Mark for the Prize but not by the way of any thing we can do but from God above alone viz. by the High Calling of God in Christ and not by our own Strength but as apprehended of Christ for it By this Canon all the Perfect Perfect in regard of Sincerity Walk though they count not themselves Perfect otherwise This Apostle and therefore no Apostle did so Count For he was not behind the chiefest They all then walk'd by this Canon If any Perfect or Sincere be never so little otherwise minded God reveals even this great Pursuit and End to them That so far as they have attained whatever it be they should Forget what is behind and press Forward Mind that Point the Holiness of the Resurrection To raise the Spirits of his Saints to which though they had not attain'd to it at the going out of the Body yet in a Moment in the Twinckling of an Eye in an Indivisible Point of Time Christ apprehends them Even then and with a greater Ease in the Nature of the Thing then he raises their Bodies Incorruptible having hold of them for that very thing even by the mighty Power of his own Death and Resurrection whereby he is able to Subdue all Things unto himself This Canon had never been so depretiated as to be applyed to any Outward Form or Church-Order as it is call'd if the greatness of the Apostles Point had been considered and for which there is not any Ombrage here except that the Word Canon which has been so Debauched by the working of the Mystery of Iniquity puts any one in Mind of it For only according to the present occasion it s taken by the Apostle from the Olympick Races to the great purpose of the New Creation Gal. 6. 16. and here to shew the Christian's Rule or Line is up to the highest Holiness even that of the Resurrection Thus large have I been on this Head because it is of so great Moment Head 20. Christ does not Repent and Believe for us Conciliation Christ hath yet laid the Foundation of all our State in Grace and Glory in himself and in his own Action wherein we are to be made like him as from the Archetype and Life He took part of Flesh and Blood because the Children were Partakers He was Circumcised Baptized Dyed Rose 〈…〉 Justifieth me who will contend with me That Agony wherein He sweat Drops of Blood standing under the Sense of the Sins of All for whom he Dyed and made Supplication with strong Crys and Tears unto him that was able to save him from Death and was Heard in that he Fear'd was as it were the great Penitential of the Redeemer in the Behalf and as in the Person of his Redeemed And as for Faith It is written Heb. 2. 13. I will put my Trust in him Thus all our Springs are in him and from him and the Efficacies that Work all our Works in us and for us They are so vested in our Faculties and Action that they are in us and yet by so Supreme a Vertue from him residing in him and given us as in a Line of Communication from him to us That they are wrought by him for us And in this rightly understood Sense he may be said to Repent and Believe for us though also in us and by us The three last Heads concerning Gospel Preaching have been all along aimed to be thus determin'd That it is certain Both Conditional Preaching and Absolute Preaching have each their respective Foundations in Scripture And both tend to the same end to shew the Absolute Necessity of Christ and Grace from him As also the Absolute Necessity of Holiness as indeed the Thing is flowing from the Grace of Election through the Efficacies of the Mediator by his Spirit as the greatest Scriptures concerning our Salvation witness Yet for Wise and Holy Purposes so Administred that our Action is all manner of ways insisted upon by the general Course of Scripture as hath been declar'd So that none are to be blamed in the Abundance of their Ministry in that part who do more continually in their Preaching and sometimes in most solemn Discourses set out Christ The only VVay the Truth and the Life flowing from the Eternal Fountain of Electing Love and Grace But if we compare one part of Preaching with another seeing the Life of all Conditional Preaching depends on the Absolute Grace of the Covenant That must needs be the most excellent part of Preaching wherein the Life of the other is laid up and to which the other is but subordinated But as we find Scripture gives Example of the Conditional Preaching as the more general So it seems most adapted and suited to this low State of the Administration of the Redemption of Christ and we find the Divine Spirit who Divides to All his Servants as he will does more generally and universally move the Preachers of the Gospel more abundantly into this Conditional Preaching But when that better State that higher Administration of the Redemption of Christ in his Kingdom shall come on as it is now very near That as it were a new Song which hath been so much out of use it is as it were a new Song at least in its high Mount Zion Senses even I say notwithstanding so much of it recovered into use by the Reformation This Song of the Redemption of Christ in more lofty Ayrs shall be Heard and Learnt as hath been already said by all the Illustrious Assistants or By-Standers and Followers of the Lamb on Mount Zion In the mean time God does raise up some who aspire to these Truths of the highest Excellency and as we say of the first Magnitude and highest Elevation and such was Dr. Crisp in my Account But because we are yet in this dark and low State there are many Infirmities much Rudeness of Speech want of Mightiness in Word and Deed in such Aspirings an Universal want of the Glory and Holiness flowing from these great Truths because these Truths are not come into their proper Time of Glory This Song cannot be Sung while the Babel State yet continues because it was the Lord's Song and cannot be Sung in a strange Land to Perfection by reason of which these great Doctrines are under a Veil and not only so but under great Prejudice Let us therefore earnestly prary these Mists these Shades and Clouds may fly away and yet even the unwarinesses of Expression in such as Dr. Crisp are over-ruled by God like the speaking of Stones to make the main Preaching more notable and to excite our Research of them These things are written for Reconciliation not Exasperation and that we may be all stir'd up earnestly to pray That the Day may break and the Shadows fly away and our Beloved come on his Mount of Spices SOME General HEADS OF Mr. Williams 's Conciliated in this Discourse THE Elect are Children of Wrath till effectually called The Filth of Sin not transacted on Christ The Act of laying Sins on Christ is not the Discharge of the Elect. Mens Sins their own and not Christ's Sins Our Sins laid on Christ before he was nailed to the Cross Christ not abhorred by the Father No change of Person between Christ and the Elect. Christ's Mediatorial Righteousness not subjectively in us and how imputed Believers not as Holy as Christ The Covenant of Grace explained and what a Condition is The Covenant of Grace Conditional Faith not a Perswasion that my Sins are pardoned c. Prevailing Enmity a Hindrance to our present Interest in Christ The Elect not united to Christ without Faith What Vnion with Christ is Justification not before Faith Repentance necessary to Pardon Sinners have much to do to be Saved The Gospel hath Threats and Promises Happiness and Good Works necessary to Salvation They are profitable and God pleased c. Our own Good should be intended Assurance by Gospel-Marks and not by an Inward Voice God Chargeth Sin on Men and they should repent for repeated Pardon Sin may hurt Believers God afflicts for Sin Sincere Holiness not Dung. Christ doth not repent c. for us Conditional Proposals of Benefits on Terms of Duty Gospel-Preaching To excite Fear in sense of Danger not Legal Preaching Christ more Exalted by the former Truths than Dr. Crisp's Opinions The Free Grace of God not honoured by Dr. Crisp though more Freeness be asserted by him than by these Truths The END
Heads at the end of his Book the Line of my Procedure and so have set them at the end of this I commit all to Divine Blessing and Christian Acceptation with this gladsom Prediction that if we can but for a little a very little time love the Truth and Peace Zech. 8. 19. The Light concerning these Points that hath been but as the Light of the Moon in the time of the 42 Moons of the Apostacy not yet expir'd and so still darkning the Sun's Light shall be not only as the Light of the Sun of Christ's Face ch 10. 1. in the Reformation But the Light of the Sun even since the Reformation shall be Seven-fold the Light of One Day as the Light of Seven All in One. Then we shall Rejoyce and no longer Dissent Let us Earnestly Pray Lord Let as it shall shortly do Thy Kingdom thus Come A SECOND Conciliatory Discourse CONCERNING Dr. Crisp's Sermons AND Mr. Williams's Dissatisfactions concerning them THat which I would lay in the Foundation and as the Center of this Discourse shall be a Scheme of the Doctrine of the Gospel in these Points 1. The Covenant of Grace in all the Graces and Duties of the Convenantees of it God in infinite Wisdom Holiness and Purity hath so setled that it is an Absolute Covenant in which Christ is not only the Great Sacrifice and his Blood the Price Ransom and Purchase But He Himself is the Surety the Mediator the Testator of it So that This Covenant shall never be Found Fault with Not only on the Account of its own Goodness but not on this Account that the Covenantees or those who are indeed intended by Christ to be the Covenantees have broken it and so it hath become ineffectual to them This is most evident from the Apostle's Argumentation Heb. 8 7 c. For if the First Covenant had been faultless there should have been no place sought for a second The first Covenant that God made was in it self good had they to whom it was given been suitable and agreeable to it The Apostle therefore changes that his word if the Covenant had beâ—n faultless into those words For finding fault with them he saith Behold the Days come saith the Lord I will make a new Covenant not according to the Covenant I made with their Fathers c. which my Covenant they brake or continued not in and I regarded them not But this is the Covenant I will make with them I will write my Laws in their Hearts c. Hence it follows The Covenantees according to the faultless Covenant must so continue in it that God may be for ever their God and they his People there need be no dispute what Covenant this was or in what regard it is here spoken of whether only as a Covenant of Moral Obedience or as a Ritual Ceremonial Covenant for it is undeniable the Apostle represents it herein as a Covenant found fault with that they who were under it continued not in it and therefore whatever Covenant whether Moral or Ceremonial had that Fault to be found with it God would change and bring in a Covenant that should not have that Fault to be found with it It must and shall be effectual to the grand purpose of keeping in the People of it so within it self as to be God's People and that he will be their God such efficacies of Grace shall all go along with it This is not to be eluded by any Art or Wit of Man 2. From hence it must necessarily follow There is a certain number chosen and elected according to the Grace of this Covenant and for them this Covenant is made For it is too evident in plain view and as matter of fact that the most Gracious and Spiritual Covenant of the Gospel does not thus embrace all that are under it in profession as that God should be for ever their God and they his People and that they should be for ever pardon'd Seeing yet 2dly it is God and Christ that look to it that this Covenant should be thus continued in And 3dly that Scripture speaking of those thus secur'd according to the Covenant of Grace stiles them The Election and continually speaks of the Election of Grace the Riches of Grace and the Glory and Praise of Grace not of Works but of Him that calleth All this put together shews a certain Number elected In respect to whom this Covenant shall not be faulted for their breaking it 3. The Election is in Jesus Christ the Head of the Adoption the First born among many Brethren even all the Sons God will bring Glory through Him So Jesus Christ must be the Supreme and Chief in the whole Doctrine of Salvation His Blood and Death his Righteousness and Obedience His Appearance with that Blood in Heaven in his Melchisedecian Priesthood and there by the Power of an Endless Life Negotiating and Transacting all for and in his Servants as by a perpetual Rotation of that Power as in a Sphere of highest Activity by his Spirit These are the very Powers of Salvation 4. This the Scripture represents to be Eternal or from before the Foundation of the World which is the constant Expression it uses to convey to us the Notion of Eternity by now Eternal surrounds and encompasses Time and gives all the efficacy to the Motions in and upon it for as it encircles it so it penetrates it every where with infinity of Lines cutting it every way so that though to us as Creatures of Times these two Time and Eternity seem most distinct and are so spoken of yet indeed Time is supported and in all Parts and Lines of it interwoven by Eternity 5. The Supreme Representation of God in the whole State of our Salvation is as of a Father in Christ this is most demonstrative seeing it is to the Adoption of Children we are chosen which necessarily carries the notion of a Father seeing also it is the making conformable to the Image of his Son and seeing it is for the bringing many Sons to glory And so Jesus Christ is represented in the nearest and most intimate Relations as the First-born among many Brethren yea sometimes as a Father as a Husband as a Root to the Branches as a Head to the Members This is the most inward and intimate Representation of Scripture concerning our Salvation 6. But the Outward and more extern Administration is by God the Judge of all or the Rector and Governor of all and by Jesus Christ as Lord of all and he as having all Judgment committed to him is made known to us But though the Elect Children of God and Members of Christ are comprehended in several ways of Scripture-speaking under this Outward Administration yet This Outward Administâ—ation is chiefly with regard to the Non-Elect to clear and justify God in all his Dealings with them and therefore as to the exterior part of his Administration there are the same Overtures made to the one that
Yet speaking in the Language of Eternity he calls them Vessels of Mercy Vessels unto Honour And indeed whatever is looked upon as only a Motion or Ordination of Time must needs arise from our selves For all Acts of Grace are Eternal in their Spring and Fountain Time therefore genders only to a Covenant of Works I know not therefore but why as the generality of Preachers enlarge most upon the one as to unconverted Elect There may not be some stirr'd up and enabled of God to triumph in the Savour of the Knowledg of Christ made known by them in the other while they Center upon the Eteral Election of God demonstrating it self in Calling Conversion Sanctification But they only can do this who have receiv'd it as a peculiar Talent But I doubt not the Spirit of it will within short time be pour'd out more abundantly and that it shall not turn to Licentiousness but overflow with Holyness and Purity as also Efficacy of Conversion The third Head I Transpose into the second Place as being more Congenial or of a kind with the first and will joyn the second with the fourth and those following to Head 8th Head 2. The laying the Sins of the Elect upon Christ is not their Discharge from their Sins This is oppos'd to what Dr. Crisp hath said All the Weight and all the Burden of Sin the very Sin it self is long ago laid upon Christ and that laying it on him is a full Discharge and Release to that c. The Conciliation To an Eternal Being there must needs be an Eternal Justification because there is no new thing to him The Apostle therefore makes the whole Chain of Salvation of an Eternal old Style whom he Foreknew he Called he Justified he Glorified Rom. 8. 30. All in the Time pass'd not in the Style of Time but of Eternity But when we speak in new Style Style of Time there is not an actual Discharge of Sin or a Justification of a Sinner by Election but according to the order of things fix'd by God in Time Even so if we consider Sins lay'd upon Christ even the Sins of all the Elect in the Fulness of Time as the Apostle styles it That Fulness of Time may be very well supposed to collect into it self all Time And as the Sins that were past were Recollected so the Sins to come were Forepriz'd into it And all this issues into the Fulness of Times that is of all Time in the Kingdom of Christ For as Christ dyed in the Fullness of Time so the Glory of his Redemption appears in the Fulness of Times Eph. 1. 10. of All Time when all Things in Heaven and Earth shall be Recapitulated in him which yet we know they are not The Offering of Christ therefore is an Offering once for all and it is one Offering that forever Perfects and Jesus Christ is Yesterday and to Day the same forever As then all Time is gather'd into that Fulness of Time So that Fulness of Time redounds upon all Time and Flows out upon it till it Flows into that Fulness of Times Now as the Lord of Time offered Himself in the Fulness of Time he expiated all Sins in that Fulness and what was expiated in the Fulness can never be charged in the Retail of Time for then it was not expiated Although therefore when we are spoken of and unto as not the Lords of Time but the Subjects of Time we are oblig'd to measure it out by Parts as being Inferiors to it and below the Hill to it we see the Approaches of its Events one after another only but the Lord Paramount of it being so high above it sees all at once we are Creatures but of the Parts of it so indeed we are not Discharged from Sin in the Discharge of Christ But from hence to conclude we are not in highest Sense Discharg'd but that if the Elect dye before Faith and Repentance they are lost for ever is to make supposition of Impossibilities it is to set Time the small outlet of Eternity to rise up and Encounter and lead Captive Eternity even the Eternity of Election and that the parts of Time may be set in Battel Array and subdue the Fulness of Time But this can by no serious Considerer be allow'd I find not then but as there is just Reason to represent to Men that till they find within themselves the Efficacies of the Death and Redemption of Christ by Faith and Repentance they stand in the sight of their own Consciences as Persons who have no Interest in that Death in that Redemption And that this is proper on one side representing God and Christ therein as the Rector and Governor of the World to move them to Repentance and it is that which Scripture does very largely and frequently insist upon So on the other side it is most true That the Foundation of God stands sure and cannot shake nor totter even under this very Seal single and alone That the Lord knows who are his and that his Election shall break out with all the mighty Effects he hath pitch'd upon as most suitable and Connatural to it So that it shall produce in all its own the Derivative Stamp Let him that nameth the Name of Christ depart from all Iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. And that Christ is in all Senses the Certain and Infallible Sanctifier of his People by his Blood That he not only as a Judge and a Law-giver but as a Prince gives Repentance and Remission of Sins This may be as hopeful to move the Spirits of Men and be as gracious a Conveyance of the mighty Efficacy of the Divine Grace and Spirit For as these are rich Truths of Scripture so they have an admirable mooving Stroke upon the Hearts and Minds of Men And he that Ministers them is a Minister far more immediately of the Spirit that giveth Life of that without which the Evangelick Law is a Letter that kills Head 3 to Head 8. I put these Heads together because there cannot be any difference in the main Notions but only in the different ways of Expressions and what each part may think will most lively illustrate and make the deepest imprint of the great Scripture-truths upon the Heart I say there can be no difference in the main Truths between Persons sober and Reverent of God and of Christ for who can think the filth of Sin transacted on Christ in such a sense as that Christ should be defiled by it But now there must needs be a Moral Impurity in every Sin as it is a Recess from the Holiness of God from the Righteousness of the Divine Law there is a Dishonour a Blot a Stain and Blemish a Deformity a loss of Beauty and Honour and Happy Conformity to Goodness and Righteousness This is intended by Reatus Culpae another thing from the Reatus Poenae or a meer Obligation to Punishment I demand then What becomes of this Obliquity the Guilt of the very
or Scheme of a Conditionate Election and a Conditionate Covenant of Grace then an Inconditionate Election and a Conditional Covenant of Grace except we make the Series and Frame of the consequent Disposes of Election Conditions God puts upon himself for the making good his first Choice that is he chooses upon Condition he himself will in time give Faith Repentance Holiness which we know were both unreasonably derogatory from the Divine Glory and from that order in which Scripture gives us these Supreme Acts of Grace For Foreknowledge Predestination Election in Christ are the Fountain of Calling Justification Sanctification Glorification Rom. 8. 29. Whereas if Sanctification were the condition of Justification Glorification coming last must be the condition of all the rest As if the Sense were on condition God will Glorifie he will Sanctifie So Justification must be the condition of Calling and Calling of Election But how much more Beautiful and Orderly is the Scripture Chain Making all after Wise disposes flowing from the Independent First And so every where Scripture Discourses he hath chosen us that we should be Holy and without Blame before him in Love Ephes 1. As of God viz. by the Eternal Fountain of Grace and in his Electing Love are we in Christ who is of God 1. Cor. 1. 31. without any condition on our part made Wisdom in Calling Righteousness in Justification Holyness in Sanctification All these are brought into Glory in Redemption that none might Glory in his Presence but he that Glorieth might Glory only in the Lord. For if there were but one Thing suspended upon us as a Condition on our Part even that single thing would turn the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works For it would be Work done by our selves and we might Glory we have done we have will'd we have run we have atchiev'd and attain'd what ever indeed that might be Duly demanded of us and is not required is Grace or whatever is given is Grace But what is required on our own Strength is Work and though it be said God assists by his Grace by his Spirit yet if there be 99 Parts given or assisted and but the 100th Part our Act that 100th Part is Work and all Grace is suspended on that For on the doing or not doing that All hangs And seeing thousands do not that 100th Part if we do it we have reason of Boasting that we were wiser we were better than they For how small how little soever that nice and curious Point be on which all the vast Globes of not only Eternity but Supreme Grace turns and wherein Divine Wisdom and Holyness placed all That is ours and we have done it And though in all else we are beholden to God to Christ to the Divine Spirit yet in that which is the last Hinge we are beholden to our selves Nay if all were first given and but our Perseverance only were the Condition on which all depended the same might be said of Perseverance that it turn'd the Covenant of Grace in that Part into a Covenant of Works And whereas many do not Persevere we have reason to Glory we Persevere and there is some thing we have not received And so the Vertical Point would be our selves and we might Glory in his Presence For that and not Christ would be the Corner Stone and to it we might cry Grace Grace And however there is so much to be ascrib'd to Grace and what would in common Speaking among Men be call'd the making of us and doing all for us Yet it is to be consider'd whether the Glory God will not give to another be not parted with and surrendred by him if the last Decisive Point Rest upon us which makes me Assured it cannot be so And so though I acknowledge with those who most acknowledge it the necessity of Faith Repentance Holyness and of our own Action therein yet in speaking of the Covenant as the Covenant of Grace and being an Ectype or Exemplification of Everlasting Grace I say These nor any Action of the Elect ought to be styled Conditions but Wise and Holy Dispositions of God the Author and Founder and of Christ the Mediator Surety and Testator And which he will most certainly see to that they shall most Infallibly take place in their just Series Succession and Order both of Nature and of Time And why should we be so afraid to speak of the Covenant of Grace as Inconditionate For what is there that we would single out as a condition that is not to be ascrib'd to Gods Immediate Gift Is it Faith Is it the Gift of God Ephes 2. 8. To you Is it given to believe Is it Repentance He hath made Christ a Prince to give it Acts 5. 31. If God peradventure will give Repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. Is it Holyness Christ is made so Sanctification to us that we cannot Boast Is it the Laws of God in our Hearts A new Heart a new Spirit a soft Heart his Fear within us that we may never depart from him One Heart and one Way to fear him forever to know him by his Spirit All these are assurd to be given even as Pardon in Sin and by as free a Gift All by a plain absolute Inconditionate Grant How many and great Scriptures run in this absolute Style and yet how expresly is all this call'd a Covenant Jer. 31. Heb. 8. Jer. 32. Ezek. 11. Chap. 36. But if it be said how then comes it to pass that the whole Strain and Stream of Scripture to which Preaching ought to be conform'd speaks of these Graces and all the Actions agreeable to them as Conditions of the Covenant of Grace There are three grand Accounts to be given of it I. It becomes the Wise and Holy Rector and Governor of the World and of his Rational Human Creation to treat and deal with and give them all Scope Room and Business and Advantage in and for Intellectual Action Men as Rational Creatures know not how to deal with one another or to move themselves but by the Activities of Understanding Conscience Will Affections So that they must lye still and not act at all or be moov'd only as Bruits or Machines or thus There is therefore the continual Rational Breathing and Motion of Doctrine Instruction Promise Threat Reproof Correction and all kind of Motion and Action suitable and agreeable to it All Scripture is therefore prepared and Profitable hereunto Besides the Commands and Precepts of Holyness being so abundant they shew the necessity of a continual Recourse to Christ for Strength Grace and Assistance for Righteousness from him and Pardon through him wherein we fall short Nothing mooves more to run to the Righteousness of Christ than the sight of Imperfect Grace and Action to which we are called if by our selves though under Divine Assistance from Christ II. Now under this Oeconomy and Dispensation of Things the Grace of God according to Election and according to the Mediation
as Assurance Yet these Thunders being scal'd now near again to be unseal'd It flatted again as now we see And this is the Reason the Discourses of Assurance as so essential to Faith are almost as Portentous as the Doctrin of the Kingdom of Christ in such a near appearing Glory and any Aspiring to it as presumptuous Head 10. Prevailing Enmity is no hindrance to our Interest in Christ Conciliation This may be apprehended three ways and be very great truth 1. The Elect Sinner in the midst of the most prevailing Enmity hath such Interest in Christ that his Rescue from Sin Hell and Death is so secur'd and deposited by the Divine Decree for him in Christ that the very height of Enmity shall not disinterest him but Christ will break through that Enmity and seize upon him even when it is most Boiling up and Raging Thus Paul Acts 9. being a chosen Vessel even while he had a Knife in his hand to murther Christ had yet such an Interest in Christ by that Electing Grace that his Conversion Faith Repentance and Apostleship lay treasur'd up in Christ and Christ had such an Interest in him That an Everlasting Arm was about him and he was Appreprehended by Chrst for that very Thing that in Due Time he might by Faith Apprehend Christ. And surely this is an Interest of no mean account 2. At the very height of Enmity the chiefest Sinner hath that Interest in Christ that he may come and apprehend Christ by Faith and receive all the Benefits of Christ and the very first of those Benefits shall be the Healing him of that Enmity He hath a Right to come If it be said Enmity and Coming connot consist it is true But his present Enmity does not disinterest him in a Right to come if he would But it hinders his being willing to come Yet in the moment the Grace of Christ Abounds to the Elect Person at the Appointed Time with Faith and Love which are in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 1. 14. Present Enmity is no more hindrance to an Interest in Christ but that as in Paul it falls flat in what moment that Grace pleases 3. To win upon Sinners to come to Christ it may be said to them while in the Preaching of the Gospel there is a Probing or Endeavouring to Find out the Elect and Bring them to Christ It may be I say said to them Come though you have the highest Enmity That is no hindrance to your Interest in Christ supposed you come For in that very moment you turn to come to Christ your Enmity shall drop off from you It is a Hindrance to the present Application of Interest not to the Interest it self that is secur'd in Electing Grace and the Free Promises of the Gospel intended and design'd for all the Elect. And this the Gospel gives right to the Preachers of it to declare But the doubt whether this or that particular Person belongs to that Election while he is in Enmity and the certainty of Enmity ceasing in the very coming is as a drawn Sword between a claim of Interest in Chrisâ— and perservering Enmity If it be said There must be Humiliation Wearinâ—ss Sight of Sin and Sorrow for it The Methods of Electing Grace that it hath prescribed to it self will take care for all and so that all such Affections and Acts shall be rais'd up excited and carried on in the Sinner himself and even by himself under the Efficacy of that Grace And thus understood as it must be except he that speaks so be a person void of all Holy Sense or so much as Sober and such Dr Crisp was not in the Judgment of Mr. Williams as appears in the last Lines of the Preface They must therefore be understood to be spoken by way of earnest perswasion to come to Christ and to Essay upon Men by proposing the Largest and Freest Terms So the Ministers of Christ as Fishers spread the Net to Catch Men As Scripture says he hath received Gifts for the Rebellious also that the Lord God may dwell among them Psal 68. 18. And as Abraham is said to Believe on Him that Justifies the Vngodly Why may not the most expatiating Expressions be used in so good a Sense and with so good a Design seeing Scripture hath us'd such And why may not as good an Effect be hop'd for from this way of Speaking seeing Scripture hath us'd it as from the severer ways Scripture hath also us'd according to the variety of Gifts and Motions of the same Spirit and both be blessed by God giving effect through Christ Head 11. The Elect are not united to Christ without Faith Upon Believing only we are related to Christ as all the Metaphors of Union import Conciliation The being chosen in Christ before the World began being predestinated to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself cannot be without Union The first Powers of Regeneration Conversion Softness of Heart Contriteness of Spirit Faith Repentance which the Apostle expresses by Wisdom or Calling in Christ Jesus cannot be without Union And yet it is true that setled Union of Communion or Union of Communion cannot be till Christ be received by the Faith of God's Elect nor can the Elect be at all known to themselves from the Non-Elect So that as there is need of all the Forcible and Right Words of Scripture to shew without Faith Repentance Holiness there can be no Union of Communion with Christ or of the Consolation arising from it even according to the Eternal Counsel of Him that worketh all Things after the Counsel of his own Will So on the other side there is Authority and Warrant to Declare that Inseparable Union between the Head of the Adoption and all that are Predestinated to the Adoption of Children in Him that it may be acknowledg'd to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace who hath laid his Foundation so sure And it may be also Declar'd by way of Invitation and Encouragement in coming to Christ that Sinners who look towards him may be begotten an effect wherein they are wholly passive to a living Hope through his Grace who does it of his own Will and yet by the Word of Truth in all parts of it as a subordinate Ministry and that they may be invited to look towards him and that they may be encourag'd to expect Grace from Christ for Union of Communion flowing from the Union of the Predestinated Adoption in Him at the just time appointed by God for it Head That of Justification before Faith hath been already spoken to but I will add something to it on the next Head Head 12. Repentance is necessary to Pardon Conciliation Seeing Justification and Pardon include necessarily the Removals of the Wrath and Displeasure of God in all the dreadful Effects of it and also connote as necessarily the Breaking out of his Favour in the most gracious Effects of it how Faith or Repentance can be perfectly or in full
becomes a Standard by which the full Value of the Satisfaction of Christ by his Sacrifice and Obedience unto Justification and the Infinite Grace of God in Pardon is tryed and made glorious by which the Duties of Humiliation Confession of Sin Application to Christ for Righteousness Repentance should be both understood and urged Here is the Rule for Holiness and new Obedience out of which all the Holy Precepts of the Gospel are drawn Hereby the Remainders of Sin are Discern'd and Humiliation under them wrought Hereby is the Infinite Grace of Christ towards his Legatees his Redeemed set at full Light in working an Inward Conformity to this Holy Law in all parts of it And hereby the Government of God committed to Christ is continued with Relation to all Mankind even to all not given to him For they who have the Gospel Preached to them are judged not only according to the Law of Righteousness first written in the Heart but according to this Divine Revelation and Grace which highly aggravates their Disobedience and makes it more Tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for them Mat. 10. 24. They who have not the Gospel are judged according to that Law and Light of Nature They have concerning the Law and that Witness of an Intention of Grace God gives to them in giving Fruitful Times and Seasons and all the Discoveries of his Patience Leading them to Repentance even as the King of Nineveh who shall rise up in Judgment and condemn Heathens who have not by such a Light from the forbearance of God argued to Repentance as he did And thus are the Secrets of all Hearts judged according to the Apostles Gospel as he said Rom. 2. 16. Some Ombrage of which Heathens have Thus the Law is established and preserved in its full Authority and the Gospel is also establish'd as Divine Revelation and in its High purely promissory Part as a Ministration of the Spirit And if the Designation of the Gospel be particularly singled out for the most powerful Preaching of it by some and yet in the mean time the more large and universal Motion and Doctrin of the Gospel be Preach'd more universally by the most of the Preachers whom the Spirit of God according also to the general Stream of Scripture hath so Missiond Commission'd and Enabled I cannot see but here may be the Sweetest Union and as great a Conspiration as between the Apostle Paul and the Apostle James while one tells us a Man justifyed by Faith without Works and the Last tells us by what of Faith viz not by the Body of Faith or a Confession of Faith but by the Spirit of it the Vis Essectrix or Operatrix the working Efficacy of it which I take on great Reason to be the very true Expedient of Reconciliation between the two Apostles and yet in both by the Righteousness of Christ by Faith alone and that Faith given only by Christ So all is of Grace Ephes 2. For Faith and all its Works flow from the Blood and Righteousness of Christ drawing nigh to his Elect People to Regenerate and to justifie together Titus 3. 5. c. And surely by a close and universal Compare of Scripture The Day of Judgment must be according to this very same Grace For when the Spirits of Saints are immediately with Christ and He receives them who Dye and Sleep in him in a Moment in the Twinkling of an Eye made Perfect and when they are Raised Incorruptible he brings them with him and they together with Christ Judge Angels and the World And it is given to them to Appear in Robes wash'd white in the Blood of the Lamb and to be Cloathed in Linnen white and clean which is the Righteousness of the Saints and he presents them to himself without Spot Wrinckle or any such Thing It cannot be understood that the Day of Judgment in relation to the Saints is by way of Tryal of Judgment on particular Actions But their very Appearance is their Absolution and Adjudgment to Glory as Clad in the rich Robes Wash'd in the Blood of the Lamb All their Graces and Holy Duties fill'd up and their Sins perfectly blotted out and remainders of Corruption effaced by Grace perfected in Glory On the other side The wicked have Appearances in their Sins having found them out covering them as a Garment of Dishonour and as filthy Garments that expose them immediately to Condemnation And as if their particular Sins were written upon them and the Condemnation together with them And thus each appear visibly before the Throne Tribunal and Judgment Seat of Christ during the whole Thousand Years of his Kingdom One Crowned with Glory and Honour the other cover'd with Shame and Contempt If any should object Christs insisting on the particular Duty of Visiting Cloathing Feeding Mat. 25. either as perform'd or neglected It is to be observ'd each sort first were set one on the Right Hand the other on the Left one as Sheep the other as Goats So the Tryal was easie If it be further said God will bring every Work into Judgment whether it be Good or Evil. This I attribute to the mighty Power and Wisdom of God giving together with every Person before his Judgment all the Holy Actions of Saints wash'd and perfected in and by the Blood of Jesus and fill'd up with his Grace and by the Spirit as in a Moment an Atom of Time the Twinkling of an Eye and their Sins so taken away as not only not to be found but not to be Whereas the Talents of wicked Men that is any good Things they had here not being purged by his Blood perfected by his Obedience and fill'd up by his Spirit are taken from them and they appear All in their Sins And thus the Order of Things at that Day is according to the free Grace of Election Calling Justification and Sanctification covered under Justification in that Chain of Salvation Rom. 8. and Glorification springing from all Head 15. Holiness and good Works are necessary to Salvation Conciliatiion Good Works are so as they are the Provision and Preparation of God even of his Eternal free Grace in furnishing us with them and as we are his Workmanship in Christ Jesus Created to them But the Number Measure Elevation of them in higher or lower Degrees of Excellency so diverse in Saints shew the Foundation of our Salvation as well as Justification rests elsewhere Head 16. Good Works are profitable and please God Conciliation They do so as they are the Fruits of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Disposalls of his free Grace in us and to us and so by us And as God is pleas'd to shew himself as the Supreme Rector and Governor according to his Holy Law but yet so that the Poles on which Salvation moves are the Grace of God in our Election and his Acceptation of us to Righteousness in Christ and if he leave any of his Servants in their Service and