that renders him dreadful terrible as being rigorous imperious that which represents him as austere and apt to be angry And he further tells us that Plutarch hath thus defined it in his Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. A strong and passionate opinion and such a supposition as is productive of a fear debasing and terrifying a man with the representation of the Gods as grievous and hurtful to mankind Besides he tells us That wicked men whom he makes the superstitious are apt to account the Divine Supremacy as but a piece of Tyranny that by its soveraign will makes too great encroachments upon their rights and properties and therefore are slavishly afraid of him I shall recite but two quotations more out of him which I am not a little affected with the one is out of Plutarch the other out of Maximus Tyrius Plutarch's is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that if we understood God aright it would beget a freedom and liberty of soul within us an hope from vertuous actions and not gender to a spirit of Bondage which is the Apostles own phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other of Maximus Tyrius is as remarkable in his dissert 4. concerning the difference betwixt a friend and a flatterer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the sense whereof is this The pious man is Gods friend this is onely I think said of Abraham the great Believer the supersliticus is a flatterer of God and indeed most happy and blest is the condition of the pious man Gods friend but right miserable and sad is the state of the superstitious The pious man emboldned by a good Conscience and encouraged by the sense of his integrity comes to God without fear and dread but the superstitious being sunk and deprest through the sense of his own wickedness comes not without much fear being void of all hope and considence and dreading the gods as so many tyrants It is no small pleasure to me to read heathens thus rightly apprehending and expressing this twofold way of approaching to God which altering but the number of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looks so like that which is Divine and Apostolical Now for all this which here I have transcribed out of Mr. Smith touching superstition I reckon it may be well applyed to the Legallist and I shall not need to add any more in describing their slavish fear of God The second distinction which I promised was of the degrees of fear The second distinction of fear and this distinction is likewise very necessary for that such is the weakness of the Saints themselves that many of them may have a great degree even of slavish fear of God and may be far gone under a Spirit of Bondage The Saints of the Old-Testament by reason of the darkness of their dispensation were in a great measure generally under this fear and 't is an observation of some how solid I leave to others to judge that therefore the Saints of the Old-Testament are so commonly known by that Name Such as feared the Lord because their dispensation was so legal and dark and attended with a Spirit of Bondage but however that observation be censured I am sure the Apostle makes an assertion somewhat like it In Gal. 4.1 2. That the heir as long as he is a Child differeth nothing from a servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he be Lord of all even so we when we were children were in bondage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sense is this peremptorily The true spiritual Seed and heirs according to the Promise had much of a spirit of bondage and fear in the dayes of the Old-Testament and so still it is very possible and often found that many true Saints heirs of God as then they differed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing that is nothing to speak of so now they differ but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very little such is their weakness from servants by reason of the great mixtures of bondage and fear which they have in their spirits in the service of God but yet now though I have allowed this great mixture of a Spirit of bondage in the Saints even to a great degree yet I affirm that now and in all ages past the Saints and wicked Legallists are to be discerned and distinguished the one from the other by the degrees of this fear as truly as before I distinguisht them in the kinds of fear for as much as the Saints of God have or may have of a slavish fear in the service of God yet they have all enough of that spirit of adoption and holy boldness so as to over-ballance it and to enable them to cry Abba that is â—ather which a meer Legallist hath not but is overborn by his fears and acts towards God onely under the anguish and incitation of a spirit of Bondage Yea though the gospel bring so much more of the Spirit of Adoption and Son-ship with it than the Old-Testament did that in comparison with it the Old-Testament be called a killing-letter and a Ministration of death yet I shall make this further assertion That all the true Saints of God even under the Old-Testament had so much of a Spirit of Adoption as did over-ballance their slavish fear and spirit of bondage in the service of God and the reason is this for that God hath in all ages accepted of men only as they treated with him upon Gospel-terms and principles A spirit of a slave was alwayes unacceptable unto God The two Covenants as I have shewn at large were in Moses his time and Abraham's time and the one gendered to bondage that was that from Mount Sinai the other unto liberty and that is from Mount Zion the new Jerusalem which is the Mother of us all that are shall be or ever were the true sons and heirs of it therefore they had always in a SUFFICIUNT DEGREE a spirit of liberty of
the holy Spirit is ready to fill ouâ— hearts with laughter and our tongue with singing in Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. in Eph. 5.18 19. Be ye filled with the Spirit speaking 〈◊〉 your selves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. So we see 't is the great duty of the Gospel for Saints to rejoice in the thoughts of God But there are several ways by which the Saints may and many do deprive themselves of comfort by falling into sins which to be sure will break their peace or else by admitting Satans subtilties against their peace hearkening to all the whispers of the Serpent against themselves who sometimes tells them they are not elected at other times that they have committed the sin against the Holy Ghost another time that they have out-stood the day of grace or that the spirit of God is departed from them and these things I believe many that have the Spirit of God dwelling in them have not out-stood their day of grace much less committed the sin against the holy Ghost may yet call into question and hear Satans suggestions about them so long till they be brought into a perfect maze and labyrinth of thoughts doubts and fears so that except the Lord should bring them our by a Miracle almost I cannot imagine how they should get out This fear and terror therefore was from their own faust at first though now they cannot help themselves 4thly Yet still I think it may be asserted that even for these very persons concerning whom the objection is made and which are mentioned in the last particular that even these when they are themselves and have the right use of their understandings for I reckon that such sad souls pass through many deliriums and irrational imaginations have all of them more kindly strains of ingenuity to God and of filial boldness than any Legallist in the world ever hath they have their lucida intervalla the smiles of God sometimes and feel the supports of the everlasting Arms or if they have not that which you may call comfort yet at least they are enabled to act towards God with a better spirit then that of a slave 5. But for others that are not thus and I hope I may say the greater part of true Saints they have a comfort and joy in the service of God and their hearts are mightily lightened and quickned by it Thy word saith David is sweeter to me then the hâ—ney or the honey-comb Psal 19.10 thy word hath quickned me Psal 119.50 I rejoiced in thy word as one that sindeth great spoil Psal 119.162 their joy bore the Apostles up above all their sufferings 2 Cor. 15. for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us siour consolation also aboundeth by Christ accordingly we are advised by our Saviour that when we suffer for righteousness sake we should rejoice and be exceeding glad or leap for joy as the word signifies Mâ— 5.12 And certainly if the joy of the Gospel be such as will carry us thorough the greatest sufferings it may well carry us thorough all the ordinary affairs and occasions of this life Yet for this see one place in the Book of Ecclesiastes ch 9.7 8. Go thy way eat thy Bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart why so it follows for now God accepteth thy works When a man's ways please the Lord and he hath a sense of it which none but a Gospel-Saint ever hath it will make him go chearfully through all the actions and occasions of his life Now if there be such a general joy upon the true Saints of God arising from their Gospel-way of serving God as will carry them through sufferings and through all the actions of their lives and by consequence into the presence of God with a chearfulness and holy boldness is it not most injurious that the troubles and sadness of a few Saints brought upon themselves against the design of the Gospel through the subtilties of Satan and the Saints own default should be thought able to make this assertion too light viz. that a Gospel-spirit hath an holy boldness and a chearfulness in it and is freed from the Spirit of bondage which accompanies a Legal Spirit into the glorious liberty of son-ship and adoption I shall onely make one observation more before I pass off from the explication and proof of this Character which I think will add some light unto it and it will be of a very contrary nature from the observation which the objection fastens upon and it is this It hath been laid to the charge of the Puritans that they are too familiar with God in their Prayers Now truly I will not undertake to defend those good men that have been honoured with that Name in every thing but I think in this particular as in many other things they have a great excellency in that they know better than their adversaries how to use an holy boldness at the throne of grace And yet to shew that I am not altogether sensless of the danger that there is of erring this way I do here acquaint my Reader that I verily believe that many have grosly erred herein I have heard of one very famous once in London a Tradesman that being gotten in a Pulpit made thus bold with the great God in prayer Thou hast said O Lord that concerning thy sons and concerning thy daughters we should command thee we command thee therefore c I need not go to aggravate this boldness I have heard others my self unreasonably as I thought bold in their expressions in prayer but I dare not charge this upon those good people in the general which have been called Puritans But I am sure however it is with them in one extream it is as bad and worse with the Papists and those that are superstitiously addicted in the other that they dare not use that holy boldness which is allowed them nay which is necessary to be used They think it too great a boldness to go to God in prayer without the mediation and intercession of some Saint or Angel or if they go to the right Mediator they dare not go to him but by the intercession of the Virgin Mary all which are but over-servile fears and denials to themselves of that true liberty and boldness which the Lord admits us unto If they go to celebrate the Eucharist the Supper or Feast of Christ's body blood which we are to eat and to drink at the Lords Table for our souls health first the people must not have the Wine then the Bread must be carryed about and worshipped like a god the Table upon which it is consecrated must be an Altar it must not be received but upon your knees nor taken as the command is Take eat but received from the Priests hand into your mouths which are all
that they must not touch taste or handle Col. 2.22 The Laity amongst the Papists must not taste the Wine it is too good for them nor touch the Wafer which is superstitiously invented instead of Bread with their unhallowed hands but receive it into their mouths from the hand of the Priest and that upon their knees yea when the Host is carryed in the streets they must fall down upon their knees Thus I have dispatched this observation about superstitious mens shiness of God in his Worship that they have not that holy boldness they ought to have but a spirit of bondage and of slaves in the presence of God Superstitious men under any of the three notions of Superstition are under a spirit of bondage in the service of God I come now to the application of the Character And in this I shall proceed as I have done in other Characters first indeavouring hence to discover Predominant The application of the Character then Partial Legality or the mixtures of Legality in the Saints Now for Predominant Legality as the notions of Superstition have been severally given and explained Superstition alone may serve to discover where this great evil is As Mr. Smith gives the notion of Superstition it seems to me to be no other then the spirit of Bondage it self and I dare say if thou art superstitious in his sense thou art under a spirit of bondage Predominantly and so under Legality Predominant If thou lookest upon God as a Tyrant and yet servest him and that as such what higher description can there be of a spirit of Bondage Hither I might refer all the too-severe penances which the Papists inflict upon themselves in watching fastings and scourging of themselves as if the merciful God were taken with such crueties instead of true worship and devotion But because I have often touched upon these things already I shall forbear though this be the most proper head of this matter Neither yet am I an enemy to prudent penances if I may so call them that is means and trials of one's mortification and repentance so they be wisely directed to an end as for the Intemperate to fast to afflict his soul and body before God for those that are apt to be proud in apparel to deny themselves sometimes the ordinaryliberties of apparel and perhaps to wear very mean cloaths that they may break themselves of their proud humour I make no doubt if Saint Paul should give us the instances of his mortification when he kept under his body that is his whole self though it may be his body in especial manner and brought it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dâ— Hâ—râ—moad I give my self black and blew eyes with beating my self and make my self a servant I say if he should tel us what courses he took in his mortification what liberties he denyed himself what tasks he might possibly impose upon himself I doubt it would make most of us condemn our selves severely for dastardly and effeminate Christians but yet stil I doubt not but his abstinencies and impositions were rational wisely directed to an end viz. to subdue or keep under some passion or the like end he did not sure satisfie himself or reckon that God was pleased with his sufferings further then as they were a reasonable service So again for the second notion of Superstition thou Idolater thou Papist that canst not come to the great God without a false Mediator through a fear and shiness I have no comfort for thee onely that I know not how merciful God may be to an erronious Conscience whenas the persons otherwise setting aside their error are sincere and cordial in their obedience and hold the Head that is Christ as the Apostles phrase is 2 Col. 19. Again for them that are superstitious in the last and lowest though I should think properest notion of the Word and are grosly so I take it as a very shrewd sign of a Spirit of Bondage and Legality predominant not onely for this reason that they plainly discover themselves to be very ignorant of the Gospel by which all the Ceremonial Law was at once laid aside and no other substituted by the Apostles nor as I should think left to be invented by their corrupter successors but for that other reason which I mentioned for that such men that are so much for invented Ceremonies which I reckon superstitious are not onely de facto strangers to a Spirit of Prayer which is all one with the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 but must needs set upon the inventing or embraciag these superstitions for that they think certainly the great God observes as much the little circumstances which are not indeed to be despised as the substance of every action and that if you are not mighty exact in every punctilio the Lord will not accept the most sincere devotion and hence they came to serve out every action with so much pomp and ceremony as must needs hinder the performance of some other necessary duties besides that the inventions are many times sinful in themselves Or else there must be another reason of these superstitious inventions which Mr. Smith suggests and thereby methinks brings down his high notion of Superstition somewhat towards this last that we have given his words are That superstitious men think though God is apt to be angry yet that he is easily to be appeased again by some FLATTERING DEVOTIONS especially if performed with sanctimonious shews and a solemn sadness of mind and therefore saith he Superstition will alwayes abound in these things whereby this Deity of their own made after the similitude of men may be most gratified slasishly crouching to it And then quotes Plutarch taxing the Jews with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their wallowings in the dust tumblings in the mire prosternations uncouth gestures and strange rites of worship the very things which we call Superstition bowing to the high Altar c. And again he tells us That this root of Superstition diversly brancheth forth it self sometimes into poedantical rites and idle observations of things and times What is it that the lave ages have called Superstition but this which here Mr. Smith acknowledgeth to be the effects or branches of Superstition But to let pass this criterion of Superstition as to the word but yet retaining the thing intended by it which is an over-timorous fear of God we may find out predominant Legality by this that follows Art thou engaged in the service of God ONELY through the fear of Hell What saist thou to that Scripture The sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness harh surprized the hypocrites Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire Who among us shall dwel with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 Not as if this principle were in it self unlawful no it is a Gospel-principle and the Apostle Paul himself as I have shewed makes use of it when he sayes I beat down
and from the same person sick he expects not the same that he doth from him when he is in health nor from a married man the same as to acts of devotion that he doth from the unmarried Person 1 Cor. 7.32.33 Now this I dare not let pass without these cautions 1. That I have delivered this onely for the comfort of those that are apt to accuse and censure themselves unreasonably not for any loose-principled people who are ready to say They do all they can and God is merciful 2. That this Doctrine that God proceeds according to the proportions of talents entrusted with us is not more comfortable to some than terrible to others You that have great parts and great opportunities cannot be saved with the same improvements that others may if he that had five talents had brought in but six or seven to his Master he could no more have entred into the joy of his Lord then he that laid up his one talent in a Napkin Matt. 25.20 21. Or at least he should enter difficultly and with great loss 1 Cor. 3.15 Now as there may be these unreasonable fears and doubts about their ESTATE in the hearts of the Saints which is so much of a spirit of bondage for that all unreasonable fears of God are the effects and univocal proper productions of a spirit of bondage I say as there may be these fears as to their state and condition so there may be as to PARTICULAR ACTIONS an absurd fear that we may not do them and a guilt after we have done them when indeed they were lawful to be done which usually argues a spirit of bondage and so a legal spirit in these actions Yet I will acknowledge that to do actions though lawful with a doubting mind makes them sins and may justly affect us with a guiltiness But many times one does an action freely and without doubting and afterwards with a scrupulosity reflects upon the action and then hath a fear and a guilt Now I say if this action upon which we reflect thus was a lawful action then is our guilt and fear which we have impressed upon us an argument of Legality or a Spirit of Bondage for the reason above given But yet there is something more to be said as to the clearing of this matter for I will not dare to call all cautious wary proceeding in searchingout what may or may not be the wil of God and my duty in such or such an action to call call this Legality and the effect of a spirit of bondage God forbid this were Doctrine for a Ranter to vent not for any sober person But this is that which I affirm That we ought to enquire faithfully and seriously what may be our duty and what may be our liberty in such or such an action before we adventure upon it and if we cannot understand such a thing to be our liberty as for instance to take usury-money to take an oath c. we ought not to do it but yet I say and that is the chief thing I intend in this particular that if we determine against our own liberty it not onely argues a weakness of judgement but usually a spirit of bondage for that our very determination proceeds from a false opinion and an over-timorous apprehension of God We think that he will not allow his servants such liberties as indeed he doth we think him an hard Master as it is Matth. 24.25 There are some men whom I dare not but think good men that yet think a Christian a Saint of God should be so exact so circumspect in things that are of no consideration so superstitious I may say in gestures habits language as if a Christian when once such were not to converse with other men but must go out of the world as the Apostles phrase is speaking in such a case as this 1 Cor. 5.9 10. And these men I make no doubt have done much prejudice to Religion by their great reservedness and narrowness of principles which I shall take liberty here to call Legality and a spirit of bondage for that it usually proceeds from a wrong apprehension of God as if he were hard and austere and cruel to his creatures And this narrowness of spirit and scrupulosity hath been a common and powerful principle in people so long till at last it hath issued out in a party and faction amongst us and it is as I conceive one of the most considerable ingredients in their Religion whom we call Quakers I have done with this third Character I come now to a fourth which is this A Legal spirit is a persecuting spirit and that especially of those that are the true Gospel-Saints and Worshippers of God I shall presently give my Scripture for this it is in Gal. 4.28 29. Now we Brethren as Isaac was are children of the promise but as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit even so it is now He that is born after the flesh was the son of the Bond woman from Mount Sinai for justification by works as all the Allegory wil witness especially ver 23. he that is born after the spirit is the son of the promise that rests upon the promise in the Gospel-way for Justification Now as there have always been from the beginning these two seeds these two sorts of Worshippers so there was alwayes an enmity between them and they that are after the flesh and for the Law alwayes persecuted them that are for the Gospel those that are for the Law are ful of persecuting principles against all that differ from them they would fain have all forced to be of their way but yet their persecution is most fiercely directed against the true Worshippers they cannot endure that they should live upon the face of the earth Cain was a right Legallist he brings of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord but never minds with what heart he offers it yet takes it for granted that God would accept of it and like it very well And when he finds that his offering is not accepted and that his younger Brother's is he cannot bear it he hates his Brother and longs for the blood of his Brother and wherefore flew he him saith the Scripture Alas for no other reason is the answer made in the same place but for that his own works were evil and rejected and his Brothers righteous and accepted 1 John 3.12 not that his Brother had done him the least wrong imaginable Wherefore did Ishmael the son of the bond-woman persecute Isaac which persecution we find not to be other than scoffing at him Gen. 21.9 but onely because he was the son of the promise mocking him perhaps with some such taunt as this There goes a young Puritan a young Precisian the Son of the promise But come we down to the New-Testament and who there are the great persecutors of our Saviour and his Apostles
but the Jews yet who greater Legallists then they They at Lystra that would have worshipped Paul and Barnabus for gods to day are by to morrow perswaded by some Jews that came down thither from Antioch and Iconium to stone them Acts 14.11.19 They were the Jews who were so zealous for the Law that cryed out against Paul Away with such a fellow from the earth it is not fit that he should live Acts 22.22 Might not he justly therefore as he doth not by way of revenge but of right appellation call them Dogs Phil. 3.2 Beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the concision those that yet have their great confidences in the flesh ver 3.4 And as it was then in Abraham's time and in the Apostles days so it is now they that are for Ceremonies and Superstitions or meerly for an external way of serving God cannot endure the true spiritual Worshippers I shall now in a word endeavour to shew how this spirit of persecution proceeds from their Legality not that the Law teacheth them any such thing directly but that the corruption of their spirits incited occasionally from the Law puts them upon it Now I suppose it comes to pass thus that seeing they are in such a way of serving God as brings them in no true peace but puts the most of them into great horrors fears and troubles of spirit as is manifested in the former particular and indeed into a secret hatred of God they cannot vent their hatred against God directly that would be too gross and therefore they find out some pretence or other of venting it against his truest and most faithful servants They 'l accuse them of being too strict that they are the troublers of their Israel as Elijah was accused by Ahab 1 King 18.17 though indeed Elijah there sets the Saddle upon the right Horse as the proverb is when he tells Ahab ver 10. I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers House in that ye have forfaken the Commandments of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim So was his successor Elisha served by the King of Israel in his time 2 King 6. where is a most pertinent story to this purpose which I havâ— somewhat touched at above There was indeed a sore Famine in Samaria perhaps upon the prayer of Elisha as before there was upon the prayer of Elijah as appears from 1 King 18.1 compared with James 5.17 18. or at least the King of Israel suspected that he was the cause of it and upon this bears him a grudge but yet Elisha promising or giving some hopes at least that there should be a plenty in some very short time as Commentators say the King thinks fit to wait a while which he in the 33. ver calls waiting on the Lord and he waits with some signs of humiliation for it is said ver 30 that at the story of the womans eating her child he rent his cloaths and the people looked and behold he had sackcloath within upon his flesh And he hath some Religious words for those that came to make their complaint to him ver 26.27 Then cryed a woman unto him saying Help my Lord O King And he said If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee Hitherto all things look pretty well but alas this was all but an external religiousness an external humiliation like that of wicked Ahab Seest thou Ahab humbleth himself And therefore this King 's forced patience hath an end and he breaks out into the highest impatience against God and where hath it its chiefest vent Why in persecuting the Prophet Elisha God do so to me saith he and more also if the Head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day and he senta man from before him to be the Executioner whom Elisha calls the son of a murtherer ver 31 32. Now alas what an absurd and impertinent revenge was this For suppose Elisha had prayed for this punishment of Famine upon the wicked Samaritans what reason had this foolish falsly-religious Wretch to think that there was any sault in Elisha Could he bind up the clouds from raining Or would the Lord have answered a Prayer which had been guilty of cruelty and inhumanity It was God who had sent the Famine not Elisha yea this wicked Prince acknowledged so much This evil is of the Lord saith he ver 33. but here is the my sterie of this iniquity he could not revenge himself upon Heaven and therefore he lets out his rage upon the best man that was upon earth All legal Worshippers have at the bottom of their heart a deep hatred against God and his people In the last place there is in the heart of every Legallist a spirit of envy and emulation They are all sensible more or less at one time or another that they are not acceptable to God and that these Puritans these holy men are and therefore they cannot endure them they envy them for their greatest excellencies and for that they are the favourites of heaven and they cannot endure that seeing they take so much pains as they do in their wrong way as indeed many of them are at great cost and pains in their way they cannot endure that any should be preferred before them Legallists and Spiritual Worshippers are as I may say Rivals for the favour of God Now the spiritual Worshippers take the right way the Legallists take the wrong way to obtain it therefore the first â—â—e received the latter are rejected and cast out What saith the Scriptures Cast out the bond-woman and her son Now there can be no greater â—ud than that which is between Rivals This was the very case bet wixt Cain and Abel which I have several times explained And Cain as I have said had no other quarrel against Abel but for that God accepted of his offering But now whereas a legal spirit is thus wrathful revengeful envious and murtherous the Spirit of the Gospel and of all Saints so far as they are baptized into a Gospel-spirit is a micable peaceable meek gentle and easie to be entreated James 3.17 Hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions envyings murthers are all fruits of the flesh and of those that are BORN AFTER THE FLESH but the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace LONG-SUFFERING GENTLENESS GOODNESS What excellent virtues are these for humane Society The Legallist he cryes It is not fit to suffer such Wretches to live away with such an Heretick from the earth Now for the Gospel-spirited man he could wish indeed St. Pauls wish in Acts 26.29 I would to God saith he that not onely thou but all that hear me this day were not onely almost but altogether such as I am except these Bonds he doth not wish them his Bonds that was his GOODNESS that last Gospel-virtue mentioned but he wisheth that all his persecutors were of his perswasion so doth every good man else he could not
be a friend to the truth that he professeth But how to make them such he pretends to no other means but earnest prayers strong arguments and meek perswasions Thou almoâ—â— perswadest me to be a Christian saith Agrippa I would to God I could do it altogether saith St. Paul And when he comes to deal with his legal-Galathians first he useth the strongest arguments that can be to convince them afterwards the kindest appellations and sweetest infinuations to get an interest in their affections I have spoken to the arguments at large the appellations and insinuations I might insist upon such as these Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as you are yee have not injured me at all yee know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at the first and my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus chap. 4. ver 12 13 14 15. ver 19. My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you I desire to be present with you c. And as St. Paul practised so he advised Timothy to do in dealing with men of a contrary perswasion to him yea with such as opposed themselves to him 2 Tim. 2.25 26. IN MEEKNESS INSTRUCTING THEM WHO OPPOSE THE MSELVES if peraduenture God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And so he adviseth his Philippians Chap. 3.15 16. Whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing and if in any thing yee be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you The application is onely this So far as any are of a persecuting spirit so far they are Legal and I fear there are great mixtures of this in the hearts of many good men but I dare make this guess concerning them that when they have well smarted themselves by impositions and persecutions for their consciences they will be heartily glad of a TOLERATION which yet they would not have allowed to others if they had had the power in their own hand and I fear they will feel the smart as much as any sort of men and perhaps more for all that are good shall be sure to feel the sting of the Serpent and those most especially that stand next him hoping to make some accommodation but yet are true enemies to him I have done with this fourth Character I have one more considerable Character to add unto the former but before I proceed to the mention of it I shall add some few quotations out of Dr. Moore and Mr. Smith of Cambridge for confirmation of those things that I have asserted as Characters because I am loath to goalone without some restimony from others in such a considerable subject as I have here adventured through the assistance of God to treat upon Dr. Moore in his Mysterie of Godliness Iâ—â— 9. cap. 7. pag. 470. tells us That a MEER LEGALLIST is even a stranger to those things he praâ—â—ses and imitates under the Law Vpon the 〈◊〉 Chaâ—acter that the service of the Legallist consists onely in extemals and acts so as a Paâ—â—â— speaks by external imitation not from a due inwaâ—â— faculty and so again in the same pag. The Law sayes he not giving life there is no principle of life and natural genuine compliance of the soul of man wiâ—â— the SPIRITUALITY of the Law under the first Câ—venant Now if it cannot reach the spirituality oâ— the Law its service must consist onely in external conformities I shall produce somewhat 〈◊〉 the like nature out of Mr. Smith of Cambridge in that Discourse of his of the difference betwixt a Legal and Evangelical Righteousness he hathâ— these words That Righteousness of Faith which the Apostle sets up against the Law and compare with it is indeed in its own nature a VITAL and SPIRITUAL Administration wherein God converseth with men whereas the Law was meerly an EXTERNAL or dead thing in it self not able to beget any true Divine Life in the souls of men All that LEGAL RIGHTEOUSNESS which the Jews boasted so much of was but from the earth earthly consisting MEERLY IN EXTERNAL PERFORMANCES and so falling extreamly short of that internal and God-like frame of spirit which is necessary for a true conjunction and union with God c. Again in the same Discourse he tells us That the most proper and formal difference between the Law and the Gospel is this That the one is considered onely as an external Administration and the other as an internal and that therefore the Apostle calls the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ministration of the Letter but on the other side he calls the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministration of the Spirit Once more in the same fourth chapter p. 323. Under the old Covenant This reaches the first and third characters and in the time of the Law there were amongst the Jews some that were Evangelized that were re non nomine Christiani as under the Gospel there are many that do Judaize are of as LEGAL and SERVILE SPIRITS as the Jews children of the Bond-woman resting in meer external observances of Religion in an outward seeming purity in a form of godliness as did the Scribes and Pharisees of old Another out of Doctor Moore his Mystery of Godliness pag. 387. The holiness of the Gospel is far transcending the holiness of either the ancient or MODERN SCRIBES and PHARISEES and Zelotical Ceremonialists for all outward Ceremonies of time and place of gestures or vestments rites or orders they are all but signs and shews but the body is Christ Some passages out of Mr. Smith's Discourse of the shortness of a Pharisaical Righteousness That Love is an absolutely necessary principle of Gospel-obedience to shew that love is absolutely necessary to a Gospel-spirit pag. 364. saith he The spirit of true Religion is of a free noble ingenuous and generous nature arising out of the warm beams of the Divine Love which first hatcht it and brought it forth and therefore it is afterwards perpetually bathing it self in that sweetest love that first begot it and is alwayes refreshed and nourished by it This Love casteth out fear fear which hath torment in it and is therefore more apt to chase away souls once woundâ—â— with it from God rather then to allure them to God with much more to the same purpose One more out of the learned Doctor concerning the last Character mentioned Upon the fourth Character viz. a spirit of Persecution and it is this That Ishmael Hagar's son had his hand against every man Upon which he quotes a descant of Philo. that it might signifie thus much That the Legallist is a great and fierce Disputer upon the Letter a notable Polemical Divine and his ignorance and untamedness of his carnal heart makes him very hold and troublesome I shall
need transcribe no more but if the proof of these Propositions that the Legallist is for◠external conformities onely in the service of God that he hath aflat and dead spirit in his service that he is proud and conceited and yet under a spirit of Bondage c. I say if the proof of these rested upon authority I might be furnished with abundant testimonies out of these Authors and I shall name no more hitherto therefore it is evident that I go not alone either in words or matter and design I proceed now to speak to the last character The last Character which is this A man is so far Legal as he is affectedly ignorant of Christ or acts to God without Christ in the daies of the Gospel Phil. 3.7 8 9. when the Apostle had there rekoned up his external fleshly privileges which if he would have had a trust and confidence in the flesh he might have boasted of with any Pharisee of them all these saith he were once gain to me I accounted them my riches and my treasure but now What things were gain to me these I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him NOT HAVING MY OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF THE LAW but THAT WHICH IS THROUGH THE FAITH OF CHRIST the righteousness which is of God by Faith That I may know him c. This which I have produced is evidently to the purpose for that the Apostle is opposing the two righteousnesses of the Law and Faith and the righteousness which is of God by Faith is all one with the righteousness which is through the Faith of Christ and therefore that which he presseth forward unto is to be found in him and to know him in the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto him in his death ver 10 11 12 13 14 15. But here I will mark before I go any further that there is an inseparable connexion betwixt the righteousness of Faith There is an inseperable connexion betwixt the righteousness of Faith and true holiness and the righteousness of Sanctification nay they seem in this place to be put one for the other for when the Apostle interprets his own expressions of counting all things losse and dung that he may win Christ and that he may be sound in him not having his own righteousness which is of the Law he speaks it in words that signifie sanctification immediately and properly But which is saith he through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith What is that it follows that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death These are expressions of sanctification so it follows ver 11. If by any means I might obtain to the resurrection of the dead Which is the highest expression of Sanctification in the whole Scripture or at least one of the highest and so to the same purpose it follows ver 12 13 14 15. * Vnless we wil say that the Apostle speaks of Justification in the 7 8 9. verand then without any formal transition passes on to speak of sanctification in the following verses Not but that there must still be a proper difference held betwixt Justification and Sanctification for they have proper different notions and conceptions Justification is an act of God without us Sanctification is an act of the Spirit within us Sanctification denominates the Person good Justification denominates the person accepted and well-pleasing to God But for any contradiction that there should be in this to say that the same inward holiness which is called our Sanctification may be the very condition of our Justification I profess I know of none not that I affirm that it is so for indeed I am somwhat shye of affirming in those very words though I shall afterwards have occasion to say something to the like purpose but if I should I were not alone in the opinion those two Authors above-named would abundantly supply me with testimonies for they frequently and strenuously assert That the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the RIGHTEOUSNES OF FAITH mentioned so often in Paul's Epistles is onely an INTERNAL HOLINESS for which I shall give you several quotations out of them and so proceed Mr. Smith in his discourse of the difference betwixt the Old and New Covenant he comes to speak unto this very Scripture Phil. 3. Where saith he The Apostle amongst his other Jewish privileges having reckoned up his blamelesness in all points touching the Law he undervalues them all and counts all but loss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus in which place the Apostle doth not mean to disparage a real inward righteousness and the strict observance of the Law but his meaning is to shew how poor and worthless a thing all outward observances of the Law are in comparison of a true internal conformity to Christ in the renovation of the mind and soul according to his image and likeness as is manifest from ver 9 10 c. in which he thus delivers his own meaning of the knowledge of Christ which he so much extolled very emphatically That I may be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith Where by the way wee may further take notice what this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteousness of Faith and the righteousness of God is according to his own true meaning as he expounds himself viz. A CHRIST-LIKE NATURE IN A MAN'S SOUL or Christ appearing in the minds of men by the mighty power of his divine Spirit and thereby deriving a true participation of himself to them so we have it ver 10. That I may know the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death So far Mr. Smith I shall give now the same observation out of Dr. More and so proceed Pag. 387. of his Mystery of Godliness It is plain saith he from the constant scope of the Apostle both in his Epistle to the Gal. and every where else in extolling the righteousness of Faith that he does not vilifie true virtue and morality but drives at an higher pitch and perfection thereof and that the righteousness of Faith which he prefers to the righteousness of works IS NOT BY WAY OF EXCLUSION OF GOOD WORKS OUT OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH but of urging us to exacter and more perfect works of righteousness than could be performed under the dispensation of the Law And in pag. 379 where the Doctor professeth
Dr. upon the next question The words are these But if the Spirit of him that raised up jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit which dwelleth in you and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness ver 10. His interpretation of the verse is excellent in my mind and it is to this sense as I apprehend it That when we are Christians and have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us and the presence of Christ by his Spirit we shall be sensible how far yet we remain unsanctified and that unsanctified part in us which the Apostle calls the body of death and desires to be delivered from will appear as ghastly and deadly a thing to us as the dead body tyed by Mezentius to the living did to him because Christ is living in us But yet now our Christian faith teacheth us to believe that though the body be dead because of sin that is there be a great part of us yet unsanctified and dead because of sinful remainders in it and by reason of this unsanctified part or body of death in us we are exceeding heavy and indisposed to all holiness and goodness yet that the Spirit of Christ in us is life and righteousness and will by degrees qvicken those very dead unsanctified parts that are yet within us for if the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in us he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal hodies that is that unsanctified part that is at present dead in sin by his Spirit which dwelleth in us Dr. More 's words are We finding a comfortable warmth in the grateful arrivals of the holy Spirit do believe That he that raised up Christ from the dead wil in due time even quicken these our mortal bodies or these dead bodies of ours and make them conspire and come along with ease and chearfulness and be ready and active complying instruments in alll things with the Spirit of Righteousness Which belief viz. that God will thus by his Spirit quicken our mortal bodies is saith he a chief point in the Christian faith and most of all parallel to that of Abrahams who believing in the goodness and power and faithfulness of God had when both himself and his Wife Saraah were dry and dead as to natural generation and so hopeless of ever seeing any fruiâ— of her Womb who had I say Isaac born to him who bears joy and laughter in the very Name oâ— him and was undoubtedly a type of Christ according to the spirit For Isaac is the wisedom power and righteousness of God flowing our and effectually branching it self so through all the faculties both of man's soul and body that the whole man is carryed away with joy and triumph to the acting all whatsoever is really and substantially good even with as much satisfaction and pleasure as he eats when he is hungry and drinks when he is dry And these now according to the designe of the Dis Discourse are acts of a Gospel-faith which justifie us as Abraham's believing in the power of God for a Son did justifie him I come now to another Question which is this How doth Faith justifie The fifth question of Iustification or under what notion and consideration doth faith justifie Now to this I answer that Faith justifies as our Righteousness It doth not justifie as some affirm only by relying upon the blood of Christ or apprehending the righteousness of Christ for I have given instances of several acts of faith which were justifying acts that had not this respect at all unto the blood of Christ at least not visibly and the reward of Justification was reckoned to them upon other accounts Abraham was fully perswaded that God was ABLE TO PERFORM and THEREFORE it was imputed to him for righteousness Rom. 4.21 22. Yea I have given instances of a faith in Christ that was justifying and yet was not directed to the blood of Christ by any thing that appears in the Scriptures quoted No faith it self is our righteousness faith in the power of God was Abraham's righteousness and faith in the power of God according as our necessities at any time require will be our righteousness But more especially faith in the power of Christ or in the blood of Christ is our Gospel-righteousness though as I affirmed before there cannot be true faith in God now in the dayes of the Gospel but it will turn into a faith in Christ as well as in God And for this Assertion that Faith is our Righteousness I shal give several Scriptures Rom. 4.3 What saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness that is his believing in God and relying upon his power and faithfulness for the fulfilling of his promise this faith of his was accepted so farr was so highly pleasing to God that God made him his friend Jam. 2.22 23. and reputed and reckoned him through grace as righteous as if he had kept the whole Law So Rom. 4. ver 5. To him that believeth in God that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted to him for righteousness What plainer expression can there be than this for our Assertion his faith is counted for righteousness to him or for his righteousness And for a little proof from the testimony of others for this Assertion I reckon is somwhat harsh see what Mr Baxter and Mr John Goodwin say upon it In his Aphorisms of Justification Thesis 20. pag. 108. saith Mr Baxter Our Evangelical righteousness is not without us in Christ as our Legal righteousness is but consisteth in our own actions of Faich and Gospel-obedience Thesis 23. pag. 125. In this sense also it is so farr from being an errour to affirm that faith it self is our righteousness that it is a truth necessary for every Christian to know that is Faith is out Evangelical righteousness in the sense before explained as Christ is our Legal righteousness And in the explication of this Thesis pag. 128. he hath these words Our Evangelical righteousness or Faith is imputed to us for as real righteousness as perfect obedience not that it is as much in true value yet it is so accepted because of the value of Christ's satisfaction Thesis 57. pag. 225. It is the act of faith which justifies men at age and not the habit yet not as it is a good work or as it hath in it self any excellency above other graces But 1. in the nearest sense directly and properly as it is the fulfilling the condition of the new Covenant in the remote and more improper sense as it is the receiving of Christ and his satisfactory righteousness Mr John Goodwin likewise declares himself not to be of their minde who conceive or teach That faith justifies as it is an instrument receiving
which otherwise I should be engaged to do from the fore-going discourse unto sincerity or sincere obedience which is the other part of the condition of Gospel justification I might adde as a great particular of the Exhortation to the exercise of faith that you must be sure to exercise frequent and vigorous acts upon Christ and his blood but of this I have spoken at large in the last Character To conclude therefore this use and so the whole Treatise if thou be rich in knowledge and firm in thy assent unto divine truths copious and strong in acts of affiance upon the divine power and goodness exhibited in the gracious promises of the Word and to this addest or rather makest to precede a sincerity of heart in the service of God that is in summe if thou be a great believer thou mayest not perhaps work Miracles but thou shalt be a wonderful Christian and shalt be able to do greater things than it was to do Miracles when they were in use for wicked men could work Miracles Math. 7.22 Thou shalt be eminently usefull unto the Church to thy Friends and Relations Acquaintance unto thine own soul thou shalt be fit to stand in the gap upon all occasions for others for thy self thou shalt free thy mind of all thy cares all thy businesses shall succeed thou shalt have all thy graces flourishing vigorous thou shalt by thy frequent actings of faith in prayer at last get such liberty of access to the throne of Grace such fellowship and communion with the Father and the Son as to be unto God and Christ in the quality of a Friend as Abraham was Jam. 2.23 which we know occasioned intimate communications from God to him as well as from him to God Gen. 18.17 Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do So our Saviour saith to his Disciples Henceforth I call you not servants but friends for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth John 15.15 The secret of the Lord both of his Covenant and Providence shall be with thee Psal 25.14 In a word be but much in the exercise of faith and you shall need but little more to enquire into your selves what evidences you have of the favour of God to you than one at noon-day needs evidence that the Sun shines be but much in believing and ordinarily I speak not of extraordinary dispensations ye shall have joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 this you may see at large above in the third Character pag 187. But I do not pretend here in the narrow compass of a Use to speak to all that may be said of the life of Faith either to the kindes of its acts the blessed effects of it all the cases about it motives to it or directions in it this would fill a large Treatise See Ball of the Life of Faith I shall conclude all with that of the Psalmist 37.3 Trust in the Lord and do good be large and firme in thy assent to divine truths be strong and vigorous in thy acts of Trust and Affiance and be faithfull to thy God and thou shalt dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed verily thou shalt be justified verily thou shalt be saved FINIS THere being here some empty Pages I thought good to translate one place more out of Luthers Commentary upon the Galatians which I have a great esteem for I would have it referred to pag. 112. or rather to the 183. because it shews how apt even good men are to fall into a legal frame of heart it is in the 53 pag. his words are these Deinde quoque causa Justificationis lubrica est c. besides also the business of Justification is a slippery tickle thing not indeed in it self or in its own nature for in it self it is most firm and certain sed quoad nos but as to us and in our management of it That which I my self have often experienced Novi enim in quibus horis tenebrarum nonnunquam lucter for I know in what hours of darkness I sometimes struggle and wrestle I know how often or how that oftentimes I lose of a sudden the rayes and light of the Gospel and of Grace as it were in certain thick clouds novi denique quam versentur ibi in lubrico etiam exercitati qui pedem firmissime figunt in the last place I well know how that the most experienced Saints and those that have best footing stand here viz. in the business of Justification as in a slippery place and their foot is ready to slip ever now and then and they are apt to let go their hold habemus quidem cognitionem hujus causae we know indeed this matter in a doctrinal way because we can teach it to others and this is a certain sign that we understand it for none can teach others that which he knows not himself It is a sign of a knowing person as he said to be able to teach Verum eum jam in praesenti agone uti debemus Evangelio c. But when we come to practice this doctrine when we are in a strait and pressure of spirit need to use Gospel which is the word of Grace consolation and life then and there the Law the word of wrath sadness and death gets before the Gospel seiseth of us before the Gospel can come praevenit Evangelium and begins to make a tumult within us and stirs up no less terrors in the conscience than that terrible and horrible sight upon Mount Sinai did Sic ut vel unus locus comminationis in Scriptura omnes obruat obnubilat consolationes So that though but one place of threatning in the Scripture come to our minde it will over-whelm and darken all our comforts and will put all our inward parts into such a shaking and trembling adecque omnia interiora nostra concutiâ—t that we shall quite forget the right state of the matter of Justification we shall quite forget grace Christ and the Gospel ut plane obliviscamâ—r causae Justificationis Gratiae Christi Evangelii therefore as to us the business or cause of Justification is a very sl ppery tickle thing because we are slippery and unconstant in it Ides quantum ad nos attinetr es valde lubrica est quia nos lubrici sumus FINIS
they believe it that if they do such and such things which are not made the condition of pardon by God for going such a pilgrimage for taking such a penance c. they shall have their sins pardoned for so long a time And wherein doth Justification consist so much as in pardon of sin Therefore they seek Justification by Works even by inventions of their own which is worse then by Works commanded Now that which is so gross amongst them may be as truly though more refinedly amongst our selves I have now done with the two first particulars in the Conviction I shall onely now recollect what I have said and proved that so I may borrow some strength for what follows and so proceed Is it so then that all mankind is so exceeding apt to seek Justification by Works And is it such an hidden and unsearchable evil of heart that we cannot easily know it it hath so many self-deceits and runs through so many contradictions Doth it lie in opinion of Merit yet is Merit so generally disowned and yet so many real votaries to it What need then have we to search and try if we are not guilty in this particular and how far we may possibly be guilty For though we have found out the very notion in which it must lie viz. The Opinion of Merit yet this will not serve usually to find it out by for who of us doth not renounce Merits and yet who of us if the foregoing assertions be true is not addicted to Legality I shall come therefore to some other ways of discovery of this evil distemper of heart some marks and signs of it some effects which discover their cause though never so occult and hidden before And this is the third particular in the Conviction which I promised The first was to discover that there are such men as seek Justification by Works The second was to discover wherein their Legality lies And this third to discover by some signs where this Legality is to be found either in a predominancy or in any less degree Now for the discharge of this last part of my Work in the Conviction The third thing in the Conviction viz. the Characters I shall first premise two things and then come to the Characters The first is this That all men in the world are either prophane and Atheistical or else in some way or other Religious as for those that are prophane and atheistical I have nothing to do with them in this Discourse for that they have nothing to do with Justification who make no pursuit after it at all The second observation that I would premise is this That as for the Religious World those that treat with God after any sort for their salvation they are all reducible to one of these two sorts they are either Legal or Evangelical in their service and obedience for there being but two wayes of Justification either in the Scripture or imaginable by us by unerring obedience and meriting or by the way of mercy which accepts an humble sincerity I say there being onely these two ways all that seek Justification must be of one of these two ways and hence I would infer that where-ever we find in Scripture any two ways of serving God that have followers and abettors being two opposite ways whereof one is good and acceptable the other evil and displeasing to God there are these two ways of Legal and Evangelical service and the Characters of the good way may be referred to the head of Evangelical the Characters of the bad unto the head of Legal Worshippers Or if we cannot make a clear reference of every miscarriage in Religion unto legallity yet this I dare affirm and shall prove That the distinction of Legal and Evangelical Worshippers or of such as are fleshly and such as are spiritual in the Worship of God is very ancient nay as ancient as all Antiquity so that throughout all ages in the Scripture and in our own age in undeniable experience there may be traced these two sorts of religious persons and that by Characters that are visibly Legalor Evangelical And whatever be the infinite perty differences of Sects in any age or place yet all men professing Religion may be reduced to these two classes or sorts of Legal and Evangelical Worshippers and these are the great things that are to be minded in them if you find that they are spiritual Worshippers pass by their petty differences if they are fleshly be not deceived by that fair shew which they make in the flesh for the Antiquity and continual suceession of these two sorts of Worshippers and that as they include all sorts of Religious persons see one Scripture then I come to the Characters it is in Gal. 4.29 But as then that is in Abraham's time he of the one side that was born after the flesh the son of the Bond-woman Hagar the Son of a Covenant of Works perseâ—nted him on the other side that was born after the Spirit that is the true Son of the Promise the Evangelical Worshipper so it is now As it was in the beginning so it is and ever wil be to the end of the World two sorts of Worshippers which two sorts all Religious persons may be referred unto If it were proper to enlarge upon this observation I could give more ample proof of it Now for the Characters 1 It is a 〈◊〉 way which â—e joiceth and glorieth in external priviledges and performances The proof that the legal way is an external fleshly way the first shall be this They that are for a Covenant of Works for the Law are much and chiefly for external services this I have partly touched before but I have a very fair occasion to speak to it here again and I dare promise the Reader to free him from the trouble of needless repetition I say those that are under predominant Legality in treating with God for their justification and acceptation they are chiefly for external services in their Worship and expressions of their obedience unto God This the Apostle calls flesh or a fleshly outward way of serving God in Phil. 3.2 3. the Apostle speaks home to this Character I will give you saith the Apostle in the first ver some SAFE advice and counsel what sort and party of men you should avoid and what sort you should close with Ver. 2. Beware of Dogs beware of evil workers beware of that evil sort of Worshippers that are in the sight of God no better then Dogs and not children Now who are they Why the concision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Concision is usually understood the Circumcision or legal Jew that gloryed in his Circumcision here called the Concision by an Ironical Paronomasia alluding to the Factions and Schisms which they made every where Beware of these saith the Apostle and do not receive them nor adher to them for we are the Circumcision that is the true Children of
gross conception as this because I have said that the Centurion was justified for his faith in Christ for the healing of his servant and the woman of Canaan for faith for her daughter Abraham for â—ffering his son and so every man for any act of true Faith therefore if a man be to seek for the justification of his person let him find out but any thing in which Faith may act and he shall be justified As for instance I think it the duty of any that are enlightned concerning the corruptions of the Church of Chrise to believe that God wil destroy the Papal Hierarchy and all the superstitious innovations which the Church of Rome hath introduced into the Worship of God yea and I think to believe it strongly at this time when there is so great improbability of it is mighty acceptable to God and perhaps another such act of Faith as Abraham's was that he should have a son and as justifying But now if one that hath lived wickedly but now is greatly convinced of his danger as the Gaoler was should ask what he should do to besaved and justified it were a strange thing to put him upon this act of Faith That God would destroy the Pope of Rome which yet may be an act of justifying-faith to another man We would say to him as Paul and Silas did to the Gaoler when he asked this question They said Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Acts 16.30 31 Believe that the blood of Christ can wash out as great stains as any of thy sins have made believe that Christ is willing to receive thee cast thy self upon his mercy and goodness Though every act of Faith juscifie yet there is a season for every act of Faith When the Centurion had a servant sick his act of Faith in the power of Christ was seasonable the womans faith for her daughter was seasonable the blind men's was seasonable Abraham's three acts were feasonable Noah's and Rahab's and that of Phineas were all seasonable Faith is a Divine faculty in the soul which hath great variety of operations e'en as many as the sight hath objects which are commended by the several seasons and occasions of acting Faith in famine seeds us in prison it sets us at liberty in weakness of nature it strengthens us yea and in weakness of Grace too Faith sometimes â—ixeth upon the Power of God sometimes upon the Wisdom sometimes upon the Faithfulness of God sometimes upon one attribute sometimes upon another Wee may see in Heb. 11. throughout the whole chap. what variety of glorious operations and effects Faith hath had Through Faith they subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained promises stopped the mouths of lyons quenched the violence of fire out of weakness were made strong women received their dead raised to life again c. ver 33. to the end All which were justifying acts of Faith onely they were seasonable and prudent he that was cast to the Lyons did not believe to have the sire quenched and they that were cast into the fire did not believe to have the mouths of the Lyons stopped Every act of faith is justifying but then faith is as an universal faculty which acts according to all the particular occasions of the soul and so it justifies I shall now add something of testimony out of Dr. More upon this second question What acts of Faith justifie because I am very sensible that my answer to it may seem very strange and sound very harshly unto some good men and I shall prove out of him so far as his Authority wil prove it That Abraham's act or acts of faith which were justifying to him were acts of faith in the Power Justice and Goodness of God and that they justifie by such their respect had unto these Attributes as also That our Gospel-Faith which indeed hath many new objects and encouragements offered to it doth justifie onely by agreeing with Abraham's faith in the general nature of faith or to use Mr. Goodwins words in the intrinsick nature and complexion of Faith which is ready to lay hold of all occasions of discovering our true and hearty dependance upon God acknowledging our own weakness renouncing all carnal confidence in any thing short of the omnipotent Power and Goodness of God And after these quotations out of him I shal proceed to some other questions In his Mysterie of Godliness p. 379. Faith saith he which is so highly commended by the Apostle I say it signifies nothing else but this in general viz. An high sense of and considence in the Power Justice and Goodnesse of God and a firm belief that he will assuredly bring to pass whatsoever he hath promised seem it never so unlikely and dissicult to flesh and blood And this is that which is so highly commended in Abraham as it is plain in the 4th to the Romans who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many Nations and being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old nor yet the deadness of Sardah's womb being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was ABLE to perform and therefore says the Apostle it was imputed to him for righteousness That is to say God approved of him In all this Justification of Abraham there is not a word of the blood of Christ for though I believe it was the blood of Christ that procured Abrahams pardon as a price yet I doubt not but it was Abrahams faith in the power and faithfulness of God that justified him Again pag 380 near the end of it Thus saith he from the example of Abraham would the Apostle commend the CHRISTIAN FAITH unto the World and in particular to the Jews the off-spring of Abraham For at the end of the fourth Chapter he makes this use of Abrahams faith being imputed to him for righteousness that we might also be brought 〈◊〉 TO BELIEVE IN HIM THAT RAISED UP JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification As Abrahams faith in the Power of God to give him a son was justifying so is our faith in the Power and Mercy of God as having raised up Jesus Christ from the dead who was delivered for our offences justifying Our faith viz. the Christian faith hath somewhat more in it than was in Abrahams faith yet Abrahams faith proving Justification to him we may well be encouraged to expect Justification in the way of a Gospelsaith And pag. 381. he gives us another instance of a Gospel-faith which he parallels with the faith of Abraham and that is A faith in the power of God to raise up Christ within us by his living Spirit from the 11th ver of Rom. 8. which I think is indeed rightly interpreted though with the favour of that great man not so happily applied but that I shall speak unto viz. wherein I differ from the