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A39886
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Nehushtan, or, John Elliot's Saving grace in all men proved to be no grace and his increated being in all a great nothing by J.F.
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J. F. (James Forbs), 1629?-1712.; Elliot, John. Saving grace of God.
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1694
(1694)
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Wing F1444; ESTC R29851
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45,242
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37
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called Weak It is sown in weakness for the Vngodly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotat conditionem hominum 〈◊〉 modo malocum sed usque adeo in malitia sua perditorum ut nuâ—la illis vis supersit quà salutem reâ—â—â—erare pâ—ssint Christ died for us not only when we were Sinners but when we had gone so far in Sin and Wickedness that we could do nothing towards the Salvation of our own Souls Ausim vertere Cum essemus mortui for so the Seventy do often in the Old Testament take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this Sence Psal 9.3 Dan. 11.19 33 41. cum pro peccatis Justitia Deâ—satisfacere nosmet abâ—ra Dei morâ—e vindicare non poteramus proinde vâ—â—dice alâ—o servatore egebamus when we were in no capacity to satisfie Divine Justice for our Sins or to grapple with the Wrath and Anger of God or with Deash when our Circumstances were such that we must eternally perish if some other had not interposed and step'd in to act in the capacity of a Redeemer for us Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while we were peccatores i. e. nondum Reconetliati sed in statu peccati peccata peccatis addentes peccatis dediti in quibus regnat peccatum in peccaâ—â—s mortui ut vox peccatores accipitur Luc. 7.34 Joh. 9.31 1 Joh. 1.9 and 3.8 Christ died for us when we were unreconciled to God in a State of Sin adding Sin to Sin when we had given up our selves to work Wickedness with greediness and delight when we were in Sins and Trespasses VI. This is not the whole of lapsed Man's Misery that Nature is deeply depraved in him and that he is helpless hopeless irremediless as to any thing that himself or Creatures can do for him but that he hath no due Sense of his Sin or Misery he thinks that it is better with him than it is he does not with a due Seriousness seek unto God for Relief he does not so much as enquire the way to Heaven and eternal Happiness Isa 65.1 I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not Hâ—s 2.23 Râ—m 9.25 26. Whatever God does for any all is only of his Free Love and Rich Grace Deut. 7.6 7 8. Eph. 1.3 4 5 6 7. and 2.4 5 6 7 8. 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Tit. 3.3 4 5 6. VII Take Man now in his lapsed Estate and put him into some part of the World where nothing is known or heard of Salvation for Sinners by the Son of God and there is nothing in him that does or can tell him of this or any such thing When Peter made that short but substantial Confession Thou are Christ the Son of the living God Jesus said unto him Blessed art thou For Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 16.13 14 15 16. Christ points at his Humane Nature Son of God at his Divine Nature He is God as well as Man and equal with the Father Joh. 19 6 Thou art points at the Unity of his Person the Divine and Humane Nature united in him were but one Person Christ being no proper but an Appellative Noun points at his Office Thou art he who art the Anâ—inted called and qualified with Gifts and Graces for the Work and Office of a Mediator Thou art a King Priest and Prophet and I do accept of thee as such to be my King Priest and Prophet If ever my Heart is subdued to thy self thou must do that for me as my King If ever my Person or Performances have Acceptance with God it must be by that Sacrifice which the great High-Priest once offered for aâ—l If ever I have any saving Knowledge of Supernatural Truths it must be by this Prophet I receive him as my King in this respect that what Laws and Ordinances he hath enjoined me to observe I do freely and readily subject my self thereunto and do come unto himself for Power whereby I may be enabled so to do And I make use of him as my Prophet to teach me what are his Ordinances and what is that Obedience which he expects and requires I receive him as my King and therefore I little value any opposition I may meet with from Men or Devils on the account of my being a Follower of Christ for I expect Protection Safeguard and Defence from him against them and the worst they can do As often as I make Addresses to God it 's only in the name of Christ as my Priest and whatever he hath purchased for me by his death I look to be put in Possession thereof by his Intercession and I make use of him as my Prophet still more and more to instruct me what are the Benefits which redound to me by his Death and Intercession and every thing else that is needful for me to know and believe in order to the eternal Salvation of my Soul and all this by his Word by his Ordinances and by his Spirit accompanying his Word and Ordinances All this and much more is in this short Creed Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Blessed art thou Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven i. e. The Contents of this Creed no Man hath dictated to thee neither are they the Product of what is in thy self These are Principles which the Light of Nature teach not they are originally of a Heavenly Extract they come from above from the Father of Lights and the Father of Spirits thou couldest never have known these things concerning the Natures Person and Offices of Christ thou couldest never have known him to be the Messiah and Saviour of Sinners if thou hadst not been told it from without Object We do not say That the Knowledge of Supernatural Truths is attainable by the Light of Nature but Christ being now come into the World he hath given a Measure of his Spirit to all and if they would but hearken thereunto it would teach them all things Answ Notwithstanding of Christs being come into the World there are none that do actually participate of his Spirit or Spiritual Benefits by him but by the Gospel preach'd to them by such as are called commission'd and authorized thereunto Rom. 10.13 14 15 16 17. Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God God doth not ordinarily Work Faith or any other Grace in them that are adult but by the preaching of the Gospel 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 1 Cor. 1.21 22 23. After
but in God if we may so phrase it Quicquid est in Deo est Deus It is God himself freely communicating the choicest of his Blessings to those that are less than the least of Mercies Gen. 32.10 There is Gratia gratis data or Donum quodvis quod ex gratuito Dei amore liberalitate in nos confertur Any Gift that is bestowed on us of the Love Favour and Bounty of God Heb. 12.15 28. Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably Act. 11.23 and 13.43 Eph. 4.7 2 Cor. 8.7 and 9.8 The Question is of Grace in this latter Sence not of Grace in the former Sence That which is in all Men is the Saving Grace of God says J. E. and an increated Being That which is in all Men is not Grace say I nor an Increated Being yea that which is true Saving Grace in Believers is not an Increated Being Thus I have done with the Preliminaries It is needful in the next place that some Definition be given of Grace inherent in Believers for there is nothing else in others that deserves the Denomination of Grace or is so to be called That Grace which hath Man for its Subject of Inhesion may be thus described It is a Supernatural and Special Gift of God bestowed upon some in and through Christ as Mediator of the New Covenant I call it a Supernatural Gift because it proceeds not neither can it proceed from Nature as now in its lapsed State A special Gift because not given to all Faith is one of these Graces and 2 Thess 3.2 All Men have not Faith A Free Gift to shew that God in dispensing inherent Grace to Sinners is not acted by necessity of Nature but is a voluntary Agent he might have chused whether he would have bestowed it on one or another herein he acts according to the good Pleasure of his Will Eph. 1.5 and according to the Riches of his Grace Eph. 1.7 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another or What hast thou that thou hast not received When I say bestowed upon some this implies that Grace in this and the other Man was a little while ago a n â—â—ens that which had no Existence Hence the Argument runs thus That which a liâ—â—â—e while ago was a non-entity cannot be an Increated Being such was Grace inherent in this and the other Man Therefore When I say bestowed in and through Christ it is to distinguish it from the Blessings of a General and Common Providence Psal 33.5 and 119.64 and 145.14 15 16. The Whole Earth is full of the Goodness of the Lord and his tender Mercies are over all his Works But this is a Speciality of Divine Favour given only to the Elect in and through Christ Eph. 1.3 4 5. and there are none actually possess'd thereof but they that are Members of that Mystical Body whereof Christ is Head Eph. 4.16 Another Description of Inherent Grace is this It is an eminent Work of the Spirit of God upon the Souls of Sinners or the preaching of the Gospel whereby nature is so far renewed in them in respect of Qualities that all old things are done away and all things are made new in order to their being in a Capacity to glorifie God here and their being glorified with him to all Eternity hereafter It is a Work of the Holy Ghost Joh. 3.3 5. Tit. 3.5 Hence I argue thus That which hath the Holy Ghost for its Efficient is no Increated but a Created Being Such is Grace in Believers Therefore I call it an Eminent Work of the Holy Ghost to distinguish from other more inferior Works of his All the Works of Creation and Providence are the Works of Father Son and Spirit according to that Saying Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa What is done by one is done by all Three But when Grace is wrought in the Soul of a Sinner that is an eminent Work The Works of Creation have the Father for their Efficient 1 Cor. 8.6 Of him are all things The Son 1 Cor. 8.6 By him are all things Joh. 1.10 The Holy Ghost Gen. 1.2 Psal 33.6 By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the Spirit of his Mouth The Works of Providence have the Father for their Efficient He that feeds the Ravens and cloaths the Lâ—â—â—es Matth. 6.26 Luke 12.24 Psal 145.13 14 15 16. The Son Heb. 1.3 He upholds all things by the Word of his Power Col. 1.17 By him all things consist The Holy Ghost the qualifying and accomplishing of Zerubbabel for building and finishing the Second Temple was a Work of Providence and the Holy Ghost had a Hand therein Zech. 4.6 7. Not by Might nor by Power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Who art thou great Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a Plain and he shall bring forth the Head-stone thereof with Shoutings crying Grace Grace unto it Vpon the Souls of Sinners This denotes the Objects on which the Grace-working Acts and Operations of the Holy Ghost are terminated considered antecedently to his Working this Work in and upon them they are Sinneâ—s not Saints whatever their Gifts and Endowments may be natural or acquired they are void and destitute of Saving Grace 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Who was before a Blasphemer and a Persecuor and Injurious but I obtained Mercy and the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus If they that have Grace in them to Day had it not Yesterday then the Grace which is in them to Day is no Increated but a Created Being But so it is with them that are Saints to Day and were Sinners Yesterday Therefore By the preaching of the Gospel Though Children are capable both of Grace Luke 1.15 and of Glory Matth. 19.14 and God hath ways to work Grace in them beyond what we can think of Joh. 3.8 his Gracious Acts and Operations are many times imperceptible and not to be discerned by us what I now assert is to be understood of them that are Adult ordinarily the Spirit works Grace in them by the preaching of the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you Rom. 10.14 15 16 17. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Act. 11.21 22. and 13 44. -- 48. and 10.33 42 43 44. 1 Thess 2.13 Psal 110.2 3 1 Cor. 4.15 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel That which is a Spiritual Procreation by the instrumentality of