whereof take these few John 1.13 Which were born not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 15. For the natural men perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him Neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned But the spiritual man discerneth all things but is discerned of none 1 Cor. 15.22 For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive and verse 45 46 47 48 49. As it is written the first man was made a living soul but the second Adam was made a quickening spirit Hewbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and then that which iâ— spiritual The first man is of the â—â—rth earthy the second mâ—n is the Lord from heaven as is the earthy such are they that are earthy and as is the heavenly such are they that are heavenly and as we have born the image of the earthly so must we bear the image of the heavenly c. More particularly we answer That this one by whom sin entred into the world is not meant our first parent Adam but our own earthy or natural man which is called Adam and Edom from the earth of his foundation For the apostle shews that Adam our progenitor was not the original or first sinner 1 Timothy 2.14 For Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression according then to your Doctrine the apostle should have said By one Woman sin entred into the world But you hear before how Solomon Eccles 7.29 and the Lord himself Hos 14 1. scribe our fall to our selves This is yet clearer out of the 14. verse here where the apostle speaks of some who sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression but makes mention of none that sinned in him where he had fair occasion to speak of it yea if he had been of your belief he had committed a grievous neglect totally to omit it in silence Secondly here by the world into which sin entered we must understand the world of fallen and corrupt men as our Saviour doth Joâ—n 3.16 17. and John 15.17 18. and not all mankinde as you do c. Thirdly by death is not meant the bodily death which doth not presently ensue upon our fall no more then it did upon our first parents but a death unto righteousness or the life of innocencie with the contrary body of sin and so obnoxiousness to eternal death is hear meant Fourthly these words and death passed upon all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are thus to be rendered in as much or so far forth as all have sinned and as Moses in the 14. verse is not he that was the Lawgiver but the work of the Law drawing us to God so neither is this man the litterall Adam For Paul here saith That death reigned from Adam to Moses which must be understood necessarily thus from the fall of our natural Adam till the work of the Law came For otherwise the extent of the reign of sin should reach from the first man to the last and not to Moses onely Which thing the 13. ver holdeth out more plainly that he meant by Mose the Law For it is there said That until the Law sin was in the world which must be conceived that until the work of the law sin is in the world that is likewise in the faln corrupted men undiscovered which is plain from the latter part of the 13 verse where it is said sin is not reputed nor regarded as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and so Coverdel translates it and not imputed when there is no Law for that is false that sin was not imputed when there was no Law extant for it was imputed to Cain Gen. 4. and he was punished So to the old world and they punished Gen. 6 so to Babels builders and they punished Gen. 11.7.8 so it was imputed to Sodom and Gomorrab and they punished Gen. 19. when there was none of Moses law extant but it is a very truth that sin is not reputed not regarded when there is no work of the Law discovering sin unto the man so St. Paul saith of himself Rom. 7.9 that he was alive without the Law and verse v. he saith he had not known lust but by the Law and Rom. 3.20 it is said that by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin Thus you see how death raigned from Adam to Moses yet not from the first individual Adam to Moses the Law-giver but in the 2. part of the 14 ver it is not affirmed that any sinned in the first individual Adam for he saith Some finned not after the similitude of Adams transgression over whom notwithstanding death reigned Now that expression hinteth these two things First Some sinned like Adam not in Adam others sinned not after the similitude of his transgression but some other way as after Esau's transgression Hebr. 18.16 17. or the like according to that Eccles 7.29 Surely if the Apostle had beleeved any such thing as the raigning of death over all men by the first mans sin he would not have omitted that and onely mentioned from Adam to Moses for all may perceive his main designe is from verse 12. to the 15. to set forth the inlet and extent of deaths reigning over sinners therefore he would have used the fullest and plainest expression serving to that purpose but the 19. verse is more plain against universal corruption by the first mans disobedience for there the Apostle useth the word many and saith by one mans disobediene many not all were made sinners Therefore all fell not in the first individual Adam If any yet reply That many in that place is tant ' amount and equivalent to the word all We Answer That then by the same reason the word many in the latter part of the verse must have the same latitude allowed for the Apostle setteth down a full comparison of equals in that verse here the verse must be thus interpreted That as by one mans disobedience all were made sinners so by one mans obedience all are made righteous If any yet reply and say By one mans obedience all that repent and beleeve are made righteous then by the same inter retation By ones mans disobedience all are made sinners that imitate him and sin like him after the similitude of Adam 's transgressions Thus all men may see there is nothing gained by interpreting the word many by a Synecdoche for all are made sinners by one mans disobedience for the latter part of the verse must have the word many so explained which to affirm namely that all are righteous by Christ by an absolute and uniuersal Justification is accounted as detestable an Heresy as it hath been hitherto to deny that
as is hinted in the name of Moses which also is the time of Gods delivering his Israel from under the spiritual Pharoah Thirdly That men are not said here to sin in Adam to wit our first fathers transgression but after the similitude of it Fourthly There are some which sin not after that patern but another way as we have shewed before concerning Edom the same name with Adam in the Hebrew consonants and consequently in signification also Fifthly That there is an Adam which is or was the figure of Christ and that is our personal Adam also of whom the Apostle speaketh thus 1 Cor. 15.49 And as we have born the Image of the earthy so we also shall bear the Image of the heavenly Lastly That though Christ be already come in the flesh yet here in this 14. verse he is spoken of as one yet to come which doubtless is Christs coming in the spirit John 14.21 Now for our second task You may please advisedly to consider these two things First That the Apostle at the 17. verse speaketh thus How much more shall they that receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness raign in life by one Jesus Christ Now since we cannot enter into life but by a personal obedience as we shewed before for what other intent should the abundance of grace in Christ be more needful for us then for the performing of that obedience through which we attain unto the Kingdom and righteousness of God And so by one mans obedience even that of Christ within us are many made not putatively but really righteous according to verse 19. Secondly That the Prophets and Apostles speak frequently of Christs obedience in us but nowhere of his obedience for us more then of his suffering in our stead or his setting of us a patern to be followed Isa 26.12 Thou Lord wilt ordain peace for us for thou hast wrought all our works in us Jer. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts I will write it in their hearts Heb. 13.20 21. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.10 But I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God that was with me Phil. 1.10 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us c. Now if the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us through the grace and help of Christ as the Apostle expresly affirms it there what great need was there that it should be fulfilled for us Frustrà fit per plura c. Furthermore as our disobedience was both begun and perfected with our own consent endeavours though not without the leading instigation and power of Satan is it not meet that our obedience likewise should be both enterprized and accomplished with our wills and best concurrences though guided and carried on yea accomplished also by the grace of God and the power of his Christ Is not that which is done in us or by u◠though in the strength of Christ in obedience to Gods Law and requiring much more acceptable unto him then that which is done without us without our knowledge endeavour or consent We in the mean time remaining enemies and rebels or but lazy and loytering servants Indeed the outward and personal obedience of Christ as it was active was necessary in him as a Mediator not onely as our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or foregoer but in order also to his suffering for us for had he failed in his obedience to the Law he might have suffered afterwards for his own sins but could not have satisfied for ours And as Christ could not by his outward and personal obedience satisfie the Fathers justice for that personal obedience which we out selves ought and which by his grace and help we may perform so he did not by the same obedience purchase a reconcilement between us and God as you here affirm Amos saith chap. 3.3 Can two walk together except they be agreed Although God affects us as a work of his hands yet so long as the body of sin which is enmity against God remains in us we can neither be reconciled unto him nor he to us For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness 2 Cor. 6.14 Therefore it is said in the foregoing Chapter 2 Cor. 5.19 20. That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their prespasses unto them and bath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God Where we pray you to observe two things First That Christ is not said to have done the work to wit by his obedience or sufferings as you conceive but to be doing of it still viz. by his grace and spirit slaying the enmity aforesaid in and for those who beleeve aright on him and follow him in his like obedience and sufferings Secondly That the ground of the emnity between us and God lieth on our part who hate him his ways and righteousness through the sin that dwelleth in us And therefore the Apostle prayes us yea in a beseeching manner to be reconciled unto God And though two places at the first view upon which you mainly ground may seem to favour your assertion yet being rightly understood they do not patrocinate the same at all the first is Ephes 2.16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross having slain the emnity thereby But here you may take notice that the body spoken of is his mystical body and the cross whereby the emnity is slain is his spiritual cross like patience or sufferance for by that we overcome every temptation of sin according to that of the Apostle James 1.4 But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing This is that cross and not afflictions themselves as the world conceives which Christ commandeth those that will follow him into life to take upon them for the denying of themselves or the putting off the old man Matth. 16.24 Hebr. 12.1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us Your other place upon which you rely is that of Col. 1.20 21 22. And having made peace through the blood of his
for as Job said Chap. 27.5 God forbid that I should justifie them I will not leave my innocency till I dye But I humbly offer this and my self in all just obedience and subjection to you the Supream Authority of the Nation and Subscribe my name W. PARKER To the Assembly of Divines who were Convocated by Authority of Parliament at Westminster Men Brethren and Fathers LEast we should seem any way to detract from your worth we freely confess these things following both concerning you that are here the Confessors and your faith which you have confessed That though you are not all the most learned men in this Nation yet many of you are men of much Learning and abilities we confess likewise That for life and conversation many of you are grave sober Religious and devoute persons in your way having a zeal of God though in many things not according to knowledge as will appear That this Treatise of yours may in some tolerable sense be called a Confession of Faith faith being sometimes used for our present perswasion be it right or wrong as the Apostle intimates Rom. 14.23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin That the errors and mistakes failings and misperswasions found in this your Confession of Faith by you presented to the Parliament are not originally yours as if you first introduced them but you learned them of your Teachers and usually of your Authors whom you read without serious pensitation or due animadversion and to whom ye give too light and sudden credulity That yee err not alone but have many men of note and some whole nominal Churches who walk and wander with you in the same aberrations And finally that ye will not as we trust prove pertinatious in your errors but if the Lord shall vouchsafe to open your eyes and discover your erring paths unto you ye will turn from them and readily embrace the truth We hope you will not take this Examen in evil part when ye reflect upon these very words of yours Cha. 31. Sect. 4. All Synods and Councels since the Apostles dayes whether general or particular may err and many have erred Therefore they are not to be made the rule of faith or practice but to be used as an help in both To the end therefore that yee and all men may the better perceive that there hath been a great Apostasie and departure from the faith as the holy Apostles forewarned us 2 Thess 2.5 Except there come a falling away first 1 Tim. 4.1 Now the spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter dayes some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils That the Lord Christ in his late spiritual coming as himself foretold it should come to pass Luk. 18.8 Did scarcely finde the true faith in the earth That many times that which is highly esteemed with men is an abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 And finally that it may be seen not only what erratick lights the common people have followed but also what weak and unexpert Councellors the Princes and States of the world have chosen to advise and assist them in their reforming enterprizes yea how little truth or infallibility is found in your Authors whom you so Idolize and how great a part of the modern Christians as well as the present Church of Rome is still captived with error and unbelief We will here modestly out of zeal of truth and we hope the truth of zeal reveal many sacred mysteries of Christ which were long hidden from us as wel as others but are through his rich grace made known unto us and many more unworthy ones and detect the contrary mistakes that God may be glorified and the Nations healed with the leaves of the tree of life Amen Courteous Friends I Was in Holland the last yeer and I received from a worthy friend these Latin verses which because they are pertinent to many things in the said Examen I have caused them to be Printed with the Book and they are translated into English for the capacity of them that understand not the Latin In Belgarum Synodum Dordrecti habitam funesto illo anno orbique tremendo 1618. Paulo post subortum cometam insignem irae divinz mundique flagellandi nuntium Pacifici cujusdam neutiquam indocti viri carmen posthumam BElgarum Clerus tristis comitesque cometae Dordrecti coeunt conciliumq vocant Turba gravis paci sibi cum posuere tribunal Arminio litem pars Gomarhaea movet Dordrectum roctum didicisset ab Amstelodame Prater ubi sidei jus toleramen habet At Synodo nodus restat solvendus utrisque Arbiter ecquis iis Aeacus aequus erit Scripturam dicis trahit hanc pars utraque secum Interpres loquitur litera sacra silet Est aliudque canon ubi stat sententia clara In dubiis aliud judicis officium Ominis incerti varioque interprete nutans Ductilis huc illuc nemo sequester erit Judicibus ratio rationi competit auris Num mens scripturae quae capit aure capit Atvobis aderit judex celesia Quaenam Vin Lutheranam nolumus inquis eam Romanam malles sed ferri malleus adstat Gens Jesuitarum gens inimica tibi Elige Dominicos Dominos at in omnibus istos Admittes Nego nos discrepat inter ubi Visn ' Anabaptistas quorum tibi copia Belga Non emergendi copia forsan ais Arbiter ipsus eris Gomarhaec Quid Hostis in hostem Judice me supero tu cadis Hostis ait Arminius tibi fit judex sub judice lis sit Illius arbitrio stésve cadásve placet Convocet is Synodum jam jam Gomarhaee secundam Is litem moveat te peragátque reum Siquis erit dubito Gomarhaeos Vorstius inter Interdictus eat magna pericla creet Examen cruciet monstrum hoc qui cunque remonstre Hunc Hispanorum carnificina probet Haereseos signes Gomarhaeam stigmate gentem Schismatis insimules parcere parce viris Damnetur Gomárhaea cohors cum cive Gomorrhae Tollite Damnandi munus ab Artifice Quid verum falsumve siet decernite tuti Vos penes arbitrium est Arminiana domus In lucem tenebras fidei pro dogmate profer Sit mundo fidei regula vestra fides Civilémque acuas gladium cum spirituali Ad Christi causam militis adfer opem Nil horum fieri tibi vis Gomarhaee per hostes Talia cur hosti feceris ipse prior Lege peris propriâ nec lex est justior ulla Arte tuâ captus fossus ense tuo Cymmeriis tenebris Gomarhaei dogmata nigrent Navis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 migrat ad Armeniam Quis litem dirimat nisi venerit alter Elias Qui numen prodat coelitus igne dato Defecâ—t dudum Gomarhaee prophetia dicis Ergo prophetarum nullus es ipse choro â—essabit tandem si teste prophetia Paulo Cessat cognitio cessat
should them compel Which men at will in sacred things deprives Of will as that which no man drawes but drives Hence threats and promises man hath no merit Nor preach nor teach He is a block no spirit Which takes away the Law or its best fruits As not performable by best recruits In vain 't was writ man made and grace distilld If by Christs help it cannot be fulfill'd Which saith the Saints may will not further go Doth not God grant to will and then to do Which will have God to justifie the lewd While they with sanctity are not endu'd Nor are nor will be justified within As men devoted to inherent sin Which freeth all men both from sin and hell By Christ his outward cross and passing-bell Not urging once the needful death of sin Nor th' inward cross which victory must win Most pretious we hold his blood and merit But first we should be purged by his spirit Such a physitian which maketh Christ As doth not heal the Lepry with the priest But hides the sore from th' eye with cloth or plaster Were men of old so healed by this master Which in beleevers all good works destroyes Whilst it their phansy filleth with these toyes Faith alone saveth do but this believe Do not thy self with further trouble grieve Which cals the called to security Saying none such though they may step awry Can finally or totally relapse With such soft pillowes some men get long naps Which saith what hurt doth sin Christ for't was kil'd What need obedience he hath all fulfill'd Which Satans kingdom stronger makes then Christ For not till death his kingdom is dismist Thus death a passive stronger is then life Then Christ himself to end this ghostly strife Go on with this thy Christ drink rant and whore He is the purse bearer and payes the score He is thy porter all thy burdens beares But all without thee nought within repaires How wide the way how broad mak'st thou the gate Which leads to life But Christ hath made it strait What prodigies doth this new blazing Star This faith of thine bring forth O Synod rare Recount thine articles see how they thrive With five begun they end with three times five Five Amoritish Kings were hang'd but now do rise These Amorites vain talkings signifies O Midian now do thy five Kings return Midian is strife her raised heads we mourn See Philistins your cities rais'd from death Ashkelon Ashdod Ekron Gaza Gath. Goth is wraths winepress Ashdod wasting sore Ekron a rooter out of rich and poor Ashkelon false weights in judgement useth Gaza the knowing wealth which most ammuseth Philistins are men involved in ashes Or such as fall down drunken with their glasses The five sons of the Gyants now revive Errors of many cubits high do strive The Horim clothed in white specious sins The Emims terrible with force and grins Zanzummim with their perverse thoughts wee find The chained Anakims stay not behind Builders of Babel of a triple sect Gomarist Papist Lutheran erect With strife war and bloodshed a Babel new Which counts her self the spouse of Christ most true Yet from his life doth lewdly go astray With world sin Satan doth the Harlot play Three unclean frogs their own respective catt'l Of God Almighty's wrath prepare the batt'l As Midianites fell by intestine strife And Edom Moab Ammon lost their life So this divided Babel now shall fall And blood shall drink who unto Christ gave gall A remnant of each Sect with Lot escape Which eat not of the Sodomitish grape Then fly from Babel and her sins forsake Least thee her judgements chance to overtake Dismiss this Faith with her more monstrous brood Then Nilus beares that Monster bearing flood Your faith a fidle ill tun'd instrument Shall we dance to 't and sing in one consent Become a child again and go to School Who will be wise must first become a fool Forbidden fruit of knowledge thou must hate Obedience to life sets ope the gate Learn first with Christ to dye with him to live Ere thou of Christ true testimony give True faith brings down from heaven the fire of love This firy Chariots mounts men up above What Cov'nants promise what the law doth will Both law and prophets Love doth all fulfill What 's tree of life what 's Paradise above What 's Edens stream what 's bliss eternal love What 's God but love No Mars no Cupid blind This darling vertue doth inflame his mind FINIS ERRATA PAge 10. line 4. for relations read revelations p 19. l 4. before essential put in attribute so p 20. l 32. for inward and r inward or p 24. l 10. of the chapter for work r rocks and l 15. for knowledge r foreknowledg p 30. l 5. for that not r not that p 31. l 21. for would r could p 32. l 21. after Angels put in And men p 43. l 8. for no r out p. 98. l. 19. for intentive r. incitative p. 99. l. 20. for spirit r. spiritual p. 110. l. 36. after when r. as p. 125. l. 10. for view r. review and l. 23 for all r fall p. 126. l. 1. for but r. one And l. 18. for Remalia r. Remaliahs son p. 127. l. 30. for unregerate r. unregenerate p. â—â— l. 1. for retain r. return p. 140. l. 15. for the r. your p. 144. l. 36. for interminate r. indeterminate p. 155. l. 15. for that r. the. And l. â—â— for makers r. workers p. 156. l. 15. for person r. personal p. 158. l. â— for repeated r. revealed p 174. l. 32. for justified r. sanctified p 201. l. 12. after against his put in will p 208. l. 20. for hopes r. hopers p. 221. l. 1â— for whom r. when p 22â— l. 32. for fourthly r. fifthly p 24â— l. 12. of the chapter for would r. could p 250. l. 28. for being by 1. Beingly p. 270. l. 9. for possibility r. visibility p 273. l. 13. for of r. iâ— l. 23. put out odde p. 274. l. 8. for be not r. not be p 276. l. 9. put opt delusion and l. 23. after passeth put in with p 280. l. 10. of the châ—â— for tumble r. jumble p 285. l. 5. for certifie r. rectifie p 297. l. 28. for of his r. of this p 298. before l. 2. add And p 310. l. 24. for verticum r. viaticum The late SYNODS Confession of Faith EXAMINED CHAP. I. Of the Holy Scripture ALthough the light of nature and the works of Creation and providence do so farr manifest the goodness wisdome and power of God as to leav men unexcusable a Rom. 2.14.15 Ro. 1.19.20 Psal 19.1.2.3 RoÌ„ 1.32 with Chap. 2.1 yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and of his will which is necessary unto salvation b 1 Cor. 1.21 1. Cor. 2.13.14 Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himselfe and to declare that his will unto his
whom and to whom are all things g Rom. 11.36 and hath most Sveraign Dominion over them to do by them for them and upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth h Re 4.11 1 Tim 6.15 Dan 4.25 35. In his sight all things are open and manifest i Heb 4.13 his knowledge is infinite infallible and independent upon the creature k Rom 11.33 34. Psa 147.5 so as nothing to him is contingent or uncertain l Act 15.18 Ezek 11.5 He is most holy in all his counsels in all his works and in all his commands m Psa 145.17 Rom 7.12 to him is due from Angels and men and every other creature whatsoever worship service or obedience he is pleased to require of them n Revel 5.12 13 14. III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance power and eternity God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost o 1 Joh 5.7 Mat 3.16.17 Mat 28.19 2 Cor 13.14 The Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding The Son is eternally begotten of the Father p Joh 1.14.18 The Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son q Joh 1.15.26 Gal 4.6 CHAP. II. Of God and of the Holy Trinity Examined IN This Chapter yon present us in the first Section with a large description of Gods Essence where we cannot but wonder that you should omit an essential to him and an essence so bright and glorious in the Godhead as the Divine light of God is whereby he manifests himself unto Angels and Men opposeth himself to the Prince of darkness And of which glorious Attribute or Nature of his the word of God maketh so frequent mention There are found in the holy Scripture some short but excellent descriptions of him first Hebr 11.6 That God is that is he onely is of from by and in himself and all other things are by in and for him Secondly God is light 1 John 1.5 that is a lightful bright and glorious being Thirdly God is a Spirit John 4.24 that is a most spiritual being yea that Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3 17. Lastly God is love 1 John 4.16 that is a most holy good gratious kinde patient vertuous and perfect Being for love is the bond of perfection Col. 3.14 see 1 Cor. 13.1 2 to the 13. Now it seems strange unto us that you which are and who would be accounted Seers should not observe the second of these Is not light Gods glorious Robe and Vestment Psal 104.2 Who coverest thy self wiâ—h light as with a garment Is not light Gods habitation Who dwelleth in the light whereunto no man can approach 1 Tim 6.16 Doth not God distinguish himself and his work from Satans and his Kingdom by this very thing 1 John 1.5 6 7. This then is the message which we have received of him and declare unto you that God is light and in him dwelleth no darkness at all c. Is not God the Father called the light of Israel Isa 10.17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire and his holy one for a flame Is it not said of the Son of God John 1.9 That was the true light which lighteth every man which cometh into the world Is not the Holy Ghost the everlasting light of Gods spiritual Jerusalem Isa 60.20 Thy Sun shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light and the daies of thy mourning shall be ended Is not Gods work in the regenerate light of this light Ephes 5.8 For ye were once darkness but now ye are light in the Lord. Yea Is not our everlasting inheritance a participating of his living and glorious light Psal 36.9 For with thee is the Fountain of life and in thy light we shall set light Col. 1.12 Giving thanks unto God the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Brethren what would you think of him who should undertake to give you a description of the Sun and should leave out his glorious splendor and light would you not conclude he had suffered some Ecclipse of his inward and outward senses But we desire to spare you and hope the best of many of you But here we must not omit to shew our great detestation of a late Diabolical Doctrine which turns God into a Devil making him the Author of the evils of sin aswell as the evils of punishment and affirming that he is the worker in deeds of darkness aswel as in the works of light yea maintaining that he is aswell pleased with the one as the other See 1 John 1.5 This then is the Message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth So also Jam. 3.11 CHAP. III. Of God's Eternal Decree GOd from all Eternity did by the most wise and holy Councel of his own will freely and unchangable ordain whatsoever comes to pass a Eph 1.11 Ro 11.33 Heb 6.17 Rom 9.15 18. yet so as that neither is God the Author of sin b Jam. 1.13 17. 1 John 1.5 nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away but rather established c Act 2.23 Mat 17.12 Acts 4.27 28. Job 19.11 Pro 16.33 II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions d Act 15.18 1 Sam 23 12. Mat 11.21 23. yet hath he not decreed any thing because he fore-saw it as future or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions e Rom 9.11 13 16 18. III. By the decree of God for the manifestation of his glory some men and Angels f 1 Tim 5.21 Mat 25.41 are predestinated unto everlasting life and others fore-ordained to everlasting death g Rom 9.22 23. Eph 1.5 6. Pro 16.4 IV. These men and Angels thus predestinated and fore-ordained are particularly and unchangable designed and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished h 2 Tim 2.9 Joh 13.18 V. Those of mankinde that are predestinated unto life God before the foundation of the world was laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory i Eph 1.4 9 12. Rom 8.30 2 Tim 1.9 1 Thes 5.9 out of his meer free grace and love without any foresight of faith or good works or preseverance in either of them or any other thing in the creature as conditions or causes moving him thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious grace l Eph 1.6 12. VI. As God hath appointed the Elect unto glory so
dispenced are the preaching of the word and the administration of baptism and the Lords Supper we grant it to be true if those be administred by such persons to whom Christ is truely come in his light spirit and power Otherwise for men to preach a self-conceived Christ whom they have learned by reading or tradition from their blinde guides or to administer the Sacraments without any due understanding of the Baptism flesh and blood of Christs these are not Gods ordinances but mens usurpations Thirdly we grant you that where the Covenant of grace is set forth by men so taught and acted by the Spirit of Christ as we have described there it is held forth in more evidence spiritual efficacy and fulness then it was in Moses his literal services But this will not be equally verified of those that preach a misconceived Christ without true light or life Lastly whereas you conclude That there are not then two Covenants of grace one under the old Testament and another under the new we will from this your confession inferr that the first Covenant of grace made was unto and for all mankinde because the Gospel by Christs express command is to be preached to every humane creature and hath universal but conditional salvation annexed unto it Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.15 16. What then will become of your doctrine of Gods preterition of particular redemption of some men onely of the effectual calling of this and that elected one onely and many other points wherein with Herod you imprison John that is you confine the grace and mercy of God CHAP. VIII Of Christ the Mediator IT pleased God in his eternal purpose to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus his onely begotten Son to be the Mediator between God and man a Isa 42.1 1 Pe 1.19 20. Joh 3.16 1 Tim 2 5. the Prophet b Act 3.22 Priest c Heb 5.5 6 and King d Psal 2.6 Luk 1.33 the head and Saviour of his Church e Eph 5.23 the heir of all things f Heb 1.2 and judge of the world g Act 17.31 unto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed h Joh 17.6 Psa 22.30 Isa 53 10. and to be by him in time redeemed called justified sanctified and glorified i 1 Tim. 2.6 Isa 55.4 5. 1 Cor. 1.30 II. The Son of God the second person in the Trinity being very and eternal God of the substance and equal with the Father did when the fulness of time was come take upon him mans nature k 1 Joh 1.14 1 Joh 5.20 Phil 2.6 Gal. 4.4 with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof yet without sin l Heb. 2.14 16 17. Heb 4.15 being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary of her substance m Luk 1.27 31 35. â—al 4.4 so that two whole perfect and distinct natures the Godhead and the Manhood were inseparably joyned together in one person without conversion composition or confusion n Luk. 1.35 Col 2.9 Rom 9.5 1 Pet 3.18 1 Tim. 3.16 which person is very God and very man yet one Christ the onely Mediator between God and man o RoÌ„ 1.3 4. 1 Tim 2.5 III. The Lord Jesus in his humane nature thus united to the Divine was sanctified and annoynted with the Holy Spirit above measure p Psal 45.7 Joh 3.34 having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge q Col 2.3 in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell r Col. 1.19 to the end that being holy harmless undefiled and full of grace and truth Å¿ Heb 7.16 Joh 1.14 he might be throughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and surety t Act 10.18 Heb. 22.24 Heb 7.22 which office he took not to himself u Heb 5.4 5. but was thereunto called by his Father who put all power and judgement into his hand and gave him commandment to execute the same * Joh 5.22 27. Mat 28 18. Act 2.36 IV. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake x Psal 40.7 8 with Heb 10.5 10 11. Joh 10.18 Phil 2.8 which that he might discharge he was made under the Law y Gal. 4.4 and did perfectly fulfill it z Mat 3.17 Mat 5.15 endured most greivous torments immediately in his soule a Mat 25.37 38. Luk 22.24 Mat 27.46 and most painful sufferings in his body b Mat 26.27 chap. was crucâ—fied and dyed c Phil 2.8 was buryed and remained under the power of death yet saw no corruption d Act 2.3 21 27. Act 13.37 Rom 6.9 On the third day he arose from the dead e 1 Cor. 15.23 4. with the same body in which he suffered f Joh 20.25 27. with which also he ascended into heaven and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father g Mark 16.19 making intercession h Rom. 8.34 Heb 9.24 Heb. 7.25 and shall return to judge men and Angels at the end of the world i Rom 1â— 9 10. Heb. 7.25 Rom. 1â— 9 10. Act 1.11 Act. 10.42 Mat. 13.40 41 42. Jud. 6. 2 Pet. 2.4 V. The Lord Jesus by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God hath fully satisfied the justice of his Father k Ro. 5.19 Heb 9.14 16. Heb. 10.14 Ephes 5.2 Rom. 3.25 26. and purchased not onely reconcilation but an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto him l Dan 9.24 26. Col 1.19 20. Ephes 1.11 14. Joh 17.2 Heb 9.12 15. VI. Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after his Incarnation yet the virtue efficacy and benefits thereof were communicated unto the elect in all ages successively from the beginning of the world in and by those promises types and sacrifices wherein he was revealed and signified to be the seed of the woman which should bruise the serpents head and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world being yesterday and to day the same for ever m Gal. 4.4.5 Gen. 3.15 Rev. 13.8 Heb. 13.8 VII Christ in the work of mediation acteth according to two natures by each nature doing that which is proper to it self yet by reason of the unity of the person that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature o Acts 20.28 Joh. 3.13 1 Joh. 3.16 VIII To all those for whom Christ hath purchased Redemption he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same p Joh. 6.37.39 Joh. 10.15 16. making intercession for them q 1 Joh. 2.1 Rom. 8.34 and revealing unto them in and by the word the mysteries of salvation r Joh. 15. â—3 15. Eph. 1.7 8 9. Joh. 17.6 effectually perswading them
all sinners as we have proved by manifold Scriptures it is not by him applyed unto all men as your selves will confess but if we here take up the inward and spiritual redemption of Christ that is not purchased for us but we are rather purchased by it and in the very working of it it being an inward work of Christs it must needs be effectually applyed also Secondly Whereas you say That Christ makes intercession for all such as he bath redeemed it is false also for some deny even him that bought them and that in an Apostatical way and by bringing in damnable heresies whereby they bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet 2.1 But we justly doubt you whether you understand aright what the intercession of Christ doth mean For his intercession at large comprehends his whole office of mediation Isa 53.12 and Heb. 7.25 but to take his intercession for his supplicative office as you here intend it consists principally if not alone in the spiritual intercessions which he makes unto God for in his Saints by his holy spirit Ro. 8.26 27. As for his intercession at large of which we conceive the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.34 Christ useth or imployeth that for none other but those whom the Father hath called and given unto him and for them also so long as they continue with him For the Lord is with us while we are with him 2 Chron. 15.2 1 Chron. 28 9. The like we say of his revealing his Mysteries unto them whether by the word or without it and of his effectual perswading of them by his Spirit to beleeve Where again you are mistaken for God onely illuminates and makes known his truth unto us but it is our part to set to our seal thereunto in our power to withhold the same What you speak also of Christs governing the hearts of all those whom he hath redeemeed by his word and spirit and of the overcoming of all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom in such manner and wayes as he sees good all these may be true or false according to the limitations aforesaid Yet here you tacitely grant or imply Christs inward or spiritual mediation though you own it not for such a work Yea which is more to be wondered at you here import that Christ by his almighty power doth overcome and subdue in and unto his redeemed people all their enemies to wit Satan and their corruptions which elsewhere you hold to be unconquerable here or not wholly to be subdued in this life But truth is so evident and forcible that where it is not narrowly watched and suppressed it will break forth at unawares By all this which in this Chapter we have set forth if the Lord open your eyes rightly to read it we hope you will be brought to acknowledge that the predictions of Christ and his Apostles concerning the departure from the faith are already come to pass and that forewarning of his that there should arise false Christs and false Prophets is fulfilled and consequently that there should be great need and cause for the Gospel to be preached anew to all the world as Christ himself foretold Matth. 24.14 and that mercy or blessing was foreshewed to John Revel 14.6.7 For even those Authors whom ye counted the greatest lights of this last age have very little sight or knowledge of that great Mystery Christ Jesus in you the hope of glory Colos 1.27 Yea they have been all the publishers of a false conceived Mediator or Christ CHAP. IX Of Free-wil GOD hath indued the will of man with that natural liberty that it is neither forced nor by any absolute necessity of nature determined to good or evil a Mat 17.12 Jam 1.14 Deut 30.19 II. Man in his state of innocency had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and wel-pleasing to God b Eccl. 7.29 Gen 1.26 but yet mutably so that he might fall from it c Gen 2.16 17. Gen 3.6 III. Man by his fall into a state of sin hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation d Ro 8.7 John 15.5 so as a natural man being altogether averse from that good e Rom 3.10.12 and dead in sin f Ep 2.1 5. Col 2.13 he is not able by hiâ— own strength to convert himself or prepare himself thereunto g John 6.44 65. Eph 2.2 3.4 5. 1 Cor 2.14 Titus 3.3 4 5. IV. When God converts a sinner and translates him into the state of grace he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin h Ga 1.13 John 8.34 36. and by his grace alone inables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good i Phil 2.12.13 Ro 6.18 21. yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruption he doth not perfectly nor onely will that which is good but doth also will that which is evil k Gal 5.17 Rom 7.15 18 19 21 22 V. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of glory onely l Eph 4.13 Heb 12.23 John 3.2 Jude v. 24. CHAP. IX Of Free-will Examined ALthough man be alwayes a free Agent in some measure yet is he not at all times such a patient nor can we expect you here to be voluntary sufferers But if you will give us leave to be free with you we must acquaint you that even in this short Chapter there are many things though freely spoken by you yet but gratis dicta And especially in the three last Sections but we fear that you have granted more truth in the first Section then upon the view you will own again For you say That God hath endued the will of man with such natural liberty that it is neither forced nor by any absolute necessity of nature determined to good or evil for you seem in the first Section of the next Chapter directly to contradict yourselves saying That in our effectual calling God doth not onely renew our wils but determines them to that which is good by his Almighty power And that which you speak in the second Section That man in his state of innocency had freedome and power to wil and do that which was good well-pleasing to God but yet mutably so that he might all from it seems to us in some sort to hold true stil of all men as they are now born till they have personally and actually sinned And that Scripture to which you reser us Eccles 7.29 it speaking of mankinde in general and not of our first parents onely evicts so much in the very words saying Lo this onely have I found that God hath made man upright but they have found out many inventions To which others may be added as Jer. 2.21 For I had planted thee a noble vine wholly a right seed how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a wild vine unto me But that
further recite in this Chapter must be necessarily thus understood to wit conditionally of those that are but inchoatively adopted and absolutely of such onely as have accomplished the conditions of the premises And therefore you have here adopted many errours for truth though you have spoken some truth also at unawares as That all those that are justified God vouchsafeth in and for his onely Son Jesus Christ to make partakers of the grace of Adoption This is most true of those whom God hath justified in our sense that is purged from all corruption by the blood and spirit of Jesus Christ for such and such onely are absolutely and finally adopted and enjoy all the liberties and prerogatives here by you set forth But if you here understand initiated adoption it precedes justification taken both in your sense and ours and so your affirmation is erroneous It is true also that all they who are adopted in any measure are taken into the number of Gods Children for the present but the younger and weaker sort may by their unthankfulness for so great a grace by their future rebellions and Apostacy be abdicated and cast off for ever 1 Chronicles 28.9 Romans 11.22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God on them that fell severity but toward thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou shalt be cut off Deuteronomy 32.19 When the Lord saw it he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons and daughters Thus the Lord maketh all the regenerate partakers of the grace of conditional adoption but onely the third sort of final adoption yet all these are protected by the Father and provided for as children while they continue children but not otherwise all likewise have access to the throne of grace which is Christ Jesus who are brought to know him and beleeve in his name and who persist in that their faith and in good will but none other neither they which yet know him not nor such as by apostacy crucifie him afresh Acts 6.6 Hebrews 10.27 28 29. Wherefore Let all those who are incoatively adopted bless God for that estate and rejoyce in it Galatians 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son whereby ye cry Abba Father 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God Yet let us remember it is but a conditional estate at the first and a long time after Rom. 8.15 16.17 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again but the spirit of adoption whereby ye cry Abba Father The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the the children of God and if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him And to the end that we may obtain a final and absolute adoption â—et us fulfil the condition thereunto required 2 Corinthians 6.17 1â— Wherefore come ye out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lâ—â—d and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be a father unto you and 〈◊〉 shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty See also what the Apostle infers thereupon 2 Corinthians 7.1 2 Having therefore these promises my beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting our holiness in the fear of God CHAP. XIII Of sanctification THEY that are effectually called and regenerated having a new heart and a new spirit created in them are further sanctified really and personally through the vertue of Christs death and resurrection a 1 Cor 6.11 Acts 20.32 Phil 3.10 Ro 6.5 6. by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them b Joh 17.17 Eph 5.26 2 Thes 2.13 the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed c Rom 6.6.13 and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakned and mortified d Gal 5.24 Rom 8.13 and they more and more quickned and strengthened in all saving graces e Col 1.11 Eph 3.16 17 18. to the practice of true holiness without which no man shall see the Lord f 2 Cor 7.1 Heb 12.13 II. This sanctification is throughout in the whole man g 1 Thes 5.23 yet imperfect in this life there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part h 1 Joh 1.10 Rom 7.18 23. Phil 3.12 whence ariseth a continual and irreconcileable War the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh i Gal 5.17 1 Pet 2.11 III. In which war although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail k Rom 7.23 yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ the regenerate part doth overcome l Ro 6.14 1 Joh 5.4 Eph 5.4 16. and so the Saints grow in grace m 2 Pet 3.18 perfecting holiness in the fear of God n 2 Cor 7.1 CHAP. XIII Of Sanctification examined HAving already spoken of Justification this whole Chapter of sanctification which is but the Christening of the same thing with a new name as we have shewed before might have been superseded and as the whole discourse is superfluous so many of your erroneous and unsanctified assertions such as those which follow might profitably have been omitted As first where you say in the first Section That all they who are effectually called and regenerated have a new heart and a new spirit created in them whereas many are called and that earnestly and effectually on the Lords part as we have shewed â—lready who admitt of no change of will and affections through their own obstinacy and though all that are truly changed receive at the first a new frame of heart will and disposition yet they do not by and by receive a new heart and a new Spirit in the sense of the holy Prophets for Ezekiel shewes That not onely clean water must be poured down upon us but that we must be cleansed from all our filthiness and abomination before we can have a new heart and a new spirit created in us nor is the stony heart wholly taken from us and an heart of flesh wholly given unto us till then But this is the peculiar estate of such Saints or sanctified ones as have attained the third and last degree of regeneration when Christ according to the spirit is risen up in them as we shewed before See Ezek. 36.25 26. Of these the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are passed away behold all things are become new See Revel 21.3 4 5 of those to whom the new Jerusalem is come Secondly whereas you say That such persons are sanctified through the vertue of Christs death it is another great mistake for though the vertue of his death is great and of inestimable value to take away the guilt of sin and remove the curse from us
It depends upon the seed of God remaining in us but that seed remaines in none unremoveably but those which are born again in Christ after the Spirit or the Saints of the third form and order of whom it is said peculiarly 1 Joh. 3.9 That they cannot sin For all other Saints those of the second form Saints and believers in Christ which are not yet dead and made alive again with him may and do sin as well though not so often as the Saints of the first form or the fathers new begotten ones Lastly you say here That this certainty of perseverance depends upon the nature of the covenant of grace of which there are two parts the one promiseth cleansing grace in and through the blood and Spirit of Christ the other a stedfast and immoveable kingdom to those that are so cleansed See for the first Jerem. 31.32 33 34 c. and for the others Jere. 32.40 but all this is promised conditionally to those that believe Mat. 28.18 19. Mark 16.15 16. to such as persevere unto the end Mat. 24.13 and to him that overcometh Reuel 3.12 So that the stedfast estate and kingdom which cannot be shaken depends upon perseverances in mortification and our immoveable estate upon the receiving of that Kingdom Yet do we not deny but that the perseverance of the Saints whereby they continue in the following of Christ unto their death and their infallible estate from which they cannot afterwards possibly fall away hath very great dependance upon all the things by you named but in such manner as we have spoken In your third and last Section you erre first on the one hand and then on the other For first Whereas you ascribe unto all the Saints upon earth promiscuously a possibility of falling into greivous sins by temptations from Satan and the world the prevalency of remaining corruption and neglect of the means of their preservation whereby they may incur Gods displeasure grieve his Spirit suffer some deprivation of their graces and comforts harden their hearts wound their consciences hurt and scandalize others and bring temporal judgements upon themselves We say That the Saints in the Holy Ghost that are risen again with Christ are past all this 2 Cor. 5.12 Old things are passed away behold all things are become new 1 John 3.9 He that is born of God doth not commit sin but his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God See Revel 2.17 26 27. Revel 3.9 10 11 12. Revel 7.14 15 16 17. Revel 21.3 4 5 6. And I heard a great voice from heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any pain to wit spiritual pain for the former things are passed away But on the other hand any other Saint those especially which are in their minority may possibly by the meanes aforesaid not onely faile and suffer after the manner aforesaid but by their wilful and wicked desertion of God fall finally from grace into everlasting perdition and yet no one of those can be plucked out of the Fathers hand by all the enemies of mankind if he will abide with God and his Christ John 10.28.29 But how much safer had it been for you and your hearers if in stead of your thus securing the Saints you had with Saint Paul charged them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling as we said before and with holy David had shewed them what they should do that they might be kept from falling finally Psalm 15.1 2 3 4. and to have set Saint Peters scale before them for the same end likewise 2 Pet. 1.5.10 The high way to that kingdom which cannot be shaken is to get grace into our hearts whereby we may serve God with Reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.28 CHAP. XVIII Of the assurance of Grace and salvation ALthough hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God and state of salvation a Joh 8.13 14. Mich 3.11 Deut 29.19 Jo 8.41 which hope of theirs shall perish b Matt 7.22 23. yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love him in sincerity endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace c Joh 3.14 18.19 21 24. Jo 5.13 and may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope shal never make them ashamed d Ro 5.2 5 II. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable perswasion grounded upon a fallible hope e Heb 6 1â— 19. but an infallible assurance of faith founded upon the Divine truth of the promises of salvation f Heb 6 17 18. the inward evidences of those graces unto which these promises are made g 2 Pet 1.4 5 10 11 1 Joh 2.3 1 Joh 3.14 2 Cor 1.12 the testimony of the Spirit of Adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God h Ro 8.15.16 which spirit is the earnest of our inheritance whereby we are sealed to the day of Redemption i Eph 3.13.14 Eph 4.30 2 Cor 1 21 22. III. This infallible assurance doth not so infallibly belong to the essence of faith but that a true believer may wait long and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it k 1 Jo. 5 13. Isa 50.10 Mar 9.14 Psal 88. througho Psal 77. to v. 12. 1 Cor 2.14 1 Joh 4.13 Heb. 6.11 12 Eph 3.17 18 19. yet being inabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God he may without extraordinary revelation in the right use of ordinary meanes attain thereunto l 1 Cor 2.12 Jo 4.13 Heb 6.11 12 Eph 3.17 18 19. and therefore it is the duty of every one to give all diligence to make his calling and Election sure m 2 Pet. 1.10 that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost in love and thankfulness to God and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience the proper fruits of the assurance n Ro 5 1 2 5. Rom 14.17 Ro 15.3 Eph 1.3 4. Psa 4.6 7. Psa 119 32. so far is it from inclining men to looseness o 1 Jo 2.12 Ro 6.1 2. Tit 2 11 12 14. 2 Cor 7.1 Rom 8.1 12. 1 Jo 3.1 2. Ps 130.4 1 John 1.6 7. IV. True believers may have the assurance of their salvation diverse wayes shaken diminished and intermitted as by negligence in preserving of it by falling into some speciall sin which woundeth the conscience and grieveth the Spirit by some sudden and vehement Temptation by
Gods withdrawing the light of his countenance and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and have no light p Cant 5.2 3 6. Psal 51.8 12 14. Eph 14.30 31. Psa 77.1 to the 10. Mat 26 69 70 71 72. Psal 31.22 Psal 88. throughout Isaiah 50.10 yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God and life of faith that love of Christ and the brethren that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty out of which by the operation of the spirit this assurance may in due time be revived q 1 John 3.9 Luke 22.32 Job 13.15 Psalm 73.15 Psalm 51.12 Isaiah 50.10 and by the which in the mean time they are supported from utter despaire r Micha 7.7 8 9. Jeremiah 32.40 Isaiah 54.7 8 9. Psalm 22.1 Psalm 88. throughout CHAP. XVIII Of the Assurance of grace and salvation examined IN your title or inscription of this Chapter you have joyned two things together which are not alwayes inseparable For the assurance of Grace for the present may be without certainty of salvation for the future but the infallibility of the last alwayes presupposeth the former Here we cannot but commend your method for the assurance of Salvation hath such close and immediate dependance upon perseverance in obedience and grace that that where the former is but conditional and possible this latter is so likewise but where the other is certain this follows it in infallibility And hence it will necessarily follow that wherein you were mistaken in the former you must unavoidably err in this latter how be it many things which you here set forth have good assurance of truth as those things in your first Section That hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God and estate of salvation and that the hope of such shall perish But remember we pray you that as privy hypocrites can have no such hopes so some which take themselves to be no hypocrites because they serve God in outward duty and forms yet are strangers to the wayes of everlasting righteousness will be found in this number of vaine hopes at the last Matthew 7.21 22 23. Luke 13.25 26.27 2 Tim. 3.5 It is true also which you there say in the next place of assurance That such as truly believe in Christ which are onely they that seek sanctification from him to make them new creatures as well as deliverance from hell or an outward happiness in heaven and love him in sincerity endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace yea that such also may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God but where you add in â—he close of the Section That this their hope shall never make them ashamed we cannot close with you unless you put in this proviso which the Apostle speakes of Rom. 5.5 That the love of God be and remaine shed abroad in your hearts which we understand of a constant and active love Thus the Apostle promiseth salvation to the weaker sex also 1 Tim. 2.15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in child bearing if they continue in faith love and holiness with sobriety It is to perseverance that the promises are made of finall salvation In your second Section you say That the assurance of hope is founded First upon Gods promises where you might have added his oath also Heb 6.12 13 14 15. Secondly upon the inward evidence of these graces you should have said those conditions unto which the promises are made And thirdly upon the witnessing of the Spirit of Adoption with our spirits that we are the children of God But mark here we pray you first that while the conditions of the promises are but a fulfilling and not fully performed our hopes and assurances are but conditional And 2. that as the spirit of Adoption is given us but conditionally at the first so it beareth witness with our spirit accordingly speaking peace while we carry our selves as children reproving us when we rebel and departing from us when we remain incorrigible Isa 63.8 9 10 For he said surely they are my people children that will not err so he was their Saviour In all their affliction he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pitty he redeeemed them he hare them and carryed them all the dayes of old But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemie and be fought against them Yea the Apostle in the same place where he speaks of our Adoption and the Spirit of Adoption bearing witness with our spirits declares that at the first it is but a conditionall estate Rom. 8.15 16 17. as we shewed before Chap. 12. The same we likewise spake concerning the earnest of the spirit whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption for as some Deeds are fealed only as skrols to confirm a bargain when conditions are performed so it is with the earnest and first sealing of the spirit but when the conditions are fulfilled in our dying with Christ then the spirit seales men finally and absolutely and becomes the promised comforter which shall abide with the Saints for ever Rom. 8.13 2 Titus 2.11 12. Jo. 7 38 39. Act. 2.38 Jo. 14.17 In your third Section you say truly That this infallible assurance doth not belong to the essence of faith where we will be bold to add that it pertaineth not to faith but is an estate which comes after that saith in Christ hath done its office in purifying our hearts from sin and not before Yet may a conditional hope yea assurance be attained befâ—â—e by the meanes which you there set forth and that without extraordinary revelation yea that conditional assurance may be of excellent use for the ends and intents here by you remembred and how much more that absolute assurance which is the concomitant and fruit of Gods inward kingdome when it comes unto us in power of which the Prophet speaks thus Isa 32.15 16 17. Vntil the spirit be poured upon us from on high and the wilderness be a fruitful field and the fruiâ—â—ul field counted for a forrest Then judgement shall dwell in the wilderness and righteousnesse remain in the fruitfull field And the work of righteousnesse shall he peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever which assurance when it is absolute wil not incline men unto loosness as you there speak but a false perswasion that it is absolute when it is not may make men remiss yea secure and loose also And how much more will your former doctrine which in this behalf we blamed do it by naturall consequences if Gods grace interpose not to the contrary As to your last Section we grant that the inchoated and conditional assurance of believers may be either shaken and diminished or
contradict your selves in other places yet you have here and there your illegalities and mistakes also in this Chapter In your first Section you truly say That God gave to Adam and all his Posterity such a Law and covenant of works as you describe with power and ability to keep it And is he not the same God still in wisdom mercy and justice requiring nothing at any mans hand but what he will enable him to doe by his preventing or assisting grace if hee seek it In your second Section you say and that truly That the Law given to Adam being the same in effect with the Moral Law delivered upon mount Sinai continued to be a perfect rule of Righteousnesse Nor must the Israel of God think to obtrude upon the Lord any other acceptable righteousnesse for ever then is therein required and described Deut. 6.24 25. And the Lord commanded us to doe all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good alwayes that he might preserve us alive as it is this day And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to doe all these Commandments before The Lord our God as he hath commanded us Psalm 119.144 the righteousnesse of his testimonies is everlasting For the performing of which righteousnesse because it was become impossible to the fallen Man Christ is freely bestowed upon us Rom. 8.3 4. And so it is the end and drift of the law to send us unto Christ to seek our power wisdom and righteousnes from him Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3.22 23 24. But whereas you say in the end of that Section That the four first Commandments contain our duty toward God and the six last our duty to Man Perhaps it will prove a distribution more common then sound For as the whole Law is spirituall Rom. 7.14 so it seems first to require duty toward God in all the ten Commandments and then to call for Service toward men in the second place For the first four Commandments which St Augustine and some of the Ancients reduce to three only your selves doe not deny it Let us then take a view of the rest Doth not the fifth Commandment enjoyn us first of all to honour our heavenly Father and the Wisdom or Hierusalem from above our spirituall Mother 1 Sam. 2.20 For them that honour me I will honour Mal. 1.6 If I then be a Father where is mine honour Matth. 11.19 But Wisdome is justified of her children so Luke 7.35 Gal. 4.26 But Jerusalem which is from above is free which is the Mother of us all Prov. 7.4 Say unto Wisdom thou art my Sister and call understanding thy Kinswoman Doth not the sixth Commandement forbid spiritual murther in the first place to wit the killing of Christ the quenching of the Spirit and the destroying of the inward messengers and motions Jam. 5.6 Ye have condemned and killed the just one and he resisteth you not Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 Quench not the Spirit Thus the Apostles complaines of the Apostates that they crucifie afresh the Son of God and put him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 Doth not the seventh Commandement first prohibite spiritual whoredom against God Hos 4.15 Though thou Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend Jam. 4.4 Yee adulterers and adulteresses c. Doth not the eighth precept first restrain us from theft and robbery against God Malac. 3.8 Will a man rob God but ye have robbed me Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit sacriledge See Act. 12.22 in Herods example Doth not the ninth also first inhibit a false testimony against the Lord Jeremy 5.12 They have belyed the Lord and said it is not he 1 Cor. 15.15 Yea and we are found false witnesses of God c. Yea though the tenth commandement may seem to lay restraint upon us only in the behalf of our neighbor yet who hath so neer vicinity to us as God in whom we live move and have our being so that not only an open these against him in taking that which belongs to him as Achon did but even to assume or once desire that which belongs unto the Lord is impious as we see in Herod who took and consequently affected the glory that was due to God Acts 12.22 23. Nor doth the Lord want a house Isa 56.7 Mat. 21.12 13 14. Nor is he destitute of a wife Ezek. 16.8 And I sware unto thee and entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine See Re. 2. or of men servants and maid servants Psa 116.16 Truly O Lord I am thy servant and the son of thine handmaid Nor is he without his Oxen and Asses 2 Cor. 9.10 Mat. 21.1 2 3 4 5. which if they be alienated from him in our desires it is a sin of concupiscence-against the last Commandement So that it is most true in this regard which Saint James speaks chap. 2.10 For whosoever shall keep the whole low and yet offendeth in one point is guilty of all for any one sin against God breaks all the Commandements It is Idolatry witcheraft murther adultery c. 1 Samuel 5.15.23 And as the six last first oppose sin against God so the four first in the second place restrain sins against man Thus we may not impose a false God upon our neighbor nor set up a false worship before him nor swear falsly to his hurt nor by prophaning the Lords Sabbath or everlasting rest before our neighbor insnare his soul And what we speak of the negativepart is true of the affirmative or possitive throughout all the Commandements so that the great duty of love to God and our neighbor seems to run through the veins of every Commandement And as these two are inseperable in the new creature so the whole Law by the Apostles own Testimony is fulfilled in this one Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self Rom. 13.8 Gal. 5.14 which cannot hold true except the Lord be our first neighbor who is to be loved in the first place and surely if we should not offer that wrong to God which we would not admit were we in his stead we should not sin as we do In your third Section you set not forth the whole extent of the Ceremonial Law which was to represent Christs inward death and sufferings as well as his outward He being the Lamb slain in us from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 and to be a document unto us shewing how we must follow him unto eternal life Howbeit you seem to go too far in saying It is wholly abrogated now under the new Testament for though the costly and burthensome yoke thereof is taken from the Gentiles yet some part of it by the words of the Prophets may remaine in use among the Jews after their calling and restauration Isa 66.23 And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before
23 24. In your fifth Section the better to colour over your own faults as it may seem you asperse the best Churches saying The purest Churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error what say you then to the two Churches the one of Smyrna Rev. 2.8 9 10 11. the other of Philadelphia Rev. 3.7 8 c. with neither of which Christ finds the least fault but highly commends them both True it is if we look into the Churches there is mixture of the inferior members and they are subject to such errors but there are preadventure some such members to be found in some of those two Churches if not elswhere as are no more subject to error then the Prophets and Apostles were certain it is there is such a doctrine discipline from the immediate mouth of God to be found in one of those Churches that no reformers have need to seek any further where also the true Church is fully discovered and all causes of discord and controversie are in that behalf taken away But whereas you add in the same Section and that most truly that some Churches have so degenerated as to become no Churches but Synagogues of Satan you do here necessarily grant what you elswhere deny that some of the Saints and called ones may fall finally from grace for none other are the members of the true Church general or particular among men grown but such We will here charge you with that which you at unawares and unadvisedly affirm in the close of that Section That there shall be alwayes a Church on earth to worship God according to his will for that implies that the earth and the Church there inhabiting shall continue for ever which we conceive is no article of your belief In your sixth and last Section you truly affirm That there is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ but you in your next words have rather deserved the Popes Bull then his Benediction if he may be Judge For first If a Church be that which yee describe it A Congregation of those which profess the true Religion Why might not the Bishop of Rome a least wise in the Primitive times before that Church fell away be in some sence a subordinate head of that Church under Christ or an earthly or Ecclesiastical head as Paul was over the Churches of the Gentiles That the Pope should be an Antichrist which of many Popes and of the state of Papacy is and may be truly affirmed among many other we grant but that he or the succession of Popes or the whole Hierarchy as they are called should be that man of sin and son of perdition which sitteth in the Temple of God exalting himself above and against all that is called God 2 Thess 23.4 8. is doubtless a great though a common mistake for as to the successors of Popes they are many but the Antichrist is one individuum if they all should perish which no charitable man will affirm they should be called not one son of perdition but sons of destruction But to pitch upon the person of the Pope as one individual and single Antichrist out of such a numerous company of Popes which will you single out one past present or to come Certain it is first that the Antichrist of which Saint Paul speaks is a man of sin composed altogether of iniquity and not of flesh and blood as each Pope is Secondly That he is a mystery of iniquity into which none but very spiritual men can see of which none of you or any of your authors or their adherents have yet a true sight Thirdly that the Antichrist exalts himself above all that is called God or is worshipped and so doth not the Pope directly do who acknowledgeth God Christ the Holy Ghost yea Angels and Saints to be above him Fourthly Antichrist sits in the middle of the Temple of God so doth not the Pope in your sense of the Temple for he pretends to be head of the Roman Church especially Fifthly he doth not say that he is God as Antichrist doth Sixthly All Popes came not with signs and lying wonders nor with all the deceiveableness of unrighteousness as Antichrist comes Lastly Antichrists coming is inward and not outward 2 Thess 2.9 10. and deceives all which receive not the love of truth but the Pope could never decive all such But what may this Antichrist be then Answer first the Temple of God is mans heart or soul where he sits Secondly As Christ is the true unction there so Antichrist is a contrary unction of false and erroneous wisdom righteousness and zeal which sets it self as if it were the holy Ghost and his works opposeth the truth and Kingdom of God and not only allows but hides fosters and cherisheth iniquity in men where he raigneth In a word if the Lord give you spiritual eyes to read the two texts 1. that of 2 Thess 2.3 4 5 c. and then that of Revel 13.11 12 c. to both which you refer us you may by Gods grace make a discovery of Antichrist as one neerer you then the Pope of Rome and one more endangering your souls and learn truly to know and hate him which mercy the Lord grant unto us all Concerning the first text you may observe these things First it is evident that this Antichrist takes his beginning and rise from mens Apostacy or departure from the true faith love and godliness which was fet up by Christ and his Apostles and that in all that fell away 2 Thess 2.3 So that he must needs be the succeeding falshood error hypocrisie and ungodliness Secondly that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man composed of nothing but sin Thirdly That he must therefore needs be a child yea the son of perdition Fourthly That he opposeth himself to all that is called God that is to God and all goodness verse 4. Fifthly That he exalts himself above all that is called God or worshipped even the Father Son and holy Ghost All which is true of the false wisdom and holiness which Satan begets in men to delude them there with and to oppose the truth kingdom and work of Christ thereby Sixthly That he sits in the temple of God which is our heart or inward man Seventhly That there he shews or gives forth himself for a God as this deceitful work of errour and delusion saith it is the presence and work of the Holy Ghost Eighthly That he cannot well be known but by spiritual revelation vers 6. Ninthly That there is one tha what he can hides him keeps him close maskes covers him and lets or hinders his revealing or disclosure and that is Satan verse 6.7 Tenthly That as he came in by mens departure from Christ his spirit and kingdom so by Christs spiritual presence and comming again in his brightness power and glory he shall be both revealed and destroyed by the spirit of his mouth 11. That he is called the
of life c. Secondly You say This Sacrament was ordained by Christ which was onely sanctified and continued by him but instituted and ordained by the Father as we have shewed before See Mat. 21.25 And thirdly You urge that this Sacrament is to be administred by a Minister lawfully called thereunto as you have it in the end of your second Section and by no other which we admitted before if that Minister be called of God thereunto to administer this Sacrament to his Disciples otherwise we doubt whether his commission be authentique in the true Church and the congregations of the Saints But what you write further in that second Section That the Element to be used in this Sacrament is water is true nor is there any other Element to be used nor is any other composition or sophistication needful Notwithstanding you are here two wayes defective First In not shewing what the Element signifies nor secondly how we are to be baptized in relation to the Trinity either inwardly or outwardly aright But to make a supply for your defects The water of Baptism signifies the pure Doctrine or Word of God as hath been partly intimated before John 15.3 Now are ye clean through the word that I have spoken unto you John 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Ephes 5.25.26 Husbands love your Wives as Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Thus we must be born again not of the Spirit alone but of Water and the Spirit Joh. 3.5 Secondly Those that are duly baptized must be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in the name onely but to the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matthew 28.19 20. That is to carry the name or the like being first of the Father then of the Son and lastly of the Holy Ghost The first In a love to all good and hatred to all evil The second In carrying the saving power of Christ as a conquest over and preservative against the power of sin and Satan And the third In fruition of all truth light life gifts and comforts of the Holy Ghost wherein the Heavenly Jerusalem descending from above consists Thus the Apostles were sent by Christ First with their doctrine and then with water to baptize men that they might be fitted to receive carry the threefold name which yet in the end is but one name and like being of the living God according to the capacity of creatures In the third Section you have some pretty sprinkling of Truth where you maintain and that truly That dipping or ducking in the Water is not necessary in this Sacrament but that effusion or sprinkling with water will suffice But in your fourth Section where you say That the infants of one or both beleeving parents are to be baptized your assertion is too far dipped in error For Infants are no where commanded to be baptized in the new Testament though the children of Israel were commanded at the eighth day to be circumcised nor doth Baptism succeed circumcision in that behalf or almost in any other respect unless it be first as an initiatory Sacrament for new converts And secondly so far as it is a Baptism in the name of the Father or of the Father and the Son at the uttmost for Baptism in the Holy Ghost points at a far higher estate then either Circumcision or the Passover or yet the supper of the Lord hold forth yet we do not deny but Infants may lawfully be baptized even the Infants of unbeleeving parents if some friends of theirs desire it and the superiour powers so appoint because the Baptism of Infants is no where forbidden and though in regard of innate uncleanness they have no great need of outward or inward washing from sin as we have proved before yet this Sacrament being administred in infancy and afterward known to the party baptized may be as useful to him in the way of instruction and comfort when after his fall he would return to the Lord as circumcision was to the Isralites which was administred in their Infancy Your fifth Section presents the neglect or contempt of this ordinance as a great sin which is true of new converts who should not onely admit of it being offered but even seek and desire it where it may be had as the Eunuch did Acts 8.36.37 But this is not alike true of infants who cannot desire it nor have need of it for the present nor yet of their parents in relation to them unless it be in these Countries and places where the Governors appoint all infants to be baptized for here to neglect or contemn it is a sin of contumacy against these Governours and though some scruple at it because they cannot finde Poedobaptisme to be Gods Ordinance yet they ought to submit to it as an Humane or Ecclesiastical Ordinance especially since obedience to Governors is expresly commanded and the baptizing of Infants no where prohibited The residue of that your fifth Section is very sound and good for you truely and rightly affirm That grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto baptism as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it or that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated Your sixth Section concerning the efficacy of Baptism not being tyed to the very moment of administration is true oft his and all other Sacraments whether we understand the grace held forth onely as you seem to do not without a great mistake or the duty we should learn from it and them which is no small part of the drift and efficacy of the Sacraments as hath been declared Lastly Whereas you say in your seventh and last Section That Baptism is but once to be administred unto any persons it may be either true or false as it is understood for these Disciples at Ephesus which had not so much as heard that there was an holy Ghost were baptised into Johus Baptism Acts 19.3 when they had heard Paul preach unto them were baptized again verse 4 5. so doubtless were many more of John's Disciples for though John made mention of one that should come after him And baptize his Disciples with the holy Ghost and with fire Mat. 3.11 Yet he baptized them in the name of the Father or but unto the name of Son at the furthest and not unto the Holy Ghost from which estate his office and baptisme stood at too great a distance in that his fore-running office yet it is true that those who are compleatly baptized in or unto the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost need not to be baptized again Howbeit two things would further be enquired into First Whether the Apostle did not make some pause in the baptizing naming each person distinctly in whose name they baptized and so paused a while betwixt the first and the second and then
to be found as follows in the next verse And they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and shall not finde it In that day shall the young men and the fair Virgins faint for thirst but the written word with the comments and expositions of men thereupon never was any hard thing to come by it was then true in the former sense onely which is written 1 Sam. 3.1 And the word of the Lord was precious in those daies there was no open vision And as the word of God thus spoken is compared to bread in the Old Testament Jer. 3.15 so is it likewise in the New Matth. 4.4 But he answered it is written that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God As man then hath a twofold life so he must live by a twofold bread Thus for the mystical flesh of Christ his Blood here is that which came from Heaven as well as his Flesh John 6.58 and which is Spirit and Life for the nourishing and quickning of our Souls and this is no other but the life and power and spirit of Christ whereby our corruptions are put away and removed signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our spiritual enemies overcome Rev. 12.11 of which you heard before out of Heb. 9 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God out of Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite to the Spirit of Grace out of Heb. 13.20 21. Now the very God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will For what is it we pray you but this life or spirit of Christ that purgeth our soul or conscience from dead works to serve the living God or that sanctifieth us or makes us perfect in every good work This is the first blood of the New Testament as we have proved before It was by this blood that the beleeving Jews to whom St. Peter wrote were redeemed or delivered from their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 19. It was with this blood that the Saints had washed their robes and made them white Rev. 7.14 to which places we added 1 John 5.8 which makes the water the blood and the spirit to agree in one These are the flesh and blood of Christ held forth in this Sacrament as things spoken of before John 6. This flesh or word of Christ had been often broken by him and given to his Disciples to eat this blood of Christ had been given them to take in and drink John 14.17 Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you 1 Cor 12.13 And ye have been all made to drink into one Spirit where the Mystery of the wine administred and blood spoken of in that Sacrament is expounded as it is also by our Saviour at the time of institution in these words of his Matth. 26.28 29. But I say unto you I will not henceforth drink of the fruit of the Vine until that day that I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom Where for the better discovery of your own former mistakes you may observe two things in the foregoing words of the institution First That Christ speaks not of a body in the future tense that should be broken for them but one that was then broken for them Secondly That in the present tense likewise he speaks of a blood then poured out as his spirit had been in some measure upon them and not of a blood to be wholy shed or poured out for the future onely This flesh and blood of Christ is a good Mediatour betwixt us and God to pull down the partition wall of sin and slay the enmity betwixt us and him and the special means of our conquest as we shall shew by and by Yet far be it from us as we said before That we should deny the use and benefit of Christs Humane flesh and blood who was made of the seed of David according to the promises and suffered for us according to the Scriptures and therein did not onely set us an example and monument of what he had inwardly suffered for us and in us but also chalked out the true way to eternal life yea paid an invalluable price for our Redemption from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Heb. 9.27 28. Yea we shewed before that if the fallen man were made perfect again in the way of regeneration yet without the sacrifice and satisfaction of Christ he could not be saved from the guilt and punishment of his sins See Heb. 10.14 For by one offering hath he perfected for ever them that are sanctified But this is the thing which we here assert that the flesh of Christ which he commands us to eat and the blood which he enjoyns us to drink in this Sacrament are not those of his humanity as you and your guides have hitherto taught but that very flesh and blood which came from Heaven by our Saviours own doctrin John 6. aforesaid confirmed with many other Scriptures nor is it the custome of the Lord to figure out corporal things but spiritual by outward and corporal Elements and Types And as you with your Teachers have not had any true fight of those blessed Mysteries so have you not understood the Mystery of the Cup or Chalice out of which the Spirit and life of Christ or the blood of the new Testament is to be received and drunk which Cup is first the suffering or Passion of Christ as we see in that his prayer Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me and then our like suffering for him and with him both in the outward man and in the inward man also and that especially in the resistance of temptation and the enduring of the enemies assault and vexation Matthew 20.22 23. Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism wherewith I shall be baptized Now to take a short survey of your several Sections In the first of them you mistake the ends for which the Sacrament was instituted which was not to nourish or strengthen our souls with his humane flesh and blood or to make the same the band or pledge of our communion with him and each other nor to seal up the benefits of his Sacrifice upon the Cross but to hold out in a mystery and exhibite
second Section to wit to Elders and Governours called of God but not of man alone but that remitting and retaining of sins is both ministerial under the Lord Jesus and principally placed in the Church representative or the Superiours and Elders acted by Gods spirit and both fitted and called to that high office Mathew 16.19 Mathew 18.17 18. John 20.20 21.22 In your third Section you lay down good grounds why there should bee Ecclesâ—astical or spiritual censures in use and therein you seem to lay no small or weak foundation of reducing the true Saints now dispersed into congregations under spiritual able and faithful Overseers and those under some superintendent chosen of God of which some may be found if well sought out Your fourth and last Section by Officers right Overseers and Governours such as we have described being understood we willingly imbrace with this caution That you will with St. Jude verse 23. rather pull men out of the fire then persecute them with a faggot for difference of Judgement CHAP. XXXI Of Synods and Councels FOR the better Government and edification of the Church there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called Synods or Councels a Acts 15.2 4 6. II. As Magistrates may lawfully call a Synod of Ministers and other fit persons to consult and advise with about matters of Religion b Isa 49.23 1 Tim 2.1 1. 2 Cro 19.8 9 10. 2 Chro 29.30 chapt Mat 2.4.5 Pro 11.14 so if Magistrates be open enemies to the Church the ministers of Christ of themselves by vertue of their Office or they with other fit persons upon delegation from their Churches may meet together in such assemblies c Acts 15.2 4 22 23 25. III. It belongeth to Synods and Counâ—els ministerially to determine controversies of Faith and cases of conscience to set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the publick worship of God and government of his Church to receive complaints in cases of male administration and authoritativly to determine the same which decrees and determinations if consonant to the word of God are to be received with reverence and submission not onely for their agreement with the word but also for the power whereby they are made as being an Ordinance of God appointed thereunto in his word d Acts 15.15 19 24 27 28 29 30 31. Acts 6 4. Matth 18 17 18 19 20 IV. All Synods or Councels since the Apostles dayes whether general or particular may erre and many have erred Therefore they are not to be made the rule of Faith or practise but to be used as an help in both e Ep 2.20 Acts 17.1 1 Cor 2.5 2 Cor 1.24 V. Synods or Councels are to handle or conclude nothing but that which is Ecclesiastical and are not to intermedle with Civil affaires which concern the Common-wealth unless by way of humble petition in cases extraordinary or by way of advise for satisfaction of Conscience if they be thereunto required by the Civil Magistrate f Luke 12.13 14. Joh 18.36 CHAP. XXXI Of Synods and Councels Examined IN complyance with your first Section we grant that there may be great cause of spiâ—itual consultations and that either about temporal things as Moses went twice to the Lord about the daughters of Zelophebad Numbers 27.1 2 3 c. and Numbers 36.1 2 3 c. or in things of Religion as Moses required what should be done first to him that blasphemed the name of the Lord Leviticus 24.12 and secondly to him that gathered sticks on the Sabboth day Numb 15.32 33 c. But it is the Lord that is to be consulted with in those great difficulties and that either immediately as Moses did in the places aforesaid and Daniel with the other three Children Dan. 2. or else by some person who hath the judgement of Vrim and is acted by the spirit of God Numb 27.21 Ezra 2.63 1 Maccab. 4.4 especially if any such person be to be found of which there have been some in all or most ages if the Authour of the book of wisdom speaks true chap. 7.27 And in all ages wisdom entering into holy souls maketh them friends of God and Prophets which is consonant to what the Father promiseth Isa 29.21 and to our Saviours engagement Mat. 28.20 Behold I am with you to the end of the world but in case no such person may be found there may be Synods and Councels called for consultation sake and if the matter be still too difficult it must be reserved for Gods future resolution Ezra 2.63 As to your second Section we grant that Magistrates may call a Synod of Ministers or other fit persons especially of those that are spiritual and wise and it were good that persons of all different mindes in Religion might be freely heard and their arguments well weighed and full answer given in writing to all that are in the wrong that our controversies might grow to an end and so truth with love and peace take place but in this case if any inspired Prophet may be had at home or consulted abroad it is safer to receive resolution from the mouth of the Lord by him which we might easily do in this age either by word or writing then to rely upon the judgement of an hundred ordinary Divines often producing the letter of the word but wresting or mistaking the sense We grant likewise that such ordinary ministers and persons may be sent from their own to other Churches yet can they act onely within their own Sphere as rational learned or devout persons not as inspired men But that ordinary ministers may by their office when the Magistrate is an enemy call each other or assemble into a publick Synod we doubt yet doubtless they may meet privately and advise yea pray together To your third Section we grant that Synods may handle controversies of fact and cases of conscience direction for an outward worship and the better governing of a visible Church as also hear complaints in cases of male administration and determine them or some of them authoritate sibi commissa especially according to the measure of Faith and Regeneration whereunto they have attained which decrees and determinations if consonant to the word are to be received for the words sake more then for their authority they not being a divine but an humane ordinance only for the meeting of the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem to which the Churches at Antioch and thereabouts appealed was an assembly of men acted by the Holy Ghost as themselves set forth Acts 13.28 and differs far both in warrant and authority from our Synods and Assemblies neither doth the first make the last to be Gods ordinance And in your fourth Section you confess no less where you acknowledge that all Synods and Councels since that might erre and that many have erred and so have you in many things but as your Confession here is ingenious so we hope you will not take
the representing of your errours in worse part then it is meant your better information and the saving of your souls and others Finally Since you have set so good bounds between the Civil Magistrate and your selves in your last Section we will not remove the Landmark CHAP. XXXII Of the state of men after death and of the resurrection of the dead THE bodies of men after death return to dust and see corruption a Gâ—n 3 19 Act 13.36 but their soul which neither die nor sleep having an immortal subsistance immediately return to God who gave them b Lu 23.43 Eccl 12.1 the souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into the highest Heavens where they behold the face of God in light and glory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies c Heb 12.13 2 Cor 5.16.8 Phil. 1 23â— Acts 3.20 Eph 4.10 And the souls of the wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in torments and utter darkness reserved to the judgement of the great day d Luke 16.23 24. Acts 1.25 Jude 1.6 7 1 Pet 3.19 Besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies the Scriptures acknowledg none II. At the last day such as are found alive shall not die but be changed e 1 Thes 4.15 1 Cor 15.5 2. and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-same bodies and none other although with different qualities which shall be united again to their souls for ever f Job 19.26 27. 1 Cor 15.42 43 44. III. The bodies of the unjust shall by the power of Christ be raised to dishonour the bodies of the just by his Spirit unto honour and be made conformable to his own glorious body g Acts 24.13 John 5.28.29 1 Cor 15.43 Phil 3.21 CHAP. XXXII Of the state of men after death and of the resurrection of the dead Examined HERE we could revive a manifold resurrection by you buried in silence one of internal both righteousness and unrighteousness discovered and raised up at our first humiliation by the spirit of God and the work of his Law Rom. 7.7 8 9. Another of men raised up by a work of regeneration some to honour as those that persevere and others to dishonour as those that fall away again Dan. 12.2 Thirdly A spiritual resurrection with Christ after we have been dead with him to sin Rev. 20 6. And lastly the raising up the souls again at our dissolution that it may go to judgement which is called a resurrection Catechristically but because you are now drawing towards a conclusion we shall have the less cause to contest or debate with you These violent motions should grow more remisse and gentle towards the latter end Your first Section comprehends many Propositions which we dare not deny nor shall we much alter them That the bodies of men after death return to dust That then they see corruption That the Soul whether a distinct part from the spirit or no hath an immortal subsistence That the soul sleeps not though many of them be at rest That the spirit returns to God that gave it Ecclesiastes 12 7. That the souls go to God immediately to receive their doom That the souls of the righteous after death are made perfect in happiness not without some access of holiness That those so made perfect are received into the Highest Heaven or into Paradice That those which are so received behold the face of God in life and glory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies That the Souls of the wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in torments and utter darkness reserved to the judgement of the great day yet we could tell you of some no contemptible Authors and those no Papists who maintain a twofold delivery out of Hell the one made by Christ of the men of the old world at the time of his resurrection for which they alledge Zech. 9.11 and 1 Pet. 3.19 20. and 1 Pet. 4.6 The other to be made at the end of the Chiliasts term of their thousand years Rev. 20.5 But the rest of the dead lived not till the thousand years were ended That besides these two places of the souls separatd from the bodies the Scripture for ought we yet finde makes no cleer mention of any other yet are we not altogether ignorant of what some have written concerning Limbo nor that some which favour not the Church of Rome as Jacob Behman for one do assigne a third place namely the Region of the Land of Canaan to be an Elysian field for the souls of departed Saints because the Lord sware to give the Land to Abraham and his seed for ever But whether the souls of the just shall dye imperfect and have their perfection adjourned to another world as you mean is a quere of some importance and to hold that it must be so positively may prove a dangerous errour For our parts we acknowledge that the Saints in Heaven do obtain no small access and increase as of light and wisdom so of power love holiness peace and joy also for the Apostle saith Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ but to die is gain To which that seems to agree which the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5.1 2. For we know that if our earthly Tabernacle of this house were dissolved we have a building given us of God not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens But that the body of sin may and should be destroyed the workmanship of Satan abolished the righteousness of the law fulfilled and the Jerusalem that comes down from Heaven be fully sought and attained by us through the grace of Christ even in this life we have sufficiently proved before It remains then that we all take heed to the Apostles charge 2 Cor. 7 1.2 Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit perfecting our holiness in the fear of God yea let all those that would be counted faithful Ministers in Christ Jesus labour with St. Paul Colos 1.28 to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus As to your 2d Section although the Apostle in that great larger chapter of the resurrection 1 Co. 15. seems to speak onely of the resurrection of the just yet we must grant that all the dead shall be raised according to other Scriptures and namely that of John 5.28 29. Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of condemnation But for a conclusion of this chapter may not some be mistaken in thinking the first resurrection which comes not to any till they be first dead with Christ Rom. 6 5. is past already see 2 Tim. 2.18 yea to make our future happiness sure what had been more needful here