corrupted that without it we could not have been saved or brought to communiō w th God again by that his other conceptiō alone in the womb of the Virgin Mary as neither could infants be saved without his other presence spoken of before Thus is Christ both the resurrection and the life Joh. 11.25 viz. a life preservation to the innocent a resurrection to the dead who beleev on him obey him In your 3 Section you are first much mistaken and afterwards no less defective Mistaken in these things 1. That you say That the Lord Jesus in his human nature was sanctified above measure For though it is said of him Joh. 3.34 that he receiveth not the spirit by measure yet that is spoken of the God-head which alone is infinite As for his humanity it being a creature must needs be finite though spiritually enriched above any other creature 2. Whereas you say or imply That in his humanity likewise all treasures of wisdom are hidden it is a mistake likewise For that place Col. 2.3 to which you refer us speaks of the Diety likewise The same we say concerning Colos 1.19 where it is written that it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell by you appropriated but amiss to his human nature 2. Though it must be granted also to be true which the Aposte speakes Heb. 7 26. that he is holy hormless undefiled and separate from sinners and made higher then the Heavens yet the last words transfer this honor to the Deity especially and not to the humanity alone as you would restrain them And thus he is throughly furnished to do the great office of a Mediator which Office as you truely say Christ did not take upon himself of his own head but was there unto called of his Father who hath put all power judgement into his hand Thus of your mistakes deficient you are in setting forth what and wherein the Mediatorship of Christ doth mainly consist especially in his works of spiritual Mediation Intercession and Redemption In your 4. Section you have in part set forth Christs twofold state in the humanity the one of humiliation the other of exaltation but if you will confider what you have here omitted you will have more cause to be humbled then exalted For 1. You make no mention at all of that great work of his wherein Gods justice and severity against sin is so conspicuous and the love of Christ towards mankind is so illustrious to wit Christs descending into Hel his suffering there for us the torments due to the sins of the whole world Which grand article of the Faith though retain'd in the most ancient Creeds confessed in the most Orthodox Councels is by you suppressed to the eternal blemish of this your confession But Consider we pray you was not Jonah three daies afflicted or tormented by the sense of Gods wrath upon him in the belly of Leviathan as a type of our Saviours future sufferings See Jonah 2.2 Out of the belly of Hell have I cried unto thee compared with Mat. 12.40 For as Jonah was 3 daies and 3 nights in the Whales belly so shall the Son of man be 3 daies and 3 nights in the heart of the earth Doth not the Apostle also expresly say Ephes 4 9. Now that be ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth Where take notice of two things First Of the comparative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lower which is according to an usual Hellenism in the New Testament put for the superlative the lowest as utter darkness is put for the utmost darkness And Secondly That the heart of the earth afore-named Matth. 12. and the lower parts of the earth here mentioned cannot possibly be understood of Christs Sepulther which was upon the superficies of the earth Thirdly Doth not Christ comfort himself with this that though he knew he should go into hell yet he fore-saw that God would not leave his soul there alwayes Psal 16.10 for thou wit not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffe◠thine holy one to see corruption Doth not St. Peter seconded with the other Apostles and all filled with the holy Ghost in the day of Pentecost expresly affirm Acts 2.24 the God raised up Christ from the dead loosing the paines of death c Now Christs body while it remained in the grave was not in any pain therefore it was his soul that at the hour of his resurrection was loosed from those paines and torments But here two things seem to puzle you First That saying of Christs upon the Cross not long before his expirement John 19.30 crying it is finished Secondly That he sayeth to the penitent theef this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 To which we answer severally as followeth To the first We object a like place John 17.4 where our Saviour saith unto his Father some space before his death I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do that is I have almost finished it And how much more then might Christ so say when he had suffered so much more in the garden before his Judges and upon the cross If you reply That in the former place he speaks of his ministery we will rejoyn that he speaks here of the sacrifice and offering up of his corporal life both to fulfil the types of the Old Testament and to set us an example of dying with him To the second we answer with Gillebert in Bernard That as man consists of three distinct parts body soul spirit 1 Thes 5.23 seconded with Hebr. 4.12 So did Christs humanity also consist of the same parts Psal 16 9 10. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption Where the heart is the soul and the flesh the body so the glory was his spirit which Jacob also calls his honour Gen 49.6 O my soul come not thou into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united Which two are dissevered again by a gradation Isa 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early The which distinction of parts being most clear we say then that the spirit of Christ at his death immediately ascended to God according to those words Luke 23.43 aforesaid This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise his body also was laid in the grave yet saw no corruption but his soul went to hell there to suffer for us the condign punishment of our sins in the proper place of punishment Oh justice upon the surety to be trembled at for ever O love in Christ never to be forgotten Secondly You are deficient in setting forth the inward and spiritual crucifying death and burial of Christ within us ever since our fall
Inâ—rdinate affection evil concupiscence and coveâ—ousness c. This is that Earth which is opposed to be the Heaven of Gods holiness Eccles 5.2 For God is in Heaven and thou upon the Earth For the Lord is present in this outward Earth aswel as we in this Earth all men sin but there are some places in the new Testament also which you oppose us with as first that Luke 17.10 So likewise you when ye have done all these things say ye are â—â—p ofitable servents But this place if well considered makes more against you then for you for our Saviour there implyes that we may do all things which are commanded to wit through his grace yet having so done we are unprofitable servants to God for we have done but our duties and that through grace also and so have added nothing to the Lord. But a second and a grand objection is made out of Rom. 7.14 15 16 17 18 19. c. For the Law saith the Apostle is spiritual But I am carnal sold under sin Answer Although this place is commonly taken as if the Apostle spoke here of his own personal and present estate yet it is certain he did not first because elsewhere speaking of that estate he contradicts what is here spoken by him as 1 Cor. 4.4 For I know nothing by my self but here the person spoken of knowes much evil by himself and Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me but he that is here intended though to will is present with him yet findes no means or power to do any good yea that which the Apostle speaks of his present estate chap. 8. of this Epistle to the Romans verse 2. is directly opposite to what is complained of verse 23 of this 7 chapter for in that 23. verse the complaint speaketh thus But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into coptivity to the law of sin which is in my members Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death But Rom. 8.2 Paul saith For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death what can be more contradictory then this last place is to the former So that of necessity the fist place must be understood of babes in Christ whom Paul here personates instructs and comforts and the latter of his own present condition and victorie as Occumenius and others well observe and what was more usual with the Apostle then to speak of that which concerns others in his own person 1 Cor. 4.6 And these things brethren I have in a figure transferred to my self and Apollos for your sake 1 Cor. 13.11 c. When I was a child I spake as a child c. Thirdly You alledge against us and this truth the words which the Apostle speaks to the Galatians chap. 5. verse 17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contraeâ—y the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Here say you the Apostle describes that combat betwixt the flesh and the spirit which must continue while we endure in the body Answer But where do you read that this conflict must last so long The Apostle saith a good space before his death 2 Tim. 47. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Were not the Galatians Babes in Christ so young and weak that the Apostle had no sooner left them then they were ready to be drawn away from Christ by the false Apostles See Gal. 1.6 with 3.1 2. Now to make their estate the highest pitch growth of a Christian in this life is as if we should take the scantling of a child and conclude that it is the full stature of mankinde and that no man is or can be of a taller groth Fourthly You object what St. James writes chap. 3.2 For in many things we offend all where you imvolue him and his fellow Apostles in that plural number To which we answer That the Apostle can no more be there implyed then in the 9 verse where he saith again and that plurally With the same tongue we bless God even the Father and with the same tongue we curse men which are made after the similitude of God Was James or the Apostles now of the number of those that still cursed men But it is frequent for lenity sake and in a winning way for the Prophets and Apostles of Christ to speak in the plural and sometimes in the singular number those things which concern not themselves but their hearers onely Nebem 5.10 I pray you let us leave of this usury saith the man of God who was no wayes guilty of that sin Isa 59.10 the Prophet speaketh this We groap for the wall like the blind and we groap as if we had no eyes Lastly It is objected out of 1 John 1.8 That the Apostle saith directly If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us Answer The same Apostle implyes ch 4 17. that he and his fellow Apostles were now without sin Herein is our love made perfect that we might have boldness in the day of Judgement because as he is so are we in this present world There is no fear in love but persect love casteth out fear The Apostle therefore speaks the former words to those that were young in Christ and yet imperfect as is evident chap. 2. verse 1. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not c. Yea he explains himself so Chap. 1. verse 10. that he may be safely taken into the number If we that say we have not finned we make him a lyar and his word is not in us And thus much of your first erroneous proposition in your 5th and last Section Your other Thesis wherein you affirm That though this corruption remains in the regenerate during life yet it is actually pardoned is false also and contradictory to these ensuing and many other Scriptures Prov. 28 13. Luke 24.47 Acts 8.20 Acts 26.18 or as we shall shall shew at large chap. 11. by Gods assistance Now for a conclusion of this last Section give us leave to propound these Queries unto you First whether those ten unbeleeving spies did not highly displease God and much hinder injure and prejudice the people which hearkened unto them who cryed that there were such Anakiâ— in the way that they could not be subdued by them and Cities so high that they were walled up to Heaven and therefore not 〈◊〉 be scaled Numb 14. Did not the people too slothful and averse before to fight the Lords battail against the Canaanites become therethrough wholy unbeleeving even despairing of victory and altogether indisposed to the fight enjoyned by the Lord Were not both they and those their leaders
to be found as follows in the next verse And they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and shall not finde it In that day shall the young men and the fair Virgins faint for thirst but the written word with the comments and expositions of men thereupon never was any hard thing to come by it was then true in the former sense onely which is written 1 Sam. 3.1 And the word of the Lord was precious in those daies there was no open vision And as the word of God thus spoken is compared to bread in the Old Testament Jer. 3.15 so is it likewise in the New Matth. 4.4 But he answered it is written that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God As man then hath a twofold life so he must live by a twofold bread Thus for the mystical flesh of Christ his Blood here is that which came from Heaven as well as his Flesh John 6.58 and which is Spirit and Life for the nourishing and quickning of our Souls and this is no other but the life and power and spirit of Christ whereby our corruptions are put away and removed signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our spiritual enemies overcome Rev. 12.11 of which you heard before out of Heb. 9 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God out of Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite to the Spirit of Grace out of Heb. 13.20 21. Now the very God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will For what is it we pray you but this life or spirit of Christ that purgeth our soul or conscience from dead works to serve the living God or that sanctifieth us or makes us perfect in every good work This is the first blood of the New Testament as we have proved before It was by this blood that the beleeving Jews to whom St. Peter wrote were redeemed or delivered from their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 19. It was with this blood that the Saints had washed their robes and made them white Rev. 7.14 to which places we added 1 John 5.8 which makes the water the blood and the spirit to agree in one These are the flesh and blood of Christ held forth in this Sacrament as things spoken of before John 6. This flesh or word of Christ had been often broken by him and given to his Disciples to eat this blood of Christ had been given them to take in and drink John 14.17 Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you 1 Cor 12.13 And ye have been all made to drink into one Spirit where the Mystery of the wine administred and blood spoken of in that Sacrament is expounded as it is also by our Saviour at the time of institution in these words of his Matth. 26.28 29. But I say unto you I will not henceforth drink of the fruit of the Vine until that day that I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom Where for the better discovery of your own former mistakes you may observe two things in the foregoing words of the institution First That Christ speaks not of a body in the future tense that should be broken for them but one that was then broken for them Secondly That in the present tense likewise he speaks of a blood then poured out as his spirit had been in some measure upon them and not of a blood to be wholy shed or poured out for the future onely This flesh and blood of Christ is a good Mediatour betwixt us and God to pull down the partition wall of sin and slay the enmity betwixt us and him and the special means of our conquest as we shall shew by and by Yet far be it from us as we said before That we should deny the use and benefit of Christs Humane flesh and blood who was made of the seed of David according to the promises and suffered for us according to the Scriptures and therein did not onely set us an example and monument of what he had inwardly suffered for us and in us but also chalked out the true way to eternal life yea paid an invalluable price for our Redemption from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Heb. 9.27 28. Yea we shewed before that if the fallen man were made perfect again in the way of regeneration yet without the sacrifice and satisfaction of Christ he could not be saved from the guilt and punishment of his sins See Heb. 10.14 For by one offering hath he perfected for ever them that are sanctified But this is the thing which we here assert that the flesh of Christ which he commands us to eat and the blood which he enjoyns us to drink in this Sacrament are not those of his humanity as you and your guides have hitherto taught but that very flesh and blood which came from Heaven by our Saviours own doctrin John 6. aforesaid confirmed with many other Scriptures nor is it the custome of the Lord to figure out corporal things but spiritual by outward and corporal Elements and Types And as you with your Teachers have not had any true fight of those blessed Mysteries so have you not understood the Mystery of the Cup or Chalice out of which the Spirit and life of Christ or the blood of the new Testament is to be received and drunk which Cup is first the suffering or Passion of Christ as we see in that his prayer Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me and then our like suffering for him and with him both in the outward man and in the inward man also and that especially in the resistance of temptation and the enduring of the enemies assault and vexation Matthew 20.22 23. Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism wherewith I shall be baptized Now to take a short survey of your several Sections In the first of them you mistake the ends for which the Sacrament was instituted which was not to nourish or strengthen our souls with his humane flesh and blood or to make the same the band or pledge of our communion with him and each other nor to seal up the benefits of his Sacrifice upon the Cross but to hold out in a mystery and exhibite
the representing of your errours in worse part then it is meant your better information and the saving of your souls and others Finally Since you have set so good bounds between the Civil Magistrate and your selves in your last Section we will not remove the Landmark CHAP. XXXII Of the state of men after death and of the resurrection of the dead THE bodies of men after death return to dust and see corruption a Gâ—n 3 19 Act 13.36 but their soul which neither die nor sleep having an immortal subsistance immediately return to God who gave them b Lu 23.43 Eccl 12.1 the souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into the highest Heavens where they behold the face of God in light and glory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies c Heb 12.13 2 Cor 5.16.8 Phil. 1 23â— Acts 3.20 Eph 4.10 And the souls of the wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in torments and utter darkness reserved to the judgement of the great day d Luke 16.23 24. Acts 1.25 Jude 1.6 7 1 Pet 3.19 Besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies the Scriptures acknowledg none II. At the last day such as are found alive shall not die but be changed e 1 Thes 4.15 1 Cor 15.5 2. and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-same bodies and none other although with different qualities which shall be united again to their souls for ever f Job 19.26 27. 1 Cor 15.42 43 44. III. The bodies of the unjust shall by the power of Christ be raised to dishonour the bodies of the just by his Spirit unto honour and be made conformable to his own glorious body g Acts 24.13 John 5.28.29 1 Cor 15.43 Phil 3.21 CHAP. XXXII Of the state of men after death and of the resurrection of the dead Examined HERE we could revive a manifold resurrection by you buried in silence one of internal both righteousness and unrighteousness discovered and raised up at our first humiliation by the spirit of God and the work of his Law Rom. 7.7 8 9. Another of men raised up by a work of regeneration some to honour as those that persevere and others to dishonour as those that fall away again Dan. 12.2 Thirdly A spiritual resurrection with Christ after we have been dead with him to sin Rev. 20 6. And lastly the raising up the souls again at our dissolution that it may go to judgement which is called a resurrection Catechristically but because you are now drawing towards a conclusion we shall have the less cause to contest or debate with you These violent motions should grow more remisse and gentle towards the latter end Your first Section comprehends many Propositions which we dare not deny nor shall we much alter them That the bodies of men after death return to dust That then they see corruption That the Soul whether a distinct part from the spirit or no hath an immortal subsistence That the soul sleeps not though many of them be at rest That the spirit returns to God that gave it Ecclesiastes 12 7. That the souls go to God immediately to receive their doom That the souls of the righteous after death are made perfect in happiness not without some access of holiness That those so made perfect are received into the Highest Heaven or into Paradice That those which are so received behold the face of God in life and glory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies That the Souls of the wicked are cast into Hell where they remain in torments and utter darkness reserved to the judgement of the great day yet we could tell you of some no contemptible Authors and those no Papists who maintain a twofold delivery out of Hell the one made by Christ of the men of the old world at the time of his resurrection for which they alledge Zech. 9.11 and 1 Pet. 3.19 20. and 1 Pet. 4.6 The other to be made at the end of the Chiliasts term of their thousand years Rev. 20.5 But the rest of the dead lived not till the thousand years were ended That besides these two places of the souls separatd from the bodies the Scripture for ought we yet finde makes no cleer mention of any other yet are we not altogether ignorant of what some have written concerning Limbo nor that some which favour not the Church of Rome as Jacob Behman for one do assigne a third place namely the Region of the Land of Canaan to be an Elysian field for the souls of departed Saints because the Lord sware to give the Land to Abraham and his seed for ever But whether the souls of the just shall dye imperfect and have their perfection adjourned to another world as you mean is a quere of some importance and to hold that it must be so positively may prove a dangerous errour For our parts we acknowledge that the Saints in Heaven do obtain no small access and increase as of light and wisdom so of power love holiness peace and joy also for the Apostle saith Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ but to die is gain To which that seems to agree which the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5.1 2. For we know that if our earthly Tabernacle of this house were dissolved we have a building given us of God not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens But that the body of sin may and should be destroyed the workmanship of Satan abolished the righteousness of the law fulfilled and the Jerusalem that comes down from Heaven be fully sought and attained by us through the grace of Christ even in this life we have sufficiently proved before It remains then that we all take heed to the Apostles charge 2 Cor. 7 1.2 Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit perfecting our holiness in the fear of God yea let all those that would be counted faithful Ministers in Christ Jesus labour with St. Paul Colos 1.28 to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus As to your 2d Section although the Apostle in that great larger chapter of the resurrection 1 Co. 15. seems to speak onely of the resurrection of the just yet we must grant that all the dead shall be raised according to other Scriptures and namely that of John 5.28 29. Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of condemnation But for a conclusion of this chapter may not some be mistaken in thinking the first resurrection which comes not to any till they be first dead with Christ Rom. 6 5. is past already see 2 Tim. 2.18 yea to make our future happiness sure what had been more needful here
cogit triplices ad praelia sectas Hásque omnes temerat caede livore dolis Effugient pauci Lotus ut de triplice sectâ Uvas qui Sodomae non comedêre suae E Babylone fugam propera properante ruinâ Ne te corripiant dira flagella Dei. Mitte fidem citus hanc nobis tot monstra creantem Quot nescit monstri Nilus ipse ferax Ad pulsus cytharae vestrae saltabimus omnes An fidibus vestris admodulanda fides Sis Gomarhaee puer pueris coeleste paratur Regnum stultescas si sapuisse velis Cum Christo moriare prius vivatur ut illi Quà m nos de Christo tale quid edoceas Scire tuum nihil est vetitae nocet arboris esus Obsequium ad vitam jam patefecit iter Vera fides coelis ignem deducit Amoris Igneus hic currus tollit ad astra virum Quicquid lex mandat quicquid sacra foedera spondent Et Legem Vates unus adimplet Amor. Arbor quid vitalis Amor. Paradisus Amores Fons Edenis Amor. Vita perennis Amor. Quid Deus ipsus Amor fine Marte cupidinis expers Cui Veneres virtus fas pietásque faces THE Lamentation over the Synod of DORT OR The verses of an out-landish but a learned and peaceable man since deceased unto and upon that Synod sitting in the fatal yeer presently after the great blazing Star that messenger of Gods wrath and the foreteller of the worlds ensuing calamities appeared Anno Dom. 1618. now turned into English WHen in the Netherlands the learned crew Of James Arminius first 'gan to brew Or broach their sober Tenets to the Dutch Prejudice-drunk uncapable of such The Gomarist the fatal Comets brother A Synod called at Dort which was no mother And being set upon the judgement throne Convents th' Arminians yet leave out one But Dordrect might have learnt of Amsterdame No man that lives well for his faith to blame Yet in that Synod rests a knot untide Who shall Umpire be 'twixt side and side Sayest thou the Scripture That each side doth wrest They make their own sence not the Text the Test A rule is one thing in a lightful place A Judge another in a doubtful case Shal then the Church be judge which of the twain The Roman Synagogue or Lutheran Neither say you the former are my foes The later with Arminius doth close Will yee the Dominick shall moderate No they in some thing suit the knaves I hate Then chuse the Anabaptists at a pinch No I fear drowning if they me should drench Wilt thou be judge thy self That likes me well What foe judge foe So heaven may yield to hell Then let Arminius have leave to cite The Gomarists and boldly them indite If Gomarists shall any Vorsty yield Let that learned combatant be barr'd the field And let new Spanish inquisitions With interrogatories vex those sons Be sure with heresie thy charge be strong With schisme them burden be it right or wrong Damn them to hell as reprobates alive The Authors of their damning Art deprive What shall for truth for falshood pass decree The Law is in thine hand be bold and free Thine Articles of faith bring into light Though they be errors darker then the night Awake the civil sword the soldier call To helpe the cause of Christ material Now Gomarist doth all this seem accurst Why didst thou then this way pursue at first Cymerian darkness droppeth from thy quil The ship of truth doth touch the Armenian hil Who to these haltings twain shall be umpire Unless some new Elias bring down fire Dost thou reply that prophets now are gone Then in the list of prophets thou art none Prophesie faith and knowledge cease But when When peece-works have an end with perfect men A prophet wants not honor save at home I le prophecy of some but be no Mome One by Loves spiri't doth evangelize Of love and peace against wickedness and vice Another in his eight books doth impart Th' Heavenly treasures hidden in mans heart A third to Ninivitish penitence Like a new Jonas doth us all incense A Belgick prophetess I here could spring Sions laments who dolefully doth sing Pretor's Elias and Schnaubar Divine Europes post writer make up a new trine What need I pantel Trapim Faire recite Or Behman who did like a prophet write Arnd and thy lesser prophets I forget Oh what a harvest here of prophets met Was not the Comet late a prophet true Of errors schismes and wars which all must rue Armin's when he had write Elias found With him the fire of love which to the ground Consumes the altar with the sacrifice Oh that thou Gomarist mighst find the prize Who had he lived would an Elisha prove But death untimely did the man remove When he that did these Articles discry Of the disease articular doth ly What faith is this which soyles the Deity With little-less then tacit blasphemy Decrees Laconick which were writ in blood Saturne his sons devouring far from good Yet far more cruel things to God the Fount And Ocean of goodness thou dost count Who mak'st him damne from all eternity Most men then guiltless with unmov'd decree Which Soveraign justice to him such ascribes As him from favor frees not though from bribes Whilst men of equal merits it will have Some to destroy at pleasure some to save Which to the herds of Epicure sets ope a gate By Stoical necessity and fate If all things hurryed be by fatal stream Drink Dutch man cover of no vertue dream Which for the fathers fault condemn's the seed This God abjures and this his lawes forbid Go burn thy guiltless infants Gomarist That thou with th' name of justice may'st be blest Which the most simple Deity doth fill Here with a double but contrary will Who by his secret will would few men save By his revealed none would damned have Doth not this faith make him an hypocrite And worse then Satan see the foul despight For by the Laws of contraries the Devil Hath a will secret good but th' open evil Which of Divine Elections makes no choice Though one a calling is from sin and vice Another crowneth after tryal late A third from ages all conditionate Which saith that Esau yet unborn was hated Ere he or good or ill had perpetrated But why should God himself so oft perplex Creating things so hated self to vex God of two seeds did to Rebecca say The younger people shall the elder sway It is the house of Edom desperate Whom Malachy doth shew this God to hate Which general for sorts Christs ransome makes But individuals must claim no stakes Is not Christs Godhead then a boundless spirit Infinite in mercy as well as merit Which makes God now create all men impure Can he produce uncleanness most past cure Which maketh God use force and violence When his converting work he doth commence Hence slothful souls till they drop into hel Expect a time when God
2.3 4 5 6. 2 Pet. 3.9 Secondly you are here deficient in setting forth Gods stipulation in this Covenant for you say That God requires faith in Christ that men may be saved but the Lord insists not onely upon faith but upon obedience also to all his commands yea obedience unto the death to wit the death of sin Mark 16.16 Act. 2.38 39. Act. 3.19 Heb. 5.9 Rom. 6.8 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Rom 2.7 8.13 Matth. 24.13 Revel 27.11 17 26. Revel 12.5 Thus of your defects here but whereas you say in the close of that Section That God promiseth to give unto all those that are ordained unto life his holy Spirit to make them willing and able to believe it is not true we would gladly have you produce anyone such promise yet dowe grant that the Lord is pleased to enlighten and teach all sinners that are out of the way and capable of instruction in the way to life again so that they may believe repent and turn if they will Psal 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way The text to which you refer us Ezek. 36.25 26. is a promise made to the house of Jacob in the latter dayes and that of such a clensing from sin as you will not believe or admit but not of faith though the work of regeneration there promised implyeth a precedent faith and therein both illumination on Gods part and assent or credence to the truth revealed on ours In the fourth Section you say That this Covenant of grace is frequently set forth in Scripture by the name of a Testament and so is the Covenant upon Mount Sinai likewise Gal. 4.24 for those saith the Apostle are the two Testaments But secondly whereas you add That this name is given to that Covenant onely in reference to the death of Christ the Testator and to the everlasting inheritance with all things belonging unto it therein bequeathed You herein fall short again for the believer who is the other party to the Covenant must in following of Christ dye with him and there must follow the death of this Testator likewise Rom. 6.8 For if we be dead with him we believe that we shall live with him Rom. 8.13 For if we live after the flesh we shall dye but if we mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit we shall live So 2 Tim. 2.11 12. In your fifth Section you are defective likewise in two things and mistaken in a third For first whereas you say That this Covenant was differently administred in the time of the Law and of the Gospel your saying is true but much too short to express the various administrations of the Covenant for it was administred after one manner before the Law after another under the Law after a third under the prophets and all this before the time of the Gospel before the Law as it was at the first made with Adam and renewed with Noah but more solemnly reinstituted with Abraham for the blessing of all Nations and generations of mankinde so all this time it was administred without outward ceremonies and services more then commemorative sacrifices of Christs inward sufferings That Lambe slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 which yet were intentive likewise to a dying with Christ unto all sin and wickedness but under the Law as you truly speak it was administered by promises prophecies the Paschal Lamb and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of Israel in general and not to the Jews alone as you set forth And it was partly set forth as a Covenant of works if not to mind us of original innocencie yet to be our Schoolemaster to Christ shewing us our inability in our selves to keep the law with our sins and miseries and what manifold need we had of Christ Gal. 3.24 and partly as a Covenant of grace also finally under the prophets it was dispensed principally by promises and predictions Isa 9.6 Isa 11.1 2. Jerem. 31.34 35 36. Jerem. 32.38.39 Ezek. 11.18 19 36 25 26 c. But as you were defective in saying That those types sacrifices and services under the Law did onely figure out Christ to come whereas they did teach the Israelites the whole way to life also in following of Christ so you are in saying that the Covenant of grace in regard of the former dispensations is called the old Testament as you do also in saying That in the Gospel it being under other dispensations is called the new Testament in the sixth Section For according to the Scripture and the minde of God the Old and New Testament are thus to be distinguished The whole word of grace whether administred by Prophets or Apostles is the Old Testament that is a foregoing Testament administred by true Elders but the work of grace in purging out sin renewing us in righteousness writing the Law of God in our hearts and sealing the everlasting forgiveness of sins unto us is the new Testament So that the Old Testament is the Covenant which we should observe and keep or endeavor so to do but the new Testament is the work of grace which God hath promised in and through Christ Thus Christ is called the mediator of the new Testament Heb. 9.15 and his spirit blood the blood of the new Testament Mat. 26.28 Yet we do not deny but that both the Prophets and Apostles were able Ministers of the new Testament as true publishers of this promised grace and not of the letter onely as were the Scribes and Pharisees 2 Corin. 3.6 Not that the writings of Moses and the Prophets comparatively to the writings of the Apostles are or should be called the old Testament as they seem to be termed 2 Cor 3.12 for this we say that the writings of the Apostles may be so called likewise and are no other in relation to the promised work of cleansing and renewing grace which God alone both can and must effect Howbeit we do not condemn the common distinction and distribution of the books written before and since Christs incarnation by the penmen of the Holy Ghost into those of the old Testament or instrument and the other of the new because they set forth the new Testament more plainly In you sixth and last Section besides the mistake before touched we crave leave to rectifie you in these ensuing things First whereas you say That now in the new Testament Christ the substance is exhibited If you conceive that the incarnation of Christ is the substance of all that was foreshewed required or promised in the times of the Law and the Prophets it is a great mistake for not onely his sufferings and resurrection but our conformity in following him with the whole process and work of salvation was thereby set out manifoldly and clearly under the Administrations of those times Secondly whereas you say That now under the Gospel the ordinances under which the Covenant of Grace is or ought to be
perverseness he saith But none that is very few of the stubborne ones saith where is God my maker who giveth songs in the night Who teacheth us all mankinde more then the beasts of the earth and maketh us Wiser then the foul of Heaven How can the wicked say to the almighty Job 21.11.22 17. depart frou us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes if he were not present with them at times teaching rebuking drawing and calling them that he might turn them to him yea with their wills from their wiked and destructive wayes doth not wisdom utter her voice to all the fallen race of mankinde Prov 8.4 5. Unto you O men I call and my voice is to the sons of men O ye simple understand wisdom and ye fools be ye of an understanding heart yea is not her invitation as universal and particular also Prov. 9.4 11. as the call and seductive allurements of folly is verse 16. for each of them useth the self-same words Whoso is simple let him turn in hither c. yea what is the true cause that wisdome saith Prov. 1.28 29. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not finde me But this which followeth there verse 29 30 31. For that they bated knowledge and did not chuse the fear of the Lord They would none of my counsel they despised all my repreof Thus of our first assertion come we now to the second That some of those which stand out are more earnestly and industriously called by the Lord then many true converts which continue stedfast with the Lord for which purpose take these places First Gods gracious and effectual dealing with Cain when his wrath and envy was kindled against his brother What could the Lord without offering violence to his will do more to him then he did saying Gen. 4.6.7 Why art thou wrath And why is thy countenance fallen If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou dost not well sin lieth at the door And then it follows as one both judicious and skilful in the original hath it Idque a te pendebit tuque ei imperabis And in thee shall be the will or desire of it and thou shalt have dominion over it viz. if thou wilt seek that grace Did not the Lord also complain that he had striven with the men of the old world till he was weary again Gen. 6.3 And the Lord said my spirit shall not alwayes strive with man for that be also is flesh yea were not their spirits or human souls cast into the prison of Hell for their disobedience and refractoriness 1 Pet. 3.19 20 doth not the Lord say also Isa 5.4 What could have been done more to my vineyard which I have not done unto it Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes you will say Is not God almighty Could he not have compelled them Answer Yes but he will not violate the order which he hath set in our creation he will not force the will but deals with man as a free agent by commands promises threatnings rebukes chastisements allurements and rewards So true is that of the Father Nemo invitus fit bonus To conclude this point what can be more express then those three ensuing texts among many others Ezek. 3.6 7. Thou are not sent to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language whose words thou canst not understand Surely had I sent thee to them they would have hearkened unto thee but the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee c. Matth. 11.21 Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in thee had been done in Tyre ond Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes Of which text we spake before upon the last occasion Finally That of Matth. 12.21 brings full conviction with it The men of Niuive shall rise in judgement with this generation and condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah and behold a greater then Jonah is here If you demand here what 's the cause that these obstinate men do not answer Gods call and return We answer It is not want of illumination and instruction as we have shewed nor want of reproof as we have proved but this let lies in mens abuse of their free-will as we heard before Prov. â— 29 30. Not that mens wils are inflexible when God first cals them as we have evicted at large in the foregoing chapter but some men are self wise and self-righteous already through the illusion of Satan and think that they need no repentance or conversion to any better thing aâ— the Scribes and Pharisees were in the daies of our Saviour who taught them with power and authority Matth 7.29 and whose doctrine was confirmed sufficiently by miracles also And others which know and acknowledge that they are evil doers yet do defer their return till it be too late as Prov. 1.28 29. Psal 32.6 aforesaid Hence it is that they shall be filled with weeping and mourning for the opportunity which they have lost as the other shall be with envy and gnashing of teeth the concomitant of pride and self-wisdom Matth. 8.12 Luke 13.25 26 27 28. And these are Satans two wayes of destroying men he either casts them into the sin of contention wrath and envy through the riches of their self knowledge self-holiness and self zeal or into the stolen and pleasant waters of voluptuousness or worldly cares therein detaining them till they be drowned in sensuality see Mark 9.22 But now to return to our first task back again The third falshood which you affirm in you first Section is That God calleth all his predestinate only by his Word and Spirit where we must grant you that his Spirit is alwayes the cheif actor and that oft times God is pleased to use his word whether written or spoken as an instrument in that work but not alwayes as yourselves after confess Section the third Besides the Lord hath many other instruments and means to call and convert men besides his word as Elihu shews at large Joh. 33.14 29. of which also we speak before Yet are none more general or more effectual then Gods chastisments both inward and outward Psal 94.10 He that chashseth the Heathen shall not he correct Psal 119 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word For whomsoever God loveth as he loveth all mankinde he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom be receiveth Heb. 12.6 7 8 9 10. see Job 5.17 Behold happy is the man whom God correcteth therefore despise not thou the chasining of the Almighty Pro. 3.11.12 Psal 94.12 13. Isa 27.7 8 9. Isa 9.13 Isa 28.23 24 25 c. 38.16 By this was Pharaoh wrought to obey the will of God for the present though he afterwards rebelled and perished If this will not
wayes assailed and weakned but gets the victory l Luk 22.33 Ephes 6.16 1 John 5.4 5. growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ m Heb 6.11 12. Heb 10.12 Col 2 â— who is both the Author and Finisher of our Faith n Heb. 12.2 CHAP. XIV Of Saving Faith Examined AS Your selves elsewhere condemn an implicite faith of which notwithstanding you are not altogether guiltless in letting your authors so often impose upon you as they do so we hope you will leave our faith free to dissent from you where truth is not on your side in this and other chapters Here some men perhaps would quarrel with you for not setting forth the kinds of faith but since it was your scope and purpose to speak here of saving faith onely which is a living faith or hope 1 Pet. 1.3 We will not much blame you for making no mention of that dead faith spoken of by St. James chapter 2.20 The like we say of omitting the mention of a false and feigned faith seeing that whereby me must be saved is called faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1 5. The ordinary distribution of faith into those of historical temporary miraculous and saving might here by you with the lesse detriment be passed over in silence because as historical faith is an ingredient into true faith so the temporary differs nothing or very little from it but in point of perseverance and though outward miracles with the primitive power of godlinesse for the greatest part seem long fince to have grown rare yet the true saving faith in Jesus Christ hath alwayes according to its strength and growth been a worker of inward and spiritual miracles and that upon sure grounded promises John 14.12 Verily verily I say unto you he that beleeveth in me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works then these shall he do because I go unto the Father And those words of our Saviour Marke 16.17 18. being spiritually understood do set forth the signes of a true faith to the end of the world And these signes shall follow them that beleeve In my name shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands upon the sick and they shall recover But the things we most wonder at are these First That you should now come to speak of faith not onely after effectual calling which in your sense implies faith but after justification which you confess to be attained by faith yea and after sanctification also which though you take it to be a distinct thing from justification must for the greatest part follow faith also as an effect of it Acts 26.18 Among them that are justified by faith that is in me And Secondly That you should make no distinction betwixt the three degrees if not kindes of saving faith to wit Faith in God the father Belief in God the Son and Confidence in the Holy Ghost The which as they are in part descriminated from each other at least wise by their distinct objects in the Apostles Creed so are they clearly dissevered from each other in the holy Scripture It is in a general comprehension that the Apostle takes the faith of the elect when he describes it to be an acknowledgment of the truth that is according to godliness in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began 1 Tit. 1.2 But it is faith in God the Father or faith in confuso as we said before that is set forth Heb. 11.6 For he that cometh to God must beleeve that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him as it is faith in God the Son which St. Paul points at Gal. 2.15 16. saying We who are Jewes by nature and not finners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have beleeved in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Jesus It is also that faith in the holy Ghost of which the Apostle speaks thus Gal. 5.3 For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith that is the Lord our righteousness or the beavenly Jerusalem Jer. 33.16 These three are distinct from each other and men may have the first without the second and the first and second without the third For first we finde that Cornelius beleeved in God prayed unto him gave alms and did many things with acceptance before God ere ever he was commanded to send for Peter that he might by him hear of the faith in Jesus Christ Acts 10. chapter Thus our Saviour speaks to his Disciples and Apostles John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me intimating that though they had a clear and strong faith in God the Father yet their knowledge of him in his right saving office and their respective faith was but darke and weak as yet for they neither distinctly understood that he must dye for them and that they must dye with him if they should be saved nor expected salvation from sins and Satan by his blood and spirit and much less had they any hope or due knowledge of the promised Spirit the everlasting comforter who should abide with them for ever till Christ there especially after his resurrection revealed the same unto them and brought them to a true belief and stedfast hope of the same yea where are they now to be found who thus beleeve in the holy Ghost or in Jesus Christ himself for a right justification and spiritual salvation from the hands of all their enemies by his alone power and grace Thus is that fulfilled Luke 18.7 8. And shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night to wit for help against their spiritual enemies I tell you that he will avenge them speedily nevertheless when the Son of man cometh shall he finde faith upon the earth This faith was a rare bird like a black Swan at Christs last comming in the Spirit That there may be some pious souls which not onely want the third degree or kinde of faith but have not so much as heard that there is an holy Ghost the Scriptures witness clearly Acts 19.2 The like may be said concerning the Lord Jesus and faith in him among the Heathen to whom the Father hath not revealed him as yet But now to come to your particular Sections In the first of them you say That faith whereby the Elect beleeve to the saving of their souls is the work of the spirit of Christ which thing in a proper and accurate kinke of speaking is not true for it is the work of the Father to reveale and manifest the Son unto us as it is the work of the Father and Son to beget faith in
not like to be decided in hast for it was not onely agitated betwixt Protestants and Papists but with intestine debate by the dessenting Doctors of each Church and that with seeming evidence of Scriptures on both sides So that great need there was of a Moderator to be sent from Heaven for the composing of this and manifold other most intricate controversies besides by reason of the returning darkness which after the Apostacy from the faith had overspread the Churches each side also haling the Scriptures velut obtorto collo to plead their cause Howbeit if our eyes had not been holden we might easily have observed that the Scriptures do distinguish both the Saints and their priviledges and that as some of those prerogatives are common to all and such is a possibility of not falling away from God totally and finally if they continue stedfast in their faith and obedience or after some slips rise up by repentance Psal 15.5 2 Pet. 1.10 So some others are peculiar to the Saints of the third form who have followed Christ both unto his death and resurrection and such is the prerogative of final perseverance or of impossibility to be deceived or seduced Mot. 24.24 And though God is constant in his love and assistance of grace yet even his called ones may by their inconstancy and wilful revolt from him alienate his heart from them irrecoverably as David well knew and warned his Solomon accordingly 1 Chro. 28.9 So true is that which the Prophet Azariah spake to Asa and his people 2 Chro. 15 2. Hear ye me Asa and all Judah and Benjamin the Lord is with you while you be with him if you seek him he will be found of you but if you forsake him he will forsake you There is indeed a Covenant made with David and his seed of constant continual and everlasting mercy 2 Sam. 7.14 15. Psa 89.28 37. Therefore is this called The sure mercies of David Isa 55.3 but who are these children of David not his seed after the flesh who have been long forsaken Psa 89.35 36 37. but that spiritual seed of Abraham and David also who are constant in their good will toward God and righteousness as we said before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 2.14 And peace upon earth to good willing men But now to take a survey of your particular Sections In the very entrance of the first you shew that blindness is broken in upon the Churches First In that you set Gods accepting of us in his beloved before effectual calling as precedent whether in time or eternity to which last you incline whereas we are made accepted in his beloved Son after we are called and brought to obey him yea in some manner sanctified by him and not before And secondly In that you affirm of all the called ones and Saints in general that they shall certainly persevere to the end contrary to many express Scriptures some whereof were before produced First that of the unclean spirit which with set on worse then himself returned to his old house again Mat. 12.43 44 45. And that Rom. 11 22. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God on them that fell severity but towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou also shalt be cut off That 1 Tim. 1.19 Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack That of 1 Tim. 5.12 Having damnation because they have forsaken their first faith and verse 15. For some are already turned aside after Satan See 2 Tim. 1.15 Heb 6.2 3 4 5 6. Nor can these places following be fully answered to the worlds end Ezek. 18.24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live c. Heb. 10.26 27 18. for if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries He that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment shall he then be thought worthy that hath troden under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight to the Spirit of Grace See verse 39. 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. Jude verse 12. Revel 3.2 3. In your second Section almost every assertion is erroneous and false as followes First you say but most untruly That the Saints perseverance depends not at all upon their free will For did not Christ himself after some of his former Disciples were departed from him ask the twelve Apostles Will ye also go away Joh. 6.27 Intimating that he holds no man against his but they by the abuse of their free will might uncompelledly leave him yet at their own peril as Judas one of them afterwards did what was the true reason that Peter in his fall was pittyed and by our Saviour not only prayed for but holpen up again but because he was constant in his good will as our Saviour testifies of him and some others with him Mat. 26.45 The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Secondly That the perseverance of the Saints depends upon the immutability of the decree of Gods election whereas we have proved before that Gods general election of man is conditional and as for his special election it depends upon foreseen perseverance and not perseverance upon it and so doth Gods last and finall election as we shewed before also Thirdly That this perseverance depends upon the unchangeable love of God which as we have shewed may by our unworthiness unthankfulness and Apostacy be changed into wrath yea hatred Deut. 32.19 And when the Lord saw it he abhorred them because of the provoking of his Sons and of his daughters Fourthly you say It depends upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Christ but he makes intercession for none to obtain the Grace of perseverance but such as continue stedfast in their good will which they had to the Father and him as we see he prayed not for the Apostate Judas Jo. 17.8 9 10. Although he with a general intercession prayed for the unregenerate even for his enemies Luk. 23.34 and taught us by his Apostles to pray for all men 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4. Fifthly you say truly It depends upon the abiding of the Spirit in us But doth not that abode of the Spirit depend upon our constancy in faith and good will and upon our giving ear to it when after our fals and slips it reproves admonisheth and teacheth us anew Hence we are charged not to grieve the Holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 Least he should depart Heb. 10.38 Now the Just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Sixthly you say
5.1 Act 15.10 11. and in greater boldness of access to the Throne of Grace h Heb 4.14 16. Heb 10.19 20 21 22. and in fuller communications of the Spirit of God then believers under the Law did ordinarily pertake of i Joh 7.38 39. 2 Cor 3 13 17 19 II. God alone is Lord of the conscience k Jam 4.12 Ro 14.4 and hath left it free from the Doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to his word or beside it in matters of faith or of worship l Act 4.19 Act 5.29 1 Cor 7.23 Mat 23.8 9 10. 2 Cor 1.24 Mat 15.9 so that to believe such doctrines or to obey such commands out of conscience is to betray our liberty of conscience m Col. 2.20 22 23 Gal 1.10 Gal 2.4 5. Gal 5.1 and the requiring of an implicit faith and an absolute and blinde obedience is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason also n Rom 10 17. Ro 14.23 Isa 8.20 Act 17.11 Joh 4.22 Hos 5.11 Rev 13.12 16 17 Jer 8.9 III. They who upon pretence of Christian liberty do practise any sin or cherish any lust do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty which is that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life o Gal 5.11 1 Pet 2.16 2 Pet 2.19 Joh 8.34 Luk 1.74 75. IV. And because the powers which God hath ordained and the liberty which God hath purchased are not intended by God to destroy but mutually to uphold and preserve one another they who upon pretence of Christian liberty shall oppose any lawful power or the lawful exercise of it whether it be civil or Ecclesiastical resist the ordinance of God p Mat 11.25 1 Pet. ◠13 14 16. Ro 13.1 to 8. Heb 13.17 and for their publishing of such opinions or maintaining of such practises as they contrary to the light of nature or to the known principles of Christianity whither concerning faith worship or conversation or to the power of godliness or such erroneous opinions or practice as either in their own nature or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in his Church they may lawfully be called to account and proceeded against by the censures of the Church q Rom 〈◊〉 32 with 〈◊〉 Cor 5.1 5 11 13 2 Jo 10.11 2 Thes 3.14 1 Tim 6.3 4 5. Tit 1.10 11 13. Titus 3.10 with 18 15 16 17. 1 Tim 19 20. Revel 2.2 14 15 20. Revel 3.9 and by the power of the civill Magistrate r Deut 13.6 to 12. Rom 13.3 4. with 2 Jo 10.11 Ezra 7.23 25 26 27 28. Revel 17.12 16 17. Nehem 13.15 17 21 22 25 30. 2 Kings 23.5 6 9 20 21. 2 Chron 34.33 2 Chron 15.12 13 16. Dan 3.29 1 Tim 2.2 Isa 49.23 Zach 13.23 CHAP. XX. Of Christian liberty and liberty of Conscience examined THis head of liberty is not now unseasonable when liberty hath got such head that almost every one affects that freedom which Tully describes Potestas vivendi ut velis but if we may use that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we would both give and take you have too much restrained your Christian freedom in your first Section and liberty of consciences in your second contradicted your selves in your third and perhaps set the Governors too far at liberty in you fourth and last In your first Section you faile in three things first in that your enumeration of Christian liberties and freedoms is to defective secondly in that you reckon them up preposterously and thirdly in that you mistake some of them you name For the first of those you have first left out our freedom from the bondage and bewitchment of carnal wisdom and holiness Gal. 3.1 Who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth 1 Pet. 1 18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers See Gal. 5.1 Col. 2.20 21. Secondly The exemption from the great bondage of fear wherein some are held all their life long justly expecting wrath and vengeance is by you omitted Heb. 2.15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Thirdly Freedom for Christian Subjects from the judicial Law as well as from the ceremonial by your own confession in the last chapter especially where other Laws not contrary to the word of God are imposed upon them 1 Pet. 2.12 13 14 15 16. Fourthly A liberty to observe and omit some ceremonial Laws for the edifying of others and our own peace and indempnity of which liberty in Christ the Apostle speaks expresly Gal. 2.3 4. And as he used it himself at Cenchrea Acts 18.18 and in circumcising Timothy there Acts 16.1 2 3. and that he did the like also with the advise of all the Apostles Acts 21.22 23 24. So he chargeth that we should let no man condemn us for such things but either do them or omit them as it is required or expected at our hands by the people with whom we are to converse Col. 2.16 17. Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or new moon or the Sabbath which are the shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ Fourthly You leave out our freedom from sorrow pain c. Revel 21.4 7 17. Lastly you have omitted the great freedom of the Spirit when he in fulness is poured upon the Saints or when the Jerusalem which is from above descends upon them which yet is not a freedom to sin but an immunity from fin to walke with freedom yea with delight in all the wayes of righteousness Gal. 4 26. But Jerusalem which is from above is free which is the mother of us all 2 Cor. 3.7 Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty To which liberties some add two more one is a license to observe any outward thing not forbidden in the word of God which shall be enjoyned by Ecclesiastical or civil powers because the things that are without us defile us not Thus say they Paul became all things to all men that he might win the more To the Jews he became a Jew to them that were under the Law as if he were still under it to them that were without Law as without Law also being always under a Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9.19 20 21. And 2dly a liberty to eat of things that had bin offred to Idols when it offends not others 1 Cor. 10.27 28 29. If any of them that beleeve not bid you to a feast and ye be disposed to goe whatsoever is set before you eat asking no question for conscience sake
unto us a spiritual verticum wereby we may be inabled to keep a spiritual Passover with him from death to life and become the more strengthened to follow him in his like sufferings and death and so to be better armed and fortified against all encounters of the enemy Thus was the sacrifices of the Old Testament accompanied with a meat offering and drink offering to shew that we must be furnished with the body and blood of Christ to help us in the sacrificing and offering up our spiritual sacrifice of sin Thus Melchizedek met Abraham when he was weary and faint with his late fight and brought him bread and wine to revive and strengthen him Thus furnished we ought to remember and shew forth the Lords death till his comming to us in the spirit 1 Cor. 11.23 26. and by eating of this one bread we also become one bread or flesh or bread with Christ and each other as St. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 10.16 and so this Sacrament without all controversie was ordained as you speak afterwards to oblige us unto duty and to further our communion with Christ and with each other that we may be made one bread and one body with him and in him yet not in your sens or way but as St Paul speaks 1 Cor 10.16 17. by being all made pertakers of one bread to wit his word and 1 Coâ— 12.13 by being all made to drink into one spirit as before it was shewed at large In your second Section you truely say That in this Sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father as a sacrifice for the quick and the dead but Christ here offereth himself in his Mystical flesh and blood as a true meat offering and drink offering to his true beleevers and followers nor is it advisedly said of you there That at or in this Sacrament there is no real sacrifice at all made beside the commemoration of his own offering of himself with all possible praise to God for the same for in the right celebration of this Supper we ought to offer up both the sacrifices of a broken and contrite heart Psal 51.17 and to sacrifice the remainder of our sins as our daily offering in the holy of Gods Tabernacle in true conformity to Christ and through the help of his spiritual flesh and blood 1 Pet. 4.1 2. yet it is Christ himself and not his sacrifice that is the alone propitiation for all men John 12.1.2 In your third Section you set forth some of the duties of the person who is to administer this Sacrament truly but you have omitted the many parts of his office which are to declare the time and ends of its institution with the holy mysteries which it signifies and to stir up the people to lay hold of these benefits and to follow Christ unto the death with sutable prayers and thanksgivings In your fourth Section you truly affirm That the Priest or Minister should not observe or take this Sacrament alone and that he should communicate in both kindes to the true beleevers and followers of Christ and you do not without cause deny pompous elevations of and processions with the host for adoration sake and other superstitious reservations and abuses of the bread or host In your fifth you mistake much saying That the Elements in their signification have relation to Christ crucified as we have shewed before Yet it is true that the names of the Elements are attributed to the body and blood of Christ which they are designed to represent but the predication is Sacramental as you speak and lies in the verbe substantive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as doth signifie est for significat as Gen. 41.25 26 27. and Gen. 50.12 18. It is likewise true which you there affirm That the Elements even after consecration remain for nature and substance bread and wine still In your sixth Section you justly tax and refute the Doctrine of Popish transubstantiation and might have reproved the consubstantiation of the Lutherans also upon good grounds but if that those terms or phrases were used to teach us that we must be spiritually consubstantiated with Christs body and blood aforesaid or transubstantiated into the same it might pass in a good sense of spiritual conformity In your seventh Section you comfort your selves and your worthy receivers with vain words and hopes concerning the presence not real only but spiritual also of that body and blood of Christ which were never signified by this Sacrament so that herein the Papists Lutherans and Calvinists do litigate de lanâ— Caprina and do not once discern which are the spiâ—itual flesh and blood of Christ there intended In your last Section you say That in this Sacrament persons ignorant of the mystery though made pertakers of the outward Elements yet they receive not the things therby signified wherein you speak truly though the speech laies hold on your selves among others but it is a question whether all that come ignorantly to this Sacrament be guilty of the body and blood of Christ we for our parts hope many are not neither doth it seem consonant to reason that all wicked or unworthy receivers that are pertakers of the Elements though they sin in coming uncalled or unprepared to this ordinance should at that time be guilty of the true body and blood of Christ which perhaps they never understood but all they that esteem not aright of the body and blood of Christ when truly offered unto them and rightly understood are guilty of the profaining of the same and much more if they by Apostacy turn therefrom as we heard before Hebr. 10.29 CHAP. XXX Of Church censures THE Lord Jesus as King and Head of his Church hath therein appointed a Government in the hand of Church Officers distinct from the Civil Magistrate a Isa 9.6 7. 1 Tim 5 17. acts 20 27 28. Heb 13.7 17 24 1 cor 12.18 Mat 28 18 19 20. II. To these Officers the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven are committed by vertue whereof they have power respectively to retain and remit sins to shut that Kingdom against the impenitent both by the word and censures and to open it unto the penitent sinners by the mystery of the Gospel and by absolution from censures as occasion shall require b Mat. 16.19 Mat 18 17 18. Ioh 20 20 21 22 23. 2 cor 1.6 7 8. III. Church censures are necessary for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren for deterring of others from the like offences for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump for vindicating the honour of Christ and the holy profession of the Gospel and for preventing the wrath of God which might justly fall upon the Church if they should suffer his Covenant and the seals thereof to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders c 1 Cor 5. chapter 1 Tim 5.20 Mat 7.6 1 Tim. 1 20 1 Cor 11.27
second Section to wit to Elders and Governours called of God but not of man alone but that remitting and retaining of sins is both ministerial under the Lord Jesus and principally placed in the Church representative or the Superiours and Elders acted by Gods spirit and both fitted and called to that high office Mathew 16.19 Mathew 18.17 18. John 20.20 21.22 In your third Section you lay down good grounds why there should bee Ecclesâ—astical or spiritual censures in use and therein you seem to lay no small or weak foundation of reducing the true Saints now dispersed into congregations under spiritual able and faithful Overseers and those under some superintendent chosen of God of which some may be found if well sought out Your fourth and last Section by Officers right Overseers and Governours such as we have described being understood we willingly imbrace with this caution That you will with St. Jude verse 23. rather pull men out of the fire then persecute them with a faggot for difference of Judgement CHAP. XXXI Of Synods and Councels FOR the better Government and edification of the Church there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called Synods or Councels a Acts 15.2 4 6. II. As Magistrates may lawfully call a Synod of Ministers and other fit persons to consult and advise with about matters of Religion b Isa 49.23 1 Tim 2.1 1. 2 Cro 19.8 9 10. 2 Chro 29.30 chapt Mat 2.4.5 Pro 11.14 so if Magistrates be open enemies to the Church the ministers of Christ of themselves by vertue of their Office or they with other fit persons upon delegation from their Churches may meet together in such assemblies c Acts 15.2 4 22 23 25. III. It belongeth to Synods and Counâ—els ministerially to determine controversies of Faith and cases of conscience to set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the publick worship of God and government of his Church to receive complaints in cases of male administration and authoritativly to determine the same which decrees and determinations if consonant to the word of God are to be received with reverence and submission not onely for their agreement with the word but also for the power whereby they are made as being an Ordinance of God appointed thereunto in his word d Acts 15.15 19 24 27 28 29 30 31. Acts 6 4. Matth 18 17 18 19 20 IV. All Synods or Councels since the Apostles dayes whether general or particular may erre and many have erred Therefore they are not to be made the rule of Faith or practise but to be used as an help in both e Ep 2.20 Acts 17.1 1 Cor 2.5 2 Cor 1.24 V. Synods or Councels are to handle or conclude nothing but that which is Ecclesiastical and are not to intermedle with Civil affaires which concern the Common-wealth unless by way of humble petition in cases extraordinary or by way of advise for satisfaction of Conscience if they be thereunto required by the Civil Magistrate f Luke 12.13 14. Joh 18.36 CHAP. XXXI Of Synods and Councels Examined IN complyance with your first Section we grant that there may be great cause of spiâ—itual consultations and that either about temporal things as Moses went twice to the Lord about the daughters of Zelophebad Numbers 27.1 2 3 c. and Numbers 36.1 2 3 c. or in things of Religion as Moses required what should be done first to him that blasphemed the name of the Lord Leviticus 24.12 and secondly to him that gathered sticks on the Sabboth day Numb 15.32 33 c. But it is the Lord that is to be consulted with in those great difficulties and that either immediately as Moses did in the places aforesaid and Daniel with the other three Children Dan. 2. or else by some person who hath the judgement of Vrim and is acted by the spirit of God Numb 27.21 Ezra 2.63 1 Maccab. 4.4 especially if any such person be to be found of which there have been some in all or most ages if the Authour of the book of wisdom speaks true chap. 7.27 And in all ages wisdom entering into holy souls maketh them friends of God and Prophets which is consonant to what the Father promiseth Isa 29.21 and to our Saviours engagement Mat. 28.20 Behold I am with you to the end of the world but in case no such person may be found there may be Synods and Councels called for consultation sake and if the matter be still too difficult it must be reserved for Gods future resolution Ezra 2.63 As to your second Section we grant that Magistrates may call a Synod of Ministers or other fit persons especially of those that are spiritual and wise and it were good that persons of all different mindes in Religion might be freely heard and their arguments well weighed and full answer given in writing to all that are in the wrong that our controversies might grow to an end and so truth with love and peace take place but in this case if any inspired Prophet may be had at home or consulted abroad it is safer to receive resolution from the mouth of the Lord by him which we might easily do in this age either by word or writing then to rely upon the judgement of an hundred ordinary Divines often producing the letter of the word but wresting or mistaking the sense We grant likewise that such ordinary ministers and persons may be sent from their own to other Churches yet can they act onely within their own Sphere as rational learned or devout persons not as inspired men But that ordinary ministers may by their office when the Magistrate is an enemy call each other or assemble into a publick Synod we doubt yet doubtless they may meet privately and advise yea pray together To your third Section we grant that Synods may handle controversies of fact and cases of conscience direction for an outward worship and the better governing of a visible Church as also hear complaints in cases of male administration and determine them or some of them authoritate sibi commissa especially according to the measure of Faith and Regeneration whereunto they have attained which decrees and determinations if consonant to the word are to be received for the words sake more then for their authority they not being a divine but an humane ordinance only for the meeting of the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem to which the Churches at Antioch and thereabouts appealed was an assembly of men acted by the Holy Ghost as themselves set forth Acts 13.28 and differs far both in warrant and authority from our Synods and Assemblies neither doth the first make the last to be Gods ordinance And in your fourth Section you confess no less where you acknowledge that all Synods and Councels since that might erre and that many have erred and so have you in many things but as your Confession here is ingenious so we hope you will not take