made And the Holy Ghost created Gen. 1.2 So in this new creation the Father sanctifies therefore Christ prayes Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth The Son sanctifies as hath been already proved at large And the Holy Ghost sanctifies Rom. 1.4 Divines joyne them all togegether thus God the Father sanctifies us in Christ by the Holy Ghost In the forming of the new man the whole Trinity is imployed as at the framing of the first Man when God said Let us make man after our owne image Gen. 1.26 Where note by the way that in this work though the three persons are all imployed they are not subordinate causes nor three co-ordinate causes concurring to the same effect but one cause For although there be a mysterious distinction of the persons yet by reason of the Unity of the Essence s Ubi caedem sunt operationes ibi eadem essentia Et vice versâ there is a Unity of the Divine attributes and operations And thus according to the confession of Athanasius we say The Father is God the Son is God the Holy Ghost is God and yet there are not three Gods but one God The Father Almighty the Son Almighty the Holy Ghost Almighty and yet there are not three Amighties but one Almighty So we must say The Father Created the Son Created the Holy Ghost Created and yet there are not three Creators but one Creator So also the Father Sanctifies the Son Sanctifies the Holy Ghost Sanctifies and yet there are not three Sanctifiers but one Sanctifier Thus they are all but one cause because they all have but one and the same causality viz. one and the same Divine power by which they worke This mysterie may be intimated in that Hebrew Idiotism Gen. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where a verb singular is joyned with a noune plurall signifying the unity of causality action as well as of Essence and Nature in the three persons Though the Holy Ghost is specially called our Sanctifier Answ 2 because he doth immediately sanctifie yet may the worke be eminently attributed to Christ 1. Because the Holy Ghost the sanctifying spirit is given by Christ to his people Mat. 3.11 He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire which is of a purifying nature John 15.26 When the Comforter is come whom I will send you from the Father even the spirit of truth c. Ch. 16 17. If I goe not away John 1. 16 17. Col. 1 19. ver 18. John 15. 1 Part. the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you 2. Because in Christ is the fulnesse of all Grace and the faithfull derive it from him as the Members from the head t Caput distat distinguitur à suis membris tripliciter 3. Ratione causalitatis influentiae Caput enim motum sensum omnibus membris impertit communicat membra omni motu sensu destituuntur fi à capite sejungantur Sic Christus vitam spiritualem motum gratiae infundit membris suis altoqui stupidis mortuis ab omni motu spirituali destitutis Sin◠me nil potetestis facere at contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dav. in Col. cap. 1. ver 18. as the branches from the stock as the streame from the fountaine He received the spirit without measure and conveieth it in measure to his people As Christ is the Procreating cause of sanctifying grace so is he the conserving cause of it It is he that gives and maintaines the life of grace As God at first by his power made all things of nothing and since maintaines them in their being by his providence having their continued being from him who gave them their first being so that the Apostle saith Act. 17.28 In him we live move and have our being So is it in the new Creature the continuance of Grace is from Christ u Neque ipsum recte vivere nobis ex nobis est nifi credentei adjuvet orantes qui et ipsam fidem dedit quia nos ab illo adjuvandos esse credanius Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 19 cap. 4. who created the first Grace in the Soule and we are no more able to live the life of Grace or performe any gracious worke without his conserving co-operating and assisting grace than we are able to live walk and worke without the preservation and assistance of Divine Providence Christ is to the Soule as the Soule is to the Body when Saint Paul saith Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ yet neverthelesse I live he doth with an Epanorthosis correct himselfe thus yet not I but Christ liveth in me As if he should say this spirituall life of Grace which I now live is not from my selfe but from Christ who liveth in me to wit by his Grace and gives life and motion to me As the Soule gives life to the Body and the Body lives no longer than the Soule is united to it but becomes a dead carcase whensoever it is separated from it So if Christ who is the life of the Soule should be severed from it it would immediately become dead againe in Trespasses and Sinnes and able to doe no more in Grace than a dead Corps in Nature This our Saviour Christ himself excellently proves and illustrates in another comparison John 15.5 6. As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the vine and ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can doe nothing As the branches that sprout out of the vine receive sap from it whereby they are preserved and become fruitfull but being once broken off become dead and fruitlesse having no more sap or life in themselves So saith Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 severed from me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye can doe nothing There are in the Greek two negatives which deny the more vehemently as if he should say ye cannot possibly doe any thing for if a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered Philosophers are of opinion that if the Heavens should stand still but a minute of an houre and withhold their influence from this lower world man could not move so much as a little finger Much more if Christ should but withhold the influence of his grace from us should we be unable to move one haires breadth towards any good Christ is likewise called the head and the faithfull the members w Caput membra in eo conveniunt quod babeant inter se continuitatem quod omnia actum suum informationem habeant ab eadem anima Sic caput hoc mysticum omnia ejusdem membra habent continuitatem quandam inter se informationem suam spiritualem vivificationem ab codem principio Est enim inter
forth abortives or untimely fruit But as a woman in travaile that hath sorrow because her houre is come but as soon as she is delivered of the Child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world So Christ was in exceeding sorrow and heavinesse at the approach as I may say of a hard bargain when his houre drew nigh Mat. 26.38 But how abundantly was he satisfied when he saw that he had purchased a gratious and a numerous seed as the fruit of his body by those intolerable throwes that tormented his soul Thus likewise Paul having enumerated many grosse sorts of sinners 1 Cor. 6.9 10. addes ver 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus q Nam sanguis Christi purgationis nostrae materia est ex ejus morte et resurrerectione justitia et sanctificatio nobis contigit Calv. in loc Hoc adjecit ut Mediatorem etredemptorem in memoriam redigat per quem nobis tot bona provenerunt Pet. Mart. in loc and by the Spirit of our God What is here wrought by the Spirit was purchased by Christ and is wrought upon his account or in his name for there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we should be saved from our sins This is the fountaine mentioned Zach. 13.1 that is opened to the house of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse that they may be purified therein This is signified in baptism under the Gospell Titus 3.5 Which is called the laver of regeneration For as the washing of water puts away the filthinesse of the flesh so the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 This also was typisied by the ceremoniall washings under the Law if we look back unto them which in themselves were ineffectuall as is plainly expressed at large Heb. 9. take more speciall notice of ver 12.13.14 Neither by the blood of Goats and calves but by his own blood he entred into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God As likewise Heb. 10. The Apostle shews the insufficiency of the legall rites in the beginning of the Chapter and therefore the Sacrifice of Christ must take place according to Scripture which saith Lo I come to doe thy will O God by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all And ver 14. by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified according to the tenour of the new Covenant wherein saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their hearts and in their mindes will I write them as you may read ver 16. see more in the following verses Multitudes of texts to this purpose might be quoted as those that are produced to confirme the Doctrine which I will not stand to repeate and many others I shall summe up all in a word Whatsoever is promised in Scripture concerning our Sanctification is purchased and ratified by Christ Jesus For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen unto the glory of God by us 2 Cor. 1.20 Christ the Efficient cause of sanctifying grace Christ the procreating cause of sanctification Christ saves his people as the Efficient cause working Sanctifying grace in them And he is 1. The Procreating 2. The Conserving 3. The Perfecting cause of it For in and by him Grace is begun continued increased and perfected Christ is the procreting or principall efficient cause of Sanctification He is therefore said to be made unto us of God-Sanctification 1 Cor. 2.30 Heb. 2.11 For both he that Sanctifieth and they who are sanctified c. And him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel Act. 5.31 And he is called Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 And what is said of Repentance and Faith may be said of every Grace for he is the fountaine of Grace and doth willingly communicate and readily distribute to the necessities of his people It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Col. 1.19 And in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 Hid not from but for his people for saith John c. 1.16 of his fulnesse we all receive and grace for grace Christs sanctifying work consists of two parts 1. r Not that these are two really distinct parts or works but one worke in distinct respects or considerations The rooting out of sinne 2. The implanting of Grace Sinne is called the old man the flesh the body of sinne and our old man is said to be crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sinne Rom. 6.6 And they that are Christs are said to have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 Grace is called the new man Eph. 4.24 the new creature Gal. 6.15 the first resurrection Rev. 20.6 and the faithfull are risen with Christ Col. 3.1 And we are said to be dead unto sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.11 In all which we see that the two parts of the worke referre to the death and resurrection of Christ not meerly because Christs death and resurrection purchased it for us but also because by the same power that he raised up himselfe from the dead he actually mortifies our sins and raiseth us againe to newnesse of life The Faithfull have an interest in Christs Death and Resurrection by way of communion with him he communicates unto them the vertue of his Death and Resurrection makes them therein conformable to himselfe Thus saith Paul Phil. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship or communion of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Obj. Is not the holy Ghost our Sanctifier as Christ is our Redeemer and the Father our Creator in a speciall manner Why then doe you attribute that to Christ as the speciall Efficient which belongs to the Holy Ghost Answ 1. It is true that these works are in some speciall manner attributed to the three persons severally and the holy Ghost is specially called by Divines our Sanctifier as may also be proved from severall texts of Scripture Yet withall we must remember that the workes of the Trinity that are termed workes ad extra are undivided thus God the Father created Eph. 3.9 The Son created John 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was
Christum omnia Christi membra continuitas quaedam ratione Spiritus Sancti qui plenâ—ssime residens in Christo capite imus idem numero ad omnia etiam ejus membra diffunditur vivificans ca singula uniens universa Dav. in Col. c. 1. v. 18. of the body Col. 1.18 He is the head of the body the Church As then in the naturall body the members have their life preserved by being united to the head being compact together by certain bonds and ligaments and if any be cut off and severed it becomes void of all life and motion So is it in the mysticall body if a soul should be dismembred from Christ it would as a hand cut off immediately become livelesse and uselesse If man at his first Creation so soon lost the life of perfect grace having the custody thereof committed to himselfe much more would he lose it now the degree thereof being so imperfect as it is were not this life originally in Christ Were it in us alone it would be but as water in a broken cisterne that would presently leake all out But Christ is an ever-over-flowing fountain continually streaming forth into the souls of his people yea as a spring arising within them as his words to the woman of Samaria import John 4.10.14 Jesus answered and said unto her if thou hadst known the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Undoubtedly Christ himself is this Fountaine of grace and well doth Paul call it the grace which is in Christ Jesus 2. Tim. 2.1 God hath not then given unto his Saints as Abraham gave to Hagar water in a bottle to be soon exhausted that they should hopelessely bewaile the childe of grace as in a starving and perishing condition But hath sent the Angell of his Covenant who hath cheered their hearts by opening their eyes and shewing them a well of water whereby they may have assured hope that the babe shall be preserved and nourished till it come to perfect stature And this directs me to the next head As Christ is the Conserving so he is also the Perfecting cause of sanctifying grace in his people Christ the perfecting cause of sanctifying grace He is the Alpha and Omega in the work of grace He layes both the foundation and the top-stone in the spirituall building He is the Finisher as well as the Authour of our Faith Hebrews Chap. 12. ver 22. and we are said to be compleat in him Col. 2.10 In the work of Sanctification as well as Justification * Ph. 2.12 Not as though we were already perfect or could attain it in this life as the perfectists fondly argue from thence x Quae itaque in sanctis reperitur est imperfecta quaedam perfectio tum scientiae tum obedientiae De bac Aug Cont. duas Ep. Pelag. l 3 c. 5 Secundum istius vitae modum est quaedam perfectio cique per fectioni hoc deputaetur ut se quisque noverit nondum esse perfectum Dav. in Col. cap. 4. v. 13. In this life this work of Christ is but opus in fieri not in facto esse A work in doing not done Yet is grace perfect in its kinde from the first instant of it in the soul There is a twofold perfection 1. Of parts 2. Of degrees Or there is a Perfection 1. Of truth 2 Of Growth 1. That is perfect in Parts to which no parts are wanting and is opposed to maimed Thus a child is said to be perfect in the day of his birth that hath all parts that a child should have That is perfect with a perfection of Truth which is not Adulterate or counterfeit thus that is said to be perfect gold which is true and not counterfeit In this sense the work of Sanctification is Perfect at the first the soul is Sanctified throughout and in every part though it be but partly Sanctified The new man at first forming hath all its parts and members and the child of grace hath no part wanting in the day of his birth y Animalia nascuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Hist anim l. 7 c. 8. 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.5 2 Cor. 6.6 Ro. 12.9 Then also is it perfect in respect of Truth there is Faith unfained Love without dissimulation and every other grace in sincerity It will abide the touch-stone although it be not full weight 2. There is a Perfection of Degrees and of Grouth this is twofold 1. Comparative compared with that which is very weak little and much beneath it 2. Absolute as having nothing to be superadded Thus in a Comparative sense he is said to be Perfect that is a strong man in Christ an able Christian in Comparison of those that are as babes and but weak in the faith Thus saith Paul Phil. 3.15 Let us therefore as many as be Perfect be thus minded And Heb. 5.14 Strong meat belongs to them that are of full age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3.15 the Greek word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Perfect and is the same that is used in the foregoing proof This perfection also doth Christ give unto the soule that is his he brings it in and leads it on in the wayes of grace He who is called the Everlasting Father who hath begotten us againe is not contented meerely to preserve the children of Grace that they die not but doth tenderly nurse and cherish them and cause them to grow to greater strength and stature Eph. 4.15 16. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it selfe in love But alas how imperfect is the greatest perfection that is attainable in this life how many are the sinfull weaknesses of the best of Gods servants and what little dwarfs are they here in comparison of their heavenly stature Christ doth not therefore set up Hercules Pillars with a Nil ultra to what he doth for his people here but he writes a Plus ultra there is something more that he doth for them yea that he works in them which exceeds this as far as heaven is higher than the earth There is therefore in the last place Perfection of dâ—greeâ— absolute an absolute perfection of Degrees which he bestows upon the Souls of his people at the houre of death z Tunc enim erit perfectum illud de quo loquens Apostolus Ex parte
called the sword of flesh To this purpose the Apostle saith the weapons of our warfare are not carnall 2 Cor. 10.4 And this may be a sufficient reason also to call it the sword of the Spirit because it is the Spirits weapon wherewith it slaies those fleshly lusts that warre against Gods glory and the Souls happiness As that was said to be the sword of Joab Abner Jonathan or David wherewith they fought against their enemies Men more especially Ministers of the Gospel who are Christs own Ambassadours are Instruments in saving his people from their sins as they bring the word or message of life and salvation unto them They are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 co-workers or labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3.9 and Ministers by whom the Church believeth ver 5. To this purpose saith Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed unto thy self and unto the doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that heare thee And Rom. 10.14 15. How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall he preach except he be sent as it is written How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring the glad tydings of good things Therefore Christ hath given Ministers to his Church for this purpose Ephes 4.11 12. And he therefore sent forth his Disciples to teach all natitions Mat. ult 19. Private persons within their sphere may be instrumentall in the converting of Souls 1 Cor. 7.16 What knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy Husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy Wife Doubtlesse the husband is many times an happy instrument of converting the wife and the wife likewise of converting the husband and Parents and Masters have been often blessed instruments of much good in this kind to their children and servants so likewise one friend and neighbour to another Brethren saith James chap. 5.19 â—0 If any of you doe erre from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sins And the reading of the Word may through Gods grace become effectuall where the preaching of it is not despised In Christs work of preserving and increasing grace the same means and other also are instrumentall The Word is Milk for Babes and Meat for Strong men both to preserve and increase their strength and stature 1 Pet 2.2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby See Heb. 5.12 13 14. chap. 6.1 2. The Sacraments also are means being added as seals to the Covenant to confirm faith and all saving graces Yea in this work after the receiving of the first speciall grace Christians are instrumentall in the saving of their own c Câ—riè tâ—men illi sunt qui nos in conversione ad Deum truncos esse volunt lapides Cum enim quisque sentiat reipsa dum à spiritu Sancto illuminatur renovatur trahitur se quod ignorabat cognoscere quod nolebat velle quod aversabatur amare a quo fugiebat ad eum libenter sponte currere quod vitae genus oderat illud ex animo amplecti quomodo lapides ac stipites sumus Zanch Ep. ad Marcum Meningum de nostra ad Deum conversione souls Thus saith Paul to Timothy 1 Epist 4.16 Take heed unto thy selfe and unto the doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy selfe and them that heare thee Thus saith Peter 1 Ep. 1.22 Seeing that ye have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the spirit and 1 John 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe even as he is pure Prayer is a speciall means whereby the faithfull obtain both a continuance and increase in grace 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. Luke 17.5 Mat. 6.13 Psal 51.10 11. Crosses afflictions wonderfull and remarkable providences tend many times through Gods direction both to the working and increase of grace Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word Ver. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes 2 Chron. 33.11 12. Acts 16. 26. to 32. The compleat perfection of the soul wherein it is saved from all the reliques of corruption is the immediate work of Christ our Saviour for while his people are here in the flesh they bear about them the body of sin and immediately upon the separation of the soule from the body is the soul perfectly freed from sin The earthly Tabernacle and the body of sin are laid down both together so that the Word and other Ordinances and all endeavours towards perfection that were usefull in time of life can have no place here when the spirits of just men are made perfect in a moment The subject of this Salvation The subject of Salvation or persons saved are his people those that were given to Christ by the Father as was expressed in the opening of the Text viz. the Elect of God these and onely these Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called Those that were predestinate before time are the called in time and they are called with an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 they are called from uncleannesse to holinesse 1 Thes 4.7 They are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that they should walk in them Eph. 2.10 For these onely Christ laid down his life with an absolute purpose to save John 10.15 I laid down my life for the sheep For these he prayed as Mediatour John 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou gavest me for they are thine To these he manifests the name of God ver 6. I have manifested thy name to the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were thou hast given them me And for their sakes saith Christ v. 19 I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth These onely heare his voice follow him and to these onely he gives eternall life Joh. 10.27 28. The people that are thus given to and saved by Christ are by nature d Hoc unum è Sâ—literis didiscimus hominem in hic quae ad pictatem pertinent sua natura eó que antequam fiâ— nova creatura hoc est ante conversionem esse animalem ideo quae sunt Dei nihil eorum intelligere posse habere cor lapideum ob eam causam nisi prius à Deo carneum accipiat cor quod flecti in ipsius obsequium possit non posse velle quae suae naturae ingrata sunt essed denique mortuum ac promden fi preventus a gratia Christi per
instance in one or two of them First that Pelagian Heresie that denies the propagation of Originall sinne They say we derive sinne from our parents onely by imitation How shall that enemy be destroyed that is concealed and denied How shall a man labour to mortifie this body of sin when he denies that we beare any such body about us Surely Rahabs hiding the Spies was not more effectual to their preservation and the ruine of the city Jericho than this Pelagian doctrine is to the saving of sin and the utter ruin of the soul Whoso covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28.13 2. The Antinomians teach that no man ought to doubt of Gods love but immediatly believe that his sins were eternally pardoned and himself justified and that whatever he doth he need not be in care or doubt God sees his sin no more the Lord takes no notice of the sins of his servants say they abusing that Scripture to that end Numb 23.21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perversenesse in Israel And repentance they affirm to be the voice of the Law not of the Gospel Is not this the very way of the carnal multitude to sin without godly sorrow and yet perswade themselves of an interest in Gods saving mercy What is this but to turn Faith into a meere phantasie And whither doth this tend but to make sinners secure in the midst of the greatest misery O how many soules are this day poysoned in England with this damnable doctrine and how sad will the account be of those that have so grosly deluded them to deny the doctrine of repentance to be Gospel-doctrine is no lesse dangerous and destructive to soules than that Popish doctrine that denies Justification by Faith in the alone merits of Jesus Christ I will not now stand to confute this presumptuous doctrine it being improper in a use of reproof and it hath been well done already by other n By Mr. Gataker Mr. Anth Burgess others hands But I shall leave a few texts of Scripture to your consideration which you may peruse at your leisure for a sufficient confutation Exod. 4.14 2. Sam. 11.27 ch 12. to v. 13. Psal 51.2 Sam. 24. 1 Kings 11.29 2 Chron. 32.25 26. Luke 13.3.5 Romans 2.4 5. Acts 17.30 And here I cannot but take notice by the way of a tenent much applauded by some in these parts which carries all other errors in the belly of it and it is this That it is better that a hundred errors should be preached than one truth be lost To which I shall give answer First this supposeth that those who ordinarily preach Errors have some speciall truth to reveale that others are ignorant of But that is strange that a truth of God should be hid from all godly able and Orthodox Ministers of the Gospel and revealed to such as ordinarily maintain a multitude of errors When the Apostle 1 John 4.1 bids Try the spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world he intimates that seducing spirits are not of God that those that preach gross Errors are of the false Prophets that are gone forth Now that God should reveale his extraordinary secrets to such as these and hide them from his servants the Prophets is a secret indeed such I believe as was never heard of Secondly If this position be true the Jesuite may come in and plead for a childs part in this toleration for he will preach some truths with lesse than a hundred errors Thirdly This is a very strange way to preserve one Truth from being lost for if a hundred Errors be preached with one Truth it is most like that the hearers receive many of the Errors and lose the Truth that can scarcely be discerned in so great a crowd of falshood especially considering how ignorant the multitude is and how prone we are by nature to erre And a stranger way this is to nourish souls Truth is as wholsome food Error of a poysoning nature and if you cut and set before a child a hundred bits of poyson and but one bit of wholsome food and bid him eat t is a hundred to one but he poysons himself Fourthly When a Preacher preacheth Truth and Error mixed together he presseth all upon the hearers for truth Suppose then a hundred Errors and one Truth should be received by the people they lose a hundred truths for the gaining of one for in every error received there is a truth lost to him that receiveth the error because every error is contradictory to some truth Verily he that should lose five pounds to gain a shilling would at last be forced to cry Fie on the winning Lastly A hundred errors such as are in our daies were enough to make another Gospel or rather to pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then tell me what meanes that saying Galat. 1.8 There be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ But though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Consider also that saying Rom. 16.17 Now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them I might instance in divers other corrupt tenents tending to root out the power of godlinesse and that which makes the temptation the more strong and dangerous is that all manner of corrupt and rotten tenents go under the name of higher attainments True piety is accounted but old formality and the most wanton Opinionists are reputed for precious Saints But when Sathan transformes himself into an Angel of light and his Ministers into Ministers of the Gospel no marvail if a vizour of holinesse be put upon many strange faces even Familists and Ranters will be re-baptized by the name of Saints and Arius Pelagius Socinus c. must be canonized Doubtlesse his Holinesse the Pope hath much hopes of a great harvest amongst us for by this time he may be perswaded that many of those that were so hot against a few Ceremonies calling them the rags and remnants of Popery were offended with the rags because they were but rags and rejected the remnants of Popery because they had a minde to receive it by the whole piece What are the Doctrines of Arminius but pieces of Popery a little more finely dressed that they may be the more handsomely worne or a Popish dish more finely cooked to please the palate and so go the more easily down 'T is not long since this assertion that God did choose his Elect for some excellency that he foresaw to be in them was presented to some of you at a private meeting in a Lordly dish o By an Officer of the Army who quartered in town Surely Papists are glad to see us relish so many of
the Gospel that shines to the honour of God Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven And of this sort of light our late professors are farre more barren than those of former yeares If there be now more light in the head there is lesse in the heart and life and light in the head will be but an aggravation of darknesse in the heart The Servant that knew his Masters will and did it not was to be beaten with many stripes Yet I much question whether this light so much gazed after be light from the Sun of righteousnesse or not There is a sort of wandring light in the night season which ignorant people call by divers names but Philosophers call it ignis fatuus fooles fire because ignorant and foolish people when they see it wonder and are amazed at it and are led by it out of their way into pits and ditches and lose themselves and afterward usually say they were led by a Spirit not understanding that it is but a vapour arising out of the earth So there is a sort of light which ignorant professors admiring wander after out of the way of truth into many pits of Sathans digging yet they take themselves to be led by the Spirit while they understand not that this light is not from above but is earthly sensuall devillish But I return to answer more fully to the Objection 2. If by the voice of the Law you mean preaching justification by the law as a covenant of works so as by our own works to be justified either in whole or in part I blesse God I never heard any such preaching in all my life nor I believe any of you 2. I suppose by the Law you mean not the law of ceremonies for no man preacheth such doctrine among us 3. If you conceive that those that lived under the Law till the coming of Christ were under a Covenant substantially and essentially different from the covenant of grace under the Gospel you do but grosly mistake For the covenant of God with Abraham and his seed and the covenant now made with the faithfull and their seed is one and the same Hence saith Paul Gal. 3.9 They which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham Hence likewise Rom. 4. he proves justification by faith by the example of Abraham's justification And the blessings of Abraham are said to come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ Gal. 3.14 4. If you think that those that lived under the Law did not so clearly understand the promises of Grace but were more plentifully threatned with judgements It is true 1. There is a graduall difference of light or of the manifestation of the grace of Christ now from what was then 2. Judgements were more plentifully threatned in the Old Testament then in the New 3. Yet as the Law threatned more plentifully so the threats were more of temporall Judgements Deut. 28.16 c. And as the Gospel threatens more sparingly so it threatens more heavily and dreadfully with spirituall and eternall vengeance As one milstone will weigh down many pibbles So one Gospell-threat will overpoise many of the curses threatned in the Law There is in Deut. 28. a Catalogue of curses containing no lesse then fifty two verses And that one Gospell threatning 2 Thes 1.7 8 9. is farre more dreadfull then all of them doe but weigh and consider it The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power What are all temporall Judgments in comparison of this everlasting destruction here denounced against all those that obey not the Gospell The voice of the Law-threatnings is but as the rushing of winds lesse terrible but more frequent But the voice of the Gospel threatnings is like the loudest thunder-claps from heaven more astonishing though more seldom 5. As the morall Law it self is not yet abolished so all the threatnings of the Law for morall disobedience are still in force also I doubt not but warre sicknesse poverty and the like are now Judgments from God upon the disobedient for as godlinesse hath promise of the life that now is and that which is to come so ungodlinesse is threatned both with the judgments of this life and that which is to come And if the threatnings of the Old Testament are still in force and more terrible ones are denounced in the Gospel against impenitent sinners must a Preacher passe them all by and take no more notice of them than so many cyphers and preach nothing but grace and peace to all sorts of sinners Whereas the Gospel is a message of glad tidings or good newes and such thundrings as these seem somewhat heterogeneous and unsuitable to it you must understand that as there is a twofâ—ld coming of Christ to wit his first coming to redeem sinners and to seek and save that which was lost and his second coming to take vengeance on them that have neglected so great salvation So there is a two-fold intention of the Gospel 1. To offer life and salvation and to conferre it upon all those that believe and obey it 2. To denounce and pour out vengeance upon all that are unbelieving and disobedient As in the Law of our Land the first intention of the Law of our land is the good of the Subject that men may be obedient to it protected by it but the second intention of the Law is to punish the disorderly and the penalties are annexed to the Law and published with it that Obedience may be the more readily yeilded and the transgressors of the Law may know what to trust to So the primary and direct intention of the Gospel is the salvation of the sinner yet the judgement of God upon the disobedient is written and published in the Gospel that Obedience may be the more readily given to Christ and that his enemies that will not be subject to him may know what to look for at his hands 3. I hope Christ and his Apostles were not legall preachers let us see how they preached 1. Christ preached repentance and destruction to the impenitent Luke 13.3 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish He preached most terrible woes to them that they rejected the Gospel-message Mat. 11.20 21 22 23 24. He preacheth no less than eight woes in one Chapter See Mat. 23.13 14 15 16 23 25 27 29. He threatneth with the damnation of hell ver 23. Ye Serpents ye generation of Vipers how can ye escape the damnation of hell And the worm that never dieth and the fire that never goeth out Mark 9.44 46 48. And this is the condemnation c. Joh. 3.19 See also Luke 11.42 43 44
composed wherein we have an Encomium of their happy condition If it was Jerusalems happinesse then to be so united is it not her misery to be so divided If it were a lovely sight then to see the tribes of the Lord going up together to give thanks to the Lord how sad a sight is it now to see the Tribes going some one way some another building Temple against Temple and rearing Altar against Altar The Souldiers that parted the Garment of Christ would rather cast lots than divide his seamlesse Coat but those that cause division and contention in the Church spare not to rend not the coat but the mysticall body of Christ The Jews that crucified pierced Christ his hands and his feet but those that cause divisions in the Church set him upon the rack to rend limb from limb and member from member as is intimated in the words of Paul to the Church of Corinth when they were full of factions and schismes 1 Cor. 1.13 Is Christ divided If Christ cried out Saul Saul why persecutest thou me when he persecuted his Church and made havock of it and accounted it as an intolerable injury done unto himself not onely because he hath a sympathising affection with his Church but also because his Church is his Body and is called Christ to wit Christ mysticall 1 Cor. 12.12 Verily Christ might take up a greater complaint against those who by their divisions subdivisions would teare him limb-meale and if Paul were smitten down unto the earth when he heard the voice of Christ from heaven methinks those that are Dividers in the Church should be pierced to the heart if they did but consider and minde the many affectionate calls of Christ in his Word for unity and peace and the sad complaints by reason of divisions and contentions and his judgements threatned against the authors and promoters of them Consider but that one threatning Rom. 2.8 9 But to them that are contentious indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish We live in times wherein we have great expectation of the fulfilling of glorious Gospell-prophecies and promises and I doubt not but those that concerne the unity and peace of the Church are to be numbred amongst them Zeph. 3.9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Jer 32.39 And I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever Neither will these be esteeemed the meanest Gospel-mercies for it is said in the latter end of that verse For the good of them and their children after them But how farre are we from the accomplishment of these things yea what probability is there of it in our daies q O miseram Christi Ecclesiam quae subinde veteribus optimis patribus ac doctoribus orbatur ae novis verō imperitis ac furiosis hominibus invaditur dilaniatur Zanch. ep ad Bulling If one heart and one way be for the good of a people and their children after them as that fore-mentioned text tells us then our heart-divisions and different waies are to be looked upon as a sore evil both to us and our children after us And 't is much to be feared that the children that are yet unborne will fare the worse for our present breaches Think not that the dislike of any one party alone or sinister respects lead me to speak thus much against dividing practises Judge not my reproof and complaint to be superfluous neither plead for this as Lot did for Zoar say not 't is a little one but heare a little besides what is already spoken what further aggravations of this evill are found in Scripture 1. Consider how plain are the words of Paul Rom 16.17 18. Now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple When the Apostle bids us mark and avoid them doth he not rank them with profane and grosse sinners we are commanded to withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly 2 Thes 3.6 And saith Paul 1 Cor. 5 11. If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one eate not If the command of withdrawing from such and the prohibition of eating with such is because they are scandalous the argument is of force to prove Church dividers to be scandalous also for the Apostle enjoyns us to avoid them as he commands us to avoid fornicators c. therefore are Church-dividers equall yea I might adde and justly too more dangerous sinners Fornicators Swearers Drunkards and such like are accounted grosse Sinners and so they are and unfit for Christian communion because their abiding within unreformed tends to the ruine of the Church but how is it that they that are of rending and dividing principles and practises are not esteemed scandalous also when Scripture speaks so much against them and their practises tend more immediately to the Churches overthrow Breaches in the roof and walls of an house by which raine beats in and rots the timber-work will cause a decay and ruine of the whole in time if not repaired But pulling beam from beam post from post and rafter from rafter is the most speedy way to ruine the house Godly persons are or ought to be carefull to avoid communion with grosse sinners and some judge it necessarily infectious if they communicate at the Lords table with a scandalous person Whosoever is of that minde and judgement should be as fearfull to receive the Sacrament with a wilfull Church-divider as with a common Drunkard But when the Apostle saith Obj. marke them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine ye have learned and avoid them we must understand it of those that divide by some hereticall and false doctrine onely and not of those that dissent in some smaller matters about Discipline or the like Answ 1. Whatever the Apostle particularly intended I am sure the doctrine of Unity Peace and Love is none of the least of what our Saviour Christ and his Apostles taught and those then that cause divisions and offences teach and act expresly contrary to so great a truth and a most necessary duty 2. If there be an unity in the truth with those from whom they divide how will they justifie their practice when they make a causelesse breach Nay will it not aggravate their sinne Impium enim sacrilegum est divortium quo in Christi veritate consentiunt distrahere For it is a wicked and sacrilegious divorce to pull those asunder who consent in the truth of Christ r Scismaticos facit non diversa fides sed communionis disrupta societas Aug.
If there be one Body one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all can those that break all these bonds asunder and cast these cords away from them be easily excused 2. Consider how expresly contrary to the command of Christ this practice is John 13.34 A new commandement give I unto you that ye love one another as I loved you that ye also love one another 3. How expresly contrary it is to that mark whereby the Disciples of Christ are to be known unto all men John 13.35 Hereby shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another 4. How expresly it is contrary to that Gospel-frame of Spirit promised in that great Gospel-promise called the New covenant Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you where onenesse of heart and newnesse of spirit are joyned together 5. Doe not selfe-will'd dividers as plainly reject and slight the most affectionate beseechings wooings of the spirit of Christ as other grosse hard-hearted sinners who stop their eares against the invitations of the Gospel See 1 Corinth 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same things that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement Phil. 2.1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord and of one minde May we not out of these words have divers patheticall arguments but for brevity sake I shall take that if any bowels and mercies as another argument for our consideration 6. Consider then whether these words doe not imply that those have cast off bowels and mercies who by rending and dividing spare not to pull out the very bowels of the Church And when Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.8 Finally be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitifull and courteous Doth not he so joyne being of one minde and having compassion one of another so together and loving as brethren and being pitifull that we may conclude that true pitty and compassion are banished away where division and contention possess the heart 7. Those that rend and divide in or from the Church pretend usually that they would have all things reduced to the primitive pattern and most necessary indeed it is that we write after that copy But how unlike is a Church divided rent and torne to that Church that continued with one accord in the Temple praising God being of one heart and of one soule 8. As the Primitive church was the best pattern for a Church so is the example of Christ the best president for our imitation Christ came to reconcile God and man and brake down the partition wall between Jew Gentile making both one and being the chief sheepherd seeks the reducing of all his sheep into one sheepfold But how unlike unto his example is the practise of those that build up walls of partition and separation between Christian and Christian sow discord among brethren and spare not to smite the Lords sheepherds that the sheep may be scattered Will the Lord account this an acceptable piece of service nay is it not an abomination to him See Prov. 6.16 17 18 19. These six things doth the Lord hate yea seven are an abomination unto him a proud look a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations feet that be swift in running to mischiefe a false witnesse that speaketh lies and him that soweth discord among brethren The last is not the least of these evils and he that is guilty of the seventh cannot well be free from most of the six forementioned abominations Obj. But it is hard charging so much evil upon this one miscarriage for it is to be feared that many godly men especially in these times are guilty of it Answ The sinne is never the lesse in its own nature because godly men be they of one party or other are guilty of it Murther and Adultery are not a whit the lesse evil because David so eminent a Saint was guilty of them nor Idolatry the more to be pleaded for because Solomon fell to the commission of it nor is Polygamie to be accounted a small sin because many of the godly Fathers under the Law lived in it Yea 't is a greater sin for such as are godly to commit than such as have no feare of God before their eyes The worth of the person will but adde to the weight of the sin and the Lord aggravates the crimes of David Solomon and other of his servants because they were committed against greater mercies grace and light Upon these considerations as I cannot but judge this a necessary reproof so I am bound highly to prize and say blessed be the labours studies and endeavours of those who seriously minde and trace out the way of peace so little known And the Church shall reap more benefit and they themselves more comfort by such endeavours than ever any shall receive by all their ranglings and perverse disputings for things that are of sevenfold lesse consequence than the Church's unity and peace And I doubt not my brethren in the work of the Gospel but your late and continued prayers and endeavours for unity and concord in the Churches of Christ will yeild you more comfort and peace in the day of your account than all that ever you read or shall read of our novel controversies Let us go on then I beseech you and be as zealous for unity and peace as others are for strife and contention and if there be no remedy but we must strive let us strive and pray for the peace of Jerusalem yea let us strive with God in prayer that her walls may be built up and that peace may be within her walls and prosperity within her palaces for they shall prosper that love her A fourth fort of those that hinder the salvation of others from their sinnes are such as are men of evil practises who by their bad examples doe mischief to many Man is of an imitating nature especially in things that are evil spirituall diseases are infectious and this is one maine reason why admonition is required in case of disorderly walking and excommunication enjoyned in case of obstinate scandall because sinfull examples are of a leavening and infectious nature A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump examples of evil are more effectuall for mischief than all the arguments we can use for good upon the soules of men for one that is saved by good instruction from the Word of God a hundred perish by evil example As evil examples are dangerous in all so more especially in these four sorts of persons