power of the same voyce to the Resurrection of Damnation 1 To the first of these who they are that have done good and who they are that have done evill after the Gospell Rule according to which all must be judged To this we shall speak distinctly in the severall parts of it and most fully to the first part God assisting That we may therein answer the desire of our deceased Sister whose being taken from us occasioned the publishing this discourse as her said desire was expressed by her on her death bed which was that some such Instruction might be delivered And opened to the people as we shall have further occasion to speak to in the opening of this point For so I was informed by those that were with her And those such as had good understanding of and acquaintance with the grace of God and experience of the truth of the things discoursed by her That she earnestly desired that those great branches of the Doctrine of Christ that were then much upon her own spirit in a feeling apprehension of the truth of them to her abundant refreshing and consolation and to the enlargement of her heart for the good of others should be made known and opened to the people And that those parts of the Doctrine of Christ which were so much upon her spirit then and to the understanding of such as forementioned excellently discussed by her to the last though in broken expressions as her end approached were in effect as followes I may ranck them under these three heads 1 The way of attaining Gods righteousnesse for the remission of sins and justifying our persons before God And for the cleansing us from all unrighteousnesse and making us partakers of his holinesse even to the perfecting all that concerns us That it is by faith in Christ without the deeds of the Law and that faith and all the justification saving and healing by it not of our selves but the gift of God and that not of or according to works of righteousnesse that we have done or doe But of his free grace in Christ to manward according to that his mercy and through the discoveries and displayings of it in Christ that none may boast according to those Scriptures then much with her To him that worketh not namely for righteousnesse or seekes that way to attain righteousnesse as Rom. 9. 30. 33. 10. 1 2 3. But believeth on him that justifyeth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse even as David also describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works c. Rom. 4. 5. 6-9 Like as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse now that was not written for his sake alone but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our Justification Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also we have accesse by faith into this Grace namely for perfecting all that concernes us c. see Rom. 4. 3. 9 22. 23. 24. 25. with chap. 5. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse For it is written cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to doe them But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident For the just shall live by faith And the Law is not of faith But the man that doth them shall live in them Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith Gall. 3. 6-14 For by grace are ye saved though faith And that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus not only through or by meanes of the worth vertue and preciousnesse of him but also in the evidence and demonstration of him unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them And if by grace in Christ Jesus then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then it is no more grace otherwise work is no more work Eph. 2. 8 9 10. Rom. 11. 6. 2 The infinite riches and freenesse of this grace of God in Christ towards all sinners both in the preparation and bringing in of everlasting righteousnesse in Christ for them by making Him to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him And also in the bringing it forth to them in and by him whom he hath raised from the dead and set on his own right hand a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance and forgivenesse of sins a testimony to men in due time Gods light to the Gentiles his salvation to the ends of the Earth and the glory of his people Israell the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe as 2 Cor. 5. 21. Act. 5. 31. Isa 42. 49. with ch 55. 4 5. 1 Tim. 2. 4 5 6. Luk. 2. 32. 1 Tim. 4. 10. According to that Scripture Rom. 3. 20 27. by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God for by the Law is the knowledge of sin But now the righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousnesse of God not of man It is now manifested by the faith or Doctrine of Christ the preaching of peace that is by him And it is as before witnessed and now manifested unto all namely in the redundancies discoveries and reall tenders yea in the gift of it in and with Christ that in the light and power of his givings he and so it might be received that through him men might believe and believing through the same name be saved And it is upon all that believe namely in the imputation and application of it to them in their particular persons through his name making them through faith in it The righteousnesse of God in him that was made sin and a curse for them And all this without difference or respect of persons For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Being justifyed all men in that one that dyed for them and rose again in their stead as in a publique person And all that believe in their particular persons by him and through faith in him And this both these Freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare
only perfect and worthy to be sought after and submitted too They honour the Son and so the Father in him they ascribe righteousnesse to their Maker as more largely we have shewed in our lamentation over the dead in Christ published on the death of Henry Rixe 3. Because they herein do that which is good and profitable as to the attaining righteousnesse And so is confirmed to be good in the good fruit of it all works of darknesse are unfruitfull the workers of them reap no profit or good fruit of them Eph. 5. 11. Rom. 6 21. Job 33. 27. Hence they are called dead works which have not profited those that have been occupyed in them Hebr 9. 14. 13. 9. But the work of righteousnesse shall be peace and the fruit of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for ever Isa 32. 17. Yea it is so now in a first fruites of the spirit The God of hope filles with all joy and peace in this believing that they may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Rom. 15. 13. This faith is so counted to them for righteousnesse that they are therein made partakers in a first fruites of the spirit of what they believe on him for even the fruit of his righteousnesse with which faith closeth in the forgivenesse of their sins acceptance of their persons into favour and fellowship with God dayly washing sanctifying justifying and changing into his Image in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornfull But his delight is in the Law or Doctrine of the Lord and therein doth meditate or exercise himselfe day and night And so through and according to that Doctrine trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is He shall be as a Tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth forth her rootes by the River and shall not see when heat comes but be always fragrant and fruitfull The ungodly not so c. see and compare Psal 1. with Jer. 17. 7 8. He that abideth in him sinneth not misseth not his mark failes not of the end of his faith the saving of his soul attaines righteousnesse 1 Joh. 3. 6 1 Pet. 1. 8 9. Rom. 9. 30-32 1. In that they are made accepted with God in the beloved even in and according to that perfect righteousnesse that he hath compleated for them on which their parts and mindes are stayed In him they are compleat it being the office of the righteous one so to present them in himselfe so that as he is righteous and faithfull in his office And the Father righteous in his promise and covenant confirmed in him so he that doth righteousnesse believes in him for righteousnesse in which also he doth that which the righteousnesse of God discovered in Christ works in him both to will and to doe is righteous yea his righteousnesse that is imputed to him by him that imputes righteousnesse without works even the righteousnesse of God not of man made theirs through faith in Jesus and in which through saith in it he is accepted It is perfect and answerable to the holinesse of God such as in which his truth is fulfilled his justice satisfied so that they are made the righteousnesse of God in him that was made sin for them And in an answerable sence viz. by imputation as well as also by making them partakers of the fruit and blessednesse of it as he was made a curse for them of which more in the next considerations For as being accepted in Christ their iniquities are pardoned in Heaven not remembred or retained there against them So 2. They are made partakers of that forgivenesse of their sins in their mindes and consciences through his name and in the opening of it filling them with joy and peace in believing that also they may abound in the hope of his righteousnesse for further washing and saving to the utmost and perfecting what concernes them By him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses This blessednesse comes upon them in believing through his name Act. 10. 43. 13. 39 Rom. 8. 2 3. 3. 25 26. 4. tot Gal. 3. 9-14 Heb. 9. 14. 10. 22. The Law of the spirit of life in Christ even the Gospell of Christ declaring his righteousnesse in suffering and redeeming us from the curse of the Law is the power of God to save them that believe making them free from the Law of sin and death and quickening them to a new and living hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead that truth believed in the opening of it makes free from sin from the guilt accusation and bondage that they may serve him without fear in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of their life Yea 3. They are also created in Christ in the light and power of his grace believed and believed in unto good works which God hath before ordained that they believers should walk in them And so also as well as in the sence forementioned he that abideth in him sinneth not that is he doth not commit sin he saith not he hath no sin but he doth it not he is kept from committing or serving it There is sin in them still dwelling and more stirring and warring in the members then formerly But he that abideth in him is dayly strengthened through his name against it that he doth not consent to or serve it or let it reigne in his mortall body and so he that is boâ—n of God or that is led of the spirit of God which alwayes leedes or carryes out of a mans selfe into Christ for satisfaction righteousnesse and strength he doth not commit or serve sin nor can he for the seed of God the word of truth abides in him And wheresoever that is suffered to dwell in the heart it will preserve and deliver from every evill work The power of God which is in it to that purpose being greater then the power of sin and Satan Therefore sayes David thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee If therefore sin prevaile over any of us so as we are thereby brought into bondage it must needs be acknowledged we are not then or therein born of God not led of the spirit of God not carryed out or brought forth of our selves into Christ for teaching and strength but leaning to our own understanding and retaining in our heart some Worldly principle or inclination and secretly consulting with that minding the things of it walking in the flesh and not in the spirit we reape corruption For that grace of God that brings salvation to all men Teacheth us that denying ungodlinesse and Worldly lusts we shâ—uld live soberly righteously and godly in this present World looking for the blessed hope
that here have rejected the same power in its saving and healing oppaâ—ations have done despite to the spirit of grace And rejected that word and voyce in it which he brought to them by which they must be raised and judged Then by the same spirit which is the light and power of his voyce in the Gospell to them now shall every secret thing be brought to light How the same hath been formerly striving and working with them Discovering the thoughts and intents of the Heart And powerfully reproving and with discoveries of his goodnesse leading to repentance And how they have hardened their hearts And for what empty reasons and lying vanities they have offered despite and gâ—eivance to him The remembrance of which shall be ever with them as the worm that shall never dye evidencing the equity of his Judgment in the fire that never shall be quenched This therefore our Saviour useth as part of the Argument or motive with which he admonisheth them not to murmur now against the light and power of his Doctrine not only that they could not come nor any man without such drawing of the Father as was now vouchsafed them by him But also that he even the same that was now sent in the light and power of his spirit by his word to draw them whether they now come or no he shall raise them up at the last day even in the same power by the same spirit and judge them by the same word Joh 6 44. with ch 12. 48. This likewise evidenceth the voyce of the son of man the preaching of peace by Jesus Christ by what meanes soever he pleaseth to vouchsafe it to men now to be sufficiently powerfull and efficatious to the strengthening dead men to hear and receive it to the creating both light in the understanding and motion or inclination in the will where none was before that men might in its own light and power perceive and receive the great things of his love as discovered and brought unto them therein seeing its the same power and powerfull voyce by which Christ was raised by the glory of the Father And all the dead shall be raised by the man Christ in the glory of the Father obtained by him in Mans nature through and by meanes of his sufferings for men yea this instruction may here seasonably be noted by us as presented by our Saviour in the Text for correcting of their sinfull marvelling at the forementioned present power and efficacy of his voyce in the Gospell on the spirits of men viz. That it is the same voyce by which the dead Bodies shall be raised The light and power of his spirit sent out with his Gospell in the severall preachings of it now vouchsafed is of the same nature with that Power by which Christ was raised And the dead shall be raised It is according to the working of that mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead by which men spiritually dead as to the hearing of the voyce of the son of God are made to hear it in its coming to them whence he is said by the same spirit by which he was quickened or raised from the dead to have gone home to them And preached to their spirits that were disobedient in the dayes of Noah And are now in Prison for their disobedience then 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 20. And so also by which those that in hearing hear are strengthened to believe and quickened and preserved in life in believing Eph. 1. 18 19 20. with Joh. 5. 25. And so it s signified to be a new creating word or voyce answerable to that first creating word by which he created light where there was none before 2 Cor. 4. 6. The spirit and power of God by which all things increase and multiply in their severall kinds And by which all things were at first created and had their Beeings given them is the same but not in the same manner put forth to the first as to the last mentioned of these works And so the power or spirit by which men are preserved in their naturall life and do move and act in it And that by which the dead bodies shall be raised is the same but not in a like manner of working put forth to the first as to the latter To the first in an ordinary or naturall way or manner of working so as co-opperating with and strengthening naturall faculties and powers before given To the other in a supernaturall way or manner of working giving beeing and life where there was none before even so likewise we may say It s the same spirit and power of God by which men are instructed and strengthened to the attaining naturall and Worldly Sciences And by which they are instructed and strengthened to know Christ and Gods glory in him and to receive and entertain him in their hearts But it s put forth according to another manner of working to the latter then to the former To the former only in an ordinary and naturall manner of working according to the nature and some fore-capacity of the subject wrought upon strengthening the naturall powers and faculties to what is within their spheare To the latter in a supernaturall way or manner of opperation bringing not only new light revealing the object in Gods wisedome and way of demonstration but also therewith an opening the understanding that they may understand what is discovered new strength and motion to the will and affections that was not there before strengthening to receive what is given even such as were as to that wholly dead before It is such as is making wise the simple that have no understanding in its coming to them for in its revelation of the object it is opening the blind eyes of the mind moving and leading to repentance even such as are not made wise or led to repentance by it Psal 19. 7. Rom. 2. 4. Isa 48. 17 18. Math. 13. 9 12 13 15. such as makes the dead to hear that in hearing they might hear and those that hear to live and therefore shewed to be according to that working whereby he shall raise the dead Yet there are also these dissimilitudes between the manner of the putting forth of the same power for the quickening mens spirits now and for the raising their dead bodies after 1 To the first it s put forth mediately through outward meanes of preaching that voyce vouchsafed To the latter immediately from and by himselfe 2 To the first he works graciously on the mind and spirit enlightening perswading and so drawing by cords of love to make them willing in the day of his power And that they might be made so that through him they might be saved and graciously saving the willing ones Hose 11. Rom. 2. 4. 1. 16 17. but not irresistably forceing To the other he works irresistably without requiring any consent or complyance forcibly and powerfully of himselfe without any act of
out of the Book of the living as Psal 69. 27 28. whence that Eccles 9. 4. with 2 Cor. 5. 15. Even for all those sins and offences found in and upon men or done by them before the day of Gods grace and patience be quite out with them or their sin be so finished as to have brought forth death in an utter separation from God sin when so finished is not to be prayed for because he is not the propitiation for it as appeares by comparing 1 Tim. 21 1-6 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. with ch 5. 16. But to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope and help in Christ there is yet pardon for all his sins and healing for all his diseases For he was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Now our sins and offences even the sins and trespasses of the World which the Lamb of God was sent to take away for which he was delivered and gave himselfe they are of two sorts and so distinctly spoken off in the Scripture And accordingly the termes on which he was delivered for them are distinct and different 1 The sins are of two sorts 1. That offence of one man called Adams transgression in which all have sinned and by which sin and so death by sin entred into the World and overspread the whole nature And so all that sin and sinfullnesse that is the naturall and necessary fruit thereof 2 Sins that are now committed by men after the similitude of Adam's transgression such as in which men sin voluntarily by a willfull complyance with Satan against light and power to withstand for though men since the fall of the whole nature in the first man Adam have not that light knowledge and power by which they may withstand Satan in them as a naturall habbit or as Adam in his first constitution yet God by Jesus Christ giveth more grace more abundant light or discoveries of more abundant grace and glory with supernaturall power answerably in and with those discoveries of his goodnesse leading to repentance and teaching and strengthening to resist sin and Satan And thus Christ is a testimony to men and the grace of God in and through him bringing salvation to them all in due time So that if when light thus comes to them they then love and choose darknesse wickedly resisting and departing from him that calleth them into the grace of Christ hardening their hearts against his melting and softening opperations refusing to be healed and so as children of disobedience to the grace of God walking after the course of this World after the Prince of the power of the ayre They then and therein sin of themselves after the similitude of Adam's transgression like men or like Adam Hose 6. 5 6 7. yea their sins being against more grace even against the light and power of the grace in Christ faithfully and seasonably given are greater and of a higher nature though resembled by his See both these sorts of sins distinctly mentioned Rom. 5. 14. Neverthelesse death raigned from Adam to Moses as well as since even over those that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression where he clearly implyes that some there were before as well as since that sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression And also that there were some that had not so sinned and yet that death reigned over them also which shewes that they had sinned and were uncleane and polluted by sin though they had not so sinned For death came in by sin as vers 12. By one man sin entred into the World and death by sin for as much as all have sinned so that sin was in the World before the Law given by Moses and was upon them as an overspreading Leprosie even upon them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression which also shewes that there was a Law and a Law broken and man fallen under the penalty of it before that more full and declarative giving of it by Moses for where there is no Law there is no transgression And after this distinct mention of sins he shewes in the next verses how the gift and grace in and through it by that one man Jesus Christ goes beyond the offence in that it is of many offences There is in it provision of pardon and healing for many other offences besides the first and the necessary branches of that even for such sins as are after the similitude of Adams transgression All sins of the first sort are mentioned as already entred into and overspreading the whole nature even from the first receite and consenting to the temptation of Satan by Adam And so found in the World before Christs undertaking to dye for them And alwayes considered as having being in men in order of nature before that gift and grace in and by it as Rom. 3. 23. All have sinned namely in that offence of one as Rom. 5. 12. And are come short of the glory of God deprived and bereft of that Image and glory of God in which they were created in the first man so that they come forth naturally unclean and altogether filthy the Imaginations of his heart evill from his youth and that enmity of the mind leading to all evill works Gen. 8. 21. Psal 14. 3. with Rom. 3. 9-19 Coll. 1. 21. All sins of the second sort that is hateing when they see rejecting when they hear sinning wilfully against the light and power of the grace of God in Christ bringing salvation are expresly mentioned as sins that could have had no being in the World nor had the World known them or been capable of committing them If there had not been such a gift at least vertually for so it was from the first of our need prepared and accepted and the grace of God through it bringing salvation If he had not made peace for them by his bloud and also preached peace to them even to their spirits by his spirit They had not known or been capable of committing sin as it is now charged upon them that is of seeing and hateing willfull sinning against light Joh. 15. 22-24 with ch 3. 19. 12. 46-48 2. The termes on which he was delivered for them are different The sins of the World of the first sort which are all that had or have beeing in the World in order of nature before the gift and the grace that is in and through it bringing salvation even that offence of one and the naturall uncleannesse from thence entring into and overspreading the whole nature and so remaining in us as a naturall heritage while we are in this body as a Law of sin in the members even in those in whom the spirit is made alive for righteousnesse sake yea in such as walk not after the flesh but after the spirit All these were imputed to Him He was so made under the Law that concluded us guilty And for us that they were legally charged on him