before conversion by working or acting grace in his heart or was he then led by the spirit of God into all truth Iohn 16.13 When he persecuted and made havocke and breathed out threatning and slaughter against the Saints of God was the love of God then shed into his soule or did he then love the Saints of God when he so thirsted for their blood it is true he then loved them as the wolfe doth his prey But the true love of God is the infusion of that grace of love into their soul which both knits them to God and to his people but this could not be before their conversion then sure it was not before their being When God infuseth the graces of his spirit into the soule by those graces be sanctifies it and these are not the causes of our salvation but they are a part of it as the first fruits of that harvest Rom. 8.33 Iam. 1.18 And the earnest of that bargain He hath given unto us the earnest of his spirit 2 Cor. 5.5 After that ye beleeved ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Ephes 1.13.14 Meaning the graces of Gods spirit Mat. 7.11 Compared with Luke 11.13 Therefore the promises commonly run and are made to them that are sanctified and seldome or never to them that are justified because the perfecting of sanctification is the last work and brings us into ful happinesse to al eternity then imputed righteousnesse ceaseth and faith ceaseth aad prayer ceaseth and the intercession of Christ ceaseth but the righteousnesse of sanctification that is begun is us here being purchased by Christ also and wrought by his spirit in us that abideth with us to all eternity for it is eternal life begun in us then what a miserable delution is that which speaketh evil of that eternal life that is begun within us saying what have we to do with that dungy durty duties of sanctification we thank God through Jesus Christ we have nothing to do with them these are workes for horne-book Christians but let me tel them that the promise of heaven and happinesse is only made to holinesse Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5. And without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Again Heaven is the inheritance of them that are sanctified Acts 20.32 But no unclean thing shall enter into it Rev. 21.27 Now all the persons in Trinity may be said to sanctifie us To them that are sanctified by God the Father Jude 1. I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you Exo. 31.13 Levit. 20.8.21.8 The very God of Peace sanctifie you 1 Thes 5.23 God the father sanctifies us by giving his son to purchase it for us and by sending the holy Ghost to worke it in us and by hearing and granting those petitions which are moved in us by his own spirit Rom. 8.26 Secondly God the Son is said to sanctifie us first by the purchase that he gave for it he hath washed away our sins in his owne blood Rev. 1.5 The blood of Christ doth purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 Secondly by his ordinances the word and Sacraments Christ gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie it with the washing of water by the word Ephes 5.26 First by the word in shewing us our sins by it and also our duties and begetting faith in us by it whereby wee have both knowledg of and power to do these duties and to refraine those vices discovered by it and also by the Sacraments by strengthning and encreasing faith all other graces in us Thirdly We are sanctified by the spirit of God 1 Cor. 6.11 2 Thes 2.13 Now as the Father works by the Son and the holy Ghost so the holy Ghost workes both from the Father and the Son therefore it is said Your heavenly father wil give the spirit to them that aske him Lu. 11.13 The Father shal give you another comforter John 14.16 And saith the Son If I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I wil send him unto you John 16.7 Now saith the Apostle He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which is shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3.5 6. The spirit of God sanctifies by changing us into the same image from glory to glory that is From the glory of grace begun to the glory of grace perfected 2 Cor. 3.18 And by leading us into all truth John 16.13 This is done by inward motions and comforts encreasing that which he before infused into us Again it is said that faith sanctifies that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith Acts 26.18 Purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15.9 When faith takes hold and receives the blood of Christ and makes it ours so it justifies us as an instrument or a hand laying hold on Christ the justifier But as faith works by love Gal. 5.6 And stirs up all other graces in their lively motion so it sanctifies us when it makes us love God unfainedly and stirs up a lively hope that maketh not ashamed and fear to offend God and care to please him and a zeal for his glory humility self denyall mortifying sin and a chearful walking with God in all holy obedience thus faith may be said to sanctifie and although other graces were infused into us by the spirit of God as wel as faith yet when faith acts them and stirres them up in their lively motion this second working may be called the fruits of faith because they are acted and encreased by it instrumentally although the graces themselves are all the fruits of Gods spirit wrought in us Gal. 5.22 But our Antinomians are strangers to this kind of working for they will have the spirit of God to do his own work and they must be as empty trunks for it and as dead stones without life or motion yea their faith they so much boost of must be but a spectator to look on their love must free them from obedience and their faith is without labour but saith Paul Remembring without ceasing your work of faith labour of love 1 Thes 1.3 Heb. 6.10 Again the Saints are not rewarded according to the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them for then they should bee as high in glory as Christ yet I grant that to be the cause of our salvation but we are saved according to the measure of our sanctification that is wrought in us by the spirit of God neither are the reprobates rewarded according to the imputation and guilt of originall sin although that was the cause of damnation for then all should be tormented alike but they are rewarded according to their actual sins committed in their own persons For he that treasureth sin he treasureth up wrath against the day of wrath
being empty trunks for the spirit of God to move in personally as they say without any change of the man therefore after conversion they are as dead as before and only those works that the spirit of God doth alone by himself in them are good but for those that the spirit of God doth by us those they say are as bad as the works of the Divell as for example Suppose the spirit of God shal move us to the duty of prayer or any other duty according to his wil this motion they grant to be good but when we receive this motion by faith and perform this duty that we are moved to doe this say they is as bad as the work of the Devil And when the spirit of God moves us and drawes us this is goed But when we run after him as the Spouse saith Cant. 1.4 This is no better then the work of the divel and when the spirit of God perswades us that our sins are forgiven and that we are in Covenant with God reconciled in Christ this they say is good but when we receive take this by our faith This say they is as bad as the work of the divel and so when the spirit of God pronounceth us just that is good but sanctification wherby we declare our selves just that is as bad as the work of the Divell Again I answer if it were possible to separate the works of faith in a beleever from the works of corrupted nature then this might be true Yet I grant that their failings and sinful actions as Davids adultery Peters denying of his Mr. these were the works of corrupted nature because the divel was the Author of them But there repentance and reformation was not the workes of corrupted nature then it appears to me that all their actions were not so bad as the works of the devill neither was Pauls preaching so bad as his persecuting and blaspheming before conversion For when a child of God is in the way of obedience although his actions are not perfectly good yet they are not without some goodnesse in them being acted by faith and regulated by the word of God and tend to his glory Such actions cannot be before conversion neither are they to be found in devils nay the very sins of Gods people are not so bad as they were before conversion as the works of the divel For the spirit lusteth against the flesh that they cannot sin as they would Gal. 5.17 Again The life of a beleever is by faith in the son of God Gal. 2.20 The just do live by their faith Hab 2.4 Neither can they live without it So then they cannot sin as before because the seed of God remaineth in them 1 John 3.6.9 And the spirit of God leadeth them into all truth John 16.13 And the spirit of God dwelleth in them so that if the Divel tempt them to sin greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world 1 John 4.4 And if the world tempt us saith Christ be of good cheare I have overcome the world John 16.33 And we are borne of God and we have faith and this is the victory by which wee overcome the world even our faith 1 John 5.4 And if the flesh would sin the spirit lusteth against the flesh that we cannot doe those things we would Gal. 5.17 Then are Gods people as dead as before and all their works as bad as the works of the Divell Againe we are made living stones and built up into a spirituall house and we are an holy Priest-hood to offer up spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 But the sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination Pro. 15. And their praier also Pro. 28.9 And we are made new creatures and cast into a new mould of Doctrine and led by another Principle which made Peter say Wee cannot but speake the things that we have heard and seen Acts 4.20 We doe not obey by constraint but willingly Phil. 14. Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 So that although wee bee changed and our heart set upon another object yet wee goe on freely the will being changed wheels all parts of body and soule as a willing instrument in the hand of Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.3 Then although we had no hand in the first infusion of grace but were meere passives in the worke yet when the new life of faith is put into us and we made living stones then we are labourers together with God that salvation which he hath begun we worke it out with feare and trembling and increase our talent of faith by trading and so shal be our salvation hereafter in greater glory as I shewed before For it is our onely busines here to improve our Talent Luke 19.13 And to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.13 And the strongest Christians must say with the Apostles Lord increase our faith Luke 17.3 Then sure our workes are not so bad as the works of the Divel neither are we as dead as a stone if we sin after grace is given it is either through some weaknes or in some passion or through the violence of some temptation for there is an inward principle flat against it Then eat thy bread with joy and drinke thy wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy works Eccles 9.7 And so I leave the reader to judge whether the actions of Gods people be as bad as the works of the Divell and themselves as dead as a stone Againe my Opposite at that time maintained against me that God was the Author of sin for saith he murder is a sin yet God commanded Abraham to slay his Son and deceit and robbery are sins yet God gave way to Israel to rob the Egiptians Exod. 3.21 And who gave Iacob for a spoile and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord Isa 42.24 And lying is a sin that shuts out of heaven yet God sends the Divel to be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab's Prophets and the Lord stird up David to number the people 2 Sam. 24.1 And wee pray that Christ may not lead us into temptation To these I answer that God is above his Lawes and doth whatsoever hee pleaseth I know that the Lord is great our Lord is above all Gods whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the sea and in all deepe places Psal 135.5.6 If he adde a new commandement upon some speciall occasion or if he take away who can hinder him or who will say unto him what dost thou Job 9 12. Why dost thou strive with him he giveth no account of his matters Job 33.13 Then how dare these men call God to give account to them Nay but oâ—â—man who art thou that repliest against God Rom. 9.20 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him he that reproveth God let him
into the spirituall Kingdome or Church of Christ only our heart should not be set upon these things So then all that can be gathered from this Parable is this those that enter into the spirituall Kingdome or Church of Christ their outward peny for the day of this life shal be all alike there is no sort of men that have any promise for more of outward things than other men Eccles 9.2 But what is this concerning the glory of Heaven saith Paul There is one glory of the Sun and another of the Moone and another glory of the Stars for as one star differeth from another in glory so also is the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15.41.42 So the Saints of God they that have done most and in the best manner being acted by the strongest Faith and with the purest aimes at the glory of God they shall receive most of God For the Lord will render to every man according to his work Psal 62.12 Blessed are they that dye in the Lord one reason is because their workes follow them Revel 14 13. The Lord will give both grace and glory to them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 He giveth more grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 Thus you see they that most and best improve their Talent of grace here shall have both more grace here and glory hereafter therefore the workes of Sanctification are well-pleasing to the Lord in a justified person and the more Sanctification wee have here the more glory wee shall have in Heaven for ever for what is the glory of Heaven but the perfection of sanctification which is begun here and the grace of Sanctification is nothing else but glory begun therefore the Apostle in that golden chaine of grace he puts glorified in the place of sanctified Rom. 8.30 He that believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but it passed from death to life John 5.24 It is eternall life to know God to be the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent Jo. 17.3 and this knowledge is in all beleivers So then I conclude he that most increaseth in grace here must needs increase his glory hereafter Yet this hinders not the spirit of God from being both the Author of grace and glory and the degrees thereof for this sanctification is that work of grace wrought by the spirit of God in beleevers which adornes them and makes them fit Temples for himselfe to dwel in he infusing grace into them makes them all glorious within Psal 45.13 This work is done onely by the spirit of God in the first infusing of it and we are more passive in the worke but we improving that Tallent and growing in grace as we are commanded 2 Pet. 3.18 In this we are labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3.9 And so doing we may both increase our grace here and glory hereafter This Sanctification or work of grace that is wrought in the soule differs both from inherent righteousnesse and from imputed righteousnesse for inherent righteousnesse is that civill justice that we have by the light of nature which is bred and borne with us and cannot properly be called grace but nature The Gentiles doe by nature the things contained in the Law which shewes the work of the Law written in their hearts Ro. 2.14 15. This was not infused into us but growes from naturall principles But the righteousnes of Sanctification is that worke of grace infused into us by the spirit of God as clean water that is poured into a stinking vessel which doth something corrupt the scent of it takes off that sweet savour that should ascend up into the nostrils of God so that we dare not appeare in the presence of God at his seat of justice having nothing but this upon us yet in its proper place is wel-pleasing to the Lord as I said before For he hath wrought in us that which is wel-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.21 But if wee should presume to put this righteousnes of Sanctification in the the place of justification and so stand before Gods Tribunall Seat having onely this it would he as filthy rags and as a menstruous cloth Isa 30.22 64.6 and could not justifie us in the sight of God Now imputed righteousnesse is that holinesse of the humane nature of Christ which is without us and remaines onely in Christ and therefore it is pure and cleane in the sight of God as the water in the Fountaine In this alone we dare appeare in the presence of God and by this perfect righteousnes of Christ without us the defects of our Sanctification in our owne persons is covered so that now our works of Sanctification are accepted and all our failings are made up by that perfect reghteousnesse which onely remaines in Christ and imputed unto us and all our sins are imputed to him so long as we carry about with us this body of sin Christ makes interession for all our failings till this mortall shall put on immortality and this corruption shall put on incorruption and we by death bee freed from sin Rom. 6.7 Then shall this imputation of Christs righteousnesse cease and we shall be fully and perfectly sanctified in degrees and this shall bee our glorification and our happines to all Eternity when all defects and weaknesses shall be done away This shall be the honour of all the Saints Psal 149.9 Thus you see that God did not actually love his people from all eternity if wee look beyond the Creation it was but intentionall or a purpose to love them and when Adam was created then God loved him as the principle of his creatures and after the fall before conversion God onely loves that workmanship of his in man that is left since the fall and after conversion as his owne child yet but in part sanctified and in heaven as wholly sanctified Again some have more grace here than others and shall have more glory than others and therefore more beloved than others yet the change lies onely in us and not in God For there is no variablenesse with God neither shadow of turning James 1.17 Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 And saith the Lord I change not therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3.6 But as al the creatures differ in their goodnesse so every one receives his measure of the love of God take the creatures in their first creation yet then God did not love a dog so wel as he loved a man nor the foules of heaven as the Angels of heaven If this were well observed it might be sufficient to convince them of another grosse errour that was then defended against me stil they hold the same which is this After a man is converted he is as dead as before even as dead as a stone and all his actions in themselves as they came from him are as bad as the works of the devill They
answer it wilt thou disaâ—ull my judgment wilt thou condemne me that thou maist be righteous Job 40.2.8 Then what if God was pleased to try Abrahams faith Heb. 11.17 Must they harbour ill thoughts against God Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out Job 37.23 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his waies past finding out Rom. 11.33 Then what if God permit the Divel to be a lying spirit he did not infuse lies into him but as a just Judge upon Ahab that would not heare the Prophet of God when he spake the truth he is now punished by them that speake lies And so was Iacob given to the spotle and Israel to robbers not by infusing the sinne of theft into those that robbed and spoiled but as a punishment of some sin in Israel abusing those creatures either to pride or drunkennes gluttony or whoredome or some way or other for commonly the sin may be seen in the punishment certainely some way or other they sinned with those creatures that the Lord in justice caused them to be taken from them and because the Egiptians were so cruel to Israel the Lord by his over-ruling providence who hath the hearts of men in his owne hand therefore he can easily make these enemies to be at peace with those that please him Pro. 16.17 So that he gave them favour with the Egiptians to lend them jewels and other needfull things for their use and then the Lord brought them out of that Land that they could not restore them againe now this was no sin because they did obey the revealed will of God both to borrow and to goe away with them now actions are not first evill and then God is offended with them but when God is offended with them then those actions become evill as on the contrary actions are not first good and then approved of God but first approved of God and then good because he approveth them Againe God hath hedged his people about and Christ prayes God to keep them from the evill Iohn 17.13 But if they grow wanton of Gods protection and sleight the prayer of Christ and be remisse and carelesse to please God in all things what if God withdraw his protection from them and so they fall necessarily into sin and misery must God be blamed for it who shall bind him to keep them from sin and misery he gave them power at the first tostand and they prodigally lost that power now must God be bound to supply prodigals at their pleasure they have carelesly wasted that which they were trusted with already now I suppose they themselves would not still supply a prodigall whom they have much trusted already and he takes no care to keep not to improve any thing but spends all that comes into his hands then why should God be blamed for not doing that which they would not doe themselves Againe God knowes how to bring good out of evill and he can make the very falls of his people to be profitable unto them so that all things shall worke for their good yea their very sins as we read of many failings in David before those great and foule sins of murder and adultery but those falls gave him cause to see his weaknesse and seeling the smart of it in his conscience he ever walked more watchfully afterwards and so Peter was full of failings before that he fell into that great sin of denying his Master with cursing and swearing but that so pierced his heart with griefe and sorrow that it stirrd up more caresulnesse to please God and feare to offend him than before so that we read not of so many of his failings after that as before nay after this saith he must we obey God or men judge yee he that denyed Christ through feare of men now he cannot but speake the things which hee hath seen and heard Acts 4.19.20 5.28.29 So then God may have a hand in sin as it is an action and yet be cleare from the defilement of it as also he is the Author of all actions and yet not the Author of that sin that cleaves to and defiles those actions as a man is the cause why his horse moves yet if he move lamely that is from himselfe no sin can be committed without God hee hath a hand in all sin and yet no sin can cleave to him Oh the infinite holinesse of our God! Ioseph's brethren sold their brother into Egypt yet saith he you did not sell me it was the Lord that sold me hither now they sinned through malice to their brother and through envy to prevent the accomplishment of his dreames this was their end in it why they sold him but God did mercy to him and them and their posterity to save much people alive Gen. 50.2 And the Jews crucified Christ yet saith Peter you have done but what God determined should be done Acts 4.28 But they finned in murdering him without a cause unjustly and all to satisfie their lust and malice upon him But God saw that his death was just when he tooke our sins upon him by imputation and so condemned him for the same yet not ayming at that end which they did to satisfie his malice but in his great mercy to his Church and people to save their soules eternally Thus God by his over-ruling providence can make the wrath of man to praise him and the remainder of wrath will he restraine Psal 76.10 Like a wise Phisitian who is able to make a soveraigne medicine of ranke poyson he can handle sin and he can make good use of sin and yet be free from the guilt of it for in him we live move have our being so that the hand that is stretched cut to slay another could not move without the Lord and yet he is clear from the sin of murder for no action in it selfe is a sin for God is the Author of it but the finfull intent of the heart makes it to be a sin and this was infused by the Divell and not by the Lord. Then let us say with David Against thee onely have I sinned and done evill in thy sight that thou mayst be justified when thou speakest and cleare when thou judgest Psal 51.4 O Lord righteousnes belongs to thee but unto us confusion of faces Dan. 9.7 But these men speake rightly of themselves out of their owne mouthes they may justly be condemned being as they say as dead as a stone after conversion and all they have to doe is but to let the spirit of God doe his owne workes in them and by them so that their best works as being acted by them are done But as we move a stone so the spirit of God moveth them by their owne confession and still they are as dead as a stone and their best works are no better than the workes of the Divell Againe if they sin they say the spirit
they have that priviledge with Christ to have all things then all is yours and not before But by nature we are all dead in trespasses and sins both the Elect and the Reprobate when Christ bought this purchase for his Elect therefore of necessity we must be made alive and have the eye of Faith to see it and have the hand of Faith to take hold before we are capable to receive and take it Then your consequence is false that wee must needs be justified before faith and calling because that the purchase was payed although it was neither given by Christ nor received by us The second Tenet is that you are as perfectly righteous as Christ and that God cannot see your sin and thus you are as soone as you have a being and faith doth but declare it to you yet you say that I confesse we are justified at once this I grant that when God gives us faith and calling at the same time he actually justifies us and at once yet I deny your damnable inference that all the Elect are actually justified at the same instant of time that every one is For as one is actually justified at once ni one go of the world wherein he hath his being yet another is not justified till another age of the world wherein his being is and yet all this hinders not but that we are justified at once although spiders will gather poyson where ever they come The Scripture foresaw that God would justifie the heathen through faith Gal. 3.8 But the time was not yet come but what of his whether is this rover travelling I have proved clearly by Scripture that God sees the sin of those that are justified and that they are not so righteous as Christ and I see nothing to the contrary and sol leave this and speak something to the last clause of this Tenet which is that saith doth but declare this unto them they make it to be only an eye to see burthey deny it to be a hand or instrument whereby they become righteous by taking or receiving the righteousnesse of Christ to themselves by application thatso they may be righteous Yet I grant that faith declares to us something that was done before we had it but it is not justification nor adoption nor sanctification nor the love and favour of God nor reconciliation yet I grant that the world was made before that faith was given to us and by our faith we come to know or understand the worlds were made by the word of God And things that are seene were not made of things which did appeare Heb. 11 3. But wil our Antinomians hence conclude that faith is but a declaritive grace to shew them that they were justified adopted sanctified and in the favour of God reconciled and all this before they had it let us turne backe to the same 11. of the Hebrews and see whether all that faith mentioned there be only declarative first by faith Abel offered unto-God a more excellent sacrifice then Cain vers 4. Will those people say that his Sacrifice was offered before he had faith and when he had faith it did but declare what was done before and so by faith Enock was translated c. But was this done before he had faith and when hee had faith he came to see this and so by faith Noah prepared an Arke to the saving of his houshold but was this ark made before and by his faith only came to see it and Abraham by faith when he was called went into a strange Countrey But wil they say that he went before he had either faith or calling and when hee had faith he came to see what he had done before he had it and so by faith Sarah received strength and conceived seed and was delivered of a man childe but was all this done before she had faith and when she had it she came to see what was done before And so by faith Abraham offered up Isaac But wil they say that he was offered up before he had faith and by it he came to see what was done before And so Isaac blessed his sons by faith and Iacob blessed the sons of Ioseph wil they say that those things were done before they had faith and by it they came to see what was done before they had it And by faith Ioseph when he dyed made mention of the departing of the children of Israel and if they say these things of dying men were done before they had faith then sure their soules departed to fetch it that they might come to see what they had done before they had it but the folly of these men cannot be hid and so by faith when Moses was bome was hid by his parents but was this done before they had faith By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God esteerning the reproach of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Egypt and by faith he forsook Egypt and through faith he kept the Passeover but were all these done before he had faith when he had it he came to see what was done before by faith they passed through the red Sea and by their faith the walls of Ierichâ— fell downe after they had compassed them about seven dayes and the Harlot Rahab by faith received the spies but were all these things done before they had faith The time would faile me to speake of all who through faith subdued Kingdomes stopped the mouths of Lyons quenched the violence of fire and women received their dead of life Againe no say our Antinomians they first subdued Kingdomes stopped the mouths of lyons and quenched the fire and received their dead to life and then they had faith to see it and not before and so they first receive the righteousnesse of Christ and are justified and then they have faith to see what they have done and so nothing with them is done by faith but all without it and by their faith they only come to see what they have done and with the Jewes speak against all those things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming Acts 13.45 Thirdly you say the way to know your justification is from a bare testimony you say from the spirit of God when as you deny the operation or sanctifying worke of the same spirit of God to be any means whereby you may know it then you come as the false witnesses came to Christ and say that I affirme that the spirit of God beares witnesse to our spirit which is contrary to my writing and to Pauls words which faith The spirit witnesseth with our spirit Rom. 8.16 Whereas you by your sophistry deny one of the witnesses But our rejoycing is the testimony of our conscience 2 Cor 1.12 My conscience beareth witnesse in the holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 And you to great purpose say that no flesh living shall be justified as if you had