very Nature of the fulness of Time may assure us but it is true they were in proper senses laid upon Christ before as he was a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World and as his Blood was the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant and so proportionably when he was born in so low and mean an appearance who had as the Eternal Word Right to have appear'd all in glory yet still Let the fulness of Time have its pre-eminence And so sure there can be no injury done when all the Aerumnae the Sorrows of the Life of our Redeemer meet there I go on That Jesus Christ was not abhorr'd by the Father is most true For if there could be a difference he was even while he bore our Sins for then he was in the highest act of Self-resignation and Obedience above any time the Son in whom he was well pleased yet that he was made a Curse that the Lord bruised him and put him to grief that he look'd like a Man smitten of God that God loathing and abhorring the sins with which he was loaden would not shew himself to him but that He cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me is also most true In that Oeconomy or Dispensation Christ stood under the Imputation of the Sins of all the Elect which Sin God hates whoever therefore bears Sin must bear that Abhorrence of God Sin draws upon it self till he hath purg'd it off Thus Christ did till He had overcome it therefore he stood bearing that God abhorr'd and so must bear such an Abhorrence as the Sins deserved Christ under the multitude of our Sins was so cover'd that as I may say with reverence He could not look up so he could not be seen the Sins then wherewith he was so compass'd drew Abhorrence as upon himself And I know not what difference there is between Christ made a Curse and as Abhorr'd of God whatever explains and reconciles the one to our thoughts will reconcile the other also And in no other sense can a sober and good Man be thought to speak it And so understood it hath its great Scripture-Use to shew us how truly and really Christ hath by his Death devour'd all that Curse Hatred and Abhorrence due to us for Sin by expiating it in himself For if it had not in that Dispensation been upon him he had not fully and effectually assur'd its Abolition we may humbly imitate Scripture in so speaking while we yet know Christ was always the beloved Son This shews also Sin 's hateful Nature I still go on Christ taking us as his Members whatever unworthiness we have must redound upon him so as that he hath reason to discharge himself of it and so to attone his Members And what is His is so far his Members each one in particular as is necessary to us as Members But so is not his Mediatorial Righteousness nor his Perfection of Holiness No word of which Mediatorial Righteousness I find cited but that Exchange of Persons and Perfection of Holiness arising from it are only exuberant Representatives of two great Truths 1. That our Sins were fully and perfectly taken by Christ upon himself and expiated in himself For by his Sacrifice for Sin he condemned Sin in the Flesh viz. in his own Humane Nature And that his Righteousness is so ours by his communication of it as to his Members Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone and one Spirit with him that there is and was as it were real Exchange of Persons There is For the True Believer by such a Reception into Christ is changed into that Righteous Person he is made by Christ and is as in him There was For Christ in the very Act of Expiation did as it were put on the sinful Person of every Believer made Sin for them Why should we be afraid to use such Full Sounds as Scripture hath done however reduced by Interpretation to the Analogy of Faith Sure it sanctified such Sounds as it made And how great Exundancies of Expression are found and not blamed in the best of the Ancient Fathers and had they not been press'd beyond their Intentions had sweeten'd and made acceptable greatest Truths to Hearers and Readers Had no Monstrous and Portentous Consequences been rais'd from them The Debtor and Surety paying the Debt change persons so does the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is made our Sin and a Curse for us The Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 33. 16. even as Christ himself c. 23. 6. which however I know is otherwise rendred yet is most naturally and easily so to be understood Even as Jehovah Shamah Ezek. ult Which comes very near a Concionatory or Popular Ascribing the Mediatorial Righteousness of Christ to Believers Massy Truths will endure to be beaten out so into Leaf Gold while the Solid Bulk is preserv'd safe in Doctrinal Forms of Sound Words Thus Scripture representing the mighty Powers of Divine Action and Providence in God ascribes to him the Parts of Body by which Men act so well known to them Yet let no Men from hence Dogmatize as the Anthropomorphites that God is Corporeal No more that Christ was indeed a Sinner or Accursed or that Believers are Saviours and Mediators one to another For so there would be none to be saved except Christ himself by his own saved and redeemed which who can believe any one not Phrenetic would assert To conclude these Heads It is most evident that the Debate concerning the Perfection of Holiness in Believers can only rest here Whether the Holiness of Christ may not be imputed to make up the Imperfection of our Sanctification which is indeed but the same thing with the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and so that in regard of the Imputation of the Holiness of Christ to Believers they may be said to be Holy as Christ is Holy of which was spoken in the last Head And that Perfection of Holiness can be no otherwise meant is most undeniable by the whole stream of Dr. Crisp's Discourse and Mr. Williams his Objection particularly in that part of Dr Crisp concerning Gospel-Marks which he argues against upon the Imperfection of Sanctification and therefore could in no other sense think Believers holy as Christ Head 8. The Covenant of Grace hath no Condition to which is oppos'd The Covenant of Grace hath Conditions though undertaken for assur'd enabled to by Christ Conciliation If we consider the Covenant of Grace as it is in its highest noblest Representation it is an Ectype or Exemplification of the Everlasting Covenant the Covenant in Election and therein it must needs be as unconditioned as Election is and yet as universally Wise and Holy as the whole Scripture Frame is even so Wise and Holy is the Counsel of that Will in Election that God worketh all things after Ephes 1. 11. More Self-consistent is therefore the Hipothesis
there are to the other and the one are sav'd and brought home to God under the same means the other are lost 7. This Inward Grace and the Outward Administration exceedingly differ For the Inward Grace is Love Spirit Life the Outward Administration is to speak nothing now of the Government of Christ by the Laws and Light of Nature where his Word is not in Outward Administration where it is by the Overtures of his Word upon the Understanding Wills Affections and Consciences of his Subjects one with another By that Ministry of his Word he presses upon all the Obedience of Faith Repentance and Holyness the Duties required of us which according to the Inward Grace and Love to his own he gives the Inward Efficacy and Almighty Operation of 8. In the Inward Grace and the Operations of it there is a vesting them in the Faculties of his Election and a Conduct of their Internal Action upon their own Minds and Hearts and of the Principles of Outward Action which flow in all Conformity and Agreeableness thereunto so that the Vehicle is our selves but the Inspiration is God's and Christ's 9. From all this it is evident That although there is on many Accounts after to be given a large Field and Scope of Preaching and Discoursing upon and according to the outward Administration yet it is of Superior Necessity to preserve the Fountains of Grace and Love of Power and Spirit clear the Foundations sure and firm and though there may be Fault in not being large enough upon and according to the outward Administration because it shews the necessity of and as a School-master brings to the Inward and manifests how it diffuses it self yet the Error and Danger is greater in not sufficiently both securing and illustrating the Doctrin of the Inward Grace For many more have perish'd in sticking upon the Outward without being led in the Inward than by applying most to the Inward For that always when it is admir'd ador'd and receiv'd diffuses it self into the Outward So that if Eternal Love and Grace is Christ be so taught as that its Efficacyes are always shewn to be in all Holyness and Purity If it pleases the All-wise Spirit to carry any of the Spirits of his Servants wholly upon the Inward Grace seeing he ballances them by many Men of his Servants largely insisting upon the Outward Administration therefore such his Servants are not to be blam'd but God is to be acknowledg'd in his manifold Graces and unspeakable Gifts by the one and by the other 10. The Glorious Appearance of all these is not till in the Fulness not only of Time as in our Lord 's Coming but in the Fulness of Times viz. of all Time in the Kingdom of Christ Then shall be a Recollection a Recapitulation a Gathering and a Gathering together of all in Christ Then shall the Riches of Inward Grace be found to Praise and Glory And the Wisdom Righteousness and admirable Long-Suffering and Patience of the External Administration and Government of God and Christ as Rector and Judge of the Universe be admir'd and ador'd also towards even the Lost Having thus laid a general Scheme I come now particularly to make brief Conciliations of the true and most enlarg'd Apprehensions and Discourses upon even Eternal free Grace in Christ towards all the Elect of God according to Dr. Crisp with Mr. Williams's weighty and most valuable Considerations upon the Outward Administration of the Gospel Covenant according to his Heads of Discourse at the end of his Book Head 1. To the first Head The Elect are Children of Wrath till effectually call'd As it may be oppos'd to all Dr. Crisp hath said concerning the Elect being before Faith and Repentance as much deliver'd from Wrath even as the Believer is or as a Saint Triumphant in Heaven is Reconciliation If we speak as Creatures of Time the Elect are Children of Wrath but why may there not be a Declaration of that great and supreme Truth setting out the Eternal Love of God in Christ to all his Elect even while they are of and in themselves in the Gall of Bitterness and under the Bond of Iniquity For without Relation to the having done Good or Evil in the mere Estate of Nature which is in fallen Men a State of Wrath. It is said Jacob have I loved Now what more contrary to the State of a Child of Wrath than to be Loved of God So concerning Reconciliation as by the Death of Christ the Apostle says God commendeth his Love to us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ dyed for the Vngodly When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Rom. 5 8 10. Here then is the Case God the Supreme and Eternal Being beholds all things in as they speak a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just now even Dr. Hammond however so great an Enemy to a particular Predestination acknowledges this view of all things by the Eternal Being The Question then is Whether an Eternity of Love and Grace an Eternal Duration in Happiness after the short time of Life and some parts of that short time of Life rescu'd from Wrath also may not preponderate in giving the Denomination to the Elect Or why may not the Preaching of Gods Infinite and Eternal Love and Grace be made an Instrument of the Divine Spirit for the winning in the Souls of his Elect to himself When God says I have Loved thee with an everlasting Love therefore with loving Kindness have I drawn thee Jer. 31 3. Or why should an◠Man hereupon presume to continue in Sin When it is agreed on both Parts Electing Love and Reconciliation by the Death of Christ have most indispensable efficacious Emanations into Holyness while therefore there is a black and dark side of being pass'd over by God hanging over all continuing in Impurity to work upon Men by Terror and Affrightment out of Sin why may not the setting out that Grace Work every way effectually both by the Bands of Love and the Goads of Fear to move Persons home to Christ and we know Men are naturally desirous of and ever Industrious after whatever they account Tokens of what they call being Born to good Fortune and as naturally fly from all the Marks of what is call'd ill Fortune I see therefore no Reason but it should strongly affect Men among whom Scripture is setledly receiv'd and so ought to be universally Preached when they hear of so Gracious a Choice of God to desire with greatest Vehemency to find in themselves any Manifestations of it it being the surest Ground of Hope and to be under the Dread of any of the black Marks of Rejection as being pass'd by of God Of which Efficacious Holyness or Unholiness are respectively the Tokens and Indications And though it must be acknowledg'd There is a Point of Time in which God speaking as in the Language of Time does style his Elect Children of Wrath even as others
or Scheme of a Conditionate Election and a Conditionate Covenant of Grace then an Inconditionate Election and a Conditional Covenant of Grace except we make the Series and Frame of the consequent Disposes of Election Conditions God puts upon himself for the making good his first Choice that is he chooses upon Condition he himself will in time give Faith Repentance Holiness which we know were both unreasonably derogatory from the Divine Glory and from that order in which Scripture gives us these Supreme Acts of Grace For Foreknowledge Predestination Election in Christ are the Fountain of Calling Justification Sanctification Glorification Rom. 8. 29. Whereas if Sanctification were the condition of Justification Glorification coming last must be the condition of all the rest As if the Sense were on condition God will Glorifie he will Sanctifie So Justification must be the condition of Calling and Calling of Election But how much more Beautiful and Orderly is the Scripture Chain Making all after Wise disposes flowing from the Independent First And so every where Scripture Discourses he hath chosen us that we should be Holy and without Blame before him in Love Ephes 1. As of God viz. by the Eternal Fountain of Grace and in his Electing Love are we in Christ who is of God 1. Cor. 1. 31. without any condition on our part made Wisdom in Calling Righteousness in Justification Holyness in Sanctification All these are brought into Glory in Redemption that none might Glory in his Presence but he that Glorieth might Glory only in the Lord. For if there were but one Thing suspended upon us as a Condition on our Part even that single thing would turn the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works For it would be Work done by our selves and we might Glory we have done we have will'd we have run we have atchiev'd and attain'd what ever indeed that might be Duly demanded of us and is not required is Grace or whatever is given is Grace But what is required on our own Strength is Work and though it be said God assists by his Grace by his Spirit yet if there be 99 Parts given or assisted and but the 100th Part our Act that 100th Part is Work and all Grace is suspended on that For on the doing or not doing that All hangs And seeing thousands do not that 100th Part if we do it we have reason of Boasting that we were wiser we were better than they For how small how little soever that nice and curious Point be on which all the vast Globes of not only Eternity but Supreme Grace turns and wherein Divine Wisdom and Holyness placed all That is ours and we have done it And though in all else we are beholden to God to Christ to the Divine Spirit yet in that which is the last Hinge we are beholden to our selves Nay if all were first given and but our Perseverance only were the Condition on which all depended the same might be said of Perseverance that it turn'd the Covenant of Grace in that Part into a Covenant of Works And whereas many do not Persevere we have reason to Glory we Persevere and there is some thing we have not received And so the Vertical Point would be our selves and we might Glory in his Presence For that and not Christ would be the Corner Stone and to it we might cry Grace Grace And however there is so much to be ascrib'd to Grace and what would in common Speaking among Men be call'd the making of us and doing all for us Yet it is to be consider'd whether the Glory God will not give to another be not parted with and surrendred by him if the last Decisive Point Rest upon us which makes me Assured it cannot be so And so though I acknowledge with those who most acknowledge it the necessity of Faith Repentance Holyness and of our own Action therein yet in speaking of the Covenant as the Covenant of Grace and being an Ectype or Exemplification of Everlasting Grace I say These nor any Action of the Elect ought to be styled Conditions but Wise and Holy Dispositions of God the Author and Founder and of Christ the Mediator Surety and Testator And which he will most certainly see to that they shall most Infallibly take place in their just Series Succession and Order both of Nature and of Time And why should we be so afraid to speak of the Covenant of Grace as Inconditionate For what is there that we would single out as a condition that is not to be ascrib'd to Gods Immediate Gift Is it Faith Is it the Gift of God Ephes 2. 8. To you Is it given to believe Is it Repentance He hath made Christ a Prince to give it Acts 5. 31. If God peradventure will give Repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. Is it Holyness Christ is made so Sanctification to us that we cannot Boast Is it the Laws of God in our Hearts A new Heart a new Spirit a soft Heart his Fear within us that we may never depart from him One Heart and one Way to fear him forever to know him by his Spirit All these are assurd to be given even as Pardon in Sin and by as free a Gift All by a plain absolute Inconditionate Grant How many and great Scriptures run in this absolute Style and yet how expresly is all this call'd a Covenant Jer. 31. Heb. 8. Jer. 32. Ezek. 11. Chap. 36. But if it be said how then comes it to pass that the whole Strain and Stream of Scripture to which Preaching ought to be conform'd speaks of these Graces and all the Actions agreeable to them as Conditions of the Covenant of Grace There are three grand Accounts to be given of it I. It becomes the Wise and Holy Rector and Governor of the World and of his Rational Human Creation to treat and deal with and give them all Scope Room and Business and Advantage in and for Intellectual Action Men as Rational Creatures know not how to deal with one another or to move themselves but by the Activities of Understanding Conscience Will Affections So that they must lye still and not act at all or be moov'd only as Bruits or Machines or thus There is therefore the continual Rational Breathing and Motion of Doctrine Instruction Promise Threat Reproof Correction and all kind of Motion and Action suitable and agreeable to it All Scripture is therefore prepared and Profitable hereunto Besides the Commands and Precepts of Holyness being so abundant they shew the necessity of a continual Recourse to Christ for Strength Grace and Assistance for Righteousness from him and Pardon through him wherein we fall short Nothing mooves more to run to the Righteousness of Christ than the sight of Imperfect Grace and Action to which we are called if by our selves though under Divine Assistance from Christ II. Now under this Oeconomy and Dispensation of Things the Grace of God according to Election and according to the Mediation
becomes a Standard by which the full Value of the Satisfaction of Christ by his Sacrifice and Obedience unto Justification and the Infinite Grace of God in Pardon is tryed and made glorious by which the Duties of Humiliation Confession of Sin Application to Christ for Righteousness Repentance should be both understood and urged Here is the Rule for Holiness and new Obedience out of which all the Holy Precepts of the Gospel are drawn Hereby the Remainders of Sin are Discern'd and Humiliation under them wrought Hereby is the Infinite Grace of Christ towards his Legatees his Redeemed set at full Light in working an Inward Conformity to this Holy Law in all parts of it And hereby the Government of God committed to Christ is continued with Relation to all Mankind even to all not given to him For they who have the Gospel Preached to them are judged not only according to the Law of Righteousness first written in the Heart but according to this Divine Revelation and Grace which highly aggravates their Disobedience and makes it more Tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for them Mat. 10. 24. They who have not the Gospel are judged according to that Law and Light of Nature They have concerning the Law and that Witness of an Intention of Grace God gives to them in giving Fruitful Times and Seasons and all the Discoveries of his Patience Leading them to Repentance even as the King of Nineveh who shall rise up in Judgment and condemn Heathens who have not by such a Light from the forbearance of God argued to Repentance as he did And thus are the Secrets of all Hearts judged according to the Apostles Gospel as he said Rom. 2. 16. Some Ombrage of which Heathens have Thus the Law is established and preserved in its full Authority and the Gospel is also establish'd as Divine Revelation and in its High purely promissory Part as a Ministration of the Spirit And if the Designation of the Gospel be particularly singled out for the most powerful Preaching of it by some and yet in the mean time the more large and universal Motion and Doctrin of the Gospel be Preach'd more universally by the most of the Preachers whom the Spirit of God according also to the general Stream of Scripture hath so Missiond Commission'd and Enabled I cannot see but here may be the Sweetest Union and as great a Conspiration as between the Apostle Paul and the Apostle James while one tells us a Man justifyed by Faith without Works and the Last tells us by what of Faith viz not by the Body of Faith or a Confession of Faith but by the Spirit of it the Vis Essectrix or Operatrix the working Efficacy of it which I take on great Reason to be the very true Expedient of Reconciliation between the two Apostles and yet in both by the Righteousness of Christ by Faith alone and that Faith given only by Christ So all is of Grace Ephes 2. For Faith and all its Works flow from the Blood and Righteousness of Christ drawing nigh to his Elect People to Regenerate and to justifie together Titus 3. 5. c. And surely by a close and universal Compare of Scripture The Day of Judgment must be according to this very same Grace For when the Spirits of Saints are immediately with Christ and He receives them who Dye and Sleep in him in a Moment in the Twinkling of an Eye made Perfect and when they are Raised Incorruptible he brings them with him and they together with Christ Judge Angels and the World And it is given to them to Appear in Robes wash'd white in the Blood of the Lamb and to be Cloathed in Linnen white and clean which is the Righteousness of the Saints and he presents them to himself without Spot Wrinckle or any such Thing It cannot be understood that the Day of Judgment in relation to the Saints is by way of Tryal of Judgment on particular Actions But their very Appearance is their Absolution and Adjudgment to Glory as Clad in the rich Robes Wash'd in the Blood of the Lamb All their Graces and Holy Duties fill'd up and their Sins perfectly blotted out and remainders of Corruption effaced by Grace perfected in Glory On the other side The wicked have Appearances in their Sins having found them out covering them as a Garment of Dishonour and as filthy Garments that expose them immediately to Condemnation And as if their particular Sins were written upon them and the Condemnation together with them And thus each appear visibly before the Throne Tribunal and Judgment Seat of Christ during the whole Thousand Years of his Kingdom One Crowned with Glory and Honour the other cover'd with Shame and Contempt If any should object Christs insisting on the particular Duty of Visiting Cloathing Feeding Mat. 25. either as perform'd or neglected It is to be observ'd each sort first were set one on the Right Hand the other on the Left one as Sheep the other as Goats So the Tryal was easie If it be further said God will bring every Work into Judgment whether it be Good or Evil. This I attribute to the mighty Power and Wisdom of God giving together with every Person before his Judgment all the Holy Actions of Saints wash'd and perfected in and by the Blood of Jesus and fill'd up with his Grace and by the Spirit as in a Moment an Atom of Time the Twinkling of an Eye and their Sins so taken away as not only not to be found but not to be Whereas the Talents of wicked Men that is any good Things they had here not being purged by his Blood perfected by his Obedience and fill'd up by his Spirit are taken from them and they appear All in their Sins And thus the Order of Things at that Day is according to the free Grace of Election Calling Justification and Sanctification covered under Justification in that Chain of Salvation Rom. 8. and Glorification springing from all Head 15. Holiness and good Works are necessary to Salvation Conciliatiion Good Works are so as they are the Provision and Preparation of God even of his Eternal free Grace in furnishing us with them and as we are his Workmanship in Christ Jesus Created to them But the Number Measure Elevation of them in higher or lower Degrees of Excellency so diverse in Saints shew the Foundation of our Salvation as well as Justification rests elsewhere Head 16. Good Works are profitable and please God Conciliation They do so as they are the Fruits of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Disposalls of his free Grace in us and to us and so by us And as God is pleas'd to shew himself as the Supreme Rector and Governor according to his Holy Law but yet so that the Poles on which Salvation moves are the Grace of God in our Election and his Acceptation of us to Righteousness in Christ and if he leave any of his Servants in their Service and
Good Works to the Eleventh Hour or that he fits them not to such Abundant Services Eminency and Exemplariness therein as he doth other of his Saints He hath an Infinite Fund to supply them out of viz. the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ and Power of Grace to Accomplish them to their Measure Head 16. Our Good should be intended by Good Works Conciliation Our Good should be intended by them as they are Manifestations of the Grace of Christ in us and suitable to that Law he influences his Servants by his Spirit according to In the want of which we have great reason to Mourn as giving Fear and Suspition Christ is not in us of a Truth and that he leaves us to do the things very displeasing and offensive to his Holy Nature and the Rule of Life and Action his Grace governs his Servants by but yet they are not of themselves our Title but our Evidences only of our Title which is Christ alone and if we are his we shall certainly be born up to what He as our Mediator Surety and Testator hath thought necessary to our Salvation and will accept and supply the want of by himself Yet all is and ought so to be carried that we may be urg'd and press'd to our Duty as under the Holy Rectory of God and Christ and according to all the Rules of his Word Head 17. Assurance is by Gospel-Marks and not by a Voice within us Conciliation Marks are according to Scripture yet so that they are but few of any of the Servants of God but have reason to fly to the Witness of the Spirit and its Voice crying Abba Father and to appeal to Infinite Grace seeing in the midst of our Falls Failings and Imperfections we cannot otherwise discern where Sincerity and Perfect Obedience divide one from another and what is enough in our many Corruptions to constitute Sincerity Besides seeing our Staple-hold is the Righteousness of Christ without us our Supreme Testimony depends upon his Spirit witnessing within us indeed yet from what is without us viz. Free Grace Head 18. God charges Sin on Men and they should repent for Repeated Pardons Conciliation This is among the Wise Holy and Gracious Methods of God and Christ in this present Low State of the Redemption appearing until its Glory in the Kingdom of Christ that Sin is charg'd and Pardon repeatedly begg'd in Daily Prayers But all notwithstanding is secur'd in the unchangeableness of Electing Love of Justifying Grace of the daily Issuing Pardon of the New Covenant immediately ready and thus express'd as if it issued out upon the very Sin I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses and their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more Heb. 8. 12. Before David had said any more than this I have sinned against the Lord Nathan said from God The Lord hath put away the Iniquity of thy Sin Thou shalt not Dye 2 Sam. 12. 13. The Grace of the Covenant went forward therefore in him as in all Saints to the Composure of his Heart to that great Penitential Psal 51. So that in a way of Consolation of Saints and Encouraging of all to Come into Christ there may be great Freedom of Expression us'd in which some Things may need Review and Correction as Humane and yet the main Scope and Intention preserv'd as consistent with sincere Design to promote Holiness most livelily flowing from the Grace of the Covenant and the Death of Christ into the Hearts and Lives of Believers there being hence much more hope both in Conversion and Renewed Repentance than in any thing within Men themselves whenever they have fallen into Sin after conversion or while in an unconverted estate Head Sin may hurt Believers and God afflicts for Sin Conciliation While we look down to the present State and to God's present Government of the World this must be acknowledg'd and yet when we lift up our Hearts to the Consideration of the Supreme Grace of God in Jesus Christ the very hurt Sin does Believers or even the Elect is made to serve the Triumphs of Grace and all their Afflictions for Sin are Salutary Dispensations All which must needs be granted on close reasoning these Points and will bear out many Amplifications of this Grace in Discourses declararatory of it tho' on the other side a very different way of speaking of them must be submitted to in this Atmosphere this Dark and Foul Place of the Apostacy we are yet in and it is born out by a very general way of Scripture-speaking Head 19. Sincere Holiness is not Dung nor does the Apostle include such Holiness in that so great Scripture concerning Evangelical Righteousness Philip 3. 7 c. Conciliation For the clearing of that great Scripture and the Points dependent upon it I must first take the freedom to assert That the Apostle doth in that Context lay down at full and at large the two great Points of Justification and Sanctification In that of Justification he rises to the heighth and so in that of Sanctification and these are both handled so distinctly that they cannot be confounded For the Apostle had fallen severely upon the Concision by whom he most probably means those who compounded the Profession of Christianity with the Works and Ritualisms of the Law as if Christ were not enough without them for Acceptance with God for Righteousness in Justification and Holiness in Sanctification and therefore he calls them not The Circumcision meaning Pure and Perfect Jews but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Concision as a Peculiar Brand of Reproach upon Them and calls Himself and Sincere Christians The Circumcision viz. The Spiritual Circumcision who Worship God in Spirit who hold the True Righteousness of Faith of which it was the Seal Rejoyce in Christ Jesus alone and have no confidence in the Flesh that is in Creature Righteousness In the same sense Flesh is taken Rom. 4. 1. What shall we say that Abraham our Father hath found according to the Flesh viz. according to his own Righteousness not only Ceremonial but Moral For if Abraham were justified by Works c. So But if he had no other way but to believe on him that justifieth the Vngodly It is evident it was not Ceremonial Ritual Works the Apostle discoursed of but Substantial Works of Righteousness opposed to Vngodliness Thus the Apostle reckoning up his own Priviledges first gives indeed those which were External and Ritual but adds Moral in those words According to the Righteousness of the Law which was not only Ceremonial but Moral He was Blameless which words may be expounded by those I have liv'd in all good Conscience before God to this day Acts 23. 1. Now upon all this he sits as an Accountant with his Tables before him and what had been Gain or Riches in his Account he now writes it All Cypher And then by way of Triumph and in a mighty Elevation of his Discourse he adds Yea doubtless I count not only