to doe it for that is the work of the Spirit by the Gospell use of the law page 388. If any thinke that Christians are hereby set at liberty from all liberal commands shal never work but when as and what the Spirit moves them let him consider first That there is a difference betwixt the commands of the Law or letter strictly so called which requires obedience though Spiritual to be done in the power of the Old man which is carnall And the cōmands of Christ or given by the Apostles in the Name of Christ which calls for an obedience Spiritual but to be done in the power of the New man which daily fights against and mortifies the old Christians may be set at liberty from these Act 15.20 And yet not set at libertie from but in a liberty to walk accordingly as is required by these 2 Cor. 3.17.1 Ioh. 5 3 Mat. 11.30 Secondly It were well if Christians did but alas they doe not work either so often or in that manner and measure nor alwaies what the Spirit moves them to for first The Spirit or inward man where the Spirit dwels is willing {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as some read Rom. 12.11 to doe or suffer upon all occasions It s the flesh that 's weake Mat. 26.41 Paul found the Law of his mind warring against the law of his members Rom. 7.23 25. And the Spirit against the flesh as wel as the flesh against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 To wil was present with him though how to doe that which was good he found not Rom. 7 18. Secondly One of our great sins reproved complained against is quenching of the Spirit 1. Thes. 5.19 Grieving and resisting the Spirit Ephes 4.30 Acts. 7.51 Gen. 7.3 Nay Christians as they live in the Spirit are exhorted to walke in the Spirit and assured thereupon that they shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.16 Thirdly The most liberall legall men confesse that they often resist the good motions of the Holy Spirit that Acti agunt they act when acted That by the power of their Habituall grace they cannot stirre without the Antevening of some new exciting grace that they attempt often to work in their owne time which is the night having neglected Gods time which is the day Fourthly Did Christians deny as alwaies they should and the Grace of God teacheth them Tit 2.12 to walk after the flesh they needed not labour or worke before the spirit it were sufficient for them to walke after it Rom 8.1 with the rest of the Sonnes of God to be bid by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 to deny themselves take up their present crosses and at his call follow him not heeding the voice of strangers Iohn 10.4 5 Thirdly I doe not hold that the Spirit of Christ doth worke in Christians or carry them out to worke any thing but what is agreable to the directory Mandatorie part of the Scriptures nor that it doth teach them to beleeve any thing but what is agreable to the doctrine of the Gospel as recorded by the Prophets and Apostles and doe therefore for the discoverie and prevention of false delusive spirits often inculcate those sayings If any man think himselfe to be a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge that the things that I write are the commandments of the Lord 1 Cor. 14.37 To the Law and to the Testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa. 8.20 Fourthly Though I dare not limit the Spirit that blowes where it listeth unto means as if it could not or often did not worke without them yet doe I not despise prophecying praying reading conference c. but looke for the Spirit to worke in and by all such meanes as Christ hath appointed and the Apostles who received immediately from him have delivered unto us For albeit Fifthly The Anointing which the Saints have received of him abideth in them and they need not that any man teach them other things than what that Spirit by which they were at first begotten through the Gospel dayly teacheth them yet is there need of speaking and writing to and Harkening and adhering unto what is written and spoken both by fathers young men and little children 1 Iohn 2.13 2 Thes. 2 15. Iude. 3. First That Christians may be put in remembrance of these things though they know them and are already established in the present truth 2 Pet. 1.12 or once knew them Iude. 5. Secondly That they may be stirred up by being put in remembrance 2 Pet 1 13 Thirdly To diswade them from the love of the world by representing the vanity thereof 1 Iohn 2 15 16.17 Fourthly For the mutuall comforting and confirming one another in the saith by manifestation of the same truth Rom 1 22 1 Iohn 2 21 Fifthly ly For the discovery and prevention of the Spirit of Ante-christ which under a pretence of glorifying immediately communicating with the Father denies Iesus Christ to have come in the flesh to take away sinnes and our fellowship with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ contrarie to 1 Iohn 1.2.3 and 2 23 4 3 Sixthly That Christians may not be shaken in mind or troubled either by Spirit by word by letter or by signes and wonders telling or foretelling such things as are not recorded by the Apostles for our learning upon whom the ends of the world are come 2 Thes 2 2 3 15. The second passage The Law was not given to an unconverted people but to a converted 1. BY the Law may be understood either that covenant of works as made with Adam in Paradise or that Legal Subservient Covenant added to the promise because of transgressions and ordained by Angells in the hand of a Mediatour Gal. 3.19 Secondly By a converted people may be understood either only those that are such Judicio certitudinis in a judgement of certaintie which only can be passed by the Lord himselfe He alone knowes who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Or all those that are such Judicio charitatis in a Iudgement of charitie soe farr as is meet for us to judge Phi. 2.7 The Law taken in the first sense in its primative Institution cannot properly be said to have been given either to a people converted or unconverted those very termes presupposing the fall of man but to Adam in the state of Innocencie as the head root and representative of all mankind as is evident from the event Death having passed upon all men for that or in whom all have sinned Rom. 5.12 The Law taken in the latter sence was not given to the Gentiles but to the Iewes a circumcised people a people that renounced the gods of the Heathens visibly worshipped and called upon the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and by consequence so farr as it is meet for us to judge a converted people And the truth of this appeares
1. From Gods owne designation of the condition of that people to whom he gave this Law when as he calls them and reminds them in the preface That they were by him brought out of the Land of Epypt out of the house of bondage which agrees not with the condition of Pharaoh or any that stayed in the Land of Egypt and house of bondage or were else where scattered upon the face of the earth could he say to them or any of them Thee have I brought out and therefore thou shalt have c Secondly The Lord doth not promise I will be the Lord thy God upon condition that thou keep these commandments but declares absolutely to of that people to whom he gave the Law both in the preface and in the five first commandments that he actually and Antecedently was the Lord their God And now those expressions are used in Scripture of no other people but the children of Israel only whom he had already taken into the covenant made with Abraham the rest were accounted Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise having not hope and without God in the world Ephes. 2.11 Thirdly The Law upon Mount Sinai as is confest by all and is cleare Exod. 19. was given Sub Ratione foederis under the notion of a Covenant but no other people entered into covenant but onely the children of Israel Moses came and called for the elders of the people c. verse 7. and all the people answered together and said c. verse 8. they answered for thereby obliged themselves and their children but neither did they nor could they capitulate or make any restipulation for the Gentiles whom they represented not nor were the Gentiles nor any for them called to such a stipulation as is evident from verse 3 16. Fourthly The Law was but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a thing added to another not set up as a compleat ordinance of and by it self and therefore must be extended no further than that was to which it was added as subservient but that Scilicet the promise belongs only to Abraham and his seed and not to the rest of the world and so by consequence did the Mosaicall law and hence doth the Apostle say of the Iews to them belongeth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the covenants Rom. 9.4 And of the Gentiles that they were strangers {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to the covenants Ephes. 2.11 Fiftly The Gentiles were made Proselites and circumcised before they were looked upon as obliged to or by the Law of Moses And hence Paul laies it down for a general rule and thereupon dehorts them from submitting to circumcision If any among you be circumcised he is a debtour to doe the whole Law Gal. 5.6 Sixthly The Scriptures hold forth the giving of the Law by Moses as a special prerogative and a peculiar priviledge vouch-safed to the Iews and not to other nations I have written to them the Honourable things of my Law Hos. 8.12 He hath not dealt so with any nation Psal 47.19.29 When the Gentiles which have not the Law Rom. 2.14 What advantage then hath the Iewes much chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God Rom. 3.2 And it is reckōed amongst their other priviledges that unto thē appertaines the giving of the Law Rom. 9.4 Seventhly the Apostle writing to the Christians at Rome proves the Gentiles guiltie of sin from the Law of nature in the two first Chapters And the Iewes from the Law of Scriptures Chap. 3. from verse the first to the 19. And that he might charge those sinnes home upon the Iewes as the late English Annotatians observe he adds verse 19. whatsoever the Law saith Scilicet written it saith to them that are under the Law i. e. to the Iewes as is Generally agreed by commentatores Eightly The Law saith the same Apostle speaking of the Law which was ordained by Angels Gal. 3.19 and of himselfe and his Countrimen the Iewes as appeares from verse 23 the commutation of the persons verse 26 was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} our Scholemaster or as Leigh our child-leader which led us who were children and therefore not the Gentiles who were accounted as servants and not of Abrahames seed and only us while children And therefore not now being the Sons of God by saith in Christ Iesus verse 25.26 The Gentiles before conversion neither were nor are accounted {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} children And therefore not to be looked upon as put by the father under their paedagogie of the Law And now at conversion they receive the spirit of adoption and are Sons and so freed from that suppositive bondage of the Law under which they should have come at that time had not Christ by his death redeemed them from it Gal. 4.6.17 The third passage I can preach that which Iohn Baptist could not nay Christ in the flesh preached not 1. THe comparison betwixt Iohn Baptist and me or any other now a Gospel Preacher is not in respect of any personall worth whether naturall acquired or given as if in any of these we did excel Iohn Baptist and were thereby enabled to preach that which hee could not nor in respect of the effects and powerfulnesse of preaching for he went before him in the spirit and power of Elias he was filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mothers womb many of the children of Israel did he turne to the Lord their God Luke 1.17 Nay he laid the Axe to the root of the Tree Mat. 3.10 and feld down the very generation of Vipers He forced them to disclaime their legal priviledges and righteousnesse brought them to confesse themselves sinners even as vile as beasts and as unfit as Stones Mat. 3.7.8.9 And to be washed in the same water with Publicans whom they loathed for Remission of sinnes But the comparison is in respect of the doctrine preached and that not because of any difference in the substance of doctrine as if Iohn had preached one Iesus and we another No for Iesus is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 But only in respect of some difference necessarily arising from the circumstance of time or the variation of the subjects condition in the severall times wherein we preach He living before and wee since that Houre of Christ whence we have the advantage to declare some things of and concerning Iesus which Iohn during his time could not And now 1. The making of the comparison is warranted by Christ himself Verily I say unto you among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than Iohn the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he Mat. 11.11 Here Christ compares Iohn with those that went before him and the least in the Kingdome of heaven that is the
A Glimpse of Divine Light BREAKING THROUGH A Cloud of Errours BEING An explanation of certain Passages exhibited by Anonymus to the Commissioners of White-Hall appointed for Approbation of publick Preachers against Ioseph Harrison Gospel-Preacher at Lund-Chappel IN LANCASHIRE For the supposed delivering of which he was denied Approbation Published by the said IOSEPH HARRISON and proposed to the consideration of all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity ACTS 24.13 14 15. Neither can they approve the things whereof they now accuse me But this I confesse unto thee that after the way which they call Heresie So worship I the God of my Fathers Beleeving all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets and have hope towards God which they themselves also allow London Printed for N. Brook and are to be sold at the Angell in Corn-Hill near the Royall Exchange 1655. To my Christian Friends and Acquaintance in the County of LANCASTER More especially the Church-meeting at LUND near Preston in ANDERNES Grace and Peace from God the Father and Iesus Christ our LORD Beloved in the Bowels of Jesus AS there hath alwayes been a reluctancy upon my spirit whiles seeking for approbation from men so have I alwayes perceived a reluctancy upon the spirits of men when about to grant me that which is so ordinary a favour And though I will not say it made them more scrupulous how they approved yet certainly it made me lesse scruple at their Non-approval because I needed not as some others either Epistles of commendation unto you or letters of commendation from them you were our Epistle written in our hearts known and read of all men 2 Cor. 3.2 3. Neverthelesse as occasion hath been offered I alwayes desired it 1. That I might live peaceably amongst and keep a correspondency with the neighbouring Ministers and not separate for circumstance so long as we agreed in the substance of the truth 2. That while providence made way I might not be chargeable though I feared not my being troublesome to any of you 3. The maintenance allotted to the place at which I usually preached and near unto which I was born did arise as some of you know from within the Precincts and Borderies thereof and the people were generally willing and freely petitioned that it might be disposed off to me rather than to strangers that exercised at places farre remote and yet with all earnestnesse sollicited for it This last general call in obedience to which I with many others crowded up to London cannot possibly but have been heard of by every one of you And my desire is that you should truly know what was upon my heart before and in reference to my going thither what entertainment I found there and how it cometh to passe that you are now presented with and invited to peruse an explanation of these Scarce intelligible passages I was not freer in my spirit to seek for approbation now than iâ— the dayes of old nor did I expect these in commission now to be any freer in granting to such as me than men entrusted by men with the like power had formerly been Though I professe 1. That I honour some of the present Commissioners exceeding highly for their works sake and am glad as well for their sakes as the quiet of my own mind that providence so ordered things that they were not present at this Transaction nor did sit to vote concerning me Tender hearted Christians might perhaps have been troubled at themselves afterwards least they had offended some of the little and despised ones 2. I could not be perswaded of so much as an intended opposition from or by the brethren of the Classis in the County of Lancaster because I knew 1. That the Grandees of that party had refused for these four years last past to observe either the publick days of fasting or thanksgiving appointed by the State And I did not think men of that zeal and spirit would strain their consciences and make use of that power no not if they had been assured thereby to promote their own catholick cause which they had so lately refused meerly out of conscience either to pray or give thanks for according to 2 Tim. 2.1.2 Their own consciences might tell them that though they alwayes have the happ to get and keep that which is by them called the honour of maintenance yet men as disputable as I in their account deserved countenance from the powers that be as well as they 3. Neither I nor any friend of mine that I heard of ever harmed any of them either in their persons or estate And though they were guilty as many reported not only of delivering as is pretended against me but of acting some Illegal and Antinomian Passages yet were they passed by in silence no advantage taken nor information posted up against them 4. My conversation to say no more of that these very men have not excepted against and the points wherein I seemed to differ from them whether in doctrine worship or discipline have been so fully discussed in writing and pillars of that party so farre engaged upon that account that I deemed it inconsistent with the ingenuity of the men either to fetch Arguments from Carters Topicks or with Mr. Baxter in a passion sure to Querie about the extent of the 38. Article of our late Charter 5. I was not conscious to my self of any point of doctrine maintained or published by me that differed really from the Christian Religion contained in the Scriptures and held forth as the publick profession of this Nation And therefore as the Law is good so if used lawfully I saw not wherein possibly I could be judged a Transgressor of it But contrary to my expectation letters were written to a Brother or Brethren in London These passages sent up in that form and in those very words at they are presented to you in the following page And the minds of the Commissioners so far as some of these mens Interests could prevail for I speak not of them all exasperated and prejudiced against me But to say no more of that The method and manner of their proceedings with me was briefly this and thus At after ten dayes tedious attendance I had the favour to be called in and was then honoured with the presence of a full Committee my certificate never questioned nor any Querie proposed to me to try my knowledge and utterance or discover whether the grace of God was in me of a truth But the passages following were distinctly read twice over I was required to answer yea or nay as to the matter of fact had liberty to speak what I thought meet in order thereunto commanded to withdraw recalled at after a short pause and heard the sentence of a Non posse approbare scilicet That the Brethren had consulted together and could not grant the one of those printed papers which yet were so common that four hundred at least
Burgesse it was Adams Abrahams c. then though Christians may heare read speake of and hearken to the letter which saith labour and it may be but useful in divers respects as is hereafter shewne yet are not Christians bound to an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or obedientiall hearkening thereunto as when it saith unto them labour upon that accompt but they are to hearken to the word which is nigh them even in their mouthes and in their hearts That is the word of faith which we preach and to looke for the Spirit in faith to worke in them through the ministrie of the Spirit all such effects as Christ hath purchased and the Father hath promised in that new covenant of which the Man Christ Iesus is the everlasting Mediatour The Antecedent of this position which is Negative is evident for first the Apostle opposes the Letter or law as dispensed by Moses unto the word of Faith or doctrine of the Gospel which we preach and dehorts from an obedientiall hearkening unto that and exhorts to a hearing and Cordiall beleeving of this as holding forth Christ the end thereof for righteousnesse and salvation to every one that beleeves Rom. 10.4.5.6 8.9 Secondly We are not under the law but under grace Rom. 6.14 I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Gal 2.19 Wee are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ that we should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held Rom. 7.46 Thirdly The binding of Christians to obey this Law renders Christ unprofitable to them for circumcision did it not simply for if so doubtless Timothy should not have been circumcised by any consent of Paul but because it was looked upon as making them debtors to doe the whole law Gal. 5.2 3 4 and necessarily putting them under the curse for not doing of it Gal. 3.10.12 If it be granted that Christians are freed from the Damnatorie but not from the Mandatory power of the Law and that the promissory being accidental to a Law this and the Directory essential Then note 1. that the question is not about a Law but this Law nor what is essentiall to or will make up the definition of a Law Politique but what is essential to and wil make up the Definition of the Mosaicall Law which was dispensed at Sinai subratione foederis and so not after the usual manner of other Lawes And now if wee beleeve Paul and will not be so very Logicall as to deny Moses description to be a Definition He describeth the righteousnesse which is of the Law That the man which doth these things shall live by them Rom 10.5 And Paul proves that as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse Because it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them Gal 3.10 He proposeth these texts as containing the Sum essentials of Moses Law And can no more be denyed so to doe for ought I See then that of Gen. 12.3 cited Gal. 3.8 to containe the Summe and essentials of the Gospel Secondly The Law is said to be dead Rom. 7.2.6 But how dead if both essentiall parts be vnited and in their vigour Can a man be said to be dead because he wants some Integrall part as a leg or Arme So Long as the body and Soule which are the essentials remain in vnion Thirdly Beleevers under the Old Testament were freed from the Damnatory power of the Law for they were blessed with faithful Abraham as well as beleevers now Gal. 3 9. But beleevers under the New Testament are freed from this Law or covenant as beleevers under the Old Testament were not and therefore cannot their freedome be Interpreted of a freedome from the curse or Damnatory power thereof as is fully cleared by Mr Shephard Thes Sab. part 1. pag. 73. they must therefore of necessity be said to be freed from the obligatorie power of the Law at least quá foedus and if so quá dispensed by Moses which is the point to be confirmed Secondly Christians are to serve God not in the oldnesse of the letter but in the newnesse of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 whereas the Law or letter demands the service to be done in the power of the old man menaces death for the least failing therein and is disenabled either from accepting or rewarding any obedience unlesse so done Rom. 8.4 For though it be not against the service done in the newnesse of the spirit Gal 5.23 any more than the satisfaction made by Christ in the flesh yet as this so that is not exactly Idem the same there required at least not done per eundem by the same though being spirituall and proceeding from the spirit of Christ it be really the tantidem the tantamounts nay the Supramounts and farr more acceptable to the Father who is both the Soveraigne over and was the giver of the Law The consequence of this position which is affirmative is as plaine For first Christ hath promised to send the Spirit Iohn 16.8 And the Scriptures plentifully declare both that and what he shall worke when hee is come Ezek. 36.27 nay what he hath already wrought Gal. 5.22 And sure then Christians should looke for the spirit to work and to work those very works in upon them in measure which are promised and have been wrought in others Secondly Christians are encouraged to pray for the holy Spirit Luke 11.13 and sure not to be idle but to worke either by in or upon them and shall they not looke for an answer to their prayers Thirdly Christians are exhorted {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Phil. 2.12 to work their own salvation That is as Chamier Interprets it from the like phrase Gen. 2 Rev. 18 to be employed and worke in those things which concern their own salvation with feare as in the presence of God and with trembling at the sense of their own weakenesse and unworthinesse and that upon this ground because it is God that worketh in them c. And if though wee be called upon and said to work It is indeed not so much wee that worke as God that worketh in us shall we presume to set our selves to worke in conformitie to the letter and not firstly nay continually in much weakenesse fear and trembling looke to and for God to worke both the will and dead by his own Spirit And fourthly Seeing we received not the spirit by the workes of the Law but by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 wee are to looke for the spirit to worke not by the ministrie of the Law which saith labour but by the word of faith or doctrine of the Gospell For as Reynolds The Law can onely shew what is good gives no power at all
work of God c. Actively and Passively The work now commanded to be done by you and yet the work which onely is must and can be done by God John 6.28 29. Men and brethren what shall we do say those Acts 2.37 Repent answereth Peter or abandon the present thoughts and actings of your minds whereby you are alienated from God and yield your selves up as dead lost men to be baptised or buried under water with Christ in Baptisme thence to be raised up by his mighty power alone to newnesse of life It is therefore good for a man instead of doing what he can in his own formal Hypocritical way of obedience to the outward commands First to learn experimentally from the lusting and rebelling of his own heart against Gods commandments that he can do nothing but sin That when the commandment comes Sin reviveth that sin taketh occasion by the commandment and worketh in him all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 9. Secondly to acknowledge himself a sinner and guilty of death Rom. 3.19 20. Thirdly To digest judgement or admit without pleading for himself the letter or law to condemn and kill him Rom. 7.10 11. Fourthly Not to stick to save himselfe actively by doing and conforming to the letter But passively to suffer God to work in him upon him and concerning him the whole power of his will by the power of his word for if dead he may perhaps hear that which he never did nor could while he was alive even not the letter nor Epistle only sent by messengers but the voice of the Son of God and in hearing Believe and live Joh. 5.25 And here we conclude that it is hurtful for a man in the state of nature to be active or do all that he can or any thing he is able to imagine he either can or should do in reference to the procuring the spiritual goods or blessings purchased by Christ and firstly conferred upon his Elect as Regeneration conversion faith and Repentance and that we may the more particularly prove and clear this consider that here and in order to the collation of these it is true that the summe of all the commandments is that of the Sabbath or a ceasing of man from his own works or working according to a form or letter Nos praedicantes fidem omnino dehortamur ab operibus homines ut praedicemus Sabbatum non operando sed patiendo boni sumus cum patimur divinas actiones quieti ipsis Your strength is to sit still Isa. 30.7 For if man must act or be active in reference to his Regeneration and conversion which is the first special blessing that is conferred by Christ I ask first whether as an efficient principal or instrumental Not as principal for if so he might be said to Regenerate or beget himself the old man to be the father of the new man nay the new man the workmanship of the old made in himself by works Antecedent and not created in Christ unto works subsequent That which is born of the flesh be spirit contrary to John 3.6 Not as instrumental under God for first We are not begotten by corruptible but incorruptible seed by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 Of water and the Spirit not water and the flesh John 3.5 Secondly If a man were actively instrumental in his Regeneration he might of necessitie be actuallie alive before regenerated for how should man act before he have life But man is not actuallie alive before Regenerated But dead in sin and trespasses Ephes. 2.1 And therefore not activelie instrumental in his regeneration nay he is so far from being an instrument that he is not so much as the matter out of which life is educed but only into which it is induced by the Spirit of life in materiâ privativâ non positivâ operatur Deus Thirdly Quid insanius fingi potest as Luther Doth not the flesh fight against the Spirit at actu and how then should it act for and with the Spirit before or in Regeneration Fourthly he should not for the Law doth not command any man to be born from above or of the Spirit of Christ And Christ doth not require any man to regenerate himself from below or in the power of his flesh All in this Kingdome of heaven is to be done in the power of his own Spirit the commands presupposing the giving of it in the Gospel And hence is that as the Ministerie of the Spirit to be preached antecedentlie unto those even to every creature And then doth this new husband Christ call for the bringing forth of those children to God which he hath already begotten by that immortal seed of the Word Secondly If man be or should be active herein he must needs antecedently know and will his conversion and the means of it for otherwise he acts sensuallie as a beast not as a man but he neither knowes nor wills either of these antecedentlie or till he be regenerated but opposes and accounts them foolishnesse That he knows them not is plain first from 1 Cor. 2.14 and Nicodemus cast Iohn 3.4 who could neither apprehend the thing nor tell any means or way to it though Christ had already told him But entering the second time into his mothers womb The new man in this resembling Melchisedech Heb. 7.3 being to a natural man for oughr he can find in Scriptures without Father without Mother and without Descent neither having beginning of daies nor end of life and that because he is made not after the manner of the sonnes of men but like unto the Sonne of God Secondly Christ saith The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whether it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.8 Thirdly We must be known of God before we can know God 1 Cor. 8 2 3 Gal. 4.9 Quia cogniti sunt ideo cognoscunt I know my sheep and am known of mine John 10.14 Man must be born again or from above before he can so much as see the Kingdom of heaven John 3.5 Nor can he antecedently will either of these First because he cannot know them and it is a general maxime Ignoti nulla cupido If there be none that understandeth there is sure for being any that seeketh after God Rom. 3.11 He knowes doing the old way and naturally can will as the old end so the old way to do to be saved but not suffering which is the new He can as little think of dying in and to his own flesh with which he so sweetly now converseth as the Disciples of Christs suffering those things and so entring into his Glory Luke 24.26 Oh what living man can think that either we must or that the Captain of our salvation was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.10 Secondly the Text is plain Iohn 1.13 Which were born not of blood nor of the will
of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God If any say that a man may antecedently will regeneration or conversion by antecedaneous works of grace though not of nature I answer first It is said that God worketh in us to will Phil. 2.13 And to will is present with us who are born of God Rom 7.18 but never that he worketh it in them that are unborn So that secondly To will conversion is not a work of grace antecedent but subsequent thereunto and argues the Infant born and alive though yet it cannot tell so much but only cries thirsts and hungers for in this very willing there is a turning towards God and then undoubtedly a believing on the Lord Iesus And he that believeth is born of God 1 Iohn 5.1 Thirdly Christ puts not the except of entring into the Kingdom upon mans doings but upon Gods he sayes not except a man beget bear or convert himself but except a man be begotten born again or as some read it from above and be converted He cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven Mat 18.3 Vbi manebit liberum arbitrium ubi facere quod in se est cum hic fieri nos doceamur non facere non nos operemar sed Deus operetur facturae non factores sumus funditus scilicet ruit omnis Theologia superborum Thirdly Man neither is nor should be active in reference to the effecting either Faith or Repentance for if so either as an agent in the producing of them or as an agent in the using of means to procure the producing of them from and by God not in the former sense for first faith is not of our selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 It is given to you on the behalfe of Christ to believe Phil. 1.19 This is the work of God Iohn 6.29 Him hath God exalted to give Repentance unto Israel and Remission of sins Acts 5.30 Secondly Mr. Shepherd Mr. Baxter and before them Camero and Ferrius maintain that God doth not infuse a habit of Faith and Repentance whereby men are enabled antecedently by an inherent habitual grace to produce the acts of believing and repentance but doth himself say they first produce the first acts and then infuseth habits whereby men are enabled to act afterwards And if we should say with Mr. Kendal that faith is in us as the adjunct and hath to God only the relation of an effect that it denominates him alone the Authour of our believing though us the Believers because the subjects As the Boul only is said to runne and yet it is the man that is the cause of the motion I see little that Mr. Baxter is pleased or that others can say against it and not in the latter For first God hath appointed means to be used by the living through which he hath promised to beget faith in all the elect though for the present dead Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel Mar. 16.15 but of means appointed of God for the dead to use thereby to get faith or to procure the raising of themselves from and by God we read not If any say that prayer is a means then first If by prayer be meant the intercession of Christ it is granted for it is his intercession alone that procureth the actual collation of all those blessings purchased by himself in the flesh promised in the new Covenant by the Father and conveyed to us by the Spirit But if by prayer be meant any petitioning of ours then is prayer not a means to but a consequent of faith for first How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed Rom. 10.14 The interrogation is equivalent to a strong negation viz. they cannot Secondly Christ taught his Disciples to pray in faith not before nor for faith Mat. 21.22 unlesse by faith be meant the increase thereof and then we pray Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 I believe Lord help my unbeliefe Mar. 9.24 Thirdly he called them to leave all and follow him before they asked him any such a thing You have not chosen me but I have chosen you John 15.16 and after he had called them he prescribeth them a form of prayer or teacheth them to pray after this manner saying Our Father which art in heaven c. Mat. 6.9 Luke 11.1 2. And is it now agreeable to that form or letter to teach men to preferre the petitions before they can say the Preface or to enjoyn them to pray thy Kingdome come before they can cry Abba or Our Father These men I fear would teach their Scholars all the Alphabet of Christianity before Christs Crosse all the petitions before the Preface and it is doubtful then that as some coppies do they will leave out the conclusion also and the observation of all the Commandments before that which stands in the front Scilicet I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt Secondly God hath made no promise to an impenitent unbelieving man while such that upon condition of using such and such means or performing such and such duties he will bestow upon him either of those where it is said either implicitly or expressely if thou wilt do thus and thus I will give thee faith or I will give thee repentance And how any doing or dutying of man should be called means of getting any thing from God unlesse in a moral consideration and way of causation as conditions to some promise I have not yet learned from those Masters that stile one another the Orthodox Divines Thirdly though many enquired of the Apostles What they should do to be saved yet did never any ask what they should do to get Faith Repentance Conversion Regeneration or to get Christ into Christ nor did the Apostles leave any Directions or Rules to be observed by such Querists in future times but brought the word nigh unto them into their mouthes and into their hearts even the word of faith which we preach and tells them that faith comes by hearing and that hearing is not an Antecedent act of their own but that that also cometh by the word of God Rom. 10.8.17 The legal resolving of these Queries and the teaching of Nicodemus Disciples how to beget themselves the second time by entring into their own fleshly wombes is left to the Grand Casuists of these our dayes who can direct their followers how to beget that which is spirit of that which is flesh and how to get the fruits of the Spirit by doing the works of the Law can either ascend to heaven or go beyond the Sea to fetch such commandments as were neither given by Moses nor Christ that their Disciples may hear and do them and have their reward Fourthly Luther and other sensible believing men assert that Non nobis cogitantibus sapientibus volentibus oritur in nobis fides Christi sed incomprehensibili occulto opere spiritus
day and for ever 1 Cor. 13.10 12. Heb. 13.8 And that secondly This doth not destroy but confirm the external solemnization of the Lords day or first day in the week both in a cessation from all such works as may be either a vocamenta or impedementa and a diligent and special waiting upon God in the publick dispensing of such administrations as he hath instituted the thus exercising and stirring up the gifts and talents which God hath given to some for the benefit of others upon a special day being a powerful means as Mr. Shepherd well saith to sabbatize every day The fourth Querie 4. Whether to a Christian the Sabbath be to cease from working according to a form or letter If by working according to a form or letter be meant either a labouring in the flesh or power of the old man according to the tenor of the legal literal commands or a meere outside formall working in our owne tyme which is always ready John 7.6 according to any prescribed forme or penned rule whatsoever then doth the spirituall Sabbath imply a cessation from working according to a form or letter For first These are our own works both in respect of the principle and the end done either first in the time of darknesse to kindle a fire and warm our selves with the sparks thereof Isa. 50.11 Or secondly to get praise of men Luke 16.15 Or thirdly out of custom and conformity which is to be if not Hypocrites yet {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the Hypocrites Mat. 6.5 Or fourthly to quiet conscience and bribe the Bayliffe for serving the Writ according to the Law though it may be intended as well as pretended to pacifie the angry Creditor and get the debt book crossed Secondly this is a serving in the oldnesse of the letter and not in the newnesse of the Spirit as the Gospel-commands require or a worshipping without the Spirit and truth which sort of worshippers though Satan-like they will needs present themselves amongst the Sonnes of God Iob 1.6 yet doth not the Father seek for any such to worship him Iohn 4.23.24 Thirdly This argues a man to have only {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 3.5 a legal form of godliness according to the directions whereof though with a heart unpurified he endeavours to act in the mean while denying and mocking at the power of godliness Scilicet The free Gospel-working Spirit by which Christians are acted The Sons of God {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} aguntur as the vulgar are acted by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 But if by working according to a form or letter be meant no more than working such works as are agreeable to a form or letter which differs if we speak strictly from working according c. or be it working according to a form or letter suppose that form or letter to be the Evangelical {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 6.17 2 Tim. 1.13 not the legal {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 2.20 2 Tim. 3.5 and the works wrought accordingly as is there required then doth the spiritual Sabbath not exclude but imply a working according to a form or letter For first The Spirit as hath been said works no other works but such as are agreeable to this form The works of the Spirit when wrought being alwayes agreeable thereunto though I dare not say that the Spirit in working is at any time guided therby Secondly This form or letter requireth all our works to be wrought in God Iohn 3.21 or in the Spirit and not in the power or life but in the weakness and death of selfish flesh Thirdly The rule or form may be observed by Christians in acting and yet Christians not alwayes observe a form or rule when and while they act Artificers that have any acquired habit may work agreeable to the rules of art and yet not always by their artificial rules The rule is alway Regula operis a rule of the work and it is wrong if not agreeable thereunto but not alwayes Regula operantis the rule of the worker Scilicet in working for it is not contrary to the rule though he sometime work without looking at it So the work be wrought accordingly and when wrought be according as is required in it And he when all is done submit his skill and work to be tryed by the standing rule Fourthly As the Spirit is the Pylate So this form is the compasse not by which he steereth yet according to which we are steered As the Spirit is the guide So this form is the rule not by which he guideth yet according to which we are guided As Christ in Spirit is the King or Ruler so is this form the Magna Charta according to which he though an absolute Prince is pleased to declare we shall be ruled by Fifthly As the Spirit ruleth and governeth according to these sciptural laws enacted in heaven and proclaimed by the Apostles on earth So these Scriptural lawes require us to be ruled and governed by the Spirit of Christ and make it death either to resist the commands of this governour who alwayes commands agreeable to these lawes or yeeld obedience to any other whether flesh world or devil who would rule according to their or our wicked lusts Sixthly the Negative commands do obligare semper ad semper always and unto all times so that it is a transgression of the Sabbath ever to obey either flesh world or devil suppose that the Spirit did suspend his Actings for a time The affirmative Semper but not ad semper alwayes but not unto all times except that of walking after the Spirit because that virtually containeth all the rest And the Spirit is continually moving enclining or powerfully working a Christian to some or other of the duties there required if not to those which commonly past under the name of works and duties yet to that which is the work of works Scilicet Believing waiting and resting in and upon God by Iesus Christ Exod. 14.13 14. Isa. 50.10.30.7 Psal. 27.14 Ioh. 6.29 And hence it is that prayer is alwayes a duty because in Specie alwayes commands Christians and yet are not Christians bound to be of the Sect of the Euchitae alwayes praying The determining in individuo when and which of these works is to be done by each particular Christian is left to the holy Spirit whom Christ hath sent to govern and guide his Church by the law of light life and love unto the end of the world For otherwise first Christ could not discharge those relations of Head Husband Bishop King Lord and Captain all which keeping within the bounds of the General Law Determine for those under them Qua tales when and which particular duties each shall do I say to this man go