between the first Image the second that in the first Chrst is only to the soul the King of righteousness and in the other both the King of righteousness and peace is a meer notion for they are inseparable if Christ be the one to the soule he must of necessity be the other and he is upon this notion too pag. 214. that the higher image forms the heart into the subjection of Christ not onely as he is the King of righteousness but as he is the King of peace but we have seen that these two are inseparable and the latter the effect of the former Page 224. He saith after effectuall calling that which is the precious saving faith of Gods elect which he counts the higher image may lie undâ—stinguished in operation from that first faith which the spiritual seed may continue a long time in the single exercise of in common with the children 〈◊〉 the first covenant as was most evident in Peâ—â—â— who after he was effectually called yet how 〈◊〉 and weak did the operation and power of faâ—â— remain in him to the suffering of him to fall 〈◊〉 shamefully as he did This we deny that a man that is a believâ—â— his faith may lie undistinguished in operaâ—â—â— from the legall work that men have that aâ— under the covenant of works and that theâ—â—â—liever as this author saith may goe on â—â— single exercise of legall principles for 〈◊〉 true faith is in any soule that soule hath a 〈◊〉 incumbence and reliance upon Christ 〈◊〉 for life and salvation which no man hath 〈◊〉 der the covenant of works and this incumbence and reliance upon Christ is an act and operation of true faith that is distinguishing from the legall principles of men under the covenant of works so that the man doth not as this authour saith goe on a great while still in the single exercise of the principles of the covenant of works for if so he is not a believer and whereas this Authour saith that this is most evident in Peter he is greatly mistaken for though his faith might not act when he fell into denying of Christ yet he had before that time acted faith on the blood of Christ and so much the authors own words imply and so are a sufficient answer to him but as the Author jumbles the covenant of works and the covenant of grace together in justification so doth he in faith and sanctification but he must know that as soon as a man believeth in Christ he obeyes upon principles of faith and love and thankfulâ—esse in measure and we may as well imagine that the Sunne can be without light as faith be in the heart without its effects and operations more or lesse and as high as the Authour would seem to carry us the Apostle James will tell him that such a kind of faith as he here speakes of to be the higher image is but a dead faith James 2. where he tells us Faith without works is dead a dead faith v. 17. That faith that doth not work the soule out of its selfe into Christ for justification and doth not work out sin upon Gospel principles in some measure is a dead faith if this be the faith that he calls the higher image it s an image indeed as the Lord said of those images the people made that they have eyes but see not and cares but beare not and feet but walk not and so could this Author have his higher image to be that a man for all it goes on in the single exercise of legall principles and sees not acts not at all by faith well the Lord keep me from such a faith and give me faith that works by love and is distinguished in operation from a legall work But the Authour saith in that page and in the next that when James 5th saith Faith without works is dead the meaning is that it is dead in point of comfort but not only so but it is a dead faith and the man that hath such a faith is dead in trespasses and sins the Author pretends to shew us a higher state and puts us off with a dead faith a dead image but this is plain that he that hath truly believed in Christ faith hath acted and operated in him to an adherence to Christ to the receiving of Christ in his heart and doth work in him Gospel-holinesse in some measure so that he that hath true faith and hope in Christ that blessed work is doing in his heart it is begun even to purifie as he is pure 1 John 3.3 Page 304. He saith by this faith and higher image man is made no longer able to keep his selfish power to doe his own will to speak his own words or think his own thoughts or finde his own desire or exercise his own lust to good or evill as living upon his naturall root That after we have true faith in Christ we have yet remainders of corruption is plain enough by Scripture and all our experiences that we too much think our own thoughts and speak our own words but how commeth it to passe that this Authour telleth us that we cannot lust to do good or evil as living upon our naturall root How then say I either the true Saint must never sin which the Author will not affirm or else he must doe it as he liveth in part according to his naturall root the law of our members for so far as we live upon Christ his spirit his love so we sin not and so far as we live up to the principles of the new creatâ—â—e laid in our hearts in the new birth so far we sin not and let the Reader examine how this passage and the last we examined will hold together he had said before a man in the higher Image might be like others These are the clearest descriptions that I can finde him give of his higher Image and now let the Reader judge whether this which he calls the higher image be any thing more then the first image setting aside some improper expressions wherein he confounds the new birth and the glory which follows for that is the Authors way to apply Scriptures that speak of the future glory of the Saints those he applies to his higher Image But now let us consider seeing that among all the writers in all ages since the Apostles there hath none written in this Authors way unless in some small matters and there hath been and yet is a remnant according to the election of grace how doth the Author mitigate the asperity of his doctrine as to those who have not known of his notions Page 213. He tells us that he doth not condemn those professors of Christ and saints of God who have dyed or yet may dye without ever acknowledging a higher or better state of acceptation with God then under the first Image So that as much weight as he laies upon his higher Image he confesses it is such a thing that a
saith too that Christ himselfe is made their head and covering as to their justification they are made righteous not in themselves but in another even through the Mediatorship of the man Christ Jesus as their Head in whose natural righteousnesse and perfection they stand blamelesse before God Here is Christs righteousnesse imputed for justification and Christs righteousnesse imparted for our sanctification and yet the Author would make us believe all this is not a saving state but I wis the writing of Gods Laws in our hearts is a peculiar benefit of the new Covenant of grace Jer. 31. but he maketh it to be given as a benefit by the renewal of the old Covenant again by Christ and ô how dishonorable is this to Christ the Lord of life that men may have him for their head and covering for their justification and yet not be in a saving state but what saith the Scripture Rom. 8.30 Those whom the Lord justifieth them he also glorifies then which what can be plainer to prove that such as are justified by Christ are in a saving state for the text tells us such shall be glorified let this Author say what he will to the contrary that this is but the first image and Christ in the flesh the sure word of the Gospel tells us that those whom the Lord justifies shall certainly be glorified brought to heaven inherit eternal life and whereas he saith Christ is made their covering for justification then I say they must needs be in a sure and saving state Psal 32.12 Blessed is the man whose iniquities are pardoned and whose sinnes are covered by the robes of Christs righteousnesse such can never come into condemnation God seeth no iniquity in such with a judicial eye to take vengeance and damn them for it for Christ covereth their sins in that respect that in that sense God seeth no iniquity in Jacob nor no transgression in Israel but only seeth the sins of such with the eye of a Father which is well for them to reclaim them better them and heal their backslidings as Isaiah 57.18 We see the Author makes no bones of counting Christs righteousnesse invalid for justification and yet sufficiently contradicting himself saith that this righteousnesse of Christs makes us to stand blamelesse before God but then are not such in a saving state if we be blamelesse by Christ before God then I may ask this Author as Rom. 8.33.34 who shall lay any thing to their charge who shall condemne them seeing God Justifies them and the Author confesses they stand blamelesse before him Page 193. He saith these are represented in Pauls owne person Rom 7. as having that workmanship set up in their hearts and mindes which stands in an exact conformity to the Law or image of Christs natural righteousness but in the next page he saith they find by experience no good thing dwelling in their flesh that is abiding and of a continual residence with them being in such a wavering condition that whilest with their minde they serve the Law of God they are ready with their flesh to serve the Law of sin and the good they would doe that they doe not and the evill which they would not doe that they doe But stay first the Author is mistaken in this that he thinketh the true saints that shall inherit eternall life are not represented by Pauls own person that which is there said in that 7. of Rom. was true of Paul and then surely as true of other saints and this Author goeth about here to make Paul but in the first image for Paul saith all that of himself and the Author thinketh this was but the first image and calls this a being under the Law alas he that mindes the 9.10.11 verses of that Chap. will see that Paul and the persons represented in him were of from the Law for life for he saith the Law â—â—ew him he found that to be but death well but why must this be but a man in the first image and out of a saving state why the Author saith that these have no good thing dwelling in their flesh that is faith he abiding and of a continuall residence with them but hold a little that is not the meaning of it for in us that is in our flesh is nothing spiritually good not only that there is nothing that doth abide and continue but there is nothing at all good in us by nature in me that is in my flesh that is as I am naturall and as considered without the grace and spirit of God so I have no good thing dwelling in me and so it is with every saint of God that they may all say as he said Horreo quicquid de meo est I abhominate what is of my self or with Paul in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing I have no good in me no good thoughts desires inclinations but as God worketh in me to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure but I pray let the Author shew us any thing to the contrary but that a man in his higher image may not have cause to say and confesse as much that in them that is in their flesh dwells no good thing in a word there doth not onely no good thing abide and continue in our hearts by nature but it was never there to be found but we are transgressors from the wombe Well he saith further as v. 25. that whilest with their minde they serve the law of God they are ready with their flesh to serve the law of sin and I pray who is not so Paul there saith it was so with him and we are content to acknowledge it is so with us though the Author for it say we are but in the first Image we confesse we are fleâ—h and spirit and the flesh in us rebelleth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and while we with our minds and hearts desire to serve the law of God and doe his will the flesh in us draweth another way this enemy in our owne bosomes the flesh and law of our members is often too hard for us and brings us into captivity this is our burthen our gall and wormwood in this world and makes us cry out often with Paul ver 24. O wretched man that we are and with Isaiah we are uncleane we are uncleane and yet for all this we know that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin and the spirit of Christ will sanctifie us wholly and cast all our sinnes into the depths of the Sea and the time will come when we shall sin no more and all things in us shall be made subject to Christ though we see not yet all things made subject unto Christ yet having faith in Christ the work is doing and we shall be purified one day even as he is pure and our sanctification shall be as compleat and perfect hereafter as our justification is here the remainders of corruption are
God unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in a strong guard or garrison that the Devil can never take as he did Adams state by craft when the serpent beguiled Eve yea when Satan desires to have us that he may winnow us as wheat Christ prayes for us that our faith faile not but he that hath begun his good work in us to have our faith and hope in Christ will perform it to the day of Jesus Christ the righteousness of Christ is imputed to no man but by an act of the free grace of the Father and being so freely imputed its continuance is certain and for ever God by his mighty power keeps them from drawing back to perdition keeps them in a way of believing and preserves them to the heavenly Kingdome eternal life is freely given them by Christ and therefore they shall never perish neither shall any man be able to pluck thâ—â— out of his hands John 10.27 28. CHAP. VI. Treats more particularly of the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace and the difference between them THe Author to make his Doctrine more taking up and down his Book would perswade the Reader that those that he saith are called Orthodox doe but seek their life and righteousnesse from the Covenant of Works and that we may be made the righteousnesse of God in Christ and yet be but under the covenant of works This we have touched before and here by the grace of God shall more particularly treat of First then Let us consider what the Law and Covenant of Works is It calls for full and perfect obedience on our part with promise on Gods part to give life thereupon and threatning death and damnation to him that disobeyes that the soule that sinneth it shall dye as Gal. 3.10 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 every thing that is written in the Book of the Law to doe it which shewes us how the Law curses and condemnes all that are under it upon the least transgression and disobedience and therefore as the Apostle saith here being we have all sinned as many of us as are under the Law and not under grace are under the curse and if under the curse of the law then its false that the Author saith in many places of his Book that a man may have Christ made righteousnesse to him in a way of justification and yet be but under the law and covenant of works for a man cannot at the same time be both justified and be under the curse and we see whoever is under the covenant of works is under the curse and so consequently it is a mistake that the Author holds that such have Christ made righteousnesse to them in a way of justification According to the law and covenant of works the least sin damnes a man one vaine thought one idle word brings the vengeance of eternal fire every disobedience receiveth such a just recompence of reward therefore saith the Scripture Rom. 4.15 The Law worketh wrath for where no Law is there is no transgression no man under the covenant of works can be justified as this Author imagines for the law and covenant of works worketh wrath sets justice against us and makes all the world become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 No man is absolved under the covenant of works and hath remission of sins but all become guilty before God Hence also 2 Cor. 3. 6,9 the covenant of works is said to kill the Gospel only to make alive the covenant of works to be the ministration of condemnation the covenant of grace to be the ministration of righteousnesse and so Rom. 7.8 Without the law sin is dead hath no power to condemn us for the strength of sin is the law and Paul ver 11. saith by it to wit the law sin slew him Adam was the primus faederatus in the covenant of works the Lord Jesus the second Adam in the covenant of grace The first Adam was a common person in that covenant of works and stood in the room of all mankind he Broke the conditions of that covenant and there can be no renewal of that covenant of works no coming to life that way that covenant is broken and so all the world become guilty before God there is no receiving of Christ upon the terms of this covenant of works as this Author saies page 118. and in many other places and in the same page saith that we are made the righteousnesse of God in Christ upon the tenour of that covenant for we have seen that by the covenant of works we stand upon our own obedience not upon Christs we have our life in our own righteousnesse not in Christs it is by the Gospel the covenant of grace that any man comes to have Jesus Christ made of God unto him wisedom righteousness sanctification and redemption which Covenant of grace comes next to be explained This Covenant of grace whereof we now speak was made principally with Christ as the common person representing all the elect as the Covenant of works was made with Adam a common person representing all mankind and Christ Jesus is said Isa 49.8 to be given for a Covenant to the people the father and Christ having struck hands in that Covenant of grace and peace between them both Now this Covenant of grace is a blessed compact and agreement between the father and Christ Jesus that Christs soul should be made an offering for our sins that he should purge away our sins by the sacrifice of himself reconcile us to God by the blood of his Crosse and that God would be our God remember our sins no more accept us in him the beloved justifie us sanctifie us bestow upon us grace and glory and blesse us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in him this is that which we count to be the Covenant of grace and let this Author if he can shew that this is but the Covenant of works Our standing in the Covenant of works depended upon Adams obedience while he stood we stood when he fell we fell our standing in the Covenant of grace depends upon Christ that while he is righteous we are righteous that are found in him and so Christ tells us John 14.19 because I live ye shall live also he hath performed that commandement that he received of the father to lay down his life for his sheep and so God is reconciled for ever in the volumn of Gods book it is written of Christ that he should thus do the will of God in bedring the chastisement of our peace in the body prepared for him Heb. 10 Christ according to his agreement and Covenant with the father to purchase eternal life grace and glory for those whom he had given him did bear our sins in his own body upon the tree was delivered for our offences and rose again for our
justification and his having died thus for our sins is as if we had all died the Law fully satisfied To explain a little what Christ according to this blessed Covenant of grace hath done for us in his death and sufferings for our sins 1. He hath taken away the curse of the Law by being thus made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 that the law cannot curse us or condemn us for ever he hath borne the curse of the Law for us that the Law hath lost its sting in Christ it inflicted its curse upon Christ he by the will of God and his own will spontaneously yeilded to it so that now the Law can lay nothing to the charge of the believer because Christ hath payed all thus as Psa 89.19 God laid help upon one that was mighty we could not pay the debt we could not satisfie justice but the Lord hath found out one that was able and willing to do it that was able to bear the curse of the Law and be more then a conquer or if that the Lord Christ hath not satisfied the Law to the full let the Law lay it to his charge then indeed we had not a perfect righteousness and remission of sins but help was laid upon one that was mighty that upon the Crosse said it was finisht all was pay'd all the curse borne all the wrath suffered 2. He purged away our sins by this sacrifice of himself Heb. 1.3 there was a commutation of persons he was made sin for us who himself knew no sin 2 Cor. 5. ult the sins that we had committed he according to the Covenant between him and the father is willing to bear and God laies all our iniquities upon Christ Isa 53. he hath all our sins charged upon him and he purgeth them all away by bearing the punishment of them which makes full satisfaction for them all the Law is satisfied either by our performance of what is required or hearing the punishment for not performing Christ he freely suffers for our sins bears the punishment the just for the unjust and so God accepting of his suffering in our stead according to the agreement between the father and Christ in that behalf we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace and if this Author will call this but a legal righteousness of Christs and will seek another to be justified by and have remission of sins let him we know that thus our sins are purged away for ever and we can never come into condemnation but are delivered from going down to the pit because Christ hath thus pay'd our ransome the God of all grace according to the Covenant of grace between him and Christ having thus set forth Christ to be a propitiation for our sins through faith in his blood and thus we are justified freely by his grace and all our sins purged away through this redemption which is in Jesus Christ as Rom. 3. and no man is justified through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ but he is justified freely by grace not upon the tenour of the Covenant of works as this Author imagines but upon the tenour of the Covenant of grace 3. Christ thus dying for us and in our stead hath obtained an eternal redemption for us Heb. 9.12 not a temporary redemption and upon the terms of the Covenant of works as this Author supposes Christ tells us John 16.10 that his spirit shall discover unto us that there is perfect and everlasting righteousnesse in him because he goeth to the father and we see him no more he having undert aken to expiate and purge away our sins for ever If he had not fully and perfectly done it the father might have sent him to die again but that maketh it evident that he had pay'd the utmost farthing in that he goeth to the father and we see him no more but there he sitteth down at the right hand of God Thus our redemption in Christ is an eternal redemption never to come into prison again an everlasting peace he hath made between God and us by the blood of his Crosse his righteousnesse and comelinesse he puts upon us which presents us to the father without spot or wrinkle or any such thing for ever 4. Christs death is not only satisfactory but meritorious so that faith and saving grace is Christs purchase also both grace and glory we are blest with all spiritual blessings in him this is the Covenant of grace and surely fitly so called for all in it is meer grace meer grace that God and Christ who had been happy for ever though we had all perished that there should be such blessed counsel and Covenant between them that the second person in the Trinity should suffer for our sins the just for the unjust and that by his stripes we should be healed if ever any thing was grace this was surely that God the Father should appoint his only begotten son to dye for us enemies and ungodly and that application is made of this blood of sprinkling is rich grace also which is the blessing of the New Covenant to give us new hearts faith and holiness is no this blessed Covenant truly enough called the Covenant of grace Iet this Author call it the Covenant of works we see cause enough to call it the Covenant of grace and to cry grace grace unto it Thus we have seen the nature of the Covenant of work and the Covenant of grace and we see there is no justification to be had upon the terms of the Covenant of works as this Author imagines but only by the Covenant of grace but alas this Author not well understanding the nature of the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace jumbles the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace together in our justification and so overthrows the Covenant of grace as will appear Page 334. He there saith that the Saints for their justification have the robes of Christs righteousness as they are worn by Christ in his own person made white by himself in his own blood imputed to them for justification of his legall righteousness for their justification upon the â—â—nour of the first Covenant And Page 120. He saith the spiritual seed receive Christ not in part only whereby they have in common with those in the first image all the forementioned benefits viz. calling justification and sanctification upon the tenour of the Covenant of works but in whole whereby they have over and above that which excels possessing and enjoying the riches of both Covenants absolutely and unchangeably From these passages of the Author it is plain indeed hath a perfect analogy with his judgment that the true believer is justified upon the tenour of the Covenant of works as well as a man in the first Image but this is not all his justification but over and above he is justified by the robes of Christs righteousness as they are worn
by him in his own person imputed to him as he saith but now the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace are so differing as we have already discovered that its impossible that a man can be justified upon the terms and tenour of the Covenant of grace and works too for what saith the Scripture Rom. 11.6 If it be by grace 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 and to be justified by faith and to be justified by the Law and upon the tenour of the Covenant of works are everywhere in the Scripture rendered inconsistent I say not this as if I owned the Authors judgement in that particular as if what he calls being justified upon the tenour of the first Covenant were so indeed for there is no such thing but whosoever is justified by Christ is justified upon the terms of the Covenant of grace but to shew how the Author maketh a linsey-woosley businesse of it and falls into that mistake according to the tenour of his judgment that he would impose upon us to wit our looking for justification by the Covevenant of works whereas we look for our justification only upon the terms and tenour of the Covenant of grace and think the justification of the new Covenant so entire and perfect that we look for no justification upon the tenour of the Covenant of works to compleat it for as Paul told the Galatians if they were but circumcised to wit with a conceit to adde that to the righteousness of the new Covenant for their justification Christ should profit them nothing no though this Author insinuates that those that are called Orthodox are ignorant of the way of justification by the Covenant of grace yet they are not to seek for the knowledge of it nor do not distract mens faith as this Author doth to send them first to Christ for a justification upon the tearms and tenour of the Covenant of works and when they have got that to see that they are not safe there but then they must get a justification according to the Covenant of grace no they do not go about the bush thus but hold forth Christs righteousness and the Covenant of grace and mercy directing men to apply the blood of sprinkling to receive Christ to be their Priest to save them their King to rule them and their Prophet to teach them and then they have an Ancre for their soules both sure and stedfast CHAP. VII Takes a general View of the Authors Book HAving already particularly singled out some of the Authors Doctrine and examined it under several Chapters I shall now give the Reader a more miscellanious and general view of this Authors Doctrine And here we shall not oppose all that might be opposed but keep to the end which I propounded to my selfe to wit to deal with those passages in the Book that obscure the Gospel and are most likely to mislead or stumble-the unwary Reader Page 83. He saith Cain and Abel were both for a while worshippers and servants of God approaching to him by Sacrifice in testimony of their coming and relying upon the blood of Christ Cain without faith only by a life derived from Christ as he is head of the natural man and he hated Abel because he was in the higher Image But what Scripture saith Cain was a servant of God or had such a life from Christ as the Author speaks of though he offered sacrifice as well as Abel yet every one that offereth sacrifice is not presently the servant of God what though Cains mother said she had gotten a man from the Lord of him are all things that any mother may say in a sense of the wickedest child and though he offered sacrifice yet it doth not follow as the Author saith that he relyed upon the blood of Christ a man may doe a hundred times more then that and yet never rely upon the blood of Christ and if Cain did hate his brother Abel because he had true faith in Christ and so offered up a more acceptable sacrifice then he yet it doth not therefore follow that as the Author saith he was the servant of God and relyed upon the blood of Christ and was in the first image but rather the contrary that he was not thus for if he had owned and relyed upon the blood of Christ his sacrifice would have been accepted as well as Abels for it was by faith and relyance upon Christs blood that Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain Page 175. He saith Christ brings us to eternal glory the same way he came to it himself who was made perfect by sufferings But we are brought to eternal glory by the righteousnesse of another imputed to us but so was not Christ we are brought to glory by Christs sufferings not by our own let us have a care of Sâ—â—â—ianism Page 175. He saith that every man may keep himself from such high provocations for which God swears in his wrath they shall never enter into his rest God can keep men from such high provocations and wilful resistance of him and his wayes but man cannot keep himselfe God can do it by his restraining grace but man cannot The way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps without Christ we can doe nothing and therefore David prayed that God would incline his heart to his testimonies and not to covetousnesse the very inclination of the heart in man to the wayes of the Lord is from the Lord not from our selves Truly I think even those that are Saints if the Lord had left them to themselves would have fallen into those high provocations and wilfull resistance and refusal of Christ which is the main thing for which he swears in his wrath that we shall not enter into his rest If Saints and such Saints as Noah David Peter and Solomon when left to themselves did fall so shamefully then what power is there in other men to keep themselves from the greatest sins David one of them saith Psal 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee These Saints that fell as they did would have backslided and revolted more even into all evil were it not that God kept them by his mighty power and plucked them as firebrands out of the fire let us not think every man hath power to keep himselfe from such high provocations and wilfull resistance of Christ and his grace but rather admire and be thankfull to him who is so rich in mercy as to keep any of us from the greatest transgression and transgressions for we who as the Scripture telleth us are not able to think a good thought of our selves are not able to keep our selves from the highest provocations what are we but an infinite and endlesse evil we goe astray as soon as we are
born are transgressors from the womb and if leâ—t to our selves grow worse and worse revolt more and more and if what the Author saith were true then every man had power to keep himselfe from unbeliefe for to be sure that is one of the highest provocations for which God swears in his wrath men shall not enter into his rest And the Author here telleth us that men may keep themselves from such provocations and if they have power to keep themselves from unbelief then consequently they have power to believe then farewel the discriminating grace of God his making us to differ we know men have their Wil nots as wel as their Cannots there is both they will not and they cannot they want will and power there is both wilfulnesse and weaknesse such vile and miserable Creatures are we of our selves and let not the Author make our case better then is is let us have a care of Freewill Page 182. and 183. He saith men may have a feare of God to keep them from sinning against him and may have an experimental sense of the emptinesse of their good works to justifie them and yet neither be under the Law nor Believers and so it was with the Centurion who was neither under the Law nor a Believer until Peter came to him and this he speaks in reference to those that are usually called the Heathens But though the Heathen have such a light set up in their understandings according to which their consciences accuse them or excuse them yet where doth the Scripture say that the fear of God keeps them from sinning nay most of them have denied that there is a God that infinite first being of all things and then they could not through the fear of him be kept from sinning and the truth is no man but the true believer is truly kept from sinning through a true fear of God the fear of hell and wrath may be without a true fear of God the true feare of God is a peculiar benefit of the covenant of grace and how have the Heathens an experimental sense of the emptinesse of their good works to justifie them that know not of heaven or hell to come the businesse of justification before God and forgivenesse of sins is not in all their thoughts But let us come to the Centurion and try whether he were thus and whether he was neither acquainted with the Law nor was a Believer before Peter came to him and the tenth chapter of the Acts will resolve us in these things out of that Chapter we may gather that Cornelius was a Proselyte in his beliefe and Religion and so might be a true believer in Christ though he did not know that Christ was already come and therefore the Lord sent Peter to acquaint him with it and so ver 22. shewes us that this Cornelius was of good report among all the Jewes and the word which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ that word Peter told Cornelius he knew Acts 10.36 37. From all which it is plain that Cornelius was not to be reckoned among the Heathen and that he might be a believer in Christ before Peter câ—me to him he might believe in Christ as to come though he might not have light to believe that he was already come as he was taught afterwards by Peters Sermon Page 183. He saith Paul when he saith that he was alive once without the Law Rom. 7. shews that he lived in good conscience in such a state But when Paul saith he was alive without the law once his meaning is not that he was not acquainted with the Law that was written in Tables of stone but that he was not acquainted with the spirituality of the Law but only made an overly Exposition of it not knowing how the Law reached the thoughts and principles of the heart for otherwise Paul knew the Law and was no Heathen in that sense for he was an Hebrew of the Hebrewes a Jew by father and mother and circumcised the eighth day but it shewes how a man may have the outward knowledge of the Law and yet be without the inward and spiritual knowledge of it Page 197. He saith those that hold general redemption and their opposers that goe under the name of Orthodox doe both bear a true witnesse and a false one against another and both of them oppose and exclude upon divers grounds the true righteous seed that live by faith But they cannot be both in the right in that dispute either Christ did die for the whole race of mankind or he did not and either there is an election from all eternity of a certain number to grace and glory or there is not and so throughout that controversie so that I say they cannot be both in the right in these disputes Well but he saith they both oppose and exclude though upon divers grounds the true righteous feed that live by faith God forbid But if it be so is not the Author one of them for I am sure he holdeth general redemption as his book doth sufficiently witnesse and though those that hold universal redemption are surely mistaken in that yet it doth not follow that they and their opposers therein doe exclude the righteous seed that live by faith for most that hold universal redemption and those that oppose them agree in that to wit that he that truly believeth in Christ shall be saved and no other many who are mistaken about the extent of Christs death are yet sound in the Doctrine of Justification Page 198. He saith those that are for the general extent of Christs death finding the truth of their belief expressed in the Letter of the Gospel as indeed it is satisfie themselves in that and rest there thinking it sufficient to try and judge all men as they reject or own this literal knowledge of the Gospel I shall not mingle so many disputes together or else I might undertake to shew that general redemption is not expressed in the letter of the Gospel if by the letter the Author meanes the meaning and mind of the holy Ghost but that hath been sufficiently witnessed by the worthies of our times but yet this Author doth not doe well to charge all those of that judgement in general that they rest there and try or judge all men as they reject or own that Doctrine for though I have known some that have been so rigid yet it is not so with all there are those of that judgement that do not own all to be saints that believe general redemption neither do they disown others that differ from them in that point but notwithstanding their judgement in that particular they do own or disown men according to their faith in Christ and power of godliness neither do they as the Author saith rest there but hold the necessity of applying the blood of Christ and of a new birth though yet some of them may take up