single branches of the house of Judah so that all and every one are taught of God none excepted Jer. 31.33 34. Isa. 54.13 Joh. 6.45 not so in the visible externall Covenant if it be but externall not any is taught of God but all are taught of men 5. The reall personall Covenant is everlasting like that Covenant with the Moon and Stars 2. The night and the day 3. Of the motion of the Sea Jer. 31.35 36 37. There is perseverance absolutely promised Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good It s sure in Gods part for he changeth not Nay but we change and turn away from God he obviats that I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So Isai. 54.10 Isa. 59.21 but all such as Nationally visibly only and in profession only are in Covenant may fall away 6. Jer. 31. â—â— Behold 〈◊〉 day 〈◊〉 come saith the Lord that the City shall be built to the 〈◊〉 c. There is a promise of spirituall right in Christ made to the blessings of this life to these that are personall Covenanters As Jer. 32 4â— Ezek. 11.17 18 19. Ezek. 36.26 27 28 29 30 33. Ezek. 37.24 25 26. Ezek. 34.23 24 25 26 27. which promise though not repâ—â—ted in the New Testament when the Prophesies of 〈…〉 cited Heb. 8.8 Heb. 10.16 17. but of purpose 〈…〉 because the promise of temporal blessings is not so expresse 〈◊〉 Yet in other places of the New Testamant it is clear that we have bread by Covenant-promise Matth. 19 20. 1 Tim. â— 8 Heb. 13. â— 6. 1 Pet. 3.10 11 12. which 〈…〉 only 〈…〉 Covenant externally c. These six differences are clear Jer. 31.33 c. so that it is evident that all and every one of the Visible Church are not really and personally confederates so that though the Lord say to both I will be their God and they shall be my people yet not one and the same way Hence there is no ground at all nor truth in what Arminians say that the Covâ—â—ant of Grace is made with all and every one of mankind as was the Covenant of Works For this must be true that in Paradice the Covenant of Grace was made with Adam and all his seed But a Covenant so universall ought to be proclaimed to all the 〈◊〉 but thus was not For the Lord published and made it to Abraham and his seed and the Lord choised Israel above all the people on earth Deut. 5.1 2 3. Deut. 7.6 Deut. 10.15 and shewed his judgements and statutes to them not to other Nations And therefore there can be no subjejective revealing of Christ by universall grace given to Heathen and all others and by an objective revealing of Christ in the works of Creation the heaven and earth night and day as some teach citing the Ps. 29.1 2. For so 1. God choised Americans Indians and all the wild Savages to be his people as well as he choised the Jews and if the sound of the Gospel went out to the ends of the earth that is to all and every one as they expound Psal. 19.3 4. Rom. 10.18 then it must be the purpose of David and Paul that the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace and of Christ crucified by whose alone name men are saved and by whom only 〈◊〉 come to the Father Acts 4 1â— John 14.6 is written in the Firmament which must declare the glory of God manifested in the flesh day unto day and must preach Christ crucified to all Nations who see the Sun rise and go down â—or sure that sound Psal. 19.4 goeth through all the earth Sure Paul must give a dark interpretation Rom. 10. of that Psalm 〈…〉 2. If the hearing Rom. 10.18 but I say have they not heard be the hearing of God Creator his sounding 〈◊〉 in the Firmament Night Day and Sun as it is Psal. 〈◊〉 by all that see the Sunne and also the hearing of the joyfull sound of Christ Preached in the Gospel written and objectively 〈◊〉 in Sun and Moon Night and Day as Amyrald and his do expound it Then may all that see the Sun call upon the name of the Lord revealed in Christ and believe in Christ for of their beleef Moses speaks Deut. 30.14 and Paul Rom. 10.9 â—â— and all have the benefite of the Preached Gospel and sent Prophets whose feet are beautifull upon the mountains publishing 〈…〉 of peace vers 15. as Nah. 1.15 Isai. 52.7 and â—ll that see the Sunne are the same way saved by Jesus Christ that Jewes and Gentiles are who hear the Gospel But Paul strangely crosseth this How shall they call upon him as God revealâ—â— iâ— Christ in whom they believe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shal they 〈◊〉 him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be 〈◊〉 Now if the sound of the Preached Gospel be to be heard in the Firmament Sun rising and going down as Amyrald and some Libertines do say whom I heard Preach the same thing at London Paul might receive an easie and a short answer The Gospel of Christ crucified written on the Firmament Sun and night and day is as lawfull an Ordinance and a book upon which Americans and all that see the same may read the glad tydings of salvation and so may call upon and beleeve in God and winne and earn by 〈◊〉 industrie and hearing of the Gospel by sent Preachers as the Preached Word of God and therefore Paul cannot deny but faith comes by hearing of some other Preacher then a Gospel-Preacher or one that is sent for Paul Rom. 1.16 17 18 19. and David Psal. 19.1 2 3. v. 7 8 9. distinguish the two Books There is not such an Objection dreamed as Amyrald imagines of Rom. 10.18 If God will have mercy on the Gentiles how is it that they have not heard the Gospel For the Lord hath not declared his minde to them He answers God did not so keep up his good will to the Gentiles in former times but by the Ministery of the Heavens ac veluti voce providentiae and as it were by the preaching of the Word of Providence he spake to them which things should be spoken to no purpose by Paul if they be understood of a revelation of God as Creator only and not as Redeemer for what hath that revelation to do with the Gospel Therefore Calvine saith he speaketh of the revelation by the creatures preparatory to the Gospel It is true there is an Objection in these words v. 18. But I say have they not heard A learned Countrey-man Charles Fermin But the Israelites saith he have not heard the Gospel Then if faith be from hearing and saving calling upon God be from faith then believing Israelites shall be of the number of them that call
it is as the body without the spirit hath the nature of a body and so James had no more ground for him to say ye see then that we are not justified by faith only then to say ye see then that we are not justified by works only For works separated from faith are no lesse dead works cannot justifie 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3 4 5. Then faith separated from works really pulled from them as in an hypocrite is a true faith Obj. When James saith that a man is justified by works not by faith only he maketh faith and works concomitant in that procurement of Justification and in that kind of causality for he saith not as he is commonly interpreted not by faith which is alone but by faith only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ans. He is not more commonly nor soundly and truely interpreted he is not justified by faith which is alone fide solitariâ by dead faith For solâ fide justificamur Faith hath the only vertue of justifying as an instrument and so is the Adverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solùm taken Matth. 5.47 If ye salute your brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only what do ye more then Publicans Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes duties only naturall excluding these which only converts in a spirituall way can do Matth. 8 8. Only say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it clearly saith that a mandat of Omnipotency only in CHRIST could heal the sick servant but yet that Omnipotency is not really separated from justice wisedom mercy Matth. 9.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I only touch him I shall be whole But the act of touching was conjoined with the act of hearing Who hath touched me Yet the act of hearing had no causative influence in the drawing vertue out of Christ but only the act of touching did extract the vertue as Christ saith Luk. 8.50 Mar. 5.36 Fear not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only beleeve saith Christ to the Ruler can it be said but this excludes works as touching the apprehending of the power and mercy of Christ in raising the dead Damosel And yet that beleeving was not solitary but conjoined with love reverence submission 35. So Luk. 8.50 Mat. 21.19 And Act. 3.16 The faith that is by Christ hath given this creeple perfect soundnesse Heb. 11.30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell It were strange to say by Peter's and John's good works and holinesse the creeple man was made whole and by good works the walls of Jericho fell and yet there were good works love mercifulnesse courage in the Priests who compassed the walls of Iericho and in Peter and Iohn Adde to these that by good works we must more and more justifie and pardon our own sins and must more and more buy a right to the Tree of Life as they teach citing Rev. 22.14 and more merit ex pacto Euangelico life eternall and so our works and merites must be joint causes with the blood of Christ and the Martyrs blood and Christs blood must have paralel and collateral influence with Christs blood to buy right to the Tree of Life Yea and Paul already justified even in the progresse of that which is called his Evangelick Justification Phil. 3. would be in another condition 9. That I may be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith And why should Arminians and Socinians deny it to be Pauls own For 1. it is inherent righteousnesse 2. It is not infused as Papists say but acquired as they teach 3. It came say they from Pauls own free-will indifferent to will or nill But how is the Scripture fulfilled in Abrahams beleeving Iam. 2.23 Ans. The Apostle spake often of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and beleeving v. 14. twice v. 17. once v. 18. thrice v. 19. twice v. 20. once v. 22. twise that is nine times thereof Emphatically v. 23. by way of excellency the Scripture was then fulfilled Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beleeved and it was counted to him for righteousnesse as it s written Gen. â—5 6 before God and man and to his own conscience when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar That was reall visible and conspicuous believing and righteousnesse to deny himself so far for God For James is much for Religion made known to a mans self and to men and hath far other Adversaries in the other extremity then Paul had even the old Gnosticks who in opposition to the Jews and Pharisees laid aside the Law doing of the Law Jam. 1.22 23. all works c. 2.14 all conscience of bridling the tongue c. 13.1 2. of peaceable and mortified living c. 4. c. 5. and thought it godlinesse to hear the word in the Assemblies ch 2.1 2 3. without love to the Brethren and to keep in their head a room empty faith and professed fair and gave good words but no garments to the naked v. 14 15. And James had good cause to treat of a visible and declared faith but yet not meerly declared but which was reall and can save 14. and of justification such as that of Abraham and Rachab as was senâ—sible and reall and not in a bare profession For Iames speaks of a profiting and saving faith Iam. 2.14 What doth it profite c. Can faith save him Another devise is here alledged of a formed faith animated with charity and that justifies say Papists and an unformed faith void of charity and that say they doth not justifie And the same way but in other expressions Arminians and Socinians teach that to believe and do good works and to repent and walk in all the Commandements of Iesus Christ is to believe or compleat formed and Evangelick faith But we distinguish them as the Scripture It s true Rom. 4.9 faith is said to be imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse and so v. 3. v. 5. but it is not meant of the act or work of believing that was counted for Abrahams formall righteousnesse there should so no room be left to the satisfaction of Christ reckoned to be ours if all the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10.3 1 Corin. 5.21 Phili. 3.9 should be turned over in an act of believing mixt with much doubting and in our sinfull obedience And the Socinians have more reason for them to say there is no necessity of any reall satisfaction of blood payed for us then the Arminians and Papists For if our righteousnesse and inherent obedience may be of grace esteemed formall righteousnesse before God by a free Evangelick paction and an act of Gods free-will the Lord might have esteemed the eating of an aple or any act of obedience our formall righteousnesse and so Christ dyed in vain to become our righteousnesse where an act of a sinfull man or a deed of the Law even the Law of faith is sufficient What needs the shedding of the blood of God
the coals of that hellish furnace and kindle a fire before night 3. They being under the Law of Nature are to rely on infinite mercy able to save Their witty darknesse of unbeleef saith they beleeve but they hate mercy in the generall toward others as to themselves 2. For a doubting child of God because the light of evidence which to them in that case is dimme comes nearer to the naturall light of reason then to spirituall light therefore faith must be set on work to act as faith and faith acts most strongly when reason is weakest Naturall causes work more strongly under opposition the fire burns most vehemently in winter frost and the internall heat of the body is most mighty for concoction when the coldness of the air is most piercing without faith sees God most piercingly at midnight in Job when rottennesse and deadness speaks the contrair Job 19. I know surely so the word Exod. 8.1 Psal. 31.8 that my Redeemer lives Isa. 50.10 He that walks in darknesse and hath no light of evidence let him trust on the Name of the Lord and let him stay himself upon his God Rom. 4.19 20. 2. There is a peece of unseen wilfulnesse in unbeleef and two refusalls in it as we see in Thomas Joh. 20.25 as there is a masse of sanctified will required in sincere faith Rom. 10.9 10. Mark 9.24 and so resistance must be made to that blind impulsion of will in unbeleef by which we please our selves in doubling our doubting 3. Should the commanding of killing the Son Gen. 22.2 seem to contradict the whole Gospel of the promised Seed Gen. 15.4 yet knowing both to come from God Abraham did well to leave the supposed contradiction to be solved by God and beleeve both as we are to beleeve food in no food and in famine Q. Where was there a word that God was Adams God Ans. Not directly For 1. that Covenant was like Letters of the King raised to such a day and the date being expired the Letters cease to be in force 2. Adam was to winne and purchase as it were God to be his God by consumate obedience God never said that he would be Adams God by giving him influences to obey and to obey to the end all influences granted to Adam to will and to do were granted to him 1. By God Creator not by the grace of a Redeemer as in the Covenant of Grace to walk Ezek. 36.27 to love Deut. 30.6 to persevere Jer. 32.39 40. 2. These influences were free gifts but not promised 3. They seem to be ordinis naturalis naturall though they did bow and previously inclince the will but not so in the New Testament for the whole Covenant is called by the promise of the giving of a new heart Heb. 8.10 Isa. 54.9.13 Jer. 31.31 32 33. Ezek. 11.19 20. Hos. 2.18 19. And therefore better it is that God be Lord of my heart and it be his then that I be lord of it and my heart be mine own heart the lesse of our heart be upon our heart the more upon God the better Ah! we cannot skill to guide a heart 3. The threatning of death to Adam if he should sin Gen. 2.17 may infer a Covenant of life and that God should be Adams God if he should obey CHAP. IX What life is promised in the Covenant of Works 2. Whether all we especially the Reprobate by the fall lost all right to the creatures 3. How the Lord is our God Q. WHat is meaned by life promised in the Covenant of Works A. 1. Not a life in Christ and the fruit of the merit of blood as our life is in the New Covenant Joh. 10.11 Joh. 3.16 For Adam was not Mediator of reconciliation here he was a sort of publick Law-head in whom he was to stand or fall if any please to call him so a Mediator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is a Law-life happily a communion in glory 2. But the life he lived and the creatures for his service seems not to belong to this life for the creatures were given to Adam he not working for them Yet I should not oppose if any say that earthly blessings were given to Adam as a reward of an actuall obedience as they are given to such as keep the Law Deut. 28. But sure our gain in Christ of such a life bought by so noble a Ransome as the Blood of God-man is not little It s rawnesse and greennesse of wit to value it so low as we do Children see not what a hireing and taking apple Heaven is Q. Whether or no did Adam and all the Reprobats in his loyns by sin losse right to the creatures A. There is a three-fold right 1. Naturall 2. Providentiall 3. Spirituall A naturall right may be conceived two wayes 1. Absolutely so creature and man not created can have no jus or claime to being or life the Creators free gift is our best Charter to life and being 2. This right may be conceived conditionally as if God create the Sun a power to give light is congruous and debita naturae Solis suteable to the nature of the Sun nor can the creature plead for this as debt but if the Lord give being to injoy this being can not be sin because there is no law and command to nothing to receive or not to receive being and life from the Creator And where there is no Law there is no transgression And therefore to have being and life cannot be in it self a sin 2. Providentiall right is but a continuating of life and being untill the same power that gave it shall remove it by way of punishment For God as Creator of his Soveraignty gives being and life and the comfortable use of the creatures but as a Judge ordinarily for sin he removes it though he I deny not out of his Soveraignty may and possibly doth annihilate the meat that the Angels in assumed bodies and which the Man Christ after the Resurrection did eat 3. The spirituall right is that new supernaturall Title which the Elect beleevers have in order to a supernaturall end and all these being made theirs to promove their salvation 1 Cor. 3.21 All things are yours Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things by Covenant-right so he adds And I will be his God and he shall be my Son Psal. 37 10. A drink of cold water by this Charter is better then a Kings Crown and hath refreshed some more then all the choise wine the earth yeelds The love of the Giver is better then wine Cant. 1.2 and here the Charter is by many thousands more precious then the Land For nature common to all is over-gilded with free-Grace And the naturall life and being and the materiall heavens we shall injoy are blessed in another manner to the glorified then these they now injoy 1 Cor. 15.40 41 42 43 c. 2 Pet.
it must either be a Covenant of Works or of Grace or a third Covenant But the truth is the Law as pressed upon Israel was not a Covenant of Works 1. The Law as the Law or as a Covenant of Works is made with perfect men who need no mercy But this Covenant is made with sinners with an expresse preface of mercy I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Egypt c. It is made with stiff-necked Israel Deut. 29. Deut. 30. c. 31. c. 32. and that is called a Covenant from the end and object as motions are denominate from their end for the end of the Lords pressing the Law upon them was to bring them under a blessed necessity to seek salvation in their true City of Refuge Christ Jesus who redeemed them out of the spirituall bondage of sin 2. It was the Covenant made with Abraham which was a Covenant of Grace and though it be called Deut. 29.1 a Covenant beside that which was made in Horeb Because 1. Renued again after their breach 2. Repeated a litle before the death of Moses Deut. 31.28.29.30 3. Because there were some additions of speciall blessings cursings Ceremoniall Commands that were not in the formerly proposed Covenant Exod. 20. yet the same it was in substance to love the Lord with all the heart Deut. 2.10 12 13 14. The same with that of Abraham Deut. 8.18 That he may establish his Covenant which he sware unto thy fathers as it is this day When he is to deliver them out of Egypt Exod. 2.24 And God heard their groaning and remembred his Covenant with Abraham and Isaak and Jacob. So the Lord expones it in his appearing to Moses Exod. 3.6 Jer. 31.32 Not according to the Covenant which I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Aegypt Now that was the Covenant which God made with Abraham of which Circumcision was a seal Gen. 17. not of a temporary Canaan only but of heart Circumcision Col. 2.11 For the Lord expresâ—y tells thâ—â— when he took them by the hand as his married people to bring them out of the Land of Aegypt and out of the house of bondage Exod. 20. He meant no other Covenant then he made with Abraham of believing Gen. 15. and of walking before him and being perfect Gen. 17.1 2. which is somewhat more legall as Moses and the Lord himself expones it Exod. 2.24 Exod. 3.6 Exod. 20.1 2. And he showes them Lev. 26. if in their enemies land they repent and shall come out and meet the rod and their uncircumcised hearts shall willingly accept of the punishment of their iniquity 42. Then saith the Lord I will remember my Covenant with Jacob and also my Covenant with Isaac and also my Covenant with Abraham will I remember Beside there are not here three Covenants but one there is no word of the subservient Covenant with Israel in Sinai Except that when he mentions the one he excludes not the other For to walk before the Lord required in Abrahams Covenant Gen. 17.1 is to walk in all the ways of the Lord to fear and love him Deut. 10.12 13. and Samuel 1 Sam. 12.22 Joshua Josh. 24.22 23 24 25. And Mary Luke 1.55 And Zacharie ver 70 72 73. refer to the Covenant made with Abraham and Deut. 6. the Covenant at Horeb the Lord made with Abraham to give Canaan to his seed ver 10. Deut. 7.12 If thou hearken to these judgements to do them it shall come to passe that the Lord thy God will keep unto thee the Covenant of mercy that he sware unto thy fathers c. 3. This Covenant hath the promise of a circumcised heart Deut. 30.6 and of the word of faith that is near in the mouth and of the righteousnesse of faith clearly differenced from the righteousnesse of the Law by doing For so Paul Rom. 10.5 6 7 c. expones Moses Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. 4. The Covenant of Works taught nothing of the way of expiation of sin by blood typifying the Ransome of blood that Christ was to pay for our sins as this Covenant all along had sacrifices and blood to confirm it Exod. 24.8 And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said behold this is the Blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words Now the words were the ten Commandements See Heb. 9. v. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. 5. This Covenant is made with Israel only Exod. 20. Deut. 5. c. 6. Deut. 6.5 6 7.12 The Covenant of Works is made with all mankind 6. No people under the Law can be justified and saved thereby nor have their sins pardoned Rom. 3.9 10 11. 19 20. Rom. 4.1 2 3 4. Rom. 9. Rom. 10. Psal. 130 3. Psal. 143.2 Gal. 3.1 2 3. 10 11 12 13. But in this Covenant Abraham David Gen. 15. Psal. 32. Rom. 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. And the Jewes by faith have remission of sins and salvation as also the Gentiles have Acts 10.43 Acts 15.11 7. The Lord minds to lay aside the Law as inconsistent with the Covenant of Grace Gal. 3.18 If the inheritance be by the Law then it is not by promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise For to live by this Covenant is a life of promises all being here promised both faith the condition and perseverance therein and a new heart righteousnesse pardon and life A man that hath his estate in papers and in good words that are transient things may seem a poor man but to live by promises here is the rich life of the heirs of hope this is strong consolation under deadness absence faith working under-ground in the dark Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have been by the Law Though he commanded them to do the Law it was not that they should live thereby and though he commanded us the same it is another command as it were it is not so much now that we obey from the Authority of God Law-giver under pain of damnation though that be not laid aside but urged in a Gospel intention upon heirs as from the love of God Grace-giver as also there is an intrinsecall amaenitie in Christ drawing and obedience now becomes connaturall free delightfull Let these consider to whom the yoak of obedience is a torment and a man-mill 8. The Passeover and Circumcision Gen. 17.7 all along were seals of the Covenant as Baptism one with Circumcision in substance Col. 2.11 is the seal of the same Covenant Acts 2.39 40 41. Now the Law required no Circumcision no shedding of blood no Repentance no new heart but eternall condemnation followed the least breach thereof Paul saith indeed Gal. 5.3 If ye be Circumcised as the false Apostles would have that thereby you may be justified saved
and his seed What mercy My Covenant shall stand fast with him Hence they are called the sure mercies of David Isa. 55. The Lord following the seed of the Godly with real mercies so that it cannot be called the favour of a ceremony and instituted or positive priviledge belonging only to the Jews as that his seed is blessed Psal. 37.26 Psal. 112.2 This mercy must be taken away either in mercie or in wrath but that a real mercy of a blessing should be taken away in mercy except a spirituall mercy of saving grace in Christ were given in place thereof cannot be said far lesse hath it any truth that a real mercy can be removed in wrath from Infants in Jesus Christ in whom the Nations are blessed And we see Deut. 28. the blessing of an observed Covenant and the curses of a broken Covenant are extended to the fruit of the body to the sons and the daughters v. 418.32 Job 21.19 Job 29.14 Job 18.15 16 17. And that this is not a New Testament dispensation who can say And that outward positive favours are bestowed on Infants is clear 1. That Christ laid his hands on them and blessed them making them a fixed copy of the indwellers of his Kingdom 2 The promises of the Covenant are made to them Act. 2.39 3. They are clean and holy by Covenant holinesse 1 Cor. 7.14 which cannot be meant of being born of the marriage-bed For Paul Rom. 11.16 saith the same of the Jews root and branches Fathers and Children And no man dreamed that Paul Rom. 11. intends to prove that the Jews shall be insert in again because they are free of bastardie Father and sons Now Infants understand no more any of rhese to be blessed by the laying on of the hands of Christ and to be such as have title to the promises Acts 2.39 and to be Covenant-wise holy 1 Cor. 7. then they understand Baptism 4. The same Covenant made with Abraham is made with the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6.16 I will be their God and they shall be my people Which is Prophesied of the Gentiles under the New Testament Ezek 11.17 18 19 20. Ezek 34.23 24 25. Jer. 31 31 32 33 34 35 36. Jer. 32.36 37 38 39 40. Zech. 13.9 Hos. 1.10 11. 1 Pet. 2.9 10. And it is made to the Gentiles with an eke of a new heart and a larger extent of the Covenant under the New Test. for which cause it is called a better Covenant hath better promises Heb. 7.22 Heb. 8.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Now that were a strange eke and excellency of the New Testament Covenant above the Old to forfeit without farther processe all Infants under the New Testament of all Covenant-right which was due to them of old under the Covenant which the Lord calls faultie Egypt shall be my people except their 1. Infants 2. And except their aged and their non-Saints 5. Infants in the former Covenant had right by birth to the means of salvation to be taught and Catechised in the Law of the Lord because born of Covenanting Parents within the Visible Church and so had title to Covenant-calling and GODS Covenant-choising Mat. 22.4 as is clear Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord Exod. 20.10 Deut. 6 6 7. And thou shall teach them diligently unto thy Children Exod. 12 26 27. Ps. 78.4 5 6. Now if Infants be without the Covenant as the Infants of Pagans then they have no more Covenant-right to the hearing of the Gospel and a treatie with Christ and Covenant then Pagans have It s not enough to say their Fathers owe that much naturall compassion to their souls as to teach them it being a Parents duty Yea but what warrand hath a Father as a Father to make offer of a Covenant of Grace in the Name of GOD to one Pagan more then to another since all are equally without the Covenant if there be a Covenant-call warranted to them where is the Fathers command to propone and ingadge the Covenanters consent if the Children be Pagans but as they have a right by birth to the call they being born where the call soundeth they must have some visible right to the Covenant it self more then other Pagans It s but of small weight to say that Rom. 9. Paul expoundeth that in the New Testament I will be thy God and the God of thy seed only of the spirituall seed such as Jacob who was predestinated to Glory not of those that are carnally descended of Abraham otherwise it should follow that these that are in the Covenant might believe that they should be saved though void of Faith and Repentance Answ. The purpose of the Apostle Rom. 9. is to Answer a sad Objection if the Jews be cast off and rejected of God as Paul by his extreame desire to have them saved insinuates then the Word of God takes no effect and his calling and choising of them for his people takes no effect v. 6. He Answers it is not failed though the body of Israel be rejected For there are two kinds of Israelits some only carnall and born according to the flesh Others sons of promise and chosen of God Now the word of promise takes effect in the latter sort to wit in the chosen and in the sons of promise for they are not cast off of God and so the Word of God takes effect v. 6. 2. But the truth is if there be none Covenanted with God but the chosen under the New Testament then there is no such thing as an externall and visible Covenanting with God under the New Testament then must all the Nations Isa. 2.1 2. Kingdomes of the World Rev. 11.15 all Egypt Assyria Isa. 19.25 all the Gentiles Isa. 60. be internally Covenanted and sons of promise and predestinated to life And that 2 Cor. 6.16 I will be your God and ye shall be my people under the New Testament must infer that all in Covenant under Christ must be spiritually in Covenant and the Visible Church of Corinth and of all the Kingdomes of the world Rev. 11.15 must be the invisible and chosen Church and as many as are called must be chosen contrair to Mat. 22.14 Hence Q. 1. Have Infants now under Christ no priviledge nor Covenant Grace externall by their birth and discent from beleeving Parents Ans. Sure they have For Acts 2.39 the promise is to you and to your children Either to all children or to some the Text makes no exception If it be said to all conditionally if they beleeve not absolutely Ans. That must be an internall covenanting proper to the elect and the promise is not made to the aged but conditionally so they beleeve And yet the promise shall be made to Infants and Children but not while they come to age 2. To be cut off and casten out of Covenant is a dreadfull Judgement Zecha 11.9 Hos. 2.3 4 5. Rom.
invisibly in Covenant and do make no profession of Christ at all are not warrantably by the Church to be baptized Only these whether old or young that are tali modo visibili federati such as professedly and visibly in Covenant and called Acts 2.39 are warrantably baptized Hence they must be so in Covenant as they be called by the word of the Covenant for they cannot be baptized against their will Luke 7.29.30 Q. What warrand is there Act. 2.39 for Infant Baptisme Ans. I shall not contend for the actuall baptizing of them at that instant But every one of you be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 father and sons Why the promise is to you and to your children break the Text into an hundred pieces and blood it as men please the Genuine Thesis which cannot be neglected is These to whom the promise of the Covenant does belong these should be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the promise of the Covenant is to you and to your children Ergo you and your children should be baptized The assumption is the expresse words of Peter and the Proposition is Peters Every one of you be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to you is the promise of the Covenant Calvin Bullinger Brentius Gualther clear it 2. Who they are who are in the nearest capacity to be baptized he explaines when he showeth that the Covenant promise is made to these who are far off to the Gentiles whom the Lord shall call then all that are under the call and offer of Christ in the Preached Gospel as Prov. 9.1 2 3 4. Math. 22 bid them come to the wedding Luke 14.16 17 18. c. are externally in Covenant and such to whom the Covenant is made and should be baptized it s presumed they give some professed consent to the call and do not right down deny to come else they should be baptized against their will 3. Calvine showes Acts 2.39 that the Anabaptists in his time said the promise was made to Believers only but the Text saith it is made to you and to your children to infants to the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant made with the fathers Acts 3.25 Now what ground doe Anabaptists give that all infants believe or that some believe since to them their children were as Pagans without Christ without the Covenant if to the children when they come to age and shall believe but what need to adde and to your believing Children for these are not children but men of age their fathers and they both being believers Now Peter sets down two ranks the aged who heard the word with gladnesse and were pricked in heart v. 37.41 and the children and to both the promise is made and what ground is their to exclude sucking children for the word Acts 2.39 is Math. 2.18 1 Cor. 7.14 where sure the word is taken for sucking children of whose actuall faith the Scripture speaks not 2. The promise is to you and to your children can have no other sense then the promise and word of the Covenant is preached to you and to your children in you and this is to be externally in Covenant both under the Old and New Testament If it have another sense it must be this the Lord hath internally Covenanted with you the 3000. who have heard the word and with your children and you are the spirituall seed and sons of promise predestinate to life eternall as Rom. 9. they expone the seed in Covenant But 1. Were all the 3000. Ananias and Saphiâ—a and their children the spirituall and chosen seed for he commands all whom he exhorts to repent to be baptized And 2. Now to Simon Magus and Demas and numbers of such Peter could not have said the promise is made to you and to your children if it be only made to reall and actuall believers as they say Peter therefore must owne them all whom he exhorts to repent as the chosen seed But if the former sense be intended as how can it be denyed to wit the word of the Covenant is preached to you an offer of Christ is made in the preached Gospel to you Then it cannot be denyed but the promise is to all the Reprobate in the Visible Church whether they believe or not for Christ is preached and promises of the Covenant are preached to Simon Magus to Judas and all the Hypocrites who stumble at the Word to all the Pharisees as is clear Math. 13.20 21 22 23. Acts 13.44 45. Acts 18.5 6. Math. 21.43 1 Pet. 2.7 8. 3. The promise I will be your God and ye shall be my people must be one way expounded in the Old Testament to wit you are externally only in Covenant with God But in the New Testament it must have this meaning I wil be your God 2 Cor. 6.16 that is you are all predestinate to life and the sons by promise and the spirituall seed to whom I say I will be your God But so it may well be said there were no internall Covenanters in the Old Testament and there be none but only internall Covenanters in the New Testament so that when the Lord sayeth Rev. 11.15 The Kingdomes of the earth are mine and my sons He must say the Kingdomes Egypt Assyria Tyrus Ethiopia c. are chosen and the spirituall seed and these Covenanted Nations and the Kingdomes of the Gentiles are all internally and effectually called and there are no Visible Churches in the New Test. but only all invisible and saved 4. If these words The promise is to you and to your children be limited to as many as the Lord shall effectually call either fathers or children But Mr. Stev Marshel judiciouslie observes there is no more a Covenant-favour holden forth to their children then to the children of Pagans for the children of Pagans if God effectually call them have the promises made to them 5. It s clear that externall Covenant-holinesse is to these men ceremoniall holiness now out of date and then externall calling the only means of internall and effectuall calling Math. 22.14 1 Cor. 1.18.23 24. Luke 15.1 2. and the fixed Church-hearing of the Preached Gospel is a ceremony 2. That God should be the God of Infants of the seed of the Jews a mercie to fathers and sons coming from free love Deut. 10.15 Gen. 17.7 Deut. 7.6.7.8 and Prophesied as a mercy to the Gentiles by all the Prophets was a ceremony removed now in Christ. Yea 3. externall Covenanting and adopting and choising of Israel is no mercy except that a Pedagogie of the Law is a mercy for a time 4. The promise is to you and to your children must be in a contradictorie way expounded to wit the promise is no more made to your children so long as they are Infants then to Devils Yea fathers and children not beleeving though chosen to life are excommunicated from Visible adoption calling hearing the Gospel promises for there is no Covenanting now under
6.12.15 Heb. 8.6 Heb. 9.14 1 John 5.1 is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to your children of the New Testament to your Infants if they beleeve say they 1. Can Infants actually beleeve 2. Is not the promise so made to Turks if they beleeve But it were an easier way to Anabaptists to say infants under the New Testament are externally in Covenant where as Parents beleeve and members of the Church are followed with Covenant mercy only because they understand not and the administration is more spirituall under the New Testament and faith more urged God requires not the dipping of Infants in Rivers a ceremony more onerous more truely in women with child virgins diseased persons in winter in cold countreys against the word the second Command the third the fourth the sixth the seventh then that it needs to be refuted it being only a ceremony which they may well want But now Infants of beleevers are casten out for no fault of the Covenant of Grace 2. From Covenant mercy to the thousand Generation Contrair to Gen. 17.7 Exod. 20.5 3. From Covenant-prayers and Church-prayers Contrair to 1 Sam. 12. Ps. 28.9 Ps. 67.1 2. Ps. 103 4 5. 4. From the blessing of the Lords Covenant-presence who dwels in the Nation in the Kingdom Ps. 135.21 Ps. 132.13 14. Rev. 11.15 Isa. 19.25 Isa. 2.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 6.16 I will dwell in them and walk in them and be their God and they shall be my people 18. And I will be a father to you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Though this be spoken to all the Covenanted people of God yet are Infants casten out of the bosome of a Covenant Father and God 5. Infants are debarred from Covenant-calling and gathering in under the wings of Christ Contrair to Matth. 28.19 20. Matth. 23.37 Psal. 147.19 20. and excluded from Gods Covenant-choise Contrair to Deut. 7.6 7 8 9 13 14. Deut. 10.15 and left being heirs of wrath a prey to Satan 6. They are Excommunicated from Covenant-blessings earthly and the Tabernacle-protection promised in the Old and New Testament Contrair to Deut. 28.4 Lev. 26.6 7 8 9. Psal. 37.18.22.25 26. Psal. 92.10 Psal. 112.1 2 3. Ezech. 34.24 25 26. Ezech. 36.29.35 36 37. Ezech. 8.7 8. And in the New Testament Matth. 6.27 28.33 1 Tim. 4.8 Heb. 13.5 6. which were nothing if our Heavenly Father provide bread protection safety dwelling in the land and our houses to the fathers but the children had no charter but to beggery to the sword to be devoured by wilde beasts and the diseases of Egypt And the Infants have nothing from the Covenant but what Infants of Amaleck and Babylon 1 Sam. 15.1 2. Ps. 137.5 and of Sodom have Gen. 19. 7. They are members of Satan of the Kingdom of the Prince of darknesse not members of Christs Body since there be but two Kings two Gods Satan 2 Cor. 4.4 Eph. 2 1 2. Eph. 6.12 Matth. 12.29 and Christ the King and Head of his body And it is known that Infants within the Visible Church suffer incursions of Devils dreadfull diseases death and being without the Covenant as Pagans these evils must either be acts of revenging justice and preparatorie to the judgement of eternall fire or blessed in Christ But if the former they are damned if the latter what blessing is there without Christ 8. Being without the Covenant 1. Infants cannot be chosen and predestinate in Christ to salvation as Eph. 1.4 Rom. 9.11 nor given to Christ to be saved Covenant-wayes as John 17.2 John 6.39 nor loved from eternity nor in time as Arminians teach and so must be carried in Christ to Heaven or Hell or rather to a mid place without God or providence or decrees or fore-knowledge or counsel of God 2. They being without the Gospel-Covenant cannot be redeemed by Jesus Christ his Blood but some other way Contrair to Acts 4.12 3. If Infants be born without sin as Anabaptists teach they die and go either to Heaven and so Christ took not on him their nature and is not their Saviour or they go to everlasting torment and yet never sinned which is repugnant to Divine Justice Or to some third place of which the Scripture speaks not And yet the word saith Rev. 20.12 that the dead small and great shall stand before God and shall be judged And the Scripture saith Infants are capable of punishment and of being cut off and the Parents punished in them and they bear Covenant-wrath in their Parents As is clear in the seed of Jeroboam of Achab of others Ezod 20.5 Gen. 17.14 4. Neither remission of sins Justification nor life eternall nor Sonship nor Adoption in Christs suffering death and in the Blood of the everlasting Covenant can belong to Infants if they be without the Covenant 9. Nor can children be capable of being blessed of Christ or of his laying on of hands As Mark 10. if they be not under the N. Test. capable of Covenant-grace And it is to be minded that Covenanting Parents Luke 18. 1. Such as came to him to be cured of their diseases and beleeved him to be the Messiah the Son of David as the blind call him Mat. 20. and the woman of Canaan Mat. 15. Luk 18.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought to him little Children as Mat. 8.16 Mat. 9.2 Luk. 4.40 they brought the sick 2. The children were not diseased nor possessed And the Parents being desirous they might be blessed as the event proved it is clear they were not children of heathen but members of the Visible Church 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of such is the Kingdom of God Luk. 18.16 we cannot think that his meaning is of such as such is the Kingdome of God as if all Infants of Jew and Heathen belonged as subjects to the Visible Church for then the Infants of all Heathen should be Covenanted members of the Visible Church and yet their Parents are without the Visible Church and when they grow to age they should without any scandall be Excommunicate which were monstruous nor can the Invisible Kingdom of God be of such as if all Infants because Infants were saved Nor 4. Can the taking of them be a meer Embleme that such were blessed for so beside that Doves and Lambs for meeknesse are capable of being taken in the armes of Christ and blessed Christ bids them in all times coming be suffered to come and not forbidden v. 16. which saith he desired the whole spece of Infants of the Visible Church to be brought to him Nor doth Christ make acts of Emblems ordinary but he will have children at all time to come to him forbid them not He once cursed the fig tree that was an Embleme and did but once wash his Disciples feet and that was an Embleme And 5. He could not mean that only Infants predestinate to glory should be suffered to come For he saith indifferently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
whole and need no Physick 3. Ye loath Christ but knows it not Luke 7.44.45 ye love Christ as a supposed Prophet and loath him as a Redeemer One may deadly hate Christ and not know it 4. Ye cannot compare the two states together the state of nature and the state of Grace as 1 Tim. 1.13 ye idolize your own choise to bear down Achabs Idolatrie but choose not the will of God to oppose Ieroboams Idolatrie 5. Ye want Christ and ye were not born with Christ in the heart 2. Yea ye are eternally lost without him and know neither the one nor the other Quest. 4. Whether or not are beleevers the parties of the Covenant of Grace Ans. These are parties to whom the Covenant-promise is made not these who already have the benefit promised in the Covenant but beleevers must have a new heart and consequently faith already therefore they cannot be parties with whom the Covenant is made As because the Image of God is not promised to Adam in the Covenant of Works but presupposed to be in him by order of nature before God make with him the Covenant of Works else he could not be able to keep that Covenant which we cannot say for God created him right and holy Gen. 1.26 27. Eccles. 7.29 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 Therefore Adam in his pure naturalls as not yet indued with the Image of God cannot be the partie with whom the Covenant of Works is made for then the Image of God must either be a reward which Adam by his pure naturalls and strength thereof must purchase by working which the Scripture and nature of the Covenant cannot admit or then the Image of God must be promised to Adam in the Covenant of Works which is no lesse absurd And if faith be promised in the Gospel the Covenant of Grace must be made with some Israel and Judah as predestinated to life eternall and yet wanting a new heart For God cannot Covenantâ—ways promise a new heart to such as have it but to suchÌ„ as have a stony heart and beleeve not Ezek. 36.26 Deut. 30.6 Ezek 11.19 nor can he promise faith to such as have faith this way Quest. 5. Who are these that have the new heart and so are personally and really within the Covenant of grace Ans. Because the new spirit is given when the new heart is given Ezek. 36.27 Ezek. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit and many in our times boast of the spirit it shall be fit to speak of the new spirit and who are spirituall Hence these Questions of the new spirit Quest. 1. What is the seed of the new spirit Ans. The word of the Gospel therefore before Adam could have the Gospel-spirit the Lord must reveal the Doctrine of the Gospel the seed of the woman must tread down the head of the serpent Gen. 3. So the word and the spirit are promised together Isa. 59.21 Isa. 30.21 Thy teachers shall not be removed and thine ears shall hear this is the inward teaching a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk ye in it Isa. 51.16 17. Mat. 28.20 Go teach that is the word Loe I am with you to the end of the world that is the Spirit to make it effectuall by my Spirit Joh. 14.16 17. Object But Adam when he heard first the Doctrine of the blessed seed could not try the Doctrine or speaker by any new Doctrine Ans. The first Doctrine can be tryed by no other rule because it was the first rule it self nor can these principalls written in the heart naturally That God is God is just holy c. be tryed by any other truths because they are first truths As the sense of seeing cannot try whether the Sun be the Sun by the light of some other Sun that is before this Sun which is more lightsome For there is not another Sun before this the Gospel it self hath God shining in it to these who are enlightened as Adam was a Rubbie doth speak that is a Rubbie Obj. How then should Adam know what God spake to him and nâ—t to another are we not to try all spirits that speak Ans. There is a word immediatly spoken by the Prophets and Apostles that is to be tryed partly by the first Preaching the Lord made in Paradise partly by the effects that it converteth the soul Psal. 19.7 and smells of that same Majesty and the divine power of another life which is in the first Sermon Gen. 3.15 this is Verbum Dei immediatum But when God himself speaks in his own person to Adam to Abraham Gen. 22. to Moses Isaiah the Apostles that is Verbum Dei immediatissimum the fountain-word neither word nor speaker is to be tryed The Patriarchs and Prophets are never bidden try the visions of God for when God speaks them himself he makes it evident that it is he and only he who speaks and we read not of any in this deceived Angels or men cannot counterfeit God Obj. There have after the Canon of the Scripture is closed been some men who have Prophesied facts to come that fell out as they foretold just as Isaiah Elias and other Prophets then something is to be beleeved that is not written and such may have the Spirit and yet no word of Scripture goes along with it Ans. 1. Such men may have I confesse a Propheticall spirit but first they were eminently holy and sound in the faith and taught that the Catholick Church should beleeve nothing nor practise nothing but what is warranted by the Word Such as boast of Spirit or Prophesie and reject the word are therefore not to be beleeved 2. What these men of God foretold is a particular fact concerning a man what death he should die or a Nation or a particular such a man shall be eternally saved but no dogma fidei nor any truth that lays bands on the Catholick Church to believe that to the end of the world as all Scripturall truths do and a doubt it is if we are to beleeve these in the individuall circumstances of fact sub periculo peccati upon hazard of sinning against God we may I judge without sin suspend belief and yeeld charity to the speaker 3. If any object the Prophets did foretell particular facts concerning the death of Ahab the birth of Josiah which concerned particular persons I but they so were the maters of fact as the crucifying of Christ was a mater of fact as also they did by the intent of the Holy Ghost contain Historicall Morall and dogmatically divine Instructions so that the whole Catholick Church must believe them with certainty of divine faith they being written and spoken for our Instruction and they sin who believe not Quest. 2. What are we to judge of these truths revealed to Professors when they are in much nearnesse to God and the Lord is pleased to shine upon them in some fulness of manifestation of himself to their
by doing whereas it is he and he alone that hath merited to us Grace and Glory and all title to Heaven Not to say that a Charter of life from such a noble Superiour as Christ by the purchase of blood and of such blood the blood of God Act. 20.28 is some better then to have eternall liveliehood and free-hold from our duty and lubrick best works which are polluted with sin and by which though we were Evangelically conscious to our selves of nothing yet should we not be therefore justified 1 Cor. 4.4 for the righteousnesse in which is Davids blessednesse before Christ and Abrahams before the Law and ours under the Gospel is in forgiving of iniquity covering of sin not imputing of sin Rom. 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. But in all the Scripture our sins are never said to be pardoned and not imputed to us by our own most Evangelick doing for we are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.24 not by the Redemption that is in us and are washen from our sins in his Blood Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Mat. 26.28 Rev. 1.5 and sufferings not by our Evangelick doings and if such a case could stand the Martyrs sure might well be justified by their own blood and since no pardoning washâ—ng Law-satisfying vertue can be in faith works or our Evangelick deservings they can not justifie us nor keep and occupy the Chair of Christ. And the fault were the lesse if our works were onely called the way to the kingdom not the cause of raigning but they are called perfect both in their nature and conforme to the rule and also in order to the end to justifie us before God and to save us And if so all in Christ may say we have no sin contrary to Scripture Jam. 3.2 1 King 8.46 Eccles. 7.20 Prov. 20.9 Jam. 2.10 Yea though he that is guilty in one offends in all yet in the sight of God all flesh shall be justified this way Psal. 143.2 Nor can it be said that such works are perfectly conform to the Gospel because the doers beleeving in the lowest degree fulfills the condition of the Gospel But where it is said that the Gospel commands only faith in the lowest degree Then the Centurions faith the faith of the woman of Canaan and the greatest faith shall not be required in the Law For the condition of the Covenant of Grace cannot say they be required in the Covenant of Works and it is not required in the Gospel under the pain of sinning against the Covenant of Grace and of damnation for then all who have not faith in the highest degree should be damned and violate and break the Covenant of Grace contrary to the whole Gospel which saith that these who have weak faith are justified and saved and so the greatest faith shall be will-worship and a work of supererogation And because this way saith that all and every one of mankind are under the Covenant of Grace then 1. there shall be none living under the Law 2. no Law but only to beleeve in CHRIST shall lay an obligation on any Jews Christians under pain of wrath And if James be to prove that we are justified by works and yet mean that both faith and works concur as causes though faith more principally how can Paul deny that we are justified by works If Peter and John jointly work a miracle and heal the creeple man suppose the influence of John in the miracle be more yet it is not to be denyed that Peter wrought the miracle Nor doth the Scripture say that we are more principally justified by faith and lesse principally justified by works but the places alledged for salvation by works if works have a causative influence specially Matth. 25. speaks more for the preheminence of works Nor doth the Scripture insinuate any thing of the first and second Justification or of growing in Justification in having our sins not imputed to us to our very day of death and the Question must be Rom. 4. whether Abraham was justified by works done before circumcision or not Rom. 4. when as faith was not reckoned to Abraham when he was in uncircumcision and the blessednesse of righteousnesse by faith cometh both upon circumcision and uncircumcision vers 9. and he had faith and righteousnesse and was in Christ and regenerated when he was justified Though some taught Justification by the works of the ceremoniall Law yet Paul Gal. 3.10 states the Question of works agreeable to the Morall Law that are absolutely perfect and must be done by Grace And Paul might justly in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians have excepted himself David Abraham and all the regenerate for they are justified by giving almes to the poor Mat. 25. as was Rachab by receiving and lodging the spyes The English Divines say How could the Scripture conclude from Abrahams being justified by works whence he offered his Son Isaac unlesse by works here we understand a working faith the Apostle must mean the same by works vers 21. that he meaneth by faith 23. for he cannot say vers 23. the Scripture was fulfilled in Abrahams being justified in the work of offering his son v. 21. which saith Abraham beleeved God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Except it must be meant that the work of offering his son Isaac was counted to him for righteousnesse Now the letter of the Text expresly vers 23. saith that beleeving God was counted to Abraham for righteousnesse then the work of offering his Son must either be the beleeving declared by offering his son and faith working by that act of offering or if they be two sundry things he must then say this in effect Abraham was justified by the work of sacrificing vers 2â— causatively before God Ergo the Scripture is fulfilled vers 23. and Abraham is justified by beleeving causatively before God vers 23. which we cannot ascribe to the Apostle according to their minde who make faith and works the two collaterall and joint causes of Justification before God as if one would say Peter wrought the miracle Ergo the Scripture is fulfilled that Iohn wrought the miracle So Abraham was justified by works vers 21. Ergo Abraham was justified by faith 23. 2. The faith which Iames debarres from Justification must be the faith Iam. 2. by which Paul strongly proves Rom. 3. c. 4. we are justified without works If faith and works concurre as collaterall causes in our Justification before God as the Papists contend but the faith which James excludes from Justification is no faith at all But only 1. fair words to the hungry and naked and giving them supply for no necessity either of hunger or nakednesse and which cannot save and so is no faith and so can have no saving influence with works to justifie and save but such is the faith which James excludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14 v. 15. the
faith of Paul saves Rom. 4. Rom. 5. purifies the heart Acts 15.9 2. A dead faith is no saving and living faith no more then a dead corps is a living man v. 17. 3. A faith that cannot be shown to others in good works as this v. 18. is no faith for it hath no motions of life 4. A faith of the same nature with the faith of the Devils who beleeve and tremble v. 19. 5. A faith which a vain empty professour imagines to be a living faith when it is dead without works as this v. 20. can have no joint influence of life to justifie and save with good works all which saving influences contrair to this saving faith hath 2. It is to be observed that James maketh mention of two sorts of faiths ch 2. which the Adversarie confounds 1. All alongs v. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. he gives vive characters of a dead painted faith which is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vaine empty boaster ver 20. 2. He showes us of a lively faith of Abraham which wrought with his Works now it is a lewd error to make Abrahams faith and the faith of believing Rahab of the same nature with the faith of the vain empty Hypocrite who 's faith is nothing but fair words and with the faith of Divels So the Papists Lorinus Estius Stapleton Mavochius Bellarmine make it an Hypocriticall and dead faith and lively faith as Abrahams was a vitall receiving of Christ and a believing the Lord so as believing is counted for righteousnesse to differ not in nature and essence from the faith of the Devils whereas in the faith of sound Believers there is a Godly submitting and leading captive of the understanding to the obedience of Christ because it is the Lord that speaks and so a receiving of the Word as the Word of God 2 Cor. 10.5 1 Thes. 2.13 Math. 22.32 which is not in the faith of Divels 3. There is in it a receiving of Christ Joh. 1.11 a fiduciall resting of the heart upon God in Christ. And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to confide to betake himself to a luâ—king place where one may be safe from a storme Psal. 2.12 Psal. 11.1 Psal. 31.2 Deut. 32.37 Psal. 118.9 Judg. 9.15 come and 〈◊〉 under my shaddow And this is contradistinguished from the Divels and Hypocrites who cannot seek their lodging nor a hiding place against wrath in the Lord. 2. It is to lean and rest the body 2 Sam. 1.6 Saul leaned upon his spear and by a Metaphore it is to cast the burden upon the Lord Isa. 50.10 Psal. 55.22 hence the word that notes a staffe 2 Sam. 22.18 Isa. 3. the Lord hath broken the stay and the staffe of bread Isa. 30.1 and this is to be done often when there is no present duty to be done nor any work required of us but only a fiduciall relying upon the Lord alone as at the Red Sea Moses and the people were to leane upon JEHOVAH only not to act which cannot be said of the faith of Divels and Hypocrites 3. It is to look with delight and confidence Isa. 17.7 as oppressed servants Psal. 123 1 2. 4. There is a word that notes to be silent not to speak not to move Josh. 10.12 1â— the Sun was silent it moved not It notes a Godly submission that the soul dar not speak against God Psal. 37.7 rest in the Lord file Jehovâ— LXX sub ditus esto Domino Psal. 62.6 whence faith teacheth us to submit and hold our peace and lay the mouth in the dust as a spirit dantoned of God Lev. 10.3 Job 1.21 Lam. 3 28. Ezek. 16 6â— which is far from Hypocrites â— To believe is to cleave to God from a root that signifies to adhere as thingâ— glewed together with pick or glew Psal. 63 â— Josh. 23.8 Deut. 11.22 so we become one Spirit with the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 6. It is a word of near adherence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lean firmly upon any with hope of securitie 2 King 18.5 hast thou leaned upon this reed Hos. 10.13 Psal. 13.6 Psal. 31.7 Deut. 12.10 Thou shalt dwell safely confidently it places the soul under the Rock of Omnipotencie 7. It is to roll thy self upon God and is borrowed from heavy bodies Josh. 10.18 Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave Genes 29.3 Psal. 22.9 he trusted in the Lord rolling himself on the Lord. Prov. 16.3 commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established Cartwright sayeth it is a Metaphore from men who being oppressed with a burden transfer it off themselves upon one who is mightier and stronger it is excellent when the heart rolles all its cares upon the Lord and disburdens it self upon him 8. There is a word that noteth to leane to stay or stablish to strengthen Isa. 48.2 2 Chron. 32.8 the people rested themselves upon the word of Ezekiah Cant. 2.5 stay me with flagons Psal. 71.6 I have leaned upon thee from the womb and it notes to draw near Ezek. 24.2 so it is to strengthen and make strong the heart that is trembling and shaking if it be not stayed upon God And shall all these excellencies of faith be in the faith of Divels and Hypocrites and therefore it is most absurd to make the faith of Abraham all one in nature with the faith of Divels and Hypocrites and to make the difference only in having Works and no Works as if there were the same heart leaning soul rolling and cleaving to the Lord by faith in Abraham and in Hypocrites and Divels who tremble 3. That Scripture Abraham believed and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Is not Gen. 22. when he did justifie himself by the work of sacrificing Isaac But it is Gen. 15.6 when the son of promise Isaac a type of Christ is promised to him at which time there was no work at all required of Abraham but only believing the promise for what should Abraham act or do to further the fulfilling of that promise for he believed that Gospel promise in the mean time with a faith lively and having with it as a concomitant a resolution to walk before God and be perfect 〈◊〉 then the Text shall say Gen. 15.6 Abraham resolved to be fruitfull in good works when he heard the promise and that resolution of good works was counted to him for righteousnesse which is most violent 4. Who so are justified causally and in the sight of God by Workes as James saith to him workes are counted as the formaâ—â— cause for so James from Scripture ver 23. Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 believed God and it was counted to him for righteoâ—â—nesse Which sayeth by that faith he was declared or by that 〈◊〉 was justified which was imputed to him for righteousnâ—â—â—e But his beleeving or his faith living and working like the â—ody quickened with the Spirit was counted to him for righteâ—â—snesse
Now except it be yeelded that James speaks of two â—aiths one dead and empty ascribed to the hypocrite ver â—â— 15 16. another lively and working ascribed to Abraham â—er 23. and except this be denied that Abraham was 〈◊〉 ver 23. not by that same faith It must follow that Aâ—â—ahams empty beleeving ver 23. was that which was countâ—â—o him for righteousnesse Gen. 15.6 but James cannot be so â—â—derstood but when he saith the Scripture Gen. 15.6 〈◊〉 â—ulfilled for his faith in beleeving the promised seed Geâ—â— he shows that Abraham was justified by faith without 〈◊〉 as Paul Rom. 4. and when he saith he was justified 〈…〉 â—orks in offering his son as Gen. 22. he saith he was 〈◊〉 â—â—â—lared just or not justified by the empty and idle faith of 〈◊〉 hypocrites but by a faith that did prove it self to be lively So that James proveth that we are not justified by a dead faith that neither hath nor can have good works As his Adversaries said and Paul proves Rom. 4. that we are not justified and saved by works that is by our own inherent perfect righteousnesse because Rom. 3. all have sinned Jew and Gentile Because Abraham then should boast as a perfect man free of sin and he needed no Redeemer the Law of works should save him and so he needed not remission of sins nor the non-imputation of iniquity But there is a mids between these and Iames saith that is to be justified by faith by a metonymie of the effect by faith made known to be lively not to the world only but to their own conscience for if Iames should mean that we are justified by works properly as counted to us for righteousnesse he could not say vers 21. Abraham was justified by works when he offered his son vers 22. he cannot infer vers 2â— thou sees that his faith wrought with his works What faith He had spoken of works vers 21. not one word of Abrahamsâ—aith â—aith yet he saith because Abraham was justifâ—â—d that is declared to be really before God to his own consciencâ— and others justified his faith did work in a lively way as reall in anâ— by his works and you see that Abrahams faith Gen. 15.6 was perfectâ—â— by works Gen. 22. when he offered his son Now it was not 〈◊〉 as touching the nature of it and the act of justifying for 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. cites Gen. 15.6 to prove that Abraham was justified by 〈◊〉 faith in beleeving the promise of the blessed seed some 25. yearâ— as others reckon 30. years before he sacrificed Isaac Gen. 22 â— that it must follow that Abraham was not justified by works noâ— his 〈◊〉 perfect in its lively operations untill he offered his son Isaac â—hen the contrair of this the Scripture tells us for by faith he 〈◊〉 his Countrey C. 12. By faith beleeving the promise he was 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. many yearâ— before Therefore these words seest thou 〈◊〉 faith must mean that his faith came out to view by his works But theâ—e be learned and godly Protestants who 〈◊〉 that James must speak of â—ustification reall and before God and 〈…〉 declared Justification before men only Answ. It s true 〈…〉 to name them But these are subordinate James speaks not 〈◊〉 a faith only declared nor of a justification onely declared to the world But of a declared Justification that is reall before God 2. That is declared to the man himself and to the world And that James speaks of a Justification before God the Text saith Because he saith ver 14. What can that faith profite Which is empty he must mean what can it profite before God to save and justifie As the word 1 Cor. 13.3 if I have not love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it profits me nothing before God 2. Can that faith it is not well translated leaving out the particle in the new Translation can faith save him save him Then he must speak also of reall faith and so reall salvation and so of justification before God 3. The examples of the Justification of Abraham of Rahab which were reall must say something to the same purpose 2. That he speaks of reall Justification to the mans own conscience as well as to the world if clear in the Text also For James speaks to the conscience and privitie of the man who saith that he is justified and hath faith vers 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast faith thou beleeves the Devils also beleeve he would have the hypocrite to discusse his own conscience and solidely to know whether his Faith and Justification be reall or not And James wakens all visible professours in this Epistle as Iohn also doth to try his Religion whether it be true and solide or vain by Chap. 1. being a doer of the Word and not a hearer only 23 24. by visiting the fatherlesse vers 27. by loving and respecting the poor that are Godly as well as the rich Ch. 2. by trying his faith whether it be dead or lively by bridling the tongue Ch. 3. And therefore the Arminians and others do but lose their labour who say Iames doeth not speak here of Justification declared to the world because the world cannot judge infallibly whether our works by which we are declared to be justified are sincere or not For 1. we say that Iames doth speak of Justification declared to the world for he speaks of real Justification before God but as declared not to the world only but to the conscience also of the doer 2. Because the world can not infallibly judge of our Justification and works therefore they cannot judge at all It s a loose consequence For we may declare our selves to our own conscience and to others by our good works that we are before God justified Otherwise because men connot see our good works nor the principles from which they proceed whether from saving faith or not nor the ends for which they are whether for the glory of God or not men should not glorifie our heavenly Father Contrair to Matth. 5.16 nor should the Gentiles glorify God in the day of visitation As 1 Pet. 2.12 because they cannot infallibly 〈◊〉 whether they be good works or not and done in faith and for Goâ— Nor is Abraham declared to be justified because of a secret heart-â—â—tention to offer his son to God in the court of men but in the coâ—â—t of his own conscience he may yet his journeying to the place where he was to sacrifice his son his building an Altar his laying on wood his binding his son and stretching out his hand to kill him may well declare him to be a justified man to the world and to men Trelcatius the Professours of Leyden Calvine Beza Paraeus yea a Papist Cajetan hath said well to this point Not to adde that Scripture shall never admit that Abrahams and Rahabs sins were pardoned their iniquities not imputed and they delivered from condâ—mnation
by the works of offering Isaac receiving the spies fighting the Lords battels suffering persecution of Saul For Iames if he say any thing for this cause that good works are the formall cause of our righteousnesse our merits and in the very place of the satisfaction of the blood shed by Christ we shall so be formall causes not of the declaratory act of justifying for that may be thought to be the Lord our Justifiers act yet of our own Justification and so should we fight and run for the Crowne of inherent righteousnesse of works as well as for the Crown of Life And what Scripture is there for that 3. A man shall be as just and sinlesse as he may say I have no sin I am just And in order to the Covenant of Grace which forbids no sin as some for this way do teach but finall unbeleef he no more needs forgivenesse of sins and the blood of sprinkling nor pardoning grace then the Elect Angels or Adam in the state of innocency and to that Prov. 20.9 as to that Eccles. 7.20 1 Ioh. 1. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin The man Evangelically justified can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sinne 4. Noâ— needs such a man pray forgive me my sins as I forgive c. for he is justified from all Law-sins who is inherently holy and Evangelically just And so the Gospel is a new Law which does not forbid all sins that the Law forbids and the man is not under sinne though he sinne against the love of Christ. According to that if ye love me keep my Commandements Joh. 14.15 so he once ere he die beleeve For the Law say the Authors forbids not unbeleef nor any Evangelick unthankfulness against the Law of a ransome-payer which yet I judge the Law of Nature and Nations condemnes The Covenant of Grace forbids no sin but finall unbeleef and the beleever can not be guilty of that except he fall away 5. And it may justly be asked whether the beleever Evangelically justified who needs no grace of pardon of Redemption from sin in order to the Covenant of Grace needs the grace of renovation to keep him to beleeve for he needs no pardon for the weaknesse of his finall beleeving for the smallest weak faith is a fulfilling of the Covenant of Grace To these adde if James mean by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith alone v. 24. by which he sayes we are not justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no other then the dead faith ver 20. and the faith which cannot save the faith of fair words to the hungry and naked when the vain man gives him nothing necessary for his body 16. the faith without works 17. the faith that cannot be shown to men 18. such a faith as devils 19. and vain hypocrites boast of 20. then sure the conclusion is for us and agreeable to the scope of Iames v. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye see then a man is justified before men and to himself and so really declared before God justified and saved by works as the fruits of saving faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not by faith only which is dead and without works For 1. he cannot exclude saving and lively faith For that beleeving God is counted to Abraham for righteousnesse saith Iames ver 23. for then the conclusion should contradict the premisses and he should say Abraham was justified by sound and lively beleeving Ergo we are not justified by only sound and lively beleeving 2. The Adversaries Socinians and Arminians who by this Text say we are justified by works know no Gospel-faith by which we are justified but faith including essentially new obedience the crucifying of the old man the walking in the Spirit and repentance as else where I cite Therefore when Iames saith we are not justified by faith only he must mean a naked dead assent as in the former verses We are not justified and that is it which we say Iames denies not but sayes that Abraham beleeved Gen. 15. 6. It is only beleeving but lively and not dead not a naked assent which was counted to him for righteousnesse and Gen. 15. Rom. 4. he was thereby justified and therefore Paul and Iames are well reconciled And the faith here excluded must be a dead faith not a lively faith and a true faith as the body without the soul is a true body and hath the nature of a true body though it be no living body So say they the faith that Iames excludes is a true faith when as it is evident it is no more true faith then the faith of Devils and Hypocrites 3. It is false by the Papists way and Arminians also that we are not justified by faith only which is a true and generall assent to the Word of God for they teach that in the first Justification we are justified by faith only without works as Paul proves but in the second Justification when a man of just is made more just say they he is justified by works as saith Iames c. 2. Now by this they are forced to say Iames speaks not of the first Justification but of the second but beside that the Scripture knows not two Justifications Iames must deny that the unconverted hypocrites and Rahab the harlot were justified by only faith as Paul saith and it were most incongruous to teach unconverted ones who never knew the first Justification how they were not justified in the second Justification And if James be speaking of the nature and causes of the same Justification before God only with Paul and not of the effects thereof it were false that James saith with reverence to the holy Lord that we are not justified by faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without works for Paul sayes it and proves it strongly from the Scripture and never insinuates that we are justified in a second Justification by works And sure he should not have denyed all the Jews all the Gentiles all the world Rom. 3 9 19 29 30. David a man according to Gods heart and much in communion with God when he penned the 32. Psalm and Abraham a beleever and effectually called Gen. 12. and justified when he Gen. 15.6 beleeved the promise of the seed Rom. 4. to be justified by works in their second or their Evangelick Justification Yea when James saith we are not justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only he must mean fidem solitariam a faith solitary which hath no works conveying it as man sees not with eyes that are solitary and plucked out of the heart and separated from hearing smelling and the senses though faith if true and properly so called as they say this is must justifie as the eye sees only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the eâ—re onely not the eye hears now this faith hath a causative influence in Justification as well as works if it be proper and true faith as they say
be also spirituall and lively and seek of us the lost Image of GOD by way of commanding yet there is no promise of the Spirit made in the Law neither gifts nor grace and both are given by the Preaching of the Gospel 2. No miracles are wrought by the Law to confirm the Doctrine of the Law for it is not new nor is the gift of miracles given as a reward of Law-obedience miracles in genere causae finalis are wrought to avenge Pharaoh and the Aegyptians Law-obedience but the miracles are wrought by the Name of Jesus Act. 4. and for the confirming of the Gospel and for the good of the Church See Gal. 3.1 2 3. CHAP. XXVI Of the property of the Covenant of Grace the perpetuity thereof Quest. VVHerein stands the eternity of the Covenant of Grace And what other properties there be of the Covenant Ans. The Law and Covenant of Works is a rule of everlasting righteousnesse and so may be called an everlasting righteousnesse containing precepts of the Law of nature intrinsecally good such as to know love fear trust in him as the only true God and in this sense it is an eternall Covenant But 1. it is not eternall in the positives of the second and fourth and fifth Commands the way of worship the means as Ceremonies Sabbath Magistracie and such like which are not to continue in the life to come and so neither faith nor hope in God through Christ 1 Cor. 13.13 Rom. 8.24 25. 2 Cor. 5.7 nor a Temple nor Ordinances nor the Kingdom of Christ as now dispenced are to be the binding rule for eternity to such as are confederats of the Covenant of Grace Rev. 21.22 23. 1 Cor. 15.24 though more of the smell and remnants of the Covenant of Grace of the Lamb of praises to him who was slain Rev. 5.9 11 14. be in the life to come then of the Law-Covenant in regrad of our standing in a state of glory for evermore by the Mediator to keep the nature in an eternall union for evermore by the Lord Christ his being cloathed with our nature glorified for ever Rev. 3.21 Rev. 5. Rev. 7. Rev. 20. Rev. 21. Ch. 22. And in that we shall be ever with Christ God-Man Luk. 23.42 Joh. 17.24 1 Thess. 5. 2 Cor. 5.8 Phil. 1.23 17. in an eternall state of glory though not in regard of an advocation and intercession for fallen sinners As 1 Joh. 2.1 2. or of praying that our faith fail not when winnowed as Luk. 22.31 32. In a word there is a mediation of the triumphing reign for the standing of the glorified nature and a mediation for the reconciling of and interceeding for of sinners The latter must cease when the Kingdom is given up by the Sonne to the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 The former is eternall and shall never cease 2. The Law as a possible and standing way of justifying and saving sinners is not eternall but is now ceased to all flesh the Man Christ only excepted but the Covenant of Grace stands as the only way under heaven by which sinners may be saved and after the Covenant of Grace there is no dispensation which Libertines and Familists call more spirituall without Ordinances and a way as they speak of all spirit of pure spirit 3. The Covenant of Grace is eternall in regard in it there is promised actuall grace and continuall influences of grace from the Head Christ the High Priest to keep the confederats in obedience and in perseverence to the end And no such influences either for the habit of grace or for the continuated acts thereof are promised in the Covenant of Works in regard Adam a man and poor men in him do undertake to obey Whereas Christ-Man binds and undertakes as head Covenanter and Surety for all the under confederats and for sinners in the Covenant of Grace Which difference is much to be observed between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace And for that cause the Covenant of Works is 1. more independent and requires more of mans strength and less grace then the other 2. It stands more by precepts lesse by promises having only one promise of a reward and hyre to the obeyer and consists all of precepts the other though it want not precepts especially it is his command that we believe in the Son of God yet stands most by promises and this Covenant gets the name of a promise or the promise Acts 2.39 Rom. 8.9 compared with Acts 3.25 Gen. 12.3 3. The Covenant of Works hath more of hyre more of man of nature of earning and working and more of mans Covenant where he binds for himself and the other partie for himself without the mutuall help of any of the confederate parties 4. The Covenant of Grace is thus also eternall in that the buried and dead parties Abraham Isaac and Jacob are still in the Covenant of Grace and there remains a Covenant-union between Christ and their rotten flesh sleeping in the dust which is not an union by faith or by any actings obedientiall of dead men as is most evident if we compare our Saviours words Matth. 22.32 with the Lord speaking out of the Bush to Moses Exod. 3.6 and God is not the God of the dead but of the living noâ— is the rising of the body promised in the Covenant of Works nor is there a standing Law-Covenant between the Lord and dead Abraham requiring the condition of faith from buried men Onely there is a warrand to say that the Covenant is everlasting because it goes beyond time and stands with the dead in Christ Matth. 22.32 2. Because two great promises of the Covenant the rising of the body and life everlasting are fulfilled after time is ended Joh. 6.38 39. 1 Thess. 4.14 16 17. and adde to this the publick owning and confessing of the Saints before the Father and the holy Angels which is publick remission and declared justification before the world of Elect Men and Angels Luke 12.8 Matth. 10.32 3. Because after all these to walk among them as their God and dwell among them Rev. 7.15 16 17. when they are cloathed in white Robs and are before the throne serving him night and day and that the Lord should be their God Rev. 21.7 after they have overcome all temptations is fulfilled eternally in heaven Now for God to walk among a people and be their God is to be a Covenanting God to them as is evident from 2 Cor. 6.16 Lev. 26.11 12. Jer. 32.38 Zech. 13.6 2. The second and principle propertie of the Covenant is the graciousnesse and freedome thereof therefore is it made with sinners without hire or price and every article and lith of it is Grace 1. The whole Gospel is the word of Grace Acts 20.32 Col. 1.6 the Bargaine a pâ—ction of Grace and the new Covenant Heb. 8.8 for Grace is a new thing and nature an old thing the condition of the Covenant to beleeve
spirituall Arguments upon a renewed man as an Argument from a painted feather works upon a child more then an Argument from an inheritance which no doubt will work upon a man come to age and yet neither the one nor the other works upon a renewed mind to remove him off Christ his rock Hence it is 3. that Acts of Omnipotency are used as Morall Arguments also God works in you to will and to do therefore work out your salvation And choosing redeeming calling justifying quickening converting are brought in as causes in Scripture both reall and morall but they work morally on reason where there is an impression of faith and principle of life The Gospel works on an unrenewed man to perswade him almost to be a Christian Ye may perswade a youth to a course and get his word consent and write but because reason is green and young he falls off it again but a man of judgement shall stand to it yet if he be not renewed reason is also green and raw before a spirituall temptation Quest. What are the actings of a mortified man Ans. No actings 2. Slow actings and lent 3. Actings indifferent 4. Closing with contrair providences reproaches work not on mortification to fire the man Psal. 35.12 They speak mischievous things 13. But I as a deaf man heard not David feared to be the reproach of the foolish Such a case though from God would raise a cry in a child of this world Psal. 39.9 I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou did it A mortified man is dead to the voice of men-singers and women-singers and musicall instruments of all sorts Eccles. 2.8 and houses gardens vineyards orchards great possessions cattell treasures gold silver are all as musick to a dead man and repenting Solomon now mortified looks on them as a wise man upon experienced vanitie and vexation of spirit Will he sing and dance at a shadow Except a mad man none will do that 2. If any thing without a child of God work upon him they move him not much Psal. 131.2 Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his mother my soul is even as a weaned child Acts 20.24 None of these things move me I make not much reckoning of bands Peter 1 Pet. 4.12 will have the saints not to think burning quick strange graces motions are quiet slow modest there is not much fire in the spirit of a weaned child A mortified soul is as a sea that hath no winds nor low ebbings nor high spring tides Grace stirres leasurely and lentely toward all things except to God were there ten Paradices offered to it it cryes not a dying mans pulse beats weakly Grace shouts at nothing wonders at and admires nothing weeps slowly laughs slowly sings weakly eats slowly drinks not wantonly feasts and yet trembles and fears whether it be the outward or the inward man David sayes it well Ps. 62.2 He only is my Rock I shall not greatly be moved The beleevers sings and yet he is not wanton and weeps and yet is not sad dies and yet lives is fervent in the cause of God and yet stayed and composed in spirit 3. The actings of mortification are indifferent not fixedly bent upon any thing but God no not upon the Ark and spirituall comforts Weeping David 2 Sam. 16.25 saith to Zadok carry back the Ark of God into the City better I want my comfort then the Ark be taken if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation 26. But if he say I have no delight in thee here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him O how sweet when for God Moses can lay down his personall satisfaction in a share of life eternall What if he tramp upon my eternall Crown I should lay it down at his feet and is not this mortification Should he hide his face for eternity from me and I never see him in his manifestations so his glory shine in my everlasting sad desertion there is required an indifferency to all created things without no peremptory and absolute fixednesse of the affection to any good God excepted is good the contrair of this is an ingadging of the heart more then is right to any thing give me children or then I die there should be a contented living without children if God so will love the creature as if ye loved not the Lord would have us hungring for the creature and yet not eagerly desiring and thirsting and yet have a lent and well ordered appetite to drink love the child but let the heart cleave leasurely to the child Plowing and no heart-labouring buying and selling and no heart-ingadging to the bargain is best here 1 Cor. 7. They that have wives should be as if they had none 30. And they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not and they that buy as though they possessed not In the acting of affections toward the things of this life as father mother husband wife children houses gain beauty honour and new bought farme there would be a godly distance of the heart from the thing ye do Loving and no loving rejoicing and no rejoicing weeping and no weeping speaks most mortification We cannot do here except sinfully we over-doe and the out-goings of the heart to the creature must be fierie which is childish whereas mortification is a gracious well composed grave temper of the aged in Christ. There is a fire-edge and a fervour or feaver of affections even to spirituall objects that are created at the first conversion for mortification does not so soon begin as the new heart As for God love as one that loves desire and desire and when he hides himself weep as if you weeped so the weeping be terminated upon God not upon his dispensations to quarrell at and censure his wayes but let the out-goings of the heart to God and to Christ loved and longed for be with fire and full strength Cant. 3.1 2 3 4. Cant. 2.5 Ps. 42.1 2 3. Ps. 84.1 2. Joh. 20.13 Luk. 7.38 Rev. 1.17 4. It s mortification to have a heart closing with all providences Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ and to die is gain To live is good to die is good because the Lord so wills the Lords giving is to Job praising and the Lords taking away is to Job praising Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need If I die it is good if I live it is good if I be full and rich it is good if I be hungry and poor it is good if David be on the Throne it is good and he sings Psalms if he be chased barefooted and ashes on his
with diverse mighty Nations as we see in the case of Tyre Ezek. 27. of Babylon Rev. 18.11 12 13. Jer. 51. so are we to be mortified to fair houses Isa. 5.8 stately cities Isa. 14. to all the Cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up to all the Oaks of Bashan to all the high mountains to every high tower to every fenced wall to all the ships of Tarshish to all the fenced cities for the day of the Lord may be upon these Esai 2. to all fair Rivers to Oxen Horses Chariots fair acres of land to Vineyards to Olive trees Ezek. 29.4 5. Isa. 50.2 Exo. 7.19 Deut. 28.31 40 41 51. to seed time and harvest Deut. 28.38 Hag. 1.6 to corn wine oyl to cattell increase of kine and flocks of sheep Deut. 28.51 Amos 4.9 to Wine-trees to Fig-trees to seasonable rains grasse and fruitfull fields Joel 1.4 5 7 10. Jer. 14.3 4 5 6. to peace safe down-lying and safe rising Lev. 26.36 for in all the hand of the Lords anger is stretched out 15. The Lord would have us dead to valiant and to mighty men to Captains Isa. 3.1 3 4. Yea he makes true Ps. 76.5 The stoâ—t-hearted are spoiled they have sleept their sleep and none of the men of might have found their hands 6. At thy rebuke O God of Jacob both the chariot and the horse are cast into a dead sleep And therefore he will have us dead to courage in warre Who brings on faintnesse and terrour upon the spirit when the sound of a shaking leaf shall chase men Levit. 26.36 And when the Lord sends a trembling of heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind Deut. 38.65 16. We are called to be dead to honourable birth blood and noble Families when Princes are filled with contempt and these that were cloathed in scarlet imbrace the dung-hill Lam. 5.12 Isa. 40.23 20. 17. And we must be dead to the vigorousnesse of youth when we read Eccl. 12.1 2 3 c. And Barzillai his complaint 2 Sam. 19.35 Can I taste what I eat Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women And why but this should make us dead to sports pastime dicing gaming dancing feasting chambering wantonnesse to all plenty and fulnesse when God can remove the appetite and give bread or remove bread and give the appetite So as the Lord leaves that doom on you Lev. 26.26 And when I have broken the staffe of bread ten women shall bake your bread in one oven and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight and ye shall eat and not be satisfied So is Solomon dead to laughter Eccles. 2.2 I said of laughter it is mad 18. There is required a deadnesse to Ordinances the Tabernacle is not God David may be banished from it The Temple is a Type of Christ yet it is burnt with fire and the Sanctuary prophaned And the Lord required a sort of lentnesse or leasurlinesse of motion of the heart toward these and will have his people in their exile resting upon this Ezek. 11.16 Therefore say thus saith the Lord God although I have cast them far off from the heathen and although I have scattered them among the countreys yet will I be to them as a little Sanctuary in the countreys where they shall come And they who remained still at Jerusalem reproached their poor captivated brethren as hated of God and gloried in themselves as Citizens and Inhabitants of Jerusalem saying v. 15. to the exiled brethren Get you far from the Lord unto us is this Land given in possession They were not mortified in looking upon the Holy Land and City but vainly gloried in it And therefore there are two things in Ordinances 1. God that fills the Ordinances 2. The externall bulke of them Mortification to God and his presence in Ordinances is not that we here require for the affections cannot be vigorous enough in following God There may be a limiting and binding of God to means to the Temple Sanctuary hearing Seals and a fleshly heat and livelinesse to means and bare and naked Ordinances and in both these there is so far required a deadnesse as there would be an holy submission to all these when the Lord deprives us of Ordinances and a retiring in to the fountain to the Lord himself that he may be all in all So some cannot sleep except the Bible be under the head in the night Some tye their faith and comfort so to one man if he be not their Pastor nothing is right But so much of CHRIST or the substance of Gospel-promises must be neglected as means and instruments and Ordinances are Idolized In a word mortification calls for livelinesse of affection to God in Christ and a holy deadnesse to all things that are not God 19. There is necessary here a deadnesse to works for there be these defects in them 1. They cannot save Eph. 2. 2. They were not crucified for you let them not have the place and Chair of Christ. 3. They cannot quiet the conscience because they cannot justifie Paul Preached from Jerusalem to Illyricum laboured more aboundantly then they all was unrebukeable was conscious to himself of nothing yet was he as dead to these as to very nothing 1 Cor. 4.4 and to losse and dung Phil. 3.8 Hence must we be dead to the idol of Godlinesse for it s not God 20. And dead to Godly men in poynt of confidence we must not know the Man Christ after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 nor any meer man to cry man up as God every man is a liar is contrair to Gospel-mortification 21. It were good to pray much and to be dead to prayer One of the main causes why we cry and pray much and are not heard Psal. 22.2 Psal. 69.1 2 3 is because that which is proper to God the hearer of prayer to wit confidence and hope we give to prayer which is not God We pray to our own prayers and to our own wrestling often rather then to God and we beleeve praying does the businesse and works the charm as if prayer were Omnipotency it self 22. Nor are we dead to faith and hope but we beleeve in faith and in beleeving and we hope in our own hoping in God But was faith crucified for you How many fetch peace pardon and righteousnesse not from Christ but from their act of beleeving Hence a case whether some may not fervently pray and beleeve strongly and yet be disappointed in the particular they pray for and beleeve they shall have Certain it may be especially when we are dead to Omnipotency and alive to praying and beleeving and lay more weight on faith in God then on God and on praying to God then on God himself What Antinomians say unjustly we give to works to wit our peace with God they and many unduely give to faith not to Christ. 23. We fail in being more alive to comforts then to God
him in the bush This is Christ the Angel 38. of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 Whom they tempted 1 Cor. 10.9 Of whom the Lord said Exod. 23.21 Beware of him and obey his voice and provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my Name is upon him And this Angel saith I am the God of Abraham the Omniscient God that sees the afflictions of his people 3. Hears their prayers 4. Delivers them out of Aegypt Exod. 20.1 2 and so the Author of the Covenant and of all the promises It is much for weak beleevers that God stands ingadged in Christ by Covenant with him to give us to beleeve and to beleeve to the end Hath the Lord given himself Surety for the standing of a tottering beleever Is there not ground to beleeve that Christ shall make good his undertaking Also if all the promises be made to Christ who is the Author of the Covenant and upon condition that Christ do his part and lay down his life then sure Christ is under a Covenant to injoy his reward when he hath done his work And to have a beleeving seed is Christs reward heaven and earth can make no â—urer binding for faith and salvation 8. As the former Argument is from the promise made unto Christ and fulfilled to him so this is from the Predictions Prophecies and Promises of him as he of whom such glorious promises are foretold and may claim the thing promised by faith he hath some word of promise for suiting these things which is a Covenant if he shall do what is required of him and fulfill the Commandement Joh. 10.18 But such Prophecies and Promises there be of CHRIST Isa. 22.22 The key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open 23. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place and he shall be for a glorious Throne to his fathers house 24. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house the off-spring and the issue all vessels of small quantity from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of flagons Zech. 3.8 For behold I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH Zech. 6.12 Speak unto Joshua saying Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying Behold the man whose Name is the BRANCH and he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord 13. Even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne Mic. 5.4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God and they shall abide For now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth 5. And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land So Psal. 72.7 In his dayes shall the righteous flourish c. Hence as Christ prayed in faith Joh. 17.5 to be glorified with the glory he had with the Father before the world was because he finished the work though he was not yet crucified but he had a mind fixed to suffer So may Christ pray in faith to Govern right and to bear the glory and to feed in the strength of the Lord and to have a conquished people since he was to fulfill all the work that was laid upon him And this supposes a Covenant Hence Arg. 9. from the suite he bids his Son aske which he will grant Psal. 2.8 Aske of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession Psal. 89.26 He shall cry unto me thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my salvation 27. Also I will make him my first-born higher then the Kings of the earth 28. My mercy will I keep for him for ever c. If God say to us call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee This argues a Covenant that God shall hear if we pray Then it sayes if Christ the Mediatour shall pray he shall be heard and prospered with successe in his work 10. Argument from the work of Christ and the wages which a Covenant calls for Christ complains Isa. 49.4 Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain there 's work Shall he have nothing for his work He adds Yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my work with my God v. 6. He receives an answer of a full reward for his work And he said it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou may'st be my salvation unto the end of the earth Which words are cited true of Christ by Luke Act. 13.47 when Christ is Preached to the Gentiles And as one who laboured for us so he craves his wages though the Jews pay him unworthily Zech. 11.12 Then I said if ye think good give me my price and if not forbear pay me or pay me not Yet the Lord payed him Phil. 2.7 He made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and became obedient to the death the death of the crosse Here is work followeth his wages call it merit or what else it s a reward and the end of his suffering which Christ both desired and intended as the fruit of his labours v. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore God highly exalted him and gave him a Name above every name Act. 5.21 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and Saviour Isa. 53.10 When he shall make his soul an offering for sin which was work hard enough he shall see his seed which was his souls desired wages he shall prolong his days the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in hand 11. He shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoyl with strong that is an ample reward Follows his work because he hath powred out his soul unto death and he was numbred with the transgressours and bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressours Hence his care to finish the work of him that sent him and to do his will Joh. 4.34 Joh. 17.4 Joh. 8.29 and as the Father loved so he rewarded the obedience of his Son not by necessity of nature but by a voluntary compact but he loves his obedience Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again Joh. 15.10 If ye keep my Commandements ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his love Nor can it be denied but
humane nature a chariot to convey to us the fulnesse of merite by satisfaction so must it be the mean of carrying to us the fulnesse of grace by sanctification and then when God Covenants with the Man Christ that love faith hope meeknesse humility and 〈◊〉 shall live speak and act in Christ out to us we are more strongly convinced to follow the footsteps of so blessed a guide Christ is a living glasse in which we see the beauty of grace As also his meeknesse and humility is the meeknesse and humility of God and all these graces have a seat and lodging in our Immanuel God with us they have a drawing and an alluring desirablenes from the Person the Lord Jehovah our King the mighty God the Father of ages in whom they reside The properties of the Covenant of Suretyship are 1. Freedom 2. Graciousnesse 3. Eternity As to the first Nothing could compell nothing could hire Christ for eternity to ingadge his Name in such a band since he well knew what it should cost him how dear it should stand him and saw what indignity shame pain curse and all these conditions before him And what could move the father since he might have followed the Law-course of Works 2. The first draughts of free-grace and the Lords unsearchable riches appears in the sure mercies of David in an everlasting Covenant Isa. 55.3 and Ps. 89.1 I will sing the mercies of the Lord. 2. For I have said mercy shal be built-up for ever Why v. 3. I have made a Covâ—nant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant 4. Thy seed will I establish for ever c. The giving of the Covenant 2. The design of a Redeemer 3. The sending 4. Anointing 5. The consenting of Christ. 6. His coming 7. Dying are all acts of grace God was no debter to the Man Christ or to any of his kindred and blood-friends more then he was to David and his seed but God would act grace in Christ and make him a samplar and the first coppie of free-grace to all his brethren that they might share with him therein But though he made Christ also a coppie of his Justice Rom. 3.25 and spared not his Son Rom. 8.32 yet Mal. 3.17 the â—ord deals not so with us And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him And of Christ it is said Ps. 72.13 He shal spare the poor and needy And O what riches of grace and mercy and plenteous Redemption hath he manifested to us and therefore the more grace he shews to us the more freely and sonly should we serve him with lesse hirednesse and servile disposition If we could love God and Christ with a heart abstracted from heavens hire at least the pleasure of it for pleasure makâ— not any conform to God but holinesse doth and the heart not legally fearing the burning torment of hell it were good for since Christ hath freed us from the Law-wrath he takes it not well that we darre approach too near to the mount burning with fire nor does Christ allow our affections of fear and sorrow sadnes to act upon feared everlasting wrath we being justified by faith any other way then in a Gospel-consideration being casten down for our Law-deserving but so as we highly value our ranson-payer and serve him with godly fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word Heb. 12.28 must note a difference between the fear and trembling and terrour upon devils for the torment of hell Mat. 8.29 Jam. 2.19 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the godly fear of believers Heb. 12.28 which is also given to Christ Heb. 5.7 in whom there was no fear of hell torment and therefore the fear of him that can cast both soul and body in hell though it be another word Mat. 10.28 which Christ commands cannot be a servile fear legall for hell such as is in devils and men but a godly fear such as is consistent with the faith of deliverance from the wrath to come for Christ Mat. 10.28 commands that fear fear saith he to deny Christ before men Why fear him who can cast soul and body in hell And immediatly v. 31. Fear not therefore the same word that is v. 28. then he must forbid a fear opposite to servile fear and which stands with the faith of sons who are to beleeve the care of a father which is more toward his children then toward sparrows v. 29 30. And that the word noâ—â—eth a godly fear which is Heb. 12. beside other Greek Authors See Heb. 5.7 see Luk 2.25 Act. 2.5 Act. 8.2 Act. 23.10 and Heb. 11.7 Noah moved with fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 built and ark sure the fear of everlasting torment in hell moved not Noah to build the ark for by faith which is saving he builded it v. 7. 3. Eternity is a speciall property of the Covenant of suretyship For 1. the parties are eternall Jehovah the Lord and the Son of God never began to agree upon the designation of the Redeemer for that work it was a bargain closed from everlasting Only the question is when the Son shal render the Kingdom to the Father 1 Cor. 15. whether or not the Covenant shal then ceaâ—e For 1. Christ shal then end his work of Redemption and shal fully and finally have purchased what his soul desires and shall have received his wages and injoy with his conquished bride an eternal sabbath 2. He shall interceed no more for sinners for the sinning of his redeemed ones shall have an end 2. The Son saith Camero shall leave off to raign quod attinet ad regnandi actum according to the act of raigning but as touching the Kingdom it self there shall be no end of the Kingdome But it may appear as there was a time when it was said of Christ Phil. 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He emptied himself and took on him the form of a servant So there is a time opposite to that v. 9. Therefore God hath highly exalted him which is not fulfilled in his resurrection ascension and sitting only at the right hand of God but when all power friends and unfriends and the Man Christ shal be subject to the Lord yea even the Son not as God for Christ-God is equall with the Father not as man for so in the days of his flesh as man he ever was and is and shall be subject to God but the Son shall be subject as touching the Office of a formall Mediatour 2. Another distinction is here needfull as Augustine and Ambrose he shall render the Kingdom to the Father not that he shall leave off to raign but that he then shal declare that he raigns not of himself but that he hath his power of raigning from the Father and he shall professe this before men and Angels and so
Covenant-resurrection nor any Covenant-salvation can be given or promised if they be not in Covenant The New Test. Kingdome of CHRIST is spirituall though there be in it external signes and seals How faith does sanctifie the unbelieving wife to the beleeving husband Mr. Rich. Baxter plain Scripture proof for Infant Baptism 4 Arg. on â— Cor. 7. p. â—8 99. Of federall holinesse The Covenant external is made with a society or visible Church that out of them God may gather heirs of glory What federal holines is The being born where the Gospel sounds of that nation race is the ground of Covenant-holines as well as the faith of the nearest parents The faith required of these to be baptized Act. 8.37 Mar. 16.16 is real saving faith not visible only The formal grouÌ„d of baptizing These to whom the promise is made should be baptized But the promise is made to children Act. 2. The sense of the words the promise is to you and to your children If all be really believers that are in Covenant with God under the New Testament al the Kingdomes of the world which are the Lords and Christs Rev. 11.15 must be believers internally in Covenant with God How these words and to your chilâ—dren are not limited Externall Covenanting the blessing of the Gospel Preached to the Nation is but a Ceremony to the opposers of Infant baptism contrair to all ancient Prophesies Isa. c. 2. c 19 Jer. 23. Isa 11 c. If there be no Covenanting under the N. T. but that of real beleevers there can be no Covenant obligation upon the non-converted to hear to beleeve the Gospel to receive the seals A conditional Covenant hath the compleat essence nature of a Covenant and they are truly in Covenant that are under it Anabaptists provide no sâ—lvation by Law or Gospel or by JESUS CHRIST for the saving of Infants born of beleeving parents more then for saving of Pagans and their Infants It s false that the promise is made to infants to the aged only upon condition of believing How visible professors are really within the Covenant not really within it The new heart is not promised to all who ought to repent and to be baptized What is promised Act. 2.39 whether a new heart be therein promised or excluded Mercies of the Covenant are not alike and the same way promised to the Parents in covenant to wit Elect and Reprobate The Covenant of Grace is considered two ways in abstracto in concâ—â—to The new heart is promised to such special Covenanters not to Covenanters in general and as Covenanters The new heart is considered as a duty commanded And 2. as a blessing freely promised The Reprobate are not in the Covenant of Grace as touching some speciall promise How the Lords Argument for Circumcision fits us for Baptisme A comparing of the command of Circumcision and of the command of baptism in three If actuall faith be required in all to be baptized there shuld be a command of self-examining in the N. T. of all before they be baptized How many wicked absurdities must follow the excluding of Infants from the Covenant of Grace Remonstrant Scrip. Synod ar 1. p. 2. Thes. 9 10. Infants not predestinate to life in CHRIST not redeemed in CHRIST Infants neither capable of heaven or hell by this way Infants saved without Christ not capable of Grace of remission justification Of the children brought to Christ. Of infants as infants the Kingdome of God is not Hyeronymus increpant non quia nollent iis salvatoris manu voce benedici sed quod non dum habentes plenissimam fidem putarent eum in similitudinem aliorum hominum importunitate lassari Chryso Hom. discipuli expellebant pueros causa dignitatis Christi Christs taking in his armes the children blessing them did not act mere resemblances and Emblems The efficacy of Christs blessing the children They came that hee should pray for them Christs blessing of the children not as when the elements are consecrate His blessing either a Law blessing or a blessing of the Covenant of Grace A Covenanted seed is prophecied to be added to the Iews under the New Testament There is Covenanted visible seed prophesied to be under the N. T. Calv. in loc Haec promissio Abrahae data ad totum populi corpus spectabat The Covenant promise is prophesied to belong to such a certain seed If there be not a Covenanted seed under the New Test. the children of beleevers under the New Test. must be a cursed seed It s a state of coÌ„mon grace to be within the Visible Church It s grace that Reprobats are instrumentall to the in-coming to the world and to the Visible Church of the heirs of glory God is a God in truth to some and how to others The cause why we believe is because God is thus and thus in Covenant with us Calvin unde Colligimus ad hanc quoque aetatem extendi ejus gratiam Quid vero ilâ—is precatus est nisi ut reciperentur inter Dei filios Beza Ipsi quoque Infantes in gratuito Dei foedere comprehenduntur The Covenant blessing of the house is the Covenant blessing of the seed The place Rom. 11.16 if the root be holy so is the branches opened The Jews to be born are intentionally holy in the root and when they are born they shall be actually holy The same Covenant in the substantialls is in the Old and New Test. The one Covenant of Grace is called the Covenant of the Lord by way of excellency in the Old and New Test. A short opening of Ro. 11. to v. 17 By the holy root cannot be meant the predestinate to glory only Paul Rom. 11. speaks of a visible not an invisible body Infants of the Jewes are cut off with the root and shal be re-ingraffed with the root The seed are in Covenant not by birth as birth but by such a birth so so graciously priviledged Covenant-holinesse externall is not the adequat and compleat cause of ingraffing really in Christ. Considerable differences between externall and internall Covenanters Personal Covenanters cannot fall away but Nationall conditionall and visible Covenanters may The Covenant of grace is not made with all and every one of mankinde Psal. 147.19 20. There is no universall revealing of CHRIST to Americans and to all mankind which is either subjective by a power or universall grace given to all or which is objective by the light of nature in the works of CreatioÌ„ pointing out Christ as the place Psal. 19 4. mistaken is cited The place Psal 1â— 4 vindicated Carol. Fermaeus in Analys ad Romanos c. 10. p. 205. The true Exposition of the place Psal. 19 4. by our Interpreters P. Martyr in loc Deus ut inquit Psalmâ—s voluit notitiam suam naturalem per creaturas coelestes publicari in universum orbem Ergo Euangelium curavit identidem evulgari Quomodo igitur potestis dicere
'le heal him Prov. 6.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to delve to plow inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that worketh either on iron of timber Why we are more ashamed of uncleannes and falshood theÌ„ of pride Characters of sinfull stoninesâ—e of heart against God Of the morall concurrence â—f the word to the act of infusion of a new heart Job 9.20 Pro 28.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be made narrow to be pressed in body or minde to afflict to vex Gen. 32.7 straitening was on Iacob by a Metalepsis it is to frame by pressing or keeping straight as Potters frame a vessel Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jotsâ—r a potter Eze. 11.13 The 〈◊〉 and unreasonable imaginations of the heart and the atheism thereof A heart delighted with God is the work-house of CHRIST A whole and enteer heart Half a sincere faith is no faith A fixed heart D. Prâ—â—â—on Some new heart or new spirit is an old heart Cant. 3 3. Cant. 5.7 A wel keeped heart is a new heart New affections what they are The necessitie of Works by the Law of faith an old question in the Church Our mistakes of Works of Grace of VVord of God of the works of God It s grace to close with all sorts of commaÌ„ds Galaenus de usupartuum Alphonsus decimus rex Castellae Melius ordinatiusque singula conderentur Pamphlet printed an 1647. p. 31. Luther Gal. 5. In libello de votis Monasti Chemn Loc. Com. de bonis oper cap. 1. qu 3. pag. 21 22. Confess August Apol art 20. Docent nostri quod necesse sit bona opera facere non ut confidamus per ea gratiam merâ—ri sed propter voluntatem Deâ— lib. 6. Concor p. 666. Some necessarie distinctions touching the necessity of Evangelick works Faith thogh weak justifieth Bruised Reed pag. 107 108. The right faith gives to life it justifieth not as Law-obedience The fulfilling of the condition of the Covenant of grace cannoâ— justifie as the fulfilling of the condition of the Covenant of Works shuld have justified The right of redempâ—ion is not ours by Evangelick doing as the place Rev. 22.14 mistaken is exponed by some By Christ dying we obtaine right to life and to Christ not by works Via ad regnum non causa regnaâ—â—i There cannot be a perfection in our faith and Evangelick works in order to the Gospel more then to the Law to justifie us If faith works concur jointly as causes of our justification neither can James deny truely that we are justified by faith nor Paul that we are justified by works English Divines Annot. on Jam. 2. Believing and faith Jam. c. 2. v. 21 23. must be believing and working faith The faith which Jam. excludes from justification is not the faith that Paul speaks of Rom. 3. Gal. 3. but a bastard faith only See Cartwright see D. Fuilk against the Jesuites of Rhems Jam. 2. Stapleton de sola fide justificante l. 8. c. 9. haec autem fides siue charitate mortua est Jam. 2. seu ficta hypocritica 1 Tim. 1. quantum ad perfectae justitiae vitam veritatem non autem quantum ad sâ—ipsâ—m sibique propriam virtutem c. Lorin Commen in Jac. 2.26 Sicut enim corpus non fit comparatio cum homine mortuo 〈◊〉 cum corpore nam homo mortuus non potest proprie vocari homo sed corpus mortuum est propricâ—â—tâ—pus Quo etiam pacto fides siue operibus est vere fides litet mortua Nec saâ—is placet 〈◊〉 addit Cajâ—tan in Comment fidem sine operibus mortuam quoniam opera sunt concomitantia 〈◊〉 Estius Com non comparat Apostolus fidem mortuam cum homine mortuo sed â—um corpore mortâ—â— sicut ergo corpus mortuum est vere proprie corpus ita fides mortua vere proprie fides est Expressions of a lively faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inniti herere recumbere est corporis 2 King 5.18 7.2 The Lord answered upon whose hand the King leaned Gen. 1â— 4 leane down under the tree 2 Chro. 14.11 〈◊〉 cryed to the Lord help us help us for we 〈◊〉 upon thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aspexit cum delectationes cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est inniti recumbere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silere tacere Ezek. 27.17 Ps 131.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Kal. 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 amore 〈…〉 bitumine â—njunctis Shimler in Lexico 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Firmiter initi unde sumitur pro securum esse â—o quod conâ—fidentiam sequatur securitas oppoâ—nitur dubitationi Est inaliquo spes omnes sic reâ—ponere ut secure quiesâ—at animus adversus omnia pericula res arduâ—s suscipere audeat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A summo ad imum deâ—olvit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Innixus conjunctus vicinus fuit confirmavit staâ—ilivit Saving faith noteth farre other lively acts then can be in the faith of hypocrites James speaks of reall justification before God but under the notion as declared and manifested to men to the conscience of the so justified Remonsteâ— Apol. c. 10· fol. 13 col 2. Jacobum de justificationis declaratione non loqui docent verbâ— ipsa Quis enim adeo vâ— cors est qui cum Apostolo contendere voluerit an homo declaretur justus ex fide fides enim quatenus fiducia est distincta ab operibus pietatis non est nisi in cordâ— homâ—â—is Theologia enim eorum non patitur credere hoc verum esse nam ne de operibus ipsis constare potest an sint bona opera non enim possunt esse bona nisi ex fide fiâ—â—t ex fide enim fieri non modo non potest alteri declarari sed ne illi ipsi id constare potest qui ea facit Quia reprobus illa eadem opera praestare potest Trelcatius senior de Justifica 1. Class Arg. 373. Paulus per quod homines credentes justificantur coram DEO docet Jâ—cobus quo modo justificari cognoscantur 2. Paulus fide verâ solum nos justificaris Jacobus quanam sit vera illa fides ab effectis probat 3. Paulus huic verae fidei tribuit justificationem sine operibus ut causis justificationis Jâ—cobus fidei fictae detrahit hanc vim contra veram probat ab effectis veris 4. Paulus negat bona opera praecedere justificandum Jacobus dicit ea justificatum sequi 5. Paulus à causis justificationis ad effecta discendit quibus detrahit coram Deo vim justificandi ut in solidum id tribuat Dei gratiae Christi merito Calvin Instituti li. 111. c. 17. n. 11. Iucidunt in duplicem Paragolismum Alterum in justificationis alterum in fidei vocabulo Tu credis inquit quod Deus est sane si nihil en istâ fide continetur nisi ut credatur Deum esse jam nihil mirum est si non justificet nec vero dum