which are for us and the soule injoying Christ possesseth Christ and not it selfe loveth Christ not it selfe liveth in Christ not in it selfe injoyeth Christ not it selfe solaceth it selfe in Christ not in it selfe beholdeth Christ and his beauty not it selfe nor his owne beauty so that mind will love desire hope joy sight wondring delighting are all over in Christ not in it selfe And all this further confirmeth the point in hand that Christ crucified and laid hold on by faith is a desirable and a drawing lover PART III. All men I will draw all men The parties drawne to Christ is the third Article in the doctrine of Christs drawing and they are here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All men It is a great question betweene us and such as are for universall attonement and grace universall as many Anabaptists in England now are what is meant by All men in which these are to be observed 1. The state of the question 2. The mind of the Adversaries 3. Our minde 4. The clearing of places alledged by the Adversaries 5. The answering of that principall doubt what faith is required of all within the visible Church 6. The uses of the Doctrine Of all these shortly The state of the Question The Question toucheth 1. Gods intention and purpose to save man 2. In chusing some to salvation not others 3. Gods purpose in sending Christ to dye for some not for others The first Article is called universall grace the second conditionall or which to me is all one vniversall election to glory and so no Election The third is the question touching the universalitie of Christs death or a fancied universall attonment made by Christ for all I cannot particularly handle all the three For the first God ingageth all men as Christs debters thus far that it is mercy that they live or have any opportunity of seeking God what ever be the means naturall or super-naturall whereas for the sin of Adam God might by a like justice have destroyed the world and all mankinde vanity is penally inflicted on all the servants for treason of the Master against the King of Heaven and earth but in Christ there be two mitigations 1. One is that the servants are not destroid for the sin of the Master 2. That as the fore-fated Lord is restored so the sick servants groaning under vanity shall bee delivered from that bondage they come under for the sinne of man Rom. 8.20 21 22. Hence it is though we be out-laws by nature that now by a priviledge of grace from the Mediator the Tenents receive and lodge the Master because Christ hath taken off the Statute and Act of forfeiture 2. No man living on earth but he is beholding to Christ though many know him not for common helps of providence and experiences do teach him some more of God by nature 3. The sound of Christ God revealed in the Gospel in the Apostles ministery is declared and is gone to the ends of the earth and to the Nations Psal. 19.4 Rom. 10.18 But some say these words Have they not heard have relation to v. 14. the hearing of the Gospel or the publishing of the glad tidings of the Gospel to all and every one of mankind and must be meant of that same hearing Ans. It relates to hearing of God revealing himselfe in the meanes of salvation say the Adversaries But then the question is Whether these meanes be the preaching of the Gospel or of the same God revealed as Creator by the Sun Moon and Stars who is revealed in the Gospel and salvation by him Now the Sun and Stars and heaven declare the glory of God and sound forth his praises and salvation through Christ by this sense to all and every Nation and to every single person without exception not onely when Paul wrote this to the Romans but when David penned the 19. Psalme what difference then between the Iewes to whom God revealed his Testimonies and the Gentiles to whom God made no such revelation Psal. 147.19 20. Deut. 4.33 34 c. Deut. 5.25 26. Psal. 78.1 2 c. Psal. 81 4 5. and this sound if it be the Gospel preached to as many as see the Sun and ever when they see the Sun then at that time and to this day the Sun and Moone must be sent Apostles and Preachers by whose words and Ministery all and every man that seeth the Sun then and now and to Christs second comming are obliged to pray to God in Christ and to beleeve and Faith comes by hearing the Sun Stars night and day preach Christ for sure the same hearing of the Gospel v. 18. must be understood which is spoken v. 14.15 for if the one be an hearing of the Gospel by the Apostles which produceth faith and salvation and the other a hearing of Sun and Stars in the book of the Creation This produceth not faith and salvation by the confession of the Adversaries 2. The Apostle shall not answer his own Objection Ver. 18. If all both Jew and Gentile have not heard the Gospel its unpossible they can beleeve for faith cometh by hearing the Gospel from their mouth who are sent of God and if they hear not they must be excused because they beleeve not in Christ of whom they never heard The Apostle must answer yea but they have heard the Gospel Why they heard the Sun and the Stars preach Christ and salvation by him to the farthest ends of the earth for sure David in the literall and native sense of that 19. Psalme speaketh of such dumbe Preachers Now this is no answer at all for Sun and Stars are not sent of God to preach salvation by Christ. 2. Faith comes not by hearing the creatures preach Christ. 3. The Prophets and Apostles not the dumbe and livelesse creatures have pleasant feet on the Mountains to preach peace as it is verse 14 15 16. cited from Isai. 52.7 Nah. 1.15 But the native sense of the words v. 18. is but a meer allusion in Scripture phrase to Davids words Psal. 19. It is neither citation nor exposition of them but an using of Scripture language in comparing the Gospel to the Sun the sound of the Gospel preached to the sound of the glory of the Creator in the works of heaven and earth to show how ample the preaching of the Gospel under the New Testament is to wit that it is not preached to one Nation of the Jewes only as of old but to all nations to the Jewes and to the foolish people by whom the Lord provokes the Jewes to jealousie as is clear v. 19 20. and that voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their voice is gone to the ends of the earth is the voice of the twelve Apostles of the Lambe who preached the Gospel to Nations of all kinds to Iewes and Gentiles it s not the voice of the creatures the heaven and earth but a meer allusion to that voice Psal. 19. for the words have no sense
within the trunk or body of the true to feel see and taste the sap of life from whence the fruit cometh Yea the contrary consequence is true because I smell sincerity love single intentions to please God in my works of sanctification therefore I know they came from Faith so the Holy Ghost should delude us when hee saith Wee know wee know or beleeve in Christ because we keepe his commandements Ergo We cannot know this except it bee evident that our keeping of his Commandement come from faith and the knowledge of God Object 6. Such a Faith as a Practicall Syllogisme can make is not a faith wrought by the Lords almighty power for the conclusion followeth but from the strength of reasonings not from the power of God by which alone divine things are wrought Ephes. 1.19 20. Col. 2.20 But faith wrought by a word and a worke and the light of a renewed conscience without the testimony of the Spirit is such a faith as a practicall Syllogisme can make Ergo such a faith so wrought is not wrought by the Lords almighty power The Minor is proved because all the three the Word the Worke and the light of Conscience are all created blessings and gifts and therefore cannot produce of themselves a word of almighty power and the word of it selfe is a dead letter the worke is lesse for faith commeth by hearing a word not by a worke Answ. When Master Cornwell saith By the power of God alone Divine things such as faith that layeth hold on Christs righteousnesse are wrought Ephes. 1.19 Col. 2.20 hee excludeth the ministery of the Gospel and all the promises thereof for they are created things and so they have no hand nor influence in begetting faith Antinomians will have us beleeve that Paul Ephes. 1.19.20 Col. 1.20 thinkes no ministery of the Word nor any hearing of the preached Word begetteth faith contrary to Rom. 1.16 Rom. 10.17 but by the onely immediate power of the Spirit we are converted without the Word Nor is here that which is in question concluded never Protestant Divine taught that without the actuall influence of omnipotent Grace can faith or spirituall sense that we are justified be produced by the Word worke or created light alone nor can the corne grow alone by power in the earth clouds or raine nor any Creature move without the actuall influence of the omnipotent Lord in whom we move therefore by this reason we could not know that the Sunne shall rise by the rising of the morning starre nor can we have any supernaturall sense by our holy walking contrary to Scripture 1 John 2.3 1 John 3.14 But we know by this all faith is ascribed by Antinomians to the immediate testimonie and Enthusiasticall inspiration of the Spirit as for the searching of Scripture say they it s not a sure way of searching and finding Christ it s but a dead letter and holds forth a covenant of works in this letter and therefore with the old Anabaptist they 'll have no teaching by Scripture but onely teaching by the Spirit We hold that conditionall promises are made to duties of Sanctification therefore we may have comfort and assurance from them in our drooping condition Cornewell answereth Pap. 23.24 25. The promises are not made to us as qualified with such duties of sanctification for then they should belong to us of debt not out of Grace Rom. 4.4 But in respect of our Vnion with Christ in whom they are tendered to us and fulfilled to us Satisfaction is made to the thirstie not for any right his thirst might give him in the promise but becausâ— it directeth to Christ who fulfilleth the condition and satisfieth the soule and the soule must first have come to Christ and gotten his first assurance from faith in Christ not from these conditions and duties Answ. 1. This is a yeelding of the cause We say there bee promises of the water made to thirsty soules not as if the right jus law merit debt that we have to them belonged to us for the deede done but for Jesus Christ onely 2. Not as if wee upon our strength and the sweating of free-will did conquer both the condition and reward 3. But yet wee have comfort and assurance when we by grace performe the duty that our faithfull Lord who cannot lye will fulfill his owne promise 4. He knoweth nothing of the Gospel who thinketh not God by his promise commeth under a sweet debt of free-grace to fulfill his owne promise and that this debt and grace are consistent But Antinomians breath smell of flâ—shly liberty for they tell us Conditionall promises are Legall contrary to the Gospel Rom. 10.9 John 3.16 Joh. 5.25 That that it s not safe to close with Christ in a conditionall promise if any thing be concluded from water and bloud it s rather damnation then salvation That its a sandy foundation to prove that Christ is mine from a gracious worke done in me by Jesus Christ were it even Faith For we are compleatly united to Christ without faith wrought by the Spirit It s incompatible with the Covenant of Grace to joyne faith with it To be justified by faith is to bee justified by workes That to say there must be faith on mans part to receive the Covenant is to undermine Christ. Neither Cornwell nor Saltmarsh oppose these blasphemies but extoll the Patrones of them in New-England Father save me from this houre Father is a word of Faith But had Christ need of Faith Answ. Not of faith of confiding in him that justifieth the sinner except he had faith of the justifying of his cause in Gods acquitting him of suretieship when he had payed all but hee had faith of dependencie on God in his trouble that God would deliver him and he was heard in that which he feared And Q. 2. how could there be a faith of dependencie in Christ for hee was the same independent God with the Father Answ. There were two relations in Christ one as Viator going toward glory and leading many children with him to glory another as comprehensor seeing and enjoying God 2. There were two sights in Christ one of Vision another of Vnion the sight of Vnion of two natures is the cause of the sight of vision Christ being on his journey travelling toward glory did with a faith of dependency rest on God as his Father seeing and knowing that the Union could not be dissolved but as a Comprehensor and one at the end of the race injoying God in habit there was no necessitie that Christ should alwaies Et in omni differentiâ temporis actually see and enjoy God in an immediate vision of glory For 1. this implyeth no contradiction to the personall union even as the seeing of God habitually which is the most joyfull sight intelligible and by necessitie of nature does produce joy and gladnesse may and did consist in
Libertines doe us from which wee are as farre as the East from the West Propos. â— It is not our doctrine but the weakenesse of sinners and of the flesh that we should be shie to Christ and stand aloofe from the Physitian because of the desperate condition of our disease This is as if one should say it is not fit for the naked to goe to him who offereth white linnen to cloath him nor that the poore should goe to him who would be glad you would take his fine gold off his hand or to say set not a young plant but let it lye above earth till you see if it beare fruit Unworthinesse in the court of justice is a good plea why Christ should cast us off but unworthynesse felt though not savingly is as good a ground to cast your selfe on Christ as poverty want and weakenesse in place of a Statute and act of Parliament to beg though the letter of the Law forbid any to beg Propos. 4. Acting and doing thouâ—h neither savingly nor soundly is not merit of grace yet not contrary to grace to obey the law of nature to give almes is not against grace Libertines should not reject this though it be not all but a most poore All to engage Christ. Propos. 5. Faith is a morall condition of life eternall and wrought in us by the free grace of God I never saw a contradiction between a condition wrought by irresistible grace and the gift or free grace of life eternall for life eternall given in the law and Adams doing and performing by the irresistible acting and assisting of God are not contrary yet the former was never merit but grace the latter was Legall doing Propos. 6. We doe receive the promise of willing and doing wrought immediatly in us according to the good will and most free grace of Christ and yet we are agents and worke under Christ. Propos. 7. Luther for I could fill a booke with citations Calvine and all our Protestant Divines are for qualifications voyd of merit or promise before conversion and for gracious conditions after conversion under the Gospel Antinomians belie Luther Propos. 8. Antinomians yeeld the preaching of the Law and preparations before conversion and conditions after and peace from signes of sanctification c. yet they are to be reputed enemies to grace and holinesse and turne all sanctification in their imaginary faith and justification of which they are utterly ignorant Never Antinomian knew rightly what free justification is Propos. 9. Immediate resting on Christ for all wee doe and drawing of comfort from the testimony of a good conscience are not contrary Propos. 10. Holinesse idolized or trusted in is to make Christ the alone Saviour no Saviour Propos. 11. God is not provoked to reprobate whom hee elected from eternity by new sins yet is hee displeased with Davids adultery so farre as to correct him for it and Solomon for his back-sliding with the rod of men Propos. 12. Works before justification please not God but it followes not that God keeps not such an order as sense of sin though not saving should goe before pardon and conversion no more then because Adams sin pleased not God therefore it should not goe before the Sons taking on our flesh If we are not to doe nor act any thing before conversion neither to heaâ—e conferre know our sinfull condition nor be humbled for sin despaire of salvation in our selves because these are not merits before conversion nor can they procure conversion to us neither are wee after conversion to beleeve for beleeving cannot merit righteousnessâ— and lâ—fe eternall nor are we to heare pray be patient rejoyce in trâ—â—â—lation for not any of these can procure life eternall to us And why is not the doing of the one as wâ—ll as the other a seeking righteousnesse in our selves Propos. 13. The promise of Christs comming in the flesh 2. and of giving a new heart are absolute promises the former requireth no order of providence but that sin goe before redemption the latter requireth an order of providence not of any Gospel-promise or merit in any sort there nâ—ver was never can be merit betwâ—en a meere creature and God Propos. 14. There is no faith no act of Christs coyn or of the right stamp before justification Propos. 15. Wee are justified in Christ virtually as in the publike Head when hee rose again and was justified in the Spirit 2. In Christ as hâ—s merits are 〈◊〉 cause of our justification 3. In Christ apprehended by faâ—th formâ—lly in the Scriptures sense in the Epistle to the Romanes and Galathians not that faith is the formall cause or any merit in justification but because it layâ—s â—old on impâ—ted riâ—â—â—eoâ—snesse which is the formall cause of our justiâ—â—caâ—ion 4. We are justified in our own sense and feeling not by faith 〈◊〉 because wee may beleeve and neither know that wee bâ—lâ—eve nor be sensible of our justification but as wee know that wee beleeve whether this knowledge result from the lighâ— of faith or from signes as meanes of our knowledge 5. Juâ—â—iâ—ication by way of declaration to others is not so infallible as that the Scripture calls it justification properly so named Object 8. I was sixthly in hearing the word shined upon by a sweet witnessing of the Spirit But O how I did strive against this work I was called upon but I put away all promises of mercy from me I may justly say The Lord saved me whether I would or no. Sometimes I was dead and could not pray sometimes so quickened that me thought that I could have spent a whole night in prayer to God Answ. 1. If the faith of the eternall love of free election was his first conversion no wonder hee was shined upon with light But it was not Scripture-light but wild-fire for the method of Christs drawing in the Scripture is not Enthusiasticall up at secret election at first There is no doubt wee put Christ away from us after conversion Cant. 5.1 and that so Christ saves us against our will That the principle of saving is free grace 2. that free will is neither free nor willing till Christ first draw us till hee renew and work upon the will But I feare Antinomians will have free will a block to doe nothing at all If Christ will let me sinne say they let him look to it upon his honour be it And Faith justifies an unbeleever that is that faith that is in Christ justifieth me who have no faith in my selfe And It is legall to say wee act in the strength of Christ. And To take delight in the holy service of God is to goe a whoring from God And A man may not be exhorted to any duty because hee hath no power to doe it And The Spirit acts most in the Saints when they endeavour least And In the conversion of a sinner the faculties of the soule and working thereof are
a Sermon free love that the man spake such an excellent word free love that I was not sleeping when it was spoken free love that the Holy Ghost drove that word into the soule as a nayle fastened by the Master of the assembly it was free mercy so that there 's a meeting of shining favours of God in obtaining mercy and this would be observed Asser. 2. There be two ordinary wayes of God in drawing sinners one Morall by words another Physicall and reall by strong hand Which may be cleared thus Fancie led with some gilding of apparent or seeming good as hope of food doth allure and draw the bird to the grin and sometime pleasure as a glasse and the singing of the Fowler So is fish drawne to nibble at the angle and lines cast out hoping to get food Now this is like Morall drawing in men and all this is but objective working on the fancy But when the foot and wing of the bird is entangled with the net and the fish hath swallowed down the bait and an instrument of death under it now the Fowler draweth the bird and the Fisher the fish a farre other way even by reall violence The Physician makes the sick child thirsty then allures him to drink physick under the notion of drink to quench his thirst this is morall drawing of the child by wiles But when the child hath drunk the drink works not by wiles or morally but naturally without freedome and whether the child will or no it purgeth head and stomack That there is a Morall working by the word in the drawing of sinners to Christ though most evident yet must be proved against Antinomians and Enthusiasts who write That the whole letter of the Scripture holds forth a covenant of works And The due search and knowledge of the holy Scripture is not a safe and sure way of searching and finding Christ. And There is a testimony of the Spirit and voyce unto the soule meerly immediate without any respect unto or concurrence with the word And Such a faith as is wrought by a practicall Syllogisme or the word of God is but an humane faith because the conclusion followeth but from the strength of reasonings or reason not from the power of God by which alone divine things are wrought Ephes. 1.19 20. Col. 2.20 and that because such a faith wrought by the word the works of sanctification in the regenerate and light of a renewed conscience are all done by things that are created blessings and gifts and these cannot produce that which is onely produced by an Almighty power For the word of it selfe without the Spirit yet the word is more then works of sanctification is but a dead letter but that God works faith by the word his owne Spirit concurring is cleare 1. The Prophets alledge this for their warrant Thus saith the Lord. Ergo You must beleeve it And one more and greater then all the Prophets But I say so Christ God equall with the Father speaketh 2. Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Verse 14. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard It s true the word the works of God are not the principall object of faith nor objectum quod faith rests onely on God and the Lord Jesus Joh. 14.1 1 Thes. 1.8 Your faith toward God 1 Pet. 1.21 Deut. 1.32 Joh. 3.12 Gen. 15.6 Dan. 6.23 Rom. 4.3 Gal. 2.16 2 Tim. 1.12 The word promises and Prophets and Apostles are all creatures and but media fidei the meanes of saving faith they are objectum quo Joh. 5.46 Psal. 106.12 Exod. 4.8 Psal. 78.7 of themselves they are dead letters and dead things and cannot without the Spirit produce faith Yea all habits of grace of faith of love in us are like the streames of a fountaine that would dry up of themselves if the spring did not with a sort of eternity furnish them new supply so would habits of grace being but created things wither in us if they were not supplied from the Fountaine Christ. And all beings created in comparison of the first Being are nothing and all nations to him are lesse then nothing and vanity Isai. 40.17 and so are the infused habits of grace nothing If this were the meaning of Familists and Antinomians who say that there is in us no inherent grace but that grace is onely in Christ we should not contend with them Wee teach no such thing as that Reasonings Syllogismes or the Scriptures without the Spirit can produce Faith yet is it vaine arguing to say raine and dew the Summer-Sunne good soyle cannot bring forth roses floures vines cornes because sure it is a worke of Omnipotencie that produceth all these and so its vaine to say that because Faith is the worke of the omnipotencie of Grace therefore Faith commeth not by hearing and reasoning from Scripture the contrary whereof is evident in Christs proving of the resurrection by consequence from Scripture Mat. 22.31 32. Luk. 20.37 â—8 Nor can any say Christ may make discourses from Scripture and his reasonings because he is the King of the Church are valid and may produce faith but we cannot doe the like nor are our reasonings Scriptures for Christ râ—buketh the Saduces Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures c. because they beleeved not the consequences of Scripture as Scripture and made not the like discourse for the building of themselves in the faith 3. The searching of the Scriptures is life eternall the onely way to find Christ. Joh. 5.39 Acts 10.43 Rom. 3.21 Esai 8.20 4. Gen. 9.27 God shall perswade Japhet by the Scriptures preached and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem Acts 16.14 Gods opening of the heart and Lydia's hearing and attending to the word that Paul spoke goe together 5. The way of Enthusiasts in rejecting both Law and Gospel and all the written word of God is because there is no light in them Some immediate sense of God and working of the holy Ghost on the soule of the child of God witnessing to me in particular that I am the child of God I deny not and that my name expressely is not in Scripture is as true but this testimony excludeth not the Scripture as if the searching thereof were no safe way of finding Christ as they blasphemously say 1. Because this Enthusiasme excludeth the onely revealed rule by which we trie the Spirits and we are forbidden to presume above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.16 and Enthusiasts have acted murthers and much wickednesse under this notion of inspirations of the Spirit 2. Because if the matter of that which is revealed be not according to the written Word Now after the Scriptrue is signed by Christs owne hand Revel 22.18 I see not what we are to beleeve of these inspirations What extraordinary impulsions and propheticall instincts have been in holy men and such as God hath raised to reforme his
and â—ll all empty desires and as if the soule were without bottome afresh they suck againe in acts for â—ternity continued there be no such thing here in this life Yet hath Christ crucified in his bosome the promise and full purchase of this life on the crosse and holds it out to sinners to draw them 5. We have not yet attained to the resurrection of our bodies but cary about such clods of death as the wormes must sweetly feed on and have a seed and subject of distempers in our clay-tabernacles all which we are uncapable of in the state of perfection when the body shall bee more naturally clothed with immortality then the greenest and most delitious Rose or floure which we could suppose were growing fresh greene and beautifull for ever in such a happy soile as the fields that lye on the banks and within the drawings of sap from the river of life 6. We are not masters of the invasion at least of temptations of devils of men here 7. Perfection maketh the generall assembly of all the Sons of Sion the heavenly family is never convened but in place countrey condition separated some borne some not borne somâ— wâ—king some sleeping in the dust some in their countrey some in thâ— way to their countrey 8. Thâ—â—e is no Temple no Ordinances in our countrey of pâ—rfâ—â—tioâ— Revel â—1 2 1 Cor. 13.8 9. Thâ—â—e â—s â—o Angâ—l life here without marriage eating drinking bâ—gâ—ting of children Luk. 22.29 30. Mar. 12.25 Clay cannot live 〈◊〉 earthly up above the clouds and visible heavens till this corruptiblâ— shall put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15. Now for the meanes of attaining this fâ—lâ—â—â—se wee have no other knowne and revealed to us in this life but the Scriptures and Faith the one without and externall and the other within Under these I comprehend all the ordinances of Gâ—d Familists rejecting Scripture terming it an humane devise of Inke and Letters as Antichrist did before them they call their perfect ones from all acting praying hearing the word yea from knowing apprehending willing to a resting on God as meere patients God as their forme and Spirit immediatly acting on them The active annihilation saith the Bright-starre Chap. 11. pag. 106. is a ceasing from all acts vanishing of Images a doing of nothing and a resting of all motion or from doing the exterior will of God expressed in the Law and Gospel in their letter Pag. 107. Passive annihilation is when the man himselfe and all other things Meditation knowing desiring of God praying and the practise of a holy life are cast asleepe and are made nothing The active annihilation is when the man himselfe and all other things are annihilated not onely sufferingly as in the passive but doingly I meane by light in the understanding as well naturall as supernaturall wherein he sees and most infallibly knowes that all those things are nothing and rests upon this knowledge in despight of feeling Pag. 140. It s not best to forsake the passive annihilation and the fruitive love the loving of God as our last injoyed end depending thereupon to take in hand by acts to practise the active annihilation provided thaâ— by simple remembrance shee stand to her part For there it is Pag. 141. that the soule is so transported inlarged inlightned and united to God There shee tasts the chast embraces sweet intercourses and divine kisses there shee seeth her selfe sublimed innobled and glorified with Angels at the celestiall table There shee relisheth the fruits of her mortification the treasures of her repentance and the comforts of all her selfe-denials Pag. 144.145 To forsake such an experimentall union with God and that men should leape backe to themselves and re-betake themselves to their owne acts refuse to endure this emptinesse povertie of Spirit this will of God and all Spiritly entercourse super-celestiall or essentiall illumination though indeed the true and divine Wisdome and naked seeing of God So that by their flying back and returning to themselves that is leaving the contemplative life of Monks and returne to a practicall walking with God they doe no other but farre estrange themselves from all poore and empyre all knowledge and from all union and transformation into God and so bide alwaies straightned within themselves and their own bowels and in the fetters of the old man Now if you aske what it is to put off the old man the Theologia Germanica saith Cap. 5. Pag. 9.10 It is to ascribe neither being action knowledge nor goodnesse to your selfe but to God the eternall wisdome and thus Man and the Creature evanisheth thus ought man to become void of all things that is not to arrogate them to himselfe and the lesse knowledge the creature doth arrogate to it selfe it becommeth the more perfect the like we must conceive of Love Will Desire and all such things for the lesse that man doth arrogate these things to himselfe the nobler excellenter and diviner he becommeth and the more he doth assume these things to himselfe so much is he made the more blockish base and imperfect Theologia Germanica cap. 14. pag. 32. that a man die to himselfe it is as much as if you would say as himselfe or egoity should die Saint Paul saith put off the old man with his works pag. â—4 If it could come to passe that any man might wholy and absolutely cast off himself so as that he lived without all things in true obedience as the humanitie of Christ was then he should be voidâ—â—imself and one with Christ and should bee the same by grace that Christ was by nature Pag. 35. This also is written the more selfe-ends and egoity the more there is of sinne and unrighteousnesse and the lesser there is of the one the greater want there is of the other This also is written the more that my selfe doth decrease that is egoity or selfâ—enesse the more doth GOD in mee encrease Hence GOD is a Spirit acting and all in all men and for men to ascribe the good to God and the ill to themselves is obedience and to arrogate being or good to themselves is sinne So Theologia Germanica taketh away the incarnation of Christ thus Chap. 22. pag. 52.53 Yet are there waies to the life of Christ as we have already said when and wherein God and man are joyned together so that it may be truely said and truth it selfe may acknowledge it that the true and perfect God and true and perfect man are one and man doth so yeeld and give place to God that where God himselfe is there is man and that God also be there present and work alone and doe and leave any thing undone without any I to â—e mine or the like whâ—re thâ—se things are and exist there is true Christ and no where â—lâ—e It s the property of God to consist and to bee without 〈◊〉 or that without selfenesse egoity or the like but it is the â—â—â—perty of the
otherwise for the Apostle avoucheth the Gospel is preached the promise of salvation published to all that call on the Lords Name v. 12. Be they Jewes or Grecians that is Gentiles and beleeve they must or else they cannot pray and needs they must heare or then they cannot beleeve and hear they cannot except God send Preachers But God hath sent Preachers with pleasant feet to both Iewes and Gentiles as the Prophets Isaiah and Nahum fâ—retold v. 13 14 15. and they have not all obeyed v. 16 17 18. But it may be said They have not all heard the Gospel preached this must certainly excuse the Gentiles if they beleeve not having never heard of Christ how can they beleeve as it is v. 14. It s a rationall excuse I cannot sin in not beleeving the Gospel saith the Gentile yea and Christ frees them from the sin of unbeliefe also Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them and so if they had not had a Lord Speaker from heaven they had not had sin That is they should have ben free of the Gospel-sin of unbelief but now they have no cloak for their sin Now they cannot say Lord we cannot beleeve a Gospel never spoken to us by any nor heard of by us But sure the Iewes heard these creatures and works of God that preached his glory Psal. 19.6 And if they preach Christ objectively as Amyrald and other Arminians fancie then the not hearing and not obeying the Gospel thus preached had been their sin though Christ or his Apostles had never spoken the Gospel which is contrary to Christs word Ioh. 15.22 And contrary to Paul how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard by the preaching of a sent Minister who subjectively and vocally must preach the Gospel But to return to the state of the question 4. So much of God is revealed to all even to those who never heard of Christ as serves to make all unexcusable for that knowing willingly and knowingly they glorifie not God as God Rom. 1.19 20 21. 5. All within the visible Church have meanes sufficient in their kinde in genere mediorum externorum to save them 6. As none can be saved by the light of nature nor ever any used or could use it so far forth as to improve it for their sufficient preparation to receive the tidings of the Gospel either from Men or Angels sent to preach to them or by any inspiration bringing the sense or things signified in the Gospel so saved they cannot bee by any name under heaven but by the Name of Christ that is Christ named preached and revealed in the Gospel Act. 4.10 11 12. Joh. 14.6 Heb. 11.6 Joh. 5.40 and 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life and hee that hath not the Son hath not life 7. The question is whether or no God so farre forth willeth desireth intendeth that all and every one within and without the visible Church Tartarians and Indians who never by any rumor hard of Christ not excepted that hee giveth them sufficient meanes and helps of a common and universall grace which if they would use well the Lord should so reward pro-move or increase whether out of decencie or a congruous disposition of goodness or of equity or of free promise or any obligation so farre as to send the Gospel to them and bestow on them a larger measure of saving and internall grace by which they should if they so would bee converted to the Faith of Christ and saved We deny Arminians affirme 2. Whether the Lord from eternity late Arminians are for time-election hath absolutely without any provision in or pre-science or fore-knowledge of good works Faith perseverance in both or of condition reason cause merit qualification in some certaine and definite persons rather then others predestinated and chosen them to glory and life eternall And all the meanes conducing to this end and that of meere free grace because he so willeth or if the Lord passe no definite compleat peremptorie and irrevocable decree to save some certain persons while he forsees them expiring and dying in faith and holy conversation Arminians hold that the Lords decree of election of men to glory is generall conditionall incompleat changeable while he forsees they have ended their course in the Faith and then peremptorily and irrevocably he passeth a fixed decree to save such and not others we deny any such loose decrees in the Almighty and beleeve that of free grace he chuseth some absolutely without conditions in them or respect to any good foreseene to be in them rather then in others because He hath mercy on whom hee will and hardens whom he will Rom. 9.17.18 3. Upon this generall indefinite revocable and conditionall good will and intention of God to save all and every one whether or no did the Father give his Sonne and the Sonne dye for all and every one intending absolutely to impetrate and obtaine to all and every one of mankinde remission of sinnes and especially expiation of sinne originall and all sins against the covenant of works and salvation to them all both within and without the visible Church and the opening of the gates of heaven so as God hath laid aside his anger for all these sins hath made all savable reconciliable that notwithstanding of divine Justices plea against men all and every one may according to the intention of God bee saved in his bloud so they would as they may and can beleeve in Christ we deny Arminans here affirme 2. The mind of Arminians Arminians runne upon six Universalities 1. They say God beareth to all and every man of what kind soever an equall universall and Catholike good will yâ—a to Esau Pharaoh Judas as to Jaakob Moses and Peter to save them all so as this love is not stinted to any certaine persons precisely and absolutly loved and chosen to salvation 2. That there is a Catholicke price an universall ransome given by Christ dying on the Crosse for all and every one an Attonement made and a Redemption purchased in Christs bloud by which all and every one Pharaoh Judas Cain all the heathens Tartarians Americans Virginians that never heard of Christ are made savable and reconcilâ—iable and God made placable and exorable to them so aâ— though they be lost in the first Adam yet have they a new venture of heaven and in Christs death the Lord hath a generall antecedent and priâ—â—ry intention to save all without exception yet no more to save Moses and Peter then Judas and Pharaoh Yea that the fruit of Christs death and the effect of it may stand though all and every one of mankinde were eternally lost and not one person saved 3. As there was a Catholicke forfeiture of all so there is a second covenant of free grace made with all and every one of Adams sonnes with promises of free grace a new heart righteousnesse and
the Holy Ghost on Ananias and Saphira Rom. 4. Abraham is called the father of us all A spirituall father by faith he is to those that are of the faith of Abraham Now Arminians will not suffer us to expound us all in the matter of Redemption of us all the elect of God and beleevers but of all and every one within the visible Church Joh. 1.16 And of his fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace There is as good ground for saving grace given to all in Christ as for Universall Redemption except the words be restricted For Arminians have ground from the words to alledge All we among whom Christ dwelt have received grace all we who saw his glory as the only begotten Son of God v. 14. which sight is the sight of saving faith not given to all and every Son of Adam 14. And he dwelt personally in the flesh and nature of all Adams Sons So is it said 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be Jewes or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink unto one Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How can Arminians decourt from a spirituall communion in both Sacraments all Jewes and Gentiles in the visible body of Christ except they restrict all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we doe And 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Now Paul speaketh of all under the Gospel and under the glorious ministration of the Spirit opposite to the condition of the children of Israel who were under the Law which was the ministration of death v. 6 7 8. Whose minds are blinded through the vaile that was and yet is over the hearts of that stiffenecked people in reading of the Old Testament whereas this vail is taken away in Christ and wee all under the Gospel have the Spirit and are free and see the glory of the Lord and are changed into the same glory being in the Suburbs of Heaven all of us having our faces shining with the rayes and beames of the glory of the Gospel in the face of God in a more glorious manner then the face of Moses did shine when he came downe from the Mount with a glory that was to be done away whereas this is eternall v. 9 10 11 12. compared with v. 17 18. Now let Arminians speak if they thinke all and every one that heareth the Gospel are partakers of this vision of God in the Kingdome of Grace And Ephes 4. Christ ascending on high gifted his Church with a Ministery v. 13. Till we all come in the unitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God into a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnes of Christ. When we to decline the absolute universality of the redemption of all and every one doe say We all and he tasted death for all men and Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all All must be restricted according to the Scope the antecedent and consequent of the Text we cannot be heard Master Moore saith we make the Holy Ghost to speake untruth because we expound all men to be few men yet must they either use the same restriction and acknowledge an universality of converted and saved men and so expound All to be few as we doe or they can no more decline the universall salvation of all and every one then we can decline the Catholike redemption of all and every one So they must say that the number of the perfected Saints that attaine to the fulnesse of grace and glory and to a perfect man in Christ is equall to that visible body the Church gifted with Apostles Evangelists Prophets and Pastors and Teachers For all the like places Arminians expound of the body of the whole body of the visible Church externally called now this is most absurd that all and every one should bee saved to whom Apostles and Pastors were sent to preach the Gospel then need force All must be restricted to the chosen flocke only So Luk. 16.16 The kingdome of God is preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and every man presseth violently to it The meaning is not as Master Denne saith that every one is pressed by command and Gospell-exhortation to repent For 1. from John Baptists time all and every one heareth not the Gospel Matth. 10.5 2 Matth. 11. ver 2. is clearely expounded by an Active verbe these that take heaven violenly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take it by force but doe all and every Sonne of Adam take heaven by force No then there must be an All and a Catholicke company of converted and saved persons by this conceit And 1 Thess. 5.5 Yea are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of the darknesse these All that are called the children of the day are opposed in the foregoing Verses to the children of darkenesse on whom the last day commeth suddenly as child-birth paines on a woman 2. All these are the children of light who are exhorted to be sober not to sleep Vers. 6 7 8. And whom God hath not appointed for wrath but for salvation by the meanes of our Lord Jesus But these bee all the visible Church of Thessalonica Ergo there were no children of darkenesse among them which is absurd and will be denyed by Arminians When Christ speaketh to the multitude he saith Matth. 25.8 All yee are brethren they must be brethren by the new birth Vers. 8. Call no man your Father on earth c. Philip. 1.7 Yee are all partakers of my grace Now he speaketh of these in whom Christ had begunne the good worke and would perfect it into the day of Christ Vers. 6. Such the Arminians doe say were all the visible Saints at Philippi Then by this all and every one of them were converted 1 Cor. 11.4 The head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of every man is Christ of every man without exception No these of whom Christ is hâ—ad these are his body the Church that have life from him and are knit to him by the Spirit and among themselves by spirituall ligatures Ephes. 1.22.23 and Christs fulnesse Ephes. 4 â—6 Col. 1.18 Gen. 21.6 All that heares shall laugh with me Sarah meaneth the laughter of faith then must all that heare of Sarahs bearing oâ— Isaak in her old age beleeve in Christ as Sarah did Psalm 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come a figure there must be in the word flâ—sh and if there be no figure in the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then must all flesh and all Adams Sonnes put up prayers to God contrary to experience and to Scripture Psalm 14.4 Psal. 53.4 Jer. 10.25 So Psal.
Testimonies to Israel and Jaakob and dealt not so with every nation Psal. 147.19 20. Every Page almost in the old Testament and the Lords Spirit and all Divines argue that the Lord chose Israel and loved them and saved them and with a higher and more peculiar love as his chosen people then he loved all the Nations Deut. 7.7 Psal. 132.12.13.14 Psal. 135.3 4. Because he bestowed on them the meanes of salvation his Law and his Testimonies which he denyed to the Nations then the Nations were not his beloved and chosen ones 10. That will of God called voluntas signi the revealed will of God that precepts promises and threatnings hold forth doe not expresse to us the decree intention and purpose of God that he willeth the thing commanded to be but onely that hee approves of the thing commanded as just and good whether it be or be not what ever the event bee then Gods revealed will is no more formally but his approbation of the morall goodnesse and obedience of elect and reprobate whether they obey or not 11. These that Christ offered his body for as a Priest for these as a Priest he intercedes and prayes for these two cannot be separated but he prayes not for all not for the world Joh. 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world 12. These for whom Christ is a Priest to offer his body for them he is a King to make them Kings and to save thâ—m and a Prophet to teach them but he is not King and Prophet to any but to his people kingdome conquest disciples seed children subjects 13. These that Christ dyed for cannot be condemned Rom 8.33 34. but are chosen and cannot be impeached but the reprobate can be condemned and impeached 14. Those whom God wills to save and whom he redeemed to these hee willed the meanes of salvation but he wills not the meanes nor that the Gospel bee preached to the Gentiles Matth. 10.5 Nor to Asia nor Bithynia Acts 16.6 7. 15. All that Christ dyed for are justified and reconciled by his death and shall much more be saved by his life Rom. 5.9 1 Joh. 1.7 And God requireth not one debt twice if Christ sustained the person of all the elâ—cted as hee dyed for his friends Joh. 15.13 for his Sheep Joh. 10.11 For his Church Ephes. 5.25 For many Mat. 20.28 For his enemies Rom. 5.10 For the ungodly and unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 For his brethren Hebr. 2. 1 Joh. 3.16 and not for their good onely so as they might all and every one have perished eternally that Christ dyed for then cannot they dye eternally for then Christ should first have payed their debt and they must pay for that debt over againe eternally in hell then might Christ be a Redeemer a King a Priest a Husband a Saviour and head and have no ransomed ones no subjects no Israel that he interceds for and offers his soule no Spouse no saved people no memhers no Church Artic. 4. Places of Scripture seeming to favour universall attonement vindicated For the fourth particular and the clearing of places alledged We are 1. to consider if the place John 3.16 prove any thing against us 2. If all men and all the world that are said to be redeemed be concludent against us 3. There be some particular places to be considered 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 World must bee a figurative speach the whole for the part otherwise in its latitude it comprehends the Angels Acts 17.24 Rom. 3.6 1 Cor. 6.2 Rom. 1.20 Joh. 17.5 Now its certaine God hath not so loved Angels good and bad that he hath given his onely begotten Sonne for them Hebr. 2.16 therefore it must sometime signifie a great part of the world as John 12.19 The world goes after him 1 Ioh. 5.19 Yhe whole world lyes in evill The Adversary yeeldeth that the world here is not all and every one of mankind without exception I deny not but it signifieth so Rom. 3.13 That all the world may become guilty before God But the Arminians take on them a hard taske duram proviciam to prove that it is so taken here For 1. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God so loved the world is the highest love that ever was above Gods love to the Angels Heb. 2.16 So God must carry the most superlative love that is then which there is none greater Iohn 15.13 Such a love as is manifested to us to the beloved Iohn the Apostle and all the Saints 1 Ioh. 49. to Cain Iudas and all the heathen and God love giving his Sonne differenceth men from Angels but not one man from another the contrary of which Paul saith Gal. 2.20 and must Paul say no more Who loved me and gave himselfe for me then Iudas Pharaoh all the lost heathen who never heard of Christ can and may say beleeve it who will it sounds not like Christs love 2. They have two sorts of love in Christs dying for men to make out two Redemptions one generall one potentiall or halfe a Redemption where life is purchased never applyed standing with the eternall destruction of the greatest part of mankind another speciall in which men are Redeemed from sinne preached to few applyed to farre fewer 3. Two Reconciliations two non-imputations of sinne one 2 Cor 5. another Rom. 4. and so two justifications one Rom 5. and two blessednesses and two salvations or deliveries from wrath and the curse of the Law 4. This giving love with which God must give all other things faith the Gospel Rom. 8.32 must bee bestowed on heathen that never heard such a thing 5. God by this must intend life eternall as an end to all the heathen Faith as a meane which are clearely intended to this loved world and yet God forbids Paul and his Apostles to preach the word of faith to them Acts 16.6 7. Math. 10.5 and contrives businesses so that the hearing of the word of faith and of this highest love and rarest gift and given Redeemer shall be simply unpossible to them 6. Therefore better by the World understand the elect of Jewes and Gentiles opposed every where in the New Testament to the narrow Church of Judea the Gospel-world the Messiahs-world larger then the little world of Moses yea all Nations Math. 28.19 Every creature that is most of all the Nations Mark 16.15 all the world the hearing world almost all the Nations Colloss 1.6 sure not every individuall person as they would have this loved world to include Ob. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that every one that beleeves c. these words limit and draw narrow the world and so divides it in beleevers and not beleevers and by your exposition some of the elect world beleeves and are saved some beleeves not and perishes which is absurd therefore the world must bee comprehensive of all elect and reprobate Anâ—w 1. I shall deny that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whosoever is here a distributive or dividing
when that faileth them and they dare not pray to God they petition hills and mountaines to be graves above them to bury such lumps of wrath quicke Revel 6. 2. I defie any man with all his art to be an Hypocrite and to play the Politician in hell at the last judgement in the houre of death or when the conscience is wakened A robber doth never mocke the Law and Justice at the Gallowes what ever he doe in the woods and mountaines Men doe cry and weep and confesse sinnes right downe and in sad earnests when Conscience speaketh out wrath there is no mind then of Fig-leave-coverings or of colours veiles masks or excuses 3. Conscience is a peece of eternity a chip that fâ—ll from a Deity and the neerest shaddow of God and endeth as it begins At first even by it's naturall constitution Conscience warreth against Concupiscence and speaketh sadly out of Adam while it is hot and not cold-dead I was afraid hearing thy voice I hid my selfe and this it doth Rom. 1.19 chap. 2.15 While lusts buy and bribe conscience out of office then it cooperateth with sinne and becommeth dead in the end when God shaketh an eternall rod over conscience then it gathereth warme bloud againe as it had in Adams daies and hath a resurrection from death and speaketh gravely and terribly without going about the bush O how ponderous and heavy How farre from tergiversation cloakings and shifting are the words that dying Atheists utter of the deceitfulnesse of sinne the vanitie of the World the terrours of God Was not Judas in sad earnest did Saul speake policie when he weepeth on the Witch and saith I am sore distressed Did Spira dissemble and sport when he roared like a Beare against divine wrath What shall I say This saith that Christ answering for our sinnes had nothing to say The sufferer of Satisfactorie paine has no words of Apologie for sinne The friend that was to bee cast in utter darknes for comming to the Supper of the great King without his wedding Garment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his mouth was muzled as the mouth of a mad dog he was speechlesse and could not barke when Divine justice speaketh out of God Job chap. 40. answereth ver 4. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand on my mouth When the Church findeth justice pleading against her It 's thus Ezech. 16.63 That thou mayest remember thy sinnes and be confounded and there may bee no more an openining of a mouth because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord. I grant satisfactory justice doth not here put men to silence but it proveth how little we can answer for sinne Even David remembring that Shimei and other Instruments had deservedly afflicted him in relation to Divine justice saith Psalm 39.9 I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou didst it There were three demands of justice given in against Christ all which hee answered Justice put it home upon Christ. 1. All the elect have sinned and by the law are under eternall wrath To this claime our Advocate and Suretie could say nothing on the contrary It 's true Lord. Christ doth satisfie the Law but not contradict it The very word of the Gospel answereth all these In this regard Christs silence was an answer and to this Christ said What shall I say I have nothing to say 2. Thou art the sinner in Law to this Christ answered A body thou hast given me The Sonne of man came not to be served but to serve and to give himselfe a ransome for many Matth. 20.28 The whole Gospel saith Christ who knew no sinne was made sinne for us 3. Thou must die for sinners This was the third demand and Christ answereth it Psal. 40. Hebr. 10. Thou hast given me a body here am I to doe thy will To all these three Christ answered with silence and though in regard of his patience to men it be said Esai 53.7 Hee was brought as a Lambe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before the shearer is dumbe so he opened not his mouth Yet it was most true in relation to Divine justice and the Spirit of God hath a higher respect to Christs silence which was a wonder to Pilate before the bar of Gods justice O could we by faith see God giving in a black and sad claime a bill written within and without in which are all the sinnes of all the elect from Adam to the last man and Christ with watery eyes receiving the claime and saying Lord It 's just debt crave me what shall I say on the contrary We should be more bold not barely to name our sinnes and tell them over to God but to confesse them and study more for the answer of a good Conscience by faith to substitute an Advocate to answer the demands of Justice for our sinnes and if men beleeved that Christ as suretie satisfieing for their sinnes could say nothing on the contrary but granted all they should not make excuses and shifts either to wipe their mouth with the whoore and say I have not sinned nor be witty to make distinctions and shifts and excuses to cover mince and extenuate their sinnes Father save me from this houre The fourth part of this complaint is an answer that Faith maketh to Christs question What shall I say What shall I doe Say praying wise saith Faith Father save me from this houre A word of the Coherence then of the words Wee often dreame that in trouble helpe is beyond Sea and farre off as farre as heaven is from earth When help is at our elbow and if the Spirit of Adoption bee within the prisoner hath the Key of his owne Jayle within in his owne hand God was in Christs bosome when he was in a stormy Sea and the light of Faith saith behold the shore at hand Death taketh feet and power of motion from a man but Psal. 23.4 yet Faith maketh a supposition that David may walke and live breathe in the grave in the valley of the shaddow of death It 's the worke of Faith to keep the heate of life in the warme bloud even among clods of clay when the man is buried This anxious condition Christ was in as other straits are to the Saints is a strait and narrow passe there was no help for him on the right hand nor on the left nor before nor behind nor below Christ as David his type Psal. 141.4 Looked round about but refuge failed him no man cared for his soule but there was a way of escape above him it was a faire easie way to heaven The Church was in great danger and trouble of warre and desolation when shee spake to God Psalm 46. Yet their faith seeing him to bee very neere them God is our refuge and strength true he can save saith sense but that is a fowle flying in the woods and
over-Sea-hop farre off Not far off saith Faith A very present help in trouble or a help easily or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exceedingly found in troubl◠So Psalm 44 9. Thou hast cast us off Hebr. Thou art farre from us thou hast put us to shame What lower could the people be Vers. 19. We are in the dungeon in the place of dragons We are in the cold grave beside the wormes and corruption and thou hast covered us with the shaddow of death a cold bed Yet then see what Faith saith Vers. 20. Wee have not forgotten the name of our God Our God is a word of great faith And to come to Christ his Soule was troubled He was at What shall I say In a great perplexitie Yet he hath a strong faith both of his Father and of his owne condition He beleeved God to bee his Father and calleth him Father Yea in this hell hee applyeth the relation of a Father to himselfe Matth. 26.39 O my Father this is the warmest love-thought of God and when his comfort was ebbest his confidence in the Covenant strongest My God my God c. It s much glory to our Lord that Faith sparkle fire and bee hot when comfort is cold and low O what an honour to God the man is slaine and cold dead yet he beleeves strongly the salvation of God Christ kills the poore man and the mans faith kisseth and hangeth about Christs neck and sayes If I must dye let Christs bosome be my death-bed Then hee must beleeve if God was his Father by good Logick he must be the Sonne of God and if God was his God then the heire of all must claime the priviledges of all the Sons of the house in Covenant God I may say was more then Christs God and more then in covenant with God as he was more then a servant so more then a Sonne then a common one and Christs faith is so rationall and so binding with strength of reason that he will but use such a weapon as we may use even the light of Faith and hee will claime but the common benefit of all the Sonnes in covenant when he saith My God my God What ever Papists say if ever Christ was in hell it is now but see hee hath heaven present with him in hell If God could be apprehended by faith in hell as a God in covenant then should hell become heaven to that beleeving soule Christ tooke God and his God and his Father as Jonah a type of him downe to the bowels of hell with him and as we see some dying men they lay hold on some thing dying and dye with that in their hand which wee call the dead-gripe so Christ died with his Father by faith and his Spouse in regard of love stronger then the grave in his arms this was Christ's death embracings his death-kisse and Job professeth so much Lower hee could not be then hee complaineth hee is chap. 19. in all respects of body which was a clod of bones and skin in regard of wife servants deare friends of the hand of God in his soule Yet vers 25. I know that my goel my kinsman Redeemer liveth and that hee shall stand the last man on the earth This leadeth us in our forlorn perplexities to follow Christ's foot-steps both under evills of punishment and sin The people in their captivity in Babylon Ezek. 37. were an hoast of dead and which is more dry bones the Churches in Germany in Scotland are dry bones and in their graves the Churches in England and Scotland in regard of the sinfull divisions and blasphemous opinions in the worship of God are in a worse captivity and lower then dry bones and our woes are not at an end yet the faith of many seeth that deliverance and union there must be and that our graves must be opened and that the wind of the Lord must breathe upon the dry bones that they may live God hath in former times opened our graves when strange lords had dominion over us I would wee were freed of them now also but our yoke is heavier then it was but God shall deliver his people from those that oppresse them Again as you see in great perplexity Christ beleeved God to be his Father and that hee himselfe was a Son so are wee under pressures of conscience and doubtings because of sinne to keep precious high and excellent love-thoughts of Jesus Christ. Object 1. But what if a soule be brought to doubt of its conversion because hee findeth no good hee either doth or can doe true faith is a working faith Answ. Some so cure this as they prove Physicians of no value to poore soules I mean Antinomians For say they This is the disease that you in doubting of your faith because you find not such and such qualifications in you therefore seek a righteousnesse in your selfe and not in Christ. I should easily grant that man's inherent righteousnesse is in his carnall apprehension his very Christ and Redeemer but in the mean time These are two carnall and fleshly extremities and faith walketh in the middle between them 1. It s a fleshly way to say that because I find sinne reigning in me I have killed my brother saith a Cain I have betrayed the Lord of glory saith a Judas yet I am not saith a Libertine to question whether I beleeve or no for this putteth fleshly and prophane men on a conceit Be not solicitous what you are take you no feare of serving sin and divers lusts but beleeve and never doubt whether your faith be a dead or a living faith though you goe on to walk after the flesh but beleeve and doubt not whether you beleeve or no. The other extremity is of some weak Christians who because they find that in them that is in their flesh dwelleth no good and they sinne daily find much untowardnesse and back-drawing in holy duties therefore say they Christ's This is a false Conclusion drawn from a true Antecedent and springeth from a root of selfe-seeking and righteousnesse which wee naturally seek in our selves for I am not being once justified to seek my justification in my sanctification but being not justified I may well seek my non-justification in my non-sanctification as Libertines say this is the fault of all when it is the fault onely of some weak mis-judging soules so doe they take the Saints off from all disquietnesse and griefe of mind for neglect of spirituall duties as if all godly sorrow and displeasure for our sinfull omissions were nothing but a legall sorrow for want of selfe-righteousnesse and a sinfull unbeleefe but it s formally not any such thing but lawfull and necessary to make the sinner goe with a low sayle and esteem the more highly of Christ and it s onely sinfull when abused to such a legall inference I omit this and this I sinne in this and this ergo God is not my Father nor am
mans doubting from signes inherent in the man and if hee be a back-slider in heart you fetch fire and water from beyond the Moone to cure him or you must fetch warrants to convince him from the mind eternall counsells of love and free grace within God and that is all the question between the poore man and you You cannot prove God hath loved him from everlasting because hee hath loved him from everlasting If Libertines in this Argument intend to prove that a chosen convert in Christ hath no ground to question that hee is not beloved of God and not in Christ 1. That is nothing to the Thesis of Antinomians maintained by all that sinners as sinners are to beleeve Gods eternall love in Christ to them and so all sinners elect or reprobate are to beleeve the same 2. It s nothing to the universall commandement that all and every one in the visible Church wearied and loaden with sin or not wearied and loaden are immediatly to come to Christ and rest on him as made of God to them their righteousnesse sanctification and redemption without any inherent qualification in them 3. It s nothing to the point of freeing all and building a golden bridge to deliver all who are oblieged to beleeve elect or reprobate from doubting whether they be in Christ or not that they may easily come to Christ and beleeve his eternall love and redemption in him though they be in the gall of bitternesse and bonds of iniquity and that immediatly Which golden Paradise to heaven and Christ Antinomians liberally promise to all sinners as sinners I cannot beleeve that it s so easie a step to Christ. For the second It 's a dreame that God loveth sinners with the same love every way wherewith hee loveth his owne Sonne Christ. And why Because God loveth us onely for his owne Sonne and for nothing in us Ergo Farre more it must follow it s a farre other an higher fountaine love wherewith the Father loveth his owne eternall and consubstantiall Sonne the Mediator betweene God and man and that derived love wherewith he loveth us sinners As the one is 1. Naturall the latter free 2. The love of the Father to the Sonne as his consubstantiall Son and so farre as it 's essentially included in his love to Jesus Christ Mediator is not a love founded on grace and free-mercy which might never have beene in God because essentially the Father must love his Sonne Christ as his Sonne and being Mediator he cannot for that renounce his naturall love to him which is the fundamentall cause why hee loveth us for Christ his Sonne as Mediator but the love wherewith the Father loveth us for his Sonne Christ is founded on free Grace and mercy and might possibly never have been in God For 1. as he could not but beget his Sonne he could not but love him nature not election can have place in either but it was his Free will to create a man or not create him 2. He cannot but love his Sonne Christ but God might either have loved neither man nor Angel so as to chuse them to Salvation and he might have chosen other Men and Angels then these whom he hath chosen God hath no such freedome in loving his owne Consubstantiall Sonne 2. It s an untruth that God loveth his chosen ones as he doth love his Sonne that is with the same degree of love wherewith he loves his Sonne I thinke that not farre from either grosse ignorance or blasphemie It possibly may bee the same love by proportion with which the Father tendereth the Mediatour or Redeemer and all his saved and ransomed ones but in regard of willing good to the creature loved he neither loveth his redeemed with the same love wherewith hee loveth his Sonne except blasphemously we say God hath as highly exalted all the redeemed and given to them a name above every name as he hath done to his owne Sonne nor doth he so love all his chosen ones as hee conferreth equall grace and glory upon all alike as if one starre differed not from anoâ—her starre in glory in the highest heavens Our owne good works cannot make our Lord love us lesse or more with the love of eternall election but they may make God love us more with the love of complâ—cency and a sweeter manifestation of God in the fruits and gracious effects of his love According to that John 14.23 Jesus said if a man love me he will keepe my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him The third reason is the same with the first and proveth nothing but a Major Poposition not denied by the disquieted sinner which is this Who ever is justified and chosen cannot be condemned whom ever the Lord once loveth to salvation he must alwaies love to salvation for his love is like himselfe and changeth not But the disquieted sinner is chosen and loved to salvation This Assumption is all the question and the truth of a Major Proposition can never prove the truth of the Assumption Saltmarsh Free Grace Chap. 4. Pag. 83.84 85. Because you feele not your selfe sanctified you feare you are not justified If you suppose that God takes in any part of your faith repentance new obedience or sanctification as a ground upon which he justifieth or forgiveth 1. you are cleare against the Word for if it be of Workes it is no more of Grace 2. It must then be the onely evidence you seeke for and you aske for sanctification to helpe your assurance of justification but take it in the Scriptures way 1. In the Scriptures Christ is revealed to be our sanctification Christ is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Yee are Christs but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus He hath quickned us together with Christ. Wee are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good workes Jesus Christ himself being the chiefe corner stone That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that new man which after God was created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Wee are members of his body of his flesh and his bones And being found in him not having mine own righteousnesse I can dâ—e all things through Christ which strengthneth me But Christ is all in all Your life is hid with Christ in God Heb. 13.20 21. All these set forth Christ as our sanctification the fulnesse of his the all in all Christ hath beleeved perfectly for us he hath sorrowed for sinne perfectly he hath obeyed perfectly he hath mortified sinne perfectly and all is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods 2. The second thing is Faith about our owne sanctification we must beleeve more truth of our owne graces then we can see or feele the Lord in his Dispensation hath so ordered that here our life should be hid with Christ in God that we should
walke by faith not by sight So we are to beleeve our repentance true in him who hath repented for us our mortifying sinne true in him through whom we are more then conquerors our new obedience true in him who hath obeyed for us and is the end of the Law to every one that beleeveth our change of the whole man true in him who is righteousnesse and true holinesse And thus without faith its unpossible to please God This is Scripture-assurance to see every one in himselfe as nothing and himselfe every thing in Christ Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen All other assurances are rotten conclusions from the Word invented by Legall Teachers not understanding the mystery of the Kingdome of Christ. The Scriptures bid you see nothing in your selfe or all as nothing These teachers bid you see something in your selfe so as the leaving out Christ in Sanctification is the foundation of all doubts feares distractions And he that looketh on his repentance on his love on his humility on his obedience and not in the tincture of the bloud of Christ must needs beleeve weakely and vncomfortably Answer If a servant of sinne any Cain wakened with the terrors of God see his sinnes feele hell in his soule for them and have no warme thoughts of love and farre-off-affiance at least in Christ Jesus but flee from Christ and goe to the enemies of Christ for comfort as Judas did hee may strongly conclude I feele I am not sanctified I hate the Physitian Christ and runne from him Ergo I am not justified And from a true reall non-feeling of sanctification it s a strong consequence there 's no justification But from a mis-prizing of Grace and Sanctification in my selfe I cannot conclude I am not justified We know Papists in point of certaintie of salvation argue so many deluded Hypocrites beleeve or imagine they have oyle in their lamps yet they are deceived therefore the Saints can have no certainty they are in Christ. It s just like the answer now in hand A mis-judging of sanctification cannot argue no justification Ergo A true and reall judgement of no sanctification in Hypocrites and slaves of sinne cannot argue the persons to be justified who thus argue It is as if I should argue thus A frantick and a sleeping man cannot know that he is frantick and sleeping therefore a sober and a waking man cannot know that he is sober and waking For a deserted child of God is in some spirituall Phrensie and sleepe and does mis-prize Christ in himselfe and sanctification and therefore argueth often that he is not in Christ upon false principles But a wakened conscience in Cain and Judas doe strongly conclude I am not a new creature but a servant of sinne Ergo I am not justified and not in Christ and Cain in this consequence is sober and not asleepe 2. Not any Protestant Divine whom the Author calleth Legall Teachers ignorant of the mystery of the Gospel did ever teach that Faith new Obedience Repentance are grounds upon which God justifieth a sinner Antinomians who make Repentance and Mortification all one with Faith and as Master Den saith they are but a change of the minde to seeke righteousnesse and mortification in Christ not in our selves Thus much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie must say as wee are justified by faith so also by repentance and mortification if repentance be nothing but faith as they say 3. We seeke onely the evidence of justification in our holy walking as the Scripture doth 1 Pet. 1.24 Galat. 1.4 1 Pet. 1 18. 1 Joh. 3.14 Infinite places say these that live to Christ and are new Creatures must be in Christ and justified 2 Cor. 5.17 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11 12. Gal. 2.20 Col. 3.1 2 3 4. Then the arguing from the effect to the cause can be no rotten conclusion except by accident in a soule distempered under desertion and weakenesse 4. These places that make Christ our sanctification and Christ to live in us and beleevers to be the workemanship of Jesus created in him unto good workes c. Make not these to bee acts of Christ formally repenting perfectly in us sorrowing for sinne mortifying sinne perfectly in us as if wee were meere patients and were onely obliged to repent sorrow mortifie sinne when the Spirit breatheth â—n us and not otherwise as Libertines explaine themselves which I hope to refute hereafter 2. Nor doe these places make Justification and Regeneration all one as Master Towne with other Antinomians doe For we are not regenerated by faith but that we may beleeve but we are justified by faith 2. Regeneration putteth in us a new birth the image of the second Adam Justification formally is for the imputed righteousnesse of Christ which is in Christ not in us And it seemes to me that they make Justification and Sanctification all one for the Author saith that Christ not onely repenteth in us but for us Christ obeyed for us and is the end of the Law to every one that beleeveth Now what mysterious sense can be here I cannot dreame Sure it is no Gospel-secret if the meaning that Christ repenteth and obeyeth for us be that Christ by his grace worketh in us repentance and new obedience and mortification and the change of the whole man it s a good and sound sense But then how must all assurances from repentance and new obedience be the rotten conclusions of Legall Teachers To see all these wrought by Christ as the efficient and meritorious cause and to ascribe them to the Spirit of Jesus and thence conclude we are Justified as all Protestant Divines teach is no rotten conclusion of Legall Teachers For sure if we ascribe them to nature to free will to our selves and confide in them as parts of our righteousnesse and from them in that notion draw the assurance of our Justification as Papists and Arminians doe and as the Saints out of fleshly presumption may doe this is no doctrine of Protestants Is the Sunne obliged to me because I borrow light from it Or the Flouds and Rivers beholden to men because they drinke out of them The new man is a creature of Christs finding cursed bee they that sacrifice to Free-will It s a strange God The kingdome of grace is a Hospitall of free graces to sick men all we doe the least good thought or gracious motion in the soule is a flower and a rose of Christs planting and an Apple that grew on the tree of life a sinner is the stocke but free Grace the sap Christs Father the Husbandman life and growing is from Jesus the wine tree wee are but poore twigs that bring forth fruit in Christ. But I feare the sense of this that Christ repenteth for us and obeyeth for us he being the end of the Law to overy one that beleeveth be farre otherwise to wit that Christs obedience of the Law
way to be sure of the truth of good things is tasting and feeling Eat O friends drinke yea drink abundantly O beloved Answ. This reason would inferre that there is not a Saint on earth capable of such a sinne as to doubt whether they beleeve or not because wee read not of it in any of the hearers of Christ or the Apostles This is a bad consequence except you say All the various conditions of troubled consciences are set down in particular examples in the New Testament Which is contrary to all experiences of the Saints 2. It is one thing to doubt of the truth of the promises and another thing to doubt whether my apprehension of the promise be true or false The latter is not alwayes sin for it may be my apprehension of the truth of the promises be beside the line and off the way and then I question not Christ's dainties which to doe were unbeleefe but my owne deluded fancie which may appeare to be faith and is nothing lesse the former is indeed unbeleefe not the latter 3. It s true tasting makes sure the truth of the Lord 's good things that are inclosed in the promises but then an unconverted sinner who is void of spirituall senses cannot be the beloved nor the friend that Christ speaketh to Cant. 5.1 Wee doe not say a beleever ought to doubt whether hee hath true faith or no but because the command of beleeving obliegeth the non-converted as well as the converted shall the naturall man eat as a friend and a beloved hee remaining in nature and not yet converted and this man in nature ought not to doubt whether his fancie be faith or not but hee is oblieged to beleeve that is to imagine that his fancie is faith 4. I see not how if the faith of the Saints be tried as gold in the fire they may not through the prevalencie of temptation be shaken in their faith as Peter was when hee denyed his Saviour and Paul who 2 Cor. 1 8. was pressed out of measure above strength despaired of life had the sentence of death 2 Cor. 7.5 was troubled on every side fightings without and feares within and the sonnes of God who may feare that they have received the spirit of bondage to feare againe opposite to the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 but that they may faint in their tribulations Ephes. 3.13 and may be surprised with feare which hath torment and must be cast out 1 Joh. 4.18 and may be ready to faint and die Revel 3.2 and turne luke-warme be wretched miserable poore blind naked and yet beleeve the contrary of themselves Revel 3.16 17. All these may come and often doe come to that low condition of spirit after Justification as to say and think that all men are liars their faith is no faith that they are forsaken of God to their own sense and cast out of his sight and question whether they ever did beleeve or no And why would the Apostle say Patience bringeth forth experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.4 if experience that ever God loved me or that ever I beleeved to my present sense cannot be removed But this is but the Doctrine of Famulists who teach That after the revelation of the Spirit neither devill nor sinne can make the soule to doubt And To question whether God be my deare Father after or upon the committing of some hainous sinnes as murther incest c. doth prove a man to be in the Covenant of works Doe not they then teach us a way of despairing who say that Wee find not in the whole course of Christ's preaching or the Disciples that any asked the question whether they beleeved or no whether their faith were true faith or no What then shall thousands of smoking flaxes and weak reeds doe who often ask this question and say and think Ah I have no faith my faith is but counterfeit mettall And then by this Doctrine of despaire beleevers ought to conclude I am not under Grace but under the Law and a Covenant of works and so not in Christ yea whatever lusters were in me before I am in no condition of any wee read of in the New Testament who were hearers of Christ and the Apostles for Libertines never true beleevers doubted whether their faith was true or not Object 3. For any to doubt whether they beleeve or no is a question that Christ onely can satisfie who is the Author and Finisher of our faith Who can more properly shew one that hee sees then the Light which enlightens him Answ. Christ solves not questions that no man ever made S. thinkes that beleevers never doubt whether their faith be true faith or not which is a strong way of beleeving and those must be so strong in the faith who doubt not of this as they are above all temptations But this will be found against the experience of all beleevers It is most true none can work faith but the onely Creator and Author of faith but will the Author hence inferre no man the most wicked nor any that ever heard Christ or his Apostles preach doubted of their faith 2. The sunne with all its light cannot perswade a blind man who seeth not that hee seeth beleevers often think they see when they see not and think they are blind when they see as experience and Scripture Revel 3.16 17. Joh. 9.38 39. teach us Object 4. Faith is truly and simply this A being perswaded more or lesse of Christ's love and therefore it is called a beleeving with the heart Now what infallible signe is there to perswade any that they are perswaded when themselves question the truth of their perswasion God onely shall perswade Japhet Who can more principally and with clearer satisfaction perswade the Spouse of the good will of him shee loves but himselfe Can all the love-tokens or testimoniall rings and bracelets They may concurre and help in the manifestation but it is the voyce of the beloved that doth the turne My beloved spake and said unto me Rise my love my faire one saith the Spouse Answ. 1. Faith may be a perswasion in some sense but that it is a perswasion that my faith or perswasion is true not counterfeit and so formally is utterly denyed How many beleeve and love Christ with the heart who are not perswaded that they doe so yea much doubt whether they beleeve with the heart and would give a world to know if it were possible that they truly love God No Divine who knoweth that a direct act of faith and to beleeve is when there is no reflexe act can deny this 2. Arguments or signes in accurate speech are not called infallible actu secundo the word of God is in it selfe infallible actu prâ—â—o But to Aristotle this In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth is not infallible actu secundo nor are the promises Hee that beleeveth
externall the more immediate and farre a thing be from a condition even of Grace the more free as the election to Glory the paying of the ransome of Christs bloud or the act of attonement are most free for they require not so much as the condition of faith wrought by the free Grace of God but Justification say our Divines requireth faith as a condition And heere God may keep his hands free of any knot or obligation of a condition and it would seeme that the immediate testimony of the Spirit is more free then evidence from inherent marks the wind seemeth to be freer in its motion which hath not a restriction to fixed causes rather at this houre then at that the Sea againe in its ebbing and flowing and the Sunne in its rising and going downe are more fettered to set times and condition of naturall causes yet all these detract nothing from the freedome of God the creator in his concurring with these causes nor doe conditions that are wrought in us irresistably by the grace of God lay any tye on that independent soveraigne and high freedome of Grace which doth no lesse justifie and save us freely then chuse us to glory and redeeme us with the same freedome without pâ—ice and hire onely I will mind Libertines who deny that Justification the covenant of grace and salvation have any the most gracious conditions in us for that should obscure the freedom of Grace they say all within the visible Church without a-any preparations are immediatly to beleeve salvation and remission of sinnes to themselves in particular But I hope Faith is a worke of free Grace and must presuppose conversion and a new heart as an essentiall condition else with Pelagians they must say that out of the principles of nature all are to beleeve and this obscureth farre more the freedome of the grace of God working Faith in us then all the conditions of Grace which we hold to be subservient not contrary to the freedome of grace Object 5. We ought to beleeve till we be perswaded that we beleeve Ephes. 1.13 In whom after yee beleeved yee were sealed The way to be warme is not onely to aske for a fire or whether there be a fire or no or to hold out the hands a little toward it and away and wish for a greater but to stand close to that fire and gather heat Answ. 1. That beleeving bringeth perswasion I doubt not but not such a sealing with the broad and great seale of heaven as excludeth all doubting as Antinomians teach nor doth the place proove it For these who can flee with such strong wings and are above all doubting 1. need not Christs intercession that their faith faile not they are above and beyond the Sphere of all obligation to Grace nor 2. need they pray Leade us not into temptation Nor 3. need they beare in meekenesse the overtaken weake ones who trip and stumble unawares considering lest they also be tempted Gal. 6.1 4. The faith of the strongest is not full Moone or uncapable of growing Phil. 3.12 5. There is neede of praising of Grace for the prevailing victory of a faith beyond doubting 6. Nor neede such pray Christ to encrease their faith Judge then of Libertines who talke of a broad seale of perfect assurance and say There is no assurance true and right unlesse it be without feare and doubting 2. The way to be warme at a painted fire such as is the immediate revealing of Christ to an unconverted sinner never humbled nor despairing of himselfe which is the Libertines dead faith is not the way to be warmed nor are we to beleeve in Christ but in Christs owne way and order and its safe to call in question whether such a painted fire be fire nor are wee to goe on in this beleeving till wee be perswaded that we beleeve truely this is no Gospel-secret If Libertines say its unpossible to beleeve but we must despaire in our selves I answer So I beleeve but then must it follow that Libertines deceive and are deceived when they teach that sinners as sinners are to beleeve because sinners despairing of salvation in themselves must be fewer in number then sinners as sinners for sinners as sinners comprehendeth Pharisees and all secure and malitious slaves of hell but selfe-despairing sinners include not any such farre lesse include they all sinners they be onely such sinners as are halfe sicke looking a farre off with halfe an eye to Jesus Christ not daring fully to make out to Jesus Christ proud Pharisees despaire not of salvation in themselves for then they should not be proud Pharisees in so farre but Libertines teach us that Pharisees remaining Pharisees without any preparations going before are immediatly to beleeve in Christ if they say Selfe-despaire is an essentiall part of Faith not a preparation going before faith they erre Judas Cain despaire of salvation both in themselves and in Christ yet have they not any essentiall part of saving faith nor can any essentiall part of saving faith bee in such nor can any come to Christ and beleeve in him whil first they know sin by the law and their mouth be stopp'd that the law cannot justifie nor save them Rom. .19 20 21. Anâ— Mâ— Eaton and the Antinomians that are not meere Familists and Enthysiasts rejecting all written Scripture doe also grant this then it must be unpossible that any can beleeve but some preparation fore-going there must be and because all sinners as sinners have not such preparation all sinners as sinners are not at the first clap to beleeve in the soule Physitian Christ but onely such as in Christs order are plowed ere Christ sow on them and selfe-condemned ere they beleeve in Christ. Object 6. Wee are no more to question our faith then wee ought to question Christ the foundation of our faith for salvation to the soule in particular is destroyed by unbeliefe they entered not in because of unbeleefe The word profitted not being not mixed with faith Answ. 1. Wee cannot question Christ more then wee can question whether God be God but wee may examine Paul's Doctrine as the Beroans did wee may try our owne faith if it can hold water If some would wash their false coyne and bring it to the touch-stone the false mettall would be seen 2. The unbeleefe in weake ones doubting of their faith is not that which destroyes salvation and excludeth men out of the holy Land they are cruell to weak reeds who exclude them out of heaven because in their mis-judging distempers they exclude themselves were Christ as cruell to a faint beleever who is sick of mis-givings as hee is to himselfe who could be saved But a beleever may appeale from himselfe ill-informed and doubting groundlesly to meek Jesus well-informed and judging aright a weak reed to be a reed a sick beleever and a swouning faith to be a beleever and a faith that will beare a
the Papists circle because workes to my sense and spirituall discerning may and doe adde evidence and light to faith and faith addeth evidence and light to works as wee prove the cause from the effect and the effect from the cause especially under desertion without the fault of circular arguing but Papists beleeve the Scripture to bee the word of God because the Church saith so else it should be no word of God to them more then the Turkes Alcaron and they beleeve that the Church saith that Scripture is the Word of God because the Scripture saith that the Church saith so This is no proof at all and a vaine consequence without Faith its unpossible to please God no worke can bee proved solidly Gods without faith but how then followeth it Ergo we cannot prove faith to bee true from good works Saltmarsh can make no Logicke out of this nothing followeth from this antecedent but ergo by hypocriticall works done without faith we cannot prove our faith to be true faith valeat totum the conclusion is not against us Wee acknowledge except good works carry the stampe and image of faith they are not good works but if they carry this stampe as we presuppose they do in this debate because works are more sensible to us then faith it followeth well then we may know our faith by our workes and a beleever doing workes in faith and out of warmenesse of love to Christ and a sincere sense of his debt he may bee ignorant that he doth them in faith but a coale of love to Christ smoaking in his soule and the sincere sense of the debt that love layeth on him to doe that yea and to swimme through hell to pleasure Christ are ordinarily more sensible then faith and led us to know there must be faith where these are 3. Nor are ours litigious and disputable marks except when our darknesse raiseth disputes more then the Gospel it selfe is litigious for men of corrupt minds raise doubts against the Gospel and weake beleevers sometime would argue themselves out of faith Christ out of imputed righteousnesse election of grace and effectuall calling yet are not these litigious points and say that the evidence of the Spirit be as light and evident as the Sunne light in it selfe so is the Gospel yet are we to seeke evidences for our faith and peace in such markes as the Holy Ghost has made way-markes to heaven by this we know c. but we build our knowledge and sense on these markes as on secondary pillars and helps which a divine and supernaturall certitude furnisheth though without the influence of the Spirit they shine not evidently to us but our faith resteth on the testimony of the Spirit witnessing to our hearts and this is not to bring a candle to give light to the Sunne but to adde the light of supernaturall sense to the light of divine faith else they may as well say that the confirming evidence that comes to our sense from the Sacraments addeth some thing to the Word which is a light and a Sunne-light to our eyes if we did confide in them as causes of our justification it were Pharisaicall but divine motives and secondary grounds though they bee mixed of themselves with sinnefull imperfections may be by divine Institution helps and confirmatory grounds of our faith and joy and the Scripture saith so as we heard alledged The question proposed by F. Cornewell I shall not father upon that learned and godly Divine Master Cotton Whether a man may evidence his justification by his Sanctification hee should have added whether he may evidence to himselfe or his owne conscience his justification for that so he may evidence i◠in a conjecturall way to others no man doubts 2. The question is mistated as if Sanctification did formally evidence Justification as Justification in abstracto and Faith in its actuall working it s enough against Antinomians if it evidence to the sense of the person that he is in the state of justification and that hee hath faith to lay hold on Christs righteousnesse when he esteemes the Saints precious and placeth his delight in them Sanctification doth not as Libertines would imagine evidence justification as faith doth evidence it with such a sort of clearenesse as light evidenceth colours making them actually visible now light is no signe or evident marke of colours Love and workes of sanctification doe not so evidence justification as if justification were the object of good works that way faith doth evidence justification but sanctification doth evidence justification to be in the soule where sanctification is though it doth not render justification actually visible to the soule as light maketh colours to be actually visible or as faith by the light of the Spirit rendreth justification visible for even as smoake evidenceth there is fire there where smoake is though smoake render no fire visible to the eye and the moving o◠the pulse evidenceth that there is yet life though the man be i◠a swoone and no other acts of life doe appeare to the eye an◠the morning starre in the East when its darke evidenceth tha◠the Sunne shall shortly rise yet it maketh not the Sunne visibl◠to the eye and the streames prove there is an head-spring whence these streames issue yet they shew not in what part of the earth the head-spring is so as to make it visible to the eye so doth Sanctification give evidence of Justification onely as markes signes and gracious effects giveth evidence of the cause as when I find love in my soule and a care to please God in all things and this I may know to bee in mee from the reflect light of the Spirit and from these I know there is faith in me and justification though I feele not the operation of faith in the meane time yet the effect and signe makes a report of the cause as acts of life eating and drinking and walking in me doth assure me that I have the life of nature So the vitall acts of the life of Faith doe as signes and effects give evidences of the cause and fountaine yet there is no necessity that with the same light by which I know the effect I know the cause because this is but a light of arguing and of heavenly Logick by which we know by the light of the Spirits arguing that we know God by the light of Faith because wee keep his Commandements and know arguitivè by Gods Logick that we are translated from death to life because wee love the Brethren in effect we know rather the person must bee justified in whom these gracious evidences are by heare-say report or consequence then we know or see justification it selfe in abstracto or faith it selfe but the light of faith the testimony of the Spirit by the operation of free Grace will cause us as it were with our eyes see justification and faith not by report but as we see the Sunne
hoasts came against Christ Heaven Hell Earth any Adversary but God the enimity of men cannot make me or any man formally miserable There be great edges and Emphasis in these words My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Not a point not a letter of them can be wanting they are so full and Emphatick 1. My God my God the forsaking of Angels is nothing that Men all men friends all my inward friends forsake me is not much they doe more then forsake they abhorre Job their friend Job 19.19 that father and mother and all my mothers sonnes forsake me is hard yet tollerable Psal. 27.10 Psal. 31.11 Psal. 88.18 Yea that mine own heart and flesh forsake me is an ordinary may bee amongst men Psal. 73.26 But Gods forsaking of a man is sad 2. If he bee a God in covenant with me both God and then my God that is a warme word with childe of love if he forsake me it is hard When our owne leave us we forgive all the world to leave us 3. In forsaking there is a great Emphasis any thing but unkindnesse and change of heart and Love is well taken this speaketh against Faith though Christ could not apprehend this the Lord cannot change Christs could not beleeve such a blasphemy yet the extremity of so sad a condition offered so much to the humane and sinnelesse and innocent sense of Christ a change of dispensation 4. Me Why hast thou forsaken me the sonne of thy love thy onely begotten Sonne the Lord of glory who never offended thee but the relation of Christ to God was admirable hee was as the sinner made sinne for us in this contest the enimity of a Lyon and a Leopard is nothing Hos. 13.7.8 the renting of the caule of the webbe that goeth about the heart is but a shaddow of paine to the Lords running on a man as a Giant in furie and indignation 2. Hell and all the powers of darkenesse came against Christ in this houre Col. 2.14 15. 3. All the earth and his dearest friends stood aloofe from his calamity there was no shoare on earth to receive this ship-broken man In regard of that which was taken from Christ it was a sad houre which I desire to be considered thus 1. The most spirituall life that ever was the life of him who saw and enjoyed God in a personall union was vailed and covered 1. Possession in many degrees was lessened but in jure in right and in the foundation not removed 2. The sense and actuall fruition of God in vision was over-clouded but life in the fountaine stood safe in the blessed union 3. The most direfull effects in breaking bruising and grinding the Sonne of God betweene the millstones of Divine wrath were heere Yet the infinite love and heart of God remained the same to Christ without any shaddow of variation or change Gods hand was against Christ his heart was for him 4. Hence his saddest sufferings were by divine dispensation and oeconomy God could not hate the Son of his love in a free dispensation he persued in wrath the surety and loved the Sonne of God 5. It cannot bee determined what that wall of separation that covering and vaile was that went between the two united natures the union personall still remaining intire how the God-head suspended its divine and soule-rejoycing influence and the man Christ suffered to the bottome of the highest and deepest paine to the full satisfaction of divine justice As it is easie to conceive how the body in death falleth to dust and ill smelling clay and yet the soule dieth not but how the soule suffereth not and is not sadned is another thing How a Bird is not killed and doth flee out and escape and sing when a window is broken with a great noise in the cage is conceivable but how the bird should not suffer or be affected with no affrightment is harder to our apprehension and how ship-broken men may swime to the shoare and live when the shippe is dashed in an hundreth pieces is nothing hard but that they should be nothing affrighted not touch the water and yet come living to shoare is not so obvious to our consideration Yea that the soule should remaine united with the body in death and the Ship sinke the passengers remaining in the ship and not bee drowned is a strange thing The Lord suffered and dyed the Ship was broken and did sinke the soule and body seperated and yet the God-head remained in a personall uinion one with the Man-hood as our soule and body remaine together while we live and subsist entire persons Vse 1. Christ hath suffered much in these sad houres for us hee hath drunken Hell drie to the bottome and hath left no Hell behind for us Heb. 12.2 Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith he hath not onely suffered so much of the Crosse but he hath suffered all the crosse he hath endured the crosse despised shame In the originall the words are without any Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is as much as he hath left no crosse no shame at all to be suffered by us and Phil. 2.8 He was obedient to the Father he saith not to the death but to death even death of the Crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It holdeth forth to us that Christ suffered so much for us as hee hath taken up to heaven with him the great Crosse and hath carried up with him as it were the great death and hath left us nothing or very little to suffer and indeed Christ never denyed but affirmed he himselfe behoved to dye but for the beleever he expressely denieth hee shall dye and that with two negations Joh. 11.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall never in any sort dye and for our sufferings Paul calleth them Col. 1.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the remnants the leavings the dregs and after-drops of the sufferings of Christ the sips and dew-drops remaining in the bottom of the cup when Christ hath drunken out the whole cup so are our affections and being compared with what Christ suffered they are but bitts fragments and small pieces of death that we suffer for the first death that the Saints suffer is but the halfe and the farre least halfe of death it s but the lips the outer porch of death the second death which Christ suffered for us is onely death and the dominion Lordship and power of death is removed Why doe you then murmur fret repine under aflictions when you beare little wedges pinnes and chips of the Crosse Your Lord Jesus did beare for you the great and onely Crosse that which is death shame and the Crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of excellencie so called It is true the Spouse of Christ since the beginning of the world and since Christs time these 1600. Yeares hath been crying as a woman travelling in birth of a Man-childe and the Dragon neare persuing her and is not yet
many deaths as Christ will is a rare grace of God and not of ordinary capacity Rule 7. Christ in submitting his will maketh the Prophecies the revealed Gospel his rule and in the matter of duty is willing to be ruled by Gods revealed will in the matter of suffering hee is willing that the Lords will stand for a Law to which hee doth willingly submit and will in no sort quarrell with everlasting decrees To be ruled by the one is holinesse to submit to the other is patience For patience is higher then any ordinary grace in regard its willing to adore and reverence something more and higher then a commanding promising and threatning will of God It was a grace in Christ most eminent in the Lamb of God dumb meek and silent before his shearers the meekest in earth and in heaven that hee did not onely never resist the revealed will of God but never thought motion nor any hint of a desire was in him against the secret and oâ—ernall decree and counsell of God Christ will not have us to make Images of him who is the invisible God but when in his works of justice power love free grace hee setteth before us the image of his glorious nature and attributes hee will have us to adore him in these According to his decree of reprobation hee raised up Pharaoh to be clay to all men on whom as on a voluntary and rationall vessell of wrath they might read power justice truth soveraignty in these works wee are to tremble before him and adore the Lord. So in works of Grace that are the Image of the invisible God the Lord is to be loved 1 Tim. 1.16 In Paul the chiefe of sinners the Lord holds forth an image of the freest grace no lesse then in the revealed will of God for 1. Christ made an example of mercy and free grace in him 2. Hee made a speaking and crying spectacle to all Ages an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a printed copy of crying grace to all the world and in this wee are to adore and submit to him Such a limb of hell hath received mercy not I who before men was holier O submit to this worke of grace as to the copy of his eternall decree and be silent Rule 8. Christ putteth nature and naturall reason that his naturall will might seem to plead withall under the Lords feet So it would seeme strange God hath many sonnes but none like Christ hee was a Sonne his alone hee had never a brother by an eternall generation hee was the onely heire of the house but never a son so afflicted as hee This seemes against all reason But Christ brings in his Fathers will with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Mat. 26.39 Joh. 12.27 Luk. 22.42 Mark 14.36 But thy will be done It s against submission to put absolute interrogatories upon the Lord Wee love to have God make an account of his providence to us and that the last and finall appeale of the wayes of the Lord should be to our reason as to the great Senate and supremest Court in heaven and earth It s true Christ putteth a Why upon God My God my God why hast thou forsaken me but 1. with the greatest faith that ever was a doubled act of beleeving My God my God 2. With the extremest love that ever was in a man it s also a two-fold cord of warmnesse of heart to his Father My God my God 3. It s a word relative to the covenant between the Father and the Son for My God is a covenant-expression that the Father will keep what he hath promised to his Son and relateth to the infinite faithfulnesse of the Covenant-Maker 4. God relateth to the Dominion Lord-ship and Soveraignty that the Lord hath and therefore that Christ will submit to him 5. Christs complaint of the Lords forsaking sheweth the tendernesse of his soule in prizing the favour of his Father more then any thing in heaven and earth And therefore Christs why is a note of 1. Admiration 2. Of sinlesse Sorrow conjoyned with love tendernesse and submission to God Christ cannot speak to his Father beside the truth But every man is a lyar and wee seldome put questions and queries upon Soveraignty but wee preferre our reason to infinite wisdome Job is out and takes his marks by the Clouds and the Moone when hee saith Job 13.24 Why holdest thou me for thine enemy Chap. 3.11 Why died I not from the womb why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly And Jeremiah 15.18 Why is my paine perpetuall and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed Chap. 20.18 Wherefore came I out of the wombe to see labour and sorrow that my dayes should be consumed with shame All the Lords works are full yea with child of reason wisdome and grave and weighty causes and though wee see not his acts to have a why yet there is a cause why hee doth all hee doth reason is necessity to him and an essentiall ingredient in all his actions Rule 9. In this Administration of Providence with Christ the Lord goeth many wayes at once In this very act hee redeemeth the world judgeth Satan satisfieth the Law and Justice glorifieth Christ destroyeth sin fulfilleth his owne eternall will and counsell In one warre hee can ripen Babylon for wrath humble his Church deliver Jeremiah punish Idolatry In the same warre hee can humble and correct Scotland harden Malignants that they will not hearken to offers of peace and blow up their haters that they may be lofty through victories and be ripened for wrath through unthankfulnesse to God Providence hath many eyes so also many feet and hands under the wings to act and walk a thousand wayes at once There is a manifold wisdome in Providence as in the work of Redemption In every worke that God doth hee leaveth a wonder behind him No man can come after the Almighty and say I could have done better then hee It s naturall to blame God in his working but unpossible to mend his work Rule 10. Nor is Christ made a loser by losing his will for the Lord but his will is fulfilled in that which he feared Heb. 5.7 Providence submitted unto rendereth an hundred fold in this life Matth. 19.29 God makes the income above hope Gen. 48.11 And Israel said to Ioseph I had not thought to see thy face and lo God hath shewed me also thy seed One berry is not a cluster that two men cannot bear but it s a field an earth of Vine-trees in the seed Ephes. 3.20 He is able to doe above all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then aboundantly above that we can aske or thinke above the shaping or frame of my words and thoughts But I can ask heaven he can give more then heaven and above heaven yea I can think of Christ but he can give above the Christ that I can thinke on
Pestilence And â—he Lords justice is not yet glorified nor his mercy in avenging the enemies the cry of the soules under the Altar is not heard the Church not delivered We would here yeeld patience to Divine providence God hath more care of his owne glory then we can have 2. What men takes from God hee can repaire infinitly another way But we are lesse anxious for the Lords active glory to doe what is our duty and serve him and glorifie him in the sincere use of meanes Some learn their Schoole-fellowes lesson better then their own For Gods glory of events we are to be grieved when he is dishonoured but not to take the helme of heaven and earth out of his hand but leave to God these who would plunder Christs Crowne off his head We have nothing to doe in the glory of events but pray it flourish but we take too much adoe in it and we doe too little in the other 5. There is a glory of God two-fold also one of holynesse and grace another of blisse and happinesse This I consider either as in the kingdome of grace or of glory In Graces kingdome the Saints for their holinesse and Titus and the Brethren 2 Cor. 8.23 are the glory of Christ. I will place saith the Lord Esai 46.13 salvation in Sion for Israel my glory Faithfull Pastors take in cities and subdue crownes and kingdomes to Christ. Paul conquered many crownes to Christ 1 Thess. 2.19 For what is our hope or joy or crowne of reioycing are not even yee in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his comming Christ weares the Church on his head as a crowne of glory Esai 62.3 How glorious is it to bee for holynesse Christs garland his diademe and crowne But in this there is a rent of the crowne of Heaven a soveraigne peculiar flower due to the King of Ages that no man must seeke after in this the contexture and frame of the worke of Redemption is so contrived that 1 Cor. 1.29 No flesh should glory in his presence No man can devide the glory of grace with Christ. In the higher Kingdome there is a glory ordained for Saints The Gospel is a glorious peece which 1 Cor. 2.7 God hath ordained before the world was unto our glory 1 Thes. 2.12 God hath called us unto his kingdome and glory 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chiefe Shepherd shall appeare yee shall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not away This is the reward of faithfull Elders that feed the flock of Christ. The heaven of glory is called the holy heaven Psal. 20.6 The Lord will heare from his holy heaven and the new Jerusalem the Church hath a brave crowne on her head Revel 21.10 11. Shee comes downe out of heaven from God having the glory of God Grace grace is a glorious thing 6. O but we come short in doing and suffering when our doing suffering eating drinking dying paine abasement shame wants this end of the glorifying God that addes an excellent luster beauty and glory to all that we doe When Christ the Father heaven are tyed to the furthest end of all our actions we are above our selves But wee differ little in our aymes from beasts when the intention riseth no higher then this side of clay and time Psal. 49.11 That our houses may continue Esai 5.8 That we may be placed our alone on the earth Vers. â—8 And there came a voice from heaven saying I I have both glorified it and will glorifie it againe In this Answer observe these 1. The Answer 2. The aire it came from From heaven 3. The way and manner of its comming by an audible Voice 4. The matter of the Answer I have both glorified it and will glorifie it againe Christ is alwaies answered of his Father either in the thing he sueth Joh. 11.42 Or in that which he feares Heb. 5.7 Or by reall comfort Luk. 2â— 42 43. Or in a full and perfect deliverance Psalm 22.20 21. compared with Psalm 16.10 11. Acts 24.25 Acts 5.31 Or in supply of strength for his suffering Esai 50.7 8. It s a proofe of the worth of Christs advocation and intercession If I know my selfe to be in Christs Prayer-booke in his breast among Christs askings of the Father its comfortable Psal. 2.8 Aske of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession When Christ asketh soules of the Father hee gives him his asking the Lord cannot withhold from this King the desire of his heart Psalm 21.2 He asked a wife of his Father and it was granted Christ will have them all in one house to be copartners of the Crowne of heaven with him for it s his Prayer Joh. 17.24 The King and the Queene in one Pallace We cannot fall from grace for we stand by Christs prayers Luke 22.31 32. Heb. 9.24 We have many diseases in the matter of the returne of an answer 1. We wait not on an answer wee speak words we pray not we breath out naturall desires for spirituall mercies we have no spirituall feeling of our wants and there is an end Psalm 18.41 The wicked cry but there is none to save they doe not pray but cry 2. We storme and offend that our humour rather then our faith is not answered either at our owne time or that the thing which we aske to spend on our lusts as James 4.3 is not granted 3. Wee are more carefull and troubled that we are not heard then anxious to offer the rent and pay the calves of our lips in praying which is Gods due Were we as serious in worshipping in Prayer as we are desirous of seeking wants it were good but there is more seeking in our Prayer for our selves then there is adoring for God 4. We employ not Christ as Mediator and High Priest in praying and exercising Faith so much as we put forth pith and strength of words that we may extort rather our needs then obtaine grace as if praying and hearing of prayers were worke and wages rather then begging and giving of meere grace 5. We consider not when we pray and prayer is not returned in the same coyne that we seeke That the Father hearing Christs prayers virtually and meritoriously answered all our prayers in substance and for our good For 1. Christ can cull out and chuse petitions more necessary and fundamentall for my salvation then I can doe 2. He is answered in all points We are answered often in the generall and in as good onely 3. Christ could with more submission and sense pray then we can do Nature in Christ cannot boast and compell God to heare prayers Often our zeale is but naturall boasting and quarrelling as if we could force God to answer Grace in Christ and grace is the most lowly and modest thing of the world prayes with all submission Not my will but thy will be done 4. All prayers are
legall humiliation hath no more any Gospel-title or promise that saving grace shall be given to him even of meere grace upon condition of his humiliation or externall hearing or desire of the Physician then the proud Pharisee Yet as the body framed and organized is in a nearer disposition to be a house to receive the soule then a stone or a block so is an humbled and dejected soule such as cast-down Saul and the bowed-down Jayler and those that were pricked in their hearts Act. 2. in the moment before their conversion were nearer to conversion and in regard of passive and materiall dispositions made by the Law-worke readier to receive the impression and new life of Christ formed in them then the blaspheming Jewes Act. 13. and the proud Pharisees who despised the counsell of God and would not be baptized Luk. 7.30 There be some preparatory colours in dying of cloth as blue that dispose the cloth for other colours more easily so is it here And a fish that hath swallowed the bait and is in the bosome of the net is nearer being taken then a fish free and swimming in the Ocean yet a fish may break the net and cut the angle and not be taken A legally-sitted man may be not farre from the Kingdome of God Mar. 12.34 and yet never enter in And those same dispositions in relation to Gods â—nd in saving the elect are often means and disposing occasions fitting soules for conversion though some be like a piece of gold lying in the dirt yet it is both true mettall and hath the Kings stamp on it and is of equall worth with that which goeth currant in the market So in regard of Gods eternall election many are in the way of sin and not converted as yet notwithstanding all the luster of fore-going preparations though they be as truely the elect of God as either those that are converted yea or glorified in heaven yet their preparations doe lead them in regard of an higher power that they see not to saving grace And for any thing revealed to us God ordinarily prepares men by the Law and some previous dispositions before they be drawne to Christ. I dare not peremptorily say that God useth no prerogative Royall or no priviledges of Soveraignty in the conversion of some who find mercy between the water and the bridge yea I thinke that Christ comes to some like a Roe or a young Hart skipping and leaping over hills and mountaines and passeth over his owne set line and snatcheth them out of hell without these preparations at least hee works them suddenly And I see no inconvenience but as in Gods wayes of nature hee can make dispensations to himselfe so in the wayes of grace wee cannot find him out However sure of crabbed and knotty timber hee makes new buildings and it is very base and untoward clay that Christ who maketh all things new cannot frame a vessell of mercy of To change one specie or kind of a creature into another a lyon into a lamb and to cause the wolfe and the lamb dwell together and the leopard lie down with the kid and the calfe and the young lyon and the fatling together and a little child to lead them is the proper work of Omnipotency whatever be the preparations or undisposition of sinners Asser. 7. Not any Protestant Divines I know make true repentance a worke of the Law going before faith in Christ. 1. The Law speakes not one word of Repentance but saith either doe or die Repentance is an Evangelike ingredient in a Saint 2. Christ was made a Prince and exalted to give repentance Act. 5.31 and the Law as the Law hath not one word of Christ though it cannot contradict Christ except we say that there bee two contradictory wills in Christ which were blasphemy but some dispositions before conversition I conceive Antinomians yeeld to us For one saith speaking of the manner of his conversion One maine thing I am sure was to get some soule-saving-comfort that moved mee to reveale my troubled conscience to godly Ministers and not in generall to allay my trouble Yet I can make good from Scripture that this desire can be in no unconverted soule a Physitian that mistakes the cure doctrinally will prove a cousening comforter And another saith The persons capable of justification are such as truely feele what lost creatures they are in themselves and in all their workes this is all the preparative condition that God requireth on our part to this high and heavenly worke for hereby is a man truely humbled in himselfe of whom God speaketh saying I dwell with him that is of an humble Spirit c. To make persons capable of justification here is required a true feeling that they are lost in themâ—elves and in all their workes But this can be no preparative condition of justification as Eaton saith Because true feeling must follow Faith not goe before it And 2. true feeling is proper to justified persons nothing going before justification and so which is found in unjustified persons can be proper to justified persons onely 3. Antinomians say Sinners as Sinners and consequently all sinners are to beleeve justification in Christ without any foregoing preparation This man saith Prepared and feeling persons that are sensible of sinne are onely capable of justification 4. To truely feele a lost condition cannot be all the Preparative condition for the word hath annexed no promise of justification to the unjustified who shall feele his lost condition For the place Esai 57. speaketh of a justified sinner not of an unjustified who is onely prepared for justification 1. Because God dwels in this humbled soule then he must be justified and converted Ephes. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your heart by faith 2. This is a liver by faith and so justified the just shall live by faith Habak 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Hebr. 10.38 And he must live by Faith whom the high and loftie One revives Object 1. But to bid a troubled soule be humbled for sin and pray and set upon duties and speake nothing of Christ to them whereas poore soules cannot pray in that condition is to teach them to seeke righteousnesse in themselves Answ. 1. Satan cannot say that wee teach any to set on duties and to silence Christs strength and grace by which onely duties may bee done 2. To bid them set on duties as their righteousnesse before God and as the way to find rest and peace for their soules and that speaking nothing of Christ we disclaime as Antichristian and Pharisaicallâ— 3. It is no argument but the Arminian objection against free Grace not to bid a troubled soule pray because he cannot pray without the Spirit for Peter Act. 3. bids Simon Magus who was in the gall of bitternesse pray yet without the Spirit he could not pray Antinomians exhort troubled soules though not converted to beleeve in Christ Yet they
their own sparks Answ. If to bid men abstaine from flagitious sinnes and from seeking glory of men that are both neck-breakes of faith Joh. 5.44 and bring men under eternall displeasure both before and after we beleeve be to walk in the light of our own Sparks then when the Lord forbids these in his Law and commandeth both the beleever and unbeleever the contrary vertues he must counsell the same with us To beleeve and not be humbled and despaire of salvation in your selfe is to presume he that beleeveth right is cast on that broaken board like a ship-broken man either must I cast my self on the Rock Christ or then drown eternally and perish The unjust Steward was at what shall I doe ere he came to a wise resolution to goe the road way that Christ leades all beleevers is not to walke in the light of our own sparks It s one thing to seeke qualifications of our selves trusting in them and another thing to seek qualifications in our selves as preparatory duties wrought by Christs grace the former we disclaime not the latter Object 7. I will relate mine own experience First when I was minded to make away my selfe for my sinne the Lord sent into my minde this word I have loved thee with an everlasting love Ah thought I then hath God loved me with such an everlasting love and shall I sin against such a God 2. Many doubts and feares arose from the examination of my self I was afraid of being deluded 3. The Promise Esai 55.1 did sweetly stay my heart Christ in his ordinances witnessed to me that he was mine 4. I went on for some time full of joy 5. I was in feares againe that I could not pray but I had a promise I will fulfill the desires of them that feare me c. Answ. The method of the conversion of a deluded Antinomian is no rule to others 2. Nor doe I thinke that Gâ—d keeps one way with all especially when this mâ—â—s â—â—st stâ—p is from nature and thoughts of selfe-murther up to the Lambs booke of life the secret of eternall election in the bâ—â—ast of God I have loved thee with an eternal love How knew the Author this to bee Gods voice from a qualification in his soule It kept him from selfe-murther Yee see qualifications in our selfe which the Author saith is the way of Legall Preachers are required in any that beleeve 2. It is utterly false that the Gospel-faith commanded to all the Elect and Reprobate is the apprehention of Gods eternall love to me in particular the Scripture saith no such thing Experience contrary to Scripture can be no leading rule So the Antinomian way of conversion is that every soule-troubled for sinne Elect or Reprobate is immediatly without any foregoing preparations or humiliation or worke of the law to beleeve that God loved him with an everlasting love A manifest lie for so Reprobats are to beleeve a ly as the first Gospel-truth This is I confesse a honey-way and so Evangelike that all the damned are to beleeve that God did beare to them the same everlasting good will and love he had in heart toward Jacob. 2. All Reprobates may abstaine from selfe-murther out of this principle of the Lords everlasting love of election revealed immediately at first without any previous signes or qualifications going before 3. The Gospel wee teach saith eternall election is that secret in the heart of the Lambe called his booke so as really God first loves and chooses the sinner to salvation and we are blacked with hell lying amongst the pots till Christ take us up and wash and lick the Leopard Spots off us but to our sense and apprehension wee first love and choose him as our onely liking and then by our faith and his love on us we know he hath first loved us with an everlasting love but there be many turnings windings ups and and downes ere it come to this I have not heard of such an experience that at the first without any more adoe forthwith the Lord saith Come up hither I will cause thee read thy name in the Lambs booke of life The same Author saith Election is the secret of God and belongeth to the Lord. Pag. 104. and shall the beleeving of the love of election to glory bee the first Medicine that you give to all troubled consciences Elect and Reprobate This is to quench the fire by casting in oyle but if Antinomians take two wayes one with the unconverted Elect troubled in conscience another with unconverted Reprobats so troubled we should bee glad to heare these two new wayes 4. In the second place he is so well acquainted with the way of the Spirit as if through the casement of the Cabinet-counsell of God he had seene and reckoned on his fingers all the steps of the staires he saith He had many doubts and feares to be deluded that is hee doubted if his faith was true and saving for this is all the delusion to be feared upon self-examination So Pag. 24. c. 2. But you may read his words chap. 5. pag. 93. I find not any saith the same Author in the whole course of Christs preaching or the Disciples when they preached to them to beleeve asking the question whether they beleeved or no. then it is like this experience finds no warrant or precedent in the Saints to whom Christ and the Apostles preached 5. The sweet witnessing of the Spirit from Esai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsts come to the waters is Gospel-honey but consider if there were no law-worke preparing no needle making a hole before Christ should sew together the sides of the wound It s but a delusion 1. Because Esai 61.1 no whole-hearted sinners meet with Christ none come at first laughing to Christ all that come to Jesus for helpe come with the teare in their eye 2. To come dry and withered to the waters Esai 55.1 is the required preparation 3. The gold in a beggars purse in great abundance is to be suspected for stollen gold because he laboured not for it This I say not because preparations and sweatings and running that goe before conversion are merits or such as deserve conversion or that conversion is due to them Antinomians impute this to us but unjustly I humbly conceive it not to be the doctrine of Luther Calvine or Protestants which Libertines charge us with that I may cleare us in this let these propositions speake for us Propos. 1. We cannot receive the Spirit by the preaching of the Law and covenant of Works but by the hearing of the promises of the Gospel Gal. 3. The Law its alone can chase men from Christ but never make a new creature nor can the letter of the Gospel without the Spirit doe it Propos. 2. when we looke for any thing in our selves or thinke that an unrenewed man is a confiding person to purchase Christ we bewilder our selves and vanish in foolishnesse This wrong
his strength When John saw him thus he was so over-gloried with the beauty and brightnesse of his Majestie that whereas he was wont to leane on his bosome in the daies of his flesh now he is not able to stand and endure one glance of his highest glory but saith he Ver. 17. And when I saw him I fell down at his feet as dead And there was much lovely and tender affection lapped up in this glory when poore John fell a swouning at his feet Christ for all his glory holds his head in his swoune And he laid his right hand on my head saying unto me feare not I am the first and the last I am good for swouning and dying sinners Why I am he that liveth and was dead And behold I live for evermore Would sinners but draw neere and come and see this King Salomon in his chariot of love behold his beautie the uncreated white and red in his countenâ—nce hee would draw soules to him there is omnipotencie of love in his countenance all that is said of him here are but created shadowes aâ— words are short to expresse his nature person office lovelynesse desirablenesse What a broad and beautifull face must hee have who with one smile and one turning of his countenance lookes upon all in heaven and all in the earth and casts a heaven of burning love East and West South and North through heaven and earth and filles them all Suppose omnipotencie would inlarge the globe of the world and the heaven of heavens and cause it to swell to the quantity and number of millions of millions of worlds and make it so huge and capacious a vessell and fill it with so many millions of elect Men and Angels and then fill them and all this wide circle with love it would no more come neere to take in Christs lovely beauty then a spoon can containe all the Seas or then a childe can hide in his hand the globe of the world Yea suppose all the cornes of sand in all the earth and shores all the floures all the herbes and all the leaves all the twigs of trees in woods and forrests since the creation all the drops of dew and raine that ever the cloudes send downe all the starres in heaven all the lithes joynts drops of blood haires of all the elect on earth that are have beene or shall be were all rationall creatures and had the wisdome and tongues of Angels to speake of the lovelinesse beauty vertues of Jesus Christ they would in all their expressions stay millions of miles on this side of Christ and his lovelinesse and beauty It is the wicked fleshly disposition of Libertines who turne all the beauty excellency freenesse of grace in Christ to a cloake of licentiousnesse and a liberty of all Religions they highly under-value free-grace as any Hereticks that ever the Church of Christ law who turne all sanctification all the grace of Christ that should be expressed in strict precise accurate walking with God but as farre from merit as grace and and debt as Christs free grace and the condemning Law into a notionall speculative apprehension or rather a presumptuous imagination or Antinomian faith that Christ hath obeyed mortified the lusts of the flesh for the sinner that no Law no commandement of God no letter of the Word obligeth us to walke with God onely an immediate Enthiasticall unwarrantable inspiration of a Spirit without the Word or blasts of love when they come and not but when they come ingageth beleevers to keepe any commandement of God Never Pelagian Jesuit Arminian were such disgracefull enemies to Jesus Christ to free justification and the grace of the Gospel as Antinomians for they make the Law of God and the love of God in commanding holy walking opposite all the doctrine of the New Testament that teacheth and commandeth to deny ungodlinesse all the Old Testament and particularly the 119. Psalme reconcileth the Law commanding to keep the Lords wayes and testimonies and the love of Christ sweetning with delight and joy holy walking as one and the same way of God Vse 2. Again nothing more lesseneth Christ then the heightning of the world in the hearts of men Haman had the scum of the pleasures of 127. Kingdomes yet there was a bone wrong in his foot anger and malice to see Mordecai is a hell to him it s a sweeter burthen to bear the fire and coals of the love of Christ in the heart then the hell of envy in the soule Nay say that all the damned in hell were brought up with their burning and fiery chaines of eternall wrath to the outermost doore of heaven and strike up a window and let them look in and behold the Throne and the Lamb and the troups of glorified ones clothed in white with crowns of gold on their head and palms in their hands shewing their Kingly and victorious condition and let them through a window in heaven hear the musick of the new Song the eternall praises of the conquering King and Redeemer they should not only be sweetned in their paine but convinced of their foolish choise that they hunted with much sweating after carnall delights and lost the fulnesse of joy and pleasures that lasts for evermore in the Lords face Would we beleeve the Spies that have been visiting the new Land that Immanuel God with us is Lord of hear for Moses he was in that Land and he saith Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy helpe and who is the sword of thy excellencie David was there a landed man and what saith he of that new Land that Christ hath found out Psal. 16. Canaan at its best is but a wildernesse to it Vers. 6. The lines are fallen to me in pleasant things or places Then there must be multitudes of pleasures not one only in God My heritage is pleasant above me above my thoughts or I have a goodly heritage Solomon was a messenger who saw both lands and he saith Eccles. 2.13 Then I saw that wisedome excelled folly as far as light exceedeth darknesse And the Spouse saith Cant. 1.12 When the King sitteth at his table my Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof 13. A bundle of Myrrhe is my beloved he shall lie all night between my breasts Cant. 2.4 He brought me to the banquetting house and his banner over me was love All the Song reporteth great things of the Kingdome of Grace Ask of Isaiah What saw ye there he answereth c. 25.6 It is a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow And Ezekiel saith That there shall be a brave summer in that land Chap. 47.12 By the river upon the banke thereof on this side and on that side shall grow all trees for meat whose leafe shall not fade neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed it shall bring forth new
interest and propriety in these for whom he gave himselfe a ransome as Luk. 22 20. for many Matth. 20.28 Matth. 26.28 So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth in all Greek Authors insinuate Joh. 6.51 Joh. 10.11 Rom. 5.6 such an interest Object 1. But the reason were frivolous we are to pray for all except we know that God willeth salvation to all how can we with the certainety of faith pray for all It must bee a doubting faith and so no faith at all Answ. But seeing God will not have Nero Persecutors Apostates Rebellious unbeleevers men obstinate against the Gospel such as Paul was before his conversion to be excluded out of our prayers What certaintie of faith have Arminians to pray for all Or for the twenty or hundreth part of all mankinde This therefore is denyed Christ gave himselfe for as many as we are to pray for but we are to pray for all without exception The proposition and the assumption both are false nor doth our prayers for men depend on the certitude of Gods decree of election of men to glory which is Gods secret will not knowne to us to whom the Lambes booke of life is not opened but on the revealed will of God commanding us to pray for all that sinne not to death but conditionally and with a speciall reserve of the Lords decrees of Election and Reprobation and this in effect is to pray for the Elect only nor am I warranted by the Word of God the rule of my prayers to pray for any others Nor is there promise precept or practise in Scripture to pray for all and every one of man-kind Therefore I retort the Argument thus wee are to thinke God willeth so many to be saved and his Sonne to give himselfe a ransome for so many as wee are warranted to pray for that they may be saved but we are not warranted to pray for all and every one that they may be saved but only for the Elect. Ergo God will have them onely to be saved and his Son to give himselfe a ransome for them onely Object 2. Judgement of charity is no ground of our prayers We have no charity to beleeve all and every one shall be saved nor have wee any faith or certainety in these prayers Answ. I may have judgement of charity touching this or that man to pray for him but this judgement is a motive to my affection not a foundation to my faith My faith is bottomed on a word of precept to pray for the salvation of all conditionally but not for the salvation of any but for my owne onely absolutly Object 3. God will have as many to be saved as hee will have to come to the knowledge of the truth But he will have all to come to the knowledge of the truth Answ. The argument is strong for us the Apostle speaketh of the Gospel-truth but he will not have the Gospel preached to Samaritans Mat. 10. to Bithinians and thousands others 2. He wil not open the hearts of housands that heare the Gospel because he will Mat. 11.28 Rom. 9.17 and many he blindeth and judicially hardneth Math. 13.14 Joh. 1◠37 38. Esai 6.9 10. Acts 28.24 25 26 27. Object 4. It s uncertaine whether yee pray for Magistrats as such or for vulgar men as such and uncertaine whether yee pray for this or that ranke Answ. It is certaine we are to pray for Kings Subjects Men Women Jewes Gentiles reserving the Lords decrees to his owne Soveraigne liberty Object If we are to pray but for some because God willeth the salvation of some he should have said we are to pray for no man for the farre largest part of the world are lost Answ. This is to censure the Holy Ghosts speaking not us Upon the same ground a Physician in a Citie cannot bee called the healer of all diseased nor a Professor a teacher of Phylosophy to all in the Citie because many in the City dye of the Pest and the twentieth person remaine ignorant of Philosophie if God will have all to be saved that he predestinate to life hee is rightly said to will all men to bee saved and in that sense wee are to pray that all may bee saved 2. God by his consequent will desireth the farre greatest part of the world to be damned Ergo By the Arminian way hee should say God willeth not any man to bee saved nor any to come to the knowledge of the truth but that all may be damned and because they say there is in the Almighty an Antecedent naturall affection and desire that justice may be satifyed in Men and Angels which affection is in order of nature prior and before Gods full peremptory and deliberate will of damning all that are finally obstinate as there is a naturall antecedent will in God to call invite to repentance offer Christ to all and will the salvation of all and every one which is afore and precedent to his peremptory compleat and irrevocable decree of electing to glory all that God foreseeth shall dye in the faith of Christ. Upon the same ground it may well bee said GOD willeth the damnation of all and every one of mankind and the salvation and repentance of none at all and that Christ dyed upon no intention naturall to redeeme or save any but upon a conditionall and naturall desire that justice might be declared in the just destruction of all for sure all Gods naturall affections and desires of justice are as naturall and essentiall to him and so as universally extended toward the creature as his desires and antecedent natural affections of mercy Object 5. The sense of the word All appeares to be of Adam and all that come by propagation of him 1. The word Men is used for Adam and all his Sons Hebr. 9.27 2. Often in the fullest sense not regenerated nor wholly reprobated are called Men Job 11.11 12. Psal. 12.1 and 4.2 and 53.2 3 Beleevers are called Men Acts 1.11 1 Cor. 3.21 22. In regard of passions Acts 14.15 Of carnall walking 1 Cor. 3.3 Yet they are called something more Sonnes of God Joh. 1.12 1 Joh. 3.1 Saints 1 Cor. 1.1 Brethren faithfull Ephes. 1.1 Christians Acts 11.26 Some who have heardned their heart are called Men but something more reprobate Jer. 6.28 30. Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 Children of Belial Deut. 1.3 Of the Devil Joh. 8 4◠and with an Emphasis the wicked Psal. 9.17 Answ. In these Grammattications M. Moor sheweth how weake his cause is and how dubious from the word men and all for Heb. 9.27 It s said it s appointed for all men to die and the Holy Ghost insinuateth clearly that Christ died for all men that die in the very next words v. 28. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many he saith not all men Observe the change of words 2. We deny not but all men in Scripture signifieth all descended of the first Adam by propagation Ergo
particle If hee had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gal. 5.4 1 Cor. 11.27 There had been some colour for this but I deny that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all must bee restrictive here more then 2 Thess. 2.11.12 God gave them over to the efficacie of error to beleeve a lie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all those might bee damned that beleeve not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousnesse It follows not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here that all or who ever beleeve not the truth should bee fewer in number then those that are given over to the efficacie of error yea the number of the one and the other is equall so Ioh. 5.22 Th◠Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne vers 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all men should honour the Sonne as they honour the Father who sent him I see no ground to say that some may honour the Father and bee raised from the dead and quickened as ver 21. who doe not honour the Sonne And therefore it ought not to bee translated God so loved the world c. That whosoever beleeves should not perish but farre more agreeably to the originall God so loved the world that every one beleeving should not perish as in multitude of places it is translated unusquisque non quicunque and therefore faith is not set downe here so much ad modum conditionis as ad modum medi◠as a condition as a meanes to bring this loved world to glory as if yee would say hee so loveth letters as all learned are dear to him so God so loved his chosen world that he gave his Sonne to die for them now this love is eternall that all these beleeving in their own time might never bee lost but have eternall life Nor can Arminians take the world world for all and every one of mankinde for they exclude all infants dying so as uncapable of faith and they say these words containe Gods speciall decree of election and reprobation to wit Ioh. 3.16 God decreed to save all that beleeve and God decreed all that beleeve not should perish Now from Election and Reprobation they exclude all the Heathen and all their infants and all infants whatsoever and such as never heard the Gospel so I feare they make as narrow a world here as wee doe let them see to it Whereas Arminians say that the word world never signifieth in Scripture the elect onely what then Let mee answer 1. Their world of elect and reprobate excluding the best part of mankinde all infants all that never heard the Gospel sure is not in the Scripture nor speaks it of such a world 2. This is a begging of the question for Ioh. 1.29 The world whose sins the Lambe of God takes away the Reconciled world to whom the Lord imputes no sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s the same word that is ascribed to Abrahams beleeving Rom. 4.3 vers 4.5 And that David speakes of Psal. 32.2 Rom. 4.6 The imputing of righteousnesse and of Faith to righteousnesse that in which blessednesse coming through Christ consisteth Rom. 4.8 9 10 11. This world is the onely beleeving elect world the loved world Joh. 3.16 the world saved vers 17. the world of which Christ is Saviour Ioh. 4.42 the world that Christ giveth his life unto Ioh. 6.33 and for whose life he giveth his life v. 55. the world of which Abraham but much more Christ is heire Rom. 4.13 The reconciled world occasioned by the Iews falling off Christ Rom. 11.15 all these are the elect beleeving and Redeemed world this they can never disprove The other ground of our answer to all the places on the contrary is that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ died for all doth never signifie all and every one of mankinde by neither Scripture nor the doctrine of adversaries But is as all Divines say to be expounded according to the subject in hand secundum materiam substratam Hence our 1. Rule All often signifieth the most part Marke 1.64 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they all condemned him to bee guilty of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole counsell Matth. 26.59 yet Joseph of Arimathea consented not to his death Luke 23.51 and the flood destroyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them all Luke 17.27 yet eight persons were saved so all Judah Jer. 13.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was carried into captivity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All is often the same with many all the sheep of Kedar shall be gathered to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is many and Gen. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the land came to Egypt when the matter beares a clear exception and other Scriptures expound it then sure Christs dying for all must bee expounded for his giving himselfe a ransome for many Matth. 20.28 compared with 1. Tim. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here and there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Law saith all doe that which the most part doe mens will doth not limit what God speaks but let the text it selfe be diligently considered Exod. 9.6 All the castle of Egypt died that was in the field Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all capable of a ransome Arminians say that the finally obdured those that sinne against the Holy Ghost and infants of Heathen or any dying infants cannot bee ransomed by Christ Exod. 32.26 All the sonnes of Levi came to Moses not all without exception Many adhered to Aaron in his idolatry v. 29. Deut. 33.9 so Matt. 3.5 Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the countrey near to Jordan Now this signification being applyed to our use Christ giving himselfe a ransome for all men his dying for all can bee no larger then the saving of all the beleeving of all flesh and the blessing of all nations in Christ but Gen. 18.18 all in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed the whole world that John saith Christ is a propitiation for 1 Joh. 2.1 cannot be larger then this now this cannot carry any tollerable sense that all and every man of the Nations are actually blessed in Christ more then all and every one are redeemed reconciled received in favour within the Covenant of Grace And therefore Arminians have as good reason from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that are said to bee ransomed are all actually saved and hell shall bee empty and to no purpose as to contend for a universall Redemption As a wicked pamphlet printed of late faith all the Creation of God Men and Angels are redeemed and shall at length bee saved in Christ. Now we can undenyably prove that all and every Nation and all and
of his essence which is as David saith every where Ps. 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit but so he is in Heaven in Hell in the Sea 2. But he dwelleth in the Saints in regard of the works operations gifts and graces of the holy Ghost 1. Because the holy Spirit is in them in that they have in them the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 such as love joy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith now these are not the holy Ghost who is eternall and God uncreated but are created in time out of meer nothing not out of the potency of the subject but ere God produce grace so knotty and so rocky are we and so contrary to grace that he must fall upon a new and second creation Ephes. 2.10 Col. 2.10 Psal. 51.10 the same word that is used for creating heaven and earth Gen. 1. â— is here used it is not like the repairing of a fallen house where the same timber and stones may doe the work or the repairing of decayed nature when a healthy body recovereth out of a feaver Grace is a rare and curious workmanship 2. We are said to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 and by grace to increase to the edifying of the body in love Ephes. 4.16 and to the measure of the stature of the fullnesse of Christ 13. and to add grace to grace 2 Pet. 1.5.6.7 and to goe on to perfection Heb. 6.1 Phil. 3.12 But the person of the holy Ghost is noâ— capable of growing or addition nor like the morning light or the New Moone that can grow and advance in perfection being God blessed for ever 3. If there be an union of the person of the Holy Ghost with the soule and not an in-dwelling by graces the beleever as a beleever must live by the uncreated and eternall life of the Holy Ghost or a created life Creatum vel increatum dividunt omne ens immediatè sicut finitum infinitum Not the former neither any man nor the man Christ can in any capacity be elevated so above it selfe as to partake of the infinite life of God how the manhood of Christ partaketh of the personall subsistence of the Godhead is incomprehensible to me except that it is not by such a union as my singular nature standeth under personality created and is by assumption rather then union how ever if there be an union of the person of the Holy Ghoâ—â— to our soules it cannot be conceived nor doth Scripture speak of it if the Saints live the life of God it must be by created Graces and this is that we conceive 4 The person of the Holy Ghost immediatly acting in the Saints without them or any active and vitall influence of the naturall faculties cannot be guilty of sinne because David and Christ are absolved of sinne in this They lâ—yd to my charge things that I knew not that is things I never acted crimes in which I had no action or hand but we are blamed in the word for all the omissions of holy duties and the Holy Ghost cannot be blamed for he bloweth when and where he listeth and is under no Law in his motions of free grace then he who cannot be blamed in not acting cannot bee united as one spirit person with person with him who is justly to bee blamed in not acting Asser. 4 It must evidently follow that there is in the Saints a grace created that is neither Christ nor the Holy Ghost in person for what reason any hath to phancy an union of the person of Christ or the Holy Ghost in the Saints the same reason have they to say that all the three are united to the person of the beleever in all supernaturall actions for the Father is said to draw men to the Sonne Iohn 6.44 and Christ to reveal the Father and to draw men Iohn 1.18 Iohn 12.32 and the Holy Ghost to reveal the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11. now all the three in person doe these but all the three persons are not united to beleevers in person this were a mystery greater then God manisted in the flesh and unknown to Scripture 2. If Christ be all the grace of beleevers faith in Christ and the love of Christ should be Christ. 3. Then should a beleever having a new heart and a new Spirit be Christed or Godded and God should bee incaâ—nate in every beleever and how many Christs should there be and the new heart in one Saint and the grace given to Paul should be the new heart given to Peter whereas God hath gâ—ven grace to every man according to his measure and there are diversity of gifts but one Spirit 2 Pet. 3.15 Phil. 1.9 Eph. 3.3.4.5 â— Cor. 12.3 â— 5.6 Eph. 4.16 Asser. 5. The Grace of God and our free will in a four-fold sense may be said to concurre in the same works of Grace 1. When free-will receiveth no more from Grace and the Lords drawing but only literall instruction and if by our industry an habite of the knowledge of the letter of the word be acquired its necessary only to the easier believing as Pelagius said I may believe without Preaching the Gospel by Reading but more easily by faire and powerfull preaching and by grace helping and assisting preaching but yet without grace but with greater difficulty as I may goe a journey on foot but more easily on horse-back then a horse is not simply necessary for the journey and a ship may sail more easily and expeditely with sailes yet also without sailes with the help of Oars though with more difficulty thus Christ and his Grace may be spared we may sail to heaven by natures sweating and free-wils industry though the sails of grace could more expeditely promove our journey Now we think not that Christ draweth when men speak but the bare letter of the Gospel and softly requests the dead with only sound of words and syllabls to live and Orators with golden words doe pray and perswade the blind to see and the creeples to walk but it s long erre words fetch a soule to dry bones that they may live or tye the broken eye-strings or adde vitall power and life to eyes and ankle-bones 2. Grace and free-will as Bellarmaine and the rest of the Iesuites with Arminians teach may be thought to be two joynt causes the one not depending on the other as two carrying one stone or burthen neither he helpeth him nor he him but both joyn their independent strength to one common effect Bellarmine and Grevinchovius with the like comparisons do prove that we may storm heaven by the strength of free-wâ—ll without dependence on Christ for three untruths are here taught 1. That Grace determineth not free-will a saying destructive to providence if God determine not all second causes he is not Master of all events nor hath he a dominion of providence in all things that fall out good and evill 2. Grace doth not begin
and committing of fornication 2. Because for not mortifying of fornication the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience ver 6 Now wrath comâ—s not on wicked men because they believe not that Christ abstained from fornication for them many walk in uncleannesse covetousnesse who are therefore under wrath who are not obliged to believe that because they never â—eard the Gospel 3. Such an abstinence from fornication is here commanded as the Colossians and other Gentiles walked in ver 7. and which they had now put off with the old man ver 8. But the Colossians while they were Gentiles and heard not of the Gospel did not walk in this as in a sin that they believed not that Christ abstained from fornication for them and satisfied divine justice for their fornication but their sin was that in person they committed these sinnes 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearely beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from flâ—sâ—ly lusts that warre against the soule ver 24. Who his own self bare our sinnes in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sinnes should live to righteousnesse Rom. 8.11 And if the Spirit of him that raised Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall alsâ— quicken your mortall bodies ver 12. Therefore brethren we are debters not to thâ— flesh to live after the flâ—sh vers 13. for if yee live after the flâ—sh yee shall die But if yee through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live ver 10. If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections lusts Gal. 2 1â— For I through the Law am dâ—ad to the Law that I might live unto God all Gospel-commands to subdue the lusts of flesh not to serve the flesh as debters paying rent thereunâ—o to mortifie the deeds of the body not to live to our selves c. were meer precepts for justification not for sanctification and mortification of lusts and should â—urn the Saints into meere Solifidians Gnosticks empty Professors and fruitlesse trees if ouâ— mortification were not in the weakning of lusts â—bstinence from sin service and living to him who is our ransomner There is nothing more false then that ever our Divines taught to mortifie sinnes by vowes promises strictnesse and severity oâ— duties watchfulnesse scarce rising so high for mortification as Christ For its Christ and faith in his death that is the spring and fountaine of mortification yet is mortification formally in holy walking and not formally in belâ—eving for then should we be justified by mortification for sure we are justified by faith 2. Faith is a duty of the first Table respecting God in Christ as its object mortification to uncleannesse vaine-glory or the like is a duty of the second Table respecting men Asser. 4. The living of the just by faith is as well the life of sanctification as of justification its true the life of justification is the cause more compleat and perfect and the other the effect and unperfect but our spirituall condition is not only in sanctification but also in justification And only enemies of free-grace separate the one from the other and highten the one to feed men on the East wind and lessen the other as if sanctification were an accident and some indifferent Ceremony that men walk after the flâ—sh and believe that Christ for them walked after the Spirit and that is enough nor doe wee teach men to weigh their state of Grace in the scales of mortification or simple not acting of sin as mortification commeth from morall and naturall principles but as it floweth from faith apprehending Christ crucified and from the Spirit of the Father and the Son drawing the sinner to Christ and our blessednesse is no lesse in that corruption is subdued and the dominion removed then in that the curse is taken away Saltmarsh when he willeth the sinner as a sinner a Parricide a Man-slayer a slave to his lusts to beâ—ieve and apply Christ as his Redeemer without any sense of sin or humiliation at all and then saith the mans blessednesse is more to have the curse of sin then the corruption of sinne removed clearly concludeth that a man that walks after his lusts in actuall lusting against the Lord Iesus and the Gospel proud vaine selfe-righteous is as such a man to believe and so blessed and may promise to himselfe peace though he walk after the imaginations of his own heart Nor is arguing against the tentation with spirituall reason frâ—m the word as Ioseph did Gen. 39.8.9 and Job ch 2.9.10 and David 2 Sam. 16.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. our own power or contrary to the fighting by the shield of faith the Word of God as Saltmarsh imagineth Assert 5. It is to be reputed as a most blasphemous assertion that we know we are Christs not because we crucifie the lusts of the flesh but because we do not câ—ucifie them Pet 1. Crucifying of our lusts is a mark of our being in â—hrisâ— Gal. â— 24 Rom. 8.13 This maketh walking afâ—er the Spirit and a parting from iniquity and being pure in Spirit and dying to an 〈◊〉 of no interest in Christ contrary to Rom. 8.1 2. 2 Tim. 2.19 Math. 5.8 1 Pet. 24. Gal. 1.4 1 Pet. 1.18 and contrary to the whole Gospel which was that blasphemy of David George who taught mortification was to act all uncleannesse without shame or sense of sinne â—nd the more men are vâ—yd of the common passion that follows sin the more mortified and spirituall they are and this is very like â—â—e Libertines way who teach That to take delight in the holy service of God is to goe a whooring from God and that they are legally biassed that would mortifie the flâ—sh by watchfulnesse and strictnesse of walking whereas to put our duties on the Throne with Christ and to put Christs crown on our mortification as if we were thereby justified is the Idolatry But the delighting in the Law of the Lord and taking of the Lords testimonines for our heritage a serving the Lord with chearefulnesse and fervor of Spirit Psal. 1.2 Psal. 119.111.262 Isai. 58.13 Psal. 112.1 Rom. 7.22 Rom. 12.8 2 Cor. 9.7 Phil. 4.4 Act. 20.24 Iaem 1.2 are marks of a blessed condition If any teach that wee mortifie the flesh by watchfulnesse and strictnesse of walking as if these did merit mortification we judge it cursed doctrine but if Libertines deny as they doe that acts of mortification doe formally consist in watchfull strict and accurate walking with God in being not taken nor madly drunken with the lusts of sin but dead to pleasures as these acts flow from the Spirit of Christ we curse their fleshly doctrine also It s no consequent to say because Regeneration is not a work of nature but of the Spirit of God and the way of the
O how admirable was his love and that love was Christs last work in this life he dyed of no other sicknesse but love love love was Christs death-work Christs Testament Christs winding sheet Christs grave he took his Bride lapped in his love and hart to Paradise with him his last breath was love The myrrhe when it is withered has the same smell and a sweeter that it had while it was gâ—een Christ that bundle of myrrhe that lyeth all the night between the Churches breasts when withered and dead smelled of love for hee opened the graves and raised the dead and took a repenting sinner to Paradise with him which are acts of great love its considerable that hee is at one time a dying a drawing and a loving Saviouâ— and ask what was Christs last act on earth it s answered he dyed in the very act of loving and drawing sinners to his heart Vse We are engaged to love him and if so to keepe his commandments and to draw him after us his owne image hoâ—inesse in the Saintâ— takes Christ and causes him fall in love with us Cant. 4.9 Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes with a chaine of thy neck It s much love that ravishes Christ yâ—a it so overcomes him that hee professes its above him hee must desire his Spouse to looke away Cant. 6.5 Turne away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me Cant. 7.5 The king is held in his galleries holinesse makeâ— our king the Lord Iesus a captive for eternitie he will delight to see the Lambs wife his bride when shee shall bee decked up with endlesse glory Bee holy and the king shall desire your beauty ingage Christ more to love you deck your selves with chains with bracelets be attired in raiment of needle work the braver in this apparell you are yee are the lovelier to Christ the wedding garment makes you fair to the king put on the crowne of grace on your head and bee highly beloved of this Prince Ver. 33. Now this he spoke signifying what death he should dye The last article in Christs drawâ—ng of sinners is the exposition of the Evangelist Iohn who openeth to us the sense of Christs words to wit what was meant by Christs lifting up from the earth for it is not an ordinary phrase to expresse dying on the crosse therefore saith Iohn hee meaned by his lifting up from the earth the kinde and manner of his death to wit that he should bee crucified and dye the shamefull and ignominious death of the crosse it would seeme that the exposition of Iohn may be referred to the whole verse 32. What is the sense of this If Christ be lifted up hee will draw all men up to him that is if he be crucified by that shamefull and painfull death and the merito thereof he will draw all men to him and translate them from the kingdome of darknesse to the state of saving grace which is true in it self but seemeth not to bee the sense of the words 1. Because the Evangelists use to expound what may appeare ambiguous to the hearers as Ioh. 7.8.39 But this he spoke of the Spirit â—oh 20.23 Then went this saying abroad among the Brethren that that disciple Iohn should not dye yet Iesus â—aid not to him hee shâ—ll not dye So Matth. 2.16.17 18. But that Christ draweth sinners by his death was not so much controverted for to come to Christ to beleeve in Christ to bee drawen to Christ were Phrases obvious enough and known to all 2. It is most pertinent to the text that lifting up from the earth which is ambiguous and may seeme to allude to Elias his beeing carried up to heaven should bee expounded by Chriâ—â—s manner of death to wiâ— by crucifying 3. Because the holy Ghost expoundeth not the connexion of the conditionall proposition If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men after me which he must doe if the sense goe thus but onely speaketh of the kinde and nature of Christs death which was known to the â—ewes to bee both shamefull and cursed but in his exposition hee speaks nothing of the fruit of Christs death but of the kinde and manner of death Now that the Evangelist expoundeth the sence of Christs words what he meaned by being lift up from the earth it holdeth forth to us a necessity that the Lord speak plaine language to us in scripture and that one scripture expound another In finding the meaning of scripture these considerations may give light 1. The Scripture in the plainest expressions is dark that is high and deepe in regard of the matter which is deepe high above the reach of reason and yet the language plaine obvious easie that a virgin shall be a mother the antient of dayes a young sucking infant that through one man death digged a hole in the world and sinne passed on all through a second Man life and heaven entered again are high and deepe mysteries yet is not the Gospel obscure as Papists say 2. In meer historicall narrations and prophecies foretelling the wars of the Lamb the Dragon and the Beast the Antichrist their persuing the woman in traveling in birth to bring forth a man child the matter subject is not profound nor deepe yet the expressions are dark and covered while the works of the Lord bee a key to open his word Here 's the wisdome of God that in deepe and high mysteries necessary for salvation the Lord is plaine and lower and easier stories are foretold more darkly articles of faith are not set downe in dark and enigmaticall prophesies but plainly whereas histories of things to come are more mysteriously proposed 3. The Scripture in no place is in the popish sense dark that is that we are not to take any sense for the word of life and the object of our faith but that which the Church giveth as the sense in regard the Scripture is a nose of wax with equall propension to contradictory senses except the mistris of our faith the witch of Babel expound it and then it is for such formally the word of God as she expoundeth it 4. The holy Ghost the Authour of Scripture has concreated with the words the true native sense which all the powers on earth cannot alter Then when we sweare a covenant with the Lord in plaine easie countrey language not devised of purpose to bee ambiguous or to hold forth that all sects Antinomians Socinians Arminians Prelatiâ—all halters Anabaptists Seekers c. may salve every one his owne way and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what hee thinks good to obtrude any authoritative interpretation on this covenant which it holds not forth in its owne simple words to the reader is the greatest tyranny and equivocating jugling in the world and we may easily distinguish and dispute our selves out of a good conscience or rather confesse wee had never any
that die in the Lord that they may rest from their labours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the travellers may over-rest or exceedingly breath and refresh or comfort themselves after much toyle and sweating in the way therefore is death 2 Tim. 4.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unfolding of the net or of the tent that the man may goe out or a taking up the burthen and laying it down in another Inne or a loosing the cabels of ships to saile or an untying of cords of a tabernacle to goe to a choycer place Vse 2. From Christs dying we learn to die to sinne and live to him that dyed for us 1 Pet. 2.24 Rom. 6.2 6. 2 Cor. 5.15 Mortification to this goodly and God-like Idoll the World is a speciall lesson of the death of Christ Gal. 6.14 It is a great distance and many miles about and off the roade-way to heaven to goe through such a thorny thick and bushy-wood of honours riches pleasures wordly it s a shorter and easier way to stand at a distance from the silken and golden creature and despise the fairest created excellencies that fill both sides of the Sun Antinomians would have us rest satisfied with a morall mortification in the brim of the imagination to believe that Christ dying mortified sinne and the body thereof on the Crosse and there is an end and that wee are obliged by no command no precept no law to a personall mortifying of our lusts to walk in new obedience and that all that we doe is arbitrary and free to us comming on us by the immediate Spirits impulsion for Christ works in the Regenerate as in these that are dead not as in these that are alive and that after conversion we are altogether dead to spirituall acts say they contrary to 1 Cor. 15.10 Phil. 2.13 Rom. 6.11 Gal. 2.20 1 Pet. 2.5.24 And that it is the efficacy of Christs death to kill all activity in his members that he might act all in all Yea and that there is not any command in the Gospel all is but promises Christ is obliged to doe all in us and if he suffer us to sin let him see to his own honour Yea to act by vertue of or in obedience to a command is a Law-way and we have nothing to doe with the Law But the Gospel teacheth us a reall and personall mortification and that we are to be holy as he is holy perfect as he is perfect that is a new-covenant command Gen. 17.1 That we should walk before him and be perfect that we should walk after the Lord Deut. 13.4 walk in all his wayes Deut. 5.33 take diligent heed to walk in his way Iosh. 22.5 Psal. 119.93 Prov. 2.7.20 Isa. 2.3 walk in the steps of that faith of our Father Abraham Rom. 4.12 according to this rule of the Gospel Gal. 6.16 and worthy of the vocation Eph. 4.1 worthy of the Lord Col. 1.10 in light 1 â—oh 1.7 even as he walked 1 Ioh. 2.6 after his commandements 2 Ioh. 6. honestly as in the day Rom. 13.13 in love Ephes. 5.2 as children of the light v. 8. as we have received Christ Col. 2.6 in wisdome ver 4.5 as wise men Ephes. 5.15 And the Gospel forbids and condemns walking as the Gentiles doe in the vanity of the minde having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God but observe by Antinomians fleshly doctrine no Gospel command under paine of eternall death bee it a command of believing in him that justifieth the sinner or of holy walking as a fruit and witnesse of our faith and justification obligeth these that are in Christ as if in regard of any Scripturall command of law or Gospel we might live as we list and follow the inspiration and leading of a lawlesse spirit separated from all word either Law or Gospel either commanding or conditionally promising or threatning We are not so to live after flesh in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine revellings banquetings and abominable Idolatries 1 Pet. 4.3 not after the flesh 2 Pet. 2.10 Rom. 8.13 If yee live after ths flesh yee shall diâ— There is a Gospel threatning as a promise of life yea the armes colours the badge of Gospel grace is to deny ungodlinesse Tit. 2.11 Not to walk in darknesse nor hate our brother 1 Ioh. 2.8.9 for this is the new commandement and that the Gospel has commandements is cleare Math. 15.3 Ioh. 15.12 Rom. 16.6 Eph. 6.2 1 Tim. 1.1 The holy commandement 2 Pet. 2.21 1 â—oh 3.23 Rev. 22.14 Prov. 2.1 Ioh. 14.21 1 Thes. 4.2 1 Ioh. 2.4 3 2â— And he that keepeth his Commaadements dwels in him and he in him Ioh. 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandements Math. 5.3 4 5 6 7 8 9.20 21 22 24. Math. 7.1.2 3 c. Vse 3. We have rich consolation from the Article of Christs dying the sinners debts are paid his band and the hand-writting of bloud and eternall vengeance is cancelled and taken out of the way the gates of the pâ—ison broken and the prisoners brought out by the bloud of the everlasting Covenant 1 Pet. 2.24 with his stripes we are healed Esai 53.5 The chastisement of our peaces or treaties of peace as the word beares were upon him and with his stripes we are healed Thâ— word of stripe in either languages is a mark of a wound where blood and humours are neighboured together it leads us to this that the only medicine of sick and dead sinners was that which is sicknesse paine swellings from nailes in hands and feet to Iesus Christ. Christ the Physitians paine was our case his wounds the healing and coverâ—ng of our wounds with his skinne and his death the life of sinners to visit the sick and help him at his bed side with consell and art is favour but its physick of grace not of nature that the Physitian should be the sick man the pained the groaning and dying Patientâ— and lye down in his bed and make his life and blood and medicine to cure our diseases and wounds In a Law-challenge the believer is so freed from eternall wrath that if Satan and conscience say Thou art a sinner and under the curse of the Law he can say its true I am a sinner but I was hanged on a tree and dyed and was made a curse in my head and Law-surety Christ and his payment and suffering is my payment and suffering Vse 4. Sinne is a sad debt the Law is a severe craveâ— 1. It s pastime to a foole to sinne it is no pastime nor sport to Christ to satisfie for sinne 2. There is as much justice and vengeance in the Gospel as in the Law the Gospel-suffering for our sin was as salt and sowre to Christ as the Law vengeance would have been to us The Lord never minded that any should beare sinne either by acting or suffering gratis and at an easie rate 3. Will yee not read bloudy justice persuing sinne on
Not to minde Mr Town that else-where he meaneth by the Law that we are not under not the Morall Law only but the Ceremoniall also if we be freed from all authority of the Law then hath the sixth command no authority from God to teach that murthering of our brother 〈◊〉 sinne that Idolatry is contrary to the second command 〈◊〉 acts of holinesse and worship performed by 〈…〉 wil-service and wil-worship for if 〈…〉 and direct us what is holy walking 〈…〉 by the Antinomian way doth not teach any such thing in the letter then it s all unwritten wil-walking that a believer doth this is licence not holinesse wee are called unto 2. Then is it not the Lawes office to reveale sinne to us Paul saith contrary Rom. 3.20 for by the Law is the knowledge of sinne Rom. 7.7 I had not known lust except the Law had said thou shalt not covet free a believer from all the offices of the Law Then the believer when he lies and whores and murthers is not obliged to know or open his eyes and see from the light of the Law that these be sins for Mr Town looseth him from all the offices of the Law Paul mis-judged himself when in his believing condition he saith Rom. 7.14.15 for we know that the Law is spirituallâ— but I am carnall sold under sinne 3. From the Lawes teaching of believers to inferre that the Law lordeth it over a beliver is a great fallacy 4. If the enemy sinne be spoyled of all power even of indwelling and lusting against the Spirit then the believer cannot faile against a Law then he may say he has no sin which Iohn saith is a lie 5. If Christ communicate abundant effectuall grace of sanctification then is sanctification perfect but the Scripture saith the contrary in many things we offend all and we are not perfect in this life nor are we more then Conquerours in every act of sanctâ—fication nor is that Pauls meaning Rom. 8. that we are never foiled and that lusts in some particular acts have not the better of us too often but that finally in the strength of Christ the Saints are so farre forth more then Conquerors that nothing can work the Apostacy and separation of the Saints from the love God in Christ. Mr Towne 's assertion of Grace Pag. 4.5 Mark three grounds of mistakes 1. That justification and sanctification are separable if not in the person yet in regard of time and word of Ministration as if the Gospel revealed justification the Law were now become an effectuall instrument of sanctification 2. That to ease men of the Laws yoak is to suffer them to range after the course of the world and 〈…〉 luâ—s not considering that the righteousnâ—sse of 〈…〉 to Christ their Lord head and Governour that they may be led by his free Spirit and swayd by the Scepter of his Kingdome 3. That all zealous and strict conformity to the Law of works though but in the letter is right sanctification Answ. 1. Not any of these are owned by Protestant Divines they are Mr. Townes forged calumnies to the first I cannot see that sanctification is any thing at all by Antinomian grounds but meere justification and that he is an Antinomian saint that believeth Christ satisfied and performed the Law for him but no letter of Law or Gospel layeth any obligation on him to walk in holinesse But the Gospel only revealeth engraffting of the branch in Christ the Vine-tree and stock of life and the bringing forth fruits by the faith of Christ to be the only true sanctification but if the apples be not of the right seed conforme to the derecting rule of all righteousnesse the Law of God they are but wilde grapes we never made the Law the effectuall instrument of sanctification a help it is being preached with the Gospel but neither is the Gospel of it selfe the effectuall instrument of sanctification except the spirit of grace accompany it nor the law of it selfe 2. The second is a calumny also But we would desire to know how Antinomians can free themselves of it for the righteousnesse of faith doth not so unite believers to Christ as to their Governour so as Christ governeth them by the Spirit and the Word for the letter of the whole Word both Law and Gospel say they holdeth forth nothing but a covenant of works to search the Scripture either Law or Gospel is not a sure way of searching and finding of Christ and Mr Towne passeth in silence all guidance of the Saints by commandements of either Law or Gospel and tells us of a leading by a free Spirit only So that by Antinomians we are no more under the Gospel as a directing and commanding rule then we are under the Law what hindereth then but Antinomian justification bids us live as we list we think the Gospel commandeth every duty and forbiddeth every sin as the Law doth under damnation what is sinne to the one is to the other But the Gospel forbiddeth nothing to a justified believer under the paine of damnation more then to Iesus Christ. 2. A dead lâ—râ—er forbiddeth no sinne commandeth no duty but the Gospel of it selfe without the Spirit is a dead letter as well as the Law the major is the Antinomian doctrine the assumption is undeniable 3. Pharisaicall conformity to the Law we disclaime but if any could be strictly and perfectly conforme to the Law of works as Christ was we should think such a man perfectly sanctified but through the weaknesse of the flesh that is unpossible I know not what Mr Towne meanes by a conformity to the Law though but in the Letter if he meanes that the literall meaning and sense of the Law requireth no spirituall inwardâ— and compleatly perfect obedience he is no good Doctor of the Law and if it be not such an obedience it is not zealous and strict obedience but its ordinary to Antinomians now to tearm these whom the Prelaticall party of late called Puritans and strict Precisians because they strove to walk closely with God Pharisies and out-side Professors who think to be justified and saved by their own righteousnesse so farre are they at odds with sanctification if by conformity to the Law in the Letter Mr Towne meanes externall obedience without faith in Iesus Christ or union with him he knows Protestant Divines acknowledge no â—ound sanctification but that which is the naturall issue and fruit of justification and flowes from faith which purifieth the heart and such strict conformity to the Law as floweth from saving faith we hold to be true sanctification though all enemies to holy walking cry out against it such as mockers of all religion the Prelaticall and Antinomian party who mock strict walking and long prayer and humble confession of sinnes and smiting of conscience for sinne Towne Page 5. Blinde and sinister suspition and causeless fear inclined Doctor Taylor to this exposition to say our Apostle