spake and said unto me rise up my Love my fair one saith the Spouse 5. We ought to beleeve till we be perswaded that we do beleeve because the more we do beleeve the more we shall be perswaded to beleeve according to that place in the Ephesians In whom also after ye beleeved ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise And he that beleeveth hath the witnesse though there is more to be said to this last Scripture The way to be warm is not onely to ask for a fire or whether there be a fire or no or to hold out the hands towards it and away and wish for a greater but to stand close to that fire there is and to gather heat 6. We ought I suppose no more to question our Faith which is our first and foundation Grace then we ought to question Christ the foundation of our Faith For as all Christian Religion is destroyed by the one so all the salvation in that Religion to any soul in particular by the other Therefore it is said they entered not in because of unbeleef And again The Word did not profit being not mixed with Faith in them that heard it And hence is the Apostles caution Take heed lest there be in any of you an heart of unbeleef 7. It is Satans greatest policy to put a soul upon such a question For by this he sets on the soul for evidence from things which he knows can afford little but a questionable assurance as perswasion most upon marks and signes of our own sanctification or works which cannot hold good without Faith it self to bring down Christ upon them For he puts us clean back if we observe We are proving our faith by our works when as no works can be proved solidly good but by our faith for without Faith it is impossible to please God We know that every piece of coyn or money is valued according to the image and superscription that it bears and if Cesar be not there though it be still silver yet it is not coyn it is not so currant and he that hath it cannot make such use of it and so assure himself to trade with it as otherwise he might do So there is not any thing of sanctification currant and of true practical use comfort to be a beleever unlesse Jesus Christ be there and the Image of Christ which is righteousnesse c. or true holinesse While Satan puzzles us in questioning our faith or beleeving he keeps us off from beleeving knowing that this is the condemnation He that beleeveth not is condemned already We are first to beleeve and all other gifts will follow c. HEre I cannot but wonder at any that keep souls in acts of preparation and qualification from the act of beleeving as if we could beleeve too suddenly and many a one loses some degrees of faith while they are seeking it thus in the evidence of their works for while faith is kept off from Christ and the soul suspended faith decayes and becomes weaker and weaker when as if it were still exercised upon Christ in the promises it would soon bring a clearer and more undeceivable evidence with it then can any other way be ministred unto it In the Gospel all are immediately called to beleeve to day if ye will hear his voice Sirs saith the Jaylor what must I do to be saved Beleeve say they on the Lord Jesus Christ And this is the work that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent saith Christ and saith Philip to the Eunuch If thou beleevest with all thy heart thou mayst and he answered and said I beleeve So as I shall draw this conclusion for many that are in the dark in this point both Preachers and people That none can beleeve too hastily in Jesus Christ our righteousnesse because righteousnesse is revealed from faith to faith and while we beleeve not we live not properly for the just shall live by faith and while we beleeve not we may after a sort be said to be under condemnation for he that beleeveth not is condemned So as we ought not to stay the exercise of our faith either for repentance or humiliation or any other grace but we ought to beleeve that we may have these for faith worketh by love c. And adde to your faith vertue saith the Apostle and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse All these are to be added to faith or work from faith nor are we to stay our beleeving till we be assured by some signes that we do beleeve we must beleeve that we may know that we do beleeve for the witnesse comes by beleeving The spirit bearing witnesse Yet to these I allow you any examination or tryal of your faith which may consist with beleeving Well I shall put some Questions to you after these grounds Quest Is faith alwayes with full assurance Answ Nay Quest Can you conclude you have no faith because you have no full assurance Answ Nay Quest You say well for there are degrees of beleeving one degree is to beleeve another is to be assured you beleeve There are in the Word beleevers of several ages some are called little ones weak ones babes children strong men some are such as have been sound beleevers and are made weak through sin and temptation and ignorance of the Covenant of free-grace and their righteousnesse in Christ and the glorious estate of a beleever under grace as a man that is not perfectly healed of some infirmity For the nature and properties of true saving Faith which I told you on They are better discerned in the Word Christ then in the soul that hath them because they are not in the soul purely but with mixture of corruption which like mud in the water troubles the sight and the spiritual discerning and that makes so many beleevers who can spiritually judge care so little to see themselves in their own righteousnesse but in Christs as Paul and be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse The nature and properties of true saving faith is almost the businesse of the whole new Testament 1. The nature of faith is this It is called the ground of things hoped for and the evidence of things that are unseen 2. The properties are everywhere described by repentance and humiliation and love godlinesse and purity and charity meeknesse and all holy conversation and prayer and hearing and obeying the Will of God All these are with true faith and a beleever is one who though he hath all these yet he will not behold them in himself but in Christ and as Paul I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Now the great mistake which I finde in this and ages before is the singling out the properties of a true faith and sending a beleever for his assurance most thither in himself which caused the beleevers of
of these who would persecute that Christ now whom hereafter they may preach But I have done and if I have erred in any thing for I see but in part and know but in part it is in filling out that Wine too freely which the Master of the Feast if I mistake not hath bidden me saying Drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Cant. 5. TO THE READER IN the Experiment of this soul you may see a Spirit of adoption in Bondage and one made poor in Spirit through the ignorance of the riches of grace and by a legal faith as I may say both under Grace and the Law at the same time Surely such legal beleevers are as much subject to death and bondage in their own apprehensions under the Gospel as they were before under the Law You have here the frame of this soul or the constitution and condition of a Spirit before conversion under conversion and under the relapse or falling back into the same sins and under the temptations for those sins and under a legal recovery out of those temptations and under a fuller revelation of grace and truth onely drawn out of their own experiences by which we may see what the want of the knowledge of Jesus Christ is And the more Christ is known and that love of God to the Sons of men which was manifest in the flesh the more that glorious liberty from the Law Sin and Satan is manifested in that soul This made Paul desire so to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified And the more this light of the Gospel shines in the face of Jesus Christ the more doth the ignorance of flesh and blood dissolve and the shadows of the Law as doubts fears terrours which are cast in vanish before it For the day breaks and the shadows flie away The onely scope of this Discourse and Observations is to hold forth the glory of Free-grace and that by this one Experiment Wisdom might be justified of her Children O the riches of his grace O the fountain of his love O the exceeding and comprehensive freenesse and the flowing of his blood washing us when we are polluted in our own Thus he cals us beloved when we are not beloved and we who had not obtained mercy do obtain mercy And I thought my self not a little happy to have such an effectual door as this opened to deal with the experiences of a soul in this kinde And for the following Conference and for my Observations and other particulars I took this occasion to draw out my discourse of Grace and Gospel-glory from the faithful experiences of such a soul wherein the work of nature and grace and spirit and Satan was clearly visible and discernible rather then to found them upon meer notions and conjectural Principles For in the experiences of a soul we may more clearly discern the deep things of the Spirit reading them in the spirits of such as possesse Christ as in the Counterpane of the Scriptures for there truth answers to truth as in water face answers to face THE CONTENTS Of the Book CHAP. I. OF the Parties natural condition and how they felt themselves in their state of nature before they could perswade themselves they had taken Christ Pag. 1. Observations 1. Of the bondage that a meerly carnal man sins in and where true spiritual freedom is p. 3. 2. Of the resistings of sin and sorrowings for sin which are in a natural man p. 5. 3. How far many go in a formal profession and meer natural Religion raised up a little by the power of the Word p. 7. CHAP. II. OF the Parties first trouble for the sins they lived in which is supposed to be the time of conversion or calling or light from Christ p. 11. Observations 1. Of the Preachers several dealings with this Party to settle them and not in a way of beleeving first pag. 26 2. The unstablenesse of such as are not converted in a pure Gospel-way p. 33. 3. The several wayes which the Lord makes use on to salvation p. 35. 4. The want of true Gospel-knowledge in Jesus Christ is the cause of many distractions in beleevers p. 36. 5. The opening Jesus Christ in the Gospel is the best and surest way to deal with sinners p. 39. 6. A further opening of the doubtings of a soul not clearly discerning the power of the Gospel p. 43. 7. The working of the Spirit of Christ in a soul though not so clearly enlightned p. 46. CHAP. III. OF the Parties falling into the same sins in some measure which they had lived in in their unregenerate state from whence all their late bondage hath been P. 50. Observations 1. The danger of placing assurance most in mortification of sin p. 53. 2. The danger of drawing our comforts most from the change in the outward man p. 54 3. The spiritual condition in this life more in being justified from sin then cleansed from sin p. 56. 4. The greatest temptations upon sinning in an enlightned condition p. 57. 5. That back-sliding or relapsing is much mistaken and mortification of sin of the more mystical mortification beleevers have p. 59. 6. The sum of the mystery of mortification of sin in a beleever p. 65. 7. That there is danger in putting too much upon the sin of relapsing or back-sliding in beleevers p. 69. 8. The conclusion concerning the mystical and spiritual mortification p. 73. 9. Some Scriptures concerning falling away interpreted p. 75. CHAP. IV. THe Party after such openings of the frame of their spirit is now discoursed with upon certain particular Questions p. 78. The Parties several Doubts answered 1. That they are not therefore beloved of God or in Christ because they fell back again into sin p. 79. 2. Because they found not a change in the whole man p. 80. 3. Because they feel not themselves sanctified they think they are not justified p. 81. CHAP. V. THe Parties great Doubt concerning faith or beleeving p 92. 1. The great Gospel secret concerning faith or beleeving Ibid. 2. We are first to beleeve and all other gifts will follow p. 97. The several wayes opened how the mystery of Godlinesse and Free-grace hath been received in and in what degrees it hath been enquired for in this present age p. 106. 1. GOds first revealing himself to man in goodnesse and Free-grace p. 107. 2. Gods Free grace to sinners more discovered p. 111. 3. More of Gods Free-grace and Love of mans sin and redemption discovered p. 114. 4. The Son of God how considered in the work of Salvation p. 119. 5. Gods love manifested in the Gospel-expressions p. 124. 6. The new Covenant no Covenant properly with us but with Christ for us p. 125. 7. Gods manner of Covenanting p. 127. 8. They that are under Grace revealed are no more under the Law p. 128. 9. When God is said to be in Covenant with the soul Ibid. 10. A justified person is a perfect person p. 129. 11. Sin separates not
and I could powre out my soul in much sorrow and remorse for sin O me thought I could spend a whole night in praying for what my soul wanted That which I much desired in prayer was still that my sinful soul might be healed of sin and that running issue of sin that ran and ceased not might be stopped Yet in this my time and those dayes I seldom desired pardon of sin till I were fitted for mercies But now I see we are pardoned freely I cannot even now but say this O rest not therefore in your own duties lest you perish in the sparks you kindle as I had almost done I observed a good providence of the Lord to me in providing me still many Christians to complain to in this my condition OBSERVATIONS on the former Discourse I. Of the Preachers several dealings with this Party to settle them and not in a way of beleeving first I Observe That now this soul questioning the truth of all their assurances they labour to perswade it to faith or beleeving upon a ground of Sanctification in themselves which hath no evidence nor for the present can bring any demonstration to the spirit For Satan and the Parties own suspecting heart will not let them beleeve any truth in that which they have found so faulty As for instance a man that hath had cause to be jealous of his wife hath seen some miscarriages all the friends she can make are not able to satisfie and take away all grounds of fear jealousie from him by their perswasion but he will still suspect because he once had some real ground and unlesse they can take away this they cannot perswade him to that So in that soul where there hath been real failings and a spiritual discerning of its own unrighteousnesse all the perswasions of others cannot make it have any good opinion of it self nor perswade it of its righteousnesse unlesse they can take away that unrighteousnesse sin and make it to be no sin and no unrighteousnesse For the soul which is onely troubled for sin must be setled upon some thing which is not sin and upon a righteousnesse either in it self or some other or there can be no setlement peace or comfort in that soul And yet this is the common way of dealing with souls and bringing them up into assurance as thus Repent and pray and live an holy life and walk according to the Law of God and if they answer they cannot do thus O then say they can you not desire to pray and repent and if they say they cannot desire O but then say they can you not desire that you may desire And thus they winde them up by acts of their own spirit and run them out to the end of their own workings when alas these desires of desires and the spining of such fine threds in divinity are not strong enough to binde up a broken spirit This is but the broken work of a soul for how many have desired to enter in have not been able Nay Who is there not that have a desire All the world of common beleevers are carried on by this principle of a desire We see now the vanity of such reasonings with a soul troubled for sin and questioning the truth of the spiritual work in themselves Such kinde of arguing may give some hints to the soul that hath the Spirit of God in it some spiritual actings to pacifie and perswade it a while because it findes something in it self agreeable to such a discourse but these are too narrow and weak to bear up the burden of sin and legal terrours like the bottom and point of a top which being so small may for some time that it is in motion bear up the body of the top as wee see but when the motion is done the top fals having nothing proportionable to support it So the soul turns upon some hints of comfort a while but flattens again And this is the furthest and strongest satisfaction the discourse of such Divines can give yet I despise them not in this Light they have so they contend not against the more glorious light of truth but the Lord if he please reveal more unto them But you will say how will you deal then with a soul thus puzzled and questioning I answer I shall not dare to place them on any bottom of their own righteousnesse or to satisfie themselves by something only in themselves that were to take the disease for the Physitian to give them no oyntment but blood of their own wound to heal them nor should I take that other way which many do that are of this legal strain too as to apply promises to them first which many times instead of drawing the soul to Christ puts it further off bringing some conditions which the soul questioning in themselvs dares not meddle with before it be prepared by Christ and his freenesse But you will say what way will you take then I answer That way which the Scriptures reveal to me First the laying down and establishing and bringing forth a perfect righteousnesse even the righteousnesse of Christ and then shewing forth the way of common right and interest to this righteousnesse which is contained in the freest promises for bringing souls to close with and partake of this perfection and righteousnesse more plainly thus Christ crucified is the foundation and corner-stone and rock for sinners The righteousnesse of this Christ is every way perfect and compleat This righteousnesse is that which hath taken away the sins of the world so as no sin is now to be satisfied for nor no new righteousnesse to be wrought by any for salvation onely all that will be saved are to beleeve their interest and right in this righteousnesse and already purchased salvation And for the way of coming by a right or purchasing an interest in this righteousnesse or salvation it is held out without price or works in the freest clearest promises of salvation to sinners onely for taking and receiving beleeving in all being wrought to our hands So us this is as good a ground for one to beleeve on as another without exception and in this way of salvation to beleeve is life eternal and not to beleeve is condemnation He that beleeveth hath everlasting life and he that beleeveth not is condemned and this being a Scripture way I would leave the soul upon these principles and under this Commandment Beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ for this is the Commandment that ye beleeve on his Son c. But you will say what if a soul answer I cannot beleeve I am not elected I shall answer then to such a soul thus You are bound to beleeve because it is a Commandment and you are not to make an objection from election or reprobation against your beleeving for that were to set one part of the truth against the other And thus you misinterpret both God and his Word But you
from healing too soon that they may make the cure the more admired do accordingly keep such souls with their wounds open and if they powre in any thing it is rather Wine then Oyl rather something of the Law then the Gospel so as they are not onely long in healing and getting peace through Jesus Christ But they carry a scar with them still and are as it were lame in their consciences a long time after like some poor Patients that have had as much of the sound flesh cut a way as the rotten and so have been healed though but to a bodily infirmity all their life time All this is for want of the knowledge of the Spirit of Adoption being in such a soul and the spirits workings in the clear apprehensions of Christ as it is not enough to enlighten the world that there is a Sun but there must be a clear body of Air for this Sun to shine through and of the application of Gospel-promises of perswading to faith and beleeving in Jesus Christ for the pardon of sin which settle and assure and establish a soul more and the light that comes in through such Gospel-applications and power will exceedingly melt a soul and wound a soul But they are the woundings and meltings of love and the Spirit of Adoption not of fear and bondage but of power love and of a sound minds Mary wept and washed Christs feet Peter wept bitterly not in fear but in love witnesse her Box of Oyntment Peters profession Lord thou knowest I love thee The passions which this Gospel-way works in the soul are such as bring inlargements and flowings and powrings out of Spirit But the passions which the Law works bring in a straightning a contraction or gathering up or narrownesse into the Spirit and therefore it is called bondage and fear V. The opening Jesus Christ in the Gospel is the best and surest way to deal with sinners I observe They that are wounded for sin and are enlightned to discern it and are so wrought on by the spirit as to feel and be sensible of it being taken into Covenant with God in Christ their stony heart taken out and yet dark in the purer conceivings of the Gospel such are ready rather to put away Gospel-promises then receive them and imagine themselvs rather in fitnesse for judgement then mercy or grace And then if Preachers run to the Law in their dealing with such souls for their thorow humiliation as they say or pretend and not to the Gospel Faith in Jesus Christ they bring fire and not water to quench them and so kindle them the more and setting the everlasting burnings of the Law before their souls put them all into a spiritual flaâ—m and vexation Nathan delt otherwise with David though under the Old Testament where there was more priviledge for the Law 2 Sam. 12.13 I have sinned saith David The Lord hath put away thy sin saith Nathan This is as Solomon saith To give strong drink to him that is ready to peâ—ish and wine unto those that be of an heavy hâ—art Prov. 13.6 If any one sin saith John we have an Advocate with the Father Christ Jesus the righteous Here is Gospel applyed to the very sin and the Physitian brought home to the sick and Jesus Christ brought to the very gates of a groaning spirit I know the Divinity of some former ages to these present times made up all their receipts for distempered souls of so much Law and so much Gospel and usually but a grane or dram of Gospel to a pound of Law not being then clear enough in judgement to unmingle things which Antichrist had confounded and put together as the two Testaments and two Covenants and not rightly discerning Christs manner or way of preaching and the Apostles both in their holding forth Law and Gospel Now we know that the Apostle saith Received ye the Spirit by the preaching of the Law or the preaching of Faith Gal. 3.2 And therefore they that would make the Law the Ministery of life and of the spirit are not of such a spiritual discerning as the Lord hath now revealed and such put a soul upon a legal method of conversion or coming to Christ First they must be kept so long under the Law for humiliation and contrition and confession and then brought to the Gospel as many Books and Teachers do when as the Law is not of any power to infuse such gracious passions into the soul as the Gospel cals for Blessed are they that mourn and they that are poor But this is not the mourning spirit under the Law nor the poor spirit under the curse of the Law for sin But the Gospel-mournings and Gospel-poverty even mournings of love like the groanings of the Turtle Cant. 2.12 If they be onely such as the Law brings forth and presses the soul into they are no better then the contritions of Esau and Judas but if they be such as the Law or Spirit of Jesus Christ or the Law of life works in the soul then they are of a more spiritual and pretious nature but this is from the Gospel and the preaching of Faith What Law did Peter preach to Cornelius or Philip to the Eunuch or Ananias to Paul or Paul to the Jaylor and his houshold but only Jesus Christ nor can you finde the Law I mean the Law in its form or Covenant preached but to those that were under the Law and pretended to stand by the Law and to set up a righteousnesse by the Law as the Pharisees and Jews c. Though in all this I esteem no lesse of the Law then any other as it was a Law for the people of God under Moses and hath something of the Image of God in it But now we are under a better Law a more excellent Law and a more spiritual Commandment Even that Law which was but a few single beams of righteousnesse even ten but a decalogue of righteousnesse yet now in the Gospel the righteousnesse of God is brought forth in more glorious and spiritual Commandments and for ten there are scores and with this righteousnesse of God the righteousnesse of Christ is brought forth which makes the condition of Gods people a blessed condition so as they stand righteous now in all their obedience to the righteousnesse of God which is the more pure transcending and excellent Law of the Commandments of the Gospel or the more perfect Rule of the righteousnesse of God in the righteousnesse of Christ so as the New Testament is both the Law and Gospel or the righteousnesse of God and Christ more excellently manifested Do we therefore make voide the Law by the preaching of Faith Yea We establish the Law Christ being the end of the Law for righteousnesse VI A further opening of the doubtings of a soul not clearly discerning the power of the Gospel I observe A soul that is not informed by a pure Gospel-light nor apprehends not clearly the
way of Faith of Christ and the Promises and the glory of the New Testament is ever unsetled unstable full of fears doubtings distractions questioning and the more such a soul is reasoned with concerning their condition the more they question the truth of every spiritual working in them and this comes from the power of the Law still upon their consciences which is more powerful to convince and accuse them then the Gospel is to excuse or acquit them having more of the ministery of condemnation before them or in their eye then of the ministery of life Jesus Christ and Satan he takes advantage of their legal condition and stirs up jealousies and doubts and so much as there is of legal apprehensions so much there is to hinder the bringing in of the Kingdom of God into the soul which is not onely righteousnesse but peace and joy and therefore under the Old Testament where they saw the Blood of Christ onely through the blood of Bulls and Goats and heard the Apostles afar off in the Prophets and were brought to the Mountain that smoaked they lived in much bondage and being under the Law till the fulnesse of time that the Seed came were like servants though they were heirs too the heir as the Apostle saith then differing nothing from a servant though he was lord of all There is nothing but the taking in of the Law and accusings or condemnations of it which can trouble the peace quiet of any soul for where there is no law there is no transgression and where there is no transgression there is no trouble for sin all trouble arising from the obligement of the Law which demands a satisfaction of the soul for the breach of it and such a satisfaction which the soul knows it cannot give and thereby remains unquiet like a debtor that hath nothing to pay and the Law too being naturally in the soul as the Apostle saith the conscience accusing or else excusing It is no marvel that such souls should be troubled for sin and unpacified the Law having such a party ingagement already within them which holding an agreement with the Law in Tables or Letters of Stone must needs work strongly upon the spirits of such as are but weakly faintly enlightned and are not furnished with Gospel enough to answer the indictments the convictions the terrours the curses which the Law bâ—ings therefore all the power of Christ and the Gospel is to be applyed to raise up such souls from under the power of those stones and burdens which the Law would â—oll upon them Such are to have more Gospel then ordinary applied because they have so much Law naturally within them Such are to know they are not now under the Law but under Grace and the Law hath no more dominion over them and they are dead unto that Husband and they are now upon a new foundation Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone and we should say to such Let not your hearts be troubled ye beleeve in God beleeve also in Jesus Christ VII The working of the Spirit of Christ in a soul though not so clearly enlightned I observe That in a soul though legally enlightned or receiving Christ yet there are certain Gospel-workings whereby it will appear that Jesus Christ is there 1. There is a closing or fastning or clasping about Christ in the Promises of the Gospel especially some of the freest and fullest of Grace for such souls can onely finde some freedom of going out to Christ in them as some who delights most in men of easiest and hearty behaviour and can sooner make a friend of them then any other and if there be but any promises with the least condition of repentance c. they dare not meddle with such suspecting themselves not enough prepared for them and suspecting the promises like strangers of too narrow behaviours for them to be familiar with like some modest homely Maide that is unwilling to go abroad into company of greater quality then her self lest she should not be well thought on or received as too mean or ill-bred for their society So are the souls of such as cannot close with the conditional promises 2. There is in such some breathings of soul to God some flowings out of Spirit some meltings of heart in prayer and dispositions like a birth newly quickned where there are many motions of life so where Christ is new formed like a Lock in tune where there is in every wheel put turnings and stirrings My beloved saith the Spouse put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved for him I rose up to open to my beloved and my hands dropped with Myrrhe and my fingers with sweet smelling Myrrhe upon the handles of the lock 3. There is in such a secret working against sin and lust or corruption the spirit that is come in is a pure a clean an holy spirit and all the motions and operations of it are to make the soul and body clean and spiritual as they that are of a neat and finer disposition they will not live in a room unswept and ungarnished I have put off my coat saith the Spouse how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them And he that hath this hope saith the Apostle purifieth himself even as he is pure and having received such promises there will be a cleansing themselves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit What communion hath light with darknesse 4. There is in such some acts of Communion with God in his several Ordinances and with the Spirit and Christ such will finde a power and efficacy a rellish and sweetnesse a stirring and awakening in the Word preached in prayer in spiritual conference in every Ordinance which others that are yet meerly carnal do not experience though it fares often with such as with Samuel when he was young and the Lord called him he thought it had been Eli that had spoken he was not acquainted with the voice and speakings of the Spirit or of God So the souls of such know not the Word not Spirit in their souls many times the voice of Christ is not heard for the voice of Moses nor the voice of Grace for the voice of the Law and they know not when the Lord breathes or comes as Eliah whether in the winde or in the fire when as he is in the still and small voice of the Gospel there are many things which hinder such in their discernings and perceivings of the Spirit of Christ not onely things without as the Law c. but something within the Passions and legalnesse of their own spirits which troubles both their spiritual hearing and seeing and that makes many souls walk so little in the Spirit and be at such a losse in their Communion with God and all this is for want of bringing the soul more out into the glory of the Gospel being called the Ministration
1 Joh. 2.27 And I will put my Law in their mindes Heb. 8.10.11 And the comforter whom I will send he shall teach you Joh. 14.26 1 Thes. 4.9 Acts 2.17 Thus whatever doctrine of holinesse is in the new Testament we are to receive it because it is now the doctrine of him who is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord as well as Jesus Christ and one who commands as well as saves Nor is there any Covenant of works in such kinde of obedience Life is given us to make us obey but not for obeying XXXVIII The new Covenant further set forth to be meerly a promise THe Covenant that is called the new Covenant that God makes with his now under the Gospel is all on his own part without any thing on mans he makes himself ours and makes us his all is of his own doing though a Covenant in the strict legal common sense is upon certain articles of agreement and conditions on both sides to be performed Thus stood the old Covenant there was life promised on condition of obedience and so in covenants and contracts betwixt man and man but now there is a Covenant or rather promise in Jesus Christ who is called the Mediator or Mannager of the Covenant in which God gives himself freely in Christ to be the God of a poor sinner Christ undertaking all both with the father and the soul such a kinde of covenant was established with Noah Gen. 9.11 Behold I establish my covenant c. nothing required on mans part This is called a new Covenant for it is clear against the strain of the old wherein man was to have his life upon condition yet it were good that we did not rest too much in the notion of a covenant nor is it the way of a covenant that the Gospel uses but rather the promise or grace or salvation for the Spirit uses the word Covenant onely by way of allusion and because the soul being under the power of the spirit doth it self contract and covenant with God to obey though God gives no life in such a way of a covenant or obedience And I observe that the usage of this word hath a little corrupted some in their notion of free-grace makes them conceive a little too legally of it And I conceive that the Doctrine of it in Heb. 8.10 c. I will write my law c. And I will take away your stony heart c. And put a new spirit within you Jer. 31.31 Hezek 36.26 doth clear it to be onely promise and grace and free-love to a sinner for if any thing were to be done for life or salvation we should darken the glory of free-grace and make it a promise neither wholly of grace nor wholly of works And if it be of grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace Rom. 11.6 Nor is this promise of salvation given to sinners as sinners barely simply and singly nor as qualified or conditioned not to sinners as sinners for God can onely love in Christ nor as qualified and conditioned for so life should be purchased by us rather then for us so as we are onely sinners in our own and others judgements but truely loved in Christ when the promise comes And thus the Scripture cals us ungodly and sinners and children of wrath Not that we are so but seem so or not so in Gods account but the worlds So as here is ground enough for any to offer salvation to the veriest sinners and for the veriest sinners to receive for God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 XXXIX The way of assurance for beleevers THe surest knowledge that any one hath that they have received the promise is the closing of their heart with Christ the real receiving and beleeving the relying and going out of the heart upon Christ The just shall live by faith Rom. 1.17 We walk by faith and not by sight This was the assurance the Father of the faithful had who staggered not at the promise but gave glory to God Yet this assurance is such as the soul cannot be content with onely there is something in man beside faith to be satisfied reason will have more light to see by and therefore the working of the spirit in new obedience and love and repentance and self-denial are such glimmerings as the soul may be refreshed by though not strengthned by and comforted by though not supported by Works though they cannot assure by themselves yet raised up by faith may with it cheer up the soul if we beleeve more of those works then we see or feel and so strengthen them by faith they may be like the tokens and change of raiment by which Jacob was perswaded that Joseph was alive by these we may be better perswaded that we live and live in Christ Therefore the soul being a reasonable and discoursive spirit is much satisfied in such a way when the Spirit of God helps it to reason and draw conclusions as thus The Word sayes Whosoever beleeves shall not perish But I beleeve saith the Soul and therefore according to this Word shall not perish The Word sayes To beleeve is to receive or put confidence in or trust as in John 1.12 But I receive Jesus Christ for mine I trust in him for salvation therefore I beleeve The Word sayes Repentance love self-denial obedience to the Will of God are all the fruits of the spirit but these are in me I can repent and love and deny my self and obey The Word sayes That we are compleat in Christ and righteous in Christ but when I repent or love or obey I beleeve I am in Christ and therefore my love and repentance and obedience is such as I may beleeve though not in themselves yet in him to be good and spiritual And thus a beleever may beleeve for assurance and yet reason for assurance and some other questions a beleever may put to his own spirit and draw it out into more conclusions for beleeving Am I Christs or my own If I be Christs do I walk with Christ And live to Christ And obey Christ Do I delight in Christ and those that are Christs Or do I live to my self to my lust To my profit or credit To others or the world XL The Gospel-Ministration very glorious THe ministration of the Gospel exceeds in glory for now under the ministery of Jesus Christ himself the heavenly things themselves are brought forth the free-love of God in Jesus Christ and the free-love of Jesus Christ himself all the powrings out of spirit and the full discoveries of love were reserved for Christs own day the Kingdom of God the righteousnesse the justification the forgivenesse of sins the spirit of comfort the glorious liberty of peace and joy unspeakable are the glory of Christ come in the flesh the treasures that went with his
his from God but from Communion with God p. 130. 12. Christ in the flesh Ibid. 13. Christs being in our own nature p. 131. 14. Christs love Ibid. 15. Christ doing and suffering for our sakes p. 132. 16. Christs Mediatorship Ibid. 17. The right general Redemption by the second Adam p. 133. 18. Christs love p. 134. 19. Christs blood Ibid. 20. Christs blood powred out p. 135. 21. Christs Vesture dipt in blood Ibid. 22. Christs comelinesse p. 136. 23. Christs beauty Ibid. 24. Christs names p. 137. 25. Christ and His Ibid. 26. Christs love in Heaven to us or Christ exalted p. 138. 27. The Gospel is Christ revealed Ibid. 28. The mystery of Christ in the Gospel a mystery of love p. 139. 29. A beleevers glorious freedom p. 140. 30. All the sins of beleevers done away on the Crosse Ibid. 31. Christ offered to sinners p. 141. 32. A beleever must live in Christ not in himself Ibid. 33. How Christ and a beleever were one in sin and righteousnesse p. 143. 34. We must come before God as having put on Christ first not as sinners and unrighteous p. 144. 35. The Law is now in the Spirit and in the Gospel for a beleever to walk by p. 146. 36. Legal and Gospel-commands and duties p. 147. 37. The Gospel in the holinesse and grace of it p. 150. 38. The new Covenant further set forth to be meerly a promise p. 15â— 39. The way of assurance for beleevers p. 155. 40. The Gospel Ministration very glorious p. 157. 41. In what kinde the Gospel is glorious p. 160. 42. The form of the Gospel or way of dispensation p. 163. 43. Gospel promises p 164. 44. God under the Law and the Gospel legal and Gospel-worshippers p. 166. 45. God and His in Reconciliation p. 169. 46. The fears of weak beleevers and their remedies p. 171. 47. Remedies to each fear p. 175. 48. Legal conversion p. 177. 49. When the Spirit of adoption works not freely p. 179. 50. Opinions make men legal p 181. 51. Jesus Christ offered to sinners as sinners p. 184. 52. The simplicity of the Gospel salvation easie and plain p. 190. 53. Christ and every part of Christ to be studied and beleeved in p. 194. The several wayes of Free-grace and the general point searched p. 197. THe first way of Free-grace free without all conditions of Grace Ibid. A second way of Free-grace free onely with conditions p. 198 A third way of Free grace free onely upon condition p. 199. A fourth way of Free-grace free meerly in extent Ibid. Some Truths of Free grace sparkling in former Writers and in some famous approved men of our times in Testimony to what is in this Discourse of Free-grace p. 204. THe Law by the Preaching of it cannot reform but onely Faith Ibid. No preparatory works before Christ p. 205. Free-grace hath many enemies We should stand for Free-grace p. 206. Faith is no condition of the new Covenant of Grace Ibid. We have all in Christ p. 207. Christ is every thing to us p. 208. God was never an enemy to his p. 209. That we and those commonly called Antinomians differ little Ibid. Concerning our not resting on sight or our own graces for assurance p. 211. The Law as given by Moses no rule to Christians p 212. Faith before Justification is no Grace p. 213. God is never an enemy to his though sinning p. 214. Christ promised to sinners as sinners p. 215. A beleevers Law is Christ and his Spirit p. 216. ERRATA Page 198. lin. 19. and pag. 199. lin. 17. and pag. 202 lin. 21. for intervenings read interfeerings The flowings of Christs Blood freely to Sinners Occasioned by an Experimental Discourse CHAP. I. Of the Parties natural condition and how they felt themselves in their state of nature before they could perswade themselves they had taken Christ Quest WHat manner of life did you lead as you can well remember Answ I continued in a course of some particular sins long Quest Had you no fits of terrour of conscience in your continuance in those sins Answ I had some gripings and accusations in my continuance in those sins but they tarried not with me Quest Had you any reluctancy in sinning or did you it with full consent Answ Yea with full consent to my remembrance Quest Were you much delighted in those sins so as you committed them with greedinesse or were you over-powred partly through the strength of corruption Answ I delighted in them and felt no over-powring of that kinde Quest In this your natural state how far did the light of conscience check you or put you upon any Reformation Answ Upon some duties of Prayer and hearing the Word and checks divers times I had Quest Were not your checks such as put you upon some other religious duties Quest Did you not see any need of Christ Answ Yea but it was I thought rather for my self-ends then for love to Christ One asked me if I could be contented without Christ if it were possible that I had my sins pardoned and peace of conscience and not have Christ I answered I did not know Quest But after all these proceedings and soul-conflicts which I perceive you had and your dealings with many concerning your condition How came you to that assurance of your calling and the spirit as you were once perswaded you had Answ I shall relate unto you my experiences which I had as I was then assured on of my calling First When I was minded to make away my self for my sin the Lord sent into my minde this word I have loved thee with an everlasting love Ah thought I then hath God loved me with such an everlasting love and shall I sin against such a God! Secondly I had many doubts and fears but through the strength of Christ I overcame all These doubts and fears arose from the examination of my self how I could finde the work in my soul agreeable to that testimony for I was much afraid of being deluded Thirdly The promise in Isai. 55.1 did stay my heart and Christ in my partaking of him in his Ordinances did sweetly witnesse and exceedingly that he was my Christ Fourthly I went on for some time full of joy and of comfort upon these promises and another I had Fear not I will be with thee I will never leave thee I will never forsake thee Fifthly I was in fears again that I could not pray but I had a promise I will fulfill the desires of them that fear me These and many more were my grounds and evidences which I thought were right then when I had them Sixthly Sometimes in hearing the Word Christ did witnesse to my soul yet but seldom But O how I did strive against this work as I thought of my being called to put away all promises of mercy from me I may justly say The Lord saved me whether I would or no Sometimes I was dead and could not pray sometimes very much quickned and stirred up
of one part yet we may know lesse of another like one who pumping water through a narrow pipe fils not his vessel while another that works through a larger filleth his And indeed the not taking in Scripture notions in their spiritual extent and variety but going out into some one notion more then another which agrees better with some principle in us may make us rather opinionated then spiritually wise But in the work of salvation we must consider Jesus Christ as he is revealed without his incarnation before his incarnation in it without it he is revealed to be the Word of God the Wisdom of God God with God c. Before it he is revealed to be the seed of the woman the Promise the Elect the Covenant the Angel of the Covenant c. In the Incarnation he is revealed to be Emmanuel or God with us Jesus Christ the Redeemer the Mediator the Priest the Propitiation the Son and the Son of man c. Now these several notions will direct us order us to a Scripture-revelation of this Mystery for when we read of this Son of God under the names or notions last spoken of as the Son or Jesus or Redeemer Then we are to consider of this work of Redemption in the flesh manifested and amongst us and then consider what part of the work comes under that notion And when we read of his other names we are to consider what part of the mystery fals under those either without incarnation or flesh and so he was one with the father c. or else before incarnation and so he was in the time of the Law of ceremonies and types and from all these we may safely draw this That the Son of God as Jesus and Christ and so manifested in the flesh was sent out and given as it were of God foretold and figured before he was given ever with God being God himself everlastingly present both as God and as God and man in the election of grace being the elect in whom we are chosen and whose body we are These notions of God as the Word and as Jesus Christ and Redeemer and Mediator is but the drawing forth the Mystery of Redemption in its several parts and degrees And all this is true that God loved us and gave Christ and we were chosen in Christ and he was the Lamb slain both before the world in purpose and in the world according to this purpose nor are we to consider Gods love to us without Christ nor Gods love to us before Christ nor ourselves out of Christ in whom we are chosen But rather thus God loved us in Christ and yet gave Christ And all this is true in the way and order of manifestation beyond which we cannot see nor can we in a Scripture-way consider any act of grace from God but in the Son there being no way of Vnion and Communion with God for man but by him who is both God and man V. Gods love manifested in the Gospel-expressions WHereever there is any appearance of God in mercy or grace or love there is Gospel and whereever there is any Gospel there are such expressions and appearances of God As in the old Testament we finde him under these names the Lord thy God the Lord the Lord merciful and gracious long suffering and of much goodnesse A Lord passing by the transgression of his people loving His freely counting them the Apple of his eye the signet upon his hand his Jewels his Vineyard his Children And in the new Testament where God appeared in the fulnesse of love there he is called a father of mercies and his grace free-grace and his love a love manifested and unsearchable And thus the soul is to look on him and consider him in grace not in glory in love not in righteousnesse And this is that which will draw on the soul to have communion with him We have onely to do with him now in the Gospel-appearances and expressions In our first man Adam we had to do with him onely in a way of subjection and righteousnesse But now in our second Adam in a way of sonship or adoption and free-grace VI The new Covenant no Covenant properly with us but with Christ for us GOd makes no Covenant properly under the Gospel as he did at first but his Covenant now is rather all of it a Promise Man is not restored in such a way of Covenant and condition as he was lost but more freely and more by grace and mercy and yet God covenants too but it is not with man onely but with him that was God and man even Jesus Christ he is both the Covenant and the Messenger or Mediator of the Covenant God agreed to save man but this agreement was with Christ and all the conditions were on his part He stood for us and articled with God for us and performed the conditions for life and glory and yet because we are so concerned in it it is called A Covenant made with us I will make a new Covenant with them and yet that it may not be thought a Covenant onely with us as the first was it is called a new Covenant and a better Covenant and Christ is called the Mediator of it And lest we should think some conditions were on our parts as in the first it is added I will write my Law in their hearts I will put my spirit within them So as in this new Covenant God is our God of free-grace and righteousnesse on his part not for any conditional righteousnesse on ours yet in Scripture it is called still a Covenant because God is our God still in a way of righteousnesse though of Redemption too and of condition too yet not on ours but on Christs part for us and yet it is a Covenant with us because we are Christs 1 Cor. 3. VII Gods manner of Covenanting GOD takes us into Covenant not upon any condition in us before he brings with him Christ and in him all the conditions and makes us as he would have us not for the Covenant but in it or under it we are not his people before he be our God first I will make a new Covenant with thee I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people I will write my Law in your hearts and put my spirit within you Heb. 8.10 You have not chosen me but I have chosen you VIII They that are under Grace revealed are no more under the Law WHile we are out of Covenant with God we are in our own judgement and others under the curse for any breach of law or disobedience But when we are once under grace revealed we are ever under grace and no more under the Law The Law can only tell a beleever he sins but not tax him for any We are not under the law but under grace Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who shall condemn It is Christ that died Rom. 8.33 IX When
God is said to be in Covenant with a soul A Soul is then properly actually or expresly in Covenant with God when God hath come to it in the promise and then when it feels it self under the power of the promise it begins onely to know it is in Covenant and yet to yeeld and obey as if it were but to enter into that Covenant which God hath made with it in Christ before it could do any thing so as they that beleeve do rather feel themselves in that Covenant which God hath made with them without any thing in themselves either faith or repentance c. X. A justified person is a perfect person A Person justified or in Covenant is as pure in the sight of God as the righteousnesse of Christ can make him though not so in his own eyes that there may be work for faith because God sees His onely in Christ not in themselves and if they were not in such a perfect righteousnesse they could not be loved of him because his eyes are purer then to behold iniquity or to love a sinner as a sinner XI Sin separates not his from God but from Communion with God NO sins can make God who loves for ever unchangeably love us lesse and yet a beleever will grieve for sin because it grieves the Spirit of his God and though he know sin cannot now separate from God yet because it once separated he hates it and because it separates still though not from God yet from Communion with God grieving the holy Spirit of God XII Christ in the flesh CHRIST in the flesh was God himself who that he might reveal his love to us made us partakers of the divine nature by fashioning our nature for his own glory to live in and by being both God and man amongst us and for us and herein is the mystery of reconciliation None but the nature of God could reconcile God and no nature but mans that had sinned could properly suffer for man therefore there is one Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Jesus XIII Christs being in our nature CHRIST was love mercy and riches of free-grace manifested in the flesh and in our nature that they might slow out more abundantly upon our nature on the vessels of mercy chosen in this Christ before the foundations of the world XIV Christs love CHRISTS love must needs exceed all the love of the children of men for he was the very love of God clothed in flesh and blood This is he that was red in his apparel as he that treadeth in the wine-presse XV Christ doing and suffering for our sakes CHRIST came into the world that he might do what we could not do to the fulfilling of the Law and suffer what we could not suffer for the breach of the Law XVI Christs Mediatorship CHRIST standing now as a Person betwixt God and the children of men takes in the fulnesse of righteousnesse and sin from both natures righteousnesse from God and sin from men whereby all the sins of his people are fully done away by the infinite glory of that righteousnesse both from himself and us XVII The right general Redemption by the second Adam CHRIST is the second Adam in whom all are made alive as all in the first Adam were dead but not so as if all who were dead in the first Adam were made alive in the second but as the first Adam was the person in whom all that are dead did die so Christ is the second Adam in whom all that are alive do live for Christ is the common nature of the living mankinde who live unto righteousnesse as Adam was the common nature of the dead mankinde who die unto unrighteousnesse For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made righteous God hath concluded all under sin That the promises by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve Gal. 3.22 XVIII Christs love THe love of Christ exceeded in this that he gave himself to die for us when we were enemies to him and crucified him our selves who came to be crucified for us and could neither love him nor pitty him for what he did For while we were as yet sinners Christ died for us and greater love then this hath no man This is the mystery that man could not live in Christ till he had killed Christ first And thus he was wounded in the house of his friends O all ye that passe by the way behold and consider if ever there were mystery like unto this mystery XIX Christs blood THe blood of Christ was not the blood of man onely but the blood of the Son of God and therefore it was a price for sin the very power of the Godhead as it were bleeding for sin by which it is called The Redemption of his blood and the blood of the Son of GOD XX Christs Blood powred out THe Blood of CHRIST powred out wrought greater compassion in GOD towards men I speak as a man then the sufferings of all the men in the world could do because he being begotten of GOD himself and the expresse Image of his person though he could not suffer being so infinite a glory yet because that person suffered which was GOD and man or the Son of GOD in man the Father in an unspeakable way beheld the travel of his soul and was satisfied XXI Christs Vesture dipt in blood CHRISTS Garment which he was described in by the Prophets under the Law is of a colour to set forth love and suffering under the Gospel for this is he that came from Bozra with his garments died red XXII Christs comelinesse THe comelinesse of Christ in the Gospel is a most desireable comelinesse for the sons of men to love it is the glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of grace the â—weetest object for those in misery to delight in This is that beloved which is more then another beloved XXIII Christs beauty CHRIST hath both the form and power of love in him and therefore it is that his Spouse or His behold him as white and ruddy and the fairest amongst ten thousands white in the glory of his Godhead and ruddy in the sufferings of his Manhood and because of his sweet oyntments or powrings out of spirit the Virgins follow him for his hands drop myrrhe upon the soul even spiritual graces upon the handles of the Lock XXIV Christs names CHRIST will be known to His by no other names but names of love and grace a Lover a Bridegroom a Physitian a Saviour an Emmanuel or God with us an onely begotten Son of God the brightnesse of his glory a merciful and faithful high Priest a Sacrifice for sin a Mediator an Advocate for sin a Beloved and he brings a soul to the banquetting house of spiritual things and his banner over it is love XXV Christ and His CHRIST having adorned his in the riches of his
deal with him at all occasions but such submit not to the righteousnesse of God and the free-gift of justification by grace and give not glory to God For they that beleeve upon something first in themselves shall as they have kindled a fire lie down in the sparks of their own kindling and have nothing in Christ because they will not have all in him for we must either have all in him or nothing And though some will have all in Christ for salvation yet they will have something in themselves to beleeve their interest in this salvation and though this be not to reject Christ for righteousnesse yet it is to reject his free-promise or Word of assurance for this righteousnesse and rather to be perswaded upon sight then faith and sense then promise and something in our selves them in himself XXXV The Law is now in the Spirit and in the Gospel for a beleever to walk by THe Gospel is both a perfect law of life and righteousnesse of grace and truth and therefore I wonder at any that should contend for the ministery of the Law or Ten Commandments under Moses which is of lesse glory then that which is now revealed and exceeds in glory and should strive for a Law without the Gospel which is in the Gospel Nor is the holinesse and sanctification now such as is fashioned by the Law or outward Commandment but by the preaching of faith by which the Spirit is given which renews and sanctifies a beleever and makes him the very Law of Commandments in himself and his heart the very two Tables of Moses And though the Law be a beam of Christ in substance and matter yet we are not to live by the light of one beam now when the Sun of righteousnesse is risen himself that was a sitter light for those who lived in the region and shaddow of death And it is with the Law now or light of righteousnesse as it was with the light in the Creation when that which was scattered was gathered into one body of light So Christ now being revealed holinesse and righteousnesse as well as grace and love is revealed in him and gathered up in him And what need we light up a Candle for the children of the day to see by What is there any striving for a stream in the channel when the fountain is open Nor doth it become the glory of Christ revealed to be beholding to any of the light upon Moses face The word is now made flesh and dwels amongst us and we behold his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son full of truth as well as grace XXXVI Legal and Gospel-Commandments and Duties GOspel-Commandments and Legal Commandments do not commandin the same power in the same manner or to the same end The Law commands us to obey to love to fear to be holy that God may be our God we his people the Gospel commands us to obey love because we are the people of such a God The Law commands us in the power of God as a Law-giver and Tutor or Minister the Gospel in the power of a Father the Law commands by promises and threatnings blessings and cursings the Gospel perswades rather then commands and rather by promises and exhorts rather then bids and reasons us to duty rather then enforces and rather draws us then drives us and by setting forth promises and priviledges and prerogatives and works done on Gods part and Christs part for us and in love rather argues us into doing working loving reflections again and Christ is chiefly propounded both for holinesse and obedience for mortification and newnesse of life So as the Gospel commands us rather by patern then precept and by imitation then command Heb. 12.1 2 3. Nor to the same End The end of the Law was to bondage fear tutorship revealing of sin outward obedience and conformity The end of Gospel-laws is to love newnesse of spirit praise and thanksgiving for righteousnesse and life received and testimony to our righteousnesse received in Christ Having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit Rom. And thus Christs yoke is easie and his burden light and his Commandments are not grievous for they are Commandments that carry life and power quicken to that duty they command like the Sun who warmeth us in the very shining upon us and we work and walk and live under the Gospel as being saved already and redeemed and bringing forth the power of this redemption and salvation though the spirit of adoption freely working to the praise of that free-grace and freely obeying for such free redemption and doing every thing in love because of the love shed abroad in our hearts and neither taking in judgements nor hell or damnation nay nor Heaven nor glory to force on the work or quicken the duty but doing all from the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus except when corruption or temptation hinders the freenesse and spiritualnesse in the duty XXXVII The Gospel in the holinesse and grace of it THere is doctrine of holinesse in the Gospel as well as grace love and there are commands for obedience as well as tydings of forgivenesse The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all Teaching us that denying ungodlinesse c. we should live soberly righteously and godly Tit. 2.12 And this kinde of Gospel is such in the revelation of it as fits both God and man God the Father may be seen in commanding holinesse and the Spirit in forming the holinesse commanded and the Son in redeeming us to holinesse even to the will both of the father and the spirit And this Gospel fits man who is made up both of flesh spirit and so hath need of a law without and in the letter as well as in the heart and spirit The Law is spiritual but we are carnal Rom. 7. Nor can such a state of flesh and spirit be ordered by a law onely within for the Word and Law of the spirit meerly is for a spiritual condition or estate of glory as Angels who onely live by a law spiritual or word of Revelation But our estate here being partly carnal must needs be ordered yet in part by the Law of a carnal Commandment and yet this Law is not such as it was before a meer Law in the letter but it is now under the Gospel a law of life spirit and glory it is a Law in the hand of Christ and with the promises of Christ about it to make it spiritual indeed And this is according to the just wise and righteous distribution which God hath made to our divers estate of flesh and spirit by dealing out to us both the word and spirit the letter and life Therefore the Word is called Scriptures given by inspiration and is profitable for doctrine c. 2 Tim. 3.16 17. And the Spirit is called the anointing and teacheth all things
Gospel-promises THe promises are but words of Gods ingaging himself to man freely and of grace and as his promises are of grace so his performances are in faithfulnesse And in these promises the love of the Father Son and Spirit are conveyed and the treasures and riches of salvation to sinners And thus in this life all is passed over upon Word to us and for our beleeving this Word and taking in the things of Jesus Christ thus upon Gods bare ingagement he hath bound himself freely to give all hereafter and yet all is of free-gift too things freely given to us And in this time of our waiting and beleeving and relying we have one earnest even a spiritual and glorious earnest given to us here even the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance though some promises speak of conditions as of faith and repentance c. Yet they are onely ours upon this condition that they were Christs before for in him all the promises are Yea and Amen The promises that God makes thus in Christ are free and being made in Christ are more free for Christ is all that to God that we should be unto him and we are in Christ so as Christ takes away all discouragements and excuses in any that dare not beleeve them to be theirs and therefore The spirit and the bride say come and whose-ever will let him come and take of the waters of life freely Revel. 22. XLIV God under the Law and the Gospel legal and Gospel-worshippers BEfore Jesus Christ came in the flesh and offered up himself God offered him beforehand in Types and Sacrifices of blood c. and the whole Ministery was a Priesthood so as the Priesthood and Sacrifices of the Law did set forth and shadow Christ in way of offering or sacrifice to God the Father and therefore God under that dispensation did appear rather under a condition of reconciliation then reconciled though all were saved then actually in the same Christ who was to suffer But how much of this salvation they knew is a question it is very likely and something clear from the Word That God was very sparing in that time of the discoveries of himself in Christ and they rather saw him in his glory above then below and possessed the inheritance of the Redemption rather then the Ministration or Gospel of it God appearing thus the whole ministery of the Law was taken in as agreeable to this manner or patern and the Law of Commandments revealed on Mount Sinai did help to the form of this ministery and made sin appear and abound more for which such sacrifices were prepared And thus the whole frame of the old Testament was a draught of Gods anger at sin the Law revealing sin and Jesus Christ offering for sin And so God in this time of the Law appeared onely as it were upon terms and conditions of reconciliation and all the worship then and acts of worship then as of prayer fasting repentance c. went all this way and according to God under that appearance and every thing of worship seemed to bring something of peace and atonement in relation to the great atonement to come by Jesus Christ And in this strain runs all the Ministery of the Prophets too in their exhortations to duties worship as if God were to be appeased and entreated and reconciled and his love to be had in the way of purchase by duty and doing and worshipping so as under the Law the efficacy and power was put as it were wholly upon the duty and obedience performed as if God upon the doing of such things was to be brought into terms of peace mercy and forgivenesse so as their course then and the service then was as it were a working for life and reconciliation But now under the new Testament God appears in Christ reconciliation is finished peace is made by the blood of his Crosse and now the Ministery of the new Testament is not a Priesthood of any more offering Christ to God in sacrifice but of offering and tendering the tydings of a fully reconciled God in Christ to man and of a sacrifice already accepted for sin so as now there are no Priests but Ministers or Stewards or Ambassadours for dealing out and dispensing the love of God to man and for publishing the glad tydings of peace so as all worship now and spiritual obedience is to run in the way of this dispensation not for procuring love or peace from God nor for pacifying but for love procured and peace purchased by Jesus Christ If these things thus stated were more fully spiritually opened there would be more Gospel-teaching and obeying for mans obedience towards God is not so notionally nor orderly carried nor so purely as the Gospel calls for but they run in a legal strain and would work God down into his old and former way of revealing himself as under the Law when he seemed to be onely in the way to reconciliation and peace rather then pacified and thus in prayer and fasting and other acts of obedience they deal with God as they did under the old Testament not considering the glorious love revealed in Christ crucified and how all Gospel-Ordinances are onely wayes and means for God to reveal this love and grace by the spirit of adoption not any wayes and means of ours for getting some love from God which Christ himself hath not gotten for us XLV God and His in reconciliation THey that have received the word of reconciliation are in a very pretious and comfortable and peaceable condition they are lovers of God and Christ they are no more such enemies in their mindes by wicked works they oppose not the will of God as they did they resist not the Word of the Gospel they sleight not the communion of the spirit of God they are tender of any thing that is Gods they count not any thing their own for God he shall be welcome to all if he call for their credit he shall have it they know they have a spirit of glory resting on them if he call for their possessions they leave father and mother and brethren and sisters and lands for his Names sake they know these are not to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed and they shall have an hundred fold in this life if he call for their life he shall have it they know he that will lose his life for his sake shall finde it And being thus reconciled to God they are friends with every thing of his every Gospel-Mystery they know they receive and every thing of his they know not they wait till he reveal even this unto them and though they do not receive it because they know it not yet to come from God yet they do not reject it because it comes in the likenesse of his Word lest they be found fighters against God and crucifie the Lord of glory in ignorance like the Jews And
being thus reconciled to God they are lovers of all his they love the brethren and if there be a naked disciple they cloath him if an hungry disciple they feed him if an imprisoned disciple they visit him I was naked and ye cloathed me c. And being thus reconciled they behold God reconciled to them too they are now in the way of his love for now God freely communicates with them and meets them in Christ he shines on them in the face of Jesus Christ Now God and the soul thus reconciled are in a full enjoyment of each other as the husband and the spouse the father and the son there is no parting rights and propriety God hath not any thing in Christ in Heaven or Earth but it is theirs all things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods and every thing of theirs is his XLVI The fears of weak beleevers and the remedies WEak beleevers are like melancholy people who think things far otherwise then they truely are right smoaking flax where there is more smoak then light more ignorance then true discerning The fears they are in are of this kinde 1. They cannot be perswaded their sins are pardoned indeed they would and they would not beleeve it they cannot from the spirit that is in them but close with Christ and clasp about him for salvation yet then they are not sure they have him they may be deceived they think in that 2. If Faith carry them on to beleeve a little more or better of their condition yet the pride of some sins will not down with them some of their sins which they have made their darlings more then others and cherished themselves in Oh these they think are either too great or too often committed to be all forgiven and at once The remainders of these sins lie like dregs in the bottom and their conscience cannot be satisfied that God hath fully pardoned 3. They look not upon God in the pure simplicity of his Word and promise but they suspect and are jealous God hath some reckoning still behind because they are sinful and God is purer then to behold iniquity and they cannot beleeve that God can bear with all those corruptions and transgressions in them 4. They think though God may be reconciled with them and love them at sometimes for they poor souls onely reckon the seasons of the spirits comforting and breathing for the times of forgivenesse yet God may be provoked again and angry again for new sins and failings and then they are as much troubled how to come at any peace again as they were before and then it must be onely another Sunshine of the like comfort must warm them into peace and beleeving 5. They cannot perswade themselves how they can sin as they do daily but that they are accountable for all the breaches and so set up new scores of sins in their consciences and keep reckoning for God and disquiet themselves in vain 6. They think every affliction or trouble that befals them is a punishment for some sin they have committed and they look on them as messengers of wrath from God sent upon them in judgement as if God were satisfying himself upon them and powring out some wrath to appease his Justice for such sins 7. They mistake the Gospel in the doctrine of it and every Scripture that threatens for sin they interpret to belong to them because they have committed that sin In a word these are the fears summed up 1. They are and they are not perswaded their sins are pardoned 2. They are perswaded some sins are pardoned but not some others which they have most sinned in 3. They fear still God doth not intend them such grace as he profers and speaks and suspect the Gospel 4. They think if God do pardon them yet they may provoke him again soon after 5. They suppose they cannot sin as they do and not be accountable and they cannot but be sinners in Gods sight as well as their own 6. They think afflictions are sent upon them for their sins and they cannot consider God in them but as angry and so help the afflictions to afflict them 7. They interpret every curse in the Law and new Testament for sin their own if it be against their sin XLVII The remedies to each fear FIrst We are commanded to beleeve forgivenesse of sins in Jesus Christ throughly and not in part Through his Name whosoever beleeves in him shall receive remission of sins Act. 10.43 2. We are to consider that one sin cannot be forgiven but all is forgiven Jesus Christ hath done away all sins For this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God Heb. 10.12 3. We are to beleeve God in the plainnesse and simplicity he speaks in in Gospel-promises and words of grace even to our souls as if he spoke out to us by name from Heaven He that beleeveth not God hath made him a lyer because he beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Son 1 Joh. 5.10 4. We must know God is not as man that he should be angry and pleased as we carry our selves I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesse and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8.12 I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people v. 10. 5. We must remember our sins are no more ours but Christs and his righteousnesse is ours God reckons and accounts us as one now so though we sin yet every sin was accounted for in him and now there is no condemnation to them that are in Jesus Christ Rom. 8.1 6. And for afflictions though they come in with sin and for sin and are the wages of sin yet to the righteous and beleevers they are no judgements for sin for every thing of Justice against sin was spent upon Christ so as to us they are onely trials Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations Jam. 1.2 They are chastenings of love to prevent sin As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Revel. 3.19 They are in a word a divers way or dispensation of love and grace love working by that which is evil in it self We know that all things work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 7. We are to consider that though the Scriptures do often set forth the righteousnesse of God against sin and his justice against sin yet that unrighteousnesse being satisfied by Jesus Christ it hath no power against those that are in Christ no more then the pursuer had to do with the murderer in the City of Refuge For sin shall not have dominion over you Rom. 6.14 Ye are not under the Law but under Grace XLVIII Legal Conversion THere is much mistake in the businesse of conversion or regeneration For while it is lookt upon meerly as a change in affection or conversation there is much deceitfulnesse there are means
which can work that and yet that shall be no spiritual work neither the pressing things legal and as meer commands from the Word may there is something of the Law in the heart beforehand and by nature to side with the Commandments in the Word and so to work something within as well as without and so there may be an obedience or conformity of the spirit of man and yet no spiritual obedience nor conformity 2. There are Gospel-terrours as well as legal as Hell and Hell-fire and the worm that never dies and condemnation and Jesus Christ Judge of quick and dead c. All these in the Word carry such an Image of wrath as they work fear and passions c. which force on the soul to reform and yet but to a form of godlinesse not to the power 3. There are certain ends nature propounds to it self for conforming as life eternal c. and reputation and men-pleasing there are exhortations perswasions of preackers or friends or acquaintance there is education there is examples of judgement upon sinners godly society c. All these carry in them a power to make men do something and but something in the way of Religion All these being of an operative and working nature may bring forth a thing like conversion which indeed is but a restraint at best or a more purely natural condition Nature is of it self excellent and if not originally corrupted more excellent We see how temperate meek just wise liberal merciful many have been and amongst Papists how self-denying contemplative divinely practical and morally excelling and amongst Formalists in Religion how severe strict professing and practising in Religious duties So as the way for pure conversion and to be spiritually renewed is by Jesus Christ He that hath the Son hath life Faith and not works quicken us XLIX When the spirit of adoption works not freely WHen they put something of satisfaction towards God upon any thing they do upon any performance or obedience as if God were prevailed with by any thing of their own When they take in Christ for a Mediator but by the way not resting wholly on him and in him but as it were to make up all sure with God they look rather on the by upon his intercession When they are in bondage to some outward circumstances of worship as time or place or persons that they cannot pray but at such hours or in such places c. When they do things meerly as commanded from the power of an outward commandment or precept in the Word that brings forth but a legal or at best but a mixt obedience and service of something a finer hypocrisie When they do because of some Vow or Covenant they have made c. it is more properly the service of the old Testament and part of their bondage for wanting the power and fulnesse of the Spirit of adoption to work them to obedience freely from within they were under the power of outward principles to put them on from without When they come to God in any act of worship as prayer c. as to a Creator rather then a Father and as a God rather then a God in Christ they put themselves under such an infinite glory purity and justice as they can neither have accesse with Faith nor boldnesse When they take any outward thing to move them rather then apply to Christ for strength life and spirit for the more any motion or obedience is caused from things without the more forced and unnatural is all such obedience and the lesse from a spiritual power within When they measure their forgivenesse by their sin and sanctification and can beleeve no more then they have peace for and that peace upon something of their own performed and not from beleeving on him who hath performed all God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde 2 Tim. 1.8 or of a minde not corrupted with any of these L. Opinions which make men legal THere are certain principles by which some are religious which carry them off much from the Gospel-way of obedience 1. Men naturally think it impossible that they should be accepted of God and justified and do nothing themselves for it and in it Hereupon flesh and blood can hardly be brought off to beleeve forgivenesse of sins nakedly and freely for nothing in themselves But to take a way this consider that forgivenesse of sins is of a meer grace and mercy and gift By grace ye are saved it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and through Jesus Christ through the Redemption of his blood Rom. 3.24 As a Prince raises up a beggar and Pharaoh's daughter brought up Moses so are we raised up freely and in mercy 2. Men think that whatsoever they perform in obedience to God that God cannot but approve it because they themselves approve it for good hereupon men come to look on themselves as doing something for life and salvation But to take off men from any such self-love and opinion in the work os salvation consider there is sin in every thing they do 1 John 1 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves And there is none righteous no not one Rom. 3.10 Neither doth God judge as man judgeth God seeth not as man seeth man looketh on the outward appearance but God beholdeth the heart 1 Sam. 16.7 God hath ballances to weigh thy actions and to be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity Psal. 62.9 3. Men naturally think it impossible to be damned for good works and serving God in a mans own fashion and surely none are condemned simply for good but as that good is evil in some kinde or degree and hereupon men raise up hopes and comforts to themselves from such a course of life as they live in with God Thus from something they fansie good in their own way and from something they fansie in God of mercy and forgivenesse to sinners upon this they venture themselves But to take away this consider though God be merciful yet he is onely merciful of his own fashion not of ours not in the way we may corruptly think him Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self Psal. 50.21 Gods love and grace have wayes and fashions of their own they move in and if we be not in their way we shall not receive of his fulnesse The Jews were very zealous after God yet not in Gods fashion but went about to establish their own righteousnesse The Papist is a follower after God and the legal formal poor ignorant Protestant runs in a course of obedience and serving God yet it is not in Gods way of righteousnesse and so they misse of â—alvation for not seeking it purely in Christ their righteousnesse LI. Jesus Christ offered to sinners as sinners THe Apostle hath a pretious doctrine and it is this This is a faithful saying and worthy of all
acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 As if he should say doth any of your hearts tell ye you are sinners Let not that be any ground at all to keep you from Christ let not any despaire because of that I my self was thus and thus a blasphemer a persecutor nay as if that were not enough I was the chief of sinners or the sinner in chief the grand and supreme sinner as if there could not well have been a greater and I says he obtained mercy So as here the Spirit hath laid in answers to the objecting or doubting soul If the soul should object If I were not such a sinner as I am I could beleeve the Spirit answers Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners As if he should say to save even just such as thou art If the soul should object further but there is not such a sinner as I am the Spirit answers yea But here is one greater then thou here is the chief of all sinners the Prince of sinners obtaining mercy of which I am the chief So as none can be such a sinner to whom Christ and the blood of Christ may not be tendered and offered and that upon these grounds 1. From the order of Gods decree he loved us and gave Christ for us when we were sinners God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son John 3. 2. The offering the Gospel and Jesus Christ to a sinner as a sinner is but the bringing out this glorious love of God in time and dispensation it is but the offering that love which God loved them with from everlasting Neither is it any more to offer Christ to a sinner then to manifest God in his first love when he gave Christ for sinners in his own decree 3. It exalteth grace more and sheweth as a gift indeed what can be more of grace then that Jesus Christ should receive a sinner one who hath no money nor price no works nor righteousnesse to bring for him 4. It is the right lifting up Jesus Christ as Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse not for the healed to look upon but the stung and wounded 5. It leaves men without all excuse and brings the greater condemnation for when Christ is brought home to the very soul and the blood offered at every ones door for receiving then there can be no objecting Lord had I been thus and thus fit and prepared then I should have received thee but I was a foul sinner at that very time so and so guilty O will the Lord answer I come therefore to pardon thee and to wash thee in my blood because thou wert so foul and that is no excuse 6. It is most agreeable to the Gospel-way of dispensation and Christs own preaching The whole need not a Physitian but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance 7. All that ever received Christ in the Gospel received him in a sinful condition the many beleeving Jews in the sin of crucifying Christ all the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Colosse Such were some of you but ye are washed c. And ye were sometimes darknesse but are now light in the Lord Ephes. 5. Ye who were dead in trespasses and sins and were enemies in your mindes by wicked works yet now hath he quickned Coloss. 1. So as to offer Jesus Christ to sinners as sinners is but 1. To offer him in time as God gave him before all time God gave him to us because we were sinners and now he is but offered as he was given 2. There is more of grace in it to offer him to a sinner as a sinner that where sin hath abounded grace may abound much more 3. There is a clearer lifting up Christ as Moses for the wounded to look on as well as the whole 4. Men are left without excuse because when he is held out to sinners as sinners all are in a condition for him sin and a saviour are most suteable 5. It is as Christ himself did who both calls sinners and converses with sinners with Mary Magdalen an harlot and with the Publicans and with the woman of Samaria who lived in uncleannesse when the pure Messiah preached himself to her 6. It is as all that ever received him both in Jerusalem Corinth Ephesus c. who had they not been foul had never been washed had they not been darknesse had never been light in the Lord But you will tell me of conditions in the Gospel of faith and repentance c. and certain legal preparations before Christ should be offered and brought to the soul Yea but that ye may not be puzzled as many are In the Gospel-way or dispensation faith and repentance is to be preached but Jesus Christ still with it Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ And you are not to consider repentance from beleeving nor beleeving from repentance nor either from Jesus Christ nor Jesus Christ without them and yet neither of them as bringing in Christ to the soul but Christ bringing in them and working them more and more in the soul and that upon these grounds 1. Christ is not ours by any act of our own but Gods God imputing and accounting To make Christ ours is an Almighty work not the work of any thing created So as Christ is ours without faith by a power more glorious and infinite but we cannot here know him to be ours but by beleeving nor partake of him as ours but by beleeving 2. If faith should give us our interest in Christ then as our faith increases our interest should increase and we should be more and more justified and forgiven which none allow calling these other acts of faith faith of assurance and acts of manifestation and if faith be thus in its other degrees of working why not in its first It is the evidence of things unseen Heb. 11. 3. If Christ should be ours by faith in this sense then when faith ceases shall we cease to be justified Shall faith begin our interest here and not be able to continue it hereafter 4. Can a sinner be too foul for a Saviour and too wounded for a Physitian to heal and too filthy for a fountain opened to wash 5. He that offers Christ offers all the conditions in him both of faith and repentance For Christ is exalted to give repentance c. And faith is called the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 6. It is no more to offer Jesus Christ then any grace of Christs or gift of Christs to a sinner for a sinner is as unprepared and unfit for the one as the other equally in sin and pollution to both 7. This spiritual work is a new creation and so works of preparation are not so proper in that We
some famous approved men of our times in Testimony to what is in this Discourse in part asserted and in these times by others Assertors of FREE-GRACE The Law by the preaching of it cannot reform but onely Faith and Grace Dr. Preston in his Serm. on the new Coven Comment. in Galat. 3.5 which he quotes Pag. 347. IF I should onely preach to you the Commandments c. I might preach long enough ere you could keep them Do you receive the Spirit by the preaching of the Law No but by preaching promise of pardon and forgivenesse Page 333. 2. If a man would desire to change his course to be made a new Creature the way is not to consider the Commandments what he ought to do but my beloved the way is to get assurance that thy sins are pardoned to consider the Covenant of Grace Heb. 9.14 No preparatory works before Christ Master Rogers in his Book of the right way to be saved c. P. 54. DIvers mistake and look for something to ground on in themselves and so are wofully bewildered and in great perplexity It is as if one should not set a young Tree but let it lie above the ground till they see what it will bear Free-grace hath many enemies We should stand for Free-grace Dr. Sibbs his Book of the excellency of the Gospel above the Law Pag. 241. DO ye wonder why the Free-grace of God hath found such enemies c. The heart of man is in a frame of enmity against God and sets it self most against that God will be most glorified in Let us vindicate nothing so much as grace We must live by grace and die by grace and stand at the day of judgement by grace not in our own righteousnesse Faith is no condition of the new Covenant of grace Master Perkins Commentary on the Galathians P. 157. THe Gospel called by Paul the Promise offers and gives life freely without the condition of any work and requires nothing but the receiving of that which is offered It may be objected that the Gospel promiseth life upon the condition of our Faith Answ. The Gospel hath in it no moral condition of any thing to be done of us Indeed Faith is mentioned after the form and manner of a condition but in truth it is the free gift of God as well as life eternal c. Pag. 184. We have all in Christ Thou must not receive the Promise immediately of God but Christ must do it for thee though thou be unworthy yet there is dignity sufficient and worthinesse enough in him If thou say that thou must at the least receive the promise at the hand of Christ I adde further That he will not quench the smoaking flax c. And ou◠salvationg stands in this not that we know and apprehend him but that he knows and apprehends us first of all Christ is every thing to us Mr. Calvin in his Book of Institutions Book 2. chap. 16. P. 167.8 WE must take heed of drawing any part of Salvation but from Christ If we seek Salvation let it be in the Name of Jesus Christ if the Spirit or any gifts or graces let us seek them in his Unction if strength let us seek it in his power if purity in his conception if mercy in his nature which was touched with our infirmities if redemption in his passion if forgivenesse in his condemnation or being a curse for us if satisfaction in his sacrifice if cleansing in his blood if mortification in his Sepulcher and death if newnesse of life in his Resurrection if immortality in the same if an heavenly inheritance in his entering into Heaven if all good things in his Kingdom and Dominion here All treasures are in him and they who are not content onely with him shall have no rest anywhere although too they may look principally at him Nor can there be any unbelief nor doubtings where his fulnesse is thus known God was never an enemy to his Calvin quoting Augustine in his Book of Institut Tract. in Evangel Johan 110.2 Chap. 16. P. 106.1 INcomprehensible and unchangeable is the love of God not that love which we obtain from reconciliation by the Blood of Christ but wherwith he loved us before the foundations of the world therefore when it is said Christ reconciled us it is not to be understood as if then he begun to love those whom he hated before but he reconciled us even to that love wherwith he loved us Rom. 5.8 therefore in a wonderful manner he loved us when it is said he hated us That we and those commonly called Antinomians differ little Mr. Gattakers Testimony in a late Treatise Gods eye c. in Epist. to the Reader P. 10. THe matter in controversie between us and these men is not how far forth sin is removed or abolished in Beleevers or how far forth it is by Justification abandoned or in what sense God is said to see or not see sin or to take notice of it in beleevers and justified persons c. As if all these things were granted on both sides Note Men of learning you see and judgement do not cry out Antinomianism on Free-grace or free justification as others do c. But acknowledge a consent in all these c. Why Luther is not quoted here LVther I could quote but he is now lookt on by some as one that is both over-quoted and over-writ Free-grace and bending himself against works which was the Popery and Antichristianism of those times He raised up grace rather in opposition as some think to whom I dare not so fully agree to the excesse of works then to the just advantage of grace and yet they can allow him in other things Thus we can pick and chuse from a Reformer what fits to the standerd of our own Light and Reformation and cast the other by I shall therefore quote some later Concerning our not resting on sight or our own graces for assurance Mr. Tho. Goodwin in his Book Christ set forth in Epist. to the Reader Pag. 1 2. AN immoderate recourse unto signes though barely considered as such is as unwarrantable when therby we are diverted taken off from a more constant actual exercise of daily thoughts of faith towards Christ immediately as he is set forth to be our righteousnesse c. And yet the mindes of many are so wholly taken up with their own hearts that as the Psalmist sayes of God Christ is scarce in all their thoughts· But let these consider what a dishonour this must needs be unto Christ that his trai◠and favourites our graces should have a fuller court and more frequent attendance from our hearts then himself who is the King of glory and likewise what a shame also it is for beleevers themselves who are his Spouse to look upon their husband no otherwise but by reflections and at second hand through the intervention and assistance of their own graces as mediators between him and them Now
to rectifie this errour the way is not wholly to reject all use of such evidences but to order them c. We are justified in Christs Justification when he rose Pag. 202. Christ his Resurrection was the original act of Gods justifying us in Christ we were virtually justified then in Christ his being justified as in a common person God remembers not our sins P. 207. As by reason of his Intercession God remembers not old sins so likewise he is not provoked by new The Law as given by Moses no Rule to Christians Mr. Bolton in his Book of the true bounds of Christian freedom P. 74. OThers say we are freed from the Law as given by Moses and are onely tied to the obedience of it as given by Christ and as Christ renews it and as it comes out of the hand and from the authority of Christ and we have it immediatly from the hands of Christ I shall not much dislike this c. Beleevers and God are never at enmity P. 14. As none of our sins shall condemn us so none of our sins shall put us into a state of â—ondemnation more none of our sins shall ever put us under the curse under wrath again God doth not punish Beleevers for sin P. 14. We are freed from all miseries afflictions punishments which yet are the fruits of sin as they may be conceived to be fruits of wrath or have wrath in them Faith before Justification is no Grace Mr. Rogers on the Articles Art 13. P. 57. WOrks done before Justification please not God before men do please nothing that they do can please him hereby the vanity of them is perceived who think before mans justification his deeds do please God Note What is faith then to be accounted before Justification according to this principle God is never an enemy to his though sinning Mr. Herbert Palmer in his Charact. of a Christian in Paradox c. P. 10. HE beleeves the God that hates all sin to be reconciled to himself though sinning continually and never making nor being able to make him satisfaction We are justified though ungodly P. 11. He beleeves the most just God c. To have justified himself though a most ungodly sinner We are not saved by any thing we do P. 58. He knows he shall not be saved by his works and yet doth all the good works he can A beleever sins not P. 68. He cannot sin yet he can do nothing without sin A beleever beleeves against hope P. 74. He beleeves like Abraham in hope against hope God freely pardons P. 12. He beleeves himself freely pardoned Beleevers are pure in Gods sight P. 13. He beleeves himself to be pretious in Gods sight Christ promised to sinners as sinners Master Tho. Goodwin in his Book of Christ set forth P. 30. THere are absolute promises made to no conditions as when Christ is said to come to save sinners c. Now in these it is plain Christ is the naked object of them so that if you apply not him you apply nothing for the onely thing held forth in them is Christ We are justified in Christs justification P. 122. Even so it is in the matter of our justification it was done virtually in Christ and afterwards when we beleeve it is actually passed in and upon our selves So by Christs being justified we are all virtually justified and in Law through a secret yet irrepealable Covenant between God and Christ who onely did then know who were his A Beleevers Law is Christ and his Spirit Mr. Perkins in his Comment on the Gal. P. 128. THey which are true Beleevers are a free and voluntary people obeying God as if there were no law to compel them they have Christ to live in them the Spirit of life that is in Christ is in them and that is their Law It is the property of a childe of God to obey God as it is the nature and quality of the fire to burn c. Thus in the quoting or citing these Divines concerning some pretious truths of Christ I have done as Paul said to the Athenians when he would prove a God As certain also of your own Poets have said So the truths which are abroad mistaken by many are truths as also some of your own Divines have said FINIS
own person they under the Law saw this day but afar off they saw but the blood of bulls and goats and grace and peace afar off but blessed are our eyes for we see and our ears for we hear that which many Kings righteous men have desired we see the Son of God bleeding himself and are under a more spiritual sprinkling then they they were under a fleshly purifying they were as children and servants that were not at age so had neither the use nor freedom of the heavenly inheritance they were subject to death and bondage we are delivered to serve him without fear they were kept under the school-mastership of the Law we now the fulnesse of time is come enjoy the pretious liberty of the sons of God the light which they lived in before was glorious compared with the darknesse the Nations lived in even under a region and shadow of death but it was darknesse compared with the light of the Gospâ—l now light covers the earth and it is not such an enlightening as that of mount Sinai to bondage and fear a light with smoak in it and thunder in it or a light with types and terrour in it but a more clear comfortable and soul-refreshing light the beams of Christ now shine with grace and love upon the souls of his people like the Sun in the Spring-time in whose light there goes a vertue which causes the earth to spring and blossom so do the souls of the Saints under the Sun of righteousnesse now grace mercy and salvation is in the light thereof and love joy peace with all the fruits of the spirit do appear So as Gospel-times have the substance and body of Christ and all that is Christs the Gospel-ministery hath the flowings of the spirit Act. 2.17 18. Joh. 16.17 hath power and life in it to change the soul from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. Joh. 5.25 hath spiritual freedom to set souls at liberty from death and the curse everlasting righteousnesse is brought in Dan. 9. and the fulnesse of age is come so as the severity of the Law the Schoolmaster hath done whipping us we are now under grace Gal. 4.5 6. the Gospel-ministery hath Jesus Christ himself no signe of him no type of him here is no sacrifice now no Moses now but the very Son of God and with him a whole change of the Priesthood and Ordinances now no more Priests to reconcile God but God reconciled and Ministers of reconciliation the Ordinances few clear and spiritual and the ministery free and large no more to Jew onely but to Jew and Gentile even to the world God so loveth the world now that whosoever beleeveth shall have life Isai. 54.1 XLI In what kinde the Gospel is glorious THough the Gospel tels of glorious things yet they that overlook this glory may soon see little of it for in the word there is but a little noise A sad story of one crucified dead and risen all the out-side is but mean the ministery onely a plain businesse of tydings or the foolishnesse of Preaching 1 Cor. 1.18 The other wayes of it plain and homely some water for Baptism a little bread and wine for food The meanest and poorest most commonly for followers and friends of it not many noble nor many mighty 1 Cor. 1. The Ministers of it or preachers and publishers of it but homely What is Paul or Apollo's but Ministers by whom we beleeve 1 Cor. 2.5 The House of God or family or Church some poor ones called Saints in fellowship the Officers but few and plain Pastors Deacons Elders the Laws some bare words of entreaty as well as command all both Word Ministery Officers with all the doings and administrations that concern Christ all suited to a poor crucified dying Jesus to a state of humiliation And thus all so mean as to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.23 Thus the Gospel looks on the worldly side of it Thus Christ neither striving nor crying nor any one hearing his voice in the streets Matth. 18.19 20. Thus is the work of salvation carried in a mystery This is the wisdom of God in a mystery 1 Cor. 2.7 8. And yet great is this mystery of godlinesse First In Jesus Christ himself though he look like the Carpenters Son yet he is the onely begotten Son of God full of grace and truth The brightnesse of his glory and expresse image of his person John 1.14 Heb. 1.2 The Word it self or Scriptures though a Word or Book like a common writing yet it is a Word of truth The power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 The Ministery though but a little plain teaching yet mighty to save to cast down high imaginations to reconcile and the Ministers of it Stewards of the Mysteries of God Ambassadours in Christs stead their feet beautiful with glad tydings to sinners 2 Cor. 47. 2 Cor. 5.20 The people of God or friends of this Gospel though counted the off-scouring of the world yet a spirit of glory resteth on them 1 Pet. 4.14 As dying and yet behold they live as sorrowful and yet alwayes rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6.10 11. The Kingdom of God though a thing not seen yet righteousnesse peace and joy Rom. 14.17 XLII The form of the Gospel or way of dispensation THe Gospel is formed up of exhortations and perswasions We beseech you to be reconciled c. And suffer a word of exhortation c. And of conditional promises c. As Whosoever beleeveth shall not perish c. Of threatnings as he that beleeveth not is condemned c. Of Commandments If ye love me keep my Commandments c. Now this Gospel thus fashioned is on purpose for the better dispensing of it to the souls of his people that his divine and spiritual things might be more naturally conveyed in a notional and natural way as the Key is made fit to the Wards of the Lock And this is the end rather of this Gospel fashion then any supposed free-will in man as some imagine for the Gospel is offered not upon freedom of will in any but that those who are made to receive it should be wrought on in a way as neer to their own condition and nature or reason as can be for none are converted against their will but their will is spiritually changed and so they are made willing in the day of his power God doth not break up the hearts of his people but doth open them and stands and knocks Lydia's heart was opened and he stands at the door and knocks Revel. This is the Gospel-way of his enterance He doth not strive nor cry nor doth any one hear his voice in the streets He doth not force in himself nor any thing of his into the soul but brings in spiritual things so naturally as they cannot nay will not resist XLIII