capable of working righteousnesse thereby under the promises of Adoption of reward of good workes and of raigning together with God and Christ for ever and ever It doth not therefore follow That because men obtain Justification and Adoption through Faith and are rewarded for their good workes that therefore all these things are not obtained through Grace seeing that it is from the unspeakable Grace of God that we who were dead doe live that we enjoy such precious promises and upon such gracious termes whereby we are or may be made partakers of them And yet although that Justification and Salvation are thus founded upon the Grace of God yet hath every man through the performance of those things whereunto the same is promised as just a right and claime thereunto as our first Father Adam could have had unto life by obedience to the Law as the words of the Apostle in Hebr. 6.10 doe plainly witnesse God is not unfaithfull saith he to forget your worke and labour of love the righteousnesse of God is engaged to performe whatsoever forth of his goodnesse he hath promised And as for the pretence of some gathered from these and such like Scriptures 1 John 5.10 11. Luke 27. That Salvation is freely bestowed upon men without any thing required on their part thereunto their mistake therein is clearly discovered from these grounds 1. That the Apostles of Jesus Christ who handled not the Word of God deceitfully but commended themselves to every mans conscience as in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 doe every where in Answer to the Question What men should doe to be saved Declare That men must repent and believe Acts 2.37 38. Acts 16.30 31. 2. From the practice of the Apostles themselves who being fully instructed in the knowledge of the Grace of God Acts 20.27 yet strove to obtain the Crown of eternall life And not un-necessarily as men beating the Aire 1 Cor. 9.25 26 27. with 2 Tim. 2.5.12 3. From the tenure of the promises which all runne conditionally I will give to him that is a thirst of the water of life freely Rom. 20.6 Be thou Faithfull unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life Rev. 2.10 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge will give me at that day and not to me only but unto all those that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.6 7. Rev. 3.11 Rev. 3.24 4. And lastly from hence that Salvation it self is intituled The inheritance of reward Col. 3.24 Forasmuch as reward doth alwaies presuppose something either done or to be done in recompence whereof the same is given Moses chose to suffer with the people of God because he had respect to the recompence of reward Hebr. 11.25 26. 5. And although in 1 John 5.10 11. It is said that God hath given us eternall life yet in vers the 12. it is also said That this life is in his Son and that he that hath it must have the Son And the same Apostle in his 2 Epist v. 9 plainly declareth That whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath neither the Father nor the Son He is the author of Salvation to those that obey him Hebr. 5.9 And as for Luke 1.77 where it is prophesied That John the Baptist should give knowledge of Salvation to the Jewes by the remission of sinnes The meaning thereof is best interpreted by the tenour of his own preaching unto them whereby they are taught not to expect either remission of sins or Salvation otherwise then through repentance and amendment of life Luk. 3.3 Mat. 3.8 9 10. Luke 3.8 according to that in Acts 3.19 Object Faith being the gift of God Eph. 2.8 Salvation in reference whereunto it is given is the gift of God also Answ First It is not clear in this Text that the Apostle doth intend Faith to be the gift of God but rather that salvation is the gift of God and in what nature Salation is given by him hath been shewed before 2. But admit that Faith is the gift of God it doth not therefore follow that Faith whereunto Salvation is promised is the gift of God for Faith in the Scriptures is diversly taken As first it is taken for the Doctrine of Faith in which respect they that have preached the same are said to preach the Faith Galat. 1.23 and those to whom it was preached are said to hear the Faith Gal. 3.5 and those that received and subjected themselves thereunto are said to be obedient to the Faith Acts 6.7 Secondly it is taken for the bare credence and belief of the Doctrine of Christ in which respect The Rulers that loved the praise of men more than the praise of God are said to believe in Christ John 12.42 43. And thus the Devils are also said to believe and tremble James 2.19 Thirdly It is taken for the knowledge love and obedience of the Doctrine of Christ In which respect those that have departed from the love and obedience thereof are said to make Shipwrack of Faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 And lastly it is taken for an assured hope and expectation of eternall life begotten in men through a conscientious privity of the truth of their repentance sincerity of their obedience and the gracious promises of God made thereunto according as the words of the Apostle in 2 Tim. 4.7 8. before rehearsed do declare Now although that Faith in the first and second acceptation whereunto the Apostle in these words viz. It is the gift of God may have respect be acknowledged the gift of God and be after a sort necessarily imposed upon men especially when as the Doctrine of Christ is clearly and evidently demonstrated unto them by the miraculous power of God as it was by the Ministery of the Apostles Yet in the third acceptation by which alone men are intituled to Salvation it cannot from hence be concluded to be the gift of God it being begotten in men only through a due and serious consideration of the truth certainty worth and excellency of the Doctrine therof discovered unto them For like as a soft answer turneth away wrath and a soft tongue breaketh the bone according to Prov. 15.1 and 25.15 Even so the unspeakable love and goodnesse of God appearing unto men received into and laid up in their hearts as it is required in Deut. 6.6 11 18. Prov. 4.4 begetteth in them a love towards God obedience to his Word crucifieth them to the world casteth downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Eph. 6.16 17. From whence it is that those persons who have had the mercy and goodnesse of God demonstrated unto them in a more abundant measure than others and have not thereby
the foresaid opinions with all the evil consequences thereof Flee youthfull lusts and follow after righteousnesse faith charity peace with those that call on the Lord out of a pure heart the neglect whereof occasioned the falling away of those afore-mentioned as by the coherence of these verses doth manifestly appear 2. Nor doth it any better suite with the Text it self wherein Timothy is required with meeknesse to instruct those that oppose themselves the end whereof as also of Gods forbearance being every where in the Scriptures declared to be none other than mens repentance and therefore to whomsoever the same is vouchsafed the possibility of their repentance thereby must needs be supposed because it doth not stand with the wisdome of God to propound an end from such means whereby it cannot possibly be effected And it s frequently to be observed in Christ that he directeth his instruction only to those that have ears to hear Mat. 11.15 13 43. Reve. 2.7 11 17 29 verses chapter 3 6 13 22 verses Thereby doubtlesse to informe us that if men were absolutely uncapable of hearing and receiving the same it should not at all be preached unto them Besides It cannot be supposed that God should command his servants to cast holy things unto Swine to be trampled under their feet or to spil the immortall and incorruptible Seed of his Word as water upon the ground the consequence of the contrary opinion seeing that it is delivered by him for a generall rule to be observed by them That when men by their preaching unto them were fully enlightened in the knowledge of his Grace and of eternall Salvation brought unto them by Jesus Christ and should then wilfully and stubbornly reiect the same put it from them and judge themselves unworthy thereof thereby declaring that no hopes of their repentance were to be expected from thence that then they should depart from them and cease to preach any further unto them Acts 13.45 46 47. And therefore it may not be imagined that either the persons intended in the text whom Timothy was required to instruct or any other to whom the Gospel was sent to be preached were altogether uncapable of improving the same to the end thereof Which considered the meaning of the Apostle in this place must be understood only as if he should have commanded Timothy to instruct with meeknesse those that oppose themselves because that paradventure at one time or other they might hearken therunto lay it to heart and improve the same to their repentance c. God being said as was shewed before not only to give unto us such things wherewith we are immediatly possessed by his meer devotion but all such things likewise which are obtained by our laborious industry and improvement of the means vouchsafed unto us for those ends He giveth unto us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6.17 Day by Day he giveth unto us our daily bread 5. The fifth text alleadged is Rom. 11.5 6. The words are these Even so at this present time also there is a remnant according to the Election of Grace and if by Grace then is it no more of workes otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of workes then it is no more of Grace otherwise worke is no more worke From whence it is conceived that by the Covenant of Grace all workes on mens part either in reference to their Election or Salvation are wholly excluded and that there is not any thing required to be done by them thereunto Answ To which I answer first That it was shewed before in answer to Rom. 8.28 29 30. That Election is not in the first but in the second Adam not of the disobedient but of the repentant godly rich in Faith c. which with comparing the 4 verse with the 5 before alleadged will receive further confirmation For when in the 4 vers the Apostle having declared That those whom God reserved to himself in the daies of Elias were such only who in obedience unto him refused to bow the knee to the Image of Baal In the 5 verse he addeth That even so at this present time also there is a remnant according to the Election of Grace which is as if he should have said Whereas a great number of the Israelites are rejected and cast off from the favour of God you are not to conceive them to be so rejected for any other cause then for their wilfull and stubborn disobedience against his word revealed unto them chap. 1.17 chap. 10.18 21. chap. 11.20 For as in the daies of Elias he reserved to himself all those that hearkened unto him and refused to bow to the Image of Baal Even so likewise at this time he reserveth to himself for his sonnes and daughters all those that submit themselves to his righteousnesse chap. 10.3 Harden not their hearts Hebr. 3.8 17 18 19. Nor judge themselves unworthy of eternall life Acts 13.46 47. Nor yet doth he so reject any of them for their unbelief but that he will readily accept of them again if that they doe not continue therein Rom. 11.23 2. I answer That when the Apostle saith That Election to Salvation is not of workes but of Grace he doth not thereby exclude all works in reference therunto but the workes of perfection according to the law of innocency and creation only from which estate man-kinde being fallen Eccl. 7.29 their Justification and Salvation thereby must needs be altogether impossible That Grace doth not exclude all Workes doth evidently appear from hence viz. That integrity and uprightnes of heart which properly consisteth in a ready and chearfull conformity to all the Commandments of God made known unto us so far forth as opportunity and ability doth afford is required of every man to his Salvation Gen. 17.1 2 7. 1 Chron. 28.9 Mat. 6.48 Mat. 19.16 17 21. In which respect Christ implieth the young man Mat. 19.21 23. that refused to sell all that he had and give to the poor and to take up his Crosse and follow him when it was required of him to be imperfect and incapable of entring into eternall life And S. John denieth that man to have the love of God dwelling in him that seeth his brother stand in need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion towards him 1 John 3.17 And from hence it is that S. James declareth That that faith which obtaineth justification is made perfect thorough workes Iames 2.21 22 23 * Abrahams integrity engaged him to offer up his Son upon the Altar when it was required of him and by offering of him up he is said to fulfill the Scripture which said that he believed God Jam. 2.23 Which plainly argueth that all knowne duties or works within a mans power to be performed are so essentiall to integrity and faith that they cannot possibly be distinguished whence Abraham that one while is said to be justified by faith Rom. 4.9 is otherwhiles by S. James chap. 2.21 declared
if that some men should by God be necessitated to repentance c. they could be no more justified according to the sentence of Christ in relation thereunto then any other men could be condemned with reference to such evill actions whereunto they were enforced by a power which they could no waies possibly resist To make this evident by the Scriptures in Mat. 16.27 it 's declared by Christ himself That when he commeth in the Glory of his Father with his Angels he will reward every man according to his workes In like manner Revel 22.12 he saith Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his worke shall be agreeable unto which is the Testimony of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his boby according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad According to which rule the Scriptures aforehand describing unto us the manner of the last Judgement as if it were already past we finde the sentence of Christ denounced towards all persons Mat. 25.34 with Rev. 20.12 13. Secondly That all such actions c. whereunto persons are enforced against the choice and assent of their own wils are not imputed unto them as their own actions will plainly appear first by Deut. 22.25 26. If a man saith the Text finde a betrothed Damsell in the field and force her then the man only that forced her shall die But unto the Damsell thou shalt doe nothing there is in the Damsell no sin worthy of death for as when a man riseth against his neighbour and slayeth him even so is this matter Likewise by the words of the Apostle in Rom. 7.2 If I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me from which in the 24 and 25. verses he concludeth That God would acquit him And thereupon in the 1. verse of the 8. chapter declareth unto all That there is no condemnation belonging unto men for such actions The reason hereof is Because that God looketh only at the heart of a man 1 Sam. 16.7 and alwaies judgeth of him according to what he observeth therein whether it be good or bad what is willed and determined therein he reckoneth it as if it were done though through want of opportunity or ability it never be effected from whence it is that the Apostle declareth unto us for a generall rule in the 2 Cor. 8.12 That if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not which we finde verified unto us by a clear instance in the 1 King 8.18.19 of Gods kinde acceptation of Davids affection to build him an House though that it was never built by him Whereas it was in thy heart saith the Lord to build me an house thou didst well that it was in thine heart nevertheles thou shalt not build me the House c. And we may also observe that Solomon who by Gods appointment did build it received not a greater reward for his action therein then David did for his affection thereunto And so on the other side Christ informeth us That the things that defile a man are only those that proceed from his heart Out of the heart saith he Mat. 15.19 20. proceedeth evil thoughts he speaketh not of those that are suggested or that at unawares arise therein and are forthwith quenched and suppressed for these defile no man but of those that are conceived and harboured therein which when opportunity serveth break forth into murthers adulteries fornications thefts false witnes blasphemies these defile the man upon which ground it is That the Scriptures declareth David to be a man according to Gods own heart save only in the matter of Vriah 1 Kings 15.5 Wherein deliberately and with purpose of heart as must needs be conceived he chose the thing which he knew to be evill which in other cases wherein his actions much swerved from the rules of perfect justice he did not and therefore is neither blamed nor accused for them Object God doth not justifie men for Faith but by Faith nor reward them for their workes but according to their workes the reward of good workes being Grace belonging to Adopted Children not to servants for the worke done Answ The distinction betwixt Justification by Faith and for Faith is altogether vaine seeing that he that is justified by Faith or by reason thereof which is all one is so justified for Faith Because that without Faith he cannot please God Hebr. 11.5 6. nor obtain acceptation with him Thy Faith saith Christ to the woman hath saved thee Luke 7.5 The like may be said concerning the distinction betwixt reward for workes and according to workes in regard that he that is rewarded according to his workes is so rewarded for his workes as he that is rewarded according as he hath fed relieved and feasted the poor that were not able to feast him again as Christ hath promised in Luke 14.13 14. or as he that is rewarded according as he hath given a cup of cold water in the name of Christ having no better in his power to give he is so rewarded for that he hath so done by reason that otherwise he should have received no such reward And yet it is not to be denied but that Justification through Faith and reward of good workes originally proceedeth from the meer Grace and speciall favour of God in Jesus Christ considering that by the Law we can lay claim unto no such thing but must acknowledge our selves according to that Covenant guilty of everlasting death or the dissolution of our natures for ever in the Grave and therefore whatsoever we either doe or shall receive from God more or lesse than this as our present being in this life the enjoyment of the Creatures a time of repentance with the means thereof as redemption from the curse of the Law Resurrection to another life Adoption and Salvation through Faith or conformity to the will of God known and understood by us must be attributed to the alone Grace of God in Jesus Christ through whom he hath obtained these things for us and Covenanted and granted to bestow there upon us According to which distinction betwixt the Covenants is that distinction which runneth through the Rodie of the New-Testament betwixt righteousnes and righteousnes workes and workes reward and reward to be understood according to the first covenant There is none that doth good none righteous but all have sinned and are fallen short of the Glory of God accursed dead and excluded from all happinesse for ever But in relation to the second Covenant made with us in Christ as we were considered in this estate we are through his death and resurrection redeemed from death made alive from the dead under a Law of liberty sutable to our frailty and
according to the prince of the power of the air c. fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath It s conceived that a man deprived of his natural life is not more incapable of performing the actions of living men then a man in his natural condition is of performing any thing required of him to his Salvation Which will appear very incredible if that we doe but consider that the Scriptures doe evidently declare that God requireth not of any men but according to the talents delivered unto them he requireth not five where he giveth but two nor two where he giveth but one nor yet one where he hath not vouchsafed any If ye were blinde saith Christ ye had not sin Iohn 9.41 2. Therefore secondly I answer That although that this text doth declare that the Ephesians were dead in trespasses and sins yet it doth not argue that they were necessarily dead therein or that they might not have avoided the same for mens being bad is no good ground to prove that they could not be good If that they were necessarily such it must be either by reason that they were such by birth or else through want of instruction but that they were such by birth cannot be gathered from this text 1. Because that those sins and trespasses wherein they are said to be dead are declared to be such as relate to their conversation and time of ripe age they walked according to the course of this world the prince that ruleth in the air fulfilled the desires of the minde c. which is not incident to the estate of infancy 2. It was observed before That all sins have their original in the wils of men and then forasmuch as children cannot distinguish betwixt good and evil Deut. 1.39 they cannot possibly choose the thing that is evil and therefore cannot be guilty thereof much lesse dead therein If it be objected That they are said to be the children of wrath by nature It s answered That by nature in this place probably may be understood that fleshly sensuall or devilish course of life wherein they had their conversation for so the word naturall in the 3. Chapter of Iames the 15. verse compared with the margent appeareth to be rendered in reference unto which they may here be said to be children of wrath But if that thereby we must understand their estate by birth then in that respect are they to be esteemed none otherwise the children of wrath then as they were subject to the wrath or curse of mortality inherent to their natures by their descent from Adam * By wrath in this place cannot possibly be understood the condemnation of hell because that punishment relates to the resurrection which could not have been had not Christ died and rose again and therefore the curse of the fall of which only we are chargeable by nature must of necessity end in the grave and the being of fallen Adam there ceasing no punishment beyond the same can be inflicted And therefore the wrath or condemnation of hell must of necessity be proper to the being that is to come and the reward of disobedience in the second Adam and not of our fall in the first Adam From whence being ransomed by the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ the more to endear them unto him for his goodnesse towards them therein the Apostle in this place may put them in minde thereof And as they were not dead in trespasses and sins by birth So neither were they dead therein through want of divine illumination or demonstration though that neither the Mosaical Law Doctrine of the Prophets or of Christ were delivered unto them as appeareth by Act. 14.17 where we reade that Paul and Barnabas having before reproved the men of Lystra for walking after strange gods and sacrificing unto them to convince them and discover to us that it was not through want of divine evidence that they so walked They declare that God did not leave himself without witnesse that he only ought to have been worshipped by them in that he did them good and gave them rain from heaven filling their hearts with food and gladnesse and the same Apostle further declareth in Rom. 1.19 That that which may be known of God was manifest unto them to wit the Gentiles for God shewed it unto them For the invisible things of him saith he from the Creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead And yet the more fully to evidence this truth in vers 21 it 's plainly declared that by the aforesaid means they did attain to the knowledge of God and of that worship that he required of them when they knew God saith the text they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull c. But knowing the judgement of God that they which did commit such things were worthy of death did not only doe the same but took pleasure in those that did them vers 32. And thereupon in Chap. 2.1 3. are declared to be without excuse both in their disobedience and condemnation 2. This is yet more clearly demonstrated by the words of the Apostle in Chap. 2.14 15. When the Gentiles saith he which have not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which sheweth the work of the Law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing them witnesse and their thoughts in the mean while accusing and excusing one another in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ In which words these two things are plainly declared First That whatsoever was necessarily required of them to their salvation was fully known unto them Secondly That the things so known by them was within their power to perform and practise That their duty was fully knowne unto them he demonstrateth from these two grounds 1. That some of them did performe the same which according as he argueth they could not have done had they been ignorant thereof when the Gentiles saith he doe by nature the things contained in the Law they shew thereby that they have the worke of the written in their hearts 2. From hence viz. that those of them which did not performe the things required of them to their Salvation had therein consciences accusing them at present and should accuse them by reason thereof in the day when God shal judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ the which should be impossible were not the same things known and understood by them as we may perceive by a very plain instance in Gen. 20. where we read That Abimelech having taken unto him Abrahams Wife upon his denying her to be his Wife and of Gods threatning him with death in case that he did not restore her again unto him he not being privy to himself of any evil committed therein
to be justified by workes For where workes such as are within a mans power are wanting integrity is wanting and where integrity is wanting faith is dead verse 17 26. Unprofitable Gal. 5.6 And not to be distinguished from that of the Devil Jam. 2.19 And seeing then that all such workes which are within mens power to performe are required of them to their Salvation It must needs be granted when the Apostle saith That it is not of workes that his meaning therin is none other then that it is not of workes of perfection according to the law of our creation which are impossible for any man to performe so as to be justified thereby Gal. 2.16 And that the difference betwixt Workes and Grace or the Law and the Gospel standeth only in this viz. That the first requireth unto life that which is impossible unto men in their fallen estate the later no more then what is possible unto them therein and so consequently that life and Salvation which could not be obtained by any through the covenant of workes may be obtained by all through the covenant of Grace which will more evidently appear if it be considered First That the only and speciall reason why the first Covenant was repealed and the second vouchsafed is declared to be this viz. That the first could not give life unto men that is to say in their fallen estate for in the estate of innocency it must needs be acknowledged it could If there had been a Law that could have given life saith the text Gal. 3.21 verily righteousnesse had been by the Law but in regard it could not therefore as the words of the Apostle in Hebr. 8.6 7. doe plainly intimate the Lord found fault therewith abolished it and gave unto men a more excellent Covenant instead thereof that is to say a covenant wherby salvation might be obtained by them in their fallen estate for seeing that the goodnesse of God and his desire of mens Salvation was such as caused him to abolish the first Covenant because it could not give life unto them no reasonable man can conceive that his said goodnesse and love towards them would suffer him to give unto them a second Covenant as faulty and unable to give life unto them as that abolished and if not Then forasmuch as by the later workes are required to be performed by men to their Salvation as well as by the former the excellency of the later above the former must needs be acknowledged to consist only in this viz. That the workes required thereby and the conditions upon which life is promised therin are performable by men in their fallen estate whereas those required thereunto by the other were not In which respect it is that in the 6 verse the Apostle declareth that the later is established upon better promises then the former Secondly That those that endeavoured to reduce men from the Doctrine of the Gospel to the observation of the Law are by the Apostles Acts 15.10 charged with tempting God by putting a yoak upon the necks of the Disciples which they were not able to bear And to the Galathians which were perverted by those false teachers Paul in Gal. 3.1 3. thus writeth O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth Are ye so foolish that having begun in the Spirit are ye made perfect by the Law which plainly argueth that the Doctrine of the Gospel which they preached was no such yoak because that then they themselves in preaching the Gospel turning men from Moses to Christ should have bin liable to the same reproof which they laid upon others And as foolish should the Galathians have been in hearkening to them preaching the Gospel as they were in hearkening to the false Apostles preaching the Law For of two yoaks alike intollerable wisdome directeth a man to choose the one as soon as the other and not to prefer the one before the other and therefore unlesse that we will suppose the Apostles to be guilty of tempting God in the same nature wherein they accuse and censure others and thereby to make themselves inexcusable both before God and men Rom. 2.1 we must needs conclude that the yoak or precepts of the Gospel which they endeavoured to impose upon men were not intollerable or grievous 1 John 5.3 Like unto those of the Law but easie and light Mat. 11.30 and so consequently that righteousnesse life and salvation impossible by the former is possible and may be attained by the later 3. That Paul in the 2 Cor. 3.7 9. speaking of the Law calleth it the Ministration of death and of condemnation And contrariwise speaking of the Gospel or New Testament he calleth it the ministration of righteousnesse and in verse the 6 saith That the first killeth but the later giveth life Now forasmuch as the Law in it's own nature is neither the ministration of death nor condemnation being holy just and good promising life and would assuredly bring us to the possession thereof could we but observe what it requireth or attain unto that originall innocency and purity in which we were created therefore it is so called only in respect that in the necessary consequence therof by reason of our inability to fulfill the same it becommeth such unto us And therefore if that the conditions of the new Covenant were no more performable then those of the Law the Gospel could not be called the ministration of righteousnesse and life any more then the Law because it is the savour of death unto death unto all those that disobey it as well as the Law John 3.19 Hebr. 10.28 29. and conferreth neither righteousnes nor life unto any that observe it not any more then the Law therefore whereas it is called the ministration of righteousnesse and life in opposition to the Law it must needs be understood in this respect That righteousnesse life and Salvation impossible by the Law may be obtained by it 4. The same Apostle likewise discoursing of the two Covenants in the ninth and tenth chapters of the Romans and having in the 32 verse of the 9. chapter after a large discourse concerning the same concluded righteousnesse not to be attainable by the Law in the 8 verse of the 10. chapter he declareth That the righteousnesse that is by the Gospel is nigh unto us even in our mouthes and in our hearts then which nothing can be more near unto us And in Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. whereunto he hath allusion to prevent all objections concerning this thing Moses thus speaketh The commandment that I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it farre off It is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say who shall goe over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and doe
ye see and have not seen them and to hear these things which you hear and have not heard them Mat. 13.16 17. And hence are the words of the Apostle in Ephes 3.8 9 10 11 Unto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this Grace given that I should preach amongst the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God according to the eternall purpose which he purposed in Christ Iesus our Lord. And hereunto also is the words of the same Apostle in Rom. 16.25 26. to be applied Which considered the emphasis contained in the words of the Prophets before rehearsed are to be understood only as if the Lord should have said I exhibited unto your fathers the Covenant of works when he brought them out of the Land of Aegypt not to the intent that they should seek righteousnesse and life by it Gal. 3 7-18 Rom. 10.3 but to shew them their impurity and weaknesse Gal. 3.19 Rom. 7.7 Gal. 3.22 And that they should seek Salvation only thorow the promise preached unto Abraham their father four hundred years before the Law was given Gal. 3.17 The which Covenant they brake though that I was a husband unto them But the Covenant of my Grace preached unto you by all the Prophets since the world began Luke 1.70 Act. 43.26.22 23. and which in the later daies I will more clearly demonstrate unto your children by the Ministery of my Son is not like unto that Covenant being established upon better promises wherby I shall so abundantly commend my love unto them That although possibly they may despise the same and turn my Grace therein manifested unto them into wantonnesse yet surely or in all reason they will not but will reverence my Sonne when they see him receive my word from him into their hearts and become obedient unto me For God having made men rationall in reference whereunto only he treateth with them by arguments different from all other his creatures and naturally disposed to their own happinesse whensoever more clearly then ordinary he openeth unto them a way thereunto and useth Arguments extraordinary to endear them unto him for his goodnesse towards them therein in the Scriptures he often taketh it for granted That then more especially they will be induced to the love and perpetual Obedience of him as is shewed in Isa 63.7 8 9. where from the consideration of the goodnesse that he had vouchsafed to the house of Israel the mercies and multitude of loving kindenesses that he had bestowed upon them in saving them by the Angel of his presence redeeming them in his love and pity carrying them thorow the wildernesse and in all their afflictions being afflicted with them c. he concludeth them to be his people in such sort that they would never deal untruly with him because that although possibly they might as in vers 10. it appeareth they were yet rationally they could not be unthankfull unto him nor disobedient against him after such extraordinary mercies received from him From whence also it is that S. Paul stileth those men that refused and opposed the Gospel of Salvation when it was preached unto them unreasonable men 2 Thes 3.2 degenerated from men into brute beasts 1 Cor. 15.32 because that reason cannot oppose it self And therefore seeing that it teacheth and directeth all men endued therewith to seek their own happinesse and felicity as it must needs prohibit them the rejection thereof and the abuse of the means leading thereunto So on the contrary it must needs engage them to sincerity of love and hearty affection towards God by how much the more he discovereth himself in Love Mercy and Goodnesse towards them in that nature And hereupon it is that God considering how abundantly the riches of his grace Fatherly affection and bowels of compassion towards all men should by the Ministery of Iesus Christ at his appearance be revealed and by signs and wonders confirmed beyond all contradiction to the Iews especially to whom most immediately he was sent Joh. 1.11 Mat. 15.24 more than at any time from the beginning of the world it had been insomuch that hearing and beholding the same and not rejecting reason and humanity and judging themselves unworthy of everlasting life they could not possibly but rejoyce therein be humbled for their former disobedience against so merciful a God receive with thankfulnes his holy instructions delivered unto them and ever afterwards become obedient unto him he concludeth therefore that they would be converted and united unto him for ever although that through savage and brutish folly unto which men may possibly degenerate Isa 46.6 7 8. they both might and did reject and despise his unspeakable goodnesse towards them All which is most clearly and plainly demonstrated by the words of Christ himself in Mat. 21. from the 33. to the 39. Mark 10. from the first to the ninth And Luke 20. from the 9. to the 15. Hear a Parable saith Christ speaking to the Iews to whom the promise in Ier. 31. hath the most especial relation There was a certain housholder which planted a Vineyard and hedged it round about and digged a wine-presse in it and built a tower and let it out to husbandmen and went into a farre countrey and when the time of fruit drew near he sent his servants that he might receive from the husbandmen the fruit of the vineyard c. But the husbandman took his servants and beat one and killed another and stoned another Again he sent other servants more then the first and they did unto them likewise 2 Chron. 38.15 16. Acts 7.51 52. Luke 9.49 50. Whereupon to the end that he might to the admiration of all men and Angels expresse his patience goodnesse and hearty affection to the Salvation of the very worst of men the Lord of the Vineyard saith Luke said unto himself What shall I doe I will send my beloved Sonne my only and well-beloved Sonne Mark 12.6 saying THEY WILL note Reverence my Sonne when they see him Mar. 12.6 Mat. 21.37 But what followeth when the husbandmen saw his Son they reasoned among themselves saying This is the heir come let us kill him that the inheritance may be ours and they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him Secondly The mistake concerning the sence of this Scripture is grounded upon these words viz. I will put my laws into their mindes and write them in their hearts c. From whence it is conceived that God hath promised unavoidably to beget the Love Fear and Obedience of himself in some particular persons not in others 1. For the clearing whereof it is to be remembred that the reason why God promised