blameless ver 5 6. But then after all he casts away all this Jewish and Pharisaical glory What things were gain to me those I have counted loss for Christ ver 7. he would not be justified by any of those things but doth he go no further Doth he only exclude his external Pharisaical Righteousness No surely his discourse goes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ vers 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Particles of amplification as if the Apostle had said Nay more than that even now do I count all things loss In the 7. Verse he casts off his Jewish and Pharisaical gains but in the 8. he puts by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things his inherent Graces not being admitted to be the Matter of our Justification In the 7. Vers we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in tempore praeterito I have counted but in the 8. we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in praesenti now I do count all things loss Hence the excellent Beza saith Notandum praesens tempus sic enim crescit oratio ut jam Apostolus quod ad justificationem coram Deo attinet omnia opera excludat tum praecedentia tum etiam consequentia fidem Exam. ' de Justif pag. 135. And Learned Chemnicius saith Paulum non tantùm uti praeterito tempore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de operibus praecedentibus conversionem sed praesenti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut ostendai quòd operibus suis etiam post renovationem fact is non tribuat Justificationem coram Deo Even our inherent Graces how precious soever they be in Sanctification must not assume the Royal seat of Christ and his Righteousness they must not be our very Righteousness in Justification Bellarmine indeed here cries out Quanta quaeso blasphemia est How great is this blasphemy to call good works done out of the Faith and Grace of Christ no better than dung But Paraeus answers him very well That they are not so called absolutely in themselves but comparatively to the Righteousness of Christ nefas enim ducit in ullis operibus fiduciam Justificationis ponere coram Deo In the Matter of Justification the whole Church calls her Righteousness a filthy Rag St. Paul will not there own his own inherent Graces no more than holy Job would know his own Soul But this is yet more clear ver 9. The Apostle would be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness which is of the Law he excludes his own Righteousness that is his inherent Graces in the point of Justification I say his inherent Graces for he had before shut out his external Pharisaical Righteousness ver 7. and his after-speech being not a Battology or vain repetition but progressive or expressive of more than went before he doth in the 9. Verse put by his inherent Graces under the name of his own Righteousness and which further confirms this Sence inherent Graces are in Scripture said to be our own Hence we find my faith and thy faith Jam. 2.18 and our Saviour saith Except your righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.20 See here a Righteousness and that exceeding a Pharisaical one called theirs The Apostle excludes the righteousness which is of the Law In the 7. Verse he had shut out the Righteousness of the Law taken in the Pharisaical sence but in the 9. Verse he goes on and puts by the Righteousness of the Law taken in its own spiritual Nature the Righteousness which the Law in its holy Commands prescribes and surely the Law calls for internal Holiness as well as external Conformity In another place the Apostle tells us That by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2.16 No flesh not the holiest Saint on earth whose Righteousness is as much above the Pharisees as Life is above pictures and shadows shall be justified by his own Righteousness or conformity to the Law But if the Apostle would not have his own Righteousness which is of the Law in Justification what would he have He would have the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith He doth not say a Righteousness which is Faith or other Graces but a righteousness which is through the faith of Christ a righteousness which is of God by faith Now inherent Graces are never in Scripture called the Righteousness of God The righteousness of God is upon those that believe Rom. 3.22 not in them as inherent Graces are The righteousness of God is in Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 not in our selves as our Graces are The righteousness of God is one and the same with the righteousness of Christ 2 Pet. 1.1 not the same with our Graces The Apostle therefore would have the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith that is the perfect Righteousness of Christ which Faith receives and God accepts on our behalf By these things it appears that the Apostle in this place doth not only exclude external Pharisaical Righteousness but even inherent Graces in the matter of Justification There is a double Antithesis in the words Mr. Sherlock the righteousness of the Law is opposed to the righteousness which is by the faith of Christ and my own righteousness to the righteousness of God Now the surest way to understand the meaning of this is to consider how these phrases are used in Scripture The righteousness of the Law as you have already heard is an external Righteousness which consists in washings and purifications and sacrifices or an external conformity to the Moral Law The righteousness which is by the faith of Christ is an internal Righteousness which consists in the renovation of our Minds and Spirits in the government of our thoughts and passions which is therefore called being born again becoming new creatures rising with Christ putting off the old man and putting on the new which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness That Righteousness which God requires of us under the Gospel must be an inward Principle of Love and Obedience which transforms us into the image of God as if we were born again or made new creatures The reason why Godsent Christ into the world to die as a Sacrifice for our sins and to confirm and seal the new Covenant with his Blood was that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom 8.3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostome expounds it that which the Law was designed to work in them but was found too weak to effect it by reason of the greater power of sin that is the inward holiness and purity of mind which was represented and signified by
those external Ceremonies of Circumcision Washing Purifications and Sacrifices This was the design of the Gospel to work in us that inward Holiness and Purity which is the perfection and accomplishment of the typical and figurative Righteousness of the Law I know very well that this place is expounded of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness but is there any mention here of the Righteousness of Christ That he fulfilled all Righteousness for us that his Righteousness is imputed to us and so we fulfil the Righteousness of the Law in him The Apostle's design is to shew the great Virtue of the Gospel in delivering from the power of sin which the Law could not effect The Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus that divine and spiritual Law which Christ hath given us which governs our Minds and is a Principle of Spiritual Life makes us free from the Law of sin and death from the power and dominion of sin which is called a Law and the Law in our Members warring against the Law of our Minds For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh what the Law could not do to deliver us from the power and dominion of sin this God effected by sending Christ into the world to publish the Gospel to us and confirm the Promises and Threatnings conteined in it with his Blood that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit How can Imputation come in here What pretty sence would this make of the Apostle's Argument The Law was too weak to make men throughly good to conquer their sin reform their hearts and lives therefore God sent his Son into the world What for to give them better Laws more excellent Promises and more powerful assistances to do good No by no means but to fulfil all Righteousness for them that they may fulfil the Righteousness of the Law not by doing any thing themselves but by having all done for them by having Christ's Righteousness imputed to them There was no reason to abrogate the Law of Moses for this end it might have continued in force still and have been as available to Salvation as the Gospel is with the supplemental Righteousness of Christ but the weakness of the Law the Apostle complains of was not the want of an imputed Righteousness which might have been had as well under the Law as under the Gospel if God had pleased but a want of strength and power to subdue the sinful appetites of men It was weak through the flesh by the prevalency of lusts which the Law could not conquer therefore the Gospel must supply this defect not by imputed Righteousness but by an addition of power to enable men to do that which is good to fulfil the Righteousness of the Law by a sincere and Spiritual Obedience The Righteousness of the Law as you have already heard is an external Righteousness Answer Thus the Author We have heard so from the false Glosses of the Pharisees we have had such a rumour from the Socinians as if the Law were but a lame imperfect thing Socinus as I have him quoted by Calovius was not afraid to say That Praecepta Veteris Testamenti were levia vana parùm Deo digna but surely this will not down with Christians The Law is Sanctio sancta the Image of the divine Sanctity the Summary of all Duties The Psalmist in the 19. Psalm having set forth how the Glory of God breaks forth from the Sun and Heavens elevates his discourse to the pure Law which as it enlightens the inner Man is a brighter Luminary than the Sun which shines to Sense and as it comprizes all Duties within it self is a nobler Circle in Morality than the Heavens which environ all other Bodies are in Nature The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is pure making wise the simple saith the Psalmist in that place So perfect it is that nothing is to be added to it or diminished from it Deut. 4.3 so spiritual that even the Saints under the Gospel are but carnal in respect of it Rom. 7.14 It calls upon us to love the Lord with all our heart with all our soul and with all our might Deut. 6.5 to love him in such a divine degree as to love nothing else suprà aequè or contrà and is this external Righteousness Or what is inner purity if this be not so It tells us Non concupisces and so meets with the very first risings of corrupt Nature with the very motions and titillations of the flesh it would have an heart all of purity and holiness without any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reliques of corruption in it and what can be more divine St. Paul therefore saith that in his Pharisaism he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Law because without a sense of its spiritual Nature Rom. 7.9 Unless we own its divine Spiritualty we are as it were without it In a word whatsoever it be that makes up the just posture of Man towards God or his Fellow-creatures is there delineated in such accuracy and full perfection as no man in this life but Jehovah our righteousness only ever arrived at But to go on with the Author The Righteousness which is by the Faith of Christ is internal This God requires of us under the Gospel Thus the Author To which I answer The Author pag. 259. makes the Righteousness of Faith in those under the Old Testament distinct from the Righteousness which is by the Faith of Christ and here he makes the Righteousness which is by the Faith of Christ to consist in internal holiness and renovation But surely there were New Creatures under the Old Testament as well as there are under the New Job was a perfect an upright man and therefore a New Creature David a man after Gods own heart and therefore a New Creature without this internal renovation there could not have been that circumcision of the heart Deut. 30.6 nor the law in the heart which is made the Character of a righteous man Psal 37.31 That Covenant of writing the Law in the heart Jer. 31.33 was in substance one and the same in both Testaments Those under the Old Testament unless regenerate could never have entred so holy a place as Heaven that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or general Assembly which takes in all the Saints of the Old Testament is the Church of the first born Heb. 12.23 There are none else but New Creatures in it However the Racovian Catechist appropriates the New Creation to the New Testament yet I must assert that it was under both Testaments but under neither was it the justifying Righteousness But the Author goes on God sent his son into the world that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.3 4. that we might have inward holiness and purity that we might be delivered from
the power of sin and that by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Thus the Author to which I answer God sent his Son indeed into the world that we might be sanctified by his Spirit but that was not all he sent him that we might be justified by his Blood and Righteousness to which purpose it will be worth while to consider that place Rom. 8. The Apostle in the first verse sets forth believers men in Christ by two excellent things first by Justification There is no condemnation to them no though there be reliques of corruption in them as is imported in the seventh Chapter there is none and then by Sanctification which is in conjunction with the other they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit And in the other verses he confirms both but inverso ordine first he confirms their Sanctification from the great Origen of it the holy Spirit The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death vers 2. The power of the holy Spirit hath subdued the power of sin and then he confirms their Justification from the sufferings of Christ with which his active obedience is to be taken in conjunction What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh vers 3. Their sins were condemned in the flesh of Christ there was an atonement made for them which certainly must relate to Justification from these sufferings of Christ with which his active obedience must be taken in conjunction the Apostle inferrs That the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us vers 4. The Law was not able to justifie us for want of a perfect obedience in us but God translated the impletion of the Law upon Christ Christ fulfilled all Righteousness for us Christ bore the wrath of God for us and these things being imputed unto us the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us But then the Apostle returns again to Sanctification and subjoyns Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit assuring us that those who are justified by the imputed Righteousness of Christ are also Sanctified and led by his holy Spirit This I take to be the meaning of the place But let us hear our Church treating upon this place in conjunction with other Scriptures r. Hom. of Salvation St. Paul saith Rom. 3. We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ And Rom. 10. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth And Rom. 8. That which was impossible by the Law in as much as it was weak by the flesh God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh by sin damned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us which walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit In these places the Apostle toucheth three things which must go together in our Justification upon Gods part his great mercy and grace upon Christ's parts justice that is the satisfaction of God's justice or the price of our redemption by the offering of his body and shedding of his Blood with fulfilling of the Law perfectly and throughly and upon our part true and lively Faith in the merits of Jesus Christ which yet is not ours but by Gods working in us So that in our Justification is not only Gods Mercy and Grace but also his Justice which the Apostle calleth the Justice of God and it consisteth in paying our ransom and fulfilling of the Law And so the Grace of God doth not shut out the Justice of God in our Justification but only shutteth out the justice of man that is to say the justice of our works as to be merits of deserving our justification And therefore St. Paul declareth here nothing upon the behalf of man concerning his justification but only a true lively Faith which nevertheless is the gift of God and not man's only work without God and yet that Faith doth not shut out Repentance Hope Love Dread and the fear of God to be joyned with Faith in every man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying so that although they be all present in him that is justified yet they justifie not all together These are the excellent words of our Church worthy without flattery be it spoken to be written in Letters of Gold but much more in the hearts of all true Christians We see here that there is in justification nothing on the behalf of man but Faith only no internal Holiness Repentance Hope Love Fear of God are in the justified but shut out from the office of justifying God's Grace and Christ's Righteousness are the great causes of justification But saith the Author Is there here any mention of Christ's Righteousness or the imputation thereof I answer Our Church surely thought so and we have his passive Righteousness expressed vers 3. and where that is expressed the active is implied This is clear when the Scripture saith That we are made righteous by Christ's obedience Rom. 5.19 It doth include his blood also and when he saith That we are justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 It doth include his active obedience also so that the Scripture because it expresses justification by both and because it must be consistent with it self in expressing the one includes the other When therefore Rom. 8.3 his sufferings are expressed his active obedience is also included both therefore are intended and withall an imputation without which they cannot be profitable to us But saith the Author The Law could not do it that is the Law could not deliver from the power of sin I answer The Law could not do it of it self and without the Spirit of Christ but if that divine Spirit take the Law into its hand and write it in the heart I suppose there will be a New Creature But the Author saith That the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit vers 4. How can imputation come in here What pretty sence will this make of the Apostles argument I answer The sence is very clear the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us by Christ's Righteousness imputed to us and withall we to whom that is imputed walk after the Spirit the one is our Justification the other our Sanctification Both the Apostle proves to be in Believers and both consist very well together as appears from the first verse There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit The No condemnation appertains to Justification and the walking after the Spirit to Sanctification and both stand very well together As to what the Author saith afterwards That there was no reason to abrogate Moses ' s
Moses under which they never were God sent forth his Son made of a woman Answer made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons Thus the Apostle Gal. 4. 4 5. The Son of God was made of a woman in his Incarnation made under the Law under the rule of it in his active obedience under the curse of it in his passive and the end of all was that he might redeem us that we who were captives under the wrath of God might be redeemed ones And further that we might receive the adoption of sons that we who were children of wrath might be sons of God and so heirs of eternal life and that it may be thus indeed that Christ's being under the Law his active and passive obedience may procure such a redemption and adoption such an exemption from wrath and title to heaven for us His obedience must be applyed to us and become ours which cannot be but by imputation But saith the Author This us is not in the Text it is not to redeem us but to redeem them that were under the Law that is the Jews But was not Christ a Redeemer of the Gentiles also Or is he not their Redeemer within this Text Yes surely observe the words of the Apostle To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons The Apostle alters his phrase and turns them into we which takes in the Galatians into the adoption and by consequence into the redemption too and to make it more clear he alters his phrase again and turns we into ye in the next verse which hangs upon the former And because ye are sons vers 6. ye Galatians ye Gentiles are sons and ye Galatians ye Gentiles are redeemed ones within the Text Otherwise which is very strange the Apostle should argue from the Redemption of the Jews only to the Adoption of the Gentiles But to go on Christ saith the Author redeemed the Jews from the bondage of the Mosaical Law that is I suppose the Ceremonial Law and introduced a better Covenant the adoption of sons To which I answer Christ did indeed redeem from the bondage of Mosaical Rites and Ceremonies But is this all the Redemption within the Text If we stop here we fall in with the gloss of Socinus who understands only a freedom A jugo legis De servat part 2. cap. 24. ut Spiritûs servilis loeo filialem spiritum adipiscerentur The Redemption here is not to be restrained to a freedom from Mosaical Ceremonies only Christ was made under the whole Law and the Redemption which must be parallel to his being under the Law must not only be a Redemption from the Bondage of the Ceremonial Law but a Redemption from the curse of the Moral of which the Apostle had discoursed but a little before Gal. 3.13 Our Saviour was never made under the whole Law to redeem from a part of it only Again Redemption from the Ceremonial Law was peculiar to the Jews But the Redemption here spoken of reaches as far as the Gentiles also who as I before noted have a share in the Adoption of Sons as well as the Jews The Redemption here spoken of is not a part or piece of Redemption but Redemption in its fulness and excellency Christ by coming into the flesh introduceth a better Covenant that is the beams of Evangelical Light were purer and the effusions of the holy Spirit larger than before But still we must remember that the Covenant of Grace was for substance one and the same under both Testaments Under the Old Testament true Believers had the Law in their heart the Adoption of Sons the free Spirit and a true title to eternal Life And on the other hand under the New Testament unbelievers have the Law and Gospel too but in the Letter their bondage is far greater than that of beggarly Elements The unclean spirit dwells and works in them and the dreadful wrath of God abideth on them Christ's being under the Law saith the Author is his being such a person as should exactly answer all the Types and Figures of the Law Unto which I add His being under the Law is his being such a person as should exactly answer all the demands of the Moral Law in its mandatory and minatory parts I shall now examine what influence the Sacrifice of Christ's Death Mr. Sherlock and the Righteousness of his life have upon our acceptance with God And all that I can find in Scripture about this is that to this we owe the Covenant of Grace that God being well pleased with the obedience of Christ's Life and the sacrifice of his Death for his sake entred into a new Covenant with mankind wherein he promses pardon of sin and eternal life to those who believe and obey the Gospel This is very plain with reference to Christ's death Hence the Blood of Christ is called the blood of the covenant Heb. 10.29 And Christ is called the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls through the blood of the everlasting covenant Heb. 13.20 And the Blood of Christ is called the blood of sprinkling which speaks better things than the blood of Abel Heb. 12.24 which is an allusion to Moses his sprinkling the blood of the Sacrifice whereby he confirmed the Covenant between God and the children of Israel Heb. 9.19 20 21. For when Moses had spoken every Precept to all the people according to the Law when he had declared the terms of this Covenant to them he took the Blood of Calves and Goats with Water and scarlet Wool and Hysop and sprinkled both the Book and all the People saying This is the blood of the testament which God hath ordained to you Thus the Blood of Christ is called the blood of sprinkling Because by his Blood God did seal and confirm the Covenant of Grace as the sprinkling of the blood of beasts did confirm the Mosaical Covenant Hence we are said to be justified by the blood of Christ Rom. 5.9 that is by the Gospel-Covenant which was confirmed with his Blood Christ is called a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 that is by a belief of his Gospel Hence the Scripture uses these phrases promiscuously To be justified by Faith and to be justified by the faith of Christ and to be justified by Christ and to be justified through Faith in his blood to be justified and saved by grace Nay by believing that Christ is the Son of God Joh. 20.31 And that God raised him from the dead Rom. 10.9 All which signifie the same thing that we are justified by believing and obeying the Gospel for faith or faith in Christ signifies such a firm belief of the Gospel as brings forth all fruits of obedience and the Grace of God is the Gospel of Christ expresly so called Tit. 2.11 As being the effect of Gods Grace and Faith in the Blood of Christ
as the Apostle mentions That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death Phil. 3.10 And whence had they this Learning they heard him and were taught by or in him not from the personal Preaching of Christ in the flesh but in and by his Ministers and holy Spirit I add his holy Spirit because the Gospel alone cannot do it which made St. Austin say De Praed Sanct. cap. 8. Cùm Evangelium praedicatur quidam credunt quidam non credunt sed qui credunt praedicatore forinsecùs sonante intùs à Patre audiunt atque discunt qui autem non credunt foris audiunt intùs non audiunt neque discunt that such is the Learning meant here appears from the after words As the truth is in Jesus Truth is in the Gospel notionally but in Christ practically all Graces being exemplified in him and the true learners are conformed to his Image and as the Apostle hath it in the next Verses they put off the old man and put on the new and so are assimilated to his Death and Resurrection It is acknowledged by all Mr. Sherlock that Christ sometimes signifies the Church which is his Body Thus we must understand those Phrases of being in Christ engrafted into Christ and united to Christ It is acknowledged by all Answer that Christ sometimes signifies the Church how then can he charge those whom he opposes that where-ever they meet with the word Christ in Scripture they always understand by it the Person of Christ pag. 4 As for the Phrases of being in Christ c. I shall reserve them till I come to the Mystical Union To what the Author infers from the various significations of the Name Christ That such mistakes have been occasioned thereby that some are very zealous to advance Christ's Person to the prejudice and reproach of his Religion I shall only say It is not so Instead of the substantial Duties of the Love of God and Men Mr. Sherlock and an universal Holiness of Life they have introduced a fanciful Application of Christ to our selves and Vnion to him set off with those choice Phrases of closing with Christ and embracing Christ and getting an interest in Christ and trusting and relying and rolling our selves on Christ Fanciful Answer alas that a Christian a Divine should let drop such a reproachful word on so sacred a thing as the Application of Christ Without this the excellent Scripture must I fear labour under very odd Glosses such as these A Believer may be in Christ and out of him he may put him on and off at the same time he may have Communion with him without Union and feed on him without so much as reception Christ may dwell in the Believer at a Distance and abide in him without the least approach Which are such kind of Absurdities as a man would hardly name for fear of grating pious Ears and Hearts But this is not all Without this true Faith which as Learned Dr Ward observes is uppropriativa Christi must forfeit its Nature unless it can appropriate without Application and Christ its precious Object must lose the Vertue of his Blood and Merits unless they can heal at a distance For what shall we say May an unapplied Christ be in us the hope of Glory or may his unapplied Obedience make us righteous or his unapplied Blood justifie us or his unapplied Death reconcile us to God It is not for ordinary Capacities to apprehend it However if Application fail may the Universal Holiness of Life which the Author speaks of consist Our Saviour tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separate from me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 In which words the Melevitan Fathers observe a great Emphasis Non dicitur sine me difficiliùs potestis facere sed sine me nihil potestis facere And how any man should either not be separate from an unapplied Christ or lead a Life of Universal Holiness in such a statu separato I cannot imagine But what speak I of Universal Holiness Never any man off from that divine Root of Grace hath since the Fall bore so much as a Blossom of true Sanctity Instead of Obedience to the Gospel and Laws of Christ Mr. Sherlock they have advanced a kind of Amorous and Enthusiastick Devotion which consists in a passionate love to the Person of Christ in admiring his personal Excellencies Fulness Beauty Loveliness Riches c. the foundation of all which Riddles and Mysteries is that they may make the Person of Christ almost the sole Object of the Christian Religion To slight the Fulness Answer Beauty Loveliness Riches of Christ is very hardly tolerable among Christians and to question why they so passionately love such an one is as the Philosopher told him who asked why men were so taken with outward Beauty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blind man's question none but the spiritually blind can wonder at the loving of one altogether lovely But these men are for an Amorous and Enthusiastick Love Amorous all Love is so but what in a gross and carnal way No it is far from those Men who are not at all a kin to Castalio who as is said called the Song of Solomon an obscene Ballad not relishing that divine Love between Christ and the Church which all along is pourtraied therein in Allegories and beautiful colours Enthusiastick why so possibly because it is a thing inspired from the Spirit it is so Scriptures and Fathers will own such a blessed Enthusiasm Ipse nobis fidem amorem sui inspirat saith the Arausican Council But which is the fundamental mistake they make the Person of Christ almost the sole Object of the Christian Religion I confess and it is no shame to say so they esteem themselves compleat only in Christ they trust in him they love and obey him their acceptance is in his Merits therir assistance from his Spirit their Graces hang on him as Beams on the Sun their good Works are perfumed with his sweet-smelling Sacrifice they look on him as their great All and do all they do in him and for him Quicquid oratur docetur vivitur extrà Christum est Idololatria coram Deo peccatum said Luther CHAP. II. THose men who talk so much of the Person of Christ Mr. Sherlock frequently without any Sense and Generally without any just Ground from Reason or Scripture are very clamorous and alarm the world with strange jealousies and fears as if there were a Party of men started up who design to make Christ useless What! without Sense Reason Answer and Scripture too Alas poor inconsiderable Creatures What need such strong impetuous opposition be made against them or how are such men likely to alarm the World with fears But for the thing it self I hope the Author designs not to make Christ useless but what he doth towards it in denying
all the Dispensation of Grace to it self But if we may not have acquaintance with Christ himself may we have one with the Gospel No I doubt not the Gospel tells us That the Spirit reveils the things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 and by necessary consequence the Gospel will lead us unto Christ for that Spirit and to communion with him which is the thing opposed by the Author but to me so pretious that before I would open my lips against it I would put my self under the penance of Severus Sulpitius who having sullied himself with Pelagianism afterwards repented and devoted himself to perpetual silence ut peccatum Spond Ann. An. 430. quod loquendo contraxerat tacendo emendaret But now we must see the Pious Learned Dr. Owen brought upon the Stage The Dr. tells us Mr. Sherlock that Christ is not only the Wisdom of God but made Wisdom to us not only by teaching us wisdom by his Doctrine as he is the great Prophet of his Church but also because by knowing of him we become acquainted with the Wisdom of God which is our Wisdom To which purpose he applies that Text which speaks of the Doctrines of Christ to his Person Col. 2.3 For in him dwell all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge A little before those words Answer the Doctor 's Design by which in all Candor his After-discourse should be construed appears to be that all Wisdom is laid up in Christ and that from him alone it is to be obtained who is so hardy as to deny it He that knows him becomes acquainted with one in whom dwell all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge and from whom are derived all the Riches of Understanding in the Saints As in the corporal vision of an Object there is requisite a Light in the Air and another in the Eye so in this intellectual Vision there is external Revelation and internal Illumination and both are from Christ Cui Veritas comperta sine Deo De Anima cap. 1. cui Deus cognitus sine Christo cui Christus exploratus sine Spiritu sancto cui Spiritus sanctus accommodatus sine Fidei Sacramento saith Tertullian By that Col. 2.3 In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge is as I take it meant the Person of Christ the very same which is pointed out Ver. 9. In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead Ver. 10. in him ye are complete Ver. 11. In him ye are circumcised and Ver. 12. With him ye are buried in Baptism and with him ye are risen through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead I can very hardly understand all these of the Gospel neither did I ever find that it was raised from the dead But now let us hear the Author's Inference So that our acquaintance with Christ's Person signifies such a knowledge of what Christ is hath done and suffered for us Mr. Sherlock from whence we may learn those greater deeper and more saving Mysteries of the Gospel which Christ hath not expresly reveiled to us for so the Doctor adds That these Properties of God Christ hath reveiled in his Doctrine in that Revelation he hath made of God and his Will but the Life of this Knowledge lies in an acquaintance with his Person whereby the express Image and Beams of this Glory of his Father doth shine forth that is that these things are clearly eminently and savingly only to be discovered in Christ So that it seems the Gospel of Christ makes a very imperfect and obscure discovery of the Nature Attributes and Will of God and a little after This sets up a new Rule of Faith above the Gospel acquaintance with Christ Doth our Acquaintance with Christ teach us Mysteries not reveiled in the Gospel No by no means neither doth the Doctor say so Redde verba mea vanescet calumnia tua saith St. Austin to Julian The Doctor saith those Properties are reveiled in the Doctrine And in a Sentence interposed by the Doctor but omitted by the Author he saith The knowledge of them is exposed to all but saith the Dr. The life of this knowledge lies in acquaintance with Christ So it is he is God manifest in the Flesh and so a rare Mirrour of the divine Perfections and withall he is the Great Illuminator by his Spirit and so opens our eyes to see the Mysteries in Christ and the Gospel Without this Illumination the outward Revelation gives not a saving Knowledge It may be the Author will smile at me but hear St. Austin De Praed Sanct. c. 8. Valdè remota est à sensibus carnis haec Schola in quâ Deus auditur docet gratia ista secreta est gratiam verò esse quis ambigit Hear Bishop Davenant Exp. in Col. cap. 2. Tales illuminationes fieri talem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imprimi fidelium animis non credunt mundani experiuntur tamen pii The Gospel is a perfect outward Revelation and Rule of Faith yet our blindness needs an inward Illumination that we may spiritually discern the Mysteries therein But now the Author will shew us what Additions these men make to the Gospel from an Acquaintance with Christ's Person and first upon the doctors words That the knowledge of God the knowledge of our selves and skill to walk in Communion with God in which three is the sum of all true Wisdom are obtained and manifested in and by the Lord Christ. The Author observes that by is fallaciously added to include the Revelations Christ hath made To which I answer The Dr. never excluded outward Revelation but this alone cannot give saving knowledge All Wisdom is in Christ as the Mirrour of divine Perfections and by Christ as the great Illuminator by his Spirit We should use outward Revelation in the very same posture as Zuinglius did who understanding from St. Peter that the Scripture was not of private Interpretation Mel. Ad. in vit Zuing. In coelum suspexit doctorem quaerens Spiritum looked up to heaven seeking the the Spirit for his great teacher Had Christ never appeared in the World Mr. Sherlock yet we had reason to believe that God is Wise and Good and Holy and Merciful because not only the works of Nature and Providence but the Word of God assure us that he is so And a little after he adds And is not this a confident Man to tell us That the love of God to sinners and his pardoning Mercy could never enter into the heart of man but by Christ when the Experience of the whole World confutes him for whatever becomes of his new Theories both Jews and Heathens who understand nothing at all what Christ was to do in order to our recovery did believe God gracious and merciful to sinners The Jews knew God to be gracious and merciful Answer very true but through the promised Messiah whom the Believers among them saw slain
who is the Mirrour of divine Perfections and the great Illuminator by his Spirit But saith the Author they such is their intolerable presumption shape Religion according to their Fancies and stuff it with an infinite number of Orthodox Propositions none of which are to be found in express Terms in Scripture but are pretended to be deduced from thence by such imaginary consequences from some little hints of things and is not this unpardonable in those men who cry down Reason as a prophane and carnal thing and yet lay the Foundation of their Religion on some little shews and appearances of Reason To which I answer The harsh Censure of Eccius made Vrban a German Divine cry out O infaelicem Urbanum Melch. Adam in vit Urb. si Eccii calculo caelum datur negatur Miserable were these Men if they were to stand or fall by the Authors Judgment These Men as the Author tells us pag. 98. abound with Scripture stuff their Books with it and talk of little else yet alas they shape Religion according to their Fancies If they urge express Scriptures they consider only the sound of words Pag. 2. If they urge Scripture-consequences they stand upon little hints and appearances of things Reason they cry down as a prophane and carnal thing and yet they found their Religion on little shews and appearances Oh unhappy Men But the best is all this to say no worse is but meer Accusation each of them can plead Not guilty to it and say as Vrban to Eccius Hominis judicium audio Christi tribunal expecto They are Men who desire to set every thing in its due place Fancy below Reason and Reason below Scripture upon which last as the unerring Rule they stand like the Karaei among the Jews so precisely that they are not willing to admit any thing in Matters of Religion which is not found there according to that of Origen Sicut aurum quod fuerit extra Templum non est sanctificatum sic omnis sensus qui extra Scripturam non est sanctus When men argue from the Nature of of God Mr Sherlock his Works and Providences from the Nature of Mankind and those eternal Notions of Good and Evil and the essential Differences of things that is from plain and undeniable Principles which have an unchangeable nature and so can bear the stress of a just Consequence this is carnal Reason I cannot imagine that they call or think it so Answer Principles of natural Theology carry a Divine Stamp on them yet I conceive these in Discourses if taken within their proper Sphere of Natural Light only may not wear that Crown set on the Head of the Gospel to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The ministration of the Spirit as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 3.8 Should a Man preach such Principles only without setting forth Christ and the regenerating Spirit he would scarce be worthy to be called a Spiritual Evangelical Divine But now the Author gives a Scheme of Religion deducible from an Acquintance with Christ's Person I am glad that he owns any such thing and shall not have much to say upon it When we consider Mr. Sherlock that this heavenly Ambassador and Mediator is no less than the Son of God by whom the Worlds were made we may reasonably conclude that he came upon no less Design than of universal Goodness for he can have no temptation to Partiality as being equally concerned in the Happiness of all men and we cannot imagine why he should lay a narrower design of Love in the Redemption than in the Creation of Mankind When in the first Creation he designed all for Happiness that in this new and second Creation he should design only the Happiness of some few is to make him less good in Redeeming than in Creating Mankind Christ in his Coming and satisfactory Sufferings had a respect to all Men Answer so far as to procure for them Salvation on Gospel-terms but he had not an equal respect to all it being utterly unimaginable that he should have as great a respect to those in the Pagan World who have no Christ no atoning Sacrifice no Promise of Life and Salvation revealed to them as he hath to those in the Church who have all these glorious Objects evidently set sorth before them Greater Donations argue greater degrees of Love or else which is very hard to believe God loves all Creatures alike notwithstaneing that he measures out his Goodness to them in a very various and different manner to some more and to others less But because the Author hath before laid down a good Rule That the Virtue and Efficacy of Christ's Death doth depend on God's Institution and Appointment and therefore can be known only by Revelation I shall apply my self only to the Scripture There as we find he died that he might gather together the Children of God that were scatered Joh. 11.52 He gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it Eph. 5.26 He gave himself that he might purifie to himself a peculiar people Tit. 2.14 He laid down his life for his sheep so as to bring them into his fold and make them hear his voice Joh. 10.15 16. He redeems some from among men Rev. 14.4 And out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Rev. 5.9 All which Scriptures do emphatically shew that Christ had a special respect in his Death unto his own above others But further Christ by his precious Blood founded those Evangelical Promises of taking away the stony Heart writing the Law in the Heart and putting his holy Spirit there but did he found them for all men What for those whom God will harden Rom. 9 What for those Pagans who have not so much as the Law before them in the Letter nor that Gospel which is Vehiculum Spiritûs sancti How or which way or by what means can such Promises be made good to them How shall they be regenerate without the holy Spirit or have that without the Gospel It is not at all credible such special Promises in the Covenant founded by his Blood speak a special respect to his own Elect. The Author's Reason from Creation cannot hold good The lapsed Angels had their share of Goodness in Creation but none at all in Redemption God who is the Great Donor of his Son to the World may give him with what Respects and to what Intents he pleases and if he have special purposes in it no man may presume to say that he is partial or less good then he ought to be Christ's Death and Sacrifice for sin seals the Covenant of Grace and Pardon to all penitent and reformed Sinners Mr. Sherlock and seals the irrevocable Decree of Reprobation against all others God's Decree of Reprobation may be taken two ways Answer either for an Act of Preterition not giving men saving Grace but leaving them to final Sin or for a Decree of Damnation
visible Church is external and our union to Christ internal and spititual our excision from the Church is one thing and our separation from Christ another a man may be united to the visible Church and yet not really united to Christ for so is the hypocrite a man may be cut off from the visible Church and yet not cut off from Christ for so is the unjustly excommunicate Mr. Sherlock The union between Christ and the Church is not a natural but a political union Christ is a King and all Christians his Subjects and our union to Christ consists in our belief of his Revelations Obedience to his Laws and subjection to his Authority If you continue in my words then are ye my Disciples indeed John 8.31 Which is the same thing with being in Christ And by keeping his Commandments we abide in his love John 15.10 and 14.21 And to have his word abide in us Is a description of the closest and fir mest union to him John 15.7 Thus Christ is a Shepherd and Christians his Sheep To signifie the Authority he hath over his Church Shepherd is used as a name of power thus Christ is a head and the Church his body a Husband and the Church his Spouse which are names of power Eph. 5.23 Christ is called an Head an Husband because he hath the Rule and Government of us Head is a name for Princes and Governours Deut. 28.13 The Apostles alwayes expound the Metaphor of Christs being a head by power Eph. 1.20.21 Col. 1.18 So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place signifies one that hath Authority Christ is the head of all principalities Col. 10. He is an head and husband because he is invested with authority to govern the Church is the body and Spouse because it must obey also these Metaphors signifie the mildness and gentleness of his Government as a good Shepherd he lays down his life for his Sheep John 10. He loves his Church with the natural kindness of an head and husband his Government is only for the good of his Church and therefore his yoke is easie he gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie it Eph. 5.25 26. Upon which account we may be called members of his body of his flesh and bone verse 30. The Church being taken out of his crucified body as woman out of man Christ hath reconciled the Gentiles that is taken them into his Church in the body of his flesh through death because the Covenant which was the foundation of the Church was sealed with his blood Christ owns himself our friend John 15. Ye are my friends if ye do what I command you which shews the tenderness of his Government He exercises his authority in methods of Love hence he is called a Father Our union to Christ Answer consists in a belief of his Revelations Obedience to his Laws and Subjection to his Authority Thus the Author To whom I answer A belief of Revelations is only a dogmatical faith which is found in many not united to Christ Obedience is not our mystical union to Christ but a fruit of it Christ and the Soul being once espoused out-comes a blessed progeny of good works as so many reall proofs of that Divine conjunction which is made by the Spirit and Faith and shews forth it self in such effects as the dead womb of nature could never have produced Subjection to Christ's Authority is either a formal actual one standing in doing his commands and that is the same with Obedience a fruit of our union to Christ or a virtual one consisting in accepting Christ as our Lord and this is part of that Faith which is a bond of that Union Those words If ye continue in my words then are ye my Disciples indeed John 8.31 Were spoken to Believers to men in union with Christ to exhort them to perseverance as a reall proof of their Discipleship and Union to Christ If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love John 15.10 They were in his love before Verse 9. But Obedience will shew it forth Thus St. Austin on the place Ostendit non unde dilectio generetur sed unde monstretur hinc apparebit quod in dilectione meâ manebitis si precepta mea servaveritis Christs promise to the Obedieut is That he will love him and manifest himself to him Joh. 14.21 Christ loved him before but now he will manifest it Thus St. Austin on the place Quid est diligam tanquam dilecturus sit nunc non diligat Absit diligam manifestabo id est ad hoc diligam ut manifestem Our abiding in Christ and Christ's words abiding in us are very well joyned together Joh. 15.7 To shew us that where the Soul and Christ are in union there the holy words will have a mansion in the heart Christ is a King a Shepherd an Head an Husband and all in a superlative transcendency above all others in those relations He is a King who hath his Laws without us and an inward Scepter in our hearts making the unwilling will to become a willing one in the day of his power A Shepherd who speaks to his Sheep nay and brings them into the Fold John 10.16 who before were not in it A Head who stands above all in eminency and influences spiritual life and motion into the lowest meanest Believer on the earth An Husband who espouses us unto himself and invests us with a rich Dowry out of his incomparable Graces and Perfections The Church was taken out of the crucified body of Christ But that place We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 plainly declares the mystical union as man and wife are one flesh so Christ and Christians are one spirit One thing more may be observed Christ saith the Author hath reconciled the Gentiles that is taken them into his Church in the body of his flesh through death Col. 1.21.22 This is a little strange reconciled that is taken them into his Church Socinus on this place De Servat pars 1. cap. 8. saith That the reconciliation here is Omnium rerum non cum Deo sed secum ipsis per Christum parta concordia And a little after Vniversi tà m Gentes quà m Judaei unus Dei populus sunt facti But I hope our Author doth not exclude reconciliation to God Christ doth not govern us immediately by himself Mr. Sherlock for he is ascended up into Heaven where he powerfully intercedes for his Church and by a vigilant providence superintends all the affairs of it but hath left the visible and external conduct and Government of his Church to Bishops and Pastors who preside in his name and by his authority He governs his Church by men who are invested with his authority which is a plain demonstration that the union of particular Christians to Christ is by their union with the Christian Church which consists in their regular subjection to
their spiritual Guides and Rulers and in concord and unity among themselves For if our union to Christ consist in our subjection to him as our Lord and this authority is not immediately exercised by Christ but by Bishops and Pastors it follows that we cannot be united to Christ till we unite our selves to the publick societies of Christians and submit to the publick instructions Authority and Discipline of the Church Christ hath left the visible and external conduct of his Church to Bishops and Pastors Very well Answer But the internal Scepter and Rule over hearts is in his own hand only and therefore the Papists who make the Bishop of Rome Head of the Church secundum exteriorem gubernationem are yet so modest as to leave Christ to be the only Head secundum interiorem insluxum Our union to Christ is an internal spiritual one made by the Spirit and Faith such as cannot consist in any thing external such as subjection to Ecclesiastical Governours who have the visible conduct is Hence the Reverend Vsher tells us Without that quickning Spirit Serm. before the Commons 1620. no external communion with Christ or his Church can make a man a true member of his mystical body this being a most sure principle that he which hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8.9 A wicked man may be subject to Ecclesiastical Government yet while such is not cannot be a member of Christ or his mystical body Bellarmine himself was so struck with the evidence of this truth that he confessed That wicked men are but membra mortua arida quae solum adhaerent reliquis externâ conjunctione non de Eeclesiâ nisi secundum apparentiam exteriorem putativè non verè that is they are no members at all which makes it clear that our union to Christ stands not in subjection to Ecclesiastical Governours and what for such a thing is possible if the Ecclesiastical Governour be a wicked man himself Is it imaginable that the union of one wicked man to another should produce an union to Christ Or what if such a case should fall out as once did when under the Emperour Basiliscus Evag. Hist L. 3. no less than five hundred Bishops condemned the Council of Chalcedon It would be very hard in such a dismal lapse to say that all the Christians under them had without any default in themselves lost their union with Christ and yet we must say so unless we allow that union to be made and supported by the internal bonds of the Spirit and Faith Schismaticks are in the Church Mr. Sherlock just as Rebels are in a Kingdom not as parts of it but enemies The Apostle tells us wherein the unity of the Church consists In Eph. 4.16 Christ is the Head from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part making increase of the body to the edifying it self in love That is The supreme power is invested in Christ as Head to whom the Church is obedient and subject but to make this union firm and lasting there must be a regular subordination of the several members and a mutual discharge of Christian offices which advances their growth in Grace and especially in love this supposes a visible society of Christians professing the Faith and living in communion with each other if there be no such visible Society as in persecution or degeneracy of the Church Our union to Christ consists in an acknowledgment of his Authority and Subjection to his Laws which makes us members of the universal Church but when there is a visible Church we are under an obligation of communion because herein our Subjection to the Authority of Christ and our Vnion to him consists Schism is the concern of visible Churches Answer but that place Eph. 4. speaks not of visible Churches which are made up of believers and unbelievers but of the Church Catholick made up of Believers and Saints only This is plain the Church Catholick is that whole body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly joined together all being Saints in it but in the visible Church there are believers and unbelievers who can no more stand in harmony than light and darkness Christ and Belial the Temple of God and Idols In the Church Catholick there is an effectual working in every part but in the Church visible there is no such energy in the wicked And so in that parallel place Eph. 2.20 The Church Catholick is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That whole Building fitly framed together which groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord But in the Church visible the wicked grow not into a Temple nay there is not a stone of the spiritual Building laid in them And Eph. 1.23 The Church Catholick is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only the body but fulness of Christ Every member of it helps as it were to fill up the mystical body but in the Church visible the wicked do not complete the body but corrupt it they do not adorn but deform it I have before shewed that our union to Christ stands not in communion with a visible Church or its Rulers It is made by internal and spiritual ligatures and is invariably one and the same whether there be a Church visible or not But saith the Author We are under an obligation of Communion with a Church visible when there is one But it is one thing what our Duty is and another what constitutes our union with Christ it is our duty to be subject to civil Magistrates but I suppose our union to Christ consists not in it it is our duty to hear the Ministers of Christ Luke 10.16 But our union to Christ doth not consist in it indeed it is a sacred Ordinance which God is pleased to use to bring us to Christ but the only proper immediate bands of that union are the Spirit and Faith If any particular Church apostatize from the Faith of Christ Mr. Sherlock we are then under the same necessity of deserting their communion as we are of obeying the Laws and submitting to the Authority of our Lord and Master We must indeed desert an apostate Church Answer but if as our Author holds our union to Christ consists in communion with a visible Church then upon our departure from it though never so just our union to Christ must fail Which yet I think can never be the lot of a true believer he is part of that Church built on the Rock against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail Matth. 16.18 Part of that building which is an holy Temple an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2.21.22 and that Spirit makes and maintains that union This Political Vnion betwixt Christ and his Church Mr. Sherlock may be either only external and visible and so hypocritical Professors may be said to be
Laws which the Author after mentions calling it a conformity to his nature the new creature is not the effect of Subjection or Obedience but the cause of it true Obedience is too pure a thing to issue out of an unregenerate heart before it can come forth Enchir. cap. 106. Ipsum liberum arbitrium liberandum est As St. Austin speaks Lapsed nature must be new-natured and its deadly wound healed by regenerating Grace First according to Scripture there must be a good tree and then good fruit De Eccles Hierar cap. 2. First a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Divine state or being as Dionysius calls it and then Divine operations issuing forth in a sweet connaturalness to the Heavenly principles within To this purpose let us hear our Church 2. Hom. of Almes As the good fruit is not the cause that the tree is good but the tree must first be good before it can bring forth good fruit so the good Deeds of men are not the Cause that maketh men good but he is first made good by the Spirit and Grace of God that effectually worketh in him and afterwards he bringeth forth good fruit As for such as are regenerate and new Creatures I acknowledge them to have the same temper of Mind with Christ and that every Grace in the new Man answers to that in Christ and morally unites to him but the Mystical Union is made by the holy Spirit and Faith which hath this above other Graces to receive Christ and incorporate us into him That place Phil. 2. of having the same mind with Christ holds out the same temper in both that in Matt. 4.11 calls us to an imitation of him that Gal. 4.19 expresses the State of the new Creature which is moulded after the Image of Christ But the other two places quoted by the Author prove the Mystical Union the one is that Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his By Spirit is not meant an holy temper of Mind but the Spirit it self the very same which just before the words is called The Spirit of God and ver 11. The spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead and by which our mortal bodies shall be quickned This is that Spirit which unites us to Christ in such an admirable manner that Christ is said to be in us ver 10. St. Chrysostome on the words saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath the holy Spirit hath Christ himself the Spirit being present Christ nay the whole Trinity must be so The other is that 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit that is one and the same holy Spirit is in Christ and Believers mystically uniting them together This appears as well by the opposition of one spirit in this 17. Verse to one flesh in the 16. Verse For as the Learned Beza notes on the place Vt constet expositio exterioris corporum copulae nostrae cum Christo interoris spiritûs nomen usurpavit Apostolus as also by the after-words What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you ver 19. The holy Ghost is that one Spirit which unites Christ and Believers Hence the Reverend Vsher quoting this place among others concludes That the Mystery of our Vnion with Christ consists mainly in this that the self same Spirit which is in him as in the Head is derived from him into every one of his true Members There is yet a closer Vnion Mr. Sherlock which consists in a mutual reciprocal Love when we are transformed into the image of Christ he loves us as being like to him and we love him as partaking of his Nature he loves us as the price of his Blood as his own workmanship created to good Works and we love him as our Redeemer and Saviour I acknowledge there is a Moral Union between Christ and Christians by holy Love Answer but this Moral Union supposes a Mystical one made by the Spirit and Faith Where these are not there can be no such thing as Love to Christ Hence the Apostle Eph. 3.16 17. first lays down the Mystical Union with its two Bands the Spirit in the inner man and Faith whereby Christ dwells in the heart and immediately after adds the Moral one That ye may be rooted and grounded in Love Where-ever the Mystical Union is there is holy Love to Christ What the Author afterwards adds touching God's dwelling in the Church as his Temple is so far from opposing that it points out the Mystical Union especially seeing as the Author confesses Particular Christians are in Scripture stiled the Temple of the living God That place quoted by the Author Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3.16 is very emphatical Christians are the Temple of God and made so by the indwelling Spirit which is the bond of the Mystical Union Indeed the Author saith That the indwelling of the Spirit primarily refers to the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit which God in that Age bestowed on the Church this was the true Shechinah or divine Glory resting on them But I conceive the holy Spirit hath been in Believers in all Ages God dwelt in the Jewish Temple in Types and Symbols of his Presence but which was far more excellent than those outward shadows and appearances of Glory he dwelt even then by his Spirit in all true Believers The sweet strains of Devotion in David did plainly evidence that the holy Spirit was in him the spiritual Imbroidery or Needle-work in every Psalm tells us that the Finger of God was there The believing Israelites in Mannâ Christum intellexerunt saw Christ in their Manna and fed on the same spiritual Meat as believing Christians do which is a clear proof that the holy Spirit was in them The Son of God coming in the Flesh the holy Spirit was poured down in extraordinary Gifts and though those Epiphanies of divine Glory went off yet the same Spirit hath been and ever will be in Believers This our Church acknowledges 1. Hom. for Whitsunday Neither doth the holy Spirit think it sufficient inwardly to work the spiritual and new Birth of Man unless he do also dwell and abide in him And a little after our Church breaks out in an holy admiration O what comfort is this to the heart of a true Christian to think that the holy Ghost dwelleth in him The Apostle tells the Ephesians that they are builded for an habitation of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the Spirit Eph. 2.22 Indeed the Author interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual Temple in opposition to the material one which St. Peter calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual house but I take it the Spirit it self is meant Thus Grotius as I have him quoted in the Criticks saith Non tantùm tota fidelium
Gen. 22.18 That is with all spiritual and eternal blessings in Christ It is not imaginable that God should suffer the Faith of so great a Believer as Abraham to hang in the thickets of carnal things when he had such spiritual Promises before his eyes our Saviour saith Abraham saw his day and rejoyced Joh. 8.56 He saw the day of his Incarnation and as some the day of his Passion How far God carried the eyes of his Faith I know not however he saw so much as put him into those joys and triumphs of Faith which pointed beyond this World to that Salvation which is the end and center of Faith To me it suffices to say that Abraham rested upon Christ for Salvation and then Christ's Righteousness though unknown to Abraham was imputed to him The Author saith That from in thy seed shall all nations be blessed to imputed righteousness is a train of thoughts beyond Mr. Hobs and yet Abraham discerning the Messiah in that Promise it may be absolved in two short words that the Messiah shall merit Spiritual Blessings for us and that that merit shall be applyed to us there being no other way of applying of what is anothers but by Faith on our part and Imputation on Gods The Author ask's the question Is there no possible way for God to bless the world but by imputed Righteousness I answer had not Christ dyed for us which involves an imputation nothing of blessing could have been expected the wrath of God would no more have spared us than it did lapsed Angels The Jews about Christ's coming thought only of a temporal Messiah the very Apostles for a time thought not of Christ's death but this was because they then lived in the dregs and darkness of the Jewish Church I suppose in former ages the Jews had another manner of Prospect of Christ and above others Abraham whose Faith stands in Scripture with a more than ordinary crown on it probably had so Now if you would know what the Faith of Abraham and if all good men in ancient times was Mr. Sherlock the Apostle to the Hebrews gives us a full account of it Heb. 11. that he discourses there of a justifying Faith that is such a Faith as renders men approved of God and which he will count for Highteousness appears from the tenour of this Chapter in the second verse he tells us That by this the elders obtained a good report that is the Fathers were approved and rewarded by God for the sake of this Faith as he shews particularly That Abel obtained witness that he was righteous ver 4. That Enoch had the testimony that he pleased God ver 5. That Noah became heir of righteousness which is by Faith ver 7. Now this justifying Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A firm and confident expectation of those things hoped for and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an argument of the being of those things which we do not see Faith is such a firm and stedfast perswasion of the truth of those things which are not evident to sense as makes us confidently hope for them the object of Faith must be unseen things and the nature of it consists in such a firm assent to those unseen things as produces some answerable effects in our lives This is the general notion of Faith by which the elders obtained a good report Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Answer Heb. 11. This saith Erasmus is encomium fidei rather than definitio Dialectica However be it that justifying Faith is here meant Christ the marrow and center of the Covenant must be included in it Faith is the substance of things hoped for that is hoped for by vertue of the Promises and in a special signal way by vertue of the prime fundamental promise touching the Messiah which as we see Gen. 3.15 was delivered to Adam as an heavenly treasure more worth than a world and by him was no doubt handed down to his posterity not meerly in the bare words and letters of it for that protevangelium or first Promise of the Gospel was ministerium spiritûs but with such Divine Commentaries upon it as the illuminating spirit was pleased to give in to the heart of believing Adam Faith such is its excellent nature presentiates and makes to subsist the good things hoped for in such a lively manner as if they were actually at hand and before our eyes Nay as learned Pareus observes on the place it makes them subsist not only speculatively and assentively in the mind but fiducially in the heart Now by Faith in the Messiah the Elders had their divine Testimony Abel was righteous before God Enoch pleased God Noah was an heir of Righteousness all of them were Justified and accepted in their persons and holy walking The Author makes Faith to consist in a firm assent only without any thing more in the nature of it Thus the Romanists Thus Bellarmine proves it to be only assensum firmum 〈◊〉 certum ad ea omnia quae Deus credendae proponit And to that purpose among others quotes this Text Heb. 11. But I cannot find that this will down with Protestants Faith is set forth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a firm perswasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fiducial liberty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perswasion with full sails 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fiducial subsistence of things hoped for which expressions speak more than a naked assent Faith receives Christ puts on Christ feeds upon Christ such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was to the Fathers in the days of Moses that they did eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God even before his Incarnation 1 Cor. 10.3 4. Meer assent cannot do this Through faith we are justified and have peace with God Rom. 5.1 We have our hearts purified Act. 15.9 We have the Spirit of all grace Joh. 7.38 We quench the fiery darts of the Devil Eph. 6.16 We have a victory over the world 1 Joh. 5.4 We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Nay not only in the hope of it but with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 as if we had a piece of heaven here below meer assent cannot reach such admirable effects Nay it may be in wicked men who have not the least mite of those Graces or Comforts Our Saviour hath excellently expressed the nature of true Faith Every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him hath eternal life Joh. 6.40 Here are two acts the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see the Son to assent that he is the Redeemer of the World the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to believe on him by fiducial recumbency by which saith Bishop Davenant Dav. Det. 165. Vitam à vitae fonte haurimus in
Law it might have availed to Salvation as well as the Gospel with the supplemental righteousness of Christ there might have been an imputed righteousness as well under the Law as under the Gospel I answer That I conceive that the Moral Law delivered by Moses obliges us Christians as I have before proved and I suppose our Church is of that mind too for I cannot imagine that she should in her Catechism instruct Children in an abrogated Law How there should be an imputed Righteousness without a Gospel I know not it pleased God to found the Gospel upon a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a satisfaction and that cannot be or be profitable to us without an imputation The impotency of the Law was as I noted before that it could not justifie us for want of perfect obedience But God translated the impletion of the Law upon Christ and his Righteousness being made ours by imputation the Law is said to be fulfilled in us To the same purpose the Apostle discourses Mr. Sherlock Rom. 7.4 5 6. Wherefore my Brethren you also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ who put an end to that imperfect dispensation by his death that you should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God for when we were in the flesh under that carnal and fleshly dispensation of the Law of Moses the motions of sins which were by the Law which grew more boisterous and unruly by the prohibitions of the Law vers 8. did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death That is did betray us to those wicked actions which end in death But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead in which we were held that we should serve in newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter So that the reason why the Law of Moses was abrogated was because it could not make men good it nursed them up in a ritual external Religion taught them to serve God in the Letter by Circumcision Sacrifices or external conformity to the Letter of the Law but the Gospel of Christ alone teacheth us to worship God in the Spirit to offer a reasonable Sacrifice to him to fulfill the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the internal Righteousness of which those legal Ceremonies were the Signs and Sacraments This is the plain meaning of the Apostles which can never be reconciled with imputed Righteousness which would make his argument foolish and absurd Therefore he tells us in other places what little reason we have to be so zealous for the Law of Moses since we have the perfection of it in the Gospel what need is there of the circumcision of the flesh which the Law required When in the Gospel we have the circumcision made without hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that fleshly circumcision What need of legal washing and purgations When they are all fulfilled in the washing of regeneration in the Gospel baptism Thus we are compleat in Christ who bath perfectly instructed us in the will of God and instiluted such a Religion as is the perfection of all Ceremonies Col. 2. We must now offer another Sacrifice than the Law of Moses commanded not the Sacrifices of dead beasts but of a living and active soul Rom. 12. The Apostle Answer Rom. 7. vers 4. Shews that we are dead to the Law by the body of Christ that is by Christ crucified we have remission and the holy Spirit and so are dead to the cursing and irritating power of the Law that we might bring forth fruits of holy works to God Before when we were in the flesh in our corrupt unregenerate estate the motions of sin which were accidentally irritated by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death that is to bring forth sinful actions which tend to death vers 5. But now saith the Apostle we are delivered from the Law from the curse and irritating power of it That being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter vers 6. That is in those new Divine Prinples which our spirits have from Gods not in the old nature which by the outward Letter of the Law is irritated unto sin This I think is the scope of the Apostle he discourses of the regenerate and unregenerate the one dead to the Law the other irritated by it he discourses not of the difference between those under the Old Testament and those under the New for the regenerate under the Old Testament were dead to the cursing and irritating Law they had internal Righteousness which the Author calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had the circumcision of the heart Deut. 30.6 which in the Author is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the fleshly circumcision they had the law in the heart Psal 37.31 And by consequence they had true regeneration in which saith our Author all the legal washings and purifications are fulfilled they were not irritated by the Law but delighted in it as in their joy choice treasure hony-comb of sweetness and what not as appears in the Psalms They served in the newness of the Spirit in new Divine Principles which they had from the holy Spirit in the easiness of the New Creature to which the Will of God is natural Even in their Rituals and Sacrifices they knew all must be done in newness of Spirit in the exercises of internal Graces The very Heathens themselves thought that they were to Sacrifice Mente candidâ expurgatâ conscientiâ How much more did the servants of God under the Old Testament do so they knew that there were better Sacrifices than the outward ones Sacrifices of righteousness Psal 4.5 And sacrifices of a broken spirit Psal 50.17 They understood that the heart the truth in the inward parts was more than all the rest On the other hand the unregenerate under the New Testament they are in the flesh the motions of sin carry all before them they have nothing of internal Righteousness they are uncircumcised in heart as well as in flesh they are baptized yet want the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of regeneration they are irritated by the Law their inward malignity swells and rises against the holy commands which stand in Scripture as so many damms and bars to their impetuous lusts Whatever they do in Evangelical Ordinances they do all in the oldness of the Letter the Letter the outward Rule presses them to Duty but there is no inward acting of Faith no suavity of Love or holy Affections all is done in a dead dull flat manner nothing is minded but the opus operatum the meer external work By this we see clearly where the difference lies It s true the Ceremonials of Moses were abrogated by Christ but I suppose the Moral Law was not it s own intrinsecal Rectitude and Righteousness immortalizes it so
that it stands faster than the Pillars of Heaven and Earth and must be so as long as God is God and Man Man The Reason of Man must be bound in duty to point to God as the Primum Verum and the Will of Man to resign to him as the Primum Amabile these are Foundations never to be shaken The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Law amounts to so much more than the inherent Righteousness of all Saints put together that it is no were to be found but in the perfect spotless obedience of Christ neither can that be made ours but by imputation Hence Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Sher-Jock the end of the Law the perfection and accomplishment of it for Righteousness to them that believe Rom. 10.4 That is the Gospel of Christ requires that Rightcousness of us which the Law did only typifie and represent that holiness and purity of mind which is the perfection of all legal Righteousness For that Christ should be the end of the Law by imputation of his Righteousness to us hath no foundation in the Text. The Apostle explains what he means by this in the following verses where he gives us a description of the righteousness of the Law and the righteousness of Faith The righteousness of the Law is an external conformity to the letter of the Law the man that doth them shall live in them that is shall enjoy all the Temporal Blessings of Canaan which were promised to the observance of the Law But the Righteousness of Faith is a firm and stedfast belief of the Divine Authority of Christ that he is the Lord and more particularly a belief of his Resurrection from the dead as the last and great confirmation which God gave to the divinity of Christ's Person and Doctrine This is that Faith that overcometh the world and purifies the heart and transforms us into the likeness of God which is the perfection of all the ritual righteousness of the Law Vpon this account Christ is said to be made to us Righteousness 1 Cor. 1.20 He of God is made to us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption He is our Wisdom as he is our great Prophet who instructs us in true Wisdom our Righteousness as we are justified by Faith in him by a sincere belief of his Gospel which is the only Righteousness acceptable to God our Sanctification because the law of the spirit of life in him makes us free from the law of sin and death our Redemption as by these means he bath delivered us from the bondage of the Jewish Law from the idolatrous Customs of the Heathens and the tyranny of wicked Spirits and the wrath of God which is the merit of sin Christ is the end of the Law Answer even of the Moral Law and what did that call for Not external Conformisty only but all Holiness and Righteousness and that in pure sinless perfection this our Faith or inherent Graces because imperfect can never amount to The Law therefore hath its end only in the perfect spotless Righteousness of Christ and that being made over to Believers by Imputation Christ is truly said to be the end of the Law for righteousness to the believer The man that doth them shall live in them Rom. 10.5 that is saith the Author shall enjoy the temporal blessings of Canaan Indeed the Racovian Catechist will go no further Nusquam in Lege Mosis reperies vitam aeternam promissam saith he But we find the Saints in the Old Testament fixing their Faith upon eternal Life My Redeemer liveth and I shall see him saith Job Job 19.25 and 27. Abraham desireth a better country that is an heavenly Heb. 11.16 The just shall live by his faith Hab. 2.4 which is interpreted of eternal Life Rom. 1.17 Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Joel 2.32 that is with eternal Life as it is applied Rom. 10.13 Paul said no other things than the Prophets and Moses did Act. 26.22 and yet surely he spake of eternal Life Moses and the Prophets are frequent in promising the Messiah and in him all the Promises are contained Do this and live is meant of eternal Life a Curse that is eternal Death is threatned to the violaters of the Law Gal. 3.10 therefore Life and that eternal is promised to the keepers of it When the Lawyer asked What shall I do to inherit eternal life our Saviour answered him that he must keep the Law Luk. 10.25 28. If the Law did not promise eternal Life then it did not threaten eternal Death and by consequence Christ who redeemed us from the Curse of the Law redeemed us only from a temporal one But to pass on Christ of God is made unto us righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 that is saith the Author we are justified by Faith in him by a sincere belief of his Gospel That we are justified by Faith in Christ I acknowledge but not in the Authors sence he makes Faith properly and as an Act to justifie he makes the nature of Faith to consist only in a firm assent But I have before proved that Faith justifies as it receives Christ and his Righteousness and that justifying Faith over and above assent includes in it a fiducial Recumbency Christ is made to us righteousness one of these two ways either by the Graces of his holy Spirit imparted to us or else by his perfect Obedience imputed to us He is not made Righteousness to us by the Graces of his Spirit imparted to us for with respect to these he is made Sanctification to us and Sanctification and Justification must not be confounded As we have holy Graces from him to sanctifie us so we have Righteousness from him to justifie us He is therefore our Righteousness because his perfect Righteousness by Imputation becomes ours Bellarmine speaking of this place at sâ—â—â—interprets it of the inherent Righteousness in us which comes from Christ but afterwards as convicted of the truth De Jusiâ—â— 11.2 cip 10. he saith Nobis imputari Christi justitiam merita cùm nobis donentur applicentur ac si nosipsi Deo satisfecissemus That the Righteousness and Morits of Christ are imputed to us when they are given and applied to us as if we our selves had satisfied God Further our Author upon this Text saith That Christ is our wisdom as he is cur Prophet our Righteousness as we are justified by believing the Gospel our Sanctification as we have the Law of the Spirit of life and our Redemption as by these means he hath delivered us I see not what room is left here for the redeeming Blood of Christ nevertheless I suppose the Author meant to include the same This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Sherlock the foundation of all other mistakes that by the Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of Works most men understand an internal Holiness and then conclude That if this Righteousness will
so we are made righteous by his obedience ver 9. His Third Reason to prove Answer that Christ fulfilled all Righteousness for us is from the absolute necessity of it For this is the Term of the Covenant Do this and live Life is not to be obtained unless all be done that the Law requires we being unable to do this it is necessary that Christ our Mediator and Surety should fulfil the Law for us This Argument is to prove that it ought to be so not that it is so but we must not prescribe methods to God The sum of the Argument is that there never was nor never can be a Covenant of Grace that God still exacts the rigorous perfection of the Law from us that we must not appear before him without a complete and perfect Righteousness of our own or of another Now this is the thing in question Whether we must be made righteous with the perfect Righteousness of Christ imputed to us or whether God will for the sake of Christ dispense with the rigor of the Law and accept of a sincere and Evangelical Obedience in stead of a perfect and unsinning Righteousness so that he only confidently affirms what was in dispute and this goes for an Argument We must not prescribe methods to God Answer Nor may we deny those he hath set down and reveiled to us The Scripture tells us that Justification under the Gospel is in a way completive and perfective of the Law so that the Law is established Rom. 3.31 and hath its end or complement Rom. 10.4 and this cannot be without a perfect Righteousness And withal the Scripture tells us where that Righteousness is Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to us Rom. 10.4 and We are made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 The Righteousness of Christ is made ours by Imputation that answers the Law in every point But then saith the Author there can be no covenant of Grace If the perfect Righteousness were to be done by us in our own persons there could be none indeed but may there be none if that Righteousness be fulfilled by Christ and imputed to us The Papists use to blast imputed Righteousness with many ugly names as if it were putative an imaginary Fiction a Spectrum of Luther's Brain and the like but I never before heard that the Righteousness of Christ made ours by Imputation did overthrow the Covenant of Grace Sure the Passive Righteousness of Christ doth not overthrow it and if the Active be joyned with that as it ought no evil can ensue but we may in the conjunction of both as in a Glass see the admirable Wisdom of God which hath framed the Covenant of Grace in such a manner that we who have no perfect Righteousness of our own are yet justified by the complete Righteousness of Christ our Surety so that the Law though not fulfilled by us hath its perfect completion It 's true that God accepts of our sincere Obedience but not in Justification not in the room of Christ's perfect Righteousness but in its own proper place having its defects covered with Christ's Righteousness The Doctor makes a great flourish with some Scripture-phrases Mr. Sherlock that there is almost nothing that Christ hath done but we are said to do it with him We are crucified with him dead with him buried with him quickned with him c. But he is quite out in the reason of these expressions which is not that we are accounted to do the same things which Christ did but because we do some things like them Our dying to sin is a conformity to the death of Christ and our walking in newness of life a conformity to his Resurrection I know no Divine who interprets those Phrases of being crucified Answer dead buried quickned with Christ of imputed Righteousness neither do I suppose that the Doctor ever intended any such thing those Phrases belong to Sanctification Then we are crucified with Christ when we feel the power of his Cross in our Mortification then we are risen with Christ when we feel the power of his Resurrection raising of us up to the divine Life and Likeness The Doctor cites that Text Mr. Sherlock Gal. 4. 4 5. God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law and here he stops but I shall take confidence to add That we might receive the adoption of Sons Now by being made under the Law he tells us is meant being disposed of in such a condition that he must yield subjection and obedience to the Law well suppose this and this was all to redeem us and therefore our redemption is by the obedience of Christ imputed to us Fairly argued but can his obedience to the Law contribute no otherways to our redemption but by being reckoned as done by us But the truth is this us is not in the text it is not to redeem us but to redeem them that were under the Law that is the Jews who were in bondage under the Mosaical Law from which Christ redeemed them by abrogating that Law and introducing a better covenant the adoption of sons For in this Epistle nay in this chapter the Law is called a state of servants and of an heir under age but the Gospel is the adoption of sons puts us into such a free and manly state as that of an heir at age and therefore is called the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 So that the meaning of this Text is this that God hath put an end to the dispensation of the Law which is called redeeming them that are under the Law in a state of servitude and bondage and hath established a better Covenant in the room of it which as much exceeds the Law as the adoption of Sons doth the state of Servants and this God brought to pass by sending his Son made of a woman made under the Law For the understanding of which words we must consider what influence Christ's appearing in the world had on the abrogation of the Law and that was that he accomplished all the Types and Figures of the Law in his own Person and when all those Types were fulfilled they grew out of date So that his being made under the Law most probably signifies his being made such a Person as should exactly answer all the Types and Figures of the Law and so to put an end to it as of no further use Thus the Temple was God's House but now the Shechinah or divine Glory rested on Christ When Christ the great High-Priest came and offered himself all legal Priests and Sacrifices were of no use Thus by his being under the Law and accomplishing all the Types of it he put an end to all those beggarly rudiments and delivered the Jews from the bondage of the Law for though the Gentiles too are redeemed by Christ yet they were not redeemed from the Law of
the truth of our Union to Christ and the truth of our holy life both at once An holy life taken not meerly in its outward acts but in its efflux from Faith is an infallible mark of our Union to Christ At other times these Men make the work of Sanctification so imperfect Mr. Sherlock and so like an unsanctified state that it is impossible to distinguish a sanctified and unsanctified Man upon this account holyness must be a very sorry evidence of our union to Christ when it is so imperfect that it cannot be known An unregenerate Man is under the Law of sin under the reigning power of it and a regenerate Man as they describe him is in a state as like this as one Egg is another For a regenerate Man may be carnal sold under sin that is a Slave and Captive to it he may do those things he allows not nay those things which he hates that is he may sin against the clearest convictions of conscience and sense of duty he may neglect to do those things which he knows he ought to do and do those things which he knows he ought not to do he may find a Law in his Members that when he would do good evil is present with him a Law in his Members warring against the Law of his mind which brings him into captivity to the Law of sin that is in his Members For so they tell us that St. Paul complains of all this in the person of a regenerate Man Rom. 7. Now an unregenerate man does the very same and indeed cannot do much worse he sins against conscience is brought into captivity to sin is overpowered by indwelling sin he finds natural fears and terrors when he is tempted to sin which gives some check to him and makes him sin against his own will with some unwillingness and reluctancy he approves the Law of God as just and equal his conscience assents to it but there is a strong byass upon his will which runs counter to all those holy Commands and makes him a Slave and Captive to his lusts Now not to dispute which of these two the Apostle means in Rom. 7. I think it is hard to assign any difference between them the regenerate Man according to this description is full as bad as the ungenerate or if there be any difference the regenerate Man is the worst of the two because in the regenerate Man the spirit is led into captivity but in the ungenerate only natural conscience which is a much weaker principle and so is capable of a better excuse is led into captivity But which of these two it is no Man can tell and therefore a regenerate Man hath great reason to fear that he may be unregenerate and an ungenerate Man hath as much reason to hope that he may be regenerate and what becomes then of this evidence of Sanctification to prove our union to Christ when Sanctification it self cannot be distinguished from an unsanctified state According to these Men Answer we cannot distinguish a sanctified and an unsanctified man an unregenerate man is under the reign of sin and a regenerate man as they describe him is so too Why so He may be Carnal Rom. 7.14 but not as the ungenerate totally altogether Carnal without any spark of Spiritual life in him but partially only in respect of the Reliques of corruption abiding in him He is Spiritual so far as he is regenerate yet Carnal because he hath some corrupt flesh in him This appears because though regenerate he is still to go on mortifying the flesh and the flesh is yet lusting in him against the Spirit The Babes in Christ are called Carnal 1 Cor. 3.1 yet they were not unregenerate but their regenerate Man is sold under sin Rom. 7.14 He is so but what as Ahab who sold himself to work evil What as the unregenerate are who are willing Captives ready to obey the desires of the flesh no but he is a captive against his will he cannot wholly rid himself of those lusts which lye as so many heavy chains upon him so far as regenerate he is a free-man but because Regeneration is imperfect he is yet a Captive But their regenerate man may do those things he allows not nay those things he hates Rom. 7.15 Not that as the profane he does outward gross acts of sin and wallows in them but that the inevitabile malum that unavoidable concupiscence though he disallow hate it all its progeny will be stirring in his thoughts and desires nay and sometimes prevailing too That the Apostle speaks of such unavoidable defects is clear from the following words It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me vers 17. which words can be only understood of unavoidable defects But their unregenerate Man neglects duty the good he would do he does not vers 19. not that he doth not do duties to God but that the clog of corruption impedes him from doing them in that pure and uninterrupted manner as he desires He finds a Law in his Members warring against the Law of his mind and bringing him into captivity to the Law of sin which is in his Members vers 23. He hath a Divine Spiritual life in him but because Regeneration is imperfect the indwelling sin is still in him strugling though not reigning by these things it appears that there is a vast difference between a regenerate Man and an ungenerate But if we understand Rom. 7. of an unregenerate Man see if we do not saint him and make him a regenerate Man A regenerate man hates sin Ps 119.128 and so does the unregenerate Rom. 7.15 which yet never any unregenerate Man did reach unto A regenerate Man hath a will to that which is good and so hath the unregenerate Rom. 7.18 which is a lift beyond A regenerate Man delights in the Law of God Psal 1.2 and so does the unregenerate Rom. 7.22 which is a Divine strain much beyond him A regenerate Man groans under the burthen of the indwelling corruption and so does the unregenerate Rom. 7.24 who yet hath little or no sense of it A regenerate Man blesses God for the great deliverance by Jesus Christ and in gratitude serves him and so does the unregenerate Rom. 7.25 who yet never made it his business so to do And thus the unregenerate Man is made as good as the regenerate to conclude the holyness of the regenerate though imperfect and labouring under the indwelling sin is yet a good evidence of their Union with Christ Dr. Jacomb Mr. Sherlock in his Discourse of the Law of sin attempts to assign the difference between the Law of sin in the regenerate and it in the unregenerate and hath given such a Description of an unregenerate state that there is scarce such an unregenerate Man in the World and yet if we must judge what a regenerate Man is by inverting the Character of the unregenerate he is by
odds much the worse Man As first When the whole bent and tendency of the heart is towards sin when the propensities of the Soul thereto are entire and unmixt there it is the Law of sin in the unregenerate But is every one a regenerate Man who hath some good propensities in him who hath some wouldings and velleities to that which is good then there are few unregenerate in the World Secondly which is the explication of the former when all the several Faculties of the Soul are altogether on sins side and wholly take its part then it is the Law of sin in the unregenerate where the understanding gives in its final positive dictate that sin is good represents it as eligible to the will the will upon this closes with it embraces it it cleaves to it the affections desire joy delight run out upon it where it is thus the case is determined yea without controversy But where shall we find such a Man I believe there was never such a Man born too many chuse evil though they know it to be evil for the seeming advantages of profit or pleasure but to chuse evil as believing it to be good and to rejoyce and delight in it as good and eligible for it self is such an unregenerate state as the Devil never arrived at for though he be a wicked Spirit yet he is no Fool as those must be who mistake evil for good in such plain instances The Heathens themselves at this rate were all regenerate for their consciences accused them for doing evil Rom. 2. They knew good to be good and evil evil There was never such a Man as he describes when he tells us That sin comes to the Sinner and says Art thou willing that I should rule Yes saith he with all my heart I like thy commands I am thine I submit to be at thy dispose I here swear fealty and allegiance to thee c. This Oath c. might very well have been spared for there is enough without it and yet if this be the difference that the unregenerate Man chuses sin believing it to be good and the regenerate Man chuses sin though he knows it to be evil it is plain that the regenerate is much the worse because his sins have the greatest aggravations that any sins are capable of which the sins of an unregenerate Man have not viz. That they are sins against knowledge and so according to our Saviours reasoning this regenerate Man will be beaten with more stripes Dr. Jacomb assigns the difference between the Law of sin in the regenerate and in the unregenerate Answer First When the whole bent of the heart is towards sin when the propensities are entire and unmixt there it is the Law of sin in the unregenerate But saith the Author is every one regenerate who hath some good propensities Who hath some wouldings velleities to that which is good Then there are few unregenerate Men in the World To which I answer The unregenerate may indeed have some wouldings and velleities to good not of himself for in his flesh and such he is all over by Nature there is no good but from the common motions and operations of the Holy Spirit Yet notwithstanding these the bent of his heart is to sin the power of sin is habitual in him which is all the intent and very expression of the Doctor in that place Secondly When all the faculties of the Soul are on sins side when the understanding gives in its final positive dictate that sin is good represents it as eligible to the will the will closes with it the affections run out upon it there the case saith the Doctor is determined But saith the Author Never such a Man was born as to chuse evil believing it to be good to delight and rejoyce in it as good and eligible for it self To which I answer The Authors discourse runs upon this as if the Doctor had asserted that the understanding in the unregenerate did represent sin as good that is as conformable to the Law and Will of God and so good Hence the Author tells us That the Devil though a wicked Spirit is no Fool that the very Heathen know good to be good and evil evil But all this is besides the scope the Doctor never said or meant so when he saith that the understanding dictates sin to be good No Man I presume will interpret the words thus the understanding dictates sin to be conformable to the Will of God that is sin to be no sin No the understanding knows sin to be sin sin to be contrary to the Will of God yet it represents sin as good in other respects and so good as to cast the ballance in the heart on sins side it may be there are baits of profit or pleasure in it Nay it is my own thought that the pravity in sinsul actions comes sub ratione convenientiae and offers it self as congruous and so good to the corrupt Will and heart of Man the very difformity or contradiction to the will of God as intrinsecally black as it is blushes and looks fair to that Carnal mind which is enmity against God An unregenerate Man drinks in iniquity as water Job 15.16 being filthy himself iniquity though a very foul thing goes down naturally with him and is as it were his proper Element St. Austin in his Confessions speaking of his stealing of Apples saith that he was Gratis malus Confess li. 2 cap. 4.6 Amavi defectum meum decerpta projeci epulatus inde solaminiquitatem quâ laetabar fruens si quid illorum intravit in os meum condimentum facinus erat He confesses the very sin it self was grateful to him If Sinners did not believe sin to be good in some respect or other if they did look on it as evil and nothing but pure impure evil it were utterly impossible that they should chuse it or delight in it the will cannot appetere malum sub ratione mali for that were appetere non appetible which is impossible I conclude with the words of the Doctor in that place Whosoever upon deliberation judges a sinful course to be the best and thereupon chuses embraces falls in with it delights in it continues in it in this Man 't is the Law of sin this Man is as I take it a Servant of sin and willing it should rule There is as learned Bishop Reynolds saith a Covenant a virtual bargain between him and his lusts he agrees to serve and obey them But Thirdly Mr. Sherlock The Law of sin hath different workings in the People of God than in others This working of the Law of sin in Gods People me thinks is an ill thing But let us hear how it is First Where sin is committed industriously and designedly there it is the Law of sin in the Graceless unless Men be very cunning at the trade of sin they are not under the Law of it as graceless persons are
were possible for Christ and Heaven to be separated I would rather desire Christ without Heaven than Heaven without Christ Obj. But this is a hard matter I cannot say I desire Christ on such terms as I should This saying is the best sign of Grace I have met with he is an honest Man who will not contradict the natural sense of his mind and say he can do that which is impossible to be done It is an odd proposal in order to comfort a poor Soul that he must be willing to be damned with Christ before he must take comfort in hopes of being saved by him Ans But is it the grief of thy heart that thou canst not deny thy self Desirest thou to close with Christ upon any terms Obj. Alas I cannot grieve and mourn for sin Certainly they are at cross purposes their Objections and Answers do so ill agree Ans Hast thou any will to it Art thou willing to part with thy sins But the poor Soul saith I fear I shall never do this But art thou willing that Christ should make thee willing against thy will and pitch thee upon a promise and hold thee there for shame poor Soul refuse not this then comfort thy self thou hast a right to Gods promises Thus this evidence of Sanctification is dwindled away into a desire to be willing Nay into a desire to be made willing and he is a strange Man who cannot go so far When a Minister comes to comfort poor afflicted souls Answer he doth not offer them the Altitudes the highest Statures of Holiness to measure themselves by that would be horrid cruelty but he sets before them that immense mercy which stoops down in its acceptance to the least seeds or sparks of Grace to grace latent in a desire or willing mind Nay to that poverty of the spirit which though it seem to it self to have nothing at all of Grace hath yet a blessedness entailed on it a broken heart which hath some truth of Grace may complain of the prevalency of sin in some sence The pressure of inherent corruption may make him cry out O wretched man the flesh may so lust against the spirit that he cannot do the things that he would Gal. 5.17 Yet comfort may and doth belong to him those promises of subduing iniquity of treading down Satan may without straining them beyond their scope let out their sweetness to him When he thinks that he cannot pray God may find and accept of a prayer in his sighs and groans when he fears by reason of the stirring lusts that he shall fall from God Grace is sufficient and able to make him stand he may be in Christs hands and yet not know it to his comfort He saith he cannot believe and yet his Faith though little and as the smoaking Flax may be true The deep sense which he hath of the power of sin and want of Faith argues somewhat of Faith and a Divine Life in him which struggles against sin and aspires after more Grace He saith that he cannot desire Christ as he should And this sense of his want may speak him not an honest man only but a pious such as indeed breaths after Grace He saith he cannot grieve or mourn for sin yet that very saying argues a kind of mourning and lamentation over his hardness and speaks his heart not to be totally hard or senseless He complains his will is not such as it should be and this shews that in some measure he looks up to that Grace which is able to make him willing not as if he were to be made willing against his will but that Grace can change an unwilling will into a willing one In such dealings as these with broken hearts Sanctification is not dwindled away but comfort is administred from the lowest measure of true Grace Mr. Sherlock But when they have a mind to take down the confidence of men who are apt to presume too soon that their condition is good they do so magnifie the attainments of hypocrites who shall never go to Heaven that it is impossible for any sanctified man to do more than an hypocrite may do So that notwithstanding any evidences of Sanctification he may be a hypocrite still which quite spoils the evidences of Sanctification because we cannot distinguish a sanctified man from a hypocrite Thus for example one may plead I have left my sins I once lived in I am no Drunkard Swearer Lyer I answer Shep. Sinc. convert Thou mayst be washed from the mire the pollution of the World and yet be a Swine in Gods account which he proves from 2 Pet. 2.20 Where the Apostle tells them That if they have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of Christ and are again entangled therein and overcome if they return to their old vices then their latter end is worse than the beginning Which is point blank contrary to what he affirms that those who have escaped these pollutions and are not yet entangled again in them may notwithstanding that be Swine in Gods account For so he adds Thou mayst live a blameless innocent honest smooth life and yet be a miserable creature But I pray says such a man and that often so thou mayst and yet never be saved Isai 1.11 To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices To great purpose sure when they are offered by men of blameless innocent honest smooth lives the want of which made those sacrifices abominable to God But I fast sometimes so did the Scribes and Pharisees But it was to devour widows houses which was not the fast of an honest innocent man But I hear the word so did the stony ground who for a season believed And it had been well and a good sign of Grace if it had continued I read the Scripture so did the Pharisees who were perfect in the Bible But though knaves read the Scriptures and be never the better for it yet good men may read it to good purpose reading of Scripture is no argument that a man is an hypocrite because the Pharisees were But I am grieved and repent of my sins so did Judas but he hanged himself and that indeed is no repentance to life But I love good men and their company so did the foolish Virgins But they slept and suffered their Lamps to go out which all that love good men do not But God hath given me much knowledge that thou mayst have and never be saved Yes and twenty good things more but if a blameless honest man hath the keeping of this knowledge it is never the worse for him But I keep the Lords day so did the Jews had he been as well acquainted with the Scriptures as the Pharisees were he would not have said that the Jews kept the Lords day however this is one good thing which doth well in the company of more But I have good desires and endeavours to get to Heaven these thou mayst have
never so much yet as long as he is in his old Sphere in corrupt unregenerate nature he lives in some one sin or other in an unregenerate heart while such Gods throne is not cannot be and therefore sins must be there Such an heart as yet not elevated by Grace to the true and immense goodness which is above hunts after an happiness in the lower Sphere of its self and the world embracing some vain Image or Shadow instead of a Deity The young man in the Gospel for all his smooth innocent life had yet a regnant World within Trajan and Antoninus the Philosopher as fair Moralists as they were were yet enemies to Christianity But a regenerate man however he groan under the indwelling sin doth not indulge his lusts his heart having found out God the true center of Blessedness rests no where else But saith Mr. Shephard an unregenerate man cannot be poor in spirit and so carried out of all duties to Christ Upon which saith the Author if an unregenerate man do good he is conscious to himself that he doth it if he have a good heart he feels it And is it so indeed If an unregenerate man may have a good heart and do that which is truly spiritually good Regeneration is altogether useless internal and supernatural principles of Grace are to no purpose Nature though lame and lapsed may do its own work But I suppose rather that all this in the unregenerate is but pride and presumption his feeling a good heart in himself but a lye and imposture But saith the Author the regenerate man is either to have no good in himself or to think he hath none either of which is an odd sign of Grace To which I answer To be a regenerate Man and to have no good in himself is not possible to think he hath none if he know he hath some is as little possible as the other The regenerated man hath a Divine Life and Principle in him yet by reason of inherent corruptneâ—s sees little or nothing in himself and is ever in dependance upon the treasures of Grace in Christ An unregenerate man may come to Christ in Profession or Ordinances but not in believing He takes not up his rest in Christ He would saith Mr. Shephard like Judas have Christ and the bag too Or as the young man have Christ and the world too He would live in his Lusts and if at last Christ would save him from Hell it would be enough But the regenerate are in love with Christ himself Epist ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Love Christ was crucified and with him my love to all other things sait Ignatius and the Reverend Vsher as Mr. Baxter relates was of opinion That by the first act of Faith we receive Christs person and by a second his benefits Mr. Shephard Jaith Mr. Sherlock That men tyred and weary in themselves go to Christ to remove their sins If they get these sins subdued and removed if they find power to do better they hope to be saved here is the evidence of Sanctification whereas thou mayst be damned and go to the Devil at last though thou dost escape all the pollutions of the World and that not from thy self and thine own strength but from the knowledge of Christ Woe to you if you dye in this state with your sins mortified and subdued by Christ and the reason is because this is to come to Christ to suck juyce from him to maintain his own Berries his own stock of Graces Alas he is but the Ivy he is no Member nor Branch in this Tree And hence he never grows to be one with Christ So that Holiness and Obedience is no evidence of our Vnion to Christ though we fetch strength from Christ to do his will we may only grasp about Christ all this while as the Ivy about the Oak but never be united to him and become one with him Mr. Shephard's plain scope is no more but this Answer that poor sinners tyred with their sins should not rest in any thing no not in some power to subdue sin and do better without Union to Christ And the Scripture-Method calls for this that we should have our being in Christ put on Christ and receive Christ that we may have all benefits from him 1. Hom. of the Sacrament Hence our Church tells us That we must make Christ our own and apply his merits to our selves Thus the Learned Zanchy Tota verae justitiae De verâ dispensat vitae salutis participatio ex hâc pernecessariâ cum Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pendet The whole participation of Righteousness Life Salvation depends on our Vnion with Christ which is most necessary A man through the knowledge of Christ may escape the pollutions of the World that is gross sins he may learn to do better in his life but true mrtification of sins flows from our Union to Christ and is effected by the holy Spirit in Believers Holiness and Obedience such as indeed is true and spiritual doth not go before Faith and Union to Christ but follow after it and so evidence it as the Fruit doth the Root As for the Authors subjoyned exclamation Good God! into what mazes and labyrinths do these men lead poor distressed souls I must leave it to the Reader to determine whether there be any just cause for it or not The testimony of the Spirit concerns the general adoption of Christians for the sons of God Mr. Sherlock not to testifie to any particular man that he is a good Christian or in the estate of Grace It is not a private but a publick testimony given to the whole Christian Church That holy Spirit which God bestowed upon the Apostles and Primitive Christians which enabled them to work Miracles speak Languages and Prophesie was a plain argument to all the World that God now owned the Christians not the Jews for his chosen and elect people for his sons and children For this was the great dispute of those days whether Jews or Christians were the sons of God whether God now owned the Jewish or Christian Religion and the Apostles decide this Controversie by the Testimony of the Spirit for God could not give a greater Testimony to the Christian Church than the gift of the holy Spirit for it was a plain argument that he owned them for his sons when he bestowed the Spirit of his Son on them as the Apostle argues Galat. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith that is did God bestow his Spirit on you while you were Jews or upon your conversion to Christianity For if God bestowed his spirit on Christians This is a sufficient seal to the Christian Religion This is plain and intelligible the Testimony of the Spirit assures us that all Christians are the Sons of God and Heirs of the Promises and every mans conscience will tell him whether
he be a Christian whether he heartily believe and obey the Gospel and herein consists our Vnion to Christ and fellowship with him let us then leave those other dim notions to men who can believe what no man can understand who despise every thing that can be understood as if it were no better than carnal reason The Author Answer who hitherto hath highly though without cause charged his opposites with violating the evidences of Christians doth now himself blast the highest of all evidences the Testimony of the holy Spirit which is so clealy asserted by the holy Apostle that the Jesuits themselves though hotly disputing against assurance never yet attempted totally to deny it The Testimony of the Spirit saith the Author concerns the general adoption of Christians not to testifie to any particular man It is not a private but a publick Testimony given to the whole Church But let us consider the Text it self in the Apostle The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit the Apostle speaks not of the Spirit as shewing forth it self in Miracles and Tongues but as sanctifying and sealing Believers he speaks of the spirit dwelling in them vers 9. Mortifying the deeds of the body in them vers 13. Leading of them vers 14. Making them cry Abba Father vers 15. And then follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the self same spirit beareth witness Here is not one jot or tittle of Miracles or Tongues the testimony of the Spirit in Miracles or Tongues is an external one which runs into the senses But the Testimony of the Spirit in the Text is internal it beareth witness not to our senses but to our Spirits It is said to be sent forth into our hearts Gal. 4.6 The Testimony is not without in Miracles or Tongues but within in the heart The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit the Apostle saith not it beareth witness with the Spirit of the Church for there is one body and one spirit the Spirit of the Church Catholick is the holy Spirit which quickens the whole Mystical Body of Christ And these words The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit cannot be translated thus The Spirit beareth witness with it self but the plain meaning is It beareth witness with our spirit that is with the spirits and consciences of particular Believers And what doth it testifie The Apostle tells us That we are the children of God We particular Believers are so Thus in another place ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise Eph. 1.13 Ye particular Believers were so And again He hath sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.22 He hath dealt so with us in particular The Testimony of the Spirit in the Gospel is that all Believers are the Sons of God But the Testimony of the Spirit in our spirits is that we are Believers and so the Sons of God in particular This Testimony of the Spirit though so fully asserted in Scripture Nay and I will add though so sweetly experimented by the dear Saints of God that they have thought themselves in the very borders of Heaven in respect of it is yet with the Author no better than a dim unintilligible notion and as he speaks a little before a private Enthusiasm But why unintelligible cannot the holy Spirit so illustrate and irradiate the heart that the truth of Grace may appear to the Believer that he may certainly see in his own heart that this is precious Faith and that is love in incorruption and so of other Graces there Or what if it were unintelligible Shall we cast off the Divine Revelation because above our narrow reason What then must become of those Mysteries of the Trinity and hypostatical Union What of that peace of God which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passing or transcending all understanding Phil. 4.7 Surely in such things reason must vail and do homage to Revelations Ephraem Syrus discerning an heretical propensity in his Disciple Paulinus gave him that excellent advice Vide Pauline ne te submittas tuis cogitationibus sed cum te perfecte comprehendisse Deum putaveris crede nec intellexisse We must not commit Divine Mysteries to the measures of Humane Reason but take them as they are in Scripture But this Testimony of the Spirit is but a private Enthusiasm saith the Author To which I answer We are now more afraid of Enthusiasm than they were of old Dyonisius would have the Hierarch to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Eccles Hierarch to be a divine man and a kind of Euthusiast Ignatius in the Epistle to the Romans saith That he wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secundum arbitrium Dei as if he had wrote by impulse and Inspiration And as Dr. Arrowsmith hath it in Suidas and Hesykius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Enthusiasm is when the whole soul is irradiated by God And in this sence I wish with him Vtinam essemus omnes Enthusiastae Would we were all Enthusiasts It s true there is not now an Enthusiasm of gifts in an extraordinary way but sure there must be still in the use of the means an Enthusiasm of Graces in Regeneration and an Enthusiasm of comforts in the Testimony of the Spirit or else which is quite contrary to Scripture there must be no new Creatures but what are of Mans own making nor no Divine comforts for them but what are of Mans own gathering The Just need no longer live by Faith or in dependence upon the Divine Spirit but may have his being and well-being his graces and comforts all from himself CHAP. V. Sect. 1. CHrist hath reveiled the whole mind and will of God Mr. Sherlock in such a plain and familiar manner that every one may understand it who will but exercise the same reason in it that he doth to understand the Laws of his Prince Before the Author took away the witnessing Spirit now the illuminating one Answer A Man may according to him understand the things of God by the exercise of his reason Thus Episcopius Men may by meer natural perception without any supernatural superinfused light understand the Will of God After the same manner speak the Socinians The darkness for such are all the unregenerate Men may it seems comprehend the Evangelical light But the Apostle tells us That the natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 That flesh and blood doth not reveil these things but our Father in Heaven Matth. 16.17 Hence the Apostle prays for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation for the Ephesians Ephes 1.17 Hence our Church tells us 2. Hom. of Scripture That the Revelation of the Holy Ghost inspireth the true meaning of Scripture into us In truth we cannot without him attain true saving knowledge According to these Men Mr. Sherlock the love of Christ is a love to the person of a Believer without considering any