where I set my Name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel Now did God destroy his people at Shiloh for their wickedness the place where God set his Name at the first and cannot he deal as severely with a second place Therefore saith God except ye repent and amend your ways I will do unto this House as I did to Shiloh and I will destroy you as I did my people at Shiloh for all your Temple But here we see how men may dote upon a Temple so as to think themselves secure from God's Judgments though they themselves are ful of wickedness Whysomewhat like this are our people ready to do tho God forbid there should be such a gross thing found amongst us in the dayes of the Gospel as this of the Jews was yet how do many dote upon Churches and consecrated places crying as it were The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and that after our blessed Saviour hath told us as much as this in my apprehension that one place is no holier then another neither Jerusalem nor Mount Gerizim but men should worship the Father in spirit and truth and in every place saith the Apostle perhaps we might gloss in every place alike men should lift up holy hands without wrath or doubting and yet how are some apt to think that if they pray in a Church though the Assembly be not there that a prayer in a Church is far more acceptable then in their Closet at home Not as if I did not far more prefer publick Worship then private or secret devotion or that I were against a convenient decent Meeting-place Again The Iews gloried in ceremonious services how did this Jewish Legal Carnal righteousness please pride it self in the ceremonial service of Sacrifices and the like but never look at the heart Isa 1.11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me saith the Lord I am full of Burn â—fferings of Rams and the fat of fed Beasts I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs or of He-Goats Ver. 13. Bring no more vain Oblations incense is an abomination unto me the new Moons and Sabbaths I cannot away with Not as if all these things were at this time unlawful for they were their duty but here you see they were abundant in these and failed in matters of common honesty and justice as we may see ver 15 16 17. Your hands are full of blood wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seek judgement relieve the oppressedâ— judge the fatherless plead for the Widow These things they ought to have done and not to leave the other undone and when ye have done these things saith the Lord Come now and let us reason together though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow c. ver 18. Here was Gospel that if they would mind the true reformation of their hearts and lives they might expect the pardon of their sins but these Legal Jews they never mind this inward holiness no nor common honesty and yet make no question but they shall make God amends very wel by keeping Festivals New-Moons Sabbaths days of solemn Assemblies and by Sacrifices of Rams Lambs Bullocks He-Goats as if God were fed with the blood and fat of these beasts and were migtihly attoned by incense sweet perfumes See Psal 50. from 7. to 14. as if then he must needs smel a savour of rest in all that they did And the Gal. we find were come to this Gal. 3.10 Ye observe days and months times and years that is Jewish Feasts I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain When they once came to observe them there was a great deal of danger and cause for the Apostles sear that they would rest in the observance of them for that this was the reason why they took to observing of them when it was not now any longer the Jews duty so much as to observe them because of their inclination to a Covenant of Works which chiefly expresseth it self in an external service So likewise the Colossians amongst whom the same pestilent Law-Preachers had been they were ensnared to the making conscience of dayes Sabbaths and new Moons and also in the business of meats that some were clean and others unclean which was once the Jews duty to observe insomuch that Peter tells the Lord he had been so strict in the business hitherto that nothing common or unclean meaning of the flesh of unclean Beasts and Fowls had entred into his mouth Acts 11.6.8 But now was not only not their duty any longer but at least to the Gentiles a sin to make any conscience in it for that they could hardly begin such a thing at such a time upon the inticement of false Teachers for none else perswaded the Gentiles to it but from an evil inclination of swerving from the pure Gospel which they had received from the Apostles unto a Covenant of Works thus served out to them by their false Teachers And it argues almost as ill a disposition in the Galatians and Colossians but to take up these things as their duty as it did in the Jews to place so much in them when they were their duty Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy-day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath-dayes which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ Col. 2.14 16 17. These things when they were in use and were mens duties were at best but shadows and yet these shadows did men exceedingly glory in and preferred them before true holiness and the spiritual Worship of God yea they thought verily that whilest they did observe these things they might commit all manner of Villanies and yet escape the judgement of God Yea they thought they were delivered to do all sorts of abominations as it is in Jer 7.10 The Apostle finds out such a generation of Jews in his time Rom. 2. from the 17. to the 25. Behold thon art called a Jew and restest in the Law a full expression I think of one that seeks Justification by the Law and makest thy boast of God and knowest his will And the Apostle proceeds to describe a great Lawyer indeed one that thought himself sit to be a Guide of the blind a Light of them that walk in darkness an instructer of the foolish a teacher of babes and one that had the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law Yet what kind of man is he for his Morals Why he is a Thief an Adulterer a Sacrilegious person what not ver 21 22. Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self thou that preachest a man should not steal dost thou steal Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery dost
think the Papists do generally ruine themselves by resting upon externals nay inventions in the service of God So much for the cautions and for the Character as it concerns those that are under predominant Legality Now because the same character that will discover it at this height will discover it also where it is in any less degree and for that I have asserted that there is a mixture of Legality in the services of the best Christians and Saints of God I think it good to improve this character yet further for the discovery of that Legality which may be found in the Saints themselves That Legality of the Saints therefore which is discoverable and reprovable by this Character is 1. That I doubt not but some good men have a Conscience of some superstitious observations and I would not for all the world think the contrary lest I should condemn the generat on of the just and think too hardly of some dear Saints of God And I must needs confess there is too much occasion given men to run into this extream of Superstition by the irreverence of others perhaps good men in the service of God How ordinaâ—ily do many sit at prayers in the Church when they are not necessitated by weakness or any other occasion and with their Hats upon their heads Now how easily may this give occasion to others that take offence at this irreverence out of a fear lest they should not be reverent enough in the service of God to approve of kneeling at the Sacrament which I doubt not but many good men may be very zealous for as also forbowing at the Name of Jesus But yet I reckon that good men are in greater danger of Legality in the matter of Moral duties then in ceremonies and superstitions for though I have acknowledged that some good men may have a conscience of some superstitious observations being misled by the care to be sufficiently reverent yet to be greatly superstitious in Gospel-days is a shrewd sign of a rotten heart and so not so incident to good men 2dly For the duties of the Moral Law good mens Legality lies in two particulars 1. When they have performed a duty rightly and spiritually they are apt to reflect upon it with a spiritual pride and ready to lay too much stress upon it and to think that now God must needs grant the Petitions they have asked whereas perhaps they have answer enough in the very sweetness of the duty it self and the communion with God which they have enjoyed in it and therefore if they are not humbled after such a duty to see their great unworthiness notwithstanding all they have done they are so far guilty of Legality Or which is more usual 2dly The Saints too often content themselves with doing their tale and number of duties praying morning and evening perhaps reading so many Chapters but are not spiritual in what they do watching over their hearts that they worship God in a right manner with those spiritual affections stirring in prayer that attention in reading that should be this is commonly known by the name of resting in duties this is â—egality and yet I think that which is found more or less in all the Saints and so far indulged to themselves by some Saints till at last they have a general deadness and benummedness in all their Graces and then they fall into sad complaints of desertions and run into a maze and a Labyrinth of doubts and troubles of mind which perhaps they get not out of for some years together As for those Saints that pick and choose amongst the Commandments that are high-flown in their notions and yet err grosly in matters of common Justice and honesty that are indeed not only slanderously reported or unworthily suspected to be so disobedient to Magistrates with other like irregular Christians I have nothing to say to them here I refer these to the head of hypocritical Legallists that expect to be justified by a parcial obedience to the Commands of the Moral Law these not being spots of Gods Children There are other miscarriages of the Saints in duties that are to be referred to their Legality of Spirit as for instance if they chance through extraordinary occasions to have missed the time of prayer morning or evening to have missed the reading their number of Chapters or doing any good task which they had laid upon themselves then they have a great fear and terror lest God should be angry and displeased with them though indeed Mercy was at ended instead of Sacrifice but such as these belong to another head or character of a Legal Spirit to wit a Spirit of Bondage which I shall come unto anon I have now perfectly done with the first Character as to its explication proof and application both to Legality predominant and that which is found in a less degree in which I may be thought tedious enough Onely I would not leave so much as a cavil without some endeavour at least of an answer to it Now I am sensible that thoughts may arise in some as if this whole particular were impertinent Obj. Whoever thought before may they chance say that Superstition was Legality that a partial performance of the Moral Law either by the less strict or more strict Morallists was Legality If men would seek to be justified by the Law they would endeavour at least to keep the whole Law and if they knew they fell short of it as those prophane wicked men which you mention out of Isaiah Jeremiah and other places that were very wicked did and yet rested in Ceremonious performances and external Priviledges these indeed deserve the Name of wicked men but not of Legallists or such as seek justification by the Law Now to this I answer and I shall say but little more then what I have said before 1. 'T is true none ought to seek Justification by the Law but those that have perfectly kept it hitherto and undertake to keep it for the future part of their lives 2. If any seek justification any other way they do but be-fool themselves 3. But yet the Jews and Galatians did seek justification by Works by the Law ASIT WERE by the Works of the Law else the Apostle had disputed against no adversary And yet they did not pretend to perfect and unerring obedience So I reckon the objection is answered already that men may seek Justification by the Law that have not nor think they have the exact Works of it But yet to give some overplus of answer There being a generation of men that do seek Justification by the Works of the Law yea forasmuch as all men are apt to seek it this way it must be in some kind of actions or other Now I have shewn that these very men that are taxed for Legality by the Apostle viz. the Jews and Galatians they were also taxed for their being so much in love with ceremonies and superstitions and with external
come it will not tarry This was the very case with the wicked King last instanced out of 2 King 6.33 if the Visiontarry wait for it But now it follows ver 4. If you will not wait if your soul be lifted up in you with pride and impatience why this soul that is lifted up is not upright in him this Spirit is quite contrary to the Spirit of a just and justified man But the just shall live by Faith that is will be patient in such straits this is the great famous place which the Apostle Pau. makes use of to prove Justification by Faith in three several Epistles Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10 38. Ergo Impatience weariness of the service of God is a great argument and symptom of a Legal Spirit in the service of God the thing that we have now under demonstration Now to apply this Character So far as thou findest thy self sloathful sluggish in the service of God ready to draw back and to be weary of well-doing contentious against God with Job angry as Jeremy and Jonah were in their sits of distemper So far Legality is discovered to be the principle of serving God For the Spirit of the Gospel is humble chearful I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him saith the Church in Micah ch 7 9. If God defers to hear and answer prayers yea gives denials yet the true Saints of God think it their duty to wait patiently on the Lord and to find out the cause of these denials in themselves Christ calls the woman of Canaan Dog Truth Lord saith she yet the Dogs eat of the crumbs And this is commended for an high piece of faith Mar. 7.28 I join these Scriptures of Old and New-Testament together and use them promiscuously for proof of the same thing because it is plain there were spiritual Worshippers under the Old-Testament as wel as there are Legal-Worshippers in the new Now in a consonancy to and connexion with this latter part of this last Character viz. the irksomness heaviness and weary somness that there is often found in a Legal Spirit as to the service of God I might make this a third Character That a Legal Spirit is weak and feeble and devoid of all strength in the service of God But I shall make this rather an Observation then a Character of a Legal Spirit yet I shall insist some what upon it I say then The Legal spirit is without strength in the service of God That the Legal-Worshipper is faint-hearted weak in the service of God like Ephraim in Hos 7.11 as a silly Dove without heart and it may very well be for the joy of the Lord alone is our strength Neh. 8.10 Which joy the Legallist never partakes of having never any true sence of divine acceptance And indeed what strength can the Law give us that is now through our fall become a poor weak feeble thing it self What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh c. Rom. 8.3 The Law became weak through our sinful flesh so that it can neither justifie nor sanctifie and it gives no quickness at all in the service of God it gives quickness to the body of death indeed and to the motions of sin in our members as it is Rom. 7. â— but none at all to serve God with The A postle therefore appeals to the Galatians experience that they never received the Spirit by all the preaching of the Law which they had amongst them Gal 3 2. And this was the very reason of God's nâ—aâ—ing a new Covenant of his removing his old Dispensat on by Moses which was so full of Law and so like a Covenant of Works Heb 7.8 19. For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof for the Law made nothing perfect Thus the Law being weak the Legallist must needs be a weak imperfect thing in the service of God But now it is said They that wait on the Lord by Faith shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wirgs like Eagle they Well run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.31 He that believeth on me saith our Saviour out of his belly shall flow kavers of living water this spake he of the Spirit which they that believed on him should receive John 7.38 39. The Gospel of Christ is and in its preportion ever was so far as at any time it was understood and embraced in the times of the Old Testament the Ministration of the Spirit In Col. 1.11 the Apostle prays for his Colossians that they may be strengthened with All might according to his glorious power in the Gospel there is ALL Mâ—GHT and a gâ—orious Power to strengthen and quicken the Saints with no wonder therefore if this quicken and encourage them mightily in the service of God beyond what ever the Law can do for its dependants and admirers I might here take fair occasion to discover what infinite quickning considerations and motiveâ— the Gospel carries in it unto the spiritual service of God beyond what the Law could afford But seeing I do not so much as make this a Character I shall not take the liberty to enlarge further upon it I shall onely now acquaint the Reader why I do not make this a Character and then pass on And truly one great reason is for the sakes of some good people I may say very many that we have amongst us who if we should make this a Character of a legal spirit that it is weak sluggish heartless in the service of God that it is not lively active and vigorous they would presently apply it to themselves and cry out that they are legal for that they find themselves that they are just thus whereas yet it is true that every true Saint the meanest Saint in the World hath more life and vigor of heart in his serving God then the devoutest and strictest legallist in the World And what if I should say in comparing the two Dispensations of the Old and New-Testament that there is never a Gospel-Saint since the day that the Spirit came down upon the Apostles but hath more life and spirit or it is hâ—s fault if he have not then the highest true Saint under the Old-Testament Would not that Scripture bear me out in it which says that John the Baptist was the greatest that ever was born of a woman before him and yet that the least in the Kingdom of Heaven which is often interpreted of the Gospel-state of the Church is greater then he Matth. 11.11 And would not that other Scripture countenance it which saith The feeble shall be as David Zech. 10.8 And accordingly I might affirm that if these complaining Saints had but the true courage of Saints and the true Character of themselves and at the same time the Character of the highest legallists yea of the most
will not like this neither and it is because it is the duty of the Creature to serve its Creator whether he promiseth any reward or no. Now this will not look neither like a Gospel-principle being the very Law of Creation Well then what principles will they suggest for Gospel-principles Why such as these Love and Ingenuity and Gratitude and apprehending an excellency in the wayes of God Now I confess these are good principles and these are right Gospel-principles the fruit of the Spirit is love And we love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.19 which is gratitude Shall we continue in sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace and that so Grace may abound God forbid This were highly disingenuons Rom. 6.1.15 And in keeping thy Commandments there is great reward Psal 19.11 There is a sight of the excellency of the precept But pray observe that where nobleness and ingenuity is the onely Principle of Actions there is no necessity for any thing to be done at all for actions of nobleness and ingenuity and gratitude come under no Law but are left free to the Agent to do or not to do only that hereby as he doth them or not the Agent will discover whether he be of an unworthy Spirit or no. And thus these men have brought things to a fair pass that God is to be served under the Gospel onely upon courtesie so that any that will may slip their neck out of Christs yoke and their back from under his burthen or else they must acknowledge that men ought to serve God because there is a MUST upon it 't is our duty as Creatures if we will not there is an Hell to punish but to encourage you in it if you will there is an Heaven to reward And what if a Legal Spirit go to work with these principles ONELY as indeed I think he hath no other and that he may have all these in a degree viz. the sense of his Obligation as a Creature the fear of Hell and some general hope of Heaven I say What if he may have all these principles are they evertheless good or unsuitable to the Gospel because he useth them If he used them to good ends or used them aright they would do him good as well as they do others good the reason why these do him no good is for that in the use of the same principles in the general which a good man may use A Legallist hath always these three gross defects that undo him Three ruining defects in the service of a Legallist First though the hope of Heaven in general as a place of happiness may somewhat quicken him in what he doth yet he hath no true notion or apprehension of Heaven that the happiness of it consists chiefly in likeness to God in holiness which if it were his notion of Heaven he could not find in his heart to desire it much less to endeavour after it The second gross defect is this All the endeavours that he makes to please God in one thing or in another as I have instanced in several wayes never reach to a thorough heart-work whereas that is the chief thing that God looks after because he is a Spirit the Father of Spirits And the lastthing is this That yet for all this slightiness hypocrifie of a Legal Spirit the very rule that he proceeds by in his expectations of his Reward is That God is bound to give it him as having well deserved it at his hands Now what though a Legallist may make use of the same principles that an Evangelical Spirit doth unsuccessfully yet what should hinder but the Evangelical Worshipper may use the same principles rightly and with acceptation from God May not a good thing be abused or not rightly used And doth this destroy the nature of it Let us now a little examine the word Mercenary because indeed it sounds harshly as if it were a low principle for a Christran to act towards God by and then we will see briefly what other Principles there are in conjunction with it in every true Saint of God The word Mercenary founds so ill meerly from the common usage of it not so much from the Etymology or native signification the Natural signification of it is when any one acts for wages or for a reward the use of it is when a man that is engaged to do courtifies or at least stands not in any need to receive courtesies will yet do no good turns for any without a good reward in his hand or well assured to him nay perhaps will do any mischief if he may be well rewarded so that Mercenariness is a Vice alwaies contrary to Nobleness that is more free to do than receive courtesies and often contrary to justice but now this Mercenariness especially as contrary to nobleness is a Vice onely or chiefly amongst equals and those that stand not in need of one another as for those that are far inferiour it is pride with them to be unwilling to receive courresies or rewards for wherefore are any advanced in place but that they may do good to those that are below them 'T is no dishonour at all for a poor man that wants bread to hire our his labour for a reward nor for a child that is bound to do what his facher commands to be encouraged by any reward that his father proposeth to any action Now let us apply these things to the bufiness before us and we shall see how ill or how well Mercenariness becomes us in our service of God First of all we are not here to consider the Saints as doing evill things for a reward that is the worst Mercenariness of all no but they serve God for a reward Now wherein can the sordidness of this Spirit lye is it that we need not to receive courtesies at the hands of God or that we cannot endure to receive a courtesie which we know we are not able to requite Such a struin of nobleness there is sometimes found amongst men out if we should aim at such a strain of nobleness with God How will such men ever offer to receive heaven especially when they did not work for it which makes it far more obliging Truely in my minde it is very high pride for a poor creature that is poor and blind and naked and in want of all things that when God offers to supply his poverty to cure his blindness to cover his nakedness he shall not be exceedingly over-joyed at it and seeing that these supplies are of this nature that they cannot be compleatly obtained till we come to heaven nor yet certainly obtained except we persevere whilest we are here to labour after them it seems a strange wantonness to me that men should not labor and own it that they do labour for them as the command is No fault in labouring for the reward except it be for the reward of a debt Labour for
lose heaven or be cast into hell methinks it is a piece of self-hatred or at least too high a breach upon that innate principle of self-love which God hath planted in the soul And certainly that instance of love in our Saviour his dying for us which yet was the highest instance in the world of regular love was not of such a kind as this for he did not dye for us to remain accursed but under-went the curse that so he might procure the blessing for his people yea and for himself Hebr. 12.2 Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and despised the shame But in the third place not to undertake to censure Saint Paul especially in such an action where if there was an error it was onely in excess of love to men's souls and high nobleness and generosity I may safely adde this that I prosess I cannot see how his action or that of Moses are imitable by us for I know not by what rule we are obliged or so much as permitted to do any such action though some would perswade us that we are obliged to be content to be damned that God may be glorified thus far I shall go with them That it is every ones duty to be so humble as to think that if God cast us into hell he doth us no wrong But I cannot go so far in compliaure with their fantasticall expressions of love and submission to God and designs for his glory as to say that if God may be glorified in my destruction I am content c. Alas What good can my destruction do to God Or what glory can God have in destroying me if I walk sincerely with him and therefore these are but foolish suppositions and idle offers which perhaps some good people may make much-like those in another case of enjoying communion with God they will say If God were in Hell his Presence would make Hell to be Heaven and they had rather be in Hell with God than in Heaven without him People had better shew their love to God and their humility in those actions and duties which he calls them unto then in such suppositions and fantastical expressions and imaginations as these That is the third observation I see not how this action of Moses or St. Paul are imitable by us 4. Neither were they in constant practice by themselves or at least they were not the onely principles which they acted by for Moses I have proved already that he had respect to the recompence of reward and that encouraged him in doing and suffering for God And as for St. Paul we find him pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and exhorting others so to do Phil. 3.14 15. And though I doubt not but St. Paul did preach the Gospel willingly yet he tells us that he did not preach meerly as a free-will-offering to God but there was a necessity upon him he MUST do it Though I preach the Gospel saith he yet I have nothing to glory of as if I had done a thing that I was not bound to do for necessity is Iaid upon me a dispensation is committed to me yea wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.11 And so we find in the same chap. ver 24. this advice So run that ye may obtain which argues that the obtaining the prize not onely may be but ought to be in our eyes and ver 27. he tells us of himself that he kept under his body and brought it into subjection lest himself should be a cast-away So that you see besides these high Principles of nobleness ingenuity gratitude which are all good and excellent yet there are other principles that are good and commendable yea Evangelical * When I say they are Evangelical Principles I mean they are either so properly or by way of reduction to confonary with â—vangelical Principles properly so called they are at least allowed if not brought to light onely by the Gospel such as these that it is our duty and that else there is a wo pronounced against us that we may obtain the prize that we may not be cast-aways I shall just give a brief account of the order of principles in a Christians acting for God as I apprehend them to lie and then shew why this of mercenariness cannot be made a Character of a Legal Spirie and then come to give some more true Scripture-Characters The order of principles in every Saints heart in his acting for God The 3. first Now I suppose that the order of Principles in every Saints heart is this 1. He considers himself a Creature and so bound to obey his Creator and since God hath alwayes proposed some reward to the keeping and threatning to the breach of his Law therefore these three principles may go hand in hand together and these are the first Principles that any is to begin with in serving God Now I think there is no exceeding in any one of these Principles a man cannot be too sensible of his obligation as a Creature to serve his Creator a man cannot be too sensible of the greatness of the reward nor of the danger of Hell yet I think every Christian hath somewhat more to move him in his service to God then barely these three Principles as for instance some such as I have named love to God gratitude yea many times nobleness of heart We love God saith the Apostle speaking in the name of all the Saints because he loved us first c. and these further Principles seem to follow in this order from the first that when I am thoroughly convinced that it is my duty to live to God when I consider what danger I avoid in it what good I obtain by it I am engaged to love that God Then Love who takes such care of his Creatures that he would not have them perish nay that he would not have them do their duty for nought here is now another Principle a Principle of Love beyond the three first Principles Again I consider the greatness of the reward the richness of the grace in providing it by the gift of Christ the Fathers giving him and his giving himself the sending the Spirit into our hearts to perswade us and win upon us to accept of this grace all the care that the Lord takes about us and hereby I am yet more and more engaged to love and gratitude Aster that nobleness One may easily be here set all in a flame of love not counting his life dear for such a God for such a Saviour if there be the least spark of Nobleness in one's natural spirit it will enflame the whole soul to do some excellent service for God not as the Legallist doth supposing that hereby he shall oblige God and that perhaps onely in some fantastical service as rich sacrifices or multitudes of superstitious observations but the
spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father which I shall make bold to Paraphrase thus Ye have not now under the Gospel received the spirit of Bondage again as ye did under the Law for some of these Romans to whom he writes were Jews but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby both you and I for the person is changed and all Gospel-Saints cry Abba Father The Law SO FAR as it did reign over the spirits of good people in the days of the Old-Testament brought them under a spirit of Bondage SO FAR and therefore the veâ— same Saints that now were under a Spirit of Adoption by the Gospel yet had been under â— spirit of Bondage in the times of the Law in a great measure unless we will make the person YEE to signifie specifically not numericall that is of Saints like them of the same Nation in times past and not of those very Saints iâ— person to whom he writes but which way sâ—â—ver understood it asserts that the Saints of Goâ— in the times of the Old Testament were in 〈◊〉 great measureunder a spirit of bondage through the darkness of the Dispensation which argues that for those that were under the Law wholly they were certainly under a severe Bondage from the Law and so that this may very well be made a Character of a Legal spirit I am not ignorant that there is another interpretation given of this Scripture by some yet very agreeable with this that I here give viz. That in every work of conversion there is a legal conviction which they call a Spirit of Bondage which goes before faith and that after a man hath truely believed he never receives or returns to a spirit of Bondage again But I think this is not the genuine interpretation onely it may be allowed for true in a great measure and I might borrow strength from it for my present purpose for that this spirit of Bondage in this interpretation is the effect or the work of the Law only but of this the Reader may see more in the 41. page of the foregoing discourse I come now to shew what a spirit of Bondage is now this discovers it self in the very name Bondage or Slavery as also by its opposition to a spirit of Adoption or Son-ship they that are under it serve not God as children serve a father but as slaves serve a cruel master again it is notified to us by the inseparable companion of this spirit and that is fear Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the 2 Tim. 1.7 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of fear God hath not given to us saith the Apostle that is under the Gospel a spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde A Gospel spirit is a spirit of love a Legal spirit is a spirit of fear I shall give onely one Scripture more for this that is 1 John 4.17 18 19. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgement because as he is saith the Apostle so are we in this world There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment he that seareth is not made perfect in love We love him because he first loved us Here I collect and argue We that is We Saints converted by the Gospel have all of us a principle of Love which is quite contrary to that of fear We shall have boldness in the day of Judgement and this we have some fore-tasts of in this world for that spirit which is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Bondage to fear is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Love and Son-ship or Adoption which hath an holy boldness in it Hebr. 4.16 and teacheth us to call God Father But on the contrary the Legal spirit hath no such boldness in the presence of God but is alwaies silled with a tormenting fear and horrour at the thoughts of God even as the Devils are in a great degree who believe and tremble and as Cain was who when he could have no rest in his spirit went forth from the presence of the Lord which he could not endure and fell to building a city in probability to drown the noise of his Conscience which else would still have rung in his ears and allarm'd him with this dreadful sentence My punishment is greater than I can beâ—â— or my sin is greater than can be forgiven Perfect love casteth out fear then such as is the proportion aâ—â— degree of Love to God to such proportion and degree 〈◊〉 the tormenting fear of God abated Yet here I must needs acquaint the Reader that there is another exposition of this Text which I think is very allowable if not more genuine than the former that is that perfect love to God casteth out all anxious and solicitous fear of suffering and persecution for God's Cause I shall transcribe somwhat of Dr. Hammond upon the place ver 17. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of Judgement because as he is so are we in this world which he first thus translates In this the love with us is perfected that we have boldness and then paraphraseth thus In this the perfection of that love which is to be found in a Christian consists that in a time of danger when we are brought before Judges and may probably lose our lives for confessing of Christ then we retain courage and cheerfulness and confess him willingly that we behave our selves in this world as Christ did when he was here that is lay down our lives in testification of the truth ver 18. there is no fear in love that is saith he such love as this which was in Christ hath no fear in it Christ ventured and under-went the utmost even death it self for us I need transcribe no more But yet I think I may argue strongly even from this Exposition that which I aim at viz. that a Gospel-spirit is free from slavish fear of God at least in a great measure for still the love spoken of in this text it is love to God this love to God is a great Gospel-principle as appears in the text Now can any bear a great love to any person and yet have a slavish fear a tormenting fear of that person at the same time For my part I think love and fear with respect to the same person are very near as opposite as love and hatred and a tormenting slavish fear of any person cannot long be without a great degree of hatred Is it not a famous question in the Politiques concerning the security of a Prince An praestat timeri quam diligi Whether it be more safe for a Prince to be loved or feared of his Subjects
that they must not touch taste or handle Col. 2.22 The Laity amongst the Papists must not taste the Wine it is too good for them nor touch the Wafer which is superstitiously invented instead of Bread with their unhallowed hands but receive it into their mouths from the hand of the Priest and that upon their knees yea when the Host is carryed in the streets they must fall down upon their knees Thus I have dispatched this observation about superstitious mens shiness of God in his Worship that they have not that holy boldness they ought to have but a spirit of bondage and of slaves in the presence of God Superstitious men under any of the three notions of Superstition are under a spirit of bondage in the service of God I come now to the application of the Character And in this I shall proceed as I have done in other Characters first indeavouring hence to discover Predominant The application of the Character then Partial Legality or the mixtures of Legality in the Saints Now for Predominant Legality as the notions of Superstition have been severally given and explained Superstition alone may serve to discover where this great evil is As Mr. Smith gives the notion of Superstition it seems to me to be no other then the spirit of Bondage it self and I dare say if thou art superstitious in his sense thou art under a spirit of bondage Predominantly and so under Legality Predominant If thou lookest upon God as a Tyrant and yet servest him and that as such what higher description can there be of a spirit of Bondage Hither I might refer all the too-severe penances which the Papists inflict upon themselves in watching fastings and scourging of themselves as if the merciful God were taken with such crueties instead of true worship and devotion But because I have often touched upon these things already I shall forbear though this be the most proper head of this matter Neither yet am I an enemy to prudent penances if I may so call them that is means and trials of one's mortification and repentance so they be wisely directed to an end as for the Intemperate to fast to afflict his soul and body before God for those that are apt to be proud in apparel to deny themselves sometimes the ordinaryliberties of apparel and perhaps to wear very mean cloaths that they may break themselves of their proud humour I make no doubt if Saint Paul should give us the instances of his mortification when he kept under his body that is his whole self though it may be his body in especial manner and brought it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dâ— Hâ—râ—moad I give my self black and blew eyes with beating my self and make my self a servant I say if he should tel us what courses he took in his mortification what liberties he denyed himself what tasks he might possibly impose upon himself I doubt it would make most of us condemn our selves severely for dastardly and effeminate Christians but yet stil I doubt not but his abstinencies and impositions were rational wisely directed to an end viz. to subdue or keep under some passion or the like end he did not sure satisfie himself or reckon that God was pleased with his sufferings further then as they were a reasonable service So again for the second notion of Superstition thou Idolater thou Papist that canst not come to the great God without a false Mediator through a fear and shiness I have no comfort for thee onely that I know not how merciful God may be to an erronious Conscience whenas the persons otherwise setting aside their error are sincere and cordial in their obedience and hold the Head that is Christ as the Apostles phrase is 2 Col. 19. Again for them that are superstitious in the last and lowest though I should think properest notion of the Word and are grosly so I take it as a very shrewd sign of a Spirit of Bondage and Legality predominant not onely for this reason that they plainly discover themselves to be very ignorant of the Gospel by which all the Ceremonial Law was at once laid aside and no other substituted by the Apostles nor as I should think left to be invented by their corrupter successors but for that other reason which I mentioned for that such men that are so much for invented Ceremonies which I reckon superstitious are not onely de facto strangers to a Spirit of Prayer which is all one with the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 but must needs set upon the inventing or embraciag these superstitions for that they think certainly the great God observes as much the little circumstances which are not indeed to be despised as the substance of every action and that if you are not mighty exact in every punctilio the Lord will not accept the most sincere devotion and hence they came to serve out every action with so much pomp and ceremony as must needs hinder the performance of some other necessary duties besides that the inventions are many times sinful in themselves Or else there must be another reason of these superstitious inventions which Mr. Smith suggests and thereby methinks brings down his high notion of Superstition somewhat towards this last that we have given his words are That superstitious men think though God is apt to be angry yet that he is easily to be appeased again by some FLATTERING DEVOTIONS especially if performed with sanctimonious shews and a solemn sadness of mind and therefore saith he Superstition will alwayes abound in these things whereby this Deity of their own made after the similitude of men may be most gratified slasishly crouching to it And then quotes Plutarch taxing the Jews with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their wallowings in the dust tumblings in the mire prosternations uncouth gestures and strange rites of worship the very things which we call Superstition bowing to the high Altar c. And again he tells us That this root of Superstition diversly brancheth forth it self sometimes into poedantical rites and idle observations of things and times What is it that the lave ages have called Superstition but this which here Mr. Smith acknowledgeth to be the effects or branches of Superstition But to let pass this criterion of Superstition as to the word but yet retaining the thing intended by it which is an over-timorous fear of God we may find out predominant Legality by this that follows Art thou engaged in the service of God ONELY through the fear of Hell What saist thou to that Scripture The sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness harh surprized the hypocrites Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire Who among us shall dwel with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 Not as if this principle were in it self unlawful no it is a Gospel-principle and the Apostle Paul himself as I have shewed makes use of it when he sayes I beat down
God hath sent forth the SPIRIT of his SON into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4 3 4 5 6. It is by Christ's coming that we are freed from that external fleshly way of serving God in a worldly Sanctuary and by carnal Ordinances It was almost impossible whilst it was the duty of the people of God to worship God with so much ceremonial service but they should dote too much upon those externals of worship But saith our Saviour â—he hour cometh and NOW is that is in the dayes of the Gospel that neither in this Mountain nor at Jerusalem shall men worship the Father but in spirit and truth John 6.21.23 and the reason was this for that Christ was the substance of those shadows which therefore vanished at his coming The truth is the great thing that we have to mind as Christians is the knowledge of Christ the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. And I have often thought that they who would study the Gospel aright should endeavour to find out what there is peculiar in the Gospel above whatever was before revealed for they shall find that in the Gospel there is the hidden wisdom of God revealed such mysteries of wisdom as were before hidden from ages and generations and I believe there is no greater prejudice to the advance of knowledge in Theology or the knowledge of God than that it is so generally presumed yea and assertedthat there is nothing in a manner new in the Go spel neither precepts nor promises but that the Faith of the Saints in all ages was the same that it is now onely they appreheuded the same things somewhat more obscurely then we do and so for the Precepts that they were always the same Now this presumption will unavoidably hinder all further enquiry and the New-Testament shall signifie no more to us then the old will do and so we shall necessarily put our selves again under the Legal instead of the Evangelical Administration serving God in the OLDNESS OF THE LETTER which is the Law and not in the NEWNESS OF THE SPIRIT which is the Gospel Rom. 7.6 Whereas to any diligent and unprejudiced enquirer it will appear that there are a thousand new things in the Gospel and all of them referring more or less to Christ I shall give but two Scriptures for this and so come to the application of the character The first is this in Col. 1.26 27. I am made a Minister saith the Apostle to fulfil the Word of God even the Mystery which hath been hid FROM AGES AND GENEEATIONS but NOW IS MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS to whom God would make known the riches of this Mystery amongst the Gentiles which is CHRIST IN YOU the hope of Glory Christ is all the Mystery all the mysterious things of the Gospel are to be more or less referred to Christ The second Scripture is Eph 3. of which I might transcribe more then half the chapter see ver 9. To make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mysterie which from the beginning of the world hath been HID IN GOD See Marlorat in loc who CREATED ALL THINGS BY JESUS CHRIST This saith Calvin Non tam de prima creatione interpretari libet quam de instauratione spirituali circumstantia enim loci postulat ut de renovatione intelligamus quae continetur in beneficio redemptionis That is This creation of all things by Jesus Christ is not so much to be understood of the first creation of the world as of the instauration and renovation or new Gospel-state of things into which God hath put them by Jesus Christ So the next verse unavoidably carries the sense ver 10 11. To the intent that NOW unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places MIGHT BE MADE KNOWN by the Church the manifold wisdom of God according to the eternal purpose which he PURPOSED IN CHRIST JESUS our Lord What did not the Angels know the Mysteries of the first creation till the dayes of the Gospel Oâ— are they instructed by the Church in the Mysteries of the first Creation Are Christians as such so great natural Philosophers as that Angels may come and learn of them The sense therefore is plainly thus That in the dayes of the Gospel there is a quite new Model and new constitution of things by vertue of the Mediatorial Kingdom which Jesus Christ hath received of his Father and much of this the Angels learn from the Church Who therefore but a rank Legallist will study Jesus Christ I come now to the application of the Character The application of the Character first to the discovery of partial Legality And here I shall somewhat alter my method which I used in the application of the other Characters for here I shall begin with the discovery of partial Legality which may be found in the Saints from this Character and afterwards come to predominant Legality from it First of all then Is our New-Testament-Faith to act so much upon Jesus Christ yea upon him immediately for all things for pardon for strength of Grace for temporal deliverances c Then these Saints are much too blame and greatly guilty of Legality that go to God without Christ in any measure If men go to God in the daves of the Gospel and where the Gospel hath been preached 〈◊〉 for I have to do with none other at this time I say if such men go to God without Christ altogether they are not Saints at all cannot be Saints of these I shall speak â—non But there are a generation of Saints and perhaps the greatest number who do truly believe in Christ that yet go to God without Christ in a great measure they are Christians Doctrinally but yet they are not well versed nor practised enough in treating with Christ and with God through Christ but make their immediate applications to God almost in every prayer in every act of Faith they cannot speak in a Gospel Dialect but are as if they were still living in the daies of the Old Testament where that a man feared and believed in God was his great character of Saintship Nay I would adventure to make this censure of hundreds of Christians that are good and holy men that were it not for the doctrine of satisfaction to the Justice of God which hath an hold upon them they do not discover wherein they have any need or use of Jesus Christ at all either as King or Prophet of his people though indeed they wil consent unto all these things when they are preached therefore in charity must be conceived to have that respect unto Christ which is necessary even in these particulars also I think many Ministers are greatly to blame who are otherwise good men in that they preach no more of Christ unto their people That this is Legality where it is found I think there is no need of further proof this character sufficiently
Now this being the great means of transferring Justification from the Law to Faith I shall a little insist upon the Explication of it That which I have to say upon it will be contained in these two assertions 1. That Christ in his own person here upon earth undertook the Law and answered it in all that it had to say against us And whereas it was a killing letter he took out this condemning power of it for all believers 2. That this was done by Christ for all ages of the Church and so it was and is the great foundation of that Justification by faith which the Apostle Paul contends to have been in all ages before the Law under the Law and in the dayes of the Gospel to the end of the world so that the way of Justification by faith comes in kindly and in a comely manner without any neglect or violation of the Law I begin with the first assertion That Christ in his own person here upon earth undertook and answered the Law The first assertion That Christ undertook answered the law for us c. Now to prove and illustrate this assertion it will be usefull to us 1. To consider in what condition the Lord Christ found us when he came into the world as a Saviour We were therefore all of us Jewes and Gentiles We were all under the law when Christ came to save us prisoners to the Law I shall give the account of this in the Apostle's expressions which are somewhat mystical to which I hope I shall adde some light by laying them together and comparing them one with another Before Christ came and before faith came and so at the time when Christ came when faith came in the doctrinal discovery or at any time doth come to us in the hearty closing with it We were kept under the Law Gal. 3.23 the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law had set a guard upon us and as it follows we were shut up unto the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we were all shut up as so many prisoners unto the Law and under its guard and custody and in Rom. 7.6 speaking of the Law the Apostle saith We were held by it that being dead that is the Law wherein we were HELD or by which we were detained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For though these places in the Galatians and Romanes may referr to the different dispensations of the Old Testament and New that before the dayes of the Gospel when faith came to be preached men were under a legal dispensation they were kept under the Law and shut up to the faith that was to be revealed yet I dare affirm that there is a deeper meaning then that at least a deeper truth then that if not in those places which is this That till Christ and the way of Justification by faith be made known to the soul the soul must needs be under a legal frame â—f heart towards God under fear and bondage â—ay and a further sense then this yet and that â—s this That till the virtue of the blood of Christ â—e applyed to the soul till actual Justification â—y or upon faith every man lies under the curse â—nd threatning and wrath of the Law the Law â—ath taken hold of us all an evident signe of â—hich is this That death hath passed upon all and â—hat is the reason why for that all have sinned â—om 5.12 And if any could plead exemption from this abnoxiousness to the Law it must be either the â—â—ntiles that had not the Law as the expression is â—â—m 2.14 that is had not the Law given to â—â—em or those that lived before the Law was â—ven by Moses now neither of these can plead â—is exemption therefore all mankinde were â—ptives to the Law when Christ undertook the â—ork of Redemption or rather until the desigâ—ation of Christ by the Father to this work For the first viz. the Gentiles the Apostle tells us that he had proved them under sin which is the transgression of the Law therefore under the Law and their thoughts within them did accuse for their breach of the Law which was written in their hearts Rom. 2.14 Neither were they free from this arrest of the Law who lived before the delivery of the Law by Moses for the Apostle tells us plainly Rom. 5.13 That untill the Law sin was in the world that is from Adam till the time that the Law was solemnly given by Moses sin was in the world now sin is the transgression of the Law and accordingly as sin was in the world all that space of time from Adam to Moses so Death reigned from Adam to Moses Now we know that death 〈◊〉 the wages of sin and the strength of sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 Sin could never have brought in death but by the Law which bindes sin upon the sinner and with sin the punishment due to it therefore all that space of time from Adaâ— to Moses sin and death being in the world 〈◊〉 they were to be sure there was the Law in its power energy it was there in effect as sure 〈◊〉 it was in the hearts consciences of Heathens and the Grave was the Law 's Prison Death it's Arrest Sin it 's great Charge and Accusation by and upon which Death entred Sin entred in the world and death by sin upon the threatningâ— the Law Rom. 5.12 This was the state and condition therefore that Christ found us in wâ— were all under the Law as Prisoners and Captives therefore when the Father sent fort Christ upon the work of Redemption it is saâ— Gal. 4.4 God sent forth his Son made of a woman mâ—â— under the Law to redeem them that were under 〈◊〉 Law This was written to the Galatians who were Gentiles That we putting himself and the Galatians together might receive the adoption of Sons therefore the Gentiles were under the Law when Christ was sent forth for their redemption And our Saviour tells us what he was commissionated to by his Father Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted to preach DELIVERANCE TO THE CAPTIVES and recovering of sight to the blinde to set at liberty them that are bruised or bound as it is in Isai 61.1 to preach the acceptable year of the Lord that is the Year of Jubilee when all servants were set free thus Christ's coming was to proclaim a Year of Jubilee to the whole world that the Law 's Captives should be delivered and those that served God under the tyranny of the Law might receive a spirit of Adoption So now thus farr we are gone in our proof of the first assertion that when Christ came as a Saviour and Redeemer of his people he found them all under the Law as the lawfull Captives and Prisoners unto it by reason of their sins which were