any thing like it for a time they quickly recanted and recalled it Mat. 11.16 19. But whereunto shall I liken this Generation It is like unto Children sitting in the markets and calling unto their fellows The Son of man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a man gluttonous and a wine bibber a friend of Publicans and sinners But wisdom is justified of her Children And John 5.35 He was a burning and a shining light And ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light I have been greatly refreshed and comforted in you all by the grace of God bringing Salvation to you and which ye have not received in vain But as ye have heard him and been taught of him as the truth is in Jesus Christ this grace hath taught you effectually to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and godly in this present World looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works And am still comforted in the remembrance thereof And that these poor labours of mine in the Ministry of this Gospel hath had any effect upon your Souls either in drawing you to Christ or confirming or comforting you in Christ at any time is and will be my rejoycing above all the esteem I have in your hearts and all the help I have received from your hands by your Free Kind Liberal ministring to my necessities from time to time and that my temptation which was in the Flesh through these necessities and wants and reproaches for Christs sake ye despised not but received me and embraced me I will not say as an Angel of God or even as Christ Jesus But one far greater than I can own my self to be I can truly say I have rejoyced much more because of the Grace of God given to you than in all the gifts to me though I had need of them all and do acknowledge them to be more and greater than I am worthy of But Christ is worthy for whose sake only ye have counted me so Mar. 9.4 And whosoever will offend one of those little ones that believe in me It is better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the Sea And though I put not your names to this my Book for reasons above mentioned yet I hope they are all of them in the Book of Life And this small Treatise which is but a taste of some more that may follow in due time if the Lord please I do more especially Devote and Dedicate to the Use and Service of you all and yours not doubting that whither I live or die you will find out it or it will find out you by some providence or other I say I Dedicate it to you not for Patronage or Protection but for Debt for it is much due to you who have been my fellow helpers in the Gospel some of you for mâ—ny years And two things I have to say to you all and leave here upon record as the greatest testimony of my thankfulness love and care to and for you in the Lord. Namely First That you beware and take heed of of a loose conversation and that ye use not your liberty at any time or in any thing for an occasion to the Flesh or to the World For we are not debtors to the Flesh to live after the Flesh for if ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but if ye by the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.12 13. And Jam. 4.4 Ye Adulterours and Adulteresses Know ye not that the Friendship of the World is Enmity against God Whosoever therefore will be the friend of the World is the enemy of God 1 John 2.15 Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him 16. For all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World 17. And the World passeth away and the Lusts thereof But he that doth the will of God abideth tfor ever The power of Christ's Death is within you therefore let your Old Man be crucified with Christ That henceforth ye may not serve Sin and let the World be crucified to you and you unto it otherwise you cannot glory truly in the cross of Christ Gal. 6.14 15. But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature You cannot be alive with Christ through Union with him but you must be dead and die continually both to Sin and to the World Rom. 6.1 What shall we say then Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound Secondly That you shine as lights in the World and be as the Sons and Daughters of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation holding forth the word of Life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain Phil. 2.14 15 16. Do all things without murmurings and disputings That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine or shine ye as lights in the World Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither laboured in vain And our Lord hath said Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven If the time will come when ye shall shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of your Father Math 13.43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Who hath ears to hear let him hear Surely ye should shine as lights more in this State of imperfection and whilst you are in this World and thereby show you are not of it Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of Life and to enter in through the Gates of the the City 15. For without ar Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie To the Church or Congregation which is at Cambridge unto which I stand as a Pastor or Overseer in the Faith Fellowship and Order of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ And to many others my Constant or Occasional hearers of whom I am perswaded such things as do accompany Salvation Blessed be God Dearly Beloved I Do greatly rejoyce in
fit them to destruction And after the hardness and impenitency of their hearts to treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God as Rom. 2.5 6. And thus have we done with the Doctrinal Part I proceed to the Application Use 1. Hence we may infer and be informed that no Man can be justified by the light within him and by his obedience to that light there hath been a Generation of Men amongst us that have made a greater noise about the light within and which they say is in ever Man in its measure and degree and that by harkening to the light within and obeying the same a Man may be righteous yea become perfect and as they have affirmed to be without Sin but let us a little examine the matter and we shall quickly find the falshood of this boasting and confidence for this light as they call it is either true or false if false and not warranted by the Holy Scriptures then it is not light but darkness and as our Lord saith Mat. 6.23 If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness But we will suppose that this light which they speak of and affirm to be in every Man be true light in its measure and degree and if it be so then at best it can be but the light of Gods Holy law as the works of it is written in the Conscience of a Man It can pretend no higher and then no Man that can pretend to the highest degree of that light and of obedience thereunto can possibly become righteous and be justified in the sight of God thereby For then a Man might be justified by works of the law contrary to the clear light of the Holy Scriptures But forasmuch as no Man shall or can be righteous and justified before God by the law and the deeds or works thereof in whatsoever manner or degree they can be performed by him It is most clear certain and plain that no Man can be justified in the sight of God by the light within nor by all his obedience thereunto 2. Hence we may also infer and be certainly â—formed that no Mâ—n can be justified in the sight of God by Morality or Moral Vertue Morality or Moral Vertue is nothing else but obedience and conformity to the Moral law contained in the Decalogue or Ten Commandments though generally it is restrained to the Duties of the Second Table And many of the Heathens who knew nothing of instituted Religion and Worship which depend only upon Divine Revelation have attained unto divers Moral Vertues and have therein excelled many called Christians and many amongst the professors of Christianity have made little pretence unto or Conscience of instituted worship further than the bare name of Religion yet have been found amongst Men more Morally honest and vertuous than some others that have had a greater name fame for Religion and thereby have attained more reputation and esteem amongst Men than multitudes of loose pretenders to instituted Religion Yet when all due encourgement and praise is given and allowed to Moral Virtue and Honesty where-ever it is found It must be affirmed and is certainly true that no man under the Heavens can be Justified in the sight of God by Moral vertue for then a man might be justified by the deeds of the Law and that by the deeds of the Law in one part of it only i. e. by the deeds of the second Table when the deeds of the first are omitted But for as much as by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in his sight it followeth as a necessary and undeniable consequence that moral vertue cannot justifie a man nor that any man can be justified by moral vertue in the sight of God and although there have not been wanting amongst the Philosophers of old and amongst false Christians of latter times who have by Disputing Preaching and Printing both with their Tongues and Pens endeavoured to exalt magnifie and cry up Morality against the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the righteousness of Faith yet have not been able to prevail in that attempt 3 dly Hence also we may as certainly infer and be informed that those that are justified in the sight of God are not justified by inherent grace and sanctification 'T is a great and a blessed truth that all that are justified are also sanctified as Titus 2.11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World We will suppose that the Grace of God is taken for the Doctrine of the Grace of God in Christ which hath appeared to all men i. e. to Jew and Gentile by the Gospel that bringeth Salvation i. e. the glad tidings of Salvation and Salvation it self when it is believed and embraced in the heart of any man by Faith Now this grace of God doth teach us 1 st Doctrinally when it is received only by a common and not saving Faith as Historical or Temporary Faith is such Faith as Devils and wicked Men and Hypocrites may have as James 2.19 20. Mat. 13.20 21 22. When it is thus received it teacheth us Doctrinally i. e. the Light of the Gospel of the Grace of God that teacheth men the Doctrine of Salvation the righteousness of Gods Justification by Faith in Christ teacheth us also To deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Which particulars do expresly contain the whole and compleat Sanctification of the Heart and of the Life i. e. in Mortification of Sin and all manner of Holy and Godly walking conversation amongst men in this World So that if any person pretending to this Doctrin of Justification righteousness by faith in Christ be otherwise than a Truly Holy Mortified and Sanctified person he is self-convict and left without excuse as the Gentiles were by sinning against and walking contrary to the light of Nature So these loose Christians by sinning against and walking contrary to the Light of Grace the fault is not in the Grace of God but in their own selves who hereby proclaim to all the World that they have received this Grace or Doctrine of the Grace of God in vain 2 dly But then when this Doctrine of the Grace of God is imbraced sincerely and with a saving Faith such as is the Faith of the operation of God as Col. 2.12 And the Faith of Gods Elect as Tit. 1.1 And Like pretious Faith 2 Pet. 1.1 Then it doth effectually teach and certainly work by the same Faith all that Sanctification and Holiness of Heart and Life here mentioned And so again 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and
for many false Prophets are gone out into the World And we shall first try the first of these Doctrines As namely Quest. 1. Whether Gods Elect or any sort of men were justified from all Eternity as some do say and affirm And unto this we answer affirmatively in two things Namely 1. That there is and was a gracious purpose which God had purposed in himself from all Eternity to Justifie and save his Elect through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ Ephes. 1.9 According to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself And again 2 Tim. 1.9 But according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began And the Apostle in the Context doth not only plainly imply but expresly declare the same when he saith Rom. 8.28 To them who are the called according to his purpose and then ver 30. Whom he called them he also justified Therefore there is and was such a purpose in God before the World began to call and justifie them 2. That all that have been are now or hereafter shall be justified through Faith in Jesus Christ from the Foundation of the World to the end thereof have been are now and shall be Justified according to this Purpose which God hath Purposed in himself before the World began and no otherwise as Ephes. 1.11 In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance And this Inheritance cannot be obtained without free Justification by Grace as Tit. 3 7. Being Predestinated according to the Purpose of him who worketh all things after or according to the Counsel of his own Will For in that he saith all things 't is manifest that he worketh this one thing amongst all the rest even his Justifying his Elect through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ after or according to this Counsel of his own Will and Ephes. 1.3 4. Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ Amongst which Spiritual Blessings that of Justification must be acknowledged to be one and none of the least or last of those blessings It followeth ver 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World And again 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and graee which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began And this also is plainly declared in the Context Rom 8.30 Whom he did Predestinate them he also Called and whom he called them he also Justified And if you will ask how The answer is According to his Purpose as ver 28. According to this Purpose he calleth them and according to this Purpose he justifieth them So that thus far we do consent and agree 1. That there is and was a purpose in God from all Eternity to Justifie his Elect through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ And 2. That all that are justified are justified according to this Purpose which God had purposed in himself But then we distinguish betwixt being under a purpose of Grace from all Eternity to be justified And being Justified from all Eternity and therefore though we grant and affirm the former yet we deny the latter Namely Neg. That Gods Elect or any person in this World are or is or ever were or was justified from all Eternity This Doctrine of Justification from Eternity I say we truly reject disown and deny as a false and unsound Doctrine and contrary to the Holy Scriptures all which will more than sufficiently appear in these following Particulars Part. 1. This Doctrine in the consequent of it doth deny destroy and overthrow the truth and true Doctrine of Gods Election and Predestination which the Holy Scriptures do establish and which is one fundamental point of the true Christian Faith and from whence doth spring as from a Fountain all the parts of our Salvation This is called The Foundation of God which standeth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 And this is that from whence as from a Fountain all the parts of our Salvation do spring and proceed Ephes. 1.3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. There are two parts of this Election of God namely foreknowledge and predestination Rom. 8.29 For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate Now there neither is nor can be any foreknowledge or fore-ordaining of that which is from Eternity for nothing can be said to be before Eternity And foreknowledge and predestination must be before the things foreknown and predestinated and therefore if Justification were from Eternity there could be no foreknowledge or predestination thereof To speak with a holy reverence God cannot be said to foreknow himself or to fore-ordain his own blessedness and enjoyment of himself alone 't is true the blessedness of God doth consist in that knowledge and injoyment of himself which he hath in and of himself eternally But he could not fore-know himself or fore-ordain himself this blessedness because he hath and had this eternally and nothing can precede or be before eternity Even so God could not be said to foreknow and predestinate his Elect to Justification and Salvation through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ if they were Jâ—stified from all Eternity And besides it is â—ritten Gal. 3.8 For the Scripture foreseeing thaâ— God would justifie the Heathen through Fâ—â—â—h preached the Gospel before-hand to Abraham saying in thee shall all the Nations be blessed Now the Scripture could not foresee that which was from Eternity the Scripture may and doth declare that which was from Eternity as John 1.1 2. and 1 John 1.2 3. but the Scripture cannot be said to foresee that which was from Eternity yet the Scripture did foresee that God would justifie these elect Heathen through Faith therefore these Heathen were not Justified from Eternity though they were elected from eternity he therefore that saith he was justified from eternity and doth teach men so doth by consequence overthrow the Foundation of Gods Election and deny that himself and those he so teacheth were either fore-known or predestinated of God to Justification and Salvation through Faith in Christ. Part. 2. This Doctrine of Justification from Eternity doth by necessary consequences destroy and overthrow the Doctrine and Faith of reconciliation which is also another fundamental point of the Christian Faith Reconciliation must go before Justification at least in the order of Nature though not of time God must be first reconciled to that person in Christ whom he justifieth in Christ as 2 Cor. 5.18 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and then their justification follows not imputing to them their trespasses Reconciliation must be first and then Justification follows for God Justifies a sinner upon the account of the price paid and satisfaction made by Jesus Christ as Rom. 5.10 If when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son c. Now reconciliation was not nor could be from Eternity
and in a state of Death and Condemnation they were not justified from Eternity no not one of them that Live and are Justified by Faith in Christ for they all and always thus judge that they were all dead i e. condemned and not justified before they believed in Christ and do freely confess the truth and therefore not one of them doth profess or can profess any such Faith that he was Justified from Eternity Part. 6. This Doctrine of Justification from Eternity denyeth and overthroweth the Doctrine of Regeneration or new Birth and the necessity thereof which Christ himself doth plainly affirm and urge upon every man in this World John 3.3 5 8. and so do all the holy Prophets and Apostles as may be easily proved if there were any so bold as to deny it Now he that is Justified by Faith in Christ and hath this power and priviledge given unto him to become a Son of God as every true believer hath John 1.11 12. he also is born of God as John 1.13 which were born not of blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God as James 1.18 Of his own Will begat he us by the Word of Truth not one Believer and so Justified person in this World but he is born of God and begotten of God and so is born again as 1 Pet. 1.23 being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever ver 25. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is Preached unto you so that not one person is or can be justified by Faith but at the same time and by the same word of Faith Preached to him and Believed by him he is also born again he therefore that saith he was justified from Eternity saith also that he was born of God from Eternity and he that was born of God from Eternity needeth not nor can be born again for Regeneration is but once and those that were born of God from Eternity are far from being new born Babes as all true Believers are after their first Conversion and Calling and as the Apostle Peter calleth and styleth them 1 Pet. 2.2 3. Part. 7. This Doctrine of Justification from Eternity denieth destroyeth and overthroweth the Doctrine of Repentance and Conversion to God by Christ and by consequence takes away the necessity thereof the holy Scriptures do every where establish both in the Old and New Testament the necessity of Repentance and Conversion to God as Isa. 55.6 7. Act. 3.19 Act. 26.17 18. Luke 24.45 46 47. But he that saith he was justified from Eternity by consequence saith that he had remission of Sins from Eternity and that his Sins were blotted out from Eternity for Justification is Remission of Sins as Psalm 32.1 2 3. And blotting out of Sins as Isa. 43.25 And so he needeth not to Repent and be Converted for asmuch as he had his sins blotted out from Eternity and was Righteous from Eternity and well it is if men of these notions and traditions which they have received to hold do not become as the Pharisees of old so Whole as they need no Physician and so Righteous in their own Eyes that like the 99 Just Persons they need no Repentance or Conversion as Luke 15.4 8. And if the name of Repentance and Conversion shall still be pretended to and boasted of amongst them it shall only consist in making Proselytes to this their Tradition of Justification from Eternity which they call the Gospel and a more glorious Light than former Ages have enjoyed And some have not blushed to affirm than perhaps the Apostles had But let them take heed lest that Wo come upon them spoken by the Mouth of Truth himself Mat. 23.15 Part. 8. This Doctrine doth frustrate and make void all the ends of Christ Death and Suffering which are the Justification and Salvation of Gods Elect for if they were Justified from Eternity what need was there of Christs dying to obtain that for them which they had from all Eternity So that if this Doctrine be true as they affirm then as the Apostle saith in another case Gal. 2.21 Christ is dead in vain Part 9. This Doctrine of Justification from Eternity destroyeth and overthroweth the Doctrine and Order of God's new Creation in Christ and making all things new in him which the Holy Scriptures do every where establish both in the Old and New Testament This is certain the Old Creation was first and before the New else it were not new Adam was before Christ or the first Adam before the Second as Rom. 4.12 and 1 Cor. 15.45 46 47. And so it is written the first man Adam was made a living Soul the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit howbeit that was not first which is Spiritual but that which is Natural and afterward that which is Spiritual The first or old Creation in Adam is the natural and the second or new Creation in Christ the Spiritual now that was not first which is Spiritual but that is first which was natural therefore the Workmanship of God in the natural or old creation was first And the workmanship of God in the new Creation in Christ is the Spirâ—tual and therefore last the second must be after the first or else 't is not second the new must be after the old or else the old is not old nor the other new Now Justification by Faith in Christ is Gods Workmanship in the new Creation as 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things i. e. the things of the first Creation in Adam are passed away behold all things are become new And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. And therefore Reconciliation and Justification by Jesus Christ as ver 19. are parts of the new Creation in Christ as also is most manifest Eph. 2.8 9 10. 't is manifest I say that God at first setled all things So the first Adam and all men in him upon the foundation of the Law or Covenant of Works which settlement was broken or dissolved by the first transgression and Death entred upon all men by Sin and no hope or possibility of Righteousness or Life by that Law or Covenant any more therefore now God bringeth forth Christ the second Adam and settles all things again upon a new Covenant of Grace restoring Righteousness and Life by Jesus Christ to all that believe this is the new Creation that which is Spiritual Now therefore Justification and Salvation by Faith in Christ was not from Eternity because 't is Gods new Creation in Christ And forasmuch as the Old Creation and that which is Natural was not from Eternity but in Time 'T is manifest that Gods new Creation in Christ to any man in this World was not from Eternity but in Time for the first must be before the second and the old